We’ve just lost one of our presidents, Gerald Ford. He was the only president that I had the privilege of meeting.
It’s a sad time and one that brings back memories for me of working for a short time with Bob Barrett, his former chief of staff and then executive assistant, on a magazine geared toward President Ford’s Fifth Annual Invitational Golf Tournament in Vail, Colo. At the time, the magazine needed an editor and that fell to me. It still doesn’t feel like it was a quarter-century ago.
Barrett began working with Ford as an Army major who carried the black leather briefcase,called the “football”,that goes everywhere with a president. The briefcase holds classified nuclear war plans and other matters of government that would be carried out in case of an emergency.
Barrett then served in a Cabinet position. He became such a close friend of Ford’s that he gave up his military career to serve on the president’s staff when Ford left office.
The Fords had a home in Vail and the golf tournament began in 1977 with PGA and LPGA stars on board. Barrett set up Barrett & Associates in Vail, and, in addition to assisting Ford, he decided to put out a magazine. The publication outlined the reason for the tournament, while also presenting Vail’s wining, dining and lodging scene.
Once the job of editor serendipitously came to my door via a mutual friend, I had the privilege of making cohesive use of an opening story from Ford, a few stories from PGA golfers, the history of Vail as told by one of its founders and some peripheral story information written by me.
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Blast from the past: Ford magazine Fifi worked on |
We turned out a 96-page magazine that kept me in Vail for quite a few days at a time in the late winter and spring of 1981. I’ve loved Vail dearly ever since.
Putting the magazine together didn’t mean that I got to spend time with Ford. I only met him twice. I vividly recall our first meeting. He was gracious and warm, and he said to me, “I like your handshake.” (I have a rather firm handshake,perhaps he was expecting something wimpy?) He briefly chatted with me about being from Southern California, the upcoming tournament and the magazine to be.
I had forgotten where the magazine was. I knew it wasn’t in my office and wondered if perhaps it was in my archival library, better known as my garage. Sure enough, there it was among other old memorabilia,a bit of nostalgia for me.
South Coast Changes
Changes are coming to South Coast Plaza.
The incredibly talented and utterly modest chef, Florent Marneau, has left Pinot Provence in the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel.
He will soon open Marche Moderne in the upstairs Nordstrom wing space vacated by Troquet, where he will cook his signature-style, modern French cuisine. His wife, who is absolutely charming, will be the dining room host. They are doing some slight refurbishing before opening.
I want to dispel any fear you might have about what is happening with the food at Pinot Provence since Florent has left. His sous chef of several years, Nicholas Webber, has taken over the executive chef position. Since he’s worked with Florent side-by-side all this time, the food is the same style and quality.
Nicholas will soon tweak the menu just a bit so that he can put a few of his own twists in place. His style, however, will continue to honor the French-California culinary genre. He is just as clever and talented as Florent. I’m happy he has the opportunity to head the kitchen with his own sous chef to help him cook.
A Japanese restaurant will open soon in the space that belonged to Bangkok Four. I think it’ll be called Hamamori. I’ll do more research and keep you posted.
Vie de France will be moving to the Saks wing of South Coast Plaza,a good thing since that space needs a renovation,and Corner Bakery will be taking up residence. More on all of that as it happens.
50829 Debuts
Aubergine in Newport Beach’s Cannery Village is gone. (I think it was way past time to retire that restaurant name anyway.) There’s a new restaurant now called 50829, a play on the address.
Actually the same owners as the last, past incarnation of Aubergine also own 50829. Chris and Dennis Overstreet claimed the Aubergine space and name when the Goodells departed. They ran it for a while, and then closed it. Aubergine once again reopened. I got an e-mail from a young chef a few months ago saying it was regrouping with a salumeria,an Italian style culinary shop for olives, cheeses, processed meats and such,as part of the concept that would soon debut. It did not happen and he’s not in the mix.
Just recently, 50829 emerged. I have not had a chance to eat there yet. As an aside, the Overstreets also own Le Quai in Cannery Village.
50829 is at 508 29th St., Newport Beach. Phone: (949) 723-4150. Le Quai is at 2816 Lafayette, Newport Beach, (949) 673-9463.
