Remembering Pediatrician Dr. Perry in Lexington MA

Dr. Mary Perry lived in a modest old gray-blue home near Lexington (MA) center in which she held her business as a pediatrician. The waiting area had toys and books all over the place and the small doctor's office -- it probably would have been a den in a residential home -- was made special by a warm and friendly doctor that totally dedicated her life to taking care of kids. If, in fact, we were too sick to make the trek from Arlington to Lexington, Dr. Perry would bring herself with little doctor's bag to our home -- even in the dead of a snowy winter -- and come upstairs to our bedroom to provide medical support.

What seems like a scene from the 19th century actually happened only 43 years ago-- you know, the time of watching Gilligan's Island on television, listening to the top 40 WRKO on the radio, playing a game of street hockey in the neighborhood (translated: getting fresh air), and almost always being respectful of our parents.

I know it seems like another place and time that a doctor would include a house visit as part of her practice, but quite fascinating considering this falls into a time of contemporary history, just a few generations ago.

While we have some amazing doctors out there today -- and tremendous advances in the field of medicine and emergency care, to name a few -- doesn't it seem incredible and wonderful that a doctor like Dr. Mary Perry would come to one's home as part of her medical practice? That personal touch is long-gone, but the specific memory is part of the fabric that made our childhoods special -- just another memorable facet of the neighborhood feeling of our communities where people came together to help each other out.

Did you have a childhood pediatrician like Mary Perry back in the day? Please feel free to share your story!

Green Plastic Dinosaur Banks from Boston Sinclair Gas Stations

Does anyone remember those green plastic dinosaur banks that were given away with each fill up at the Boston area Sinclair gas stations? At 28 cents a gallon, my dad would fill up his Pontiac at the station at the corner of Brighton and Concord Avenues on the Belmont-Cambridge line and we would tag along for those one-of-a-kind dinosaur banks.

The green dinosaur banks were sturdily built and able to hold a good amount of earned allowance -- which, we spent, of course, on baseball cards, Wacky Packages and Mad Magazines from Mrs. Mooney at the former Hoffman News in Arlington Heights.

Eventually the dinosaur banks became extinct, as well as the Sinclair stations in the Boston area.

Is there anyone in the world that remembers these green dinosaur banks? Please let me know!

Green Ridge Turkey Farm Remembrances

Ahhhh, the Green Ridge Turkey Farm. Just the mention of this restaurant brings up memories of... hmmmm...wait a minute... let's see... TURKEY!

 Located on the overly commercial Daniel Webster Highway in Nashua, N.H., dining at the Green Ridge Turkey Farm was like celebrating Thanksgiving every day with its succulent roast turkey, homemade stuffing and gravy, mashed potatoes and some guy dressed up in a John Alden outfit looking for Plymouth Rock. Just kidding on the last one.

I remember seeing from a distance that giant turkey perched on top of the restaurant sign out front, and that is when my mouth would usually start to water in anticipation of the turkey dinner, as well as a slice of homemade blueberry pie. The Green Ridge also made a terrific salad with homemade dressing. I also remember the elderly waitresses were so sweet and took the time to socialize with the families dining there. While the turkey at the Green Ridge was tremendous, I think the pleasant nature of the waitresses is what made us like the Green Ridge so much. It was almost like going to a close relative's house. The atmosphere was quite agreeable, too, with a large, carpeted dining room and historic section of the restaurant known as the Manor House.

 I shed more than a few tears when the Green Ridge Turkey Farm went out of business in the mid-90s. Seeing that building razed for a Barnes and Noble took away a New England restaurant icon, and one we happened to love. With its origins dating back to 1931, the Green Ridge Turkey farm surely was one of the region's great dining traditions.

Pleasure Island Amusement Park Memories

Today, Pleasure Island might be the name of a future TV reality show starring sassy, shallow people, but I remember the name best as a wonderful amusement park located in Wakefield, Mass.

