A Standing Offer

I thought it might be nice to offer, for those of you who don't live here anymore, pictures of specific places you might remember or may be curious about.  Maybe your old house, your school or a park you remember...just leave me your request in a comment here and I'll do my best to oblige!

Allen's Drug Store

Corner of Red and Bird Roads...still there!

The Perfect Team

A brief remembrance.... The 1972 Miami Dolphins- The Only Perfect Season!

The first airplane I ever went up in belonged to Dolphin's Center, Jim Langer.  My brother-in-law actually taught him to fly.  I remember one day, the phone rang and I answered it...I was probably about 8 or 9 years old.  It was a nice man who wanted to speak to my brother-in-law (who happened to be there).  I found out later that it was Jim Langer.  I got SO excited!  Couldn't believe that he had called OUR house and I had talked to him! 

I sat next to Bob Griese once at a UM baseball game back in...oh...1983.  I thought that was pretty cool.  I've heard Mercury Morris used to shop at Sunset Corners (back when there was also a grocery store there, not just the liquor store).  But the guy I wonder about is Garo!  #1 !!!!  Wonder what he's up to?

Anyway, so many great memories of that team...the way they brought Miami to it's feet...giving us something to really, REALLY be proud of and cheer about. 

6 players from the '72 Dolphins team have been entered in Pro Football's Hall of Fame: Larry Csonka, Nick Buoniconti, Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Larry Little, and Paul Warfield. In 1997, Don Shula joined them.

There never has been, nor will there ever be, another team as great...as fun...and as perfect as those '72 Dolphins!

Do you have any memories of 1972?  Any memories of any particular players?  If so, please share them!

Here is a link to my main blog where I had talked about them before...Fun Monday- Miami Dolphins

Skating and Bowling

Anyone remember the skating centers we had here in the 80's...Kendall Skating Center, Kendale Lakes Skating Center...I know there were more. but those were the ones I went to.  If I remember correctly, Kendall SC was over there by the Falls (or where the Fall is now).  Alot of fun times were spent there.  I know there is at least one skating center out in the Sabal Chase area, but the thought of ever going there makes me ill.  Same for the ice skating center - in the Hammocks.  Ugh, ugh, ugh.  Speaking of the Falls, I miss the way that place used to be.  The original design of all the waterfalls, ponds and flowing "rivers" was so nice.  Now...it's "meh".  Overpriced stores, but at least it's still outdoors.  I'd rather go there than Dadeland, Cutler Ridge (Yes, dammit. I said Cutler RIDGE!), or points north.

And what about all the bowling alleys we had!  ALL of them are gone now except for Bird Bowl, and my passport is expired so I can't go there.  Even Paula Carter's in Homestead has been gone for a while now.  Imagine Homestead with no bowling alley.  Bizarre.  But there is a bowling alley, kind of, in South Miami...in Sunset Place.  I've checked it out and it is very cool, but not the typical laid back place that I miss.  And only a handful of lanes, if I remember correctly.  Seems to be more a place to drink and socialize for the younger crowd.

My old bowling alleys were for drinking and socializing, too, but for everyone- young and old.  And leagues.  Whatever happened to leagues?

*sigh*  I miss those old alleys....

Amelia Earhart Park

I'm sure some of you have been to Amelia Earhart Park, on the borders of Hialeah and Opa Locka, but how many of you know how it got that name?

Back before it was a county park, it was the Miami Municial Airport.  And on June 1st, 1937 at 5:55am, Amelia Earhart took off from there on what would be her last flight - her failed attempt to circumnavigate the globe.

Sadly, I'd bet my life that right this moment, not one person in that park, including employees, even know that.

A Video Blast From the Past

The Grove Cinema

In the mid-eighties, my friends I spent spent just about every Saturday night(and sometimes Fridays, too)in Coconut Grove at the Grove Cinema. We went to see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". OMG, the times we had there! I remember the ticket seller was a South Miami PD dispatcher during the day. I always thought that was funny since those nights in the Grove were usually not too law-abiding!

I can't believe they tore down that old theater. It was classic. They woudl show the odder movies there, like "Das Boot" that none of the other theater wanted to show. How many theaters would actually let you squirt water guns, throw toast and toilet paper and act out the movie right up there in front of the screen? Only the Grove Cinema!

Since it'e demise, I have yet to find another place in Dade County that shows that movie. Sad because we really did have some fun times there. At Halloween, we'd dress up as our favorite character from the movie. I was Magenta, my friend Eva was Columbia and Amy was Janet. I went all out on my costume, buying the right shoes, an actual maid's costume (Thanks Mom for altering it for me!) and even a wig that I dyed red and frizzed out. It was great...

Does anybody else remember that?