Paul Weissman serves up a remembrance of things pasta

Paul Weissman has the best resume of anyone at the State Capitol: He's a manager at the Blue Parrot Restaurant, the Italian joint in Louisville where he also bartends. And this isn't just any Italian joint: The Blue Parrot has been open since 1919, and is owned by the Colacci...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 3, 2010

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Paul Weissman has the best resume of anyone at the State Capitol: He's a manager at the Blue Parrot Restaurant, the Italian joint in Louisville where he also bartends.

And this isn't just any Italian joint: The Blue Parrot has been open since 1919, and is owned by the Colacci family -- members of which once also ran Colacci's, another classic Italian joint that closed more than a decade ago. (Its longtime home on Main Street became a Pasquini's and is now the Empire Lounge & Restaurant.)

But the Blue parrot is still going strong. Owner Joan (Colacci) Riggins has worked at the restaurant since 1970. She's part of the third generation of Colaccis to live in Louisville, and the fourth generation is now helping to run the restaurant.

And thanks to Riggins and Weissman, House Democrats got a taste of history yesterday at their caucus luncheon, when they were treated to a pasta meal from the Blue Parrot, complete with bibs so none of that "tangy spaghetti sauce" spilled on their legislative garb.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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