Category Archives: Local Life

A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.

Local Life

Retro Rumson Barn Summer Showtime

Image

Reprise from 2016, just because ‘Birdie’ has made a comeback in community theater this summer, people are talking and we think more people need to remember summer theater fun at the old classic — The Barn Theatre …

Summer is in full swing. School’s out and kids are embarking on summer activities. The weekend is here. So is summer theater.

In fact, Spring Lake Theater Company’s next summer production is none other than Bye, Bye Birdie. And back in the 1970s, some RFH teens were acting that very musical out … in summer theater at The Barn Theatre in Rumson.

Continue reading Retro Rumson Barn Summer Showtime →
Local Life

Retro Rumson Beach Boys & Girl & Clubbing History

Image
Rumson girl and beach boys of the 60s
Photo/courtesy of Cindy Crowley

A reprise for history’s sake …

The Rumson beach boys of the 1960s no sooner made their retro appearance than the iconic spot of their clubbing and lifeguard stand antics became a focal point of the snapshot.

And there’s a sequel with a girl added to the beach boy mix, apparently having broken up the standoff on the lifeguard stand, claiming top spot. Mayhem ensued. Meanwhile, back at the club …

Continue reading Retro Rumson Beach Boys & Girl & Clubbing History →
Local Life

Living the Dream: A Tale of ‘Growing with Grace’ and Purple Magnificence

By Elaine Van Develde

How does your garden grow? Gracefully, some might say.

Grace. It’s a thing we feel we must have, say and do to make life go more smoothly. Say grace. Give grace. Have grace. Age with grace. Do it with grace. Why not grow with grace? Better yet, grow with Grace — with a capital G, that is.

Continue reading Living the Dream: A Tale of ‘Growing with Grace’ and Purple Magnificence →
Local Life

Retro Rumson Island Mooring Improv

Image

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale … about an eight-hour tour, or hundreds, on the river in Rumson.

The part about this typical eight-hour tour in Rumson that doesn’t jibe with the three-hour tour Gilligan’s Island folks is that the kids on these “tours” sailed right into a marooning of their own making on what’s known as Starvation Island, just minutes from home. Who knew or cared, though? No one except the jolly river adventurers.

Continue reading Retro Rumson Island Mooring Improv →
Local Life

Retro Rumson Island Ploppers

Image

A reprise of a real classic because it’s summertime and that means it’s island cruising time in the Rumson-Fair Haven area …

It’s a case of summer island plopping. Yes, that’s right. Island plopping.

That would be the more accurate term when telling the pretty common story of some Fair Haven and Rumson kids taking their own eight-hour tour of the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers and ending up settling down for some adventure on Starvation Island in Rumson on pretty much any summer day.

Continue reading Retro Rumson Island Ploppers →
Local Life

Retro Rumson Renegades in the Park

Image
Kid congregation at Victory Park in the 1960s
Photo/courtesy of Ed Pomphrey, Rumson historical archives

It’s just plain campy! There’s nothing like a nice summer day replete with some bubble-blowing, power-posing, bathing suited, short-sporting kids on a mission to make some summer fun — at camp … or something like it.

Continue reading Retro Rumson Renegades in the Park →
Local Life

Retro Rumson Dock Cat-Eyed Coolness

Image
Rumson Dock summer days with a Rumson family and friends
Photo/courtesy of Paul Karinja.

Reprise from Aug. 23, 2022, because we’re coming out of heat wave and some crazy July weather …

There’s nothing quite like sitting on the dock of the … river in Rumson. Though this was never seen as wasting time. Savoring it was more like it. Still is.

Continue reading Retro Rumson Dock Cat-Eyed Coolness →