"Hey Ray....Think
about this, ok? (Now I sound like a Native Rho-dylanda, right?)
I went to Cranston HS East. I went to URI, graduated, and then taught in
the RI Public Schools for 32 years: 3 yrs at Coventry HS and 29 years in
Salty's favorite district...NO School Fosta-Glosta....teaching physical
education.
I had lots of friends that went to URI...many of them out of stater's
who LOVED Rhode Island..and come back in summers and at every chance
they get...but when there's a tidbit of news about Ole Rhody...they eat
it up like clam cakes and chowda at Rocky Point.
When the "How do you know you live in Rhode Island" list came
out...I sent that to my now 55+ something alumni friends..and it was it
hit...but when I send them your email....they'll be singing Volare and
At the Hop for months. How do you feel knowing that all of your work
makes people smile and remember...what a "random act of
kindness" that is, Ray!
Are you familiar with the book or movie called PAY IT FORWARD? It was
about an assignment for a history class that a young boy took very
seriously. His idea...if one person did one nice thing for you...any
kindness or gesture of true help...you could only pay them back by doing
one nice thing for three different people...or..pay forward the good
deed. This one idea (although fiction) is kind of what your web site
does...it allows people to forget their troubles, slip back into a
happier time (we often forget the difficulties and hardships of those
days)..and it puts a song on their head, a smile on their lips, a vision
of a time gone by that had good memories associated with it.and it takes
them out of their stresses and sadness.
You don't have to thank me for letting you know that your site will take
lots of people temporarilly out of their bad moods....you just have to
know that now...maybe some of those people will do one or two nice
things for others just because of your example!
(The teacher in me's coming out now, can you tell?)
Have a great night..and yes..I"ll send off your website to many of
my long distance (and local) friends."
Kathy"
_____________________________________
"Born on Angell Avenue in
Graniteville, a long time ago. Lived in Esmond for many years. Graduated
from Esmond Grammar School in 1940. To Mt. Pleasant High, and to North
Providence High, where I graduated in 1948, after doing the Navy in WW2.
We had a class reunion in 2003. Good to see so many of my classmates.
Speaking of NT Weiners, there was one in Centredale. I believe the
charge was ten cents. There was a White Castle in Providence where
hamburgers sold for a nickel.
Enjoyed your website of Rhode Island."
Ivor"
_____________________________________
"Dear Ray,
Can't tell you how much I love your website !!! I'm a transplanted Rhode
Islander now living in Pittsburgh, PA. As much as I love the people and
city here, there are times when I sure miss Rhode Island and your site
reminds me why. Rhode Islanders have some memories that just could not
have come from any other place and we share that common denominator all
over the world. How special is that ?!!! I'll be tuned in to your site
and will look forward to seeing how it develops. I hope I will be able
to contribute to it from here in any way I can. I admire your effort and
I have forwarded the site to everyone I know who would appreciate it.
They are all over the country so I hope you hear from them too and I bet
you will.
I received my NY System Hot Weiner Sauce mix last week and I am looking
forward to mixing up a batch and turning on some of these Pittsburghers
to a lunch of "Three or Four, all the way." I'll let you know
how it goes. My Dad used to bring some home from Olneyville late at
night when he came home from selling cars. I loved it when he did that.
Had he lived, he would have turned 88 yrs.old today.
The folks here in "The Burgh" have an expression I'll pass
along to you sincerely, "I appreciate ya !"
Keep up the good work !"
All the Best,
Guy Lister, Pittsburgh, PA
_____________________________________
"I used to own the A & W Root
Beer Drive In on Rt 44 Greenville. I sold it in 1993. During the years that I
owned it we were the largest single user (seller) of hot weiners in the state.
We would sell them 5 for 1.50 on weekends and in our kitchen we had 6 people
doing nothing but making weiners! We were voted numerous times Best Hot
Weiners. We had an Old Family "secret sauce". On a typical week we
would sell 30,000 or more hot weiners! My A&W was opened in
1960 complete with car hops and all. It is the only remaining A& W in
Rhode Island, although A & W is a very prosperous national chain. As are
some of the other places you mention, its a Rhode Island landmark probably
because of the old-time car hop service, Root beer Floats, burgers, Fries, etc
etc. The current owner is Stephanie Mosca who has continued the
tradition."
This is the best site I've seen for Rhode
Island, the food, the talk, the scenes. I've been away in the military since
1967. Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Persian Gulf war, and this site has brought
back memories that I had forgotten, and have longed to be back. Visiting your
site has stewed me more to return to the state I love. Please continue to
expand your site.
Sincere thanks for bringing back lost memories to a wandering warrior.
I was actually looking for some way
to buy Saugy’s so I can give my family a taste of what a real Saturday
night “suppa” is s’posed to be; boiled Saugy’s, baked beans, and
brown bread (bread from a can!!!) I have been gone from RI (Boone Lake)
since 1983 (USMC) and have only gone back a few times, but I’m always
looking on-line for new RI web sites. This is great! I’ve run across a
few Ro-Ilynda’s in my travels and it is great to reminisce. I was in
Vegas a few years ago and they actually have a Dell’s Lemonade on the
boulevard. Let me tell you, although it was a Dell’s, it was nothing
like getting it from the truck! The weather is great out here in CA, but
try to find to find an ice cream “polla.” I’ve even got my family
hooked on toasted hot dog buns. I still blame my spare tire on the day I
drank three Awful, Awfuls just so I could get one free. My mouth waters
every time I think of a Jim Dandy with watermelon sherbet from Friendly’s.
It’s great to see all the
comments. People outside of RI just don’t have the same pride of where
they come from like we do. Go PawSox! Kim and Steve, if you see this I’m
always thinking of coming back.
"Born on Angell Avenue in
Graniteville, a long time ago. Lived in Esmond for many years. Graduated
from Esmond Grammar School in 1940. To Mt. Pleasant High, and to North
Providence High, where I graduated in 1948, after doing the Navy in WW2.
We had a class reunion in 2003. Good to see so many of my classmates.
Speaking of NT Weiners, there was one in Centredale. I believe the
charge was ten cents. There was a White Castle in Providence where
hamburgers sold for a nickel.