Cake By The Ocean

Tracy Obolsky, Chef/Owner, Rockaway Beach Bakery

It’s the end of an era in Rockaway Beach, New York City. The go-to spot for savory Everything Ham and Swiss Croissants and delicious Grandma Helen’s plum cake recently shut its doors at 87-10 Rockaway Beach Blvd, pulling down the iconic Gone Surfing door for the last time. In NYC, it’s common to lose favorite spots, coffee shops, restaurants, and the list goes on. It’s part of the norm. But losing a place like this that feels intimate and is an integral part of the Rockaway community hits hard. Rockaway Beach Bakery is, or was, the kind of place that makes living in Rockaway so special. It will be missed.

Tracy and I have been friends for years, and I’ve photographed her in and out of the water since 2018. I have hundreds of photos of her surfing. Even though she works hard, she makes surfing a priority in her life. When you see her out there, you notice how at home she looks out in the ocean. We finally made official plans, creating a fun photo shoot and an interview back in May of 2024. Life got busy and crazy, and I never posted the interview and the photos. I actually took a pause from social media, from work, all the things. A few days ago, I started dipping my toe, cautiously, back in the social waters, and the first thing I see is Tracy’s post about the bakery closing. I reached out immediately to check on her. Cool things happening behind the scenes, and something new is in the works. But that’s all I know! We’ll have to wait and see, but in the meantime, I wanted to pull all of our photos and our conversations together and make this Wild interview happen.

Tracy’s one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. A Pratt Institute Grad, she earned a BFA in Illustration. She planned on becoming an illustrator or a snowboarder, which if you know Tracy, that dichotomy fits. Inspired by crazy cake competition shows, Tracy enrolled in pastry school. At twenty-six, she became an Executive Pastry Chef at Esca, then North End Grill, and Cookshop. Her skills in the kitchen and the unique recipes she created made her sought after and kept her at the top of her game. Through the years, I’ve questioned how someone who works that hard and gets up that early always has a smile on her face and endless energy. I can tell you now, that is not how I handle stress. I’m guessing it’s her time in Manhattan that helped form her mastery of work, stress, and success. If she could make it there, she could make it anywhere. She talks more about that part of her career in our interview, giving insight into what actually lured her away from the city and out to Queens. Her next chapter will be no less than spectacular. As we all await the unveiling, I hope you’ll take a moment to read our interview. Of course, I didn’t expect anything less than fun and laughs—she has such good energy. Tracy was up for anything! So she brought out her famous pastries and cookies. She took them for a walk on the beach and of course out for a little surf. Congratulations on all of your success at the Blvd, Tracy, and cheers to this exciting next chapter.

Tracy, when did you start surfing?

TO: I started surfing consistently about nine years ago when I moved to Rockaway. I took a lesson in Costa Rica about twelve years ago and was hooked. I’d always wanted to surf growing up while spending summers at the New Jersey Shore. Unfortunately, my parents weren’t too keen on the idea. I was forced to stick to bodyboarding until I was an adult.

You have an iconic Gone Surfing graphic on your door that comes down when you’re closed. Sometimes during the summer, the bakery closes and that sign is up. How do you balance your love of surfing and your business? Why was it important to you to bring surfing into your work?

TO: Once in a while I would close early or close for the day to go surfing, for sure. But now I have an amazing staff that can run the bakery when I’m not there (which took five years). I try to balance my work with surfing by checking the surf forecast. Sometimes I have time to surf before work. Sometimes I can surf after work for sunset. And sometimes I’m lucky to catch both, getting to see sunrise and sunset from my board in the same day. There are definitely times where I miss out on waves, but at least I get to feed the hungry surfers that were lucky enough to score some waves. My logo, a woman surfing a croissant, was a fun, playful idea to bring surfing into the bakery. It just kind of came natural. I’m located at the beach, open year round, and love feeding the surf community, as well as the non surfing community. I love when the bakery is full, post surf session: everyone has wet hair, and they’re talking about their waves of the day.

What does surfing add to your life?

TO: Surfing adds so much to my life. I love surfing, because it is one of the only things I can do that can take my mind off anything and everything that may be bothering me. I’m forced to focus on the ocean and the beautiful surroundings. It’s super fun, challenging, and a great workout. There’s nothing like that feeling you get after a great session in the water.

Do you prefer surfing solo or with a friend(s)?

TO: I love surfing solo and also appreciate surfing with friends. Even if I end up paddling out alone, I usually end up seeing friends or acquaintances once I’m out there. Surfing solo is a great way to clear your mind and really engulfs you with the nature around you.

Are most of your friends surfers? What do you value most about the surf community? (locally & as a whole)

TO: I would say that fifty percent of my friends are surfers. I love how supportive the surf community is. Everyone is ready to clean up the beach or donate their time or product when there is a subject in need. Everyone is out for the same goal—to have fun and share the stoke while protecting what Mother Nature has gifted us.

Why Rockaway Beach? And how long have you been here?

TO: I ended up in Rockaway Beach after moving here to not only surf more and live near the ocean, but also to feel some sort of separation once I left my high paced, stressful Fine Dining Executive Pastry Chef job in Manhattan for my workweek. It was still right off the A train so I was able to commute to the city and live full time a block away from the ocean, a dream I’ve always had. I would come out here before work with one of my best friends and I would hang my wetsuit in the office to dry and the GM would always complain about the sand on the carpet. Rockaway is still technically NYC and you can get there easily but it’s also far enough away and a very drastic different beach town feel to it.

There’s obvious things about Rockaway that make it special like the beach, surfing, nature, small town community, but there’s also something about it that’s youthful. Rockaway makes me feel like a kid that’s actually a grown woman that rides her bike everywhere. It’s just so fun and nostalgic, reminds me of summer at the Jersey shore but I somehow made it my life lol.

You have a background as a pastry chef in Manhattan. That seems like such a drastic change to bakery shop owner in Rockaway. Could you explain that evolution?

TO: It was a drastic change from commuting to the city as a Pastry Chef to opening a small bakery in a beach town. I was so burnt out I was trying to figure out a way to spend more time on and enjoy this beautiful peninsula I moved to. I was always working, crazy hours too. I got stuck during a blizzard one winter and couldn’t get back to Rockaway, and that was the last straw. I thought to myself what if I started a small bakery. There’s not a lot of offerings like that out here. I bravely quit my job and started slinging pastries and coffee out of a shack at a small marina in Arverne to the local fishermen and old timers. The croissants ended up being the favorite, especially the Everything Ham and Swiss croissant which I am known for. Word traveled fast about the “secret bakery.” I sold out of anything and everything I made daily. I eventually set up a brick and mortar shop almost 9 years ago and luckily it all worked out well.

How did it feel those first few weeks and months after leaving your pastry chef career behind? I mean that's a dream job for a lot of people.

TO: It was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. I was fed up with my life style and the long hours and sacrifices. I was ready to start something completely new and my own, from scratch. I felt a lot of guilt too—the owners and chefs at my job kept trying to make me stay, and I felt bad for leaving—they were all great owners, chefs, and peers. I felt bad because I know my family thought I was crazy and maybe still think I am. I mean, I had it all and was only climbing up . . . apparently it wasn’t making me as happy as it used to, and I was completely burnt out and miserable. It was a new welcomed scary, exciting beginning of a whole new chapter in my life. And I’ll never forget my last train ride home from that job in Chelsea. I didn’t realize I was on a Lefferts train and it took me twice as long to get home. First time I did that too. 

Have you ever missed it?

TO: I have moments when I do miss it but try to remind myself of what an awesome life I’ve created for myself here and to be proud that I started something from nothing all myself. It’s easy to romanticize about the fun great moments, but I have to remind myself of how I felt the rest of the time. I work even harder now than when I worked in fine dining, but now I’m doing it for myself.  

What’s it like to own a bakery?

TO: It’s pretty great owning a bakery but it’s also a ton of work. There’s always fires to put out, problems to solve and deal with and I usually have five thousand things going through my mind at any given moment. It’s nice having full creative freedom and being able to offer this service to the community and mentor my staff to enable them to do anything they wish to do in their careers. I love seeing everyone that comes in and talking with them. I love this bubble of a life I’ve created, where I live right by the beach with my husband and dog, ride my bike on the boardwalk to and from work year round, bake beautiful delicious food, and surf as much as I can. I pinch myself sometimes. I am very lucky.

Grandma Helen's Plum Cake is a menu favorite. It's so moist and delicious with the perfect amount of sweetness--let's just say I've ordered it more than once over the years. Who is Grandma Helen? 

TO: Grandma Helen was my mom’s mom—she passed away when I was a baby so I didn’t really know her but heard a lot about her and her baking skills. I have a lot of her recipes, which are really unique and retro. Anything that has “Grandma Helen” in the name of the pastry is one of her recipes that I’ve tweaked over the years. The recipes are typed on the typewriter or hand written which is cool too.

