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EVERY GREAT GORGE EMPLOYEE SHOULD READ

 
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johnnymoretti
Management


Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 6:30 am    Post subject: EVERY GREAT GORGE EMPLOYEE SHOULD READ Reply with quote

I was the Playmate Mgr after Thomas Gargano left the club in the late 1970's...1979 I believe...maybe 1980. My closest bunny friend was Bunny LeeAnn (VIP Room) who eventually married George Wisniewski, a VIP waiter and close friend. LeeAnn ended up being my wife's maid-of-honor. They live in Highland Lakes, NJ near where the club is. My brother, Marc Moretti, was a waiter in the Playmate and ended up taking my place temporarily as the manager.

I visited the club just three weeks after 9-11 while visiting family in NJ and NYC. I took a long stroll through the catacysms of the hotel grounds and its a virtual ghost town. I video taped much of the hotel and walked through every kitchen with video. The VIP, Caberet, Sidewalk Cafe, Playmate Restaurant and even the back hallways of the Banquet Rooms.

Much of the building is left as it was and even the tables and chairs in the Playmate are the same exact ones they had there 20 years ago. Amazing. I stopped into the old photo studio where its being used as an office to sell timeshare condo rooms and asked the man there if there was anything left in the hotel that resembled the Playboy logo. He opened the door in the office, a tall, large wooden door and showed me where a bunny head had been carved into the wood. He said this is the only thing left in the building that reflects the Playboy years. Maybe David Gartner remembers this door!

I was there when Playboy closed its doors and Americana Hotels took over. I stayed on as manager for awhile, but the place was never the same. I actually cut out a piece of lobby carpet (with bunny logos) and kept it as a souvenir when they tore out the carpet. I also have pewter plates from the VIP room, shot glasses and even some menus.

I am currently in Bangkok, Thailand doing some work (www.operationplayground.org) and when I return to the US in August 2006, maybe I can dig up some old candid photos of those days and post them here. Like David Gartner, I am an avid photographer but wish I had taken more photos back then. I was young and barely making a living. It was exciting and for a young man, it was 'heaven'.

Hope to hear from all of you soon. Lets get this forum rolling!!!
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John Moretti
Playmate Restaurant Mgr
Great Gorge Resort
1979-1980
www.johnmoretti.com
www.operationplayground.org
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Bunny Laurie
Bunny


Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi John,

I worked at Great Gorge for 6 months in '74 and I can see every nook and cranny in my mind's eye.....even after all these years.

I worked the Dining Room and Penthouse mostly, but on occasion the Playmate Bar.

Nights off were spent at the George Inn, of course, and as I recall, the "Mixing Bowl" served great breakfasts and had the best rice pudding ever!

I have been wanting to take a trip back there for years! I'm on the "other" coast now which makes the logistics tricky but I would so love to see it again.

Please post your pictures when time affords. Would LOVE to see them!

Laurie Playboy Logo
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johnnymoretti
Management


Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

PostPosted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 1:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm returning to the US this August and will dig up my files with photos to post here on this site. I have some slides from the 'going away' party at the George Inn when the hotel turned itself into the Americana Hotel. Stay tuned!

Right now I'm in Thailand building my dream business. Ha! I'm in the region the tsunami hit and have rebuilt the building hit by the wave and opening a Sports Bar and Restaurant, kindly named "Geckos". You can see the site at Geckos Sports Bar & Grill

See you all soon someday!
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John Moretti
Playmate Restaurant Mgr
Great Gorge Resort
1979-1980
www.johnmoretti.com
www.operationplayground.org
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Bunny Laurie
Bunny


Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John,

Geckos looks ready to rock n' roll! You can honestly say that you've built your business from the ground up, eh? I'm sure it will be wildly successful!

I still miss the cheese burgers at the George. *sigh*
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hefdream



Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 36
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:18 pm    Post subject: John we are waiting for your photos Reply with quote

John we are waiting for your photos and could remember this special days
Wave
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