~ Malden Musings ~ Happy Birthday, Lana Joy Falzarano

By Peter Levine

And just like that…by the time this edition of “Malden Musings” graces the newsstands, Lana Joy Falzarano will have celebrated her fifth birthday. Born on Valentine’s Day 2020, Lana entered the world wrapped in love, joining her adoring siblings, Christian and Lola. From that very first moment, she made her presence known – radiating joy, commanding attention and effortlessly becoming the heart of our lives.

This vast and beautiful world shines brighter with you in it, my dearest Lana. Every moment in your presence is a gift I cherish beyond words. Watching you grow, laugh and embrace life is my greatest joy.

Happy birthday, dear Lana. May your journey always be filled with the same magic and love you bring to us all.

It is said in “Malden Musings”….

• Forgione’s Market on Medford Street isn’t just a place that closed its doors; it’s a feeling, a scent, a warm echo of laughter and conversation that lingers in the hearts of those who knew it best. The aroma of freshly baked bread, the rich, earthy scent of imported cheeses, and the comforting bustle of neighbors stopping in for their weekly staples (hello, Bill Settemio and the Walker Brothers). It was more than a market. It was a ritual, a cornerstone of the community, a little slice of old-world Edgeworth charm tucked into our everyday lives.
• Though its aisles are now only a sweet memory, we can still hear the hustle and bustle inside as the door swung open, feel the creak of the well-worn floorboards beneath our feet and picture the Forgiones – always ready with smiles or a recommendation. And now, with the building gone, it feels like losing it all over again. But places like this never really disappear. They live on in the stories we tell, in the way we pass down traditions and in the longing we feel for just one more visit.
• Dan Thing remembers Forgione’s via Facebook: “Forever indebted to the Forgione family. My dad worked for them as a youth, and during the Blizzard of ’78 a phone call from my dad who was in Oregon at the time. My kids need provisions – Joe, can they come down? ‘George of course I’ll be there in an hour.’ Me my two best buds set off from Oak Grove to Edgeworth. Sleds in tow, each sled loaded with nine milk crates loaded and strapped down. We will leave soon to be picked up by the National Guard. They drove us home. 47 years later, thank you Forgione family for being a true staple in Malden.”
• Parking Department Director Ron “Hulkster” Hogan on Deb Burke’s retirement: “This isn’t goodbye for Debbie, so I don’t want to make it that. I do want to say publicly that I’m not sure this City has ever had a leader as loyal, as collaborative, as selfless and as hard-working as her. We can all learn something from the way she has approached challenges, change and adversity. Deb, you’ve given government workers a good name! I look forward to continuing to work with you, but also seeing you be able to enjoy the fruits of a long and successful career!”
• It is so important to buy/eat Malden local (think All Season’s Table, Bikeeny Caffe, 3 Amigos, China Garden, 621 Tavern, El Potro, Superior Gas in Maplewood, and Cornucopia). Especially in these trying times. Local vendors are your neighbors, family members and more than likely your friend on Facebook. They need your support more than ever in this “Bizarro World” we live in today. Thanks for listening.
• “Baby we were Born to Shuffle cautiously…” and just like that the Pride of Edgeworth, Maldonia HR Director Anthony Chiccuarelli, has hung up his (well worn) Chuck Taylors and retired. It has certainly been a long, strange trip for Anthony from running buck wild as a yoot with his gang of hooligans through the streets of Edgeworth to respectable family man, valued municipal employee and unrepentant Bruce Springsteen stalker. All kidding aside, Matt’s little brother will be missed “more than words” can express (Malden-centric word play intended). There is both sadness and joy throughout Maldonia as we celebrate Anthony’s many contributions to the community and wish him happy trails in retirement. Ready for the future, Chic? “All aboard, Nebraska’s our next stop.” Keep it gangsta, Anthony!
• Last week’s birthday shout-out to Stan Langston was a “heavenly” shout-out, as Stanley passed last year in August. A US Army veteran, Stan graduated from M.H.S. along with many other free spirits and colorful classmates in that crazy Bicentennial year of 1976. Stanley excelled in track and football at M.H.S., and I remember vividly many of his athletic accomplishments at Macdonald Stadium. Rest in peace, Stanley.
• First to yoller back at me with what the “Nebraska” reference means without “The Google” gets a Miller High Life on me.
• Barbara Tolstrup. When the story of Maldonia is written, her name will shine at the very top. A tireless champion, a guardian of Malden’s heart and soul, she has spent decades fighting the good fight – ensuring that future generations inherit a place they can proudly call home.
• Barbara Tolstrup remembers the golden afternoons of youth when the crossroads at Malden Square bustled with laughter, and The Palace of Sweets was more than a shop, it was a gathering place, a ritual, a piece of childhood frozen in time – the scent of fresh candies, the clinking of soda glasses, the hum of jukebox tunes, the bustle of classmates.
• Barbara Tolstrup is Malden: its past, its present and the legacy it carries forward. Hope you are well, Barb, we are thinking of you.
• Once again, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Malden Advocate President/Publisher/Big Cheese Jim Mitchell for the privilege of contributing to this important newspaper. The Malden Advocate embodies everything a hometown paper should be – a trusted source of local news, a pillar of the community and a reliable guide in our daily lives.
• In an era when misinformation runs rampant, The Advocate upholds the proud tradition of truth in journalism, following in the esteemed footsteps of David Brickman’s Malden Evening News and the regional integrity of The Boston Globe. Week after week, it delivers news you can trust. No spin, no “alternative facts,” just the real deal. As the legendary Walter Cronkite would say, “And that’s the way it is.”

