If you were a kid that grew up in New York and you're between the age of 25 and 40, you probably watched a lot of your afternoon cartoons on channel 9 (WOR) and channel 11 (WPIX). There were lots of random commercials but one that stood out was this one...beautiful Mount Airy Lodge.
As a kid, I had a small idea what this place was. It's a hotel, sure, but God DAMN there seems like there's a ton of awesome things to do there. Tennis, hiking, horseback riding, swimming, hitting out of sand bunkers, beach volleyball...what a vacation! But alas, it was in Pennsylvania which seemed about as far as Japan does today to my then 12 year old self. Mount Airy Lodge ACCESS DENIED.
Let's take a closet look at this classic ad for them. I found two, one from 1989 and one from 1992...I went with 1989. Trust me, a LOT of random shit is going on in the commercial.
0:00 - A quick shot of NYNEX...yes! What seems like eons before the age of Cablevision, we New Yorkers had Ma Bell.
0:03 - We start with a young couple frolicking in the pool as the golden boy husband surprises his wife (or mistress) with a kiss on her little raft thingee.
0:04 - Next we see a couple on the golf course. Note the super old school golf cart that has no cover. I hope it doesn't rain.
0:06 - Wow, check out the crazy somersault dive into 5 feet of water. I'm serious...if you look over to the corner of the pool you'll see a couple just standing there. That had to be super dangerous.
0:08 - Live band entertainment! Love the slow dancing. Have you ever been to a hotel, dressed up, and then slow danced? Even more strange is that these people are slow dancing on a stage while other guests are just sitting there eating.
0:11 - This shot confuses me. Is this pool in this couple's hotel room? There seems to be a bed in the background...and a fireplace...is this like a smush room ala Jersey Shore? I'm serious, this is blowing my mind.
0:14 - Now we move onto some tennis. This is a little old school in that all of the tennis courts are indoors and also right next to each other. At Boston College, the courts are like this and I'd see people getting drilled in the face left and right by balls from other courts.
0:16 - My favorite shot of the commercial. This couple is enjoying some kind of dessert but she's in her bathing suit and his shirt is off. It looks like it's nighttime too. Even better is that she's being offered a mixed drink yet there are two full cups of coffee on the table as well.
0:18 - This is why you don't bring your wife golfing with you. Yes, that's a great bunker shot but the wife is going berserk in delight and why is the other couple watching in anticipation as well?
0:19 - The money shot...this place looks pretty cool. It has its own little boat launcher too. That lake doesn't look too wide though. I like the speed boat going by the people in the canoe.
0:23 - Damn...horses too?
0:24 - Alright, I take it back...THIS is my favorite shot. What kind of volleyball game is this? The woman hitting the ball has five or six people standing within 2 feet of her. How is she going to hit a decent shot without elbowing someone in the face?
0:26 - Love the woman taking a huge step over an inch of water to hug her husband...he barely gives her enough room to stand on that tiny rock.
0:27 - The least romantic way to kiss a woman...the bridge of her nose. Think about it, that guy just left some saliva right next to her nostrils. Ever lick your top lip and take a whiff of it? There you go...
0;29 - One last long shot of what must be a slice of heaven.
So where is Mt Airy Lodge up to now? Well according to Wikipedia, it was demolished in 1999 due to competition from Atlantic City and other casinos in the area. It was completely rebuilt as a new casino and resort but they still keep the name.
No matter what they call it now, I will always have the "beautiful Mount Airy Loooooodge" ingrained into my memory banks for all time.
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