A Kelley House Special Event

Beaujolais in My Blood: Author Talk and Signing
Thursday, May 18, 4pm – 5:30pm
$5 for members and $7 for general public. Purchase at the door. 

Wondering how the acclaimed Café Beaujolais got its start? Find out at this book signing and slideshow with Eric Neil Pitsenbarger, author of the new book Beaujolais in My Blood: Growing Up Gay and Well-Fed in a Family-Run French Restaurant. The son of Café Beaujolais’ original owners, Gerald and Ellen Pitsenbarger, Eric will be interviewed by local writer Eleanor Cooney, and copies of his book will be for sale, with proceeds benefiting the Kelley House Museum.

Told from the perspective of a closeted adolescent, this memoir is a revealing and humorous account of a complex family story, intertwined with the creation of a renowned French restaurant. Pitsenbarger captivates readers with tales of rustic 1970s Mendocino: eccentric old-timers and hippie new-comers, ingenuous tourists, and demanding movie stars. The story reveals a dark family secret and the search for love; it is as much a celebration of community as it is the origin story of the legendary restaurant.

You WILL be hungry after hearing Eric read about food, so afterward Café Beaujolