Last Saturday night was your typical summer Saturday at The Red Barn – hectic. The restaurant was packed; the ambient music was muffled by the voices of numerous restaurant guests; but to my surprise The Red Barn team handled the chaos effortlessly. Not to mention there was a famous chick in the house — Parker Posey, and I waited on her.
Although I must admit when Chris, the owner, said Parker Posey was in the restaurant I had no idea who she was talking about, but when I walked over to the table I recognized her face right away.
Over my nine seasons at The Red Barn, there have been a handful of infamous famous people who have dined at this establishment. Those with celebrity status and also, those with less recognized faces, who I will brand “well-connected people” – NYC judges, doctors, CEOs, bankers, photographers, TV reporters, journalists. The list could go on forever. [I once catered a private party at Martha Stewart’s former assistant’s house. The flamboyant group drank from three hundred dollar crystal glasses and ate their puff pastries off irreplaceable antique dishes.]
I would say, roughly eighty percent of the “regular” patrons of the Red Barn have money coming out of every crevice of their body, and they have the superior attitude to prove it. Since, the restaurant is owned by two New Yorkers and only open on the weekends, The Red Barn is a perfect social gathering/ eatery for all of the above weekenders. In a way, I blame the presence of these over zealous NYC pre-madonnas for the over development of once beautiful farm land.
Once upon a time, there was an open field in Old Kinderhookthat had one stop light and when you were waiting for the light to turn green you could gaze across the field and see the sun setting on a silhouette of the Catskill Mountains. That traffic light has now been replaced by a well-trafficked round-a-bout, and the green grass has been swapped for every franchise imaginable — CVS, McD’s, Stewarts, DD’s, and a mini strip mall, complete with a dollar store and Hannaford. I remember when Co. County was filled with families who had grown up in the area. The small town that I grew up in is now filled with weekenders – we’re talking total domination. C’est la vie…
P.S. Parker and her bf, Scott, were a both dolls, generous tippers, and a delight to wait on — a modest couple, who shared appetizers and split their main entrée. Parker even ordered a carafe of the house wine.
One Response
August 26th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
love your breakdown of the horrid roundabout in k-hook, growing up there I remember that lite and the view it once provided, my screensaver is actually a pic of the old red barn just north of the circle on route 9, I love that barn. told my wife if that barn comes down due to redevelopment….that’ll be the day I lose my love k-hook.
and when I was a kid the red barn was open all week and sold cheap ice cream, those were good times.
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