ROAD TO 20

If you haven’t heard, we are celebrating COBBLESTONES’ 20th anniversary on June 22nd.  You are invited.  It is a combination awards-bbq-block party-testimony throwdown, because 20 years in the restaurant business means something–and so many people made this possible!

The proceeds will go the the Boys and Girls Club–our favorite non-profit, doing incredible work on behalf of Lowell’s underserved youth.

Yesterday, we held a planning meeting with some ex and present employees to brainstorm ideas and share some memories.  It was hoot.  Chef Paul Dubuque and friend and former employee Tom Mandile shared many hilarious stories from our past, including;

– Early GM Jimmy Moynihan riding back and forth on the historic trolley, waving at the staff in the window, on a particularly quiet Sunday.

– Founding Chef, the late Ed Zaranski, telling Tommy his chicken soup was great, but it should taste more like “Cambell’s” if he wants it to sell well.

– Also from Chef Z, a faux-tirade sparked by my sticking a magnet on the refrigerator that said “Never trust a skinny Chef”– Ed’s response- “It’s not so funny that I am freaking starving in my own kitchen!”

– Stories were shared of former cook/dishwasher/stoner Doug P who, when asked by Paul how he was doing one day, responded with a growl; “How do you think I’m doing Paul…I’m 40 fucking years old and washing dishes.”  In a not-entirely unrelated story, they recalled the night Doug slipped out the back door to stand in line for Springsteen tickets, and returned hours later to finish cleaning his station!!

Lots of laughs and great material for our bash on June 22nd!  Thank you for coming Denise and Dan L’hereaux and Paul and Tommy and Robin…all who were there since day one twenty years ago, and also, Kim (10 years!), Jocelyn (10 years and onto baby #2!), and Big Jon Bombach, still a great friend to the Stones!