I'm heading out to Vince's Italian Restaurant's Rainier Beach location tonight to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the local restaurant chain founded by my paternal grandfather (pictured above). Read below what Ra Scion of Common Market (also husband of my cousin, Mariangela) had to say about all the anniversary hoopla. This editorial was originally posted at MasslineMedia.com and is republished with permission.

FUCK greg nickels, for real. somebody tell this bucket-head to regain his focus on downtown gridlock and leave the nightclub management to meinert. and if i see construction of one more condo complex, i’mma turn this bitch into bellevue and start topplin’ cranes.

every once in a while, the dude gets it right, though. take, for example, his recent proclamation of september as “Vince’s Italian Restaurant Pizzeria Month;” a bold, gutsy, bi-partisan declaration that will undoubtedly stand as his most noteworthy accomplishment of his entire mayoral tenure. good on ya, greg!!

many of you already be knowin’ that Vince’s is family oriented – and i’m not talkin’ about the bambino pasta option on the connect-the-dots menu. i mean real family. blood; thicker than san pellegrino, but slightly thinner (and a few shades darker) than that delicious marinara.

Vince Mottola Sr. (pronounced “MO-tuh-luh,” not “mu-TOE-luh,” you knuckleheads), founder of your favorite eatin’ spots in rainier beach, burien, and renton highlands, is wifey’s maternal grandfather. i had a chance to meet this man on my first-ever visit to seattle in January of ’97, on the eve of that MONSTER snow storm, at the former queen anne location (currently peso’s). i was ushered first-class to “the back room” and introduced to “nono,” who graciously extended a hand with three full-length fingers and a couple of nubs, which, i was told later were the result of a “cooking accident.” i never questioned the explanation, at least not openly, and i never got a chance to see him again before he passed away the following year.

Vince came to amurka in ’54 directly from napoli (naples is in florida, dummy). with the skill and knowledge he’d gained from working in the catering business back home, he set out to open up a restaurant in the rainier valley – known at the time as “garlic gulch.” the first Vince’s opened up in 1957 at othello and empire way, and even though the original spot made way for some snazzy duplexes (whattup, my dude?) they’re still holding down the folks around the beach to this day.

do the math, genius – it’s FIFTY YEARS of pizza and pasta, and we’re callin’ for a celebration, bitches (edit)! come out to the restaurant sunday night (8824 renton ave south – 6pm) and i’ll personally deliver your pollo marsalla – plus i’ll introduce you to my “nona,” who will sing and dance for you, then kiss you on the mouth. it’s a family affair, family!

I’ll save a spot for you next to nickels…

RA