I'm Bananas For This Coffee

Bananas Foster
Bones Coffee Company (2025)
This is the best flavored coffee I've ever had and they're getting rid of it soon.  Guess I'm going to have to clear out a few shelves in the cupboard.

Cooking Missouri

The Times Leader Cookbook
Times Leader (1985)
This cookbook was two dollars at the Slatington Marketplace.  I did a little research and found that I got it for three dollars less than it cost back in 1985.

Most of the recipes that I saw in here look pretty good, but one of them caught my interest.  My grandmother used to make a hearty ground beef and potato stew that she called Missouri that I especially enjoyed on cold days.  She'd make it in a pot that was big enough to feed the army, so we usually had it for at least two or three days any time that she made it.

I had never heard of any soup or stew called Missouri other than from her, so I always assumed that it was a concoction that she came up with at some point, but there it was in this recipe book.

My grandmother's Missouri had large chunks of potatoes, and I'm pretty sure she either used tomatoes or tomato paste in it too, but I could be wrong about that.  I'm going to have to give this a shot over the winter.

A Wearable Menu

Big League Hat Menu
Howard Johnson's (1963)
I found this children's menu at the Slatington Marketplace over the weekend.  It has a series of cuts that fold the menu out into a hat that could be worn.  My dad still raves about their fried clams to this day.  Everything else on the menu looks pretty good too, but shouldn't the Miss Muffet lunch be curds and whey?

Click here to enlarge the front and back.

More From The Toy Store In The Mall

Black Friday Circular
KayBee Toys (1990)
This advertisement for a sale that began on the day after Thanksgiving 35 years ago was shared on Twitter by Dinosaur Dracula.  Check out the early draft of box art from Super Mario Bros 3.

One Last Night At My Home Away From Home

Mahoning Staff Party
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
Prior to this season, the Mahoning was a special place to me where I made friends and enjoyed movies.  It became even more special to me this season when I was welcomed onto the staff.

This is the lot crew, who are affectionately known to each other as the Black Dragons.  Beards are not mandatory despite all evidence to the contrary in this phot.  That's Alex on the far left with Bruno in the center and John on the right in the back row.  The middle row is Darryl on the left with the lot crew manager Dave in the center and me to his right.  Kneeling in the front is Rob on the left and Donnie on the right.  Donne surprised us with the awesome Black Dragons jackets that we're wearing.  This is a genuinely good group of guys and I'm proud to be one of them.

Sandy (the merch manager at the Mahoning) surprised us with these great t-shirts at the staff party.  I can't believe I'm now wearing a large.  There's no way I could have fit into this at the start of the season.  My weight has fluctuated quite a bit throughout my adult life, but I'm not a young dude anymore and I'm really going to have to keep it in check going forward.

My wife is an amazing woman.  I can't imagine that there are very many people in this world who would be alright with their partner spending four nights a week at a drive-in theater for six months out of the year, but she is always loving and supportive.

Our friend group on the lot has grown quite a bit over the past five years.  This is the inner circle who we started hanging out with, and three of the best friends I've ever had.  Mike and Kate are on the left, and that's Cary on the right.  They're three of the most down to earth and genuinely kind and funny human beings that I've ever been privileged enough to call my friends.

I'm going to miss these guys over the winter.

Two other folks who I'm honored to call my friend are the projectionist team of Rob and Krista.  They work their asses off to keep the picture on the screen for the only retro 35mm drive-in theater in the world that is still in operation.  This year's staff party marks the end of an era for the dual Simplex projectors that have been shining on the Mahoning screen every summer for the past 75 years.  They're going to be replaced with newer 35mm projectors that will deliver a brighter picture for the 2026 season.

 

The final double feature to be shown on the 1948 dual Simplex projectors was Teen Wolf and Alien.

One last bonfire to close out the season.

To Hell With The Consequence

Your Little Secret
Melissa Etheridge (1995)
The fifth and highest charting studio album from Melissa Etheridge was released thirty years ago today.

I Want To Come Over
Melissa Etheridge (1995)

I know you're home

You left your light on

You know I'm here

The night is thin

I know you're alone

I watched the car leave

Your lover is gone

Let me in

Open your back door

I just need to touch you once more

I wanna come over

To hell with the consequence

You told me you love me

That's all I believe

I wanna come over

It's a need I can't explain

To see you again

I wanna come over

I know your friend

You told her about me

She filled you with fear

Some kind of sin

How can you turn

Denying the fire?

Lover I burn

Let me in

Open your back door

I just need to touch you once more

I wanna come over

To hell with the consequence

You told me you love me

That's all I believe

I wanna come over

It's a need I can't explain

To see you again

I wanna come over

I know you're confused

I know that you're shaken

You think we'll be lost

Once we begin

I know you're weak

I know that you want me

Lover don't speak

Let me in

I wanna come over

To hell with the consequence

You told me you love me

That's all I believe

I wanna come over

It's a need I can't explain

I wanna come over

To see you

To see you again

Rock N' Wrestling

The Wrestling Album
World Wrestling Federation (1985)
The first of many soundtrack albums released by the worldwide leader in sports entertainment was released forty years ago today.

Would You Like To Buy A Monkey

Transylvania 6-500
New World Pictures (1985)
This Jeff Goldblum horror comedy classic premiered in theaters forty years ago today.

Let The Sun Never Blind Your Eyes

Alice In Chains
Alice In Chains (1995)
The third studio album from one of my favorite bands of the 90's, and their last album recorded with the late Layne Staley, was released thirty years ago today.

