TRAVELING MAN

My annual extended visit to the “Lake District” was scheduled around another silly farce at Hawley’s Ritz Company Playhouse – THE SENSUOUS SENATOR by Michael Parker.

I had reserved a room at the “Sandy Beach Motel” during my overnight stay there in July – and found myself once again in Room 4. It appears from what I read in the local paper that the “Fife and Drum Motel” in Honesdale, where I usually stayed, was undergoing an extensive renovation by its new owner, including the addition of a restaurant. I look forward to seeing its new look next summer.

As usual, I visited Beach Lake, Hawley and Honesdale in PA and Narrowsburg and Lake Huntington in New York. Nothing much had changed since last summer. And, also as usual, I relaxed and read my latest mystery – a new (to me) series with cat detectives Joe, Dulcie and Kit, who actually spoke (to certain humans and not just to themselves), by Shirley Rousseau Murphy – while sitting at the Observation Deck overlooking Lake Wallenpaupack or in the Tusten Veterans Memorial Park under the Narrowsburg Bridge overlooking the Delaware River.

When vacationing here with the family over the years we always stayed at “all-inclusive” houses (the Lazy J, Dellwood Acres, the Central House, and Evergreen Lodge) where all three meals were served daily, so I enjoy now being able to investigate the many dining options available.

I returned to old favorite “Gresham’s Chop House” across from the lake and last year’s find “Three Wishes” in Beach Lake (where another bartender made his first Stinger) and discovered the “Capri Restaurant and Lounge” overlooking a marina on the “other side” of Lake Wallenpaupack. Run by the Fabri family, it is located 2 miles in from Route 590 on Lake Shore Drive. I started off with a refreshing specialty cocktail called “Capri Comfort” and enjoyed an excellent New England clam chowder and the house specialty Veal Parmagian while listening to Frank Sinatra’s “Duets” tape. As a break I ate at “Arby’s” one night.

I miss the drive-in theatre in Indian Orchard (now a Ford dealership), and was disappointed that the movie theatre in Callicoon was not showing anything I wanted to see (I’ll get there yet), but I did manage a bargain matinee of RUSH HOUR 3 at the multiplex in the Route 6 Plaza Mall, where I also finished my clothes shopping for the year at K-Mart.

The weather was very pleasant, with only one 90+ degree day. The gas differential from NJ to PA was about the same as it had been last month – both states under $3.00 for regular with PA 15-25 cents more than NJ – but once I crossed the bridge into New York State the first station I came across charged $3.05.

Sunday morning I slept late, finished my book on the Lake Wallenpaupack observation deck, and stopped at the “Towne House Diner” in the center of Honesdale (the very first place we stopped on our very first visit to the area over 40 years ago – then it was “Steve’s Diner”) for a French Toast Ham and Am sandwich and banana shake before heading back to Jersey City and the last of the GD extensions.

TTFN