Welcome
Nate and Sadie Friedman welcome you to The Brookside Hotel web-site. Just as they did in years past at the hotel itself, they hope that you will enjoy your visit and come back many times to enjoy some wonderful memories of the vacations and time spent at their hotel. While we hope you will get pleasure from this web-site you won’t be able to taste the food in the dining room or laugh at the entertainment in the famous “No-Name Room”.
From its beginning as a farm and guest house in the 1930s, The Brookside Hotel was linked to the history of the Catskills and of Kerhonkson. We want to make sure this history is not going to be lost as time continues to pass. We may have waited too long already, like Nate Friedman many guests are unfortunately not with us anymore, but our hope is that those of you who have memories of The Brookside from your vacations and stays, or those of you who have family stories that include The Brookside will enjoy these pages and pictures. And, those of you who may have your own stories to tell, your own memories, and your own pictures will share them with us and others as we try to reconnect The Brookside Hotel family again. Take advantage of the link to send us your stories and pictures.
On this web-site you will be able to post your memories and stories as well as let us know that you have pictures that we will be able to include them on this web-site. We look forward to hearing from you and hopefully continuing to enjoy the wonderful memories from those times.
Sadie, Barry, Richard and Suzanne all send their thanks that you have found this web-site. If you or your family ever visited the Brookside please check out some of the pictures we have been able to find that help us remember days long gone. If you have pictures from your visits to the hotel or know someone who does please send them to Richard at rbfriedman946@yahoo.com or to sadiefriedman@comcast.net” so we can include them in our history.
Sadie spends the winters in Florida in West Palm Beach and returns to New York in the late Spring until early Fall. She is keeping busy with friends, bridge, emailing old and new friends, and her family. She can still tell all of us in the family where people sat in the dining room, who they came with and what room they had….so she would love to hear from old guests and their families.
September 6, 2014:
- email Sue at Brookside123@gmail.com or call at 845-339-0002
- email Rich at friedman946@yahoo.com or call at 603-714-2311
The past months have only confirmed how much all of us depended on her guidance and advice, and how much she will be missed by all.
Well, got a excited call from my still best of best friends the other night (Brookside Bruce Seidman) about a radio reunion of sorts for the Brookside Hotel. I’ve read and listened to the tape and the comments from those that logged in and could not just let this pass.
Then Brooks sent me the web link that has been set up for letters and remembrances of which if you were there you had to come away with about a billion of them..
It was the winter of 1965 and the Hotel was getting off the ground booking wise so the call went out to those that already worked there to see if they knew anyone that wanted a job in the dinning room. Marty Lovenger said I should check it out so i did and am forever grateful…Spent the next 7 years growing up and tasting everything the 60’s and early 70’s had to offer and believe me if you wanted it it was out there.
Just want to point out i was the first GOY to be welcomed into Nate And Sadie’s extended Family (What your not Jewish….That’s O.K. you’re a nice boy anyway) Must of heard that one 10,000 times.
But i knew in june of that year that now I had a extended family ..It was the last weekend of the year and the 10 week summer season was about to start the next week and we were all gathered in the office after the guests had gone home to receive our little brown envelopes containing our $2.50 pay for the weekend…Not bad considering you could buy a gallon of gas for .030 cents then.
Well as usual Sadie could never say no to anyone so she must of promised 20 people jobs for about 6 slots and everyone was coming up to her saying don’t forget my Daughter don’t forget my grandson etc. and i could see the numbers didn’t work…So with Nate looking over her shoulder as she sat at her desk I told her don’t worry about me take Care of your guests and family….
Sadie quickly looked up and said to me what are you talking about YOU ARE MY FAMILY …Nate again looked down (most times he never had to say anything you got the point from his LOOK) From that point on i called that place home and still consider it to be so.
I could write a book about the goings on in those 7 years but space stops me so for now Great to hear from all of you and hope to hear more…VIN-A-LA
***********************************************
Vincent La Fera
IBM Integrated Supply Chain
Customized Solutions Services
Poughkeepsie, NY T/L 8-293-4906
Outside 845-433-4906
Internet I.D: Lafera@us.ibm.com
Dear Vin-ni-la,
I loved reading your remembrances of those days. I have such happy memories during that time. Some of the best laughs had to be the afternoon excursions with Marty Lovinger, you and I after the silver had been dried, and the tables set for dinner. I remember one fall when decided to explore the county. We would rush to get away in whichever of either your or Marty’s old clunkers had the most gas and explore some back road we had never been on before. I think it we lost track of time and distance more than once, and made it back to the hotel just before the dining room had to open.
I remember entering the twilight zone somewhere on the mountain over Ellenville. We came across some really strange place on our hike. I recall hiding in the bushes and spying on some strange group before the three of us raced through the brush back to the car, laughing hysterically, hoping the car would start before we were discovered. We tried going back, but could never find the place again.
I also remember laughing about Mitch Kittenplan’s annual excursions to your family’s traditional Italian Thanksgiving Dinners between the lunch and dinner service at the hotel. Mitch always came back ready for gastric bypass surgery. He loved to recount the endless courses served and do impressions of your uncles asleep at the table.
I can’t think of you without smiling.
Much love,
Suzanne
This website is so great!! My memories of the Brookside are much later, during the 80s but I remember swimming in the outdoor pool and playing in the game room. I love the pictures of Sadie and of my grandma Ann!