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – last week, my brother Joe and I had the pleasure of crossing paths with the legendary Franny’s Friday Morning Coffee Paisans at Franny’s/Patrick’s in Maplewood Square. This tight-knit group of old friends from Maldonia gathers at one of Malden’s last true mom-and-pop breakfast joints, sipping coffee, swapping stories and keeping the spirit of the city alive – one laugh at a time. These guys (Lenny, Fred, Jackie, Ed, et al) aren’t just regulars; they’re the unofficial historians, the keepers of Malden’s past, the movers and shakers of days gone by. And let me tell you, if I had to invent a better bunch of characters, I couldn’t.

Now, if you’re a frequent reader of “Malden Musings,” you already know my love for Edgeworth is about as subtle as a marching band. But in all seriousness, my devotion to every corner of Maldonia runs deep and is sincere. Sure, us Edgeworth folks never strayed very far from our insular little neighborhood, but as we step into 2025, I’m making it a point to embrace the whole of Maldonia with open arms come the future. I know you’ve heard that before; scouts honor – I’ll try (LOL).

Also, I hope you’re all enjoying Chris Moro’s “Tales of Linden” contributions. I know I am. Here’s to more stories, more connections and more mornings like the one we shared at Franny’s with Maldonia’s best and brightest.

Postscript 1: With that said…Apropos of absolutely nothing and just havin’ some fun with this throwback pabulum… Yes, I know it is over the top but allow me this one last time my awkward attempt at looking at Ward 2 somewhat poetically… We all know that Edgeworth is the center of the universe. If you didn’t, well, now you know. The sun doesn’t just rise over Donut Villa – it stretches, yawns and spills golden light onto the waking streets, warming the sidewalks where stories unfold. And when it finally sets beyond Macdonald Stadium, it does so in a blaze of deep reds and soft purples, as if tipping its hat to another day well spent.

The air? It’s cleaner than your conscience after Sunday Mass at Saint Peter’s (I know, oy vey!)! Crisp, fresh and humming with life. The scent of Piantedosi’s warm bread drifts through the neighborhood like a memory you can almost taste, mingling with the unmistakable aroma of Mary, Jamie and Joe’s legendary pizza at Pisa Pizza, where the ovens have been firing since before you even knew what good pizza was. New England Coffee grinds fill the air with their (most of the time) glorious perfume, keeping the whole neighborhood caffeinated and content. And when the craving for something rich and comforting hits, the teriyaki aromatic whispers from China Garden’s kitchen promise the finest Chinese cuisine this side of Beach Street in Boston (try the egg rolls, they are still as good as you remember them growing up).

Edgeworth isn’t just a place. It’s a feeling. It’s the sound of children’s laughter echoing down Emerald Street, the clatter of a baseball bat connecting just right at Devir Park, the way your name is never forgotten at the corner store (hello, Dawn at Donut Villa). It’s home. And if you don’t get it, well – fuhgeddaboudit! Thank you, thank you very much (said in my very best Elvis voice).

Postscript 2: If you’re new to Edgeworth (or Malden) and find yourself wondering what all this gibberish is about, come experience it for yourself at the San Rock Festa this August. For three evenings, you’ll get a glimpse – a taste – of what this neighborhood was, what it is and what it will always be. Just as the neighborhood embraced the Levines back in 1964, we welcome all with open arms. Some things change, but the heart of San Rock remains the same. Viva San Rock.

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to The Malden Advocate. He can be reached at PeteL39@aol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.