Forget Zero Bond aliases Soho House: New York’s astir exclusive meal nine is comprised wholly of elder citizens.
Thirsty Gen Z influencers request not apply.
Restaurant Club is reserved for residents of nan Watermark astatine Brooklyn Heights, a luxury status organization catering to nan over-65s, and each month, members time off their lavish digs to research nan Big Apple’s culinary scene.
Sampling foods from some up-and-coming eateries and immoderate of nan city’s astir iconic, hard-to-reserve establishments — and building friendships successful nan process — keeps these adventurous seniors young astatine bosom and loneliness astatine bay.
“It’s ne'er excessively precocious to effort caller things,” personnel Mary Brown*, 73, told The Post, saying she sampled Ethiopian nutrient for nan first clip during a caller outing to Clinton Hill.
“It’s caller cuisines and caller scenery,” chap personnel Esther Goodman, 78, added. “That’s what we like.”
The group of gastronomes has dined astatine storied spots specified arsenic Brooklyn Crab and nan Red Hook Lobster Pound, preferring to dissect a celeb chef’s latest innovations alternatively than settee for bland meatloaf and mashed potatoes. This month, Mediterranean was connected nan menu, and I — personification good nether 65 — was fortunate capable to people an induce into their lively world.
‘We started our Happy Hour astatine 3:45’
The daring diners met successful nan chandelier-lit lobby of nan Watermark, a swanky 16-story building wherever monthly fees apical $20,000 for residents who require “memory care” assistance.
At present, location are adjacent to 150 residents, though only 8 joined for this month’s Restaurant Club.
After bundling into a backstage bus, nan Restaurant Club members headed to Mazzat, a cozy eatery adjacent Cobble Hill, wherever they arrived conscionable earlier 5:30 p.m.
After all, astir seniors for illustration to eat early, but it’s besides a deliberate maneuver of nan Restaurant Club to guarantee they bid maximum attraction from waitstaff.
“We started our Happy Hour astatine 3:45 p.m., and present we are,” Kellie Liberto, nan Watermark’s Community Life Director, told The Post.
Liberto, who chaperones nan groups connected their various outings, said nan Restaurant Club began successful 2021 arsenic a measurement for residents to re-explore nan metropolis aft being cooped up amid nan COVID-19 pandemic. It besides helps forge connections betwixt nan seniors to thief build resilience against loneliness.
“With each dinner, a caller relationship is made, and astatine nan extremity of nan day, that’s what it’s really each about,” she declared. “But awesome nutrient doesn’t wounded either!”
‘Getting to cognize you’
As glasses were topped up pinch much wine, nan group shared stories astir their lives, getting to cognize each different connected a deeper level.
Among nan Restaurant Club members: erstwhile Staten Island expert Dr. Jerry Beeber, 84, and James and Ann Raimes, autochthonal Brits who met arsenic grad students astatine Cornell successful nan 1960s.
Beyond nan food, James Raimes discussed a Norman Podhoretz book pinch Goodman while Liberto said nan organization loved “Barbie” erstwhile they watched it during 1 of their twice-per-day movie screenings, 1 of galore activities offered for residents.
Later this month, a group of residents will task to Montauk wherever they scored a coveted preservation astatine celeb seafood hotspot Duryea’s, arsenic good arsenic nan iconic Lobster Roll.
All nan activities thief stave disconnected nan loneliness that truthful galore elder citizens feel. And during dinner, things sewage personal. The group candidly discussed their marriages, families and careers, successful summation to nan accommodation it took to move into a status community.
“Don’t beryllium alone,” Beeber, who mislaid his woman of 52 years, told me. “It’s not bully for you.”
“Right now, I’m going done a separation from my aged life,” Brown said, precocious relocating to nan Watermark aft trading her Brooklyn home. “It’s for illustration getting a divorce.”
‘Don’t person immoderate regrets’
Soon after, our plates were cleared away, and it was clip for dessert.
“Get nan tiramisu,” Beeber implored earlier I responded that I was trying to watch what I eat.
“It won’t wounded you,” he changeable back.
Who was I to reason pinch a expert who had practiced for complete 50 years? Loneliness: bad. Tiramisu: good.
I asked nan different wise Restaurant Club members if they had immoderate further life proposal for me, a 33-year-old still much than 3 decades disconnected admittance property astatine nan Watermark.
“It goes truthful fast,” Brown told maine arsenic she took a spoon to her crystal cream. I couldn’t show if she was talking astir her dessert aliases astir life itself. But possibly it was both.
“Don’t person immoderate regrets. Just bask it.”
*Some names person been changed to grant requests for privacy.
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