She Said ~ According to the commercials of my childhood, summer is the time for short shorts and “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Polka Dot Bikinis” and Coca Cola.
As an adult, summer is more like mosquitos, hellish temperatures, shore traffic, and gratuitous obnoxious fireworks.
The height of summer comes on like a prized fighter, ready to obliterate you. The temperatures soar to 100 degrees and the sidewalk and city scrapers become conduits of smelting heat.
The longer days lend themselves to a humid haze of discomfort. Our bodies scream out to replenish the moisture lost, sweat. Our eyes squint at the sun and our skin is kissed or burned by its rays.
For some people, their minds drift to cooler environments, under palm trees, river-banks, or the comfort of their air conditioned homes. They imagine themselves sipping on Pina Coladas poolside.
The private chef of their dreams is a grill master and serves copious amounts of burgers and weiners upon demand. Multifaceted, he is also the groundskeeper and pool boy.
Still others see the summer as an opportunity for adventure and imagine themselves as first class travelers on Carnival, Norwegian, or Royal Cruise Lines.
Whatever your fancy is – sailboats by the Jersey shore, caramel apples during countless fairs, or the evocative radiance of this season’s dusk, the anticipated warmth is upon us – so make sure you grab your slice.
He Said ~ So summer, (the unofficial start), has kicked off – version 2025.
What do you think is synonymous with this time of year? The offerings in sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches are as vast as the golden hours of the day’s infinitude.
One childhood memory I have was a slow-paced, gentle breezing, peaceful afternoon which gave way to the evenings deepening darkness. I was eight-years-old, and mom decided to take my older brother and me to see “Grease,” in the local drive-in.
This was exciting stuff – three in the front seat, the wafting fragrance of buttery popcorn, and the soundtrack of a 1970’s classic blaring.
In early drive-in theaters, patrons listened to the movie audio through speakers attached to the car window. These were typically small, metal boxes containing a wire connection to the drive-in’s sound system. Some common brands included RCA, Ballantyne, Reed, and others.
There were drive-ins as early as the 1910’s; the first patented drive-in was opened on June 6, 1933 by Richard Hollingshead, in New Jersey. He created it as a solution for people unable to comfortably fit into smaller movie theater seats.
The success of Hollingshead’s drive-in caused more to appear in every state, in the country and spread internationally as well. Drive-ins gained immense popularity 20 years later during the 1950’s and ‘60s with the Baby Boomer generation. There were over 4,000 drive-ins throughout the U.S., and most were in rural areas. They maintained popularity as a space for families to spend time with each other, as well as an affordable date night option.
Drive-ins could only show movies during certain times of the year and were dependent on decent weather. During the ‘70s oil crisis, people downsized their cars in order to save money on the inflated cost of gas, making it uncomfortable to watch movies at the drive-in. To make up for lost revenue, drive-ins began losing their family-friendly atmosphere by showing exploitation films like slasher horrors, as well as adult content. The development of the VCR made it more appealing to stay at home and watch movies without paying for them.
Slowly, drive-ins began to lose their appeal. To have an effective one, it had to be on at least 15 acres of land. Economically speaking, it became more practical for owners to close their drive-ins in order to sell their land to developers to build malls or multi-building complexes.
Regardless of the misfortunate fate these theaters endured, the recollection of driving off into the clouds with my Rydell T-Birds will remain, thank you summer!
Did You Know? Bruce Springsteen has raised over $40 million for veterans’ causes through his involvement with the Stand Up for Heroes Foundation, specifically the Bob Woodruff Foundation, over the past 12 out of 13 years. In addition, he raised well over $100,000 for the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) early in their history, which was crucial for the organization’s growth. He also helped raise over $5.7 million at a Stand Up for Heroes benefit in 2019 and $4.6 million in 2021.
Loved the memory and hope this summer bring days at the shore eating Ice cream and sharing them with those we love