Grind
Alice In Chains (1995)

In the darkest hole, you'd be well advised

Not to plan my funeral 'fore the body dies

Come the morning light, it's a see-through show

What you may have heard and what you think you know

Let the sun never blind your eyes

Let me sleep so my teeth won't grind

Hear a sound from a voice inside

Sure to play a part, so you love the game

And in truth, your lies become one and same

I could set you free, rather hear the sound

Of your body breaking as I take you down

Let the sun never blind your eyes

Let me sleep so my teeth won't grind

Hear a sound from a voice inside

In the darkest hole, you'd be well advised

Not to plan my funeral 'fore the body dies, yeah

Let the sun never blind your eyes

Let me sleep so my teeth won't grind

Hear a sound from a voice inside

Santa Shops At The Mall Toy Store

Kay-Bee Dear Santa Sale
KayBee Toys (1989)
This advertisement for a sale that ended on this day in 1989 was shared on Instagram by Dinosaur Dracula.  I was nine years old when this flier was publishes so I was into pretty much all of this stuff except Cabbage Patch Kids.

Every Day Is Christmas And Every Night Is New Year's Eve

Promise
Sade (1985)
The band named after their singer who has the smoothest voice of the 80's released their second studio album forty years ago today.

The Sweetest Taboo

Sade (1985)

If I tell you, if I tell you now

Will you keep on, will you keep on loving me?

If I tell you, if I tell you how I feel

Will you keep bringing out the best in me?

You give me, you give me the sweetest taboo

You give me, you're giving me the sweetest taboo

Too good for me

There's a quiet storm and it never felt like this before

There's a quiet storm that is you

There's a quiet storm and it never felt this hot before

Giving me something that's taboo

You give me the sweetest taboo

That's why I'm in love with you

You give me the sweetest taboo

Too good for me

I'd do anything for you, I'd stand out in the rain

Anything you want me to do, don't let it slip away

There's a quiet storm and it never felt like this before

There's a quiet storm, I think it's you

There's a quiet storm and I never felt this hot before

Giving me something that's taboo

You give me the sweetest taboo

That's why I'm in love with you

You give me, keep giving me the sweetest taboo

Too good for me

You've got the biggest heart

Sometimes I think you're just too good for me

Every day is Christmas, and every night is New Year's Eve

Will you keep on loving me

Will you keep on, will you keep on

Bringing out the best in me

The Only Important Thing These Days Is Rhythm And Melody

Prisencolinensinainciusol
Adriano Celentano (1972)
On this day in 1972, a song that was written by composer Adriano Celentano and performed by he and his wife, Claudia Mori, was released in Italy.  It would go on to chart in their native country, as well as Belgium, West Germany, and The Netherlands.

If you're having a difficult time understanding the lyrics, there's a pretty good reason for that.  He's not singing in English or in Italian.  The entire song is gibberish sung with an American accent.

ps: if you caught the Big Audio Dynamite reference in the title, you're my kind of people.

The Best Season Finale Ever

First Annual Dusk To Dawn Scare-A-Thon
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
Halloween 2025 just entered my top five favorite nights spent on the lot at the Mahoning Drive-In Theater.

The first annual Dusk-To-Dawn Scare-A-Thon was a marathon of five horror movies that began on Halloween night and continued to the sun coming up on the morning of November 1st.  There were five movies, the first four of which were screened from 35mm.

Here's the catch: All of the titles were a surprise.  No hints.  No clues.  No inside information.  You just show up and let it ride.

It was so windy in the hours prior to gates opening at 6:00 that one of the port-a-potty stalls had blown out into the road.  I'm just glad it didn't top over.  Unfortunately, these damn pumpkins on the photo op stage weren't as cooperative.  Each pumpkin was a separate piece that locked together, but they were pretty lightweight.  They blew over a few times, and the top center pumpkin kept coming loose.  We must have fixed them at least half a dozen times.

 

Mark wasn't sure how well this show would do because there's so many other things happening on Halloween night.  I'm pleased to say that we were absolutely slammed.

These pictures were taken by Sergio.  He took the one of the cars waiting in line too.  I try to remember to give credit where credit is due on here.  Generally speaking, if you see any photos on here of the Mahoning or any other theater that looks good enough to appear in a magazine, you can bet that it's one of his.

I worked the front gate with Dave and Donnie and we were scanning and selling tickets straight up to showtime.  It's a pretty safe bet that this will become an annual event.

I'm going to miss these folks over the winter.  I've never been much of a social guy before coming to the Mahoning, but I've met so many awesome people and made more friends on this lot in five years than I have in the rest of my adult life.  This truly is a special place.

You're welcome to tell me or anyone else on the staff that the temperature is not to your liking, but I'm not really sure what we could do for you.  Maybe a hug or a pocket burger?

I sat outside for the first movie but it was just too damn cold.  My little Mazda 3 turned into a cozy blanket and pillow fort for the rest of the night after that.

Here are the movies.  I'm going to come back in here later on and add a short review for each of them, but I've been falling so far behind in keeping up with posting on this thing, so I wanted to at least get the names of the movies and the photos of the title cards up.

 

Movie #1:  Mausoleum (1983)

Movie #2:  Black Christmas (1974)

Movie #3:  Nightmare (1981)

Movie #4:  The Children (1980)

 

Movie #5:  Pin (1988)

Sunrise held off just long enough to finish the final movie.

Johnny, Wes, Wayne, and I were among the survivors who made it to sunrise.  In addition to seeing five great horror flicks to close out the 2025 season, we were given golden commemorative tickets.

 

There were a lot more people who made it through the entire night than I was expecting.  I thought there would be a dozen people or maybe twenty at the most, but I'm pretty sure there were over a hundred.  It was a great night, and the start of a new tradition that will make Halloween night incredible for years to come.