Pleasure Island had a short life -- only in business from 1959 to 1969 -- but the memories can never be taken away.  This lively 100-acre park had all the amusement park bells and whistles that were requisite for finicky kids like me with enough rides, attractions, events and overall visual appeal to create those lifetime of memories. I loved the hokey actors that staged mock gunfights in the Western City, the Space Rocket, Moby Dick and Pirate Rides, the picnic area, the Animal Barn, reliving the frontier days on the Chisholm Trail, the merry-go-round, various boat and car rides, and the locomotive steaming through the premises. I recall a few good places to eat there. They had an entertainment center, too, and I read that performers like Ricky Nelson, the Three Stooges and Caesar Romero performed at the "Show Bowl," We never got to see them, as our bed time was something like right after supper.

I bring up Pleasure Island in conversation whenever I can, and people look at me like I'm nuts. No one seems to remember this place, except my brother-in-law, Bill. It's nice to know there's someone in this world that remembers Pleasure Island and was equally enthusiastic about this amazing amusement park.

A business park eventually replaced Pleasure Island. That's fine -- we need people working in our country -- but perhaps some day an entrepreneur familiar with the glory days of Pleasure Island can find some open space and bring back this wonderful amusement park for the younger generations.  Wouldn't that be nice?

Lannos in Watertown, Mass., for Old School Italian Cuisine

A few questions have come up in regards to what makes me qualified to write this blog, Old School Boston. I can answer that sufficiently by saying that yesterday I drove five miles with the left blinker on.

Now that you have my credentials, let's move onto the next Old School Boston article!

Anyone remember Lannos in Watertown, Mass.? I think they were an old school restaurant the very day they opened with enough parm dishes and carpeting to write the textbook on classic Italian-American restaurants. I can't say for sure, but Lannos felt like a family-owned and operated restaurant as you would see the same faces (all friendly) year after year. Lannos was great for affordable lunches and dinners, as well as being able to aptly accommodate functions. It was a pretty large downtown restaurant with, as I recall, a downstairs, too.

I believe Lannos closed in the mid-90s. If I am wrong, someone please correct me. I'm doing this all on memory.

Traditional Italian-American restaurants are definitely on the wane in the Boston area, as there is more of a demand for the higher end, more authentic Italian restaurants. That is fine with me, but sometimes you just need a slab of parm, an unpretentious atmosphere, and a vociferous staff and clientele that keeps the dining experience from being like that of eating in a library.

If you have any fond memories of Lannos, we'd love to hear them!

Bringing People Together during The Blizzard of 1978

Who remembers the Blizzard of 1978? This catastrophic, early February nor'easter  dumped record amounts of snow on us Bostonians, not to mention hurricane-like winds. I've heard a few times through the years that that this storm killed more than 100 people and injured over 4,500.

The tragic outcomes of the storm will always be etched in our sympathetic and empathetic New England hearts and souls.  Tragedy, however, also brings some positive aspects that we can learn from, and the Blizzard of 1978 was no exception. I remember best the way people came together to help each other out. There was goodwill everywhere -- we saw the news features on television covering this topic that centered on the help coming from church, state and community. We saw countless examples of unbounded selflessness in our own Arlington neighborhood. I think back fondly on having to walk everywhere and people stopping us to say "hello," and making sure everything was OK. It wasn't just a going-through-the-motions talk -- people really became closer and took a general interest in each other.  People shoveled and snowplowed for each other, knocked on neighbor's doors to make sure they were OK and keeping the elderly and disabled first in mind. I saw more people smiling in one week of adversity than a whole year of normal daily life. It was true testimony to the decency of the people in our country.

We had quite a few days off from school. It was a great time to sled, build a snow fort out front and watch a few more cartoons on television. The news coverage and political response was tremendous, too, as you will witness in the video above. As examples, Ted O'Brien's anchoring was stellar, former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis' genuine concern a political revelation (even though I wasn't a big fan of his governing, in general) and meteorologist Harvey Leonard was his usual excellent self -- and with so much more hair! Harvey, as many of you know, is the chief meteorologist on WCVB-TV, Channel 5.

