T-shirts on vacation....

 Every song, every T-shirt, is absolutely a pure expression of what we want to do. And it connects
                                                                        -Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine.

Its an American phenomenon: to buy a T-shirt while you are on vacation. It's utilitarian, it's a souvenir, it's a statement. Some people buy postcards, I buy a t-shirt. Ever since I was a child, my parents would  purchase a souvenir shirt while we were on vacation.

A young Gregory displays his "Smithsonian Astronaut USA" T-shirt, sometime in the mid 1960's.

I have countless T-shirts. Shirts from high school, college, and vacations from over a dozen countries. T-shirts from races, concerts, and causes cram my closets.

 Some people make statements with tattoos. They say its a road map of their life. To me, T-shirts are a way to express myself and its also a timeline of my life: a visit to the Smithsonian in Washington DC; the Matisse exhibit at MOMA in 93; Spring Weekend at college in 1982; a high school shirt from 1978; and an 8 kilometer race in Buenos Aires in 2009. Destinations, events and good times!

All of these "events" have harvested me a hefty pile of T-shirts. Most I wear. Some I  discard, and yet some I can not part with.  This creates a challenge. What do you do with old T-shirts?  Some shirts are like old friends:  comfortable, casual and familiar.

 

While running in the race circuits, I noticed that many runners made quilts out of there old race day T-shirts. This was an "aha moment" for me. What a solution! Something useful, and yet a way to display the collections of t-shirts collected over a lifetime! I  had a local friend make the quilt. He took many of my T-shirts, and pieced them together with backing. The quilt is a timeline, road map, and holds a lot of sentimental value.

Needless to say, there are plenty of places in Ogunquit to buy a T-shirt. One favorite place is Spoiled Rotten. This gift boutique, located on Beach Street in Ogunquit, carries fine gifts and their famous Spoil Me Ogunquit T-shirts. Many guests collect them year after year. Well worth the visit and visit on line!
http://www.spoiledrottenogt.com/

1992 Hollywood Blvd, and yet another T-shirt.......