Zamensky Becomes First Human Robbed By Three Species

When a red-tailed hawk mugged Orange County Pizzeria Mozza manager Doug Zamensky recently, authorities initially thought it was just another robbery in Newport Beach where rampant crime is an accepted way of life. However, when a detective started digging, she discovered this was no ordinary robbery for it marked the first time in the history of mankind that a human being had been robbed by three different species.

"I knew Zamansky had been robbed by humans before, Grape, Rollin 60s, and I think 18, but what i didn't know was that as a youth in Idaho he had been robbed and briefly kidnapped by a pair of jackals," said Orange County Sheriff's investigator Marissa LaBarbera. "It appears Zamensky is known throughout the predatory animal kingdom."

For his part, Zamensky tried to play off a TMZ-leaked security camera frame of the robbery-in-progress (seen below) as being "Staged in the den of an Emmy-winning producer. Not a big deal really."

Sadly, a source close to the investigation said Zamensky was forced at beak point to dress up as a penguin and take orders from the hawk, an alleged bird shot caller for the Family Swan Bloods. Zamensky's hands were so damaged in the assault that even the hawk took pity and wrapped them in large brown bandages, as clearly seen in the photo. Zamensky is said to be resting comfortably at Hoag Hospital in the psychiatric ward.  

Doug Zamansky shortly before he was rescued by Yosemite Fish and Game Commandos

Silverton Irked by Reichl, Tells Her to Leave Van Ness Palace

Despite what you may have heard, the number of words a picture is worth varies widely. Take the beautiful Afghan girl on a 1985 cover of National Geographic. That photograph's worth sixty, seventy thousand words. Other photos, like, say, a shot of Nadia Bohr's nephew awkwardly attempting - and failing - to score a soccer goal probably is good for 12 or 15.

Now, the photograph that accompanies this story clocks in at 507 words, including the caption . Silverton to Reichl at Jar: "Time to Leave. Now!" 

Silverton to Reichl at Jar "Time to leave. Now!"   

The photograph, taken at Jar by award-winning NBC news producer Madeleine Hareringer,  clearly shows an exasperated Nancy Silverton, her patience gone, her annoyance in bloom, and, most alarmingly, her wine red glass removed. 

Look at that photo and you know what Silverton is thinking. 'Fancy Ruth leaning all into Michael, white wine glass right there. Me, I got nothing.' And you can understand why Nancy, at least according to sources, told Ruth to get out. 

Reichl moved into Silverton's Van Ness Palace on January 22 with her husband Michael Singer. From then, up until that photo was taken 41 days later, the two women seemed, in public at least, to get along like a fragrant bouquet of sweet peas. Reichl even won the coveted Nancy Silverton's "Top House Guest of the Month" award in February.  Liz "Go Go" Hong,  a dinner guest at the Van Ness Palace in mid-February, was stunned when she heard that Reichl had been asked to leave. "I had no idea," Go Go said, "They seemed to get along great. Though now that i think about it, Nancy did come down hard on Ruth for making a cake that crumbled."

Van Ness Palace security footage of the kitchen, obtained here, reveals that Reichl made the same Dario Cecchini-inspired olive oil orange cake five times. One, two, three, four, five. Same cake. "No one make the same cake five times with out being ordered to," said renowned pastry chef Sherry Yard.  "I've seen the security tape and Ruth does not look happy."

At one point, after baking the fourth one, Reichl places the plate holding the cake on the edge of the table, allowing Silverton's dog Zeke to gobble most of it. When Silverton returns home at midnight and finds out, she says "She did that on purpose." according to a mouth-reading expert who has seen the tape several times.

But, the final straws were drawn at a Monday night dinner at Jar and a fray became a rip. Reichl hoarded chef's Suzanne Tracht lemongrass chicken, one of Silverton's favorite dishes at Jar. Then there was the debacle with the wine: Reidel Vinum Montrachet glasses of 2008 Marcassin Estate Chardonnay for Ruth; a Cost Plus red/blush wine glass of February 2014 Bastianich Chianti Neo-Classico for Nancy.

A spokeswoman for Reichl would not confirm the writer had been told to leave Los Angeles. "Ruth was gong to leave anyway. She has a novel to promote in New York City. It's called "Delicious'."

Kate Green, Silverton's assistant, tweeted this afternoon on @funwithkate "I hope her book isn't about that cake."

