THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, April 3, 2020 Page 5 “Malden: Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday…” remembering the Highland Café By Peter F. Levine I have this neat piece of Malden memorabilia sitting right here in front of me, generously donated to me by the former CEO of the iconic Highland Café, Dave Angelo. It’s a menu from the restaurant, year unknown. The drinking age was 18, the Massachusetts meals tax was five percent, and a veal cutlet dinner was $3.25! So, we figured this must be sometime in the early to mid-1970’s. I was a fresh-faced high school graduate at that point spending a lot of time in the booths at the Highland. “Feelings” by Morris Albert, “It only takes a minute” by Tavares and “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell were playing constantly on the jukebox in each booth that year. Like I said once before, the only women to serve me more meals in my life, besides my mother, of course, would be the wonderful waitresses at the old Highland! Anna Puleo, Lucy Lally, Jean Sacco, Peggy Gennetti, Jeannie (Parker) Lamphier, Mary Cole, Anna’s daughters – Nancy and Anna, Lorraine Gennetti, Lisa LaPani and Annette Magistro, to name but a few. And how could we ever forget some of the best bartenders in Malden: Paul Gennetti, Pete Trabucco, Kevin Hanley, Jimmy Cahill, Richie Morando, Johnny Puleo, Dave Angelo – the list goes on and on and on! The menu is a flashback to times when you didn’t have to spend an “arm and a leg” to get a good meal. Sirloin Steak dinner – $4! Fried Clam dinner – $2.50! Broiled pork chops – $2.25! No, I did not forget the item that put the Highland on the map – their signature offering (and whose recipe Dave Angelo guards with his very life) – the famous Highland Café pizza! Large cheese – $2.60! Any extra ingredient – $.35! Loved the mixed drink list – Vodka Collins, Sloe Gin Fizz, Screwdriver – $.90! Beefeater Martini, Scarlett O’Hara, Golden Dream – $1.00! Schlitz and Knickerbocker on draft! Sweet days indeed; as Kris Kristofferson once sang – “I’d trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday.” Sitting at the bar at the old Highland – a soft summer night in old Ward 2? Bread baking at Pearl Street Bakery lingering all over Edgeworth. One of the dining rooms at the Highland Café. (Courtesy Photo) Johnny Molinari, Vinny Disano, Dommy Disario, Dennis Damiano and Pat Skinner – O.G.’s running game up and down Pearl Street. The late Paul Gennetti, missed so much, behind the stick. A cold Ballantine with a sizzling hot Highland pie fresh out of that ancient oven! Count me all in! Forgetaboutit! Random thoughts while trying to maintain my sanity during these crazy days... • All the Aerosmith/Extreme/ VH talk lately got me thinking of Sammy Hagar’s autobiography, “Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock.” In the book Sammy heaps praise on a Maldonian (no, not the Settemio’s). Highland Avenue’s Gary Cherone toiled three years with Van Halen after Sammy left. Page 202 reads: “Gary’s a talented guy. Good singer, good physical shape, a healthy guy, not a druggie, really a cool guy. Wrong for the band? A hundred times over.” Sammy – thank you for putting that in print, but between us – Malden was already hip to the wonderful soul Gary has. • Just last week I bumped into Malden High School Class of 1974’s Paul Lee cruising the vegetable and fruit aisles in Stop & Shop. Paul looking like a boss by the way. Hadn’t seen Paul in many years, but he has an unmistakable appearance and gait. It also helped that he recognized me first! Insert smiley face. Paul was a good hoop player. His brother Gary better – Gary a captain of the MHS hoop team as a senior in 1976. They made a formidable duo. We’d put together a team and travel across town to Harvard Street Park and do battle with Paul and his guys for hours. The call would go out to the Lynch brothers, Jerry & Danny, Mark Like us on Facebook advocate newspaper Facebook.com/Advocate.news.ma Burns, the Cioffi brothers, Greg Phaneuf and my brother Joe. Paul would get little brother Gary (not so little at 6'4"), Rod Marshall, Derek Wilson, Kenny Fulgham and playground legends like Gregory, Douglas and Phil Rogers, and we’d have at it. Going back and forth. Win some. Lose some. Great memories with some great guys. • Talking with some friends recently about politics reminded me of this Winston Churchill quote: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” • Andrew Mark Cuomo! Where have you been all our lives! • Happy 10th year of life on this great big beautiful world of ours to the sweetest little boy who has ever shot a basketball, my beautifully handsome and clever grandson Christian Joseph Falzarano. He may not be able to beat me one on one right now, but that day is coming rapidly where Papa will meet his match. EVERETT’S NEWEST RE COMPANY 560 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 SAM RESNICK ADRIANA RESNICK 617-512-5712 sam@broadwayRE.com | www.broadwayRE.com DOMENICA RIGGIO Commercial Sales and Leasing. Residential Home Sales, Real Estate Consulting, Apartment Rentals, Real Estate Auctions, Business Brokerage, Personal Property Appraisals, Mass. Licensed Auctioneer
6 Publizr Home