A new tradition? Thanksgiving at a restaurant? Buffet at Cafe La Fontana

The door at La Fontana was open and I could not wait to eat my Thanksgiving meal. The buffet was served upstairs.

I plopped the turkey on the delicious cranberry sauce (Ellen got the recipe). Salmon is in the front along with artichoke hearts.

The pumpkin soup was outstanding!

Ellen and I drove over and parked in the empty lot of Produce Junction. Baby, it was cold outside,about 23 degrees.

Second plate included more turkey, delicious stuffing, more salmon, roasted pepper.

Whenever I choose my food I'm aware of the amount of carbs and sugar.

I had one small bite of their candied yams and almost passed out it was so delicious.

"You sure look spiffy," I said to the waiter Michael.

"I feel spiffy," he said, wiping some water off the floor.

Then, amazingly, Michael broke out in song, singing I FEEL SPIFFY, I FEEL SPIFFY to the tune of "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story.

He danced around the entire floor, a few of us joined him - I certainly did - plus a few folks from the table against the wall - very well-dressed young men, including one with a handlebar mustache comme ca:



Pazyryk felt artifact, ca. 300 BC. horseman with moustache and partially shaved head.- Wiki

I ate most of the pumpkin pie and pecan pie, despite the NY Times article that said pecans are in short supply.

How do you pronounce pecans? When I was married and lived in Texas, they said pe-KAHNS and I didn't wanna stand out as a Yankee, which they called me, so I followed suit.

Here in the cultural capital of the Western World - Hatboro and Willow Grove, PA - we call them PEEkans.

I reminded Ellen that when we lived in Cleveland mom used to buy pecan tarts at the various Jewish bakeries we could walk to from 2128 Marlindale Road, Cleveland, 18, Ohio.

New York Bakery, Davis Bakery, Hough (huff) Bakery and Unger's Bakery, which is still there on Taylor Road.

I remember driving home from the bakery with the white bags loaded with:

Rye bread with seeds, challah, pecan tarts, and coconut bars, asking if I could have a teeny little taste of the bread and hoping she wouldn't say, It'll spoil your dinner.

Here are some online sources for nostalgia about the good ole days in Cleveland. I always read them after I 'publish' my blog.

Hungry Browser.

Cleveland Historical Society.

One of the Oldest Houses in Shaker Heights.

The moment I got home from the Thanksgiving Buffet, I jumped on my bike and rode for 25 minutes to lower my blood sugar.

Then Scott came over for a walk. I knew my sugar needed more exercise.

Actually this was taken before Ellen and I left for the buffet. Scott couldn't go b/c his leg and back still hurt. He's healing himself - slowly - by walking.

Am wearing my new shirt I bought in Paris at this place.  

It has patches on the elbows like in Father Knows Best.  

We bundled up and went for a 35-minute walk around the neighborhood, and I do mean bundled up. I wore three sweaters and a long coat, warm scarf and hat.

The cold doesn't care who you are.

Happy Thanksgiving and Chanukah too!