September 3, 2005
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The Daily News
1 Hurricane Katrina Relief, Update: So on Friday (remember WAY back, Friday?) I received an e-mail from the always awesome Evelyn Huynh, who now works at Yahoo! She said that she could be our direct line to matching funds for the American Red Cross. My room is already set up and has officially made $28, not much, but double that in one day and you have...
2 $56!
3 It's Saturday, d00d!
4 Anyway, it looks as though my room will have a Tree of Hope at the end of the day on Monday, so if you donate, we'll put a leaf on the tree for you. If you wish to donate by check, make the check payable to Evelyn Huynh, (she has to give Yahoo! cash) and send it to Yerba Buena High School, 1855 Lucretia Ave. San Jose, CA 95122, Attn. Bud Harrington. The window of matching funds is usually open for a few weeks, so the sooner the better.
5 You can also stop by my room and donate, and maybe buy a Pepsi, or a water, and also get a leaf for the tree. Any donation at this point shall be matched by Yahoo! Thanks Evelyn, as always!!! And thanks Yahoo!
6 Last Thursday night, my daughter Nicole called and wanted to go for Starbuck's and a chat, which we do regularly. As I was taking her home, I saw a parking spot between Original Joe's, and the California Theatre downtown, two venerable San Jose institutions. I instantly pulled the TOOONDRA into the spot, taking out a GEO Prizm, one tree, a homeless guy, and a parking meter all at once, and parked. Hey, it was a tight squeeze, yo.
7 We went for the classic cheapo Joe's fare, two bowls of Joe's Chicken soup, the best chicken soup since the Creator of the Universe invented soup. Only OJ's instantly improved on both the food, and the service. I was pleased to see our waiter was Ozai Hassan, who clearly was personally trained by the Creator of the Universe.
8 Hassan, as always, served not only soup, but the absolute class that is Joe's signature. He looked right at me, said, "I know you no longer drink, so a couple of coffees?" "Two cokes," I mused. He returned within seconds. "Sorry for the delay," he quirked. "Here you are, two Pinots. This was a good year. Enjoy!" Nicoley broke into a huge smile, which always makes ME break into a huge smile!
9 As always, Hassan delivered not only coffee, but grace and class the entire night. My cup never went down more than a quarter of an inch, and he would fill it as though we were in a Disney cartoon!
10 When we left, our minds and spirits had lifted, and we got back in the TOONDRA, and ended the evening with nothing but laughs and love.
11 That's Joe's, man. That's what Joe's is about. Period. Hassan is the grandmaster, the trainer of the greatest waiting crew in the world.
12 This morning's Mercury News had an article on the Munoz brothers, four waiters at Joe's, all of whom I'm sure most of you who have gone there have both encountered and enjoyed. It's a fun article, and part of the reason for this special edition of the Mercury News. These four brothers from Mexico charm and cheer up everybody they meet, and all FOUR were trained by the irreplicable Hassan.
13 The article talks of famous customers, including Bill Cosby, KISS, Earthquakes president and former soccer star Alexi Lalas, and to David, the third born of the brothers, it was former President George Herbert Walker Bush!
14 David was a busboy at the time, and Hassan had waited on the president. I'll let Merc News' awesome Joe Rodriguez finish the story for you. I thought you might appreciate it on a Saturday afternoon:
..The president and his Secret Service bodyguards
didn't know it, but in the next booth sat two San Jose pimps
and their prostitutes. Who left the bigger tip?
"The pimps!"
15 Well, I just thought I'd shoot off a Special Edition of the DN today, because time is of the essence for receiving the matching Red Cross funds. When I saw the article on OJ's, it simply made sense to send you a bit of a laugh on a Saturday.
Waiter Camerino Munoz, one of O.J.'s best!!
16 That's it!! Have a GREAT day everybody!!! Eat at Joe's!!!
17 Piece.
18 Of cheesecake that is!
