October 24, 2008

I love those nights in Rocca when I find myself standing at a table chatting with a group of guests, feeling like I know them but not quite remembering how, only to hear the story of the night they got engaged in my original restaurant, Michela’s. Or that their daughter celebrated her batmitzvah there and now they are having a quiet family dinner toasting her passing the bar. Or (and this one makes me blush) after a wonderful dinner in the caffe at Michela’s, they went home in a restaurant-induced amorous haze and here they are celebrating their daughter’s 21st birthday with her first legal restaurant drink.

Rocca is young still, but we have already celebrated several momentous events. Gus and Arlette slipped in and had a quiet dinner for two on their 40th anniversary. Gordon, the poster boy for 60 being the new 50, celebrated his birthday with an elegant, black tie, multi-course dinner with many friends. For Matt and Brian’s engagement cocktail party, we concocted a couple of signature drinks, the Bratt and Gone to Bermuda, which served them well in their fresh and loving toasts.

People have many different ways in which they want to mark events, with a quiet dinner, a big bash or something in between. When it is all over, the most important thing for us at Rocca is that the next day over breakfast you’re filled with that great feeling that tells you that you and everybody you were with had a memorable time. And ten years from now, sitting around reminiscing, someone is going to ask you, Gary, whatever became of that mustard yellow zoot suit you wore to your 50th birthday party. That was a party! And that was a suit!

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR ROCCA RUNDOWN BLOG