Howdy friends. I’m relieved this column even went out today: yours truly is in jury duty purgatory this week. I was concerned I’d be waiting for my name to be called while watching the clock crawl in a jury assembly room instead of cranking on this column with associate editor Dana Eastland. Miracle of miracles, I wasn’t called these first two days—thank goddess—but let’s see what shakes out for Friday. Maybe I’ll see you, maybe I won’t. I’m really hoping I will.
Last Friday’s tablehopper and Patz & Hall Taste of Terroir event was a blast. There is nothing like warm gougères just out of the oven paired with a flute of their sparkling brut, let me tell you. We will be reposting pics on the tablehopper Facebook page very soon (and on Patz & Hall’s Facebook page, obviously!). Cheers and thanks to everyone who attended!
Sunday’s opening day for the 78th season of the Stern Grove Festival totally rocked—our picnic game was strong, the Doobie Brothers brought me back to my childhood, and it also helps to have amazing friends who stake out a grassy spot at 7:30am. Be sure to plan at least one day out there with friends this summer, it’s such a fun SF tradition.
Another SF tradition used to be catching a show at Cafe du Nord. And good news: Du Nord is reopening this Wednesday, but we’ll be reporting all the details in our Friday issue (well, hopefully!)—I wanted to be sure we had some pretty pics to show you of the revamped space.
Last week we lost one of our local culinary characters, GraceAnn Walden. I have some updated details: Rene Prado, a close friend of hers, shares that her funeral ceremony will be this Saturday June 20th at 11am at Ascension Episcopal Church (2420 Tuolumne St., Vallejo). He also had this update to share from the Coroner’s Office of Contra Costa that “she was the victim of a heart attack due to complications of her declining health (falling and hitting her head was of no consequence).” I have a feeling there will be many martinis consumed this Saturday in her honor. Big ones.
Raising a glass, Marcia Gagliardi
You can have quite the indoor picnic at Les Clos. Photo: © tablehopper.com.View tablehopper Newsletter from Tuesday, Jun 16 2015