Benjamin Netanyahu and the World's Most Scrutinized Salad

As Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat in the private dinning room of Osteria Mozza late Tuesday night, a dozen stoic Secret Service agents and  Israeli security personal strode through the restaurant, guarding entrances, confiscating some employee's cell phones,   suspiciously eyeing every purse and escorting the hard line leader to the toilet. 

Still, the most intense, person of Netanyahu's entourage was not any of them,  but rather a five-foot, 2-inch, long-haired, 30ish woman who made sure Benjamin's food wasn't poisoned.

"She's good", said an Mozza employee, watching from the across the Mozzarella Bar as she stood next to salad maker Darrell and carefully eyed every ingredient with the concentration of former chess champion Gary Kasparov. Apparently, she was good, Netanyahu and his wife Sara left the restaurant early Wednesday morning on their own power. 

The prime minister's selection of Osteria Mozza was a delicious choice, but also a wise and safe one.  It's located in the LAPD's Wilshire Division which has one of the lowest homicide-by-poison rates in the entire city. 

Still, when asked to rate the performance of the Israeli prime minister's security detail, an agent, speaking off the record, said "I'd give us a 93."

"Why not a 100?"

"You got in."

Israeli prime minister Ben Netanyahu, third from left,  enters Mozza under the Chi Spacca cleaver sign.

The Beautiful Farewell of Sam Benton, The "I'm Blessed Man"

I have attended more than 100 funerals, but save services for my closest family, I have never been more moved at one than I was today for the funeral of a 62-year-old homeless man who was stabbed to death two weeks ago near Nickerson Gardens.

I called him the "I'm Blessed Man" here when I wrote of his  ignominious St. Valentine's Day death on 112th Street and Evers around 6:30 p.m., his body found laying face down, half on the sidewalk, half on a brown lawn next to a chain link fence and a plant. That's what he would say, "I'm blessed",  whenever a lady - the lady who found him laid out - would ask him how he was doing. I was struck how no one I talked to the next day in the projects, the tightest-knit community in town, knew who this guy was. So I vowed to find out.

He was Samuel Lee Benton, Jr., born Nov 4, 1951 and raised in Compton, on Piru Street. He graduated from Centennial High School and enlisted and served in the United States Marine Corps as a medic in Vietnam.  He was well-read, a jack-of-all-trades, a single man eager to help his family and friends. He was a car salesman at Sopp Chevrolet in Bell. But, after he lost that job, he started to skid. He lived in the small homeless encampment near the 105 Freeway and Central Avenue where he panhandled the off-ramps .He was a crack smoker.

And as addled by drugs as he was, Sam would tell anyone who bothered to ask how he was that he was "blessed."

"When i read what you wrote about Sam always saying 'I'm blessed', I thought, yeah, that was my brother," said Dianne Grey a few days ago as she and her sister and daughter reminisced about Sam Benton.. 

But, you never can know a stranger until you go to their funeral.

I didn't know what to expect as I drove toward the funeral at the Simpson Family Mortuary in Inglewood. Would there be only the family I had visited? Maybe Cousin Keith, who I talked to, also.  Maybe a few of the homeless, though i doubted that. So when I pulled into the packed parking lot off Manchester near Crenshaw, I thought maybe there was another funeral going on there as well as Benton's. I even asked someone "Is this for Sam Benton?" It was.. 

Inside the Chapel of Roses were roughly 100 impeccably-dressed family and friends of Sam who shed few tears, perhaps because the shock of the two-week-old homicide had subsided.

Still, on this very rainy day, most seemed surprised, if not alarmed, to hear the words of Sam himself. On a February 28th, nine or 10 years ago, Sam Benton was sitting on the porch of his "Grannies" house on Piru Street when friend and neighbor Kim Curry-Goldsby walked up.

"I want you to read this at my funeral," Sam told Kim, adding "Promise me you'll read this at my funeral,"  Curry-Goldsby promised she would with one condition; That he accept the lord. He did.

Today, Kim Curry-Goldsby, looked back at the American flag-draped coffin holding Samuel Lee Benton, Jr, and made good on her promise. 

"I can no longer afford to be nonchalant about my future. Today will be the day my life becomes on track. Life not is a total bust. I need to make a drastic change. I'm making a mistake only living one day at a time."

Curry-Goldsby went on reading more of Benton's words, then added that the paper was signed "February 28, but no year listed. It was either 2004 or 2005. I can't remember.  Anyway, his funeral was supposed to be yesterday, February 28."

