Red Hatters for September 2023

After a very busy meeting on the second Wednesday of the month, we made the decision to move our time at the Wakefield Library to the first Wednesdays. We have been doing more Senior Center functions in the area and in order to keep up with all the local bulletins we decided to catch them earlier in the month.

On September, 5th (speaking of Senior Centers) we headed for our own center here in Melrose to enjoy an old fashioned treat of a Root Beer Float. Sparkling root beer and a great scoop of vanilla ice cream. M-M GOOD.

September 12th. we headed for Raymond NH to enjoy our lobster rolls; buy one with one side dish and get one free with yet another side dish. We love this place!

This was also a celebration for two of our Red Hatters ( The ladies with the purple hats).

and the rest of us..... Smiles all around.

On September 19th we were back to the Melrose Center to enjoy a Country Western BBQ. Food and fun for only $5.00. Cowboy hats and cowboy music. Great time..

The music was provided by the Country Mile Duo and it was toe tapping hand clapping and fun songs we could remember. Lunch was BBQ pork, cornbread, beans, and cowboy cookies, home made by Erica.

There was a break and then the opportunity to join the line dance group on the patio. A really fun time and right around the corner of where most of us live.

Chock it up to another well spent Red Hat Day.

September 20th and two of us went to the Stoneham Senior Center to Listen to and watch the presentation by John Clark. The subject was Early Jewish Entertainers. The entertainers John focused on with old movies and music were: Al Jolson,singing tunes like Swanee and April Showers, and his brash and extroverted delivery style. Eddie Cantor singing his hit songs that were successful on records, radio and in film. He was a singer, dancer and actor, and was the person that actually started THE MARCH OF DIMES campaign by asking people to send ten cents to President Roosevelt to aid in the battle of polio. A preview to the current Jimmy Fund.

Fanny Brice started as a Ziegfield girl, but became a top comedienne star of stage, screen and radio where she became "Baby Snooks".

Sophie Tucker , "Last of the Red Hot Mamas", was a brash and powerful performer with risque' material that wowed the audience.

I remember when I was in my twenties seeing Sophie Tucker right here in Stoneham at the Montvale Plaza.

We had dinner, the hall was packed, and when she came on stage it was the beginning of two hours of fun, fun, fun. I remember her being powerful, snappy and with a voice that filled the room. It was an election year and we all got little pins that said "Sophie Tucker for President". I still have the pin and I would welcome her as a candidate anytime.

The program ended with the original 1919 version of the Jewish national anthem Hatikva, by Alma Gluck, the mother of Efrem Zimbalist Jr. the star of "77 Sunset Strip" and Law and Order".

It was fun to go back to the past and remember how much fun entertainment was.

On September 29th. we got to squeeze in another senior center, this one in Saugus. We came to have a lunch that was great; chicken saltimbocca,creamy risotto, garden salad, garlic roll and dessert. The program after lunch was a performance by the Delvena Theater Company. Lynne Moulton was the one woman star of the show and we watched her transform herself into Louisa's Girls. It was an interpretation of the story of Little Women, and Lynne changed herself from Marmee to Jo to Med with voice changes and twists of her body that was outstanding. Her voice changes and hat changes made it understandable to follow as she became each of the eight characters in the lives of the March family.

It was a fun way to end this month; and it goes to proof how great the Senior Centers really are.

Watch for us next month when we head to Newbury, Lowell and Boston.