The Lodge at Mountain Lake

[menton1]

Was out enjoying NW New Jersey one weekend ago, a beautiful, unspoiled part of the state. After a day of Stokes State Forest, Kitatinny ridge, and the Delaware Water Gap, we got hungry early. A previous web search for quiet outdoor dining led to the discovery of this restaurant on a lake, The Lodge.

Mountain Lake is between Hope and Belvidere, not to be mixed up with Mountain Lakes with an "S"

A beautiful, peaceful lake, surrounded by homes, no motorboats, and we drove up to the Lodge at 5PM anticipating a lovely setting-- food was secondary. They took us out to the patio, and the setting was fantastic-- a gorgeous, pastoral scene, very serene, just what we were looking for.

Alas, playing on the patio, to an audience of 40ish looking folks, was a soft rock/jazz live band with the sound system so loud the floor vibrated and communication would be impossible. I screamed to the waitress when she came over asking how late they would be playing until, and she came back and screamed back that they would be there until 7!! We left, of course, the dichotomy of such a peaceful setting being shattered by cacophonous music. The owner/manager tried to say he would turn the sound down, but we were out of there.

What a shame, such a beautiful setting, ruined by a rock band at 5PM on a Sunday afternoon. Wouldn't it be better to start the music, if you are going to have it, at 8:30-9PM, instead of on a summer Sunday afternoon? Is there actually a market for live bands at this early hour?

[MatthewB]

Have you considered becoming tommy's neighbor?

[Rail Paul]

Maybe there's some endangered bird species that was offended by the loud noise. They could file a lawsuit. Make lots of money...

[Rachel Perlow]

I don't understand why you couldn't wait to see what the sound level would be after they turned down the sound. I'm sure, if the music was as loud as you described, that you weren't the only one complaining. Leaving without giving them the chance to adjust the sound level seems a little unreasonable, unless you object to all music whatsoever.

[menton1]

I don't understand why you couldn't wait to see what the sound level would be after they turned down the sound. I'm sure, if the music was as loud as you described, that you weren't the only one complaining. Leaving without giving them the chance to adjust the sound level seems a little unreasonable, unless you object to all music whatsoever.

When you are 20 feet away from a 4-piece rock band, even UN-amplified sound would be too loud. We would have had to wait 90 minutes for the band to stop.

How can you postulate that others would have complained also? I have seen people act like sheep in many situations that seemed to call for raising objections;

And I don't think it's unreasonable to dislike sitting 20 feet from a 4 piece band on a Sunday at 5PM while eating dinner facing a serene lakeside scene. How often do YOU eat dinner at a restaurant with a live, loud rock band?

Edited July 29, 2003 by menton1 (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

Ah, see there's the rub, you left out the details -- that it would take 90 minutes to turn it down, etc.