A trio of Klezmorim was playing--a tuba, a washboard, and a clarinet. But not just any clarinet. It was the legendary Andy Statman himself, now getting older and gray, who plays Klezmer like nobody else. What artistry and virtuosity. He is in a a league with Benny Goodman.
The huppah approached. It was Joanne's grandfather's tallis held up by boughs and decorated simply with leaves. It led a procession of ushers and maids carrying parasols. It was a scene straight out of Madama Butterfly.
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Finally, there was the bride, on the arm of her father, who bowed to her in courtly fashion and presented her to her husband-to-be.
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The bride circled the groom seven times.
Each recited their vows to the other.
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The rabbi addressed them both and chanted an abbreviated "seven blessings." After each blessing friends recited themes of love and marriage to honor the couple. Then, officially married, the bride and groom walked around the assembled guests to the last row, and skipped down the aisle once more, and, with a gigantic leap and thud, broke the glass.
We followed the klezmer band up the hill to the picnic house for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. One cocktail stood out: a plum wine martini, consisting of vodka, cointreau, and plum wine. It was not too sweet and absolutely delicious. The klezmer band played for 55 minutes straight of raucous and joyous dancing.
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Josie went around collecting leis, so that she looked like a Ubangi. She would not take them off until the next day.
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There were many toasts throughout the evening. Some were rioutously funny. I mention Ben Cooley, who would be a worthy contender at any Friars' Roast. He skewered his friend, Aaron deliciously. Others might have had a tendency to free associate, with tangential thinking worthy of a 10 mg shot of Haldol. ("Michael, you can't say that!") Farklempt tells all.
A final word about the food. Now Farklempt has been to some pretty fancy weddings at some very ritzy places, where the food was overcooked, uninteresting, and cold. Farklempt will not name names at this time. But let me go on record as saying that this was the best food I have ever eaten at any wedding--barbecued roast lamb, beautiful salmon, and ripe local heirloom tomatos, yellow, green, orange, and red, that were to die for. Five Farklempt Stars for the food. And for the music, which was joyous, but never interrupted dinner (Andy Statman also plays the mandolin).
We left the Algonquin at 3:00 PM and got back around 11:00 PM. What a night! What a wedding! What a couple! Blessings upon them.