Fond Memories

Julia Child at the Park

In 1952 I went with a friend to Palisades Park. He spent all of his money, so I shared what little I had left with him. We ate. Then we went on a ride and I got sick. What a nightmare. Didn't even have enough money left for the bus fare home. I called my dad, who never drove, to ask him if I could take a cab home. He agreed-- reluctantly!

The next time I went to the Park with my brother. At one of the game stands, we won "Robin Hood" style hats with a feather. Then we went over to the live Channel 5 Dumont television stage which was telecasting a live mid-day show from inside the restaurant overlooking the Hudson and the GWB. , The special guest--Julia Child had baked a pie. They needed somebody to taste a slice. The host spotted my feather hat and picked me to come up out of the audience to sample the pie on TV. What a thrill it was, eating that pie, getting closer and closer to the big old camera lens--in your face!!

About ten years ago, I met a girl whose grandfather worked at the Park. His job was sitting behind the counter at the front of the Fun House to press the button that made compressed air blow up through holes in the floor leading to the fun house, lifting the ladies skirts like Marilyn Monroe in the movie "the Seven Year Itch."

You could never beat the Saratoga French Fries with malt vinegar and fresh-squeezed lemonade at Palisades.