Then the song "Goin' Up Yonder" by Walter Hawkins and Lady Tramaine came on. If ever a song and moment went together, it was right here and now.

"If you want to know  ...    where I'm going...., where i"m going ...soon,........ if anybody asks you....., .where I'm going....... where I'm going....., soon. ......I'm goin' up yonder...... I'm goin' up yonder....I'm going up yonder... to be with my Lord."

Man, I'm not religious but, Jesus, hearing that song in that setting. that got to me. I hope you listen to that song. Here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGBr42HNlKY

After that song, Rev. D. D. Alexander spoke eloquently, not just about Benton, but about the homeless in general. "Sometimes we need to look at a person through their eyes. Sam, in his own way, was successful. Now Sam is done with the troubles of this world."

Others spoke fondly of Sam. "Sam had a lot of love," said a man who would only give his name as Dave. His sisters, his family, his friends would come by the off ramp and give him food, give him some money. They want him to come home, but Sam didn't want to be a burden to anyone." 

His niece Tanisha said her uncle was a good handyman and always there for her when she needed him. "Whenever he came over, I was like thinking, 'What do I need fixing?'"  He will forever be missed. I love you Uncle Sam.". 

One of Sam's sisters, who works near Watts and didn't want her name used, said  "He said he saw some some action in Vietnam, but not a lot. He didn't talk about it. When he came back from Vietnam i was so happy to see him, I just hugged him hard and i didn't notice anything wrong with him."

 Another sister spoke about how it was difficult to know her brother was out on the streets, but she had come to accept it. 

"A lot people, see someone living on the streets and think, 'How does someone's family member end up like that?'", said Benton's sister Dianne Gray. "I still don't understand it. But, Sam, he really was content. He really meant it when he said he was blessed. You're thinking outwardly he looks like a bum. But, inside, deep down he mean it. I heard someone said Sam thought  he was blessed. My brother knew he was blessed.'

And that plant his head lay next to as he bled to death on East 112th Street, four miles from his sister Dianne's home on West 112th., it was a Bird of Paradise. That's high drama, I know. But, it's true .

###

LAPD Criminal Gang Homicide Division detectives Pete McCoy and James Jameson are actively working the case. The coroner's office said he was killed by a single knife wound to the chest. If anyone has information about who killed Sam Benton, call (213) 485-4341.

.

Ruth Reichl Wins Top Guest Award, Singer Cries "Foul"

With a delicious finish. writer Ruth Reichl won the coveted Nancy Silverton Top House Guest of the Month award for February, traditionally one of the most hotly contested months of the year.

Reichl, who spent all of February at the Van Ness Palace. clinched the title at month's end when she bought and brought Michael Krikorian two more pints of the Salt and Straw's Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons ice cream. "It was a lovely gesture," Krikorian said, adding that once Reichl leaves, he might have to get an actual job if he wants more of that $11 a pint Portland-made ice cream. "I know Nancy is not going to step up."

Michael Singer, another Van Ness Palace guest during February, protested the award, saying the pints were technically a bribe since Reichl herself doesn't actually eat ice cream.

"She was blatantly trying to score points with Krikorian to win the award." said Singer, who has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations. "If you review the fucking tape of the entire fucked-up month I was more fucking entertaining than Ruth. I thought my yelling at that anus-hole Matt Lauer and that clown Al Roker was a refreshing way to start each weekday morning."

Singer also noted that he provided some of the only drama of the month by collecting parking tickets and going on yelling sprees, bashing into a parked car with his rental car's side mirror, kicking out a location scout photographer and explaining why he hates Ukrainians. 

"Ruth and Nancy sit around the house talking about restaurants all day, I probably heard the word "Spacca" 95 times. What the shit is a "spacca" anyway? Meanwhile, Krikorian is going on and on about the latest killing in the Nickerson Gardens. Whoa, what a surprise there!. .At least I provided entertainment."

A judge, who spoke off the record, said while the ice cream was a factor, there were other Reichl characteristics that really won her the award, which automatically qualifies her to enter the rarified Guest of the Year competition.

"Ruth had a terrific smile throughout the month, locked herself away upstairs and wrote silently, watched television episodes out of sequence and, perhaps most importantly, never once refused Krikorian's offer of a late night glass of wine or an early morning toast with that good butter."

Still, Silverton herself said it was her dog, Zeke, who gave Reichl the nod over Singer. "Zeke really loved Ruth's olive oil orange cake. He ate half a cake."

Reichl has not commented publicly on the honor, but a source quoted her as saying "I better have won. For the amount of money I spent on ice cream for Michael, I could have stayed at the Beverly Wilshire."

###

Nancy Silverton Top Guest of the Month Winner Ruth Reichl.  On right is Michael Singer in happier times.

Zeke likes this cake

Previous Guest of the Year Award (GOYA) winners

2013 -Sal LaBarbera

2012- Henry Chin

2011- Henry Chin

2010- Henry Chin

Note:; Known as "The Quiet Guest", Henry Chin may still be in the house.

Americans Turn To Turbocharging Ice Cream to Lower Costs

In an effort to combat the exorbitant price of ultra premium ice cream, a growing number of Americans are taking to "Turbocharging" less expensive brands, a move they say significantly boosts flavors levels while keeping overall costs down.

At least two people in the Windsor Square sector of Los Angeles are said to be regularly pouring and swirling a high-end caramel sauce into various Haagen Dazs flavors thereby enhancing immediate gratification, but costing three to four dollars less than current top-rated packaged flavors, most notably the Portland-based Salt and Straw's Sea Salt Ice Cream with Caramel Ribbons, the current 2014 points leader.

The swirling tactic, which is not approved by the National Ice Cream Association (NICA) and therefore not allowed in competitions, has focused almost exclusively on using the warm, nearly gurgling caramel sauce from the pastry kitchen at Mozza in Los Angeles, but advocates say that other additives could be used. 

"Souping up" just about anything is a passion - and livelihood - for millions of Americans who have formed industries on after market items for cars, motorcycles and even computers. That the practice should come to packaged ice cream was inevitable, especially with the high price of elite ice creams. 

So far, sources say the best turbocharging combo has been the Mozza caramel sauce and a pinch of  13 to 17 gros grains of fleur de sel on and into Haagen Dazs' sea salt caramel gelato. 

A spokesman for Flynn Duvall, NICA's long time president, said "so-called 'turbocharging' is illegal in competition and should be. This is the Formula One Ice Cream championships,. not some Sundae competition at a state fair. What's next? Sprinkles? Fuckin' bananas?".

###

UPDATE  Just before Krikorian Writes went to press, Sarah Clark, sommelier at Osteria Mozza and ice cream aficionado, relayed information that Ben and Jerry's had introduced four new flavors, including Peanut Butter Fudge and Salted Caramel, all with a "Core" in the center, their version of turbocharging. 

MOZZA CARAMEL SAUCE

I cup heavy whipping cream, 1 whole vanilla bean, 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter ( ideally Rudolphe Le Menuier Buerre de Baratte), 1 cup sugar, 1/4 light corn syrup

Now, either mix the items all together and cook 'em up,, or go to Pizzeria Mozza, pretend to look at the Mozza Cookbook on display up front like you're seriously contemplating buying it, all interested, but, instead, with a spy camera, snap off a photo of the recipe for caramel sauce located toward the end of that book. And while you're at it, read the acknowledgments.  

You Don't Want Sam Marullo Knocking On Your Door

“If I was laying there dead on some Baltimore street corner, I'd want it to be you standing over me, catching the case.” – Fictional Baltimore PD Sgt. praising Jimmy McNulty of “The Wire”

“If I were ever murdered I would want Sammy investigating my murder because he would exhaust everything possible to bring the asshole or assholes to justice.”   –True LAPD Homicide Detective praising Sam Marullo of Criminal Gang Homicide Division.

###

It would be nice if nobody in town ever needed the professional services of Sam Marullo, but if they did – and, sadly, some will – they will be comforted in their darkest hours by a man fiercely determined to find whoever caused their anguish.

Marullo formally joined the ranks of LAPD homicide detectives last week in a ceremony at the Police Administration Building when one his mentors, detective Sal LaBarbera, pinned him with a detective’s shield.

When Sal LaBarbera first told me that “Sammy is being promoted to detective today”, I was kinda stunned. I said, almost incredulously, “Sammy Marullo? I thought he already was a detective.  

Turns out he was a “detective trainee” for South Bureau Homicide for six, seven years. No one on the streets took him for a “trainee”. Marullo even joked at the ceremony that no one knew he was “an imposter”.