You also travel often to Costa Rica. Is that your go to adventure surf locale? And why? What’s special about Costa Rica?

TO: I love Costa Rica and travel there every chance I get! I love the surf, the wildlife, the people. It’s absolutely beautiful and extremely diverse. I go to a certain area so much that I have friends there and regular bars and restaurants that I frequent. I feel at home when I’m there.

Summer surf? Or winter surf?

TO: I love surfing in the summer because there are many more hours of daylight to take advantage of so I get to surf more, but the waves tend to be smaller and the lineups more crowded. I love winter surfing, but I definitely don’t love the extra time it takes me to put on all the extra rubber or the extra weight it puts on you when you're out there. I also get too cold after about forty-five minutes to an hour at most. So my time is limited out there, but it’s absolutely better than not surfing at all!

Favorite Board? How many boards do you own?

TO: It's a hard decision but the board I end up using most of the time is my McTavish Sumo 7’6” cause it can get into anything, which is great when there’s not a lot of power but can still perform well when there is more size. I currently own five boards but am always looking to add to the collection.

What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

TO: I think something that people would be surprised to know about me is that I eat a TON—-everyone sees a skinny bakery owner and thinks I don’t eat my own product, but that’s not true at all. I am gifted with the fastest metabolism known to man and am extremely active. You will rarely see me sitting still unless it’s to watch a New York Rangers game. I also really enjoy singing karaoke, lol.

My time on the Blvd has come to an end, but fret not bakery friends, new things are in the works. So stay tuned! What a wild decade this has been! So thankful for my amazing staff, family, friends, and this Rockaway community. Damn, I love this town! Until then, catch you in the surf! ~ Tracy Obolsky

Five Toe Joe

Joseph “fivetoejoe” Glascott surfing in July at the AmpSurf event in Rockaway Beach, New York City

It’s a sunny Saturday morning in July. The water is warm, right around 70 degrees, and the sweet sound of yews echo up and down the beach. I’m swimming around surfers and AmpSurf volunteers, working hard to capture the pure joy of the moment. Bill’s out in the water too, shooting video. I turn my camera towards the jetty, playing with the uptown light, and at once I notice a surfer sitting in the lineup. We quickly start this dance: he gets in position, I get into position. It feels really familiar, and I wonder who he is. I’m guessing maybe he’s a volunteer who decided to catch a quick wave or two before things really got going. I shoot him turning the board around and then his arms paddling as drops of the ocean fall from his fingertips. His face is serious and focused. He spots his wave, paddling into it as the volunteers nearby make room, and we all watch and yell in unison. As I photograph him pop up close to shore, I realize at once he’s not a volunteer; he’s one of the participants. Like all the surfers I know and love, he gets right back on the board, and paddles back out. I shoot him as he glides through the water, the two of us making eye contact as we head farther out. Some of the volunteers circle around him, in awe of how well he surfs. I hear pieces of his story as he talks about his relationship with surfing—I’m certain I hear him say it’s been twenty years since he’s been back in the lineup.

A few weeks later, Joseph Glascott, driving his beloved Harley, meets up with Bill and me at Floyd Bennet Field. It’s surreal seeing the bike in person now that I know more of the story and how his motorcycle plays a key role. Joseph wears a white button down shirt and dark dress pants, a navy-blue patterned tie and pocket square tucked away in his backpack. It’s always weird to see a surfer in “street clothes.” I’ve photographed him before, and we’ve been talking often. It’s interesting doing photo shoots with friends, and he’s definitely my friend now. The three of us can’t stop laughing as we move around the location to unique spots I’ve scouted just for this day. At once, I see that this isn’t his first photoshoot. He’s mastered poses, knowing exactly how to position himself, just like in the water. I give little direction. He smiles and tells me he has a bit of experience with modeling/acting; he was in a Hot Wheels commercial back in the day. Bill is beyond excited! Later back home as we’re talking about what a unique shoot it was and how much fun we had, Joseph sends me a text. It’s the commercial. As we watch it several times with ear to ear grins, I think about him as a little kid, growing up, as he told me, surrounded by positivity, a lesson handed down from his Dad and a quality you notice the minute you talk to him. Like every great teacher, Joseph’s taken that inherited positivity, applied it to his own life, and freely paid it forward to the next generation and all of us lucky enough to call him friend.

When and where did you first start surfing?

