Submitted by Karl Breckenridge
An eight-foot wide mural remains across the back of Zozo’s Ristorante in Moana West, depicting New York City at sunset, the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings framing the World Trade Center’s twin towers.
“Well, the towers survived here at least,” I commented to Judy Ashton, who took over Zozo’s on the very midnight of the new millennium. “The towers stand,” Judy replied.
My reference was to a mini-movement among a few patrons who, immediately following 9/11/2001, felt that the towers should be airbrushed out of the mural’s skyline. (The mural was placed there by a former tenant of that space in the strip center, a Brooklyn émigré who was a restaurateur of immense talent but could screw up a soup sandwich as a businessperson, as witness the half-dozen locations about town that housed his operation’s venues.)
Judy recalled a group of new patrons who visited Zozo’s on the evening of 9/11, for she vowed that she’d keep her restaurant open and sling meatballs for free before she knuckled under to the bastards who forever altered America that Tuesday morning.
With many other local restaurants closed, she hosted a bunch of guys, some possibly in town for that week’s air races (which were subsequently canceled). The next night a few more out-of-town folks showed up – bear in mind that all aircraft were grounded by the FAA. And later in the week, more yet, who, stranded in Reno with only enough clothes for the past weekend, walked to Zozo’s for a bite while they rinsed out their socks and skippers at the laundromat next door.
Over those nights they all formed a bond – travelers far from home and family, with a time frame to get home remaining unclear. And for some, far from their computers. [This was before iPhones, if anyone can imagine that life could endure without them…] Judy volunteered hers, and for a week her little laptop became the guys’ link to business and family.
One-by-one and two-by-two they bade each other goodbye as they found alternate means of getting out of our town, the final departurers a group of four, unknown to each other a week before but now fast friends who were able to scare up a rental car and left for what would be a cross-country trip for the final driver of the car. And, Judy still hears from them all, with their thanks for the informal hearth and home she provided during a challenging time.
Good recollections, Judy – the American Spirit unbowed, right here on Lakeside Drive; surely a microcosm of ten thousand similar stories unfolding that week. Now, the streets and ristorantes are quiet once again, for other reasons…
And I’ve made a lot of new friends in the past couple weeks – like those walking Virginia Lake I described yesterday and saying hello to strangers, I’ve heard from many of you This is Reno readers and I’d like to stay in touch if the world ever gets back to normal – maybe Bob Conrad will let me visit with you occasionally!
Now – take a tacit moment for your own recollections of events of 19-1/2 years ago; thanks for reading, God bless America, Let’s Roll and of course, stay safe, huh?
Zozo’s, like many Reno restaurants, is still open for curbside takeout. Hours are 4 – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Details at https://www.zozosreno.com/.
Karl Breckenridge
Karl Breckenridge was slowly going nuts. So he decided to help out This is Reno by writing a daily out-of-his-mind column for the duration of the coronavirus shutdown. Now that it’s over he’s back to his usual antics, drinking coffee with the boys at the Bear and, well, we’re not sure what else. But he loved sharing his daily musings with you, so he’s back, albeit a little less often, to keep on sharing. Karl grew up in the valley and has stories from the area going back to 1945. He’s been writing for 32 years locally.
Read more from Karl Breckenridge
Cheers 4 – the Lear steam bus
The latest news on the Lear Theater has Karl remembering some of the Lear’s other projects, including a steam-powered bus.
Cheers 3 – the groceries II
Karl did not limit his column to ten items or less, so get out of the express line to read this history of Reno grocery markets.
Cheers 2 – the groceries I
Karl got a little distracted this week, starting off with a list of Reno’s great groceries of yesterday then slipping on some ice.
Cheers 1 – Of wine and Little Italy
Karl is back, making us all wonder why we didn’t spend more time during stay-at-home orders pressing grapes into homemade wine.
Day 75 – Karl’s retired to the Bear
From the get-go our pal Karl said he’d write “a short squib on a daily basis – nothing political, nothing controversial,” well, except for that one column.
Day 74 – the Truckee’s picturesque islands (updated)
Karl’s pal Jody shares the rich history of bootlegging, decorating, and engineering within the confines of the Truckee River’s banks and its picturesque islands.
Day 72 – Hobos, tigers and leprechauns
Karl recollects the series of eateries that drew diners to the corner of Virginia Street and Gentry Way for several decades.
Day 70 & 71 – in Flanders Fields
Karl shares a poem by John McCrae to mark Memorial Day.
Day 69 – The Nugget shark: John meets Jaws
Karl was talking about baby shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, long before the kids these days had ever been born.
Day 67 – What I like about Reno High
Karl, er, Carmine Ghia, writes an end-of-school-year essay to turn in to Mrs. Lehners about everything he likes about Reno High School.
Day 67 – 25 Bret Harte
Karl saddles up and heads to Newlands Manor where Western movies star Reno Browne grew up, and Lash Larue paid a visit or two.
Day 66 – Out for dinner we go
Karl goes out to eat at the El Tavern Motel, a truck stop outside the Reno city limits on the Lincoln Highway.
Day 65 – Dawn Bunker
Karl is back in action with a fresh story of which students of Mrs. Bunker’s class at Jessie Beck Elementary School still won’t spill the beans.
Day 64 – abducted
Karl Breckenridge called in to This Is Reno editors this morning with a hands-in-the-air, what-can-I-do sense of resignation.
Day 63 – Wedding chapels
Karl’s enjoying coffee with pals at the Bear, so today Jody stands at the altar to share the history of Reno’s wedding chapel industry.
Day 62 – the mansion at 2301 Lakeside Drive
Karl’s 7-year-old alter ego rides his bike down to Virginia Lake to explore the Hancock Mansion, a nifty home complete with a bomb shelter, sunroof and doll collection.
Day 61 – Basque hotels
Karl wanders back in time to 1960, a time when multiple Basque hotels served up minestrone soup, English lessons, banking, and accommodations.
Day 60 – the bygone Greyhound terminal
Karl’s synapses are firing today after hearing mention of Reno’s Greyhound bus terminal on Stevenson Street, now razed.
Day 59 – Don’t tell Mom
Karl rewinds to Mother’s Day to share a story from the archive about Grandpas without a Clue and another ragtop adventure, by reader demand.
Day 58 – School stuff
Karl considers the value of a school name as the WCSD moves to rename one of the area’s older remaining schools and open a new one.
Day 57 – Pedalin’ around Vine Street
Karl rides his bike through history, remembering some of the places and people that helped to build Reno into the city it is today.
Submitted opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of This Is Reno. Have something to say? Submit an opinion article or letter to the editor here.