I truly feel we can apply the goodwill of the Blizzard of 1978 to today's world where our nation has often become derailed on the most fundamental, most important aspects of life. As I have currently become nauseated by the lying, attacking and dirty tricks that impeded this recent presidential election -- and the overall divide of this great country -- I think back to times like the Blizzard of 1978 as a role model for people putting aside their differences for the love and concern of their fellow neighbor. Yes, our society was much less divided then but it wasn't exactly a "Leave it to Beaver" era, either, with a growing distrust of government and a "me decade" all too often favoring greed, narcissim and various excesses over "loving thy neighbor," and doing what was best for society.

It's ironic, isn't it, that such a monstrous storm brought about so much sunshine to our daily lives in the form of placing others before oneself.  Wouldn't it be nice if everyday was like that, but without storms of any kind?              

Old School Boston Businesses That Still Exist Today

Many traditional, old-fashioned Boston area businesses that we loved in the 60s and 70s still exist today without much of a change in the way they do business. Here are some that come to mind...

Walpole Woodworkers in Walpole still sells those expertly crafted swing sets we bought in the 60s. Balich 5&10 in Arlington remains one of the last five and dimes in the area. Playtime in Arlington is no longer a toy store but the old school arts and crafts element is well intact and as impressive as ever. Sports Etc. in Arlington, still excels in the sporting goods category and with that superb customer service that has been a prioritization for all these years. The Old Mill restaurant in Westminster continues it magical Sunday morning brunch. The lovely pond, covered bridge, waterfall and the chance to feed the ducks bread are joyously timeless. Prince Pizzeria in Saugus still has that "Leaning Tower of Pizza" structure outside and delicious Italian-style pizza inside. Steve Castraberti has done a great job maintaining the excellence that his late, great father, Arthur, created through the years. Durgin Park restaurant keeps on going strong in Boston, although the waitresses are not nearly as rude as in the past. The Union Oyster House and Javeli's still thrive in Boston with, respectively, their seafood and old school Italian business specialties. The Maynard Outdoor Store in Maynard was a favorite back in the day and still is today with its fantastic mix of clothing, footwear, camping and sporting goods in a very old-fashioned, neighborhood store setting.

We'd love to hear from you on old school Boston area businesses that still remain today. What are some of your favorites?

Remembering the Chicken Coop in Rhode Island

Nancy takes us to Rhode Island for a restaurant memory from quite a long time ago...

There used to be a wonderful southern fried chicken restaurant (back in the 1950s/1960s) named the Chicken Coop ---- it was located near the junction of Cranston Street/Westminster Street in Providence. Now there is a high school (Central High) where the restaurant used to be.... not even KFC could have matched them for the taste/quality.

Editor's reply: Thanks so much, Nancy, for this piece of Rhode Island nostalgia! Readers, send us your favorite Boston, New England restaurant memories and we'll consider it for publication

The Stockpot, The Tasty and Other Boston, Cambridge Restaurant Memories

We just received some great old-time Boston and Cambridge restaurant memories from a reader named Peter...

Harvard Square, Cambridge:  The Blue Grotto  -- It was a downstairs, cozy, mediocre Italian and pizza place, very cozy on a winter night.  Nothing remarkable, just good times for a 7th grader going a little upscale.

Harvard Square, on the corner (I think it's a nice Chinese place now)  La Crepe -- Decent savory and sweet crepes.

And also in Harvard Square, The Tasty! Four or five stools in a tiny little place with these heart-of-gold crusty diner men serving griddled burgers and decent fries in an only-back-then-setting.  I still miss that one, and would have loved to take my kids there.

