Tag Archives: feature

Local Life

Focus: Falling for Sea Bright Beach Solitude

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Sometimes it’s all about you … the sun, the sand and the sea.

And that sometime is now. There’s no better time for soaking up some sacred solitude than a sunny fall seashore kind of day. The kind of day when that solitary sit-down, stroll or swing casts a welcome shadow of sunny serenity — always bringing you home with some beach time in Sea Bright.

Call it self-absorbed and soak it all up. It’s that time. Time to fall for yourself — into that seascape time capsule. The one that keeps you forever beached at home.

And the weather forecast calls for that time early this week. Here it is, courtesy of the National Weather Service …

— Photos/Elaine Van Develde

** Click on one in the above gallery to enlarge and scroll. Enjoy! **

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Obituaries, Opinion

RFH ’78’s David Memmott: Picture of a Childhood in a Classmate Gone

“What’s that? An iPhone 1?” he quipped as I tried to capture a moment between him and his lifetime friend at a reunion committee party with my sad little smashed-screen phone. Click. “Shut up, Dave! Jerk!” I, a 58-year-old woman child, sniped back, with a 10-year-old kid giggle and arm punch.

Then there was the knowing laughter and the look that was only understood among those like us who had had a lifetime of it. The deep all-knowing complex simplicity of a childhood shared in one little world of a small town by the river.

Continue reading RFH ’78’s David Memmott: Picture of a Childhood in a Classmate Gone →
Local Life

Retro Fair Haven Tigers Cheer!

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Fair Haven Tigers cheerleaders circa 1973 or '74 Photo/courtesy of Karen Memmot Hooten
Fair Haven Tigers cheerleaders circa 1973 or ’74
Photo/courtesy of Karen Memmot Hooten

A reprise of a cheery Retro Pic of the Day, originally posted in September of 2016, in honor of the spirit of football for the pint-and-a-half sized of the Rumson-Fair Haven area … 

Can we have a retro cheer for the football season of a pandemic kind ahead?

Continue reading Retro Fair Haven Tigers Cheer! →
Local Life

Focus: Reuniting with the RFH Class of ’82

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“What a great way to celebrate our 40th RFH reunion. Thank you to a plethora of classmates for traveling long distances back to our hometown for an epic 4 days of togetherness, laughs and a few tears … RFH Class of ’82 ROCKS!” ~ Joanne Distefano Garelli, RFH Class of ’82 Reunion Committee member

It’s been a little more than 40 years since the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Class of 1982 did the Pomp & Circumstance graduation walk.

And this past extended weekend, a good showing of classmates showed up to celebrate those four decades gone by with four days, one for each decade, if you will, of reuniting.

Continue reading Focus: Reuniting with the RFH Class of ’82 →
Local Life, Opinion

Old News: A Royal Red Bank Procession

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King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Red Bank, arriving at the train station, in 1939
Photo/courtesy of Karen Allas

It was a parade fit for royalty — the king and queen of England kind of royalty, to be exact.

With the death of Queen Elizabeth II and all the honor and ceremony that has come with it, retro minds go back to a royal day in Red Bank when the queen, who just recently died at 96, having ruled for 70 years, was only 13. Her father, George VI, was king. Her mother, the first Elizabeth, was queen. And while visiting the United States and Canada, the royal couple made a stop in Red Bank.

Continue reading Old News: A Royal Red Bank Procession →
Local Life

Focus: Locals’ Summer Dock Walk

Sometimes you just have to take a walk on the dock side — or top. And so you do …

Call it a locals’ summer stride. Any time of the year, a stroll on, below or beside the Fair Haven Dock is the most soothing way to go. Ahhhhh …

All steps lead to serendipity at the dock. Somehow, it’s there that the sun always seems to shine, casting tall dream-fetcher shadows that lead the way to goodness in every niche — from crusty little washed-up crustaceans to river rocks, oyster shells and the end of the fishing line.

It’s always in with a high tide of happiness nestled in the smallest of things at the dock — even some seaweed and a dead crab.

Then there are the footprints left behind. Kids’ feet, gulls’ claws, parents’ prints. All signs that all came together, each in his own walk and way, in search of the same sunshine and chase of what’s at the end of the good shadows — the stark peace, a piece of home.

Remember your dock walk and exhale with a smile. Get a glimpse of ours in the photo gallery above (Click on one photo to enlarge and scroll. Enjoy!).

When you’re done with your dock walk, take a look at what’s in store with this week’s locals’ summer weather, according to the National Weather Service. There’s still some sun left to soak up …

— Photos/Elaine Van Develde for R-FH Retro exclusively

Local Life

Retro 80s RFH Class Stand

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Sometimes half a high school class just has to take a stand … or a seat … in its football stadium.

In this case, the class, or half of it, was the RFH Class of ’82. And somehow the class ended up all together at the high school’s Borden Stadium as posers rather than sports spectators.

That’s OK. It didn’t matter why they were there or how they ended up in such a collective group pose. What mattered more was that the photo ended up being a classic testament to RFH times decades ago.

First of all, let’s check out the fashion. This was a preppy picture perfect snapshot of those back-in-the-day popular wide-striped rugby shirts, plaid blazers, button down Oxford shirts and crew neck sweaters. The smiles and clowny antics? Oh, that was all RFH spirit and pure joy over taking that stand or seat in their cozy RFH class niche.

Soon there will be games to watch from that stadium for yet another football season. The spectators? They’re forever cheering from the same place for the same place — home turf.

Now, exactly what is this half of a class up to? Can you find the best group photo bomber? There are a couple of doozies in there. We know our favorite. Yours? Your favorite preppy outfit of. the era? Do the stripes get it? How about those sweaters and button downs? Hmmmmm …

There are an awful lot of stripes on these RFH stars! Ponder the take-a-Borden-stand moment of 40 years ago.

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Local Life

Retro 60s Back to School: Fair Haven Kindergarten Posers

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Fair Haven kindergarten a.m. class of 1965

School’s back in session and it’s just about time for students and teachers to rise, shine and show off a little at Back to School Night.

And kindergarten is the first and best of what was formerly called Open House for kids and parents. First of all, the parents don’t need to tear up and down stairs and speed through hallways to make it to the next class when that bell rings. A little 5K training should be a prerequisite for middle- and high school Open House nights.

Continue reading Retro 60s Back to School: Fair Haven Kindergarten Posers →