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Purtan's Charitable People

Good-guy radio star to lead Jewish Home & Aging Services' Walk of Fame.

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OTPOURRI
FEW PEOPLE around here
call him Paul, his real name,
or Guy King, the name he used back in
the late '50s while on radio in Buffalo,
N.Y. ... But they sure do as WOMC-FM's
Dick Purtan, Detroit's nationally-known
radio royalty member of the National
Association of Broadcasting Hall of Fame
... He was inducted with Regis Philbin at
the 2006 ceremonies in Las Vegas.
Plus all the great accolades sent his way
through the years, Dick is also one heck of
a good guy and this year will add another
notch onto his charitable belt as 2008
grand marshal for the sixth annual Walk
of Fame by the Auxiliary For Jewish Home
& Aging Services ... It'll be Sunday morn-
ing, May 18, at the Eugene and Marcia
Applebaum Campus of West Bloomfield's
Jewish Community Center, and not too
early to sign up or get a team together ...
Call Judy Dunn, (248) 661-2969 for more
info on these plus sponsorship.
THANKFULLY, THE present tough
sledding for restaurants is only tempo-
rary, and the good ones usually survive
... Nothing new, the restaurant business
has encountered low times before but
always manages to pull out of the spin and
enjoy an upward leap ... New restaurants
continue to open and, along with a bit of
luck and goodness, stay moored onto suc-
cessful paths ... Mykonos Greek Taverna,
Northwestern, Farmington Hills, in March
or April, Italia Fresco, Orchard Lake Road
and Pontiac Trail, Orchard Lake Village,
this month, and Tre Monti Ristorante, Big
Beaver, Troy, in March, are being opened
by gents who know this and are not run-

ning scared.
MAIL DEPT. ... "My com-
panion David Roberts and I
had the most wonderful experi-
ence at Bentley's (Drake, West
Bloomfield). The ambience was
great, as was the outstanding
food and service. The portions
were not only plated beautifully,
but tasted delicious. We were
very impressed and will con-
tinue to go there for dinner" ...
Geri Margolis.
GIMMICKS CERTAINLY aren't needed
to sell its food, but Bacco Saletta, the pri-
vate dining facility at Bacco Ristorante,
Northwestern, Southfield, now has some-
thing that might tell about it anyway ...
It's a Mercedes-Benz as its kitchen on
wheels, sort of a class indicator of Bacco's
excellent cuisine ... There are plenty of
other great automotive names, but this
happens to be a 20-foot black luxury limo
van with its own work tables, refrigeration,
etc. ... Even wine is kept in good shape
... No catering menu ... folks can order
anything they want for their exclusive
house party or large corporate event ...
Anything from smaller intimate meals to
shindigs up to 500 people.
IT'S A BIG plus when a restaurant has
good music and an even bigger bonus
when the rhythms hit the superior mark
... Coupled with fine food and service, it
makes for an evening of full satisfaction.
At Mario's on Second Blvd., Detroit,
one of the region's better duets is bring-
ing folks back for more ... It's the Fast
Forward duo with Billy Meadows at the
electric piano, side man and rhythmic

synthesizer, while sing-
ing solo and together with
excellent vocalist Jackie G
(Fondren) ... Together they
complete wonderful times
at Mario's every Friday and
Saturday nights, 8 to mid-
night.
Fast Forward is not a small
dimensional duet with lim-
ited repertoire and minimal
pace ... It does so many
rhythmic goodies that folks of all ages
can relate to in a huge assortment of wide
versatility ... Jackie and Billy do a won-
derful job of togetherness on the great Nat
"King" Cole and Natalie Cole simulated
hit,"Unforgettable" ... Jackie is stupen-
dously breathtaking on her high and low
rolls with the great Duke Ellington biggie,
"Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and a
host of other familiar tunes.
Billy oozes of musical personality with
his terrific renditions of "Misty", "My Way"
and oodles more, plus dueting with Jackie
on "New York, New York", etc. ... The
crowd-pleasing ways of Fast Forward is a
huge complement to the outstanding din-
ing at Mario's, with its reasonable prices
and gracious service ... Besides the Friday
and Saturday night gigs at Mario's, Billy
and Jackie also appear 7-11 Wednesday
evenings at Andiamo Livonia.
FREE COFFEE, Friday, Feb. 15, 8-10
a.m. ... Then beginning Monday, Feb. 18,
the gourmet coffee at Forte, S. Woodward,
Birmingham, will be just 25 cents during
the same hours ... And its premises-made
fresh pastries and scones will all be one-
dollar ... Beginning Monday, March 31,

a full sit-down breakfast menu will be
unfolded at Forte.
JAZZ NOTES ... Jazz series at Seldom
Blues, Renaissance Center, Detroit, has jazz
singer Maysa and jazz flutist Alexander
Zonjic, Sunday, Feb. 17 ... Saxophonist
Kim Waters is slated for Sunday, March 30
... Dinner concert at 5 and regular show
at 8.
GOOD GENERAL MANAGER Dept.
... Christine Feasal was a waitress at Stage
Deli for the late Jack Goldberg from 1985,
and is now with his son, Steve ... This
June will be 23 years a Stage stalwart, six
years server, then manager and now g.m.,
where Christine's experience combines
with an untiring devotion.
12 COPIES OF Mortal Angels by for-
mer localite chef and restaurant manager,
David Fekay, have been taken by Henry
Ford Health Systems ... Dave is now a
double amputee, losing both legs in 2001
... Like Salma Atallah, Henry Ford com-
munity coordinator, says, "It is a very
touching, inspiring and extremely well-
written story. I will always keep David
Fekay in mind whenever I catch myself
backing down from the challenges I
find before me" ... Dave and wife, Joani,
now live in E. Brookfield, Mass. (133
Harrington St., 01515) ... You can e-mail
him at davidslegs@verizon.net ... Or
order books at mortalangelsthebook.com
CONGRATS ... To Diana Stalburg on
her 65th birthday ... To Bruce Sage on
his 60th birthday ... To Ben and Lorraine
Pivnick on their 60th anniversary.

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.

2I nU ays WE'VE MOVED 2 DOORS DOWN!

rLit i
& Dinner

•

Rcstatirant

e5z,exhttan 6n/rite callorth
..Wedauraitt

'Estsatt,

248.476.0944
"Any Event' Caterin • Baino net oom Available

Bug, any dinner entree and receive
00
off the second dinner entree

Salads, pi77n, sandwiches and ribs for 2 excluded.
One coupon per table
Expires: 2/29/08

Farmington Hills • Corner of Grand River & Haggerty Road
Auburn Hills • 1 1/2 miles south of the Palace of Auburn Hills

B22

February 14 • 2008

10%off

Total Bill
DINE IN OR
CARRYOUT

Not good with any other offer
1 coupon per table • with coupon
Expires 02/28/08

• Featuring Authentic Chinese/Asian Cooking
• Complete Lunch Starts at $6.55
• Children's Menu
• Healthy, Low Fat, 'Sodium Free' Choices
• Vegetarian Dishes

•

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39470 14 Mile Rd. ( u r ner of Ilaggertx in the Net% bei IA square Plaza), 248-960-7666
www.szechuanempi•e.com