Near Harvard Square:  Chi Chi's  -- A national Tex Mex chain that for a couple years in the late 70s was ridiculously popular.  My first chimichanga.  We'd wait for an hour plus, and for that not great food!  But back then, not a lot of fun Mex places like that.

Of that ilk, the Friday's on Newbury in Back Bay.  No good reason for it to be as popular as it was, but, boy, was it hot in the early 80s.

On Mass Ave in Cambridge, near the Three Aces Pizza,  The Mustard Cup, which was sort of a diner, coffee shop type place.  I remember maybe the best french fries of my childhood, served in a paper cup.

In the Galleria in Harvard Square, bottom floor, The Stock Pot served soup, salad and fresh baked bread.  Nothing special, but my Ma used to love not cooking Sunday supper in order to go to the Stock Pot.

On Mass. Ave. or near Central Square ... The Athenian Taverna.  Similar to the Acropolis with a slightly less showy interior.  Perhaps the Greek family restaurant concept still thrives, but I really miss that type of place out here in California.

And last one for now, on Mt Auburn near Watertown, by the Star Market, I want to say "Quality Donuts", or something like that...a spacious s-curve counter and stools to sit on for the donut crowd back when independent donut shops still thrived.

Editor's reply: Thanks, Peter, great list! We remember many of these places quite well, and wish they had never left us. Well, most of them.

A Memorable Moment in Boston during the Christmas Season

The Boston Common Christmas lights shone, "Merry Christmas Darling" by The Carpenters played on the radio and the new car smell in our Mercury Marquis station wagon lingered. Life sure felt good while waiting in the car while my dad ran into Eric Fuch's model railroad store to pick up a few items.

My dad was an avid Lionel railroad collector and Fuch's served as the "model" toy train store in the area. Eric Fuch's eventually expanded into the suburbs, but it wasn't the same. We loved the thrill of driving into Boston and getting in the Christmas spirit.

Although waiting in the car might seem like an odd way to enjoy the Christmas season, sometimes moments like these inexplicably stick in one's mind. Do you have any "smaller" moments from childhood in Boston that never went away?

A Yearning for Funny Face Fruit Drinks

I loved Funny Face fruit drinks. They were much like Kool-Aid, but developed nearby in the great city of Weymouth, Mass. There's something always better about an artificially flavored fruit drink that's made locally, I say. I went to school with someone that worked at Funny Face. Before we knew each other, I asked where he worked. The kid turned a bit red, sunk his head down low and said in almost a whisper, "Funny Face."

Pillsbury actually created the Funny Face line, but eventually sold to Brady Enterprises on the South Shore. The cartoon characters, gracing the packets, represented a flavor --  Goofy Grape,  Jolly Ollie Orange, Freckle Face Strawberry. You get the picture! The drawings were quite happy-looking and full of character despite the very simplistic drawings -- kind of like the smiley face with different coloring.

Funny Face disappeared in 1994, but I heard some local businessmen were trying to bring back the cartoon characters for a television show. Has anyone else heard that, too, and, if so, what is the latest?

Saying "Hi" to Former Boston Red Sox Pitcher Lee Stange at the Boston Museum of Science in the Late 1960s

On this Opening Day for the Boston Red Sox, I'd like to take the way back machine to write about Lee Stange, a journeyman pitcher who played for the Sox from 1966-1969. They called him the "Stinger" and his first name was actually Albert. Why Stange used his middle name as his first, I really can't say.

Stange pitched as a starter and reliever throughout career, but mainly the latter with the Sox. Back then, Stange didn't seem like much of a pitcher but, in retrospect, if he played today, Stange would probably have a multi-million dollar contract and a few all-star games under his belt. He had a career 3.56 ERA, a 62-61 record over a 16-year career, nine complete games in 1966 (although he went 8-9!) and 12 saves for the Sox in 1968 -- that was really good for the era. Stange also went 12-5 for the Minnesota Twins in 1963.

Perhaps my best memory of Lee Stange was seeing him at the Boston Museum of Science in the late 1960s. I can't remember why Stange was a guest there, but I saw him throwing a ball in front of an audience. I never saw anyone throw a ball that fast in person! He wasn't that big, either, maybe 5"10" so I thought "anything is possible" when aspiring to be a baseball player someday ((like 99 percent of the neighborhood kids with the exception of one geek that played in his dress shoes!) Clearly inspired, I returned home and practiced very hard to try to throw that fast. I could throw so fast, the neighborhood kids must have thought I was the local Tom Seaver. Little did they know that Lee Stange was my baseball pitching inspiration!

What Happened to Major Tom Lewis on WVBF, 105.7?

Major Tom Lewis, on the old WVBF 105.7, Framingham-Boston (now WROR) was a terrific mid-morning radio DJ in, I believe, the early 1970s who knew how to keep the music moving while bringing a national quality voice and personality to our local airwaves.

With a dry personality, some hit-or-miss jokes and incredible intuition on when to talk over the music, Major Tom not only had a cool, relevant 1970s radio name but an ability to connect with listeners of different ages. While many parents in our neighborhood were turned off by some of the screaming DJs of the late 60s and early 70s, Major Tom sounded like a sincere best friend who also happened to possess superb articulation. He could have sounded great on a beautiful music station, a middle of the road format, or perhaps as a news anchor given he never really flubbed his lines, but his stint on this top 40 FM giant contributed greatly to Boston's amazing pool of radio talent during this period. I'd be interested to know where Major Tom Lewis went after WVBF and if he is still in the business today. Anyone know?

Gus Saunders Yankee Kitchen Food Show on the Old WCOP 1150 AM Radio Boston

Does anyone remember Gus Saunder's Yankee Kitchen food show on the old WCOP 1150 AM radio, Boston? I have special memories of this entertaining, low-key show and getting to visit Gus with family at the former Rib Room at the Hotel Sonesta in Cambridge -- that's where he broadcast from live. Gus treated everyone like a beloved family member and his gentle style and overall civility is something we often see missing in a much more fast-paced, me-first world.

By the way, I think this was the intro song to the show, Bert Kaempfert's "That Happy Feeling" -- just listening to this song brings a big smile:

Failed Boston/New England Restaurant Expansions

I remember some very famous New England restaurants expanding, only to find their new businesses not very appetizing to everyone.

The former, famous Green Ridge Turkey Farm on the Daniel Webster in Nashua, N.H., opened up the Green Ridge Steak House right next to its landmark restaurant. It didn't last long at all. Let's just call it a "misteak," or a real turkey of an idea. The now closed but legendary Hilltop Steak House in Saugus, Mass., started up a Hilltop Steak House also on the Daniel Webster Highway. While it lasted a while, it never quite caught on and clearly lacked the magic of its flagship location. I think they needed more plastic cows out front. The now-closed Wursthaus in Cambridge, Mass., was once one of the most beloved restaurants in Harvard Square -- a German-American restaurant with a cozy, one-of-a-kind atmosphere perfect for conversation and excellent food and drink. The Wursthaus owner decided to try a location in the Cape Cod Mall in Hyannis, Mass. It goes without saying the Hyannis Wursthaus didn't quite have the Harvard Square location spirit! It just didn't seem the same buying a Johnny Miller golf shirt at Sears and then going into the Wursthaus to talk about what Cape Cod beach to visit on that day.

Can you think of any Boston/New England restaurants that expanded with less than desirable results?

94 WCGY, "The Rock Garden"

Does anyone remember WCGY-FM 93.7, of Lawrence, Mass., otherwise known as "The Rock Garden" and owned by the late baseball broadcasting legend Curt Gowdy? Always a second-tier Boston area rock station, WCGY, nevertheless, built up quite a following to those who wanted an alternative to other rock stations like WBCN, WBOS, WAAF and WZLX. With a strong signal, WCGY also became popular in other parts of New England, including southern New Hampshire and Maine, as well as the Worcester, Mass., area.

