This afternoon I drove into Washington D.C. with my destination being Etrusco restaurant ( used to be Vincenzo's years ago and is still owned by Vincenzo who dashed back to and fro making sure everything went seamlessly ) and a celebration of Michael Downey Selections ten-years of successful wholesale wine business. Michael who passed away a few years ago started the business with his wife promoting small Italian vineyards from the various regions of Italy that went from Piemonte, Friuli, Oltrepo Pavese, Veneto, Tuscany, Umbria and also down into Naples if I am correct. I think so though I may have left something out.
I used to work with Michael ( in the mid eighties ) at the Mayflower Wines & Spirits down on M Streets N.W. there at the corner with New Hampshire Avenue. The law offices of Arnold & Porter were above and we had a blast running it as a team with Michael, Sidney, Iris ( the cashier who would say : What, you only want a half-pint, I spill that much ! " with a smile and a twinkle to her beautiful eyes ), Leon the other cashier, Larry Jennings ( our invaluable delivery man and man-behind-the-scenes, I'd greet him with " Lawrence m' boy " and he'd respond " Quinn m'lad ! " ), Karen ( our bookkeeper ) , Mo Parzoe ( our liquor man who really got me the job when he left Colonial Liquors just down the street where we were both working at the time ), me ( Anthony Quinn ) and an ever-changing cast of other characters and players. These were wonderful years filled with boundless possibilities, discoveries, wonders and serendipitous moments to fill the hearts and souls of many. I will never forget them, ever! I loved working there and learned so much from everyone including Michael.
It is at the Mayflower that I met many of the people that Michael went on to work with : Andrea Fossi ( FOSSI Chianti, Tuscany ), Alessandro Furlan ( FRANCO FURLAN, Friuli ), Elizabetta ( who's family owned VIETTI, Piemonte ) and more. Elizabetta, Allessandro ( Sandro ) and Andrea all came over to learn English and get some American experience ( retail ) under their belts before returning home. They stayed with Michael, Peggy, Shannon and Brennan Downey in North Arlington, Virginia. I got to know them mostly at the store but was fortunate enough to also see them some outside the store. These are some of my very fondest memories. Bridges of trust, respect and friendship were built in these years and they later helped Michael and Peggy get a firm grip in Italian importing that has grown stronger every year and now, ten years later is a well-respected, admired and " good-fit " for many of us out there in the retail or the restaurant trade. I heard a number of really nice complements today as I wove my way through the crowd at Etrusco taking pictures, saying my many " hellos " and just taking in the scene filled with jovial, happy people, relaxed and ready to mingle and enjoy each other's company. Peggy, Shannon and Brennan all shone today. They wore almost continual smiles along with Guillaume ( Shannon's husband ) and Bill McKenny who has been with them since the very start.
I remember one of Michael's first visits to Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( where I manage the wine department ) almost as if it was yesterday. Remember Michael and I go way back and here he came with his beautiful old-vine woven six-bottle carrying basket with a handle filled with intriguing Italian wines for me to discover. I remember two in particular and was thrilled to discover both. I bought both immediately to include in our collection at Cleveland Park ( www.clevelandparkwine.com, sales@clevelandparkwine.com ). One was from Piemonte Italy made with a red indigenous grape that I had never heard of before ( only a few hundred cases are made of this wine in it's entirety! ) called Gamba di Pernice ; and the other was a Friuli red blend from Max of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Refosco ( another indigenous red grape variety from Friuli ) called Ronco Nole. I loved both immediately as well as their stories. Since I am mostly a story-teller these immediately fit into the fine fabric of woven and still-to-be-woven wine stories/selections that I will both carry and sell.
I remember talking to Peggy after Michael's death and discovering many things about him that I did not know : he was a history buff. I knew already about the Checker cars and the music as well as his infinite love of wine, women and food. He was ever the charmer and warmed many a heart his way both male and female. It was that Irish cheer and determination, dedication and warmth. It warmed me many a time as well as often amusing me as well as spell-binding me. When it did not work on me I often saw it first-hand work on others. We shared many exciting times together at the Mayflower Wines & Spirits and often depended on the other in busy times there. It was a pleasure to know and work with Michael most of the time. I hope he would say the same about me. I think undoubtedly that we had formed a mutual respect and admiration for one another, not on everything but more than not. I'm happy to have known him.
So, here on the eve ( it's 11:31 PM chez moi a Annandale, Virginie ) of Michael's sixtieth birthday ( I learned this tonight from his daughter Shannon ) I just want to say that I raise a glass symbolically now ( and will again tomorrow ) to toast you Michael and your fine family and all the memories past. You would have loved this party tonight. It was a beautiful day and night for such a party and Etrusco is a wonderful place to have it. Shannon shared with me that it was at Etrusco ten years ago that she and Guillaume had their wedding party there at Etrusco. Almost in the same breath as I said I knew it as Vincenzo's she said that she had worked there when it was called that. Good history all of it and it makes for a really firm foundation from which to build the future immediate and slowly as it unravels it's red carpet for us to walk down in celebration of , as Peggy wrote : " Good friends, good times and good memories " - and many more still to come as either Shannon or Brennan wrote tonight.
I took many pictures of this fabulous event and will include them soon in another blog for everyone to enjoy.
Driving to Etrusco I wrote four poems to celebrate this event and I will type them here onto tomorrow's blog for all of you to hopefully enjoy.
It's 12:17 A.M. on Monday night, November 17th, 2008 and I have finally added these pictures that I took at Etrusco restaurant that eventful, wonderful Sunday afternoon. My fifteen year-old son helped me and so thanks to him here they are. Hope you like them. They each tell stories and combined they tell even more.
They start and end with the picture of Michael Downey harvesting grapes. It's really a great photo. The pictures of Peggy, Shannon and Brennan through my wine glass I took just before leaving and I think though blurred they are fitting as all this takes place around wine and you can see it in each of the pictures.
Cheers, and HAPPY 60TH MICHAEL! TONY
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