The Parkway Bakery in New Orleans gets a Big Surprise!~

[Cha]

<snip>

"Jay Nix usually takes off on Sunday, but he was working this past one when the president of the United States and his family suddenly showed up for lunch.

"I'm still pinching myself," Nix said on Monday morning. "My arms are all red."

The Parkway Bakery & Tavern owner said his fiance, Sandra Kruse, had called him a couple of times to tell him about odd goings-on in the neighborhood with state troopers and police vehicles. Then, a call came that President Barack Obama and his family were on the way to eat there.

"I couldn't believe it at first," Nix said. "It doesn't register right away. I wasn't really remembering that he was in town Sunday" for the fifth anniversary of Katrina. "It wasn't 15 minutes later he came strolling in with his family."

<snip>
"He was shaking hands and asking us "How's it going?'" Liaw said. "It was pretty awesome, actually. Everyone was excited." (Fortunately, he added, his friend who ordered the notoriously messy roast beef po-boy hadn't started eating it yet when the president suddenly was there shaking their hands.)

<snip>

"Jay Nix said his nephew, Justin Kennedy, who is manager of Parkway, went to the Saints preseason game on Friday night and afterwards went to Luke on St. Charles Avenue and got coffee at the bar. He struck up a conversation with a guy who had his two kids there.

The guy told Kennedy he was a cook at the White House, and the two chatted at length.

Sunday, when a Secret Service agent went into the kitchen to watch as the meals were prepared for the First Family, Kennedy recognized the so-called White House cook."

"They saw each other and cracked a big smile," Jay Nix said.

<more>
http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2010/08/parkway_bakery_plays_host_to_p.html


I love this story.

[JuniperLea]

1. That is so cool!!

I remember seeing the pictures of it being underwater... good to see it back, and good to see the Obama family enjoying that little slice of NOLA.

I had a thought last night! I need to track down my baby book... it's in one of the many bookcases around home... somewhere. In it is a letter to my mother from my great grandmother wherein she's asking how the "baby girl" is doing and thanking Mom for the pictures of me she sent. I remember seeing a return address... I want to Google map it and see if there's a street view. It would be interesting to see if the old place is still there. I have tons of B&W photos.

My heart goes out to NOLA...

[Cha]

2. Good hunting on your baby pics..

Was the return address from New Orleans? :)

It is a lovely Obama surprise story..I know from his history how he loves to surprise people.'

Surprise! B-)

[JuniperLea]

6. Yes, the return address was from New Orleans...

She was one of the last family holdouts in the South. She couldn't even think of leaving.

I love his surprises! Wouldn't it be cool to catch him in your neighborhood? He comes to Los Angeles every once in a while, and I keep hoping! I think he needs a French dip at Philippe's or Cole's;)

http://www.philippes.com/

http://colesfrenchdip.com/

Or perhaps a pint of Guinness and a plate of boxty at Casey's... one of the few places around here where you can actually get a good boxty! (And it's a block from my office... I could get a boxty and a pint, rub elbows with the Prez, and get back to work in one lunch hour. I know... vivid imagination!)

http://www.bigcaseys.com/

Ok... I've put it out to the Universe... :rofl:

[azmouse]

3. The Obama family eats some great food!

Wish I could have some of that too! :9

[firedupdem]

4. How cool is that?

I bet Mr. Nix is really glad he didn't take this past Sunday off!

[quiet.american]

5. Can you imagine just going out for a bite to eat - and in walks the Obamas.

This would be me:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :toast: :toast: :toast: :hi: :hi: :hi: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :grouphug: :grouphug: :fistbump: :fistbump: :fistbump: :fistbump: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: