Ben Bernstein: [00:00:00] This episode of Rambling on the River is presented by 

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Moderator: You're listening to the Ramblin on the River podcast, presented by BB River Boats. The Bernstein family has been a predominant name in Cincinnati's hospitality landscape since the 1960s, and this podcast will be a collection of the stories, tales, and experiences from their entrepreneurial [00:01:00] endeavors in the restaurant and excursion boat business.

Join as they take you on a Journey through the family's history in their own unique style. Now, here are your hosts, Ben Terry and Alan Bernstein.

Ben Bernstein: Well, hello everybody. Have found your way back to the rambling on the river podcast. Live on location in Ben's home I'm sorry, we're Beachwood 

Terri Bernstein: Tigers 

Ben Bernstein: Beachwood Tigers. 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah, 

Ben Bernstein: we're very happy. You've made your way back here for our latest episode if you would before we get started, we'd love for you to go and Give us a like and subscribe on any one of your favorite podcast platforms.

Feel free to connect with us on Facebook [00:02:00] and Instagram. You can visit our website at ramblinontheriver. com and we would love to hear from you directly. Podcast at bbriverboats. com. We would love to hear any show topic recommendations, ideas any questions you may have, anything like that.

We Would love to have any and all of that if you would like to send something along to us. So, this episode, coming up, we are going to go back to way back when our little daddy , was a kid. Growing up. 

Terri Bernstein: Before Ecuador, before high school, before What businesses before us, 

Ben Bernstein: what it was 

Alan Bernstein: like growing up to be.

I was a school crossing guard for Bond Hill Elementary School. 

Terri Bernstein: Really? 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: Were you, were you good 

Alan Bernstein: at that job, ? Oh, I was great. I, I was great. 

Terri Bernstein: We know how he likes to direct traffic. I 

Alan Bernstein: Remember the young school crossers, had a badge. A badge, [00:03:00] a sash. A sash with a badge on it, like a cross part.

And I had my stop sign, you know that. 

Terri Bernstein: Were you a student there? Yeah. When you were there? Yeah. So that was like an honor. It was like an honor. Did 

Alan Bernstein: you get made fun of a lot? Oh, it was an honor. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I mean, there were only a few kids chosen. There was, we were. , how did that selection process 

Alan Bernstein 2: happen?

I, I don't know. 

Alan Bernstein: I, but anyway, I, I just thought I'd, 

Ben Bernstein: let's set a goal for you. this episode. Okay. See how little you can say anyway, or, but anyways, . 

Terri Bernstein: I love the eye roll. The eye roll was great. 

Ben Bernstein: Everybody needs goals in life. But anyway.

Isn't it 

Terri Bernstein: story time? 

Ben Bernstein: It probably is. You think so? 

So we're going to go back and we will go through your childhood and the things that you did and His siblings and 

Terri Bernstein: parents and grandparents and [00:04:00] 

Ben Bernstein: We are off to a blazing start. Gather 

Alan Bernstein: around, everybody. It's story time. All right. Rambling on the river.

Moderator: That is pretty 

Ben Bernstein: bad. It's the best. I only remember what the old one sounded like. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, it was just story time. It 

Ben Bernstein: was, it was just story time. Getting started. You are the youngest of three. I am. I'm the baby of the family. You are the baby of the family. You want to talk about your Other two siblings. Well, I have 

Alan Bernstein: a sister who is about five or six years older than I am. And a brother 

Terri Bernstein: earlier you said seven. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, I I don't think it's quite seven years.

I think jimmy And linda were a few years apart and then I was three years after jimmy So she's got a big 

Ben Bernstein: birthday coming up here pretty soon [00:05:00] 

Alan Bernstein: who does 

Ben Bernstein: linda 

Alan Bernstein: Oh, yeah Yeah, it's coming up. I don't think she wants to talk about it or celebrate it. No, she's very sensitive to her 

Ben Bernstein: age, but well, you should probably in true sibling fashion, probably talk about it as much as you can on this.

Yeah, I guess so. Ben 

Terri Bernstein: would harass me to no end. 

Ben Bernstein: Absolutely. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. Linda ended up falling in love with an attorney in New Jersey. He was here almost like 

Ben Bernstein: in or right next to the Empire State Building. Yeah. He 

Alan Bernstein: was 

Ben Bernstein: in 

Alan Bernstein: downtown 

Ben Bernstein: Manhattan. 

Alan Bernstein: Right. Yeah. 

Ben Bernstein: I remember going to his office.

Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

And Linda moved early in my life to New York or they lived in New Jersey. He worked in New York. Okay. Let's put it that way, which I think a lot of people do, but they still live 

Ben Bernstein: in New Jersey. They 

Alan Bernstein: still live there. Absolutely. And they had three children. All [00:06:00] boys.

Ben Bernstein: Yeah, all boys We're looking at you to see if you remember their name I'm kidding. Well, David is David and David 

Alan Bernstein: is deceased unfortunately unfortunately met an early demise And then there is Brian is second. And then there is Michael, Michael, who is the baby of the family. So Michael and I have a lot in common.

Yes. And let's see, currently both of them are married. Mm hmm. 

Terri Bernstein: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. With children? 

Alan Bernstein: With, yeah, now, I'm gonna get challenged. Why don't you just stay, just stick 

Ben Bernstein: with what you know. 

Alan Bernstein: Okay. Then there was brother Jim. 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Who I know a lot better than sister Linda. And his family is affectionately known as the Ohio Bernsteins.

Bernsteins, and we are affectionately known as the Kentucky Bernsteins. Yes. All of us live in [00:07:00] Kentucky and all of them live in Ohio. Yes. No. Well, yeah. Yeah. No, they don't. Jimmy doesn't always live in Ohio. They all grew up in Ohio. They all 

Ben Bernstein: grew up in Cincinnati. Yeah. Yeah. In fact, Brad is the only remaining one who lives in Ohio.

That is correct. Yes. That is correct. Anyways, you didn't, you didn't say their names. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, I'm going to say it now. There is Robbie. 

Ben Bernstein: Yep. 

Alan Bernstein: The oldest. Yep. Roberta. Roberta. Well then there is Brad. Buf. Buf. Buf. I used to call him Buford T. Justice after smoking in the band. I don't think you've ever called him anything else.

I don't, I really, I don't think I have either. Yeah. And, but it's sort of nice in a crowd because when I go Buf, he's the only one that would be called Buf. Buf. Buf. 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. And then there is the baby of the family. Who I share baby of the family with is Amy Zelda. Zelda [00:08:00] Laverne. Yeah. That was, 

Terri Bernstein: she get that name?

Alan Bernstein: Well, 

Alan Bernstein 2: because Zelda was, 

Alan Bernstein: it was right around the video game. It was a game. It 

Ben Bernstein: was 

Alan Bernstein: a game in 

Ben Bernstein: the 

Alan Bernstein: best 

Ben Bernstein: video game of all time. Yeah. Zelda 

Alan Bernstein: Laverne. And she now lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Yeah. 

Ben Bernstein 2: Huh. 

Alan Bernstein: Brad's the last one here in Cincinnati. 

Ben Bernstein: Yes. 

Alan Bernstein: Robbie works for How At the moon?

Yep. Brad has his own two restaurants, 

Terri Bernstein: but you're very good. Yep. Very, very good. Very 

Alan Bernstein: good. Excellent. 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Restaurant out in Oakley is Red Feather Kitchen. Red Feather Kitchen, 

Terri Bernstein: and Duchess. 

Alan Bernstein: And Duchess, which is Marty. Yeah. Which is a sort of a more of like a takeout, like a Yeah. Well, and Del well, they have a, 

Terri Bernstein: they have a restaurant.

They do. Oh, I know. The food is, they have a Joe Burrow. 

Ben Bernstein: No. Yeah, it you should look it up. It's it's there Cold 

Terri Bernstein: pork barbecue. No, no. It's 

Ben Bernstein: like a sloppy joe. It's it, it, it, yeah, there was an article written about it. It was like the, look it up. It was like the [00:09:00] Millionaire Joe or something like that.

Alan Bernstein 2: Well, I 

Alan Bernstein: the million dollar burro 

Ben Bernstein: sandwich. 

 His 

Alan Bernstein: wife, Rachel is a licensed masseuse. Massage therapist? 

Terri Bernstein: Massage therapist, yeah, I was gonna say that. I mean, I 

Ben Bernstein: think masseuse, I mean, I don't know.

Well, 

Terri Bernstein: I mean, she does more than just giving you massages. She knows what she's doing to help certain parts of your body. 

Alan Bernstein: Okay, well, I didn't know that. I just I've never experienced that. Me neither. Well, when 

Terri Bernstein: I go to physical therapy, she massages the part of my 

Ben Bernstein: Rachel does? 

Terri Bernstein: No. Oh. Nevermind. 

Ben Bernstein: Okay, good talk.

Well, 

Terri Bernstein: no Joe burrow billion dollar man went 

Ben Bernstein: there you go. Yeah, it's like a sloppy Joe with 

Terri Bernstein: wagyu brisket Yeah, dude, seriously man, which barbecue sauce coleslaw and grip. 

Ben Bernstein: Yes. There you go. That 

Terri Bernstein: sounds awesome 

Ben Bernstein: There was an order. I think I need one of those. I might [00:10:00] have written an article about that sandwich.

I'm gonna have to go get one Yeah, it sounds good right now, I could go eat. You want to eat? What are you talking about? I love, 

Terri Bernstein: I love that kind of stuff. I mean, I could have one 

Ben Bernstein: right now. You want to have one delivered? No, I'm actually I'm making a TikTok recipe. Hey do you like Crab Rangoon?

Oh, yeah, I love it. How about a Crab Rangoon mozzarella stick? Oh, they're in the freezer. I just got a bread. I'm in prime. So, Oh my God. We'll see how they turn out. They might be junk. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. I don't know how you can get junk out of that. I don't think, but anyway, there we go. So that that's the family, that's the family.

And then there's myself with my wife and my, my two lovely children, my daughter and I'm the baby. And you and I. I'm the favorite. You, you and I share the baby of the family. Yep. And in all honesty [00:11:00] there's no denying that Terry was a princess from the very beginning because Grandpa Ben and Grandma Shirley and everybody at the restaurant were anticipating.

Her birth and it was a very celebrated birth. And I know we've already talked, 

Terri Bernstein: we've already talked about it. I know, but let's, we're going, we're one of your c not mine, 

Alan Bernstein: and I'm 

Terri Bernstein: not that exciting. 

Alan Bernstein: Okay. Well she is leading the company now and Ben. To my, to my left is a, a great kid. 

Terri Bernstein: He's trying to keep us all in line and we're failing miserably.

Way back to episode 

Ben Bernstein: one, he struggled introducing me. No, that's not true. he's trying to find us. That's not true. All right, well let's get on to your childhood. Okay. And let's move. So, Grandma Shirley [00:12:00] and Grandpa Ben, who we've also had an episode about. 

Alan Bernstein: Owned a home on Egan Hills Drive in Bond Hill.

Yeah. And it was right next to Avon Golf Course. Avon. Our street bordered the backside of the golf course. Avon Field. Yeah. And we would sneak on to Avon field quite a bit, you know, to put and, you know, to play in the sand. And so you saw the golf ranger. Oh yeah. When the golf ranger came, we all scattered like flies.

And we would, our, my childhood this is 60. Five years ago Really was we were street people because we didn't have we had a ball field in the neighborhood But it was a couple blocks away so we played baseball football basketball anything ball in the street and We were on a cul de sac, [00:13:00] so it wasn't like a real busy Street and And Stevie Frank, let's see, Stevie Frank lived down the street, and I had a couple other friends on the street.

And that's what we did. We would come home from school, do our homework, and then out onto the street you went. And it really was When the street lights turn on, you come home? Well, no, no, my dad had a whistle. I know what it is, but I won't demonstrate for you.

Why not? I, I, but anyway. You started, don't remember when the whistle came, which you could hear two or three streets over. 

Terri Bernstein: Did he make it with his mouth? Mm-Hmm. Or was it a device? 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah. I thought you meant like you had a referee whistle. 

Alan Bernstein: No, no, no, no. He had a whistle that was unique to us. Yeah.

Because there were other whistlers to get their kids to come home. And when you heard the whistle, you had to go home. Hmm. [00:14:00] So and we were only And so you to 

Terri Bernstein: stay within distance of hearing the whistle. Yeah, yeah, 

Alan Bernstein: yeah. Absolutely. And we there were two or three streets Right. Real near each other.

And the houses on the, the other street backed up to the, to our street. So you were never too far to hear. Did you ever 

Terri Bernstein: run off too far and get in trouble? 

Alan Bernstein: I would say we did. Cause I was usually in trouble a lot. 

Terri Bernstein: I bet. 

Alan Bernstein: You were not the favorite child. ? No, well, I was the most challenged John

I was a very challenging, I would say thats Ben. Of 

Terri Bernstein: Ben. You're pretty well. Yeah. I think that between Ben and I, the apple doesn't 

Ben Bernstein: fall 

Alan Bernstein: far from 

Ben Bernstein: the tree. 

Alan Bernstein: Right. 

Ben Bernstein: You're a pretty challenged father.

Alan Bernstein: I would agree with that. 

Terri Bernstein: He did grandpa mean 

Alan Bernstein: no, no, no, no 

Terri Bernstein: Grandma mean 

Alan Bernstein: no, no, and I don't I Don't remember They 

Terri Bernstein: just put you [00:15:00] in child 

Alan Bernstein: abuse. I don't remember that at all. Probably not the best I don't remember discipline a lot I don't know.

They don't 

Terri Bernstein: release. I don't know. I mean, even me being a child, I, I mean, they, they would tell, they would be disappointed in you, but I don't think they ever, 

Alan Bernstein: well, Ben had a couple of episodes when mom wanted to spank him and he would run really fast. I mean, he would, he would run away, but probably the only time I was fast today.

Yeah.

No, it was, it was really a very a very good, it was, it really was you know, we might be disciplined like you couldn't go swimming today or you couldn't, what would 

Ben Bernstein: you get disciplined for? Being out too late? Yeah. Did you fight? Did you fight with your siblings 

Terri Bernstein: a lot? Oh, did you ever get in any fights as a child?

Alan Bernstein: Well, I, I had a tough childhood. Tough childhood. Very tough. 

Terri Bernstein: Did kids beat you up? My brother, 

Alan Bernstein: yeah. [00:16:00] My brother and his friends, yeah, I don't know if I can name names because these are very prominent people in Cincinnati and I don't want to embarrass them in any way. But one of Jimmy's friends is a very, very notable attorney in Cincinnati.

Ben Bernstein 2: Mm hmm. 

Alan Bernstein: One of his other friends. Is a notable attorney in Cincinnati. 

Ben Bernstein 2: Mm-Hmm. . 

Alan Bernstein: He had a, a, a friend that was the one that probably tormented me the most was the doctor. A very prominent doctor. 

Terri Bernstein: Yep. 

Alan Bernstein: Jimmy's had a, his friends have all done well. 

Terri Bernstein: Mm-Hmm. 

Alan Bernstein: and Jimmy did well too, because he was an aeronautical engineer and he was going to fly to the moon.

He wanted to, he wanted to, and he turned out having bad eyes. So Jimmy never got the opportunity to fly to the moon, but he [00:17:00] helped aeronautical engineering to a point where he did very, very well. So back to the 

Terri Bernstein: friends that were beating you up. Oh 

Alan Bernstein: yeah. Back to the friends. I mean, they would do things like.

We, we had a, an attic that my dad remodeled and we had a shuffleboard court up there. We had dart boards. We had a ping pong table. Fun. Yeah. We, it was all in the attic and When I would go up and torment Jimmy, when they were having a good time they would kick me out and throw me down the steps and I would roll and roll it didn't get to the bottom.

And when they got done pushing me down the steps, sometimes they threw darts at me and I looked like a bull in a bull fight that had darts hanging. 

Ben Bernstein: So then some of those would stick in your back.

Oh yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: And they hurt. Yeah. Yeah. And I I remind his friends when I see them that they did that. And [00:18:00] of course now they go, Oh, absolutely not. We didn't do that. We weren't that mean. 

Terri Bernstein: Didn't they break your arm throwing you down the stairs? 

Alan Bernstein: I have a broken arm, a broken wrist. I lost my two front teeth cause Jimmy threw me through a window.

Terri Bernstein: A window? Yeah, the car window. 

Alan Bernstein: He, well, he didn't throw me. He actually pushed me when I was on a downhill run and I could not stop myself. I thought the window of the car was closed. So I put my hands up. on the window and crashed into the door with my two front teeth and that sounds horrible. Oh, it was between you and your daughter and your 

Ben Bernstein: teeth story.

Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh yeah, that was bad. I never had a cavity till I was 30 I think, but I've had other dental problems based on the treatment I got. And so 

Terri Bernstein: did they ever let you play with him? Did they ever let you hang [00:19:00] out or were they not? 

Alan Bernstein: I don't remember ever getting into that circle. I was the shunned one.

You're still not in that circle. I am still not in that. You are absolutely right. I am not in that circle. And I don't think I ever could be, but none of them are in the hall of fame though. No, that's correct. And none of them, none of them have none of them have pilots licenses to pilot boat.

