The greatest radio monolguist was Jean Shepherd, who held forth on WOR for 30-some years. You know him best as the author of the stories he turned into the movie "A Christmas Story," but his legacy is much more than that.
Building on a long-standing Manhattan tradition, Albany had its inaugural ShepFest today, bringing local aficionados out of the woodwork and even luring folks from New York City. Deborah Cote, who owns and runs Jack's Pizzeria on South Pearl Street (right across from the Arena) and is herself a fervent enthusiast, threw open the restaurant on a Saturday afternoon and served several varieties of her excellent pizza.
I didn't stay long enough to see if she added her jerk chicken wings to the buffet, but they alone are worth a visit to the place, where you'll dine in an unusually comfortable room and can enjoy the sight of a real "Christmas Story"-style leg lamp in the window.
Excelsior!
-- B. A. Nilsson
I adore Jacks...it's an Albany treasure!
Posted by: Irina | 04/26/2009 at 03:22 PM