“I’m honored by the position and hope I can live up to the expectations of the greats who have taught me and who worked a much more violent and stressful time. A special thanks to my detectives mentors Sal LaBarbera, John Skaggs, Rick Gordon, Chris Barling, John Zambos, Danny Myers, and Jeff Notle. And to my district attorney mentor , and now judge Joseph Porras.”

LaBarbera saw Marullo’s potential many years ago.

“I know early on that he was the perfect candidate to work homicide, but it took a while to convince him ” said LaBarbera. “He enjoyed the fast pace of field work. We finally convinced him that he could transition his expertise into becoming an outstanding homicide detective.”

One supervisor said Marullo so loved working the streets that he had to be “sat down and guided into doing something different."

“Sammy was doing 90 miles and hour in a 25 zone, “ said Southeast Sgt. Val Valenti, watch assistant watch commander at Southeast who was the OIC (officer in charge) of the gang unit when he supervised Marullo. “He was real stubborn and he loved working the streets. He’s a real hard worker.”

A guy who saw him going that 90 mph, maybe even a 100, was Det. Mike Levant who arrived at Southeast in April, 2000.

“Sammy and his partner, Ben Perez were known for being two hard working officers who always got into great capers usually involving gang members and guns,” said Levant. “I worked with Sammy a few times and there were always high expectations. Every time we went out, we came back with a good arrest.”

Once he did start working homicide, Marullo partnered up with veteran who gave no slack.

“I'm very hard on my partners as I don’t think most cops should work homicide or have the ability to work it properly,” said John Skaggs, current homicide coordinator of LAPD’s West Bureau, who was Marullo’s first partner in Southeast. “But, Sammy adjusted very well as officers with south end gang experience are usually the best to step into homicide. During his first year in homicide we cleared every case we were assigned.”

Skaggs and others praised Marullo because “cares about having open cases, cares about getting killers of the streets, cares about victims and their families.”

“To be successful in homicide you can "never drop the ball", Skaggs said. “When your phone rings you answer it. When the soonest a witness can meet is on your day off, you give up your day off. Sammy understands this.”

LaBarbera said, “Sammy is the kind of cop who was both feared and respected by gang members. He is one of the guys who is going to continue the tradition.”

Det. Sam Marullo, in uniform, with Det. Sal LaBarbera

Will Chapo Guzman Break Out of Jail? And if so, When? Top 10 Mac Park Quotes

This morning I heard that the Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, head of the mighty Sinaloa Cartel, has escaped from a maximum security prison for the second time, Guzman was last seen about 9 p.m. Saturday in the shower area of the Altiplano prison, 56 miles outside Mexico City, according to a statement from the National Security Commission,  Chapo likes to take a shower before escaping. 

This is the article from February, 22, 2014, the day after Chapo was taken into custody. 

In a Los Angeles neighborhood where kilos hurtled from Joaquin Guzman Loera's Sinaloa dope empire landed hard, news that "El Chapo" had been arrested Saturday morning in Mazatlan was met a jaded attitude that nothing will change in Mexico. The vast majority of the 30 people interviewed in and around MacArthur Park thought Guzman would break out of jail.  

Here were the top ten replies to the question "Do you think Chapo Guzman will break out of jail?"

1.  "Yes" - Jorge Garcia, 20,  worker at a smoke store at 6th and Alvarado. When asked "When?" the man smiled and replied "Three hours ago."

2. "Who's Chapo Guzman? You can go now." - A mirror sun-glassed 35ish man sitting atop of table in the Columbia Li'L Cycos 18th Street quadrant of MacArthur Park overseeing a group of 15 cash-clutching men gambling who listened as he spoke and laughed at some things he said. When pushed ( very lightly), he continued,  "I don't even know if it's really Chapo they caught. Last time they said they had him, they didn't. Come back when we know it's him. "

3. "Guaranteed. God is the lord of the sky, but Chapo is lord of the ground." - Alberto Cortes, 27, shopper.

4. "It's no problem for Chapo to break out. Minimum, one week, maximum, two weeks.  Money Money " - Carlos Casllo, 30,  taking time from watching Barcelona play soccer on a television set near the 6th street sidewalk with 19 others  (Barcelona lost 3 - 1 to Sociedad. Big upset, I hear.)

