How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Peoria: amphitheatre, program)

[henry1]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

I think Phoenix has always had that city ordinance. Most cities do, it gives the police the right to stop, question, and detain juveniles who are running around in the night doing things they probably shouldn't be doing. I remember running around Phoenix all night and into the wee hours of the morning with my friends all during my teens, though (especially during the summer), but never got stopped although I'm sure lots of police cars drove past.

When i was a teen we would go to see my Grandmother there in Phoenix and i was sent to the local 24.th store for my mother after she had called in the order from the house and told the person want i looked like and my name to pick up some types of meds my grandmother needed..

since i had a farms drivers lics my mother would let me drive the car to the store and back at 14 years old and i remember getting stoped on the way from the place with all the things i had been sent to the store for and they had bought me home to my grandmother house and asked why i was out at 3.am in the morning..

My mother told them that she had sent me to the store and what was the reason why i had been stoped on the way home and about 10.seconds later my uncle who was a Sergeant at the time on the Phoenix P.D showed up to the house in his partol car and asked them the same thing and i remember them beening alot nicer to my mom in there tone of voice ..He told them if you see me out this late hour ..That his sister had sent me to the store and not out joy rideing ..

My mother was told the reason why i was stoped was because of me beening out so late at night and driveing the car..My mom asked them why did you not call me and i would told you i had gotten him up and sent him to the store for the items that the doctor had told me to get for my mother and i would told i give him premission to be out at that time of night ..

As a treat for doing this she would buy a soda and candy bar for the run and i was eating the candy bar and drinking the soda in the car at the store when they pulled up and wanted to know why i was out so late and why was i driveing a car without my mother inside the car to say it was ok ..

My uncle was talking to my mom at the dinner table after that night and he told both of them that i had a lics and i would be seen alot more at night time driveing round as there mother was getting taken to the doctors office and the hospital as it was need ..

The funnyest thing was about two weeks later i saw those two officers and they waved at me as i drove by them in the car going to the doctor office with my grandmother in the car for a early morning doctor vist ..

[SluggoF16]

In the late 70s/early 80s I used to drive from Scottsdale and Tempe to Luke AFB for ROTC events. Using Lincoln Drive which became Gelendale Avenue, it took about 45 minutes to get there. In 1995 while temporarily at Luke for training I visited my mom in Scottsdale, using the new freeways. In 2001 did the same thing; timing was a little over an hour on the freeways. I made the mistake of going at 5 PM once. On the way back I used the surface streets, just like old times. As expected, it took a little over 40 minutes... the more things change, the more they stay the same.

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by aviator7777

Does Phoenix still have Stuart Andersen's "Black Angus" Restaurants? We used to eat out at the MetroCenter location on the perimeter loop east side. Place was always packed. What about the Mexican place just up the street? I cant recall the full name. El Toritos or something like that. I think they were a chain from Calif. Seems to me they were busy most of the time too but we usually drove to Macayos on Central.

Do you remember Riazzi's Italian Food on 19th and Peoria? Or Lenny Monti's up 19th Ave. just before Cactus I think.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by aviator7777

Phoenicians.... remember Bitsy Mama's Restaurant near the Glendale city square? Great little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. Im not sure if this is the place or not. Seems there were two Mexican restaurants but nearby the square, on the east side of it, was a Mexican restaurant that was started by a Glendale Mexican American family. He was a Sargeant on Glendale PD police force. They served one menu item and was written in white chalk on a chalkboard daily. Nothing else that I can recall was available or prepared that day. They were the grandmother's recipes handed down to the wife's family.

It's Bitzee Mama's, and it's still there.

Originally Posted by henry1

I remember the Bill Johnson Big Apple Restaurtants on Van Buren St it was a treat to go to when we came to town to vist my aunts and uncle who lived in the valley of the sun .

also remember the Cine Capri on 24th street and indian school road ..I saw starwars there for the first time when i came back from the military and my mom was liveing down in Phx takeing care of my grandmother..

I remember flying into the old airport and it beening one building and it termial two i think with it flat roof and nothing else or flying into Williams Air base out in the middle of nowhere and my mom comeing and picking me up from the base ..

As is Bill Johnson's on Van Buren.

Cine Capri was at Camelback, not Indian School.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

In the late 70s/early 80s I used to drive from Scottsdale and Tempe to Luke AFB for ROTC events. Using Lincoln Drive which became Gelendale Avenue, it took about 45 minutes to get there. In 1995 while temporarily at Luke for training I visited my mom in Scottsdale, using the new freeways. In 2001 did the same thing; timing was a little over an hour on the freeways. I made the mistake of going at 5 PM once. On the way back I used the surface streets, just like old times. As expected, it took a little over 40 minutes... the more things change, the more they stay the same.

My mom moved to Peoria in the 1930's. When she had a date they would drive all the way to Phoenix to eat at the American Kitchen on Central near Washington. She said one time they traveled the whole distance without seeing another car!

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by observer53

It's Bitzee Mama's, and it's still there.



As is Bill Johnson's on Van Buren.

Cine Capri was at Camelback, not Indian School.

Here are some quick snapshots of the Caf' Casino near Cine Capri and Big Apple when it still had a radio station KTAR, and sawdust on the floor. Sorry for the sideways shot.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by trillcatz

I lived in south Phoenix too...but moved there about 1960...we lived south of Dobbins and that was out in the boonies almost back then. I went to Valley View Elementary and graduated from South Mt. High. I remember when the Black Canyon was extended to 7th St. Shopping downtown at Korrick's. And my dad still had one of those canvas water bags for just in case. Southside sure looks alot different today!

My dad's family moved to Phx. in 1925 and lived on Broadway. My mom's family moved there in 1931 and always lived on So. Central. That whole area was, pretty much, the "boonies" back then! My dad's family has lived in the Verde Valley since 1932 but some moved up here in 1944...with me along! lol So. Phoenix sure IS a lot different today! I only lived there, off and on, growing up but some of my cousins graduated from So. Mountain High. And a few friends too. My parents, aunts and uncles all went to Roosevelt School...some cousins too. I went to, what used to be, Third St. School.

I haven't been to So. Phoenix in years but where my grandparents house was became a Goodwill Store and now I think it's a cabinet shop.

[henry1]

Your right i forget that is was on Camelback road right at the stop light there ..We used to come up from Indian School Rd from out where my grandmother lived at the time to go to the show there ..The Area where she lived now is so bult up at the 100th ave mark it not even funny the last time i went through the area..

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by AZDesertBrat

My dad's family moved to Phx. in 1925 and lived on Broadway. My mom's family moved there in 1931 and always lived on So. Central. That whole area was, pretty much, the "boonies" back then! My dad's family has lived in the Verde Valley since 1932 but some moved up here in 1944...with me along! lol So. Phoenix sure IS a lot different today! I only lived there, off and on, growing up but some of my cousins graduated from So. Mountain High. And a few friends too. My parents, aunts and uncles all went to Roosevelt School...some cousins too. I went to, what used to be, Third St. School.

I haven't been to So. Phoenix in years but where my grandparents house was became a Goodwill Store and now I think it's a cabinet shop.

I went down to south Phoenix last October. That was the first time since 1971 and it had really changed alot...for the good. Southside was much nicer than in the 60's. It was an interesting walk down memory lane.

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

My mom moved to Peoria in the 1930's. When she had a date they would drive all the way to Phoenix to eat at the American Kitchen on Central near Washington. She said one time they traveled the whole distance without seeing another car!

and here it is.