The Red Apple Rest, The Mountains, and Da City

The Red Apple Rest, The Mountains, and Da City

We baby boomers know the Mountains. We trekked here as children eager to beat sizzling sidewalks and wall to wall brick apartment houses. Mom, Dad, and grand parents packed what fit in the 56 Chevy and took off West to the Catskills. The trip took years. I was probably six.

When the family finally stopped for potty breaks and food, yep—you guessed it; we stood on line at the famous Red Apple Rest in Tuxedo, NY. Seemed like hundreds of people arrived at the Rest at exactly the same time. Was it really that crowded?

A carnival of smells and colors, The Rest was reflective of that tremendously diverse community everyone referred to as Da City. As in: “Where you from?” You’d say: “Da City.” Da city where you played stickball, pick up baseball games, and city park sprinklers made the Catskills a great escape. I hear the Four Season singing Sherrie right now.

Every kid from Da City knows about egg crèmes and lime rickeys and ya know something, the shopkeepers knew how to make em in the Catskill Mountains too. When your Dad turned off 17 to your final destination, you were ready to break the car door off and get into your bathing suit.

As a kid from Da City, I neva forgot Sullivan County. I married a local farm girl from the Beechwoods, raised my girls here, and still am a kid from Da City floating down the Delaware in cut offs and shades.

Have a memory? Make a comment. Meanwhile—if you want a piece of the Catskills, give me a call. We’ll reminisce and I’ll reintroduce you to the Catskills 4 Real.

Read About the Red Apple Rest:
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