JG: I started surfing, boogie boarding actually, when I was about 14/15 years old down at the West End 2 jetty. Started learning how to catch waves and the general rules of the line-up. Back then WE2 was pretty territorial so you had to learn fast. The next summer I borrowed my cousin's board, a 6’2 trifin thruster, that was hanging in my grandmother's garage, and paddled out for the first time. After that day I was hooked. It was tough learning at WE2 since I'm goofy foot and soon made Gilgo my home surf spot. Eventually, I moved up to an 8ft locally shaped board from a shop called Phoenix and often borrowed friends longboards down where we were at. 

Has water always been important in your life?

JG: The ocean became a shaping force in my young life. It provided me with many of the lessons young men need to learn at that age, like patience, humility, and the love of the natural world. It also taught me how to challenge myself, not allow fear to hold me back. The more time I spent in the water the more I wanted to learn about it and eventually got involved with ocean and environmental issues on Long Island.

Surfing again has reconnected me to a part of myself I thought was lost. - Joseph

When did you learn about Amp Surf? 

JG: I learned about AMPSURF from my girlfriend Kailey. She had listened to me talk about the good ol’ days of surfing back before I lost the leg and how much it meant to me and my life. She started asking why I didn’t surf anymore, and I listed all the reasons I gave away my board and why it was an impossibility in my current condition. This made her laugh because of the fact that riding motorcycles again was never in question, but for some reason surfing again seemed like an impossible task. So apparently there is this thing called Google, and she typed in amputee surfing, and Ampsurf was the first result to pop up. She wanted to surprise me by signing me up as a birthday gift but wasn’t sure if I would be into it. Needless to say, I was blown away by the thoughtfulness of the gift and that she believed I could do this even when I didn’t.

The loss of my leg and my new status as an Asymmetrical American™ 🤣 was brutal at first. - Joseph

Joseph, how did you lose your leg?

JG: I lost my leg in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in Oct of 2008. While riding home from a friend's house, someone ran a stop sign, hit me off the bike and left me for dead in the street. They didn’t amputate the leg that night like they should have since my vascular sys in the leg was destroyed. I spent the next two months in the hospital. After eight or nine surgeries, the doctors said all they could do was keep cutting back the infected areas, and that's when they told me I had to make the decision to either keep going or to amputate the leg below the knee. It was the most difficult decision I had ever had to make, but understanding my situation could get worse if I didn’t, I made the choice to have them go ahead and remove the leg.

How has your life changed because of that loss?

JG: The loss of my leg and my new status as an Asymmetrical American™ 🤣 was brutal at first. The only thing that kept me going and in positive spirits was the love and support from my friends and family. That may seem cliche but it is the absolute truth. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn't be here today. Recovery was steady but slow. I returned to work in January of 2009, even before I had my prosthetic. I am a school Librarian and missed my students. Getting back working with them helped a lot too. Once I healed up I started working with a great company called International Prosthetics and Orthotics. After a year or so with the help of a cane, an Irish Blackthorn to be specific, life started to get back to normal, or at least the new normal. I had to learn how to do many of the simple things of daily life all over again with consideration of the leg and balance and how to deal with the pain once I weaned myself off of the Dilaudid. One thing that didn't change was my love of motorcycles. I was up riding again in the fall of 2009. Yet, for some reason, the idea of surfing again seemed an impossibility until recently when someone I have come to care for very much signed me up for the AmpSurf event.

Wow, so you got right back on your motorcycle without hesitation?

JG: There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to ride again. It took me about about a year or so to be healed up and strong enough to ride, but my good friend Irish Rob told me whenever I was ready I could take out one of his bikes. I spent a lot of time during my recovery at Rob’s house. So one day we were just hanging out, and the feeling, the need hit me. I asked Rob where the keys to Red were, red being his red ‘05 Sportser, and without hesitation he told me the keys were by the back door and that the garage was open. He didn’t make a big deal of it or even follow me out. He just let me have that moment to myself. I only rode up and down and around the block a few times that first time out, but in those few minutes I felt like I was whole again. 

What was that like going back to work? How did your students and coworkers react?

JG: Going back to work was challenging. I didn’t have my prosthetic yet and had to get around on my crutches and it was obvious that something was “missing.” At the time I was working at the Jr High School and the kids, like most kids, asked all the odd and awkward questions that only kids will ask and it was great. They were like, “sucks you lost your leg. Can I see it?” They had no pity, just empathy and curiosity. 

Tell me about the idea of using the nickname Five Toe Joe. 

