A pitcher of lemonade and two chairs used to build entire neighborhoods of friends.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Nothing is more romantic than the American front porch: pie and lemonade on a hot summer day. I have learned that one of the reasons for the existence of the front porch was to ...

And people do. They visit the Front Porch to celebrate with each other, to grieve, to meet with family and socialize with friends so close they might as well be family. And, of course, they talk about ...