Terri Bernstein: I mean, they might have doctorates and JDs, 

Alan Bernstein: you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But anyway, They are all very nice people today. I it was just they're fun. Yeah, they're all fun 

Terri Bernstein: people 

Alan Bernstein: So 

Terri Bernstein: I guess linda wasn't around Enough when you were a kid. Yeah, 

Alan Bernstein: Linda, or you don't remember.

Well, she was in love and you know, it was different. And she moved to new york rather early in my You know [00:20:00] Growing up she would have been they graduated from college, so I would have been entering. 

Terri Bernstein: I just saw, I think she graduated from college in 1969, maybe. Hang on, it says, it says on our Facebook page, 1969 she graduated from 

Alan Bernstein: UC.

UC, and Mark went on to law school, so she was there a little bit longer. 

Terri Bernstein: Did you have any childhood pets? 

Alan Bernstein: Oh yeah. Our pets were famous. Now we had, we had German shepherds and dad and mom, I don't know if they purposely did it, but they would mate. The dog. And then we generally had female dogs, and then they would have a litter.

You bred dog. Well, I don't think we breaded or breeded bread. Bread. I don't think we [00:21:00] bred dogs. The dog. Got pregnant and then would have a litter. Oh, like it would just 

Terri Bernstein: run around the neighborhood. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, I guess I don't know. I don't know how that all 

Ben Bernstein: happened. 

Alan Bernstein: I mean, what, well, I know what happened, 

Ben Bernstein: but I, I don't know.

You're saying they didn't intentionally breed their dog. 

Alan Bernstein: They might have, but I was young. I was young. And then we would have to name all of the puppies. And take care of them until they were either taken or, I don't know. Oh, this is like a side business? I don't think that we, we may have sold them. I don't, I don't know that.

He was the 

Terri Bernstein: baby Ben, he doesn't remember anything. 

Alan Bernstein: People 

Ben Bernstein: would take, What kind of names did you name your dogs? 

Terri Bernstein: Hmm. What were your dog's names? Sprinkles. No, 

Alan Bernstein: no. I, you know, that's a great, I bet you Jimmy remembers some of those names. But our dog [00:22:00] name was one of them was Prince. The last German shepherd we had was a male named Prince and Prince moved to Ecuador with us.

We created him up and moved him, but that was a miserable ride. Oh, I, yeah, let me tell you a funny story that 

Terri Bernstein: survived. 

Alan Bernstein: No, my mother made a three room crate. It was manufactured, it was made and the crates dimensions were just a tad bigger. Then the belly of the plane, the opening in the plane to put the kennel up in.

She got the width wrong a little bit. 

Terri Bernstein: Not that that's shocking, 

Alan Bernstein: a little bit, a little bit wrong. And so they had to take the homemade crate. Kennel and reduce it to just a cage that they would put [00:23:00] a medium sized dog in. 

Ben Bernstein: That couldn't have been acceptable. 

Alan Bernstein: They crammed them in there and close the door.

My mother was just beside herself. However, at each stop that the plane made, the airline allowed My father or mother to walk the dog and let him out of that 

Ben Bernstein: It was almost like a better isn't this is back when you took plane rides that would stop and refuel And then you wouldn't yes, you wouldn't even leave the plane on 

Alan Bernstein: the way to Ecuador.

We made Let's see Cincinnati to Miami Miami to Panama Panama City. But it was all of the same plane. All the same plane, right? Panama City to Colo Cali Columbia. Cali Columbia to Keto Ecuador. Okay, so sounds 

Terri Bernstein: rough. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah, well, yeah the planes back then did a south america run they would do cali, columbia, [00:24:00] quito, ecuador, guayaquil lima, peru santiago chile They used 

Ben Bernstein: to run like buses like you would get on at the well, and then they would run back and then overnight They would have Stop.

They would be like a bus that's not like planes are now where you're going. That's right. Cincinnati, Atlanta or 

Alan Bernstein 2: whatever. Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. And so, and then it would come back back to Miami, but you could only do that on certain days because it was going down. Yeah. The one day and coming back the next day. 

Terri Bernstein: My flight to Ecuador was quite interesting.

My flight home from Ecuador, I guess, was quite interesting. Oh yeah. Or was it there? We 

Alan Bernstein: can tell that story. That's a good story. Eastern Airlines. East, it was Eastern Airlines. You are right. We're talking about animals, your animals. So, we were allowed to walk the dog at each one of those. Yeah. At that time, it was just in the tarmac. You know, you could walk around the tarmac. Yeah, 

Terri Bernstein: there was no security.

Alan Bernstein: There was, absolutely. You did not have to take your shoes off. No, no, no, no, [00:25:00] no. So we got to Ecuador and the dog got to Ecuador and lived there very nicely. I don't know that the dog realized that he was in Ecuador, but we were. 

Terri Bernstein: Did you have other pets other than dogs?

No. When you were a kid? 

Alan Bernstein: No. They were all dogs and we had several litters. So there was at least two or three pregnants, at least from what I can remember. 

Terri Bernstein: Later on in life, Grandma had some birds. Oh, 

Alan Bernstein: yeah. She, well, my 

Terri Bernstein: grandma, she had parakeets. She had some really neat ones. Grandma was an animal lover.

If you're 

Ben Bernstein: thinking about getting one, they don't ever die. Grandma. Grandma. They will outlive you. He, they will, they're like said like, it's like 80 years. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jeff Kaplan had one. They, the embassy suites in Covington had one when he was there. He's like, it's time. It's gotta go. Like it was just, that's a whole other story.

Alan Bernstein: [00:26:00] Yeah, but my grandma and grandpa, both were animal lovers that from the very beginning grandma would not kill an ant, you know she didn't like them in her house, but she would not kill an ant or a fly. 

Terri Bernstein: Well, the only dog I remember is Segunda. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, I'll tell you this story about Segunda because it's It's a great story, but That's a great ending to a story.

