Frances and Darrell Boudreaux say a highlight of a vacation in Sicily was dinner at Cin Cin Ristorante in Palermo.
It’s owned by Vincenzo Clemente, a 1987 LSU graduate and the Tiger basketball mascot in 1986 when LSU went to the Final Four. (He has an LSU Tigers plaque on the wall.)
Says Frances, “After introducing ourselves and sharing our Baton Rouge and LSU connections, Vincenzo immediately showed us to a table and returned with three glasses of Prosecco for a toast to LSU and a wonderful time in Sicily.
“Louisianians tend to be picky about food, especially seafood, but our meal was outstanding.
“I was adventurous and tried the pasta with sardines and the swordfish rolls. Darrell had pasta with mussels, clams and shrimp, and another fish dish.
“As we were getting ready to leave, Vincenzo brought us a bottle of Sicilian red wine from the Mount Etna region, and told us to drink it on the day of the first LSU football game this fall.
“I recommend that anyone traveling to Palermo set aside an evening for dinner at Cin Cin and enjoy the culinary talents of a fellow LSU Tiger.”
Frank Fronczek says Thomas Murrel’s Saturday story about the death of a classmate being, as Mark Twain said, “greatly exaggerated” reminds him of a similar event:
“My recent Westlake High School class reunion (I forget how many years) featured a ‘memorial wall,’ with photos of deceased classmates.
“During the festivities, one of the departed, Aubrey Kelley, walked in, much to everyone’s amazement.
“Someone had seen his picture and called to him, ‘Hey man, you’re dead! You’d better get over here and dispute it.’
“He did, very convincingly.
“It was great to see him alive again, and we spent the rest of the evening hoping others on the wall would also choose to attend.
“That was not to be, but Aubrey now has a great story to tell his survivors.”
Karen Stassi, of Prairieville, says, “Reading your columns about all the confusion over CATS must have put me in a pet frame of mind.
“When I read a headline across the front page, ‘Southern Lab to offer online curriculum,’ I was momentarily impressed by the superiority of dogs.
“Then I remembered — they are Kittens.”
Cathy Childers says LSU shortstop Austin Nola is a finalist in Lowe’s 2012 Senior Class Award competition:
“This award is presented each year to an outstanding senior NCAA Division I student-athlete who demonstrates great achievement during competition and in the community, while honoring a four-year commitment to his or her university.”
You can vote at http://www.seniorclassaward.com/vote/ every day until June 11.
Our seminar on Reuben sandwiches brought back a memory for Karen Mclin, of Greenwell Springs:
“The best Reubens I ever had were at the old Goudchaux’s on Main Street in their small cafeteria on the second floor.”
All this talk of sandwiches reminds me of the late, lamented Sigmund’s, Baton Rouge’s only New York-style Jewish deli.
It was in the Rebel shopping center area off Florida, operated by a wonderful couple.
My lunch of choice was a pastrami on rye with deviled eggs and a Dr. Brown’s celery soda.
And for a moment, I was in the Carnegie Deli on 7th Avenue …
The Young Leaders Academy hosts its second annual Mother and Son Dinner Dance at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Luke Episcopal Church’s Witter Hall.
There will be a mother-son fashion show, dinner and a photographer for formal photos.
Tickets are $20 for individuals , $35 for couples.
Call (225) 346-1583.
Sponsors are also needed.
Annie issues this warning:
“Do not have cataract surgery! It causes wrinkles in your face, gray hair and weeds in your flower garden.”
Earl C. Johnson says, “Recently I had a colonoscopy.
“On my arrival at the facility, the receptionist-nurse asked for my health insurance card — and a picture ID.
“Do you suppose identity theft has gotten so problematic that there is an imposter problem regarding this procedure?
“Could it somehow be advantageous that, rather than me, some stranger undergo my colonoscopy?
“Perhaps this is some new variety of scam.”
(Yeah, and why do they need a picture of your FACE?)
Contact Smiley by email at Smiley@theadvocate.com, fax at (225) 388-0351 or mail at P.O. Bo x 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.
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