Testo’s Restaurant on Madison Avenue is the epicenter of Democratic machinations where pasta and politics combine for one big happy family. Well, sometimes not. Depends on the day. Fight, yell, scream, maneuver, negotiate, break up, smooch and make up, it’s what they do.
Last week Democratic Town Chair Mario Testa (yes, his last name is Testa while restaurant is Testo, A-O!) was on hand for Mayor Joe Ganim’s $40K love-fest reelection haul at Joseph’s Steakhouse.
Next month it’s the chairman’s turn to raise moolah on behalf of the party. This is where he gets to play Santa Claus in the summer for all the Democratic candidates who’ll be endorsed in July. The chairman’s restaurant serves a nice plate of pasta varietals at affordable prices. Sometimes for fundraising events the pasta comes out in family-style bowls.
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Several ways to eat your pasta: al dente is firm to the tooth; molto al dente slightly undercooked. Then there’s musciada (moosh-ahd) which is limp or soft. You don’t want your pasta musciad’.
And you definitely don’t want to be musciad’ when it comes to the chairman’s event. Be sturdy and write the check. Mario sets several contribution ranges from $50 “friend” to $1,000 “chairman’s circle.” If you join the chairman’s circle you’re escorted to the basement where Mario allows you to hammer his bloody veal into scaloppine pieces superimposing enemies on the meat, a stress-relieving rite of passage. Why do you think Mario has lasted this long?
We understand Mario may roll out a special dish of the day: “No Moore,” in honor of Ganim’s chief reelection rival State Senator Marilyn Moore. That dish will likely be served with tentacles. Mario may even serve a special appetizer called the “Maria Piranha” saluting his political antithesis school board member Maria Pereira. This dish, we understand, packs a lot of bite.
This is Mario’s way of saying see ya on the campaign trail.
Fundraising tip of the day: If you go stingy on Mario, especially when you commit to ponying up, you might require a taste tester. Either that or he’ll call you testa dura.
My guess is the “Chairman’s Circle” requires you be of small, petite stature both physically and mentally in order to join
Everyone has to get naked, put on an apron, hold hands in a circle while they come together in the center of the circle to dip their “meatballs” in a large pot of homemade pasta sauce.
Then Mario Testa will serve all the appetizers and entrees at his fundraiser utilizing that very same pasta sauce to all the suckers that attend.
My guess is some of the Chairman’s Circle will include the following:
Mario “Tiny” Testo
Joe Ganim
Chief AJ Perez
Nestor Newko
John Gomes
Thomas Gaudett
John Weldon
Danny Roach
And plenty of other puppets and sell outs
Hmmmm, no Puerto Ricans and one black, that sounds about right.
Maria , I don’t mean to change the subject but I have a few ? that I feel you can answer.
1- how much more work is going on around Harding. Its surroundings looks so unfinished and half assed.
2- the open lot on the left before the school,what will become off it.
3- I saw that there is something going on behind it all,road,parking. Is that additional parking for the fields
4-i saw the play ground. They have a childs education program? Is it for the kids who have kids and its a daycare?
Haring only received 17 acres from GE. The Construction Manager tried to get 3 additional acres but it was denied.
2) The empty lot is for outdoor concerts as part of the outdoor theatre.
3) Not sure about the additional paving. Bob Halstead has taken on the building of a School Garden at the rear of the building behind the concessions stand.
4) ABCD received a contract to operate our Early Childcare Center which is for BPS students who are parents themselves. This is to ensure students do not dropout and continue their education. Believe it or not, we have a 12 year old student who is also a parent.
Your post had a lot of testicular fortitude.
Creamed Spinach anyone?
Steve A sent me an invitation on FB, I declined.
It’s no wonder that an administration that won’t adequately fund the public schools issued invitations to “a annual fundraiser” when the correct article is “an.”
Marshall attended Grammar Svhool.
Grin,
My parents were strict grammarians.
I run a writing laboratory for foreign exchange students. They often question why so many ‘official’ documents are full of errors.
God Bless Them! Your parents and students. You done good!
It’s all about power and sport for Mario Testa, not what’s good for the people of the city of Bridgeport. This is good old fashioned American greed at its ugliest.
You learn something new every day. Now I know why Derek Brown’s AKA The Bridgeport Kid girl friend used to call him Moosh-ahd.
Hey Frodo, did your finger grow back?
Everyone that was at Joesph’s last week has to pony up again.I would bet Stevie A will be cough up enough to be part of the “Chairman’s Circle” also.He will also be getting all Joe’s drinks that night,running back and forth from the bar..
Harvey, Steve A will definitely be at the “Chairman’s Circle” I mean where else could he be with as much ass kissing that he does plus he guy Anthony Musto will also look out for Steve, keep those meters running.
Joe doesn’t need Steve to ferry drinks….
They have Tom McCarthy’s replacement on the City Council as Testo’s resident bartender. He has to do something in exchange for that retail liquor license he finally received…………………..
The circle will have at least 10 people whether they gave $1,000 or $1.00. Can’t disrespect hiz honor.
The question is will it be a circle jerk or will they just be talkin in circles??
Let’s include the mayor’s brother in the circle.
He recently ruled on sending some one for shook treatment and took over the board of the cemetery because he ah could. Right up their with Joe.
Isn’t it understood for those political patronage jobs you will be at ALL FUNDRAISERS if indeed you like that political patronage job and want to keep that political patronage job?