They were animal lovers from the very beginning. And mom and dad, both, if you said there was an abused animal somewhere, they would go and try and rescue it. So that's just to tell you the level of Pet care that they gave their pets. So Prince grew up and then passed away in, in Ecuador.

And then dad got back to the United States and we had an employee, a very good employee in a very, you know responsible [00:27:00] employee who went off ,the wagon and went rogue and left, and in his apartment, he left a little dog, a little puppy. And the landlord finally called dad and said, your employee that was here has not paid rent and has a dog dying.

And of course, dad hearing dog dying in an apartment right there, everything stopped. And so dad went to the apartment and the guy said, you cannot go into the apartment until you pay me. So dad ended up paying the bill, went into the apartment and sure enough, Segunda. Was there 

Terri Bernstein: really at the end,

Alan Bernstein: , they say the dog was there about two to three weeks without food, water any vital part of living. And so 

Terri Bernstein: I don't think that's possible, but she must have had [00:28:00] something, whatever. 

Alan Bernstein: And so dad, they said, just leave it here. Cause it's going to die. And dad said, absolutely not. And dad nursed it back with a little baby bottle with a, you know, a little nipple on there and they got.

The dog back to life. So the dog never forgot what dad did never. And the dog would never leave dad's side for any major , distance and dad and the dog had a incredible relationship. The dog lived almost 18 years after being dead.

Or he died shortly after grandpa 

Ben Bernstein: died first. Yeah, it was right before. 

Alan Bernstein: And I never saw my father so emotional. Then what he got when the dog dine, that was already 

Ben Bernstein: at the very, are you sure the dog died first? The dog did not die first. The dog died right after. It was very shortly [00:29:00] after. 

Terri Bernstein: It was after. 

Ben Bernstein: It was right before.

No, I don't think so because I think you guys went to do arrangements. I think she just went, she 

Terri Bernstein: went out back and laid down and I think she just died. But you 

Ben Bernstein: guys all as a family went and Sugunda stayed at our house for the couple hours and just laid on the ground in the room like she was just.

Alan Bernstein: Well, I don't remember that, but that's okay. It can go, it doesn't really matter. It's just the. Relationship between the dog 

Ben Bernstein: story of people dying of a broken heart. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. Yeah. And segund was named Segund because second she was the tech of Yeah, yeah. Prince was the first and Segund was the, oh, I just thought 

Ben Bernstein: it was second, like grandpa's second, you know.

Alan Bernstein: No, is number two. And, and in fact, Terry, the lady sitting here to my right. Oh, who is she? Yeah, that's my daughter. Terry thought that we were saying. When she [00:30:00] was introduced to the dog as a little kid, she thought we were saying, say 

Terri Bernstein: Gunda. 

Alan Bernstein: And so she thought the dog's name was 

Terri Bernstein: Gunda. 

Alan Bernstein: And grandpa finally explained to her, no, Segunda is a Spanish word for a second.

And it was, it was really funny. So Dad saved this dog and the dog never, ever, ever forgot it. She was so well 

Terri Bernstein: behaved. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh, when dad said something, boom, it was 

Terri Bernstein: down, get under the desk, you know, be quiet and 

Alan Bernstein: dad talk and took it everywhere. He would go to the mayor's office in the one in, went to dog.

He went to a hotel. If they wouldn't take dogs, dad said, we're out of here. 

Ben Bernstein 2: Yeah, 

Alan Bernstein: if they didn't take a dog they he said if you don't take my dog, yeah, I can't stay here So anyway, so we had pets. We have a lot of pets. 

Terri Bernstein: [00:31:00] What about Family vacations. Do you guys go anywhere? 

Alan Bernstein: I only remember a few. But yes, we did we I remember a french lick Vacation grandpa 

Terri Bernstein: loved french.

He 

Alan Bernstein: did he loved If nature won't, 

Terri Bernstein: Pluto will? 

Alan Bernstein: What? 

Terri Bernstein: If nature won't, Pluto will? Oh yeah, 

Alan Bernstein: that's still their saying. It's still 

Terri Bernstein: That's the, for anybody that doesn't know, Pluto water. The Pluto water. In French Lake. 

Alan Bernstein: Which smells like burnt eggs. It has that. Rotten eggs. Rotten eggs. Yeah. That's what it, that's what it really smells like.

Especially when you go back to the spring, huh. Where that water is? 

Terri Bernstein: It's still there. It looks identical as it did when I was a kid 

Alan Bernstein: Well, 

Terri Bernstein: I mean like the little area that it's all it's a 

Alan Bernstein: natural spring They 

Terri Bernstein: built like a rotunda. Oh, yeah. Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. Yeah, of course But we 

Terri Bernstein: We went several times we did a kid 

Alan Bernstein: we [00:32:00] did 

Ben Bernstein: I only remember one time.

Do you remember one time? But I remember that with mom's side of the family. I don't ever remember. 

Terri Bernstein: Mom's side? I don't remember ever going with them. I went 

Ben Bernstein: with Jimmy Holdhouse and his wife at the time. Really? Yeah. And we drove through the most incredible, Thunderstorm I've ever seen. I don't know why I remember it took us hours and hours.

Like he kept getting lost. It was, it took us like 10 hours. Well, 

Alan Bernstein: you used to have to take back streets to now there's a highway. Yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: It's still not super easy. It's a highway and then you have to get off the highway. Well, 

Alan Bernstein: yeah, but in French, lick is a small, is a pretty small town. Yes. 

Terri Bernstein: We went there for Courtney's wedding.

My best friend from college, we got married in French. 

Alan Bernstein: She got married in French Lick. Yes. We were kicked out of the casino. I know. Yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: In the restaurant. We were too loud. We were too loud in the restaurant. 

Alan Bernstein: That's right. That's right. Not surprising. No, it [00:33:00] was not. We were definitely the life of French Lick for that weekend.

Yep. No doubt about it. What about any close friends as a kid? Well, I had a couple of close friends. Why there was Stevie Frank that lived on my street Stevie Osherwitz, which just lived down the street and more towards school didn't he 

Terri Bernstein: have a sister that was really close to Linda or no, 

Alan Bernstein: yes, Stevie Osherwitz.

I had a friend or a sister named Karen, who was a dear friend of Linda's best 

Terri Bernstein: friend. 

Alan Bernstein: But 

Terri Bernstein: who was though? Oh, who was Linda's friend? With the mom that had all the dolls all over the house like like really 

Alan Bernstein: hmm, I mean We'll have to call Linda, but Mr. Oow used to work. Maybe we need to phone a friend. I 

Terri Bernstein: know, but Mrs. Sitz used to work for us or 

Alan Bernstein: not Mrs.

Oow. She was a very, the, [00:34:00] the little 

Terri Bernstein: sweet, little old lady. Little, she was Aristo, 

Alan Bernstein: Aristocrat. They, the, the Sitz family was very well to do. 

Terri Bernstein: Oh, Deutsch. That's who? Deutsch, yeah, that's who I was thinking. Mi She was the one with the, the dolls. 

Alan Bernstein: Karen married. A Deutsch. 

Terri Bernstein: Oh, well then maybe Karen's the one that had the dolls.

Maybe it wasn't a mother. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, Linda had dolls, too. I don't know. Yeah, but I 

Terri Bernstein: mean, they were like 

Alan Bernstein: Creepy. 

Terri Bernstein: No, no, no, no. Well, no, no, no. They were, they were beautiful. Yeah, 

Alan Bernstein: they were very beautiful. But they 

Terri Bernstein: were, there were hundreds of them. And they were a lot. And they were 

Alan Bernstein: very expensive. 

Terri Bernstein: Yes. 

Ben Bernstein: That, yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: Anyway.

Ben Bernstein: It's very creepy. 

Terri Bernstein: Well, it kind of is. It was from 

Ben Bernstein: back then. But right now? I mean, wherever the dolls are, you walk into that room. But little girls aren't into dolls anymore. They're into American Girl dolls, I'm sure. Not many. Other friends, you had another friends that, I had, 

Alan Bernstein: Richard, Richard Young.

Yes. [00:35:00] Richard Young's father was my dad's attorney. That's how we became acquainted. And Richard and I, as we grew up, got closer and closer. He was a year or two older than I was. But as adults, when I got married and he got married and we had a tradition of passing a World War II helmet.

Oh, yes. A metal helmet. How did that ever even start? I have absolutely no idea. 

Terri Bernstein: I just remember coming home. I think he might have 

Alan Bernstein: sent it to 

Ben Bernstein: me once. I don't remember. 

Alan Bernstein: We did this for many, many years. I bet you 20, 25 years every Christmas, the person that had the helmet had to give it back and you did it in unique ways. And the last time we [00:36:00] passed the helmet, I had the helmet. And I returned it to Richard in Chicago. Under a pile of mulch.

I had the manure . I thought that came 

Terri Bernstein: to us. 

Alan Bernstein: manure. I, I, you, you're right, Ben. It was really 

Ben Bernstein: I mean that's really when get into it. Yeah. Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Okay. But and that was the last year we passed it because Richard's wife did not understand that I blocked her exit from the garage by putting the helmet underneath all the mulch and she couldn't get out and she had to do things and she was very upset with Richard and extremely upset with me.

And his wife, by the way, could be the twin of Julie Andrews. Really? And [00:37:00] Jimmy used to call her Julie. Cause she was, if you can picture Julie Andrews, very pretty girl, very nice girl she looked just like Julie Andrews and she was not happy with me. 

Terri Bernstein: I remember the time it came in a huge block of ice.

Alan Bernstein: That's correct. It was frozen in a block of ice. It was sad 

Terri Bernstein: and it was, it was winter time. So it sat out there, I think for months, 

Alan Bernstein: I can't remember all. I mean, Oh, Oh my God. They came in all different kinds. 

Terri Bernstein: We got one that was under a pile of something to fill it up our driveway. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. I, I don't know. And maybe that's how I got the idea for the manure.

That was that. And When the manure came that, that was it. 

Terri Bernstein: How about sports? Did you play sports? 

Alan Bernstein: I did play sports. I played not whole, you know, summer, not whole, not, it was, it was activity.

And I was a star catcher [00:38:00] and oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: Like famous star catcher. Oh, oh, 

Ben Bernstein: Johnny Bench kind of star. What number were you? 

Alan Bernstein: They were probably just given back. I think six, I think six. We played a lot of street ball, all different kinds of games out on the street, baseball, football, basketball, all of that was done on Egan Hills drive.

And we had a great time, but that's when neighborhoods were neighborhoods and you didn't, we never left our neighborhood. 

Terri Bernstein: Were you just not good enough to play in high school in any sport or you just didn't want to? No, but you gotta remember, 

Alan Bernstein: I left. 

Terri Bernstein: Oh, you weren't really in. In the 

Alan Bernstein: 7th grade. I, I was gone.

But I would not have been. 

Terri Bernstein: Did Jimmy play? 

Alan Bernstein: Jimmy swam. He was a big time swimmer and was good at it. Was very good at it. So Jimmy competitively swam for quite a [00:39:00] while. Yeah. Not in college that I can remember, but maybe he would correct me. He might've done some college swimming, but sports was important back then, but it was more activity than it was.

Competitive and I don't even know if we remember any records. It wasn't like we were a championship team, but we did it for, it wasn't a money making 

Terri Bernstein: machine like it is. No, no, 

Alan Bernstein: not at all. Now But we never, I was saying we never left our neighborhood, which is really true. We never left the two blocks of our neighborhood.

Never. Was 

Terri Bernstein: it a nice area, or were there, was a beautiful 

Alan Bernstein: area, a lot of, and there were not crime, nice homes, and no crime we were out. You know past dark and never had a not a worry about and there wasn't crime back then Well, and there was you just didn't hear about it. That's right. We were you had [00:40:00] no way to hear about it, right?

And we lived away from downtown and any of the other bad places So we never considered that we would be kidnapped and taken into Did you 

Terri Bernstein: have a tv when did the tv we have one 

Alan Bernstein: tv it was black and white Mm 

Terri Bernstein: hmm 

Alan Bernstein: in mom's and dad's bedroom And on sundays after dinner, we would go down to gregory's steakhouse And they have dinner and then we would come back and watch the wonderful world of disney mission impossible Was in black and white That was one of the big tv shows And then I think it was bedtime for me I don't know about Linda and Jimmy, but for me, it was it was bedtime and we did all that together.

Terri Bernstein: Like did you listen to the radio? Did you have everybody 

Alan Bernstein: listen to the radio? Well, we had a radio. I mean, what are you? Oh yeah, there was sports, but we, I don't think there was [00:41:00] televised sports as much as it was on the radio and you listen to a ball game or you listen to it would be a game and we didn't have football back then.

We were just baseball. Now, we did have the Royals. The Cincinnati Royals was a basketball team. Oscar Roberts. Oscar Roberts. Yeah. So we did have NBA team. That's right. Right. That's right. 

Terri Bernstein: When did we lose an NBA team? Probably 

Alan Bernstein: in the 70s. Yeah, it was long ago. I think they're the Milwaukee Bucks. I think they are.

Yeah. 

Ben Bernstein: I guess we will move on. 

Moderator: Now it is time for Ramblin on the Rivers.

Word of the day.

Ben Bernstein: Word of the day. It's more like phrase of the day. Well, this is a good one. Well, they're all good. I think you say that every, I think that's the other for every word that we have a good one. Well, I'm trying to promote a, you know, [00:42:00] a good show. I'm trying. This week is Toe the line. Toe the line. Toe the line.

Alan Bernstein 2: Let me spell that for you. Not tow the boat. Toe. T O W. No. No. Toe. No. T O E. There you go. But I like T 

Alan Bernstein: O W. For both people. Because that's the same, well, it's the same word, different meaning. 

Ben Bernstein: It's not the same word. T O E. It's pronounced the same. Spelled differently. Two different.

Okay. 

Alan Bernstein: So you're right. It's not the same word and it, you're, you're right. It's spelled differently. 

Ben Bernstein: Phonetically. It's the same word. Yes. 

Alan Bernstein: So we are at so T O E the 

Ben Bernstein: line. So what? Do you know what that is, Ben? I mean, I heard you guys talking earlier, I would have said Terry's version of [00:43:00] where you're right on the verge of doing something wrong, like you're towing the line, 

Terri Bernstein: you're towing the line of 

Ben Bernstein: my patience.

But I heard you also talk about in there that that was not the given definition. But is there 

Terri Bernstein: even a version of T O W the line? 

Ben Bernstein: Sure. 

Terri Bernstein: No, I think the line is T O E. Like, I mean, it explains why it's called toe the line. 

Ben Bernstein: We're just messing around with the toe T O W because we're boat people.

Okay. Well, I didn't know 

Terri Bernstein: that. I didn't know if there was a, 

Alan Bernstein: And honestly, when Terry said, do I know the real definition I went, I think it is keeping your weight valuable, and you have to tow the line, meaning you've got to work hard tow something behind you.

It. That's not the definition, but 

Terri Bernstein: no, 

Alan Bernstein: why don't you give them the real definition 

Terri Bernstein: the way they came up with to the line are members of the British Royal Navy were required to stand barefoot at attention for [00:44:00] inspection. While at attention, they lined up along the seams of the planks of the deck with their toes touching the line.

That became known as towing the line. 

Ben Bernstein: But what is now the given meaning? 

Terri Bernstein: Tow the line to say or do what somebody in authority tells you to say or do, even if you do not share the same opinions. You tow the party line, you know. 

Alan Bernstein: Yep, yep, yep. 

Terri Bernstein: Tow the line. 

Alan Bernstein: It's an interesting word because I went right away to nautical.

Right. Right. I went. Right away. But, I had no idea the British But to 

Terri Bernstein: me, it's, it's almost, it's a person that is on the verge of doing something wrong. Like they're, they're doing just enough to stay within Yes. 

Ben Bernstein: Okay. Very, very close. Well, that's a very good word of the day. Yeah. I mean, it's no off tickable ism.

No. No. No. Or I 

Alan Bernstein: look very highfalutin. [00:45:00] You love highfalutin. I do. 

Terri Bernstein: He already asked me if he's done the word yet. 

Alan Bernstein 2: It was a steamboat. That's why that's why. Yeah. 

Moderator: Welcome to As The Paddle Wheel Turns. Our look at pertinent current events happening right now in the world.

Alan Bernstein: Well, 

Ben Bernstein: we are NFL Sunday on The 17th of November. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh, we are. Okay, 

Ben Bernstein: but there's a big announcement of BB Riverbats tomorrow There is and we've already touched on this. Yeah, we by the time 

Terri Bernstein: this happens at all by the time this airs It'll have already happened. 

Alan Bernstein: That's right tomorrow They are going to announce to the world that ticket sales are on sale on the website For an event we have talked about quite a bit for an [00:46:00] event we talked about quite a bit, which is River Roots America's 

Terri Bernstein: Com is the website and you can you can buy your riverboat tickets there.

Alan Bernstein: Yes, and is the first event of America's 250th birthday. We are the official kickoff for that. Rather you Enjoy those kinds of celebrations or not.

We are going to be Here in Cincinnati next October from the 8th through the 12th and Nine are confirmed. Nine river boats are confirmed. We think there's going to be a few more before the year is up. And we are expecting to have a very large crowd. They are doing a lot of marketing outside our area.

