You Know You're From Long Island When... (Hempstead, Babylon: estate, showing)

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by Jake Ryan

How about Alexanders Dept. Store? I remember there was one in Valley Stream. It must be gone by now...

There used to be a huge one in Rego Park, in Queens. This is back in ...1970?My mom used to take me in there, sometimes, though she preferred Macy's.

[41Willys]

You guys remember drive inn movie theaters? The last one I went to was in Bayshore on Sunrise highway across from the roller rink! I hear today it is a Home Depot.

[lillylovelost]

Originally Posted by Positiveone

Was there more then one Rock bottom store?

Hi, I'm new to the forum.

anyway, just wanted to say that there was a Rock Bottom in Baldwin. In the shopping center where Roy Rogers used to be (now wendy's), Favya use to be there. Its just off of Sunrise Highway.

[CarolynB]

Wow!! This is great I feel like I'm back home again, didn' realize just how much I miss LI and the great food and people.

I grew up in Plainview, graduated from Plainview High, hung out in Hicksville with my first husband at the Hicksville Diner and met Billy Joel there. He was friends with the x. Moved to Lake Rondonkoma, then Smithtown, Sayville, and Holbrook;worked at a restaurant called "The Snapper Inn" anyone remember that one, it was on the Connetquot River in Oakdale. Kept our horse at a stable in Bohemia. Took the kids to "Jolly Rogers" And I was one of the ones who pickedup the hitchhikers going to Jones Beach.

When I lived in Holbrook; we loved to eat at Mama Lombardi's and the kids would go around the corner to the neighborhood candy store called Grillo's by themselves and never had to worry about them. Those were the days!

Remember buying the baby chicks around Easter time at Grants? They were kept under the counters with glass on top so you could look in.

Are there still OTB's in the shopping centers? Miss those here in Florida also.

[newyorkjetsfan74]

Originally Posted by 41Willys

You guys remember drive inn movie theaters? The last one I went to was in Bayshore on Sunrise highway across from the roller rink! I hear today it is a Home Depot.

yeahi remember the one we had in mastic, but its a waldbaums/kohls now

[Barefootgirl55]

I graduated from SUNY Stony Brook in 1983, then moved to an apartment in Huntington Village (a tiny, shared apartment in a bad neighborhood was all I could afford).

Took the LIR to NYC every day to work n Manhattan, spent my nights and weekends partying in NYC and on LI, finally got my drivers license and a car. I had ...hmmm, a very active social life and spent 5 great years there.

You guys bring up some great memories. I'll add some more and mind you, I have not been back in quite awhile.

Here's one that no one has mentioned: a nightclub called "Reds" I think it was somewhere east of Huntington, maybe headed toward the airport.

When it first opened, it was "hot"! lines stretched to get in... I think it opened in 1986. Waitressed danced on table tops - doing the hand jive. It was a really fun place.

Other memories - yes, I got my cheap shampoos at RockBottom and went on a date once to the Fighter Squadron near the airport. WLIR, "Screamer of the Week!" College guys trying to get me to go the Commack Motor Inn.

We used to ride motorcycles along the north shore, stopping at this open air clam bar on the way to Northport. I wonder if it's still there.

Spit in Levittown.
Spize in Farmingdale.
La Plage in Hamptons.
OBI East Hamptons.
Boardy Barn Hamptons.
Danceteria Hamptons.
Le Mans Hamptons.
My Father's Place Roslyn.
East Side Comedy Club Huntington.
The Red Parrot Manhattan
The Underground Manhattan
Limelight Manhattan
Tunnel Manhattan
OBI South - South Shore somewhere
beaches, bars, restaurants, parties, clubs, everywhere all over the Island and the metro area - taking the ferry to Connecticut, bridges to the city and upstate, kite flying at Montauk, swimming at Robert Moses, digging for scallops in the bay, cruising the beach at night, hitting the Greek diners after the bars closed, some place called "Lennys Clam Bar", etc.

All we hold are memories, everything else fades or leaves.

[Adirondack1965]

"You never realize you have an accent until you leave."
How true! I was born and raised on Long Island. I remember the island from the 70's and 80's. I seen some mentions to Tuey's bar in East Setauket. Foghat used to play there back in the day. (Gawd now I sound like my Grandfather). Dining Car 1890, Pancake Cottage, and Finast, Bohack, Blue Jays, Hills, the Village, supermarkets. United Skates of America in Centereach, Playworld, Grants, Sneaker Circus, Billy Blakes, Westons, Korvettes, Master's (at Master's Plaza in Centereach), Shopper's Village, at the old A&S in Hempstead. Phillips 66....yes they were on Long Island years ago, before they were changed into Texaco's. (They had a unique overhang on the stations). Robert Hall, Centereach Theater, AND the Floral Park Theater, Arthur Treachers in Selden, Cozy Shack pudding in Mineola as well as Lilly Pop Corn. Greenport drive in, Droso's in Southold, Bald Hill, when it was a hill, and JUST a hill. Smiley's five and dime in Centereach as well as Nationals five and dime in East Setauket. Favya shoes at Master's Plaza.
Does anyone care to add to that list....How about some pictures?

[NYer]

...the Fighter Squadron near the airport...
Commack Motor Inn.

...this open air clam bar on the way to Northport...

These are all still there!
As for the rest, most are gone <<sigh>>

[lolagranola]

What HAPPENED to Bald Hill??

OTB...one of the reasons I'm glad I DON'T live on LI!

[CarolynB]

How about taking the Ferry over to Fire Island, I did it as a teenager and when I was older with my friends from work, we used to go to Cherry Grove and watch the women impersonators shows... we had such a good time while eating our steamed lobster, corn, clams and crabs (which were all cooked in the same pot) yummy!!