More about Grossinger’s

Two weeks ago, we ran some responses to our request
for our readers’ memories of Grossinger’s. Here is another one:

Grossinger’s memories

Our daughter, Emily, was an infant when she had her first vacation. It was a trip to Grossinger’s. We went during the week because it was cheaper and less crowded.

My first memory of the hotel is of this massive, but mostly empty dining room. It smelled like the Catskills — homemade bread, hearty soup, and my childhood memories of trips to the country.

As guests entered the room, they were surprised to see a baby sitting happily in her high-chair. She charmed everyone with her toothless grin. When the guests exited after enjoying a long and bountiful meal, they were again surprised to see her. She was still sitting there, soaking up the atmosphere. How could a baby sit so long and have such good table manners!

My second memory is when we returned a year later. Emily was about 18 months old. She loved the pool and the playground. I always associate Grossinger’s with her language explosion. Suddenly, she was talking about the “pool” and dragging her “yack-yack” – jacket — all over the hotel. Every word we said, she tried imitating.

Merrill Silver
Montclair

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Ms. Silver is a correspondent for the Jewish Standard and the New Jersey Jewish News. Last year, she won a Rockower award, given by the American Jewish Press Association, for “The Genie is Out of the Bottle.”]