Downtown
I have a lot to do in the next week or so, but when its all said and done, I want to take Doodle and go walk around New Haven for a day.
The city of my youth is changing so much, its hard to recognize it anymore. Going by places and saying, "I remember when this was there" and what not. It just doesn't seem like the same place anymore.
Its gonna break my heart when the Coliseum is imploded in the next few months. There will be so many memories of that building. I want to walk over to there and see it one more time before its gone by Christmas.
Speaking of Christmas, I can remember walking around at night in the snow Downtown and looking in the store windows while people shopped.
It was two weeks before Christmas and that was the time to START shopping. We felt so safe and my parents were working in Macy's and Malley's wrapping gifts so they could have extra money and a discount to get us gifts.
By early next year, the Macy's and Malley's (already gone) buildings will be gone too.
My grandfather, the REAL Pop Pop, (I'm an imposter I assure you) had his Army and Navy store on Chapel St. Its an XXX rated movie dealer now. So much for another family memory!
I can recall the Petula Clark song "Downtown" and my Mom singing it as we got off Exit 1 on I-91 as we went to Malley's one day when I was a kid. We'd walk around and get lunch there. We'd go to a place called Kresge and get a 1/4 lb scoop of M&M's. They tasted so much fresher than the bag version.
Then we'd get a box of Karmelkorn (fresh carmel coated pop corn, the first of its kind) and get some beads and string at the Merle's record store (still around) to do crafts when we went home.
I don't think Petula Clark would sing about this place now and thankfully Pop Pop never got to see it get like this.
I'm also grateful my father is living far away so he can't see the Coliseum blow up. We used to have so much fun there going to hockey games and then to Clark's Dairy for ice cream afterward.
We went to hockey games in the 60's (the old New Haven Arena), 70's, 80's, 90's and I was hoping for a 5th decade but I don't think its meant to be.
I just want to walk around and remember...
The city of my youth is changing so much, its hard to recognize it anymore. Going by places and saying, "I remember when this was there" and what not. It just doesn't seem like the same place anymore.
Its gonna break my heart when the Coliseum is imploded in the next few months. There will be so many memories of that building. I want to walk over to there and see it one more time before its gone by Christmas.
Speaking of Christmas, I can remember walking around at night in the snow Downtown and looking in the store windows while people shopped.
It was two weeks before Christmas and that was the time to START shopping. We felt so safe and my parents were working in Macy's and Malley's wrapping gifts so they could have extra money and a discount to get us gifts.
By early next year, the Macy's and Malley's (already gone) buildings will be gone too.
My grandfather, the REAL Pop Pop, (I'm an imposter I assure you) had his Army and Navy store on Chapel St. Its an XXX rated movie dealer now. So much for another family memory!
I can recall the Petula Clark song "Downtown" and my Mom singing it as we got off Exit 1 on I-91 as we went to Malley's one day when I was a kid. We'd walk around and get lunch there. We'd go to a place called Kresge and get a 1/4 lb scoop of M&M's. They tasted so much fresher than the bag version.
Then we'd get a box of Karmelkorn (fresh carmel coated pop corn, the first of its kind) and get some beads and string at the Merle's record store (still around) to do crafts when we went home.
I don't think Petula Clark would sing about this place now and thankfully Pop Pop never got to see it get like this.
I'm also grateful my father is living far away so he can't see the Coliseum blow up. We used to have so much fun there going to hockey games and then to Clark's Dairy for ice cream afterward.
We went to hockey games in the 60's (the old New Haven Arena), 70's, 80's, 90's and I was hoping for a 5th decade but I don't think its meant to be.
I just want to walk around and remember...
posted by CuzzinDave at 10:22 PM
2 Comments:
It is sad sometimes to see how things have changed over the years. I have a lot of really good memories of the City I grew up in. Now, so much has been torn down and rebuilt and we just get used to it. 'They' tell us it'll be better but I really miss those old places. At least I have them in my memory...as long as that may last! I am turning 37 this week! LOL!!
Anyway, enjoy your stroll through New Haven. I liked it a lot when I was there and I don't have all those great times growing up there like you did.
Dave, you actually made tears come to my eyes.
I agree with Sue's comment that it's sad to see how stuff's changed. My old home town is really tiny, but there have been quite a few changes to it as well.
Enjoy your awesome memories, Dave!
(Sue - Happy birthday!!!!!)
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