Life in the Ville by JimmyDel Ponte

As you all know by now, this is the place where we talk about the old days while dealing with progress. All I do is gather memories and share them. My job is pretty easy. I try to keep the memories of our past alive. I love being that person who shared these memories and nostalgic commentary.

I asked the following question to my social media friends and city mates. What is your favorite memory of Somerville before all the changes?

• The conveyor belt for grocery pick-up at the Winter Hill Star Market.
• When families could afford living in an apartment not rooms rented.
• Hanging out at Prescott school yard.
• Somerville family. We were all in it together.
• Teele Square Sweet Shop.
• Playing Little League baseball with my dad as my coach.
• Playing on our side street (and at Hoyt Sullivan Park) with all the neighborhood kids.
• I miss hanging with friends, camping, baseball, and band.
• Ice skating in Glen Park every winter!
• Our home and family together on Quincy St.
• When everyone knew all their neighbors and people were friendly.
• Meeting a variety of seniors hanging at McDonalds Davis Square.
  

  ~Photo by Mr Pasquale L Pinnelli .

• The Venice Café.
• Hanging out at Khoury’s State spa and seeing everyone in the neighborhood.
• Affordable rent, family-oriented neighborhoods, egg fights on Halloween, knowing your neighbors.
• Everything closed on Sundays.
• Not knowing how poor we all were.
• Todi’s Ball Square … I lived right around the corner on Rogers Ave. The scrumptious sauce scent would make me drool.
• The bowling Alley in Ball Sq. and Harold’s Luncheonette.
• No freakin’ massive construction.
• The funky old wing of the high school because the floors were squeaky … I happen to love antiques if you couldn’t guess.
• Generations of families!
• Somerville recreation
• Growing up and hanging at Glen Park with all my friends. Met and married my late husband there and we had 42 years of a grest marriage before he passed away from agent orange. Thanks to Somerville for having such a great life.
• The Flea market up at the high school
• Broadway theater movies $.50 in 1977.
• Davis Sq before yuppies.
• High school in 1980s.
• Southern Jr. High 1977 to 1980.
• Right do whatever on your property without getting a ticket!
• Right to be a collector without being called a hoarder! I sell things online and they labeled my house. Scum. I will never let them in my house ever.
• Coasting down Laurel St. No cars.
• Bonfires in Glen Park.
• Napoli Pizza when we were kids.
• It would have to be way back when all the stores were in Davis Square. So many!
• Family type neighborhoods where all the parents looked out for the kids theirs or not.
• Tech Tournaments in Boston Garden.
• When people never locked their doors.
• I recall a time when people smiled a lot more.
• Be extra careful driving on College Ave. Those concrete islands will rip the bottom out of your car.

I hope you enjoyed yet another stroll down memory lane.