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Arts & Entertainment
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
A Nifty Fifty!
Andiamo helps make Art Van anniversary bash a smash.
H
e showed his true colors and
40 waitstaffers, 20 bartenders,
they sure were pretty ... Joe
12 hors d'oeuvres passers, 20
Vicari was asked to cater the
chefs/cooks, as well as four of
50th anniversary celebration for his friend Joe's executive chefs, includ-
Art Van Elslander and came through
ing Executive Corporate Chef
smelling like a well-perfumed rose.
James Oppat and Pastry Chef
The event was better known as Van
Chuck Dill, helped make what
Elslander's huge hoopla of his Art Van
was certainly an evening of
furniture chain, although one of the
class elegant enjoyment.
attendees, Graham Orley, having his
ONE OF THE local corn-
85th birthday shortly after, no doubt was
munity's more eagerly awaited
thrilled to be among the 1,100 or more
happenings is the Lights,
who came for the celebration even though Camera, Auction! event put on
it wasn't his.
annually by Variety, the Children's Charity
The sumptuous array of more than
... Each year brings added surprises and
1,000 pounds of food at six stations,
culinary additions to the strolling dinner
carving, seafood, etc., by Joe Vicari's
that ranks among the minimal amount
Andiamo Restaurant Group ... tender-
of truly successful ones by a charitable
loin, flank steak, buffalo, duck, chicken,
organization ... Plus the usual fine list
veal shank, salads, cheeses, salmon,
of restaurants, Pepino's in Walled Lake,
halibut and many etceteras ... more
a huge community-ite favorite, will join
than 3,000 pieces of luscious pastry
Ocean Prime, Troy; Red Coat Tavern,
that would make the variety at a Las
Royal Oak and West Bloomfield; Rugby
Vegas hotel opening look like small time, Grille, Birmingham; Steve & Rocky's,
and more than 150 pounds of excellent
Novi; Wolfgang Puck, Detroit; etc., among
passed hors d'oeuvres.
over 30 restaurants and food stalwart sta-
The Art Van funfest included music all
tions filled with samples of their goodies
evening by Simone Vitale and his small
... Also a sneak preview surprise movie
combo, then Simone and his full 14-piece or selection of other films, free popcorn,
orchestra playing with so much ener-
silent auction and loads of conviviality
getic entertainment, dancing, open bar,
... Co-chairpersons of Lights, Camera,
complimentary valet parking that meant
Auction! 2009, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 6 p.m.,
just that ... no tipping allowed, etc. ...
at Imagine Theatre, Fountain Walk, Novi,
So many community folks having fun ...
are Judith Solomon and Michael Bressler
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum, Florine
... It's among the best deals in town at
Mark, Doreen Hermelin, Marilyn and
$50 a head.
Mel Barnett, Linda and Stephan Hayman,
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ...
etc., etc., etc., enjoyed the festivities as
"We went to Lindy's in New York last week
Joe's well over 100 employees from all 12
because I had heard so much about it, and
Metro Detroit Andiamo restaurants plus
we were very disappointed. Nothing like
his Mesquite Grill and Rojo ... tuxedoed what Clara and I had heard about. And the
guys and gals in top hats were among the prices were ridiculous. Why all the hulla-
Brunch Special For 2 $1
baloo about it?"
[Lindy's today is owned by
Riesse Industries and very
little like it was in yesteryears
... You might have heard good
things about Lindy's when
owned by Leo Lindeman who
had opened it with partners
Joe Fraizer, Manny Kalisch and
Sam Horowitz ...Leo worked
the counter and his wife, Clara,
was at the cash register ...
Many of the luscious Jewish
dishes at Lindy's were handed down by
her mother and grandmother ... Show
business folks, politicians, notables,
characters and hustlers loved the place,
the food, atmosphere and laughs they
got from its menus ... Oldies like the fel-
low visiting New York and saying to the
Lindy's waiter, "I'll have two eggs and a
kind word" ... The waiter brings the eggs
and was moving away when the customer
stops him and asks, "What about the kind
word?" ... The Lindy's waiter leans over
and whispers, "Don't eat the eggs."'
MAIL DEPT. ... "My wife, Sarah, and
I just returned from a European trip and
loved every minute of it. Especially lunch
in Austria. In Salzburg I had Tafelspitz,
boiled beef with horseradish sauce that
was absolutely delicious and reminded
me of many years ago at home, made
by my mother. Sarah had brook trout
poached in a vegetable broth with boiled
potatoes. The pastry is the best we have
ever tasted, especially the Sachertorte,
chocolate cake with apricots, and apple
strudel. The only sour part of our lunch
was the coffee. It was thick and very
strong."Herman Stone.
CREDIT A FORTUNE cookie at the
ME NM =I 11111
former Rikshaw Inn that preceded the
present Shangri-La restaurant in Orchard
Mall, West Bloomfield, with their vastly suc-
cessful Annual Fortune Cookie Sale every
August ... Back around 1985, brothers
Steve and Howard Tapper were breaking
open a fortune cookie after a late dinner at
Rikshaw Inn when the idea bulb lit up and
grew brighter with on-the-spot nurturing
spewing from their fertile minds ... Why
not a fortune cookie that customers open
and discover a discount on the jewelry they
buy at Tapper's Diamonds & Fine Jewelry in
West Bloomfield (and now also in Novi) ...
And so answers a question asked by many
folks that Steve and Howard have faithfully
serviced throughout the years.
Steve told of the idea realization at
the recent Ronald McDonald House Gala
at Detroit institute of Arts in which his
and Howard's Tapper's Jewelry were, as
usual, important sponsor donors ...
Speaking of this year's Ronald McDonald
House black-tie shindig, it was attended
by another large crowd who enjoyed
the sumptuous passed hors d'oeuvres,
strolling dinner, entertainment and
much fun ... In her own and apprecia-
tive way, Mistress of Ceremonies Diana
Lewis, WXYZ-TV newscaster, was hon-
ored as "Humanitarian of the Year" by
the Southeastern Michigan McDonald's
Operators Association.
CONGRATS ... To Pam Smith on her
birthday ... To Blache Duke on her 75th
birthday ... To Leah Baum on her 86th
birthday ... Correction: To Mark and
Fran (not Frank) Klinger on their 50th
wedding anniversary. II
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
MIE
91
1
(With Purchases of 2 Beverages) expires 1 1 /1 0/09
I Fish Plate and Eggs:
I • Nova Lox & Whitefish Plate
• Scrambled Eggs
II • Hash Brown Potatoes
.• Served with Vegetable
Garnish
▪ • Cream Cheese & (2) Bagels
FREE
I
I
IN
Hey!
Lets meet at the Vinyards
for the weekend
Fish Brunch Special!
Hot Soup
Cup of chicken noodle
soup with any sandwich.
son
Ell
58 October 15 • 2009
mom
=I
248.855-9463 1
Order online:
www.VineyardDeli.com
32418 Northwestern Hwy. between Middlebelt Si 14 Mile
Weekday Dinner Hours 4.7 pm
I= =I 11...
No No
mom ow is•