Playing predominantly familiar classic rock songs while on air from the 1970s into the mid-1990s, WCGY also featured a terrific lineup including Mike Morin (currently on WZID-FM Manchester, N.H.), Cheryl Ann Gowdy (daughter of Curt) and Jerry Goodwin. Dan Roche, now a well-known WBZ-TV sports reporter, was Morin's morning sidekick, delivering sports scores with a sense of humor. WCGY gave way to WEGQ in 1994, which eventually became WQSX (Star 93.7), a soul and dance music station. Recently, 93.7 in the Boston area belonged to WMKK, "Mike FM," a rock station with no air staff and a format that "plays everything." Now, it is WEEI FM, simulcasting the famous 850 AM sports radio format.

In a sense, WCGY was the precursor to Mike-FM, as Gowdy gave his staff carte blanche when on-air. Instead of the Mike-FM "We play everything" slogan, The Rock Garden personalities did anything that they felt would help the format (anything from not sticking with the "script" to some impromptu humor during the morning show). Morning man Morin perhaps took the greatest advantage of this window of opportunity having contests like who could drink the most water without going to the bathroom and featuring "Louie from East Boston," with his wise perspectives on life. It should be noted that while on another station, Morin announced that the Tall Ships were coming to Lowell, via the Merrimack River. People fell for the ruse, traveling to Lowell to await the ships, thinking these stately water vehicles could circumvent the shallow riverbed and all the bridges along the way!)

But I digress. WCGY-FM didn't always sound like a major market station, but somehow always ended up as a major part of our radio listening during the 70s, 80s and 90s. In this day of corporately-owned tight radio formats with little room to breathe and create, we look back at WCGY and hope someday that radio will lighten up and return to this type of airwave glory.

Caldor, Strawberries, Ken's Deli and Papa Gino's at the Middlesex Mall, Burlington, Mass.

Photo source: Pleasant Family Shopping (Facebook)

Anyone remember the Middlesex Mall in Burlington, Mass., before it became the Middlesex Commons? This place had everything I could ever need: Caldor for general department store shopping, Strawberries Records and Tapes for records, Ken's Deli for a good corned beef sandwich and Papa Gino's for pizza. Parking was a snap and a Market Basket later opened up to sell groceries at its famous rock-bottom prices. The Middlesex Mall proved that just a few stores could cover all the bases -- for a college kid driving a decrepit Ford Escort, that is!

The Middlesex Mall clearly wasn't designed by the beautiful people set of the architectural world. This was a no frills, community mall with a small indoor corridor. Within a mile of the huge Burlington Mall, one had to wonder if the developers had a lack of vision opening the Middlesex Mall so close to one of New England's finest malls. For a long stretch, the vision worked before becoming a bit more expanded and refined as the Middlesex Commons shopping and dining complex.

Thinking Back to The Falstaff Room at the Sheraton Boston

The most prominent feature of the Falstaff Room in the Sheraton Boston that I recall was that everything was red, including my dad's face once we received the bill. We were eating peanut butter sandwiches for the next week!  But I'll always remember that red decor -- sort like like the Piccadilly Pub with a bow tie.

More expensive than the restaurants we were used to dining at, The Falstaff Room indeed exuded sort of a semi upscale feel. The waiters were all dressed up and, incredibly, so many of them looked like John Oates from the group Hall and Oates (you know, the little guy with the mustache), as I recall.

It was nice dressing up on that Sunday morning, heading into Boston from suburbia, and feeling special. I don't remember anything about the food, thus revealing that a restaurant's atmosphere can sometimes trump anything off the menu. I remember, too, that the Prudential Building was the coolest place on earth with all that great outdoor landscaping and a whopping 30 stores.

We never went back to the Falstaff Room, but that one-time experience was memorable. That's why I'm writing about it 40 years later! That dark shopping arcade looks puny compared to today's "Shops at Prudential Center" (must be upscale, it has a preposition in its name!) with 75 or so stores and a really classy look.

Anyway, how nice it was being introduced to a fancy restaurant in the "Hub of the Universe"-- and listening to Casey Kasem's "American Top 40 on the way in -- and discovering that the Sheraton also had Kon Tiki Ports, one of the best Polynesian restaurants around! We'll write more about the Kon Tiki in a future article!

The Great Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg

Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg was born to be a top 40 radio DJ.

As the conductor of the legendary WMEX AM 1510's top 40 radio format, Ginsburg's "Night Train" radio show embodied the true spirit of top 40 radio. You'd be hard pressed to find a better Boston top 40 jock from any generation!

Full of energy, personality, sound effects and classic jingles, Ginsburg's show served as a prototype, of sorts, on how to do top 40 radio. He was best known on WMEX 1510 in the late 1950s and 1960s, a top 40 radio listener's dream-come-true radio station. He was indeed a radio God to the teenage audience that loved rock and roll music.

I remember Ginsburg best for his Saturday night oldies radio show on, I believe, WMEX in the mid 70s. He didn't have a classic golden throat -- the prime tenet of a 1960s top 40 DJ -- but his boundless enthusiasm, radio intuition (i.e., the ability to segue into a song) and durability (he was on the radio all the time), Ginsburg is one of those rare radio personalities to gain full respect from not only his listeners, but also his colleagues.

Here is some feedback I received a while back from Dennis Jackson, a very popular New England radio personality through the years and owner of WQQQ (Sharon, Conn.), WRIP (Windham, N.Y.), WZEN (Farmington, N.H.) and WCLX (Burlington, Vt.):


"Your list omits the greatest and perhaps most successful (in terms of audience share) talent ever to grace Boston airwaves.    Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg was an MIT engineer who began by buying time at night on 1600/WBOS in Brookline in 1956, doing a show and selling ads to cover the cost (and then some.)     He soon migrated to 1510/WMEX, where his frenetic, high-energy style set the bar, not only in New England, but nationwide, for personality-drive Top 40 radio.  He owned the nighttime teenage audience wherever one could hear signal-challenged WMEX.  His exciting, tight, sound-effects laden presentation is captured in the "Cruisin'" CD series, which preserved the heyday of Top 40 personality radio for all time.

A man of many talents, Arnie went on to become a founder of Kiss 108 and TV Channel 66."

The One-of-a-Kind Willow Pond Kitchen in Concord, Mass.

Willow Pond Kitchen. Photo Credit: National Park Service:

For better or worse, Willow Pond Kitchen in Concord, Mass., left me with some unforgettable memories. I really didn't care at all for the cow manure stench across the street, the sometimes surly service, a fight at the bar I witnessed, and, perhaps, the worst pizza in the world, but all that was easy to overlook. Willow Pond Kitchen was a one-of-a-kind restaurant -- a dive with stuffed moose on the wall and catfish and frog legs on the menu. What many people came here for were the pitchers of beer, boiled lobster and huge servings of oysters -- all at rock-bottom prices. The onion rings were also amazing!

I also loved Willow Pond Kitchen's unlikely presence in this affluent town -- sort of like Rodney Dangerfield's party boat intruding into the refined Judge Snail's sailing territory in the movie Caddyshack. With no pretension, lines sometimes out the door and a long-time presence, Willow Pond Kitchen seemed like it would last forever -- but, of course, it didn't. The National Park Service created a Revolutionary War historical marker there, thus resulting in having the Willow Pond building taken down in 1999.

So, if you know of any other local restaurants with a cow manure stench across the street, sometimes surly service, the worst pizza in the world, stuffed moose on the wall, and catfish and frog legs on the menu, please let me know. I miss the Willow Pond Kitchen dearly.