5. Taste of Mountain Lakes
Over 300 Lakers turned out for the Taste of Mountain Lakesevent on Friday, September 9, 2011, starting at 6pm at St. Catherine’s church (moved from the Esplanade due to the weather). There was a steady flow of guests in and out of the church, sipping wine, listening to music, trying many wonderful wines and sampling delicious food – all enjoying an evening with long time Lakers and our newest residents.
Many local merchants contributed to making this a fabulous event. ‘Tastes’ of food from local restaurants were delicious. Special thanks to restaurants Casa Bella, Kings, Il Michaelangelo 
Restaurant, The Mountain Lakes Market, The Station At Mountain Lakes And Zeris Inn. There were two wine tasting tables with an interesting variety of reds and whites. Special thanks to the Liquor Outlet Wine Cellars. Audience Pleasers, a special events associates, added to the festivities with black, white and silver balloons and an inflatable screen which showed slides from the Esplanade and our long time residents.
The music by the local band, Walkin the Boulevard, was enjoyed by all. The musicians included Gary Goldsmith, Chuck Hatfield and Gary Musciano from Mountain Lakes, as well as Michaelanne Stillings, Robert LoSchiavo, Christian Frenzo aka “Kit Driscoll.” As promised, they played to late, much to the delight of the guests (and even into clean-up!)
These are over 100 Lakers who have lived in town for more than 40 years. Many were guests at Friday’s event. These are the people who have given time and support to the town and organizations over the years. All were to have their years recognized and wear their Centennial buttons and ribbons. These are the people who provide us with a link to the past, a reminder that the Market was once Yaccarrino’s; and the Station was once, well a train Station, and then the Phoebe Snow restaurant with amazing popovers. They also remind us about the times that were really tough, as well as the parts of life that were better back in the day. You make our town rich, and interesting, and warm. Thank you for staying! We are compiling a list of residents living in town for 40 or more years. Click here for the current list.
Congratulations fo the Neighborhood challenge winners. The results, as reported by each neighborhood’s liaison, for the most:
- 40 year residents – a tie between the Five Lakes and Yorke Village
- Residents born abroad – The Prestigious Hill Section (with 22)
- MLHS graduates – Yorke Village (with 40 grads)
- Volunteer hours – The Locomotives (with 6,072 hours)
All neighborhood challenge results to date are listed on the Neighborhood Challenge page.
Re-Dedication of Esplanade Park
The Park was conceived and built in 1912 by Herbert Hapgood to welcome residents and visitors arriving by train. Over the years, the park fell into disrepair, especially after direct service to NYC was discontinued. Restoration of the Esplanade Park has promoted by the Historic Preservation Committee since 1988, and was selected by the Mountain Lakes Centennial Committee as its Legacy project to commemorate the past as well as a be a lasting part of ML going forward.
The Esplanade’s current configuration wouldn’t be possible without Sue Marshall & Pat Rusak, The Cerbo Family, and the Mountain Lakes Department of Public Works. Using archived photographs of Esplanade Park, consideration of the site and low water availability, Rusak and Marshall developed a landscape restoration plan for Esplanade Park. Their choice of low-maintenance and drought tolerant plants will help ensure the lasting beauty of the space and long term maintainability by the Borough moving forward into the next 100 years. They also utilized the talents and energy of the Historic Preservation Committee, the Garden Club of Mountain Lakes, the Shade Tree Commission.
Mountain Lakes Department of Public Works has been at the Esplanade in all kinds of weather, cutting grass, fixing stairs and walls, mounting signs, etc – whatever it takes to make the Park look good!
Tony and Joe Cerbo generously donated and planted the flowers and shrubs for the garden renovation. Their efforts were a labor of love, for Mountain Lakes as well as for their their grandfather’s heritage. According to family records, their grandfather was a stone mason who worked on the original Esplanade stonework and many of the stone walls around the Mountain Lakes train station.
Today the Esplanade Park is one of the few remaining examples of the Arts and Crafts style and was one of the contributing landmarks that supported the borough’s listing on the historic registers. Job Well Done!
And especially thank our sponsor, Vision Equities, for underwriting a portion of tonight’s event. They are our neighbor right at the entrance to ML with some beautiful – available – energy efficient office space.
Residents went home with a commemorative wine glass etched with the Centennial logo, as well as fond memories from old and new friends and the glow of an evening to remember.
Event committee: Bill Albergo, Event Chair and part time weathermen; Kris Barlow, chief correspondent, Ron Owens, event planner emeritus, town archivist Pat Rusak, and the helpful and delightful Jonathan Holasek, Maryann Wargo, and Doug McWilliams.
Click here for photos of the Taste of Mountain Lakes.
Click here for the Taste of Mountain Lakes flyer
Themocracy
Thank you for the fabulous fireworks and for opening Island Beach. It was a fantastic viewing place for so many and we saw so many folks we don’t often see (parents of grown school kids!!) It really was one big beautiful party. Thanks
Tell me about the Resident for 40 years or more — I moved to Mountain Lakes in October 1947 with my family and lived there until November 1963 when I moved to NYC — My husband and I moved back to town in July 1976 and lived there with our children until May 2001 — by my calculations that’s a total of 42 years! I will be in Mountain Lakes on September 9 – 11 for our 50 MLHS reunion — Do I qualify????
Our high school class of 1961 is celebrating our 50th reunion the weekend of 9/9-11 and many of us will plan to attend this Friday evening event.
Bob Stewart–MLHS Reunion Committee
Linda, Far as I am concerned, you qualify!