Gosh I almost forgot to tell you about Coppola’s Restaurant and President Richard Nixon. It all goes back a beautiful day in October 1971. President Nixon’s younger brother Ed came to a luncheon to address Dutchess County Federation of Women’s Republican Clubs at our restaurant, Coppola’s on 273 Main Street. It was a crazy day in Poughkeepsie! Not only was Coppola’s Restaurant surrounded by protesters but also the campaign headquarters on New Market Street, outside Coppola’s students were dressed like “grim reapers” to dramatize their protest of the war in Indochina. The leaflets they handed out were titled “Six Million Victims.” One student was even bound to a cross. It was quite a scene as Ed Nixon left the restaurant under guard with police escorts to a limousine. Yes, Coppola’s Restaurant shared a headline with Nixon the next day in the Poughkeepsie Journal. Despite all the protests in Dutchess County Nixon went on the win a second term of the Presidency.
July 6,1983 I waddled over to Coppola’s Restaurant for a chance to meet Pres. Richard Nixon. This time instead of his little brother Ed, Pres. visited Dutchess County. He was warmly greeted as he toured Franklin D. Roosevelt home and library. He later went on to have lunch at Coppola’s Restaurant. I wasn’t going to miss the chance to meet the President. I don’t know what I was thinking but in July 1983, I was pregnant with my son Joe and I wasn’t hiding. There I was front and center. I mean how can anyone not notice me as I stood there waiting for a chance to shake hands with Pres. Nixon. Of course, he right away noticed!!(Really how can you notice anyone else since I took up all the space.) I didn’t even have to ask as I stood there proudly holding a pen. The President wondered if I knew what the sex of the baby as he addressed the autograph to Baby Morgan, Best Wishes from Richard Nixon.
But that didn’t end our dealings with the Nixon Presidency. Later on that year, December 28, 1983, G. Gordon Liddy, (he served on the Nixon administration involved in the White House “plumbers’ unit to control the leaks from the White House), came to have dinner at Coppola’s Restaurant, 825 Main Street. As he sat at table 51 (a quiet table for 2) he enjoyed a delicious meal and gladly autographed a menu.
As you can see…I have been an avid collector of autographs through the years. Hahaha… and also not at all abashed to waddle to all these 1983 events….