What's New?
We have gift cards!
TShirts!

Online store coming soon.

PRIVATE ROOMAvailable for small groups of 25-30 people.

FREE PARKINGPlenty of parking in our lot across the street.

A Pleasant Experience

Thank you to Frank Sullivan of the Bulletin for his kind words found below about the Pleasant Cafe and our staff.... His article reads....

"In New England, we are accustomed to unpredictable weather. We can handle the highs and lows that surprise, frustrate and otherwise help us face uncertainty.

Yet, these days, from Boston, to Washington, D.C. to Sacramento, Calif., there is a curious apprehensiveness. Joblessness is on the increase. Foreclosures are at an all-time high. Interest rates are inching where we don't want them to go. Gas prices increase just as you begin planning a trip to the Cape or New Hampshire and Maine; perhaps drive to Camden Yards to catch the Sox against Baltimore. A balancing act that would defy the Flying Wallendas is required to pay the rent, mortgage, tuition and taxes. The battle rages in Iraq. Afghanistan is more dangerous than ever. Congress is not nearly united as they should be when it comes to our active military and those who come home bewildered and betrayed. Nevertheless, rely on faith. Have hope. We need not believe these times are so difficult. Our perspective determines the extent of our complicated lives. As Charles Mingus said, "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."

I have a complicated matter on my hands. You may have noticed that my column was missing for two weeks. Okay, so you didn't notice. No offense taken. For the 15 of you (counting my family) who were wondering where I've been, how's this for making things simple?  I might give up writing this column. It is not that I no longer enjoy it. The creative process is my love. However, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor suggested a wise Latina woman would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male. That is why I was forced to take a look in the mirror. There I was, a pale white male, of American Indian and Irish heritage. How can I continue writing and reach good conclusions?

Is it mere insecurity, or should I tell my editor and publishers to place an ad seeking a female Latina columnist? It's a stretch, but I have much in common with Sotomayor. We were born a year apart. Neither of us, having lived in public housing, are surprised that successful people arise out of the brick jungle known as "the projects."We both think quite highly of Latina women. We both value education. We respect diversity of opinion as well as the legal system.

To face this conundrum head on, I kept it simple. I thought about life's blessings like Mike and Kathy Nasson recently becoming the proud and excited parents of Ava Rose Nasson. Mike is the Centre Street, Roslindale Shell Station proprietor par excellence who, during freezing dawns or maddening muggy dusks, greets customers while wearing his varied shorts and his contagious smile. His lovely wife, Kathy, works hard at both Blue Cross/Blue Shield and as a popular, gregarious waitress extraordinaire at the renowned Doyle's Caf in JP, where grandpa Gerry awaits the arrival of twin grandchildren.

So, that's how I handled my decision. I went out and enjoyed the company of my wife and children. That is where the "Pleasant" in the headline of this column comes in. We sat in Roslindale's famed Pleasant Cafe, enjoyed the food, the service, the entire experience. The staff and the customers are diverse, not by design but by nature. A wonderful Latina woman, a mother of two, who commutes there from East Boston and has worked there for as long as we've been treating ourselves to its food and atmosphere, was there again, smiling, working. Everyone, from the owners to the waitresses, cooks and bus staff, magically makes the experience "Pleasant." Then, there is that curious occurrence of seeing so many familiar faces sharing in the "Pleasantry."

So, do you get my point? Of course not, that's my point. Perhaps a Latina woman would do a better job of reaching a conclusion in this space. For now, I'll keep the complicated simple and just say, "Have a "Pleasant" day."

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Prime Rib!
What's New?
We have gift cards!
TShirts!

Online store coming soon.

PRIVATE ROOMAvailable for small groups of 25-30 people.

FREE PARKINGPlenty of parking in our lot across the street.