If you don’t have a relative who grew up in Merrick or Bellmore or a camp friend who knows someone who lives in Merrick or Bellmore, then odds are, you don’t know what it is. Growing up, I always told people that I lived near Long Beach or Wantagh, or sometimes even about 45 minutes outside of New York City. Though few people know it, those who do know the two towns like the back of their hands.

1. Ralphs

Summer and Winter were not marked by certain dates in June and December, but rather by the opening and closing dates of Ralphs, a local Italian ice shop. Plans were made days in advance to pull up to Ralphs with a car full of friends to try both the new flavors as well as the old ones. My personal favorite was always Blue Hawaii, though Cookie Craze was a close second. Weeks approaching the closing date, kids would stop by with parents to stock up on tubs of their favorite flavor.

2. East Bay Diner

If you visit the East Bay Diner between the hours of 11 PM and 2 AM, you’ll most likely find tables on tables of High School students splitting cheese fries and large waffles with ice cream on top. The East Bay Diner, not to be confused with any other local diner or restaurant, is a frequent destination for kids between the ages of 14-18, whether it’s with a large group after a party or a few friends just hanging out.

3. The school system

For those who aren’t a part of the Bellmore Merrick Central High School District, knowing that both North and South Merrick and Bellmore are divided amongst 3 high schools is not the obvious. Explaining to others that North Merrick and North Bellmore each have their own high schools, while South Merrick and South Bellmore have one high school located in South Bellmore is something that frequently comes into conversation when one says they know someone from Bellmore/ Merrick and asks if you know them.

4. Bar/ Bat Mitzvah season

If your middle school weekends weren’t spent driving from Bar Mitzvah to Bar Mitzvah, did you even live in Merrick/ Bellmore, or for that matter anywhere on Long Island? Hanging up the invitations, buying a million and one dresses or outfits and setting up a carpool was well worth having a piece of apparel to wear to school on Monday.

5. Jewish geography

Wherever you go, Jewish geography has probably helped you along the way. Whether it’s your grandma’s friend’s niece or your camp friend’s best home friend, Jewish geography is a gift in disguise that you will inevitably encounter at some point in your life. I, myself, realized this most when I arrived at college. Though my fat camp connections didn’t help me much, my friend’s camp friends and relatives’ connections were sure to help me meet people through my first few weeks of school and in the months leading up to it.

6. Cammanns Pond

A.K.A the Duck Pond. If you’ve never chased a bird down the path of the Duck Pond, you’re lying. If your babysitter or older family member never told you to stop playing near the birds or to stop feeding them, you’re also lying.

7. La Piazza

It may always be crowded, a bit overpriced and most definitely a social scene, or shall we not forget about their failure to deliver on weekends, but it is always our number one choice of Italian food. Despite having pizzerias on almost every corner, absolutely nothing beats a slice of La Piazza’s buffalo chicken pizza.

8. Town Bagel

More important than Town Bagel’s salad bar or bacon, egg and cheese is the parking lot: a scene of several near-tragic car accidents. If you’ve never squinted your eyes or clenched your body while trying to park or drive through the pinky-sized lot, you’ve definitely never been to Town Bagel.

9. Xaga

Despite having both Asian and sushi restaurants on nearly every block, ending up at Xaga is almost inevitable. With their mouth-watering Spicy Tuna Pizza, a creation like no other, you are guaranteed to return to nowhere other than Xaga.

10. You hate it so much when you're there, but miss it even more when you're away.

A concept that I will never understand yet try to everyday. The food, the friends, the family, the childhood memories, the awkward stages. They’re all in Merrick/Bellmore. As Miley Cyrus once sang, “You’ll always find your way back home.”