Letter from Sister: August 1984

My sister sent me the following letter on stationary from Harrah's Marina in Atlantic City.  The letter is undated but the envelope is postmarked August 14, 1984.  My sister's late husband Edward is referred to as EJ, Ed, or Eddie.  Steve Frankel, who was in the insurance business, was a long-time friend of my brother-in-law Edward Jacobson and the attorney Neil Sagot.  All three graduated in 1969 from the Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science.

Monday

Dear Gary,

Well, here I am back from 3 nights in a $250.00 a night suite at Harrah's compliments of John Creagh, high roller extraordinaire.  He gets comps on food, beverage, room, shows and goodness knows what else.  He invited Ed down on business but they never did any business.  I think Eddie was supposed to go see some properties, but he didn't.  We ordered room service for meals.  The first night we had a $100 dinner.  I had filet mignon with Bearnaise sauce and Eddie had lamb chops.  (Suzanne just came in and asked me what I'm doing.  I said I'm writing to Uncle Gary and she said, "He's funny.")

Anyway the weather wasn't that good but we had fun.  The only reason I don't like this place is that it's not on the beach.  They have a bus that goes to the beach and amusement pier 4 times a day.  We didn't go because it wasn't that nice.

John has a house in Brigantine and we stopped there when we arrived to get our room key in his mail box as he had preregistered for us.

On Saturday night we went to the Sammy Davis, Jr. show.  It was really good but Sammy was only on about 45 minutes.  George Kirby opened the show.  John didn't go with us but Carol, his wife, did.  She left 1/2 way through because she had seen it already.  Her mother was there, too and her son, Frank, who is 17.

After the show we went back to John's suite, right down the hall from ours, and chatted and sipped Dom Perignon.  Frankly I don't see what all the fuss is about the stuff.  Then Ed, Carol's mother, Frank and I went to eat at The Meadows, Harrah's fancy French restaurant -- all free.

That morning John had cashed in $14,000 in chips and that night he added another $6,000.

Carol's daughter, Kelly, who is 15, babysat for us on Saturday night.  (I'm not sure if she's John's daughter or not.)

John said to come again this weekend or next but I think we'll wait a few weeks.  We can come down whenever we want.  In fact when Eddie told him we were leaving on Monday, he said, "Why don't you stay all week?"

Our room had a kitchen but no cooking facilities, a dining area and living room and a bedroom -- all magnificently appointed.

There were 3 phones including one right next to the toilet!

John said he wants to get comps at Harrah's Trump Plaza which is down with the other casino hotels so he can be near the beach.  I concur.

Next Monday we're supposed to go to Wildwood with the Frankels.  I'm not certain of the final plans as yet.

How is everything with you?  What's new?  Tell me some news.

Last week Eddie traded in our Eldorado for a new 1984 white Eldorado with a navy top -- absolutely gorgeous.  But as you know there is something wrong with our '83.  So after all the mountains of paperwork were completed & we almost had the car, they (Kerbeck's) put the car up on the lift and didn't like what they saw.  They said they couldn't give us the car on the original terms which were our car plus $3000.  So we went home but Eddie does want to get rid of the car so he is investigating some other possibilities which include leasing an Eldorado, buying an Eldorado or maybe a Coupe de Ville or buying a Buick Riviera.

Well such, such were the joys.

Love and write soon.

Stell

P.S.  The amenities at Harrah's were very nice.  I had forgotten my hairdryer but all I had to do was call housekeeping & they got me one.  In the bathroom was a man's kit and ladies' kit filled with shampoo, deodorant, talc, aftershave, hand & body lotion.   They are most accommodating.  Plus Ed won about $350 at the casino, so we actually came home ahead.

Well--that's all 'til later.

Stell

Tues.

I forgot to mention that I registered Suzanne for nursery school.  It is the toddler program at Temple Sinai where Meredith went.  She will go Mondays & Wednesdays from 9:30-11:00 AM.  It will be a good source of stimulation for her, plus it will expose her to different children.

We are leaving Wildwood either Sunday or Monday.  Steve Frankel made reservations at a nice place called the Port Royal.  We stayed there in 1980.

When is your last day of school?  When is graduation?  Are you attending?

Meredith is going to the pool with her friend Chrissy in a few minutes & I am getting to the wash.

Tonight Ed is going to DeSimone, a Cadillac agency, to see what he can see.

Au revoir,

Stell