European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Joseph wheat Ort loft and Bernard Malott Ownen of la of to Chez Vous tort Ray Alice restaurant " ". I Funky italianate restaurant with a touch of Alice by Marialisa Calta new York times the display cases Al la fete Chez Vous mass bib crammed Wilh plates of Rabbit slowed with figs and apricots shrimp a la Ginger cheesecake and Almond hazelnut Jacquoise. The tiny Kitchen is filled Wilh the Aroma of freshly baked goods the aka lion is steeped in history nol he history of Norman Rockwell even though he once painted in a studio above the restaurant. Rather it is a history that began Mote than iwo decades ago. When la fete chop Vous was Alice s restaurant. Thai s Alice As in Alice Brock As in you can gel anything you want at Alice s he isi Tain of a .1967nlsongbyarbguthrie.trwsong.afce restaurant massacre details the thanksgiving dinner. That Brock cooked Tor Guthrie and friends and Guthrie s. Al tempts to dispose of the Relusta alter the dinner. The song goes on to describe. Guthrie s arrest on littering charges by the former Slock badge police chief William Obanhein nicknamed officer obey in the song and his subsequent conviction and How the conviction exempted Guthrie trom the draft. Alice s restaurant Guthrie sings a nol the name of the restaurant in is he name o the the restaurant was the Back door and Brock dosed h and opened Anol Herin a hit inc song which sold More than 1 Effion records and was later made into a movie became an anti War Anthem. It has reverberated through two decades Down the picturesque main is col of the Berkshire Mountain town. Ruth re recently made a new recording of Iho song arid is working on an animated television version of the Story. And on a sequel to the 1969 movie. Just alter the original Alice s restaurant massacre became popular longhaired youths locked pestering Obanhein for autographs As he directed traffic hoping Lor a glimpse i Guthrie. Wanting to speak to Brock. Bernard Mallon and Joseph Wheaton owners of a five year old catering business and of la fete Chez i Vous which opened in april Are still hearing echoes of Guthrie s song. People ask us Why we Don t put up a plaque or something said Wheelon 29. To just Don t want to look like we re Irving to capitalize on Alice s rep Lalion Whealon has nol Mel Brock who lives in Provincetown. Mass. Where she is an artist and writer and Cooks occasionally Al a restaurant. Mallon however worked Wilh her Lor several years at another restaurant Alice s at Avatock in nearby Lenox Mas so did Florence Benner. Who recently returned irom the West coast to work As what Whealon Calls Mother in residence at la Fate Chez Vous. To flyer Bruenn a Friend of Guthrie and Brock who acted and Sang in the movie is Bach now Al 45, As Iho res Laurall s bookkeeper i was in my 50s," Benner recalled a housewife on the verge of a divorce. My daughter was a waitress Al Alice s and she encouraged me to apply. Alice was wonderful it was the Best Lime of my Mallon 48, Soli spoken and Friendly began his cooking career helping the nuns who raised him in an orphan Geln spark Hill . Brock however taught him How to keep an inventory of fresh produce and How to organize a Kitchen. To worked our tails Oft. Bul in was Sti Hun he said. Brock Lor her Patt said she is delighted that Mallon and his partner have taken Over. It s their space now she said in a Telephone interview. I m sure they la be was never comfortable she said Wilh the lame the song and movie brought her. In my life As a restaurant Overlook press 1975 Sho wrote of diners begging for autographs and otherwise harassing her. I think 1 was a Symbol of things Lor people even before the song Brock said in a husky voice after the song i go really As a restaurateur. Brock broke ground in the berkshires she was a Preal Cook and made fabulous -1" Guthrie said she made the Tirol phyllo pastries. Thai was not part of my Bohemian past. And she Mado a great chocolate mousse. She a so made pasta dishes Liko orzo with mussels in while wine and homemade borscht when such fare was Mallon and who Aton Are uttering food in the same tradition devising dishes like curried pasta Wilh Lamb meatballs smoked Chicken in Cranberry Chutney and Squash soup Wilh sparkling wine Bui they have changed the took of Hie Tislau Siim which was crowded with Small wooden Booths and a counter when Brock ran it and Hava added Arches and marbleized accents. There Are Ihrcke Small Marble tables for dinners. Other customers take the food out. It s an attractive room and a Lun said one Patron Alfred Gelland of Westfield . His wife. Naomi called the Stylo Funky italians be " and what of Olicer obey Obanhein now retired said he Stilt keeps in touch Wilh Gulf re no lives with his Wile and children on an estate in nearby Washington mass., end with Brock both of whom he Calls Good people. You he said recalling that in 1965, if it had Only been a couple of bags of garbage i would have picked it up Erma Bombeck my 78-year-old Mother recently celeb Jiff her soil wedding anniversary. Amid the Gills of bowls and Silver trays and the cares depicting i to bluebirds flying into the Sunset she confided to Ino that what she really wanted was an overnight of a a vegas i have Boon to Las vegas with Mother she is Rol Gambler who would bet on ths.1 the Pope working four sundays in we Sel out to answer the question was it to Ihle Lor a woman who could count up to Queen Kiny and Aco by the time she was 3 to find happiness with n daughter who once ripped the lining out of a pure looking for. A Coupon for 10 cells Oil cat Lood a lion she did t even own a cat while she was wailing Lor lha plane a Man gave Mother hts Seal redid this because she walked with a Limp and her right Arm brushed the ground this condition in caused by $80 Worth of quarters in her handbag. Ii they kind of Money i was said they d probably comp a room for us As she charged from the plane in Las vegas she cupped her hand to her ear and listened to the of the Slot. Machines they re playing my song she smiled -. You have to know about the sounds o vegas. There is a Rne Lauray below each machine whore the corns drop your winnings i fort l know inv they do this bit when a Quarter drops in it a Iray it sounds like a Jel just buzzed your House. Two quarters sound Likora. Demolition Ball just loll on your car,.three quarters give you the decibels of a spacecraft being launched and tour quarters will make you pass Oul ram the pain gambling changes my Mother physically her dissipates every Lima she reaches up to pull the lever her body requires no food or drink to function her kidneys develop the capacity of iwo basketballs. This is what enables Harlo insert quarters into the slow machines Al the rate Oil 45 coins every minute. .--.". Wee Houis Olmo morning i said mom maybe to could try Hoover dam and she. Saidis it on he strip. As i redeemed my coupons for free Fri rep cocktail that i clipped Oul of the airline Magazine mom selected tier and gave them Toa runner in Black stockings and Short skill. Then she emptied Oul her. Cure cup of coins she had the same look on her lace As Albert Brooks in lost in America when his Wile lost their nest egg i hate to say she said bul i m Down to playing Nickel machines she played and lost her last Nickel Al the Airport. -. Shews Quiel on Ilie trip Home. Al the terminal i inserted a Coin in the phone dialled and handed it to i said brightly i won Here s dad i in t the same she said. Page 16 the staffs and stripes saturday december 31,1968
