Local News

The legends live on

Submitted

Paul Robbins

By Ned Dyer

Paul Robbins, a.k.a. Fat Paul, a.k.a. Pablo, a.k.a. Paco, passed away April 28, 2015 in Florida. Robbins came to Killington from Point Pleasant, N.J., with a spirit and a zest for life that was unbridled. He was a mixologist’s mixologist with boundless creativity. His signature drink was the Goombay Smash, which he brought back from one of his trips to the Bahamas. He didn’t create the Goombay, but tweaked it a bit, it became unquestionably Killington’s most popular cocktail. Early on, Robbins and I made a pact that I wouldn’t serve his Goombay and he wouldn’t duplicate my Bloody Mary. To this day I’ve never served a Goombay, although I have used his Banana Fudge “cycle,” and I regret not getting his recipe for the Potted Plum. You know, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen Pablo actually drink a Goombay.

After a particularly frigid February, Robbins and I took a ride over to the outlet stores in Cahoes, N.Y., to pick up some summer duds for an up-coming trip to Florida. We planned to stop in to see Bobby and Michele Giordano in Saratoga for dinner. As it turned out Bobby had to work and after a couple of Slivavitzes at a local watering hole we three, Michele, Robbins and I, jetted off to Puerto Rico for dinner. With Robbins it seemed like the natural thing to do.

On another occasion we were on a cruise ship to Bermuda with the Killington Bachelors Society (17 of Killington’s most eligible bachelors) and Robbins noticed that when one of the guests had a birthday the waitstaff would sing at the table. Pablo Robbins, being the self appointed choral director of the Killington Bachelor’s Society, decided the staff needed back-up, so on a nightly basis we went to the appropriate table and sang “HOPPY BIRSDAY TO YOU” to the delight of the other passengers.

Pablo Robbins loved to dress up. Any excuse was a good excuse and he did it with such panache … the Cat Fish Derby, the Gadsby Party, the Easter Parade, the BIG Classic or just to have some fun. He was outstanding as Grand Marshall of the Tricycle Race as Henry VIIIand his many wives.

Frank Chase and I were reminiscing the other day and we determined that right now Pablo Robbins is goading Tuna into a high stakes backgammon game while trying to convince KB to lower his prices and chiding Danny McKeever for not stocking enough Apple Jack as Frizzy is preparing him a Steak AuPoivre Henry VIII, all the while sipping an Apple Jack and soda, double lime. Meanwhile Billy Roberts and Don Gray are getting primed for the music fest at the Tunbridge Fair and Chet “The Jet” Warman is warming up the van to shuttle the crew. Teddy Bridges, Joe Heff, Joe Smith and Billy Shea have left for the track and John 00 and Franco are having a heated discussion as to who has the perfect golf swing. 00 found another pair of those infamous Sportif short shorts so he’s in heaven.

Now ain’t that a picture no artist could paint?

14 comments on “The legends live on

  1. Thanks for this article. I grew up in Point Pleasant Beach and Paul’s younger brother Dave and I were best friends when young. we were born 2 days apart and their and my mom became great friends. When Dave and then their parents passed I lost touch, though I did get to see Paul once up in Killington. The whole family was good to me all the years I lived in Jersey. Great tribute to a really good guy.

  2. Ned,oh how nice of you. You did a wonderful job.We did not realize they all passed on. I had many Goombay Smashes and I mean many. We miss those old days of fun,fun,fun. Carol and John

  3. Thanks for the great description of Pablo which brought on many thoughts about all the rest of our friends, including the NY Red Clover gang, who have also passed on. We sure had a great time including time in Nantucket, Newport, Falmouth, Camden and Killington. I recently saw Malcolm at Johanna’s memorial service and we talked about his having seen Pablo recently in Florida. He was surely a great guy !! and will be missed.

  4. I missed the 70s, knew Pablo in Nantucket in the 90s, and boy did we have fun. I remember appetizer tours of the island, one appetizer at each watering hole. Caviar at the Club Car, and lunch in the rose garden of the Chanticleer every season. Taking the Jeep to Great Point. He is now with our two friends John Billings and Annie Conners. He and Annie are playing Yahtzee, and well, he and Billings, who knows what they mischief they are into. Thanks for sharing your memories of Paul. He will be missed.

  5. Ned, What a great memorial of them all . Thanks for the memories, Punkin

  6. What a great tribute…I loved the last paragraph, thank you Ned! On to another great adventure Pablo….

  7. Thank you for the lovely memories and tribute. Pablo was such a wonderful friend and roommate both in Killington and Nantucket. We worked at the Pickle Barrel together back in the days when it was open summer weekends in the 70’s. We worked together at the Grist Mill with him designing the bar so it truly worked well for bartenders.
    Pablo was such a generous great guy.
    I still remember him playing “fat bottom girls make the rockin world go round” in his room at Killington like it was yesterday.
    Susie

  8. Great tribute Ned! You definitely touched on many a Killington Legend. Such a party going on up there – for that I am sure 🙂

  9. Ned, your words pay great tribute to the man that was the pied piper of every event! I feel fortunate to learn as much as I did from the man and have many great laughs. The past few years when we connected on Facebook, Pablo became a huge fan of my 2 year old daughter. He will surely be missed by communities to the north and to the south.

  10. What a great tribute to Pablo Ned. I was on my way to visit him when I heard the news, He had told me to hurry up. I’m so sad I missed seeing him again. Thnx

  11. Ned – He was a good friend and I will miss him. We tended bar at the Wobbly Barn, owned a house together and had two great dogs (Brandi and Gracie) that were see all over the mountain. Good times were had when a lot of us went to Florida for spring break. My only regret is not seeing him again after he moved to Florida and me in California. Good article.

  12. Ned, thanks for telling the story of a great friend and the many others that he is now having fun entertaining. Paul will be missed by many. Drink in hand I say,” Well Done Paul”.

  13. Ned, What a great tribute to the legend himself. Never saw him drink a goombay smash, but he did sample and critic it. Apple Jack, when you said that brought a smile to my face, because I don’t remember anyone else that drank that stuff.

    Cheers to you Ned and thanks for sharing…

    Frank Aiello
    Grist Mill 85-88

  14. Pablo—-Ned –what a great article you wrote for Paul Robbins–he sold me plenty of beer–I met you guys in the early 70’s-it was a lot of fun and we were young–Pablo lives 20 miles north of me in Vero Beach and Jay Shapero is 20 miles south—I have been wanting to call both of them to go out on a fishing trip–I am sorry I didn’t –we just don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow —Sea Yea this summer—

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