Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Palmetto Christmas

We're celebrating Christmas on Hilton Head Island this year.
Last night we enjoyed the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes at Michael Anthony's superb restaurant.
The feast was served family style and encompassed four courses including baccala, anchovies, mussels, shrimp, calamari, swordfish, scallops and salmon. The various varieties of fish were augmented by eggplant, cannellini beans, spinach, penne arrabiata, olives, capers and potatoes. Dessert featured cannoli, pannetone and profiteroles.
We were seated at a large table for twelve with two other families including Bob and Jane Baranner and their daughter and son-in-law Sammy and Art Hansen, all of Hilton Head.
Bob and Jane are from Altoona, Pennsylvania by way of West Virginia. In Pennsylvania Bob and Jane knew Congressman Jack Murtha when he wasn't quite So Important. In fact, Bob told me that they knew Murtha "when he pumped our gas for us at the neighborhood gas station." And Bob (who later became president of the local bank in West Virginia) suggested that Murtha was better suited to the filling station. Bob and Jane also told us that while in West Virginia they were none too thrilled to be represented by Senator Robert Byrd.
Sammy and Art met in West Virginia when Sammy did PR for the West Virginia symphony and Art carried out the same function for Snowshoe Mountain, a ski resort. Art is an accomplished artist. Check out his web site: hhifauxart.com.
We had a great time chatting with these new found friends and hope to connect with them again when we return to this delightfully charmed island.


No comments: