Category Archives: Movies

Randy Parker

Posted on December 29, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Am I the only one concerned about what happened to Randy ? As the younger brother of Ralphie Parker in “A Christmas Story”, Randy clearly had a troubled childhood. He was often shown hiding under kitchen cabinets, worried about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Family, Food, Humor, Movies, Nature, News | Tagged , | 80 Comments

Move Over, Rose

Posted on December 1, 2017 by vanbytheriver

For the 20 years since the release of the Oscar winning film Titanic, folks have been asking the same question. If Rose had moved over, could Jack have fit onto that piece of wood and been saved from a tragic … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Books, Education, Entertainment, Movies, News, Technology | Tagged , , | 76 Comments

Toys “Were” Us

Posted on November 3, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Cabbage Patch Doll. 1983. Teddy Ruxpin. 1995. Tickle Me Elmo. 1996. Furby. 1998. Pokemon. 1999. Nintendo, XBox, Playstation. Forever. These are just a few of the toys that made us lose our mind. Marketing strategies stirred up popularity, kids begged … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Fashion, Movies, News, Technology | Tagged , , | 77 Comments

Trick or Treat

Posted on October 23, 2017 by vanbytheriver

If you contribute to the estimated $3. billion in Halloween candy sales in the US, you might be interested to know what is most popular in your state. The surprising winner was candy corn, selected by at least 6 states. … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Entertainment, Food, Movies, News, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 56 Comments

The Lady in the Van

Posted on October 16, 2017 by vanbytheriver

“And what I’ve learned, and maybe she taught me, is that you don’t put yourself into what you write. You find yourself there.” Alan Bennett . This brilliant insight comes from the British playwright, author, actor as he recounts the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Humor, Inspiration, Movies, News, Writing | Tagged , | 70 Comments

Location, Location, Location

Posted on August 23, 2017 by vanbytheriver

The iconic New York City Plaza Hotel is up for sale. Built in 1907,  registered as a national historic landmark, the property is valued at $ 560 million. Apartments are currently available, at a range of $1.3 to $39.8 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Entertainment, Movies, Nature, News, Politics, Travel | Tagged , , , | 33 Comments

Tomato Sandwich

Posted on July 21, 2017 by vanbytheriver

It’s the perfect summer sandwich, with the simplest of ingredients. Garden-fresh tomatoes, mayo, store-bought white bread. I had the first of many this week. You might be tempted to modify it, toast the bread, add ingredients like cheese, bacon, avocado, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Books, Childhood, Education, Entertainment, Food, Gardening, Movies, Nature, News | Tagged , | 83 Comments

Breaking Fast

Posted on April 2, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Cold breakfast cereal, gone soggy in milk. It was the family breakfast of choice; convenient, mostly economical, but never appealing. The one exception for me was Grape-Nuts, which contains no grapes or nuts. The name came from Charles William Post, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Family, Food, Movies, News | Tagged , , , | 90 Comments

Spamalot ???

Posted on March 6, 2017 by vanbytheriver

With the utmost respect for all things Monty Python, this post asks a very different question. Since more than 90 % of the items in my spam folder are attached to one particular post, will the spammers go away if … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Food, Humor, Movies, Music, News, Technology | Tagged , , , | 94 Comments

Obvious Child

Posted on January 28, 2017 by vanbytheriver

“I’m accustomed to a smooth ride Or maybe I’m a dog who’s lost its bite I don’t expect to be treated like a fool no more I don’t expect to sleep through the night.” From Obvious Child, a 1990 song … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Entertainment, History, Humor, Movies, Music, News, Politics | Tagged , , , | 66 Comments