Right. So we are [00:47:00] expecting A large crowd. I think they're estimating a million, two, a million, four over five days. That's a lot of people, a whole lot of people, a whole lot of people. And you 

Ben Bernstein: remember tall stacks? This is that event. This is, 

Alan Bernstein: well, this is the new generation. Yeah, yes, absolutely.

If you enjoy races, there's joy. We have two parades this year. This year, for the first time, we are going to have a nighttime parade, so it'll be all lights. Ooooooooh, doggie. And , I think it's going to be spectacular. And that is the night. It's going to 

Ben Bernstein: be famous. 

Alan Bernstein: Ha ha ha ha ha ha. That night After the parade is over, there'll be fireworks music, patriotic kind of music.

Will there be a drone show along with the fireworks? I don't know about drones, cause I, I, maybe. I don't know. That's, how about 

Terri Bernstein: the captain's ball? We're [00:48:00] gonna have a 

Alan Bernstein: captain's ball. Which is going to be spectacular and for the first time it's open to the public. 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah, and if anybody knows my party planning skills, you know that it's going to be a good time.

Alan Bernstein: Terry Bernstein has taken the lead. I budget. 

Ben Bernstein: We have to put her into the budget. You better fundraise heavily. 

Alan Bernstein: Yes, we have a very difficult hill to climb getting getting sponsors. But for the first time, it is open to the public. You'll be able to meet all the captains. Yeah, the captain's ball used to just be a closed event.

Invite a guest, 

Terri Bernstein: yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: And this year, it's a longer cruise. It's Music and the 

Ben Bernstein: entertainment basically is the come and see just how normal us captains are. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there, there are some pretty 

Alan Bernstein: normal. I [00:49:00] can't wait to 

Terri Bernstein: see you guys all dressed up in your 

Alan Bernstein: look like captain Steubing.

Yeah. So there is that then who was the cruise director, Julie? No, Julie. 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah, I 

Alan Bernstein: think it was Julie. 

Ben Bernstein: It won't be this year. It'll be Terry. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, yes. She won't be the cruise director though. Well, she'll be a director, but the director of the cat anyway, I could 

Terri Bernstein: be a captain 

Alan Bernstein: Yes Yes, she is 

Ben Bernstein: She she has been bestowed the honor 

Terri Bernstein: all right, let's wrap this 

Ben Bernstein: up. Okay. So anyway, do you not want me to finish that thought?

Go ahead. 

Terri Bernstein: Go ahead. 

Ben Bernstein: How many cruises have you seen her operate all by herself without any assistance from her brother? I have not. I have not. But I know 

Alan Bernstein: she's capable. I mean, [00:50:00] yeah, she's capable. I've definitely run the boat plenty of times 

Terri Bernstein: by myself. And I'll 

Alan Bernstein: bet you she could put it against the dock. 

Terri Bernstein: Oh, I could definitely put it against the doc.

Ben Bernstein: I mean, I mean, I don't know if the captain's balls the day to try that No, I don't think i'm gonna be a little too busy I would really 

Terri Bernstein: my problem with being the captain is I get bored too easy I mean, I want I there is so much action down below that 

Ben Bernstein: good captain. You're never bored You're always on point 

Terri Bernstein: I understand that, but, but I'm, you're always 

Ben Bernstein: paying close attention 

Terri Bernstein: and watching where 

Ben Bernstein: you going?

his Al's not even paying attention to this. He's watching football . Well, 

Terri Bernstein: I'm more worried about what's going on in the dining room 

Ben Bernstein: as you should be. Yep. 

Terri Bernstein: It'll be a fun time. 

Ben Bernstein: Any parting thoughts? Terry and I go to Orlando tomorrow. 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah, we're going to IAPA. 

Ben Bernstein: Yes. I You are 

Alan Bernstein: expected to bring back lots. 

Terri Bernstein: I keep reading [00:51:00] about it, and I think there's lots of good stuff 

Ben Bernstein: Well, I'll have to edit a podcast during the trip at some point.

Terri Bernstein: I have to do a schedule over there, too. So 

Ben Bernstein: yeah 

Terri Bernstein: We can sit at the bar and drink and 

Alan Bernstein: yeah Is there anything else I guess not for the order of the good yeah Yeah, 

Terri Bernstein: well, I think we should give a shout out to river. It's to buy their tickets 

Ben Bernstein: I think didn't we just say that didn't we just I 

Alan Bernstein: will give a shout out you can purchase tickets On the line on the line on the line on the line 

Ben Bernstein: Online Online while you're showing the while you're towing the law America's River 

Alan Bernstein: roots calm Yes.

And you can choose your And 

Terri Bernstein: there's two beautiful boats on there called the Bella Cincinnati and the River Queen. Yes, 

Alan Bernstein: yes. 

Terri Bernstein: And there's some other really good ones too. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, there are all good boats. , there are none that you have to be [00:52:00] concerned about. 

Terri Bernstein: And the two really cool steamers.

And the two steamboats. We are still 

Alan Bernstein: working on the third, and that's a, still a possibility. If you get the third, you would have all the re We would have all of the commercial steamboats in America. 

Ben Bernstein: That are still 

Alan Bernstein: operating. That are still operating. Yeah. That's correct. That's 

Ben Bernstein: correct. All right.

We'll check it out. We will, see y'all next week.

Moderator: Thank you for listening to the Rambling on the River podcast presented by BB River Boats. Stay tuned for the next episode of our podcast and remember to like, subscribe and follow us. On all your favorite podcast platforms.

Ben Bernstein: The previous episode was brought to you by BB Riverboats. 

Sponsor Message: The moments that [00:53:00] await just around the river's bend are what we look forward to each day. Watching high school sweethearts tie the knot, or watching them celebrate 50 wonderful years together. A group of old friends reuniting for one more adventure, or young minds embarking on their first.

At BB Riverboats, we believe a cruise on the mighty Ohio is where lifelong memories are made. And that once you experience it, you'll want to share it with others time and time again. Plan your group event at BBRiverboats. com. Journey Aboard.