Mario Lanza Luncheon

Another luncheon of the Mario Lanza Society of New York took place yesterday at Patsy's Restaurant in Manhattan from 1-4 PM. We had our own private area upstairs, and it was wonderful to meet so many Lanza fans. The lunch included a choice of salad or a flavorful lentil soup; a choice of Chicken Parmigiana, Rigatoni, Salmon, Cannelloni, Eggplant Parmigiana, or Sausages Parmigiana;and a gigantic slice of Viva Mario Cake ( a lovely puff pastry and cream creation), frosted and decorated elegantly. There were also coffee and a cash bar. During this sublime repast, we were welcomed by President Bill Ronayne, we were treated to arias and songs sung by Raffaella Lo Castro and Giuseppe Taormina, and we heard recorded highlights from the career of Elaine Malbin, who was in attendance. What a treat it was to see her in person. We also listened to some splendid Lanza recordings. It was a sensational afternoon, and I will look forward to the next one, as well as the Lanza Ball in November