My wife Judy and I were well acquainted with Hazel Landwehr back in the early 1950's when we first met her on one of her many visits to our Hamilton High School music teacher, Louise Baird's Hamilton Avenue apartment. Back then, we all dined at not only Landwehr's but also at the Heidelberg, the Old Hights Inn, and the Cranbury Inn. Hazel Landwehr and her husband Oscar had a beautiful upscale dining facility with an incredibly beautiful view of the wooded area surrounding the back of the restaurant. Our HHS class of 1951 held one of our reunions at Landwehr's back in the 1950's. Gracious dining and unbelievably good food thanks to the culinary ability of Oscar Landwehr, and later his son, Eugene. Back in 1958 when I was discharged from the U.S. Army, Hazel hired me as a bus boy with the idea that I would train to become a waiter. In a month or so, I was a waiter and did very well in my short time there. Bill Caffrey was a trusted employee at Landwehr's. Judy and I graduated from Hamilton High with his sister, Olive.
ReplyDeleteTom - Bill Caffrey and his sister Olive along with their sister Esther and brother Owen all grew up in Lakeside! Lakeside Girl
Hello Tom and all - What a treat to find this. I’m Jeff Gammage. Esther Gammage was my mom, who died last year at 91, and Bill Caffrey my beloved uncle, gone too soon in 1997. Owen died about three years ago. My Aunt Frances is thankfully still alive, the last of her siblings to whom Hamilton and Lakeside meant so much. I never knew my Uncle Bill worked at Landwehr’s! I knew he liked the restaurant, which when I was a boy in the 1960s and 1970s was considered impossibly fancy. My wife and I held our wedding reception there, 38 years ago yesterday. Today we went back for the first time since then. The place has changed dramatically of course. The stone fireplace near the entrance was the only element I really recognized. Anyway, thanks for this site and the info. All best, Jeff. Wjgammage@gmail.com
ReplyDelete"Impossibly fancy" what a wonderful description!
ReplyDeleteI remember having a Shirley Temple and wearing white gloves... an Easter Dinner?
Didn't realize it was still open.. I will be making a visit!