Highlawn Pavilion Closing? Not Quite archived

Jeeze, I hope not. My girlfriend has her wedding booked for this coming September.

LK said:

Jeeze, I hope not. My girlfriend has her wedding booked for this coming September.

Your comment reads odd as it sounds like its your girlfriends wedding to someone else (reading as if you are her boyfriend lol)

new207040 said:

LK said:

Jeeze, I hope not. My girlfriend has her wedding booked for this coming September.

Your comment reads odd as it sounds like its your girlfriends wedding to someone else (reading as if you are her boyfriend lol)

I was just about to post the exact same thing!! LOL

Me too!

Nothing mentioned on their website or Facebook page, and they are still taking future dinner reservations.

Oh, no, I hope not. Such a wonderful, special place.

Women have girlfriends, no? I personally don't call my friends " girlfriends" but a lot of women do.

I don't think it's closing--looks like they're looking for a new management company to take over operations.

I'm pretty sure new207040 meant HER girlfriend as in friend who is also a woman.

Seriously? yes she is a friend, and yes, you need a bigger hobby.

One time I had dinner there I asked for a grappa as a digestif; the bartender must not have known what grappa was, because he poured me a wine glass full of Nonino. Yes, I finished it, but we had a designated driver, thank God!

ceidefields said:

I'm pretty sure new207040 meant HER girlfriend as in friend who is also a woman.

Yes, we realize that. It's why our first reading of it - that this person was getting married, but considered the wedding his/her girlfriend's, not his/hers - gave us a chuckle.

LK said:

Seriously? yes she is a friend, and yes, you need a bigger hobby.

From you response, it sounds as if our posts came across as a criticism. It wasn't meant that way at all, so I'm sorry if it sounded that way.

johnlockedema said:

One time I had dinner there I asked for a grappa as a digestif; the bartender must not have known what grappa was, because he poured me a wine glass full of Nonino. Yes, I finished it, but we had a designated driver, thank God!

That is funny. And of course you had to finish it! Still, I thought Nonino was a type of grappa?

"Nonino is a small company that is one of the most famous Italian producers of grappa. Nonino is also the name of the family which owns and run the brand Nonino Grappa. The first Nonino distillery was founded by Orazio Nonino in Ronchi di Percoto, in the Friuli region in northeastern Italy."

But grappa isn't usually served in that big a glass! My father-in-law loved it, and probably could have downed a jelly glass of the stuff without a problem. For me, a tiny glass of it is more my style.

Ah, I see. I used to hang out with a bunch of Albanians, and when they poured grappa, it was by the glass (and sometimes we just drank it straight from the bottle!). Usually with an espresso bean in the bottom of the glass, and quite often it was homemade grappa--those were the days!!

Nonino is one of my favorite producers of grappa, although I tend to like most of the quality producers. Nonino's grappa di Picolit may be my overall fave.

Once in Mexico City the hotel bar had a large grappa assortment-glasses were $3, and I was staying there for a week. What a week!

I guess being on the wagon for 13 days for Lent is making me somewhat wistful!

Back to the OP's question - I also am interested to know. Tried to find something at nj.com and couldn't. Can you please take a photo of the ad you saw and post it, MsS? Thanks!

Oh crap @pdg, it went out with recycling this am... It was in the business section as an ad from Essex County

Got it... Well , I can't post it. I'm on my iPad. I took a picture of the ad... But when I click on add a file, nothing happens. If I email the picture to someone, can someone post it here..? Thanks

Couldn't get the doc to post...

When I was in high school (at WOHS) my friends and I would drive up to Eagle Rock to look at the view and try to tune in the farthest AM radio station we could find (WLS in Chicago, CKLW in Detroit, etc.). Back then, what became Highlawn was a derelict, decrepit wreck of an empty building sitting on the cliff. I always would say, "Boy, would that place make a great restaurant location or what". It's been there quite a long time, and I guess the economy has finally caught up with it. Still, one hell of a location...

Let's try that again:

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
Essex County Restaurant Operator
at EagIe Rock Reservation


The County of Essex is seeking a fine dining restaurant operator for the Eagle Rock
Restaurant, located ifl Essex County Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, NJ, near
the intersection of Eagle Rock Avenue and Prospect Avenue. A Request for Information
(RFI) has been issued to find an operator interested in developing and operating a fine
dining restaurant.
The restaurant highlights include:
• Main Level Dining area featuring 2,077 square feet
• Banquet Room Dining area featuring 3,335 square feet
• 1,202 square feet of storage in the basement
• Sufficient valet parking
• The restaurant is located within the 400~acre Essex County Eagle Rock Reservation
• Spectacular views overlooking Eastern Essex County and the New York Skyline
• The restaurant is located within close proximity to the Essex County Recreation
Complex, which consists of the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, Essex County Richard J.
Codey Arena, Treetop Adventure Course and the miniGOLF Safari.
• Nearby attractions also include the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens,
Essex County Kip's Castle Park, Essex County Francis Byrne Golf Course, Paper Mill
Playhouse, South Orange Performing Arts Center, Essex Green Mall, Short Hills Mall,
Livingston Mall and Thomas Edison National Historic Park
• Nearby hotels include Best Western, Marriott Residence Inn & Wilshire Grand Hotel
• Close to Interstate Routes•280 & 78 and State Routes 10 & 24
To obtain the complete RFI document and for more information, contact:
James R. Paganelli .
Essex County Improvement Authority
27 Wright Way, Building M
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Fax: 973~808~0528
Email: jpaganelli@counsel.essexcountynj.org
The RFI will be available March 6, 2012, and can be viewed and downloaded
from the Essex County Purchasing Portal (http://purchasing.essexcountynj.org)
This RFI shall not be considered as a formal solicitation or an obligation
on the part of Essex County to acquire any product of services offered.

Best Regards,
Ron Carter

It might just be that their lease is up and the county has to put it out for bid to meet transparency requirements...

What a great oppty for Danny Meyers to establish a foothold in Jersey!

-s.

This I will print and hand to him. His youngest (not so young anymore) loves mentions in esoteric spots.

Soda, lay off the carbonation.....

jsonix said:

When I was in high school (at WOHS) my friends and I would drive up to Eagle Rock [edited to correct typo: to smoke weed and have sex]. Back then, what became Highlawn was a derelict, decrepit wreck of an empty building sitting on the cliff. I always would say, "Boy, would that place make a great restaurant location or what". It's been there quite a long time, and I guess the economy has finally caught up with it. Still, one hell of a location...

See above....I fixed a typo for you. ;-)

Isn't Highlawn where the former owner of Jocelyn's is the Executive Chef?

I have it from a very good source that the Highlawn's 25 yr. contract with the county is up for renewal and there is some sort of a legal requirement for the county to publish notice that they are considering restaurant operators. The county certainly can decide to re-up with the owners of the Highlawn and since it is a very well-run and successful business already in place, it is highly likely that they will do so in the end.

(So, LK's girlfriend can most likely breath a sigh of relief that her planned wedding venue is secure.)

And the Executive Chef is Mitchell Altholz.

http://www.highlawn.com/executive-chef.html

(Of course, he is also listed as the executive chef at The Manor - not sure how that works.)

http://www.knowlesrestaurants.com/

He's probably the executive chef for the entire Knowles group.

nope

http://www.pleasantdale.com/executive-chef.html