Respites and the Riviera

About Town is busy running all over town dropping kids off at this practice, picking kids up at that practice, taking kids to the library to get those last minute books for those reports that require research that involves use of both the internet and old fashioned books, food shopping and trying to fit in everything else that must get done before bedtime. Sound familiar? I’m sure it does.

Well, last night we decided to give ourselves a break and take the kids out for dinner. Love McDonald’s though we do; we wanted to remove some of the guilt of not cooking and feed them something that at least had the appearance of healthy. However, we didn’t want to spend a lot of money--we only wanted to save a lot of time. The answer appeared as we drove towards the lower end of Main Street and passed Café La Maison. Café la Maison sits on the corner of Main St. and Parker Ave. in one of the original houses of old Fort Lee. Many of you might remember it as the Fort Lee Newsbar, and except for new owners and a new coat of paint, not much else has changed since they opened their doors in 2008, which is a good thing. The menu is pretty much identical to the Newsbar’s menu.

Café La Maison is no more expensive than going to a diner, but the selection is much fresher in terms of ingredients and offerings and the atmosphere is more bistro than boisterous. They have a selection of over 30 gourmet sandwiches, a selection of over 10 gourmet salads, wraps, a children’s menu and more. Though we had been there for lunch many times before, we had never had dinner there. Dinner on the weeknight we ate there was a much more sedate experience, unlike lunch when it’s crowded with people rushing to get back to work. In fact, dinner was quite relaxing even with the kids. We ordered the chicken, goat cheese and walnut salad, which is grilled chicken, creamy goat cheese, dried cranberries and walnuts over mixed greens with walnut vinaigrette. The chicken was freshly grilled, the goat cheese smooth and quite mild, and the walnuts had no trace of staleness about them. The vinaigrette was slightly warmed and the dried cranberries were the perfect sweetly-tart compliment to the goat cheese while the walnuts were the perfect textural addition.

The kids ordered the chicken tenders and French fries and declared them the best ever. The tenders were made from real chicken—no processed meat! And, the kids’ meals were cheaper at Café La Maison than at any fast food establishment. We left there feeling refreshed, recharged, and thrilled that we didn’t have to cook or clean up. It was the perfect respite for a busy weeknight.

Café La Maison is located at 140 Main St. 201-947-6699. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they offer eat in, take-out and free delivery!

FORT LEE’S NIGHTCLUB DAYS REVISITED

Tonight at the Fort Lee Historic Park’s Visitor Center on Hudson Terrace, Eric Nelsen, an historical interpreter for the Palisade Interstate Park Commission, along with the Fort Lee Film Commission and Historic Society, will be presenting an illustrated talk “Nightlife on the Edge: Fort Lee’s Riviera.” 

Come and learn how Fort Lee was home to one of the most famous nightclubs in the world. Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jackie Gleason and so many more performed here. On hand for the illustrated talk will be “Rocky the Barber” the House Barber for the Riviera and the last living Riviera employee. Having cut all of the celebrity’s hair, Rocky got to know the stars in ways we cannot even imagine. This tradition of oral history cannot be found in any book, so come on by and hear his stories.

Fort Lee Historic Park is located on Hudson Terrace just south of the George Washington Bridge. For more information, call 201-768-1360 ext. 108.

AFTERNOON RESPITE

If you’re looking for something to do Thursday afternoon, come to the Fort Lee Library, where they will be showing Franco Zefferelli’s 1967 film, The Taming of the Shrew, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The film will be shown at 2pm in the meeting room downstairs.

The Fort Lee Public Library is located at 320 Main Street. 201-592-3615.