Nick Pellegrino has long been a man after my own heart. In addition to the fabulous food, entertaining ambiance and outrageous fun of an evening at his weekend Mangia Nashville Italian feasts at 701 Craighead St. in Melrose, Nick appreciates that some patrons of a certain age (like me and him) also like to be in bed as soon as Colbert finishes his monologue.
That doesn’t make us fuddy-duddies. It just means we need more beauty sleep than we did in our youth, back when a disco nap was all that was necessary to refuel for a night out. So I want to thank him for planning a special edition of the Mangia party for Thursday, June 26, from 6 until 9 p.m., which he’s calling Retro Danceville.
For the uninitiated, a dinner at Mangia is a multicourse affair with a lively Italian soundtrack and a continuous loop of The Godfather running on TV screens in the background for ambiance. (Aside: I’ll never forget my Nfocus compatriot Janet Kurtz giving a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended a private Mangia party for her birthday at the exact moment when the Corleone family evens the score on the big screen TV right behind her. Sorry about that eye, Moe Greene!)
A highlight of any Mangia event is the dancing between courses, often led by Pellegrino playing percussion on pots and pans or kicking off a raucous conga line winding through the restaurant tables.
Nick says that he has been asked by feast aficionados for “more dancing, and make it early!” He’s obliging with Retro Dance pop-up, where a live DJ will be spinning the wheels of steel, playing the hits of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s to keep the dance floor filled. This all-ages event is all about the music, so there will be no feast that night. But the bar will be open to those of age who wish to partake while they boogie down. Nick promises some drink specials that evening, and if the event goes well, who knows? This may become more than just a one-time pop-up.
Grab your tickets in advance for less than $20 at the event website, put on your boogie shoes and bell bottoms, and get ready to dance the (early part of the) night away!
