As I Was Saying....

In my recent annual report to you all, I cryptically mentioned that I "Am preparing remarks for my participation in a swell historical/literary salon in January. "


Well it's been formally announced so I can gush a little now.  I've been invited to take part in:

LAVA Salon at Musso & Frank featuring Dan Fante

    Click the above for complete info 

An entire evening at the most historically rich address in Hollywood!  During the 1 hour cocktail/mingle portions both before and after dinner is when I step into my role (the role I was born to play) of on-site roving historian to chat Old Hollywood with the attendees.

LAVA (Los Angeles Visionaries Association) was founded and is facilitated by my amazing friends Kim Cooper and Richard Schave of Esotouric bus tours.  They are sweet and kind mentors to me and two of the most interesting people one could ever meet.

For more on "Musso's"  go here and here.

It is nothing short of astounding to me that, in this day of maximizing 'progress', one can walk into a place and dine where Garbo dined!

This is table #1 -- it was Chaplin's booth.

Meet Ruben Rueda, he of the legendary maritinis.  He has worked at Musso & Frank since 1967.  He has served everyone from Orson Welles to Raymond Burr to Bing Crosby to Mick Jagger to Johnny Depp.  Hell, he's driven Charles Bukowski home when he was too drunk to walk and thrown out his buddy Steve McQueen for being too rowdy.  Yet when I'm there, he treats me like a king.

Meet Mark Echeverria, a 4th generation family member of Musso & Frank.  He is the Proprietor/Manager.  You couldn't find a nicer or a more historically minded custodian of it's legacy.  For me Mark has been more than generous with his time and access to the restaurant, the kitchen, the offices upstairs....

.....even the rooftop!!!!