5. "Not this time, He's a headache for the Mexican government." - A guy who looked around nervously when I asked his name. He wouldn't give it up

6. "If the US doesn't push it and bring him here, Chapo Guzman will be free in a couple months. The people in Mexico love him. He builds houses. He brings water and power to them. He brings the needs of the people to the people," Osveli Orozco, 45, owner of a internet cafe/computer repair/shoe repair/printshop/video store.

7. "Two, three months, Corrupt cops will set him free," - Christian Garcia, 19, student.

8. "It might be in the works now," - Patrick, tall, muscular, heavily tattooed 30ish man leaving Bank of America across the street from the park .  "But, if he comes here, he's a goner."

9. "There's no need to break out. He's going to keep running the business from a prison in Mexico. And they won't extradite him - Eric Ayala, 33, manager of a different internet cafe  

10. "I'm not sure how long it will take, but why wouldn't he break out again? What history has shown us with drug lords is you don't know who is working under them.  And Mexico is very corrupt. It's going to be interesting." - Jesse Yaxon, 25, store manager.

### 

When told Chapo Guzman had been arrested, a 30ish white man in Hancock Park walking a boxer and a pit bull said "Is he some kind of Latino pop star?"

Kinda.

David Rosoff Resigns From Mozza; Celebrations Turn Violent

Clashes erupted Tuesday afternoon throughout Los Angeles as pro-David Rosoff supporters clashed with the anti-Rosoff movement after news broke that the controversial general manager of Osteria Mozza had announced his resignation.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti urged the city to be calm, but put the LAPD on a citywide “Tactical Alert” as emergency rooms on the Westside began filling with injured demonstrators, many of them wounded by flying, two-day-old stuzzicinni toasts.

Rosoff, the opening manager at Mozza, had come under pressure to retire or resign from a coalition of woman's rights groups, Muhammad For Tips members, cat's rights activists, Helen Turley, Doctors with Borders, but without Stethoscopes, the Rollin 60s,  OPEC, The  United Oaky Chardonnay Front, MADD, Robert Parker and the remnants of Al Queda in Mesopotamia to step down in face of a growing scandal over his position on whither or not Tony the dishwasher should be rehired.

Rosoff had insisted Tony be rehired, but also demanded three Delta Force commandos be hired to provide himself with 24/seven security. Mozza director of operations Alex Munoz had suggested a compromise where Tony would be rehired, but two of his closest Nine-O Crip homies would provide security for Rosoff.  Rosoff rejected that idea flat out.

Rosoff had become a polarizing figure early in his career at Mozza, which opened in 2006, when he announced he was adamantly against servers dropping and breaking glasses in the dining room. By 2008, he had instituted a strict - some say dacronian - policy where by if any server, bartender, expo or runner broke a wine glass in Osteria Mozza, Rosoff himself would stare at them with utter contempt for up to seven seconds.

Former Mozza employees Megan Tropea, Pilar Arias, Brian Monahan, Nicole Avrin, Murray Rubenstein, Timothy Jenkins, and Daniel Flores all described that as "the longest seven seconds in modern history."

Mozza owner Nancy Silverton expressed surprise Tuesday afternoon upon hearing Rosoff had retired.

"I didn't even know he was still working here," Silverton said.  "Hey, will he still get me cases of red wine?"

Anticipating a drop in business due to Rosoff’s retirement, Erehwon, Gilt and UPS announced they would lay off up to 15% of their workforce.

Rosoff's mysterious girlfriend, rumored to be educated, would not return calls to Krikorian Writes. However, a source close to her said after learning the news on Kate Green's @Funwithkate Twitter account, she began "drinking heavily and mumbling, 'He told me he had a job. He told me he had a good job.'"

A spokeswoman for Mozza CEO Adriel "AD" Lopez would not confirm or deny Will Simons from Rochester, New York would become the new GM. However, a Facebook posting by Simons just hours ago stated he was "dazed". A friend of Simons, speaking on the condition of anonymity, dismissed that and said "It's normal for him to be dazed." 

As night began to fall on the east coast, President Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office.  “These are difficult times for all of us, especially Michelle who loved 'D R', but, we are Americans and we will get through this."

A few advisors and Vice President Biden shook Obama's hand. However, the president apparently did not know his lapel microphone  was still wired on and Obama was heard laughing and saying   "Well, Joe, looks like it's time for some 'Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes' over at Osteria. I sure hope Simons doesn't like Bowie.  Sweet  Muhammad, I'm sick of that playlist."

David Rosoff in his office at Mozza.