MONTAUK’S EDEN BARADI CELEBRATES HER 101ST BIRTHDAY
A day of Lobsters, Boats, and Cake
By
Patria Baradi Pacis
My mom, Eden Guevara Baradi, turned 101 years young last Sunday , June 12. She is the oldest resident
in Montauk and the most active centenarian I know.
How does one top a 100th birthday party you ask? This year, mom’s birthday happened to fall on a
Sunday, so mom, her younger son, Joe from the Philippines, her two daughters, Perla and Patria and
husband Cam started the celebration by attending the service at the Montauk Community Church
During the Prayers of the People portion, my sister Perla thanked the whole congregation for all their
prayers and well wishes that got our mom well from her stroke this past winter.
Recently, the Church Board approved the assignment of the Rev. William Hoffman as our new pastor.
Our soon to depart , Rev. Anne Stewart Miller, who will be missed, blessed mom and wished her many
more birthdays to come. After service, mom was able to personally thank her friends at the Coffee Hour
gathering, where Carlos an Mayela Vargas’ delicious Spanish omelet, salmon and tomato platters,
assorted fruits, homemade pastries, coffee and tea were served by Daz Winter and Christine Herbert.
While waiting for mom’s eldest, son Mauro to arrive from Manhattan by the Hampton Jitney at noon,
I asked her where she would like to have lunch to celebrate her 101. Mom, without hesitation , said
“I would love to go back to St. Peter’s Catch and eat their delicious Lobster Special Lunch!” For those
who don’t know our mom, she wants what she wants when she wants it, so we all catered to her
wishes. Since we all love lobster, we headed for St. Peter’s . There , we were met by its friendly,
owner Gene Coleman and his wonderful staff, Patricia and her cousin Audley Wright from Jamaica.
The weather was a bit windy and we were concerned that mom would catch cold, but the staff solved
that problem by moving the picnic table and chairs inside so that we would be comfortable.
Six lunch specials were ordered, each consisting of one and a quarter pound juicy, to-die-for red
lobsters, sweet corn on the cob, slices of lemon, lots of melted butter coleslaw, red potatoes
and a generous amount of delicious mussels. Our Sunday clothes were saved while cracking the
lobsters, thanks to the aprons and paper towels that were handed to us by Patricia, who sang
“Happy Birthday” to our Mom.
During lunch, Gene was proud to show us pictures of when he helped build his shop at 58 South Erie
Avenue in 1992. It was interesting to find out that the land Gene bought was originally used by
President Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Rider soldiers to recuperate from malaria during the
Spanish-American War in 1898. I found out that the store was named after one of Jesus’ 12
disciples Peter, the fisherman.
After changing to casual clothes and bringing six canvas, foldable directors chairs and my lucky beach
blanket to shoo away bad weather, we all headed for Gosman’s Dock an hour early to get a front –row
parking spot to watch the Blessing of the Fleet at 5:00 p.m. Father Constantine Lazarakis of the Greek
Orthodox Church of the Hamptons, the Rev. Michael J. Rieder of St. Therese Lisieux in Montauk, Diane
Wiener of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons and our Rev. Anne Stewart Miller of the Montauk
Community Church were all there is full attire and waved to the crowds from the Coastguard Cutler
Ridley.
It was a perfect way to end mom’s 101st birthday celebration with the whole Montauk Fleet at her feet
to “ congratulate” her, and many phone calls from loved ones, near and far, who greeted her
throughout the day. After visiting the Montauk Yacht Club and the annual picture taking of the family in
front of the Montauk Point Lighthouse, mom finally agreed to go home and rest. PHEW! Everyone was
so happy!
My family and I are blessed to still have our mom, alert and healthy. Every waking day is precious!
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