Red Barn

The Red Barn on Main St is freely described as Montrose's "most famous restaurant" and not far from where we are staying, lucky us. It is a family favorite, without doubt, and serves up mostly Western Fair which means steak (Sterling Silver Certified Premium Beef, Dear Reader). In my opinion they would easily compete with New York's best - and of course, like any good steak house, they take themselves a bit too seriously. Their web site notes: "Where Rumours (sic) end....and Legends begin." There is a terrific bar, darked-out of course, with multiple televisions showing American sports (but not the Olympics). Locals drink mostly hard liqueur (lik-ur) but sometimes Coors. Red Barn has been in Montrose over 40 years and reminds me of The Oyster Bar in Sarasota which is a similar old-style institution my mom discovered in the 1950s when her family drove from Ohio to Sarasota for the summers. The Barns final selling point, also from the website, notes "....all guaranteed to leave you full, not broke." Bravo in my book.

Madeleine: "look I'm getting breasts." (I tell her to pipe down and enjoy her kid-hood).

I tell Eitan and Madeleine we are hiking to the top of a visible peak before the pool. Madeleine wales but Eitan surprisingly cool: "You cannot fool me anymore dad" the boy says.

Madeleine disparagingly to me: "why can't we have a third kid who I can talk to?"

Madeleine on Eitan's newly acquired stuffed bear: "He loves him more than the family."