2/18/2008

A Post-Strike Strategy: La Bruschetta Celebrates the End of the WGA Strike

On Sunday, from Noon-4:00pm, Angelo Peloni, the owner of La Bruschetta Ristorante, in West LA, celebrated the end of the strike by hosting a buffet lunch for any writer who wanted to stop by. A tradition he started back in 1988 when his friend George Kirgo was the President of the WGA, Angelo and his wife, Susana, generously opened their kitchen and sent out platter after platter of antipasti, pasta and meat dishes, and dessert.

Throughout the strike, restaurants around town supported writers by offering discounted meals. On Wednesdays, Campanile had a Writers' 3-course prix fix dinner. The Backstage Bar gave writers 15% off all food and spirts. A handful of restaurants went even farther and proved there can be such a thing as a "free lunch." The Utopia Cafe in Santa Monica, like Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, gave a free meal to strikers. Barney's Beanery had a beer and bowl of chili for tired writers who stopped by after picketing.

At United Hollywood we're pleased to acknowledge all those restaurants that supported writers during the strike. We honor them and thank them from the bottom of our hearts (ok, stomachs).

4 comments:

Jake Hollywood said...

Speaking only for myself, I hope post strike that everyone who enjoyed the support of those eateries and other places, continue to patronize those fine people.

I know I will.

Ashley Gable said...

And props to Drew Carey -- he was the one covering the tab at Bob's and Swinger's, on Beverly.

mheister said...

Thank you Angelo!!!

In addition to other eateries mentioned offering discounts, Sharkey's just off Hollywood Boulevard offered picketers a discount the Saturday of the big unity march as well.

Marjorie said...

Just want to give a shout out to STROH'S DELI on Abbott Kinney in Venice. Jason Stroh gave a discount with a WGA card and frequently just wrote off writers' coffee or snacks. He also fed free lunch to the whole location team when we were picketing "Four Christmases" in Venice. Great guy, great deli. Thanks.