You Know You're From Long Island When... (Islip, Brentwood: real estate, rentals)

[Cassie7]

Wow, such great memories. I read from page 1 to 57 and couldn't resist posting. I have a couple of memories to add...

Sam Ash music store in Hempstead. And Gretchens too.

The Action House (first bar I ever entered and drank at) which became The Rock Pile in Island Park.

How many here can deny having burned some brain cells at the Uniondale Mini Cinema? The midnight shows were THE BEST!

One of the greatest perks of having grown up on LI was the opportunity to see amazing bands live in concert like Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Tull, ZZ Top, Peter Frampton, ELP, the Stones (just to name a few). I never realized how lucky I was until I moved out of state and people were jaw dropped to hear the amount of great concerts I was privileged to attend.

On the musical/band note, Jeffhhs76 mentioned the local band Broken Arrow... my ex husband was one of the founding members of that band and played with them for many many years. I'd kill to have one dollar for every rehearsal and gig I sat through LOL. And on a sad note, Hank Perez (singer/member and brother of guitarist Joey) passed away a few years ago at a very young age (Love and miss you Hanky!)

But one of my fondest memories of living in Island park as a child was bumming $5 off of my father every Saturday and taking my little sister to the boardwalk in Long Beach to go on the rides and play games for tickets/prizes. It's amazing to think that it was normal for parents to allow a youngster to travel that far for a day unattended and not worry about them (I was about 10 at the time and my sis was 6).

[XLIGuy]

Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid

Sure do. I remember the igloo type structure they had in the playground from when I went as a kid, and remember us trying to sneak in an extra person as teens. Never worked except maybe once when we had something like 7 or 8 people stuffed into a Fury II and they miscounted.

I do remember the igloo type structure. I also remember the swing sets and the horses/rocketships that you could swing in any direction when you sat on them as they were on big springs. My parents brought us kids there alot on friday evenings to watch movies. I was only a small lad but I remember that place quite well. My parents would stop at Weston's (on Sunrise Hwy in Copiague) for burgers and fries and then we would eat them while watching the movies.

[ClarkStreetKid]

I can't remember my wife's birthday but I still remember that dopey igloo thing. I remember getting Weston's on the way over too. Other random things I might remember about that drive-in:
For some reason I think there was a regular movie theater there too.
The Yogi Berra Yoohoo ad they played between features.
I think the drive-in's real name was Johnny All Weather.


Hey Cassie7,
The Broken Arrow track on the WBAB Home Grown album still pops into my head from time to time. Haven't heard it in decades but I'd know if from note one if I heard it today.

[LisaKZ]

I live up in Westchester now. About a half hour north of us, in a town called Warwick there is still a drive-in. We took our boys up there last summer and they got the biggest kick out of playing frisbee on the field right in front of the screen before the movie started and watching the movie from the roof of the car. It still pains me every time I take them to a movie and come out $50 lighter in the pocket.

[nancy thereader]

Does anyone (and you have to be old for this one) remember The Mineola Fair?

It was the kind of fair that they had in "Charlotte's Web". There were tents with livestock and all. I think that it is now the site of Roosevelt Field, but I am not sure. It was over 50 years ago.

[LisaKZ]

http://http://www.mineolachamber.com/html/the_mineola_fair.html (broken link)

apparently it is still going on... This website gives a brief history of it.

[michigander-newyorker]

Anyone from Patchogue in 60's or early 70's? We left the island in 75.

[cngass145]

Originally Posted by momix5

I remember the birds in the mall. What a change that mall has made. I remember Korvettes in Commack. How about the salty dog in Halesite, getting a haircut at great expectations, superx drug stores, service merchadise consumers distributing, remember DOA on the corner of route 110 and Jericho? Does anyone remeber the Pioneer diner in Hauppauge? How about Wessons Hamburgers?

Been trying to remember that dinner name for years, how about cocos restaurant at the smithhaven mall

[cngass145]

Originally Posted by momix5

How about the Long Island Arena? or Tiffanys in Commack, Cheesecake king?Penneys in Smithtown, Buddy L in Commack? Remember Chicago pizza Pub ? The Bagel Nosh in Stony Brook? Tri county in Smithtown? The Commack Roller Rink? McDonalds with the golden arches? How about before Tri Couty in Smithtown it being Billy Blake? Toys R US in even gone In Commack and remember when Arthur Treachers stood alone where Taco Bell is in Commack? The Centereach roller rink Long Island has changed so much!

Thank god they finally opened a store in Boca. The cloe slaw still tastes the same as it din in the 1970's

[paperman1111]

Originally Posted by Kathleenh54

My family spent some years there when I was a kid in Massapequa (motzoh-pizza). I went to Carmen Road School and remember going to a drive-in with the 'rents which had a small amusement park, called The Jolly Roger. I still expect to see Freedomland where Co-op City is now.

Besides the drive -in do you remember

2 Guys
Saddle Rock Diner
Whites Department Store
the Zoo with Monkey mountain
Dari-Freeze
The Big BowWow