My name is Stan Feinstein and my family stayed at Breslow's each summer from
the 40's to the 50's. In 1950, at age 15, I received a call before the season
started from the owner Meyer Breslow, who asked me if I'd like to be a busboy
in the main dining room. I couldn't wait to get there. That year began the
fondest of memories I have of my years ages 15 thru 22.
Let's start by identifying the Breslow family. Until the early 60's, the resort was owned by Meyer and Morris Breslow. Their wives were Clara and Bella. Each Breslow brother had 4 children: Meyer and Clara had Stanley, Jay, Paul and Abie. As a side comment, Abie's son Craig is a relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics (as of 2010). Morris and Bella had Charlie, Herbie, Yetta and Harold.
Perhaps some member of their families will see these comments -- the guests most memorable to me were: Saul and Frances Feinstein (my parents), Jerry and Jeanette Firtel, Morris and Janet Genzer, Bernie and Dorothy Keiler, Kelly and Bea Keller, Barney and Mary Kissel, Sol and Pauline Kleinfeld, Marty and Ann Lerner, Mike and Tilley Melnick, Harry and Ida Nadel, Harry and Gladys Orfuss, Max and Roz Polinsky, Pete and Gladys Solomon, Joe and Flo Wasserman, Bennie Weber
Morris and Anne Wertkin,
Morris and Anne Wertkin,
The highlight of these years is that I met my future wife Helene Call who was niece of Meyer and Clara. We have now been married for 50 years.
I'll always remember:
-The mile walk to Miller's restaurant for grinders,
-The 4 mile WALK into Moodus just for the fun of it,
-Visiting Bill's soda shop and Weinstein's pharmacy to buy sodas and baseball cards,
-On rainy days, Meyer driving the old bus to the Moodus movie house, his head barely visible over the steering wheel,
-Meyer driving the bus to Bashan Lake for swimming. In later years he put in a new pool,
-Morris lugging bedding on his back between rooms,
-The weekend softball games with the guests and the Breslow boys,
-The softball games against the other Moodus resorts. The Breslow boys were all good ballplayers and we were unbeatable. We challenged Banner Lodge multiple times but they wouldn't play us. For the record, the softball field was moved 3 times, from in front of the old casino, to the corner near the arch and finally to beyond the new pool,
-The 4 mile WALK into Moodus just for the fun of it,
-Visiting Bill's soda shop and Weinstein's pharmacy to buy sodas and baseball cards,
-On rainy days, Meyer driving the old bus to the Moodus movie house, his head barely visible over the steering wheel,
-Meyer driving the bus to Bashan Lake for swimming. In later years he put in a new pool,
-Morris lugging bedding on his back between rooms,
-The weekend softball games with the guests and the Breslow boys,
-The softball games against the other Moodus resorts. The Breslow boys were all good ballplayers and we were unbeatable. We challenged Banner Lodge multiple times but they wouldn't play us. For the record, the softball field was moved 3 times, from in front of the old casino, to the corner near the arch and finally to beyond the new pool,
-The 1/4 mile walk DOWN to the OLD pool,
-The conversion of the old casino into guest rooms and the building of the new casino,
-As a waiter, hiding the apple pie deserts from the guests on Sunday,
-Sleeping with the other help in the barn attic,
-Getting investment tips from the guests (all tips went down),
-Breaking into the freezer at night to get extra food for the guests,
-Getting caught by Clara when backing out thru the freezer door,
-Playing 3 handed cut-throat pinochle with 2 seniors,
-and My weekend payday from tips for being a waiter.
-The conversion of the old casino into guest rooms and the building of the new casino,
-As a waiter, hiding the apple pie deserts from the guests on Sunday,
-Sleeping with the other help in the barn attic,
-Getting investment tips from the guests (all tips went down),
-Breaking into the freezer at night to get extra food for the guests,
-Getting caught by Clara when backing out thru the freezer door,
-Playing 3 handed cut-throat pinochle with 2 seniors,
-and My weekend payday from tips for being a waiter.
All summers went too fast and now the Breslow's resort is a horse farm. Even
the impressive arch has been removed. My wife and I visit Breslow's twice each summer and are dismayed to see the
former Moodus center. Unlike Brigadoon, Moodus never returns.
THANK YOU BRESLOWs for a lifetime of memories.
--Stan Feinstein
5 comments:
Simonpure...Thanks for posting my submittal.
I came across your posting quite accidentally, but it certainly made me stop and take notice. Helene Call was my second cousin, my mother Ruth's first cousin, and Helene's mother Esther was a sister of my granddad Isadore, my mother's father. I also spent summers at Breslows as a child and young teenager. I remember Abie Breslow because, although he was my mother's first cousin, he was closer in age to me, but I remember Stanley, Jay and Paul; also. I recognized the names of Joe and Flo Wasserman from your list, but only because I remembered their children, Lary, Alan, Gary, and Tina (not sure if I have the order right)! Anyway, thanks for the memories, it was fun to think of those days!! Stephanie
My parents and I spent summers at Breslows for years! I loved it ! A lot of memories, especially spending hours each day in the pool ! And going on the trampoline owned I think by the Wasserman's. And walking down the country road before dark, etc. Then it closed, and we went to Orchard Mansion.
Great walk down memory lane. Spent several summers there before we relocated to the Grand Mountain Hotel in the Catskills with numerous people on your list.
. I'm not sure why we changed venues. Hold your nose for Shady Nook.
Bob Wertkin
My maiden name is Breslow. My grandfather Sol Breslow came to the US from Europe in the early part of the twentieth century. He married my grandmother Bess and they had two children, my Aunt Edna, and my Dad,Paul. They visited what was then Breslow Farm in the 1930’s to see their relatives and for a change of pace from NYC. Being city folks they loved being on the farm and we have home movies of their visits. I guess over the years they lost touch. Should anyone from the Breslow family wish to get in touch I would love to hear from you. Randi Weil. Randilweil@aol.com
Post a Comment