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Opera star's rumored visit heavy on the enchilada
sauce
By Bill Whitaker
When regulars at Lola's Mexican Food Cafe got around to discussing
famed tenor Placido Domingo's supposed visit to the town of Buffalo
Gap, one of them scoffed at the notion Domingo was even famous.
"If he ain't no movie star," the rustic philosopher
opined, "he ain't famous."
That's about the kind of reception Domingo supposedly got,
too, including from Lola herself. When Metropolitan Opera staff
photographer Winnie Klotz, during the visit, reportedly introduced
Domingo to 32-year-old proprietor Lola Molina, Lola supposedly
just stared at him.
"Yeah," Lola droned after being told she was shaking
hands with the most famous opera star in the world, "and
I'm Princess Di."
And when the photographer tried to explain again who Placido
Domingo was -- that he was not only arguably the finest tenor
but an all-around great musician besides -- Lola deadpanned she
didn't know anything about that, that fame never paid the bills
at her place.
What's more, Lola supposedly offered no special consideration
to the allegedly famous fellow in her cafe. One of the rules in
Lola's place (and it's posted) is: "We do not specialize
in service -- wait on yourself."
So, to hear the locals, the dashing, globe-trotting opera star
was compelled to go into the cafe's kitchen and serve himself
Lola's specialty -- green enchiladas.
ACT OR FANCY?
The opera star's alleged visit to Buffalo Gap two weeks ago
has dominated the conversation in two camps lately: Those who
wonder if Placido Domingo really, truly visited the town's Mexican
cafe one day and those who could care less if he did. Certainly,
one has to wonder what on earth Placido Domingo was doing in Buffalo
Gap -- if, indeed, it was the opera star. In any event, just days
after the supposed visit, a glossy opera photo of Domingo taken
by Klotz arrived at Lola's place and was duly posted -- even though
most of Lola' customers still aren't sure who the heck Placido
Domingo is.
Winnie Klotz, whom I reached at the Metropolitan Opera in New
York City while she was shooting production stills of Mussorgsky's
"Boris Godunov," was joyfully coy about Domingo's visiting
Lola's place. Of course, that could have been out of concern for
the opera star's privacy and image.
She finally admitted Domingo wasn't even with her on the date
in question, but that he might have visited the cafe another time
recently, and that he is opening up his own restaurant in New
York City and, thus, "is very interested in new ideas."
David Vletas, who is part of Abilene's Vletas candy dynasty
and is married to Winnie's daughter, Jody, confirms he was at
Lola's two weeks ago with his wife, his mother-in-law and her
fiance, Paul Hutton. He admits Domingo was not with them.
He says he also understands some local college students recently
made a trip out to the cafe and that one of them was made up like
the jet-setting opera star.
The idea: Put one over on Lola.
"From what I hear, she was pretty mad about it,"
David said, "because she was believing it and then she found
out they were messing with her."
THE WHOLE ENCHILADA?
For her part, Lola is convinced the tenor actually visited
her cafe, even though she also admits she had not known his name
till two weeks ago. "That Thursday he came in and say, 'Wow,'
except he say it so loud, I thought somebody had fallen,"
Lola told me. "I say, 'What happened?' And he say, 'This
place is so wonderful, so beautiful, so amazing. How old is it?'
And I say, 'I don't know, I'm only from Mexico.' "
At one point, Domingo supposedly offered to sing, apparently
for his dinner, but Lola turned him down flat.
"I told him no because, well, I didn't believe him."
Some folks, of course, don't believe any of the above stories,
however well-told.
So did famed tenor Placido Domingo really visit Lola's Mexican
Food Cafe in Buffalo Gap? Did he really find himself back in the
kitchen, serving himself green enchiladas? Did he really leave
a $30 tip?
Maybe so, but I sure wouldn't bet the opera house on it. Bill
Whitaker, who can't even get anybody to believe he's a locally
famous columnist, can be reached at 676-6732. E-mail: WTWARN@aol.com.
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Copyright ©1996 or
1997, Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps. Publications
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