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After months and months of almost blood, and certainly sweat and some tears, Art and John Tsombanos, principals of Limnos Enterprise, treated the community of Wethersfield to a pre-opening open house party on the evening of October 14, 2002.
What took place in those months of travail may be the subject of another report by Wethersfield.net. However, today, we allow you our visitors to sample some of the succulent joy and festivities offered by Art and John and savored by their friends and fellow Wethersfield citizens that evening.
For those so inclined, at the end of this article, follow the links to Wethersfield.net coverage of Art & John's earlier plans for this now open new restaurant in the heart of Old Wethersfield. "Village Tavern" restaurant resides in the Deming - Standish House right across Main Street from their concurrent "Village Pizza" restaurant, where for years the hearty fare has fed frequent, return customers and endeared locals to the Tsombanos brothers.
Art and John solicited names for the new restaurant from family, friends and customers. After much deliberation they decided that the suggestion made by Cindy Clancy was the best: "Village Tavern" (or Village Taberna>. She had also suggested "The Village Trapezi" (The Village Table) and "The Black Bird Pond House?" A list of other suggested names submitted to Wethersfield.net, and hence provided to the Tsombanoses, is linked below.
And now, join the crowd - again.....
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Signing Guest Book |
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The Lobby |
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Tap Room for 12 |
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Paul Courchaine (Rt) |
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1. Just inside the entrance to the new Village Tavern restaurant visitor to the open house signed a guest book. Overlooking the crowd is one of the lunch time hostess Robin Garofolo and behind her dinner time hostess Joanna Mach. To the rear is the central staircase to the second floor.
2. Upon that central staircase looking down: the lobby is filled with arriving, milling and departing visitors (main entrance/exit straight ahead).
3. In the tap room: an eager crowd of about 30 people far exceeds the to be imposed limit of at most "10 to 12" patrons mentioned in the ZBA (Zoning Board of Appeals) stipulation earlier this year.
4. Old Wethersfield resident Paul Courchaine, current president of the Wethersfield Village Improvement Association, samples a wine from those that will be stocked by Village Tavern when it officially opens.
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The "Cove Dining Room" |
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"Cove Dining Room" again |
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Wellwisher & "Art" |
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Ed & Mayor Czernicki |
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1. In the "Cove" dining room (NW,1st Flr), sampling the hors d'oeuvres are former Town Councilor Dick Sparveri (Lt) and Mayor Kitch Czernicki with former Wethersfield Mayor Betty Rosania (Ctr>. Items from the V-Tav menu were offered for sampling, tasting and savoring.
2. This additional view of the "Cove" room reflects the enhanced interior decorating on the ground floor of V-Tav: the historical molding is highlighted in white offset nicely by a light tan wall and featuring attractive, opaque, vertical accordion curtains. Simple yet elegant.
3. A visitors is greeted and engaged in lively conversation with "Art" (Athanasios) Tsombanos who is a partner in this new venture.
4. Retired police officer Edward Czernicki and his wife, the Mayor, Kitch Czernicki circulate among the rooms and the guests enjoying the good times, good food and good people offered by the open house at Village Tavern. They are in the "Standish" room, most accessible room (NE, 1st Flr) for people with ambulation disabilities. The fireplace works.
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Central Stairwell |
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Medium Party Room |
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Craig, Harriet & Chris |
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Semi-Private Room |
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1. The picturesque central staircase of wood and white is enhanced now with improved lighting and augmentation with off-white walls. This will no doubt serve as a focal point for future photo opportunities for guests of the Village Tavern
2. The medium sized dining room (SE, 2nd Flr) as seen beyond the top railing around the central staircase, will be potentially sunny, bright room for mid-day gatherings.
3. (L-R) Craig Masson, Harriet (Mrs. Art) Tsombanos and her son Chrisopher on the landing in the central staircase chat. Chris has already been working hard with the rest of the family both here and "across the street" at the Village Pizza restaurant. Craig is husband of Nancy Masson, Wethersfield Post reporter - photographer who was busy herself elsewhere covering this event.
4. A happy crowd of guests tries out the other dinning room found at the top of the central staircase (NE, 2nd Flr). A new chest-high partition (not shown, but of matching wood and white style) provides a little more privacy and focus for this delightful dinning room; see next picture.
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Semi-Private Room too |
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"Coffee Cop" & Daughter |
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Bob Östrand & friend |
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Dr.&Mrs.Murphy,Art,Curran |
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1. To physically and visually better define this dining area (NE, 2nd Flr), a white and wood partition was added. I also provides a protective backing for the comfortable "bench" seating that some more relaxed diners prefer. The butcher block tables and firm, high seating round out the relaxed feeling in this room.
2. Retired police officer and now coffee service entrepreneur David Coursey is seen here with his business partner, his daughter Shannon. "Coffee Cops" provides the cups of brown sunshine at Village Tavern.
3. The man of mystery and hidden talents, Bob Östrand relaxes with a friend. Bob provided technical assistance to Art and John during the outfitting of V-TAV. Seen by many and really known by few at Village Pizza, Big Bob is a quiet man of many interests and skills.
4. Around the table: retired, local, physician Dr. Murphy, Art, Barbara Curran (one of the Murphys' children) and Mrs. Mary Murphy. Gemütlichkeit - Greco-Irish style.
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Friends & Judy Keane(Lt) |
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"John,"Sander,Coursey |
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"The Main Street" Room |
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Forrest & Odel |
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1. Over the heads of Art and Dr. Murphy, Judy Keane (seated right with jacket) enjoys the evening with some friends and family.
2. (L-R) Ioannis "John" Tsombanos, celebrates the opening with Old Wethersfield friend Tony Sander, and David Coursey at the edge of the "Main Street" dining room on the western side, second floor. We could tell that it was a great evening; right, guys?
3. (John to the left) A view of the crowd in the northern half of "The Main Street" dining room on the second floor.
4. Teachers Donna Forrest and Mary Odel chat in "The Main Street" room with (off camera) Mary's hubby Fred Odel (featured, among many, in Wethersfield.net's coverage of Unico 2002's Macaroni Dinner preparations).
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"Kendall" |
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Hostesses Robin & Joanna
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NB: Chronological links to Wethersfield.net articles on Art & John Tsombanos, Village Pizza, closing of Standish House, and opening of Village Tavern:
·The former "Standish House" Restaurant Closes
·Art & John's Early Plans
·Suggested Names for New Diner
·Way DSH was Before Interior Redesign
·Open House at Village Tavern
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1. Kendall will be enjoying his first glass of wine at Village Tavern when V-Tav is celebrating its 19th anniversary. His friends will probably call him "Red."
2. Robin Garofolo (Lt) will serve as the lunch time hostess in the lobby of Village Tavern. The dinner time duties of hostess will belong to Joanna Mach.
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