JG: The nickname FiveToeJoe was given to me by my long-time friend and riding partner “Irish Rob.” Much of my recovery was spent at Rob's house in the garage working on motorcycles, drinking beer, and talking shit. Rob likes to break balls and bust chops and on one particular day we were carrying on about something ridiculous when he said “Hey five toe, let’s go.” Embracing the name helped turn something tragic into something of an identity to be proud of. Being disabled wasn’t something I was going to be ashamed of. So I embraced it head on, and FiveToeJoe was born.

Did you decide right away you were going to participate in the AmpSurf event?

JG: As soon as Kailey told me about it I was in. I did have some questions about whether or not someone with a below-the-knee prosthetic could participate. After a quick email to Dana, the founder of AmpSurf, I was assured that the coaches and volunteers would absolutely be able to accommodate my handicap and get me surfing again. 

I never thought I would be able to pop-up and surf again.

For the first time in twenty years, you were back in the line up. That was such a heavy statement to hear you say. Can you describe what that was like? Physically? Emotionally?

JG: Physically, it was a serious challenge, but the joy and adrenaline of being out there again kept me energized and paddling out for just one more wave every time I rode one in. I’ve found it difficult to work out over the years without getting hurt and wanted to get back into the water just for the workout. I never thought I would be able to pop-up and surf again. Emotionally, it is still tough to describe. I love being in the ocean. About a year ago I had my prosthetists at IPO make me a water leg so that I could walk into the ocean again. The idea of taking my leg off and floundering into the water was something I was embarrassed about. I had finally come to the point where I wanted to get more out of life and start getting back to doing things that brought joy to my life. On my 45th birthday, I was at my house in Maine and walked into the ocean for the first time since 2008. It was an emotionally overwhelming experience. Being in the ocean and connecting to something so much larger than oneself was a power I had not felt in a long time. Still, the idea of surfing was something I couldn't even imagine. It took the faith of someone I love to convince me I could do it. And because of that faith and belief in myself, I had one of the best days of my life with AMPSURF and plan to continue to keep getting out there.

How has surfing again affected you?

JG: Surfing again has reconnected me to a part of myself I thought was lost. Just sitting out there on the board, legs dangling, hand pushing through the surf, listening to the sounds of the ocean, I felt whole again. Also, rising to the challenge and accomplishing something I truly thought was impossible has motivated me to get out there more and challenge myself with other things I thought were out of reach.

Do you plan on surfing more?

JG: I absolutely plan on surfing more. I already started saving for a new board and hope to be back in the water next spring if not sooner.

If someone is considering participating in an event with an organization like Amp Surf, what kind of advice or words of encouragement would you share with them? What can they expect? And how do they push through the fear?

JG: AmpSurf is an incredible organization. From my early questions, to getting in the water, I felt supported the whole time. The event was well organized and every person involved was kind, friendly, and had so much genuine encouragement. I felt like there was no way I could fail. I would encourage anyone, regardless of their disability, to participate in an AmpSurf event. I felt safe and supported while on the beach receiving instructions to being in the water with the coaches and all of the amazing volunteers. So much so that I hope to be able to volunteer in any way I can at some of next year's events.

The idea behind The Wild Journal is living a life that’s connected to nature, the outdoors, and water, being totally aware of its importance. Wild means something different to everyone. What does wild mean to you?

JG: To me wild means freedom. Free to connect with who or whatever you love. Free to express yourself, and free to create the world around you. But something that is wild is also something to be respected, honored, and revered. The ocean and the world around us should be respected for its unique beauty and power. There is nothing so humbling as getting lost in the woods or being pounded by a wave to make you feel humble to the majesty that is Mother Nature.

You recently celebrated your birthday with a trip to Paris during the Olympics. You look happy and like you fit right in to the Parisian vibe. Is that a trip you’ve always thought about? 

JG: I’m my wildest imaginings I would never have believed that I would get to celebrate my birthday in Paris, France with a woman for whom I have come to love so dearly. It was not a trip I had ever planned on taking, but it was the perfect birthday and trip I will not soon forget.

Do you celebrate birthdays differently since your accident?

JG: Not really. Birthdays have always been low key events for me. As I said earlier, with the love and support of my friends and family birthdays and holidays were always joyous events. Being asymmetrical didn’t change that. 

Joseph, what are two or three things you know for sure?

JG: 1. Shit Happens  2. Compassion is the Way  3. With love, life is simple, anything is possible