By Kevin Chiri

Met some friends at Belle Terre Country Club’s restaurant last week and have to pass along a simple bit of information.

The food there is pretty terrific, and it looks like the word is getting out!

I understand that the Ciao Bella Restaurant has added a new chef recently, turning the kitchen leadership over to Michaela Allen, who comes to town with experiences at the Hilton Gardens Inn, Olive Gardens, Wyndham Hotels, and Semolina’s.

Now don’t get me wrong, I always thought the food there was good, but I was especially impressed the other day with something simple, like their regular daily buffet. And for that matter, I have always thought the food was very good, and it was one of LaPlace’s better kept secrets that owner Tim Duhe kept trying to make less of a secret.

They have a buffet each day so business folks like myself can get in and out quickly. And guess what? Apparently the buffet, and the great food that is being served, must be catching on by locals like myself.

The lunch room dining area was almost full, and you can tell that Ciao Bella is slowly building a solid reputation in the community.

What I really noticed was a variety of business people, as well as club members, who were eating lunch that day. You can tell it is becoming a popular place for St. John folks wanting a steady lunch you can count on.

And of course, who could beat the view, looking out through the solid glass windows on the back of the building that allow you to gaze across the beautiful course. It has always been one of the more relaxing ways to take a little of the stress out of the day.

So welcome to town Michaela. I’ll have to get by and meet you soon so we can introduce you to the community.

In the meantime, keep up the good work. The food is great there and I know I’ll keep coming back.

A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, “Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today.”

The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. “That’s interesting,” she said, “how do you make babies?”

“It’s simple,” replied the little girl, “you just change ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add es’.”

The River Region Chamber has had some great lunch seminars in their regular, monthly offering to the community. But I’ll bet they will have standing room only for the one scheduled for Wednesday, July 23.

The Chamber has a special lunch geared towards women, entitled, “Alternative Healing for Women,” presented by Joan Murry, RN.

I know that as soon as the ladies in my advertising department got a look at it, they all said they wanted to go.

So I immediately signed them up for the seminar, which will include various forms of healing. Topics by Joan will be:

REIKI: A Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing.

AURA SOMA : An exciting, cutting edge color system that is comprised of color and light. It helps you to use the dynamic, living energies of nature to create balance in your life.

FLOWER ESSENSE THERAPY: Used to restore the equilibrium of the body, mind  and spirit.

HOLOGRAPHIC MEMORY RESOLUTION: A non-traumatizing body-mind technique which allows expedient access to past memories and complete resolution of the painful emotions.

The seminar will also feature information regarding safety and self defense, and includes your lunch and some goodies to take home.

The special day for women will be held at LaMaison Magnolia Reception Hall in Norco, and be held on Wednesday, July 23 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.

Cost to take part is $20 if you are a Chamber member, and reserve your seat before June 30; $25 if you are a Chamber member and reserve your seat after June 30.

Cost will be $40 for non-Chamber members.

To register, call the Chamber office at 359-9777.

A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past.

Sitting in the front seat of the truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog’s duties.

“They use him to keep crowds back,” said one youngster.

“No,” said another, “he’s just for good luck.”

A third child brought the argument to a close.

“They use the dogs,” said she firmly, “to find the fire hydrants……”

Kevin Chiri is Publisher of L’Observateur and can be reached at (985) 652-9545 or at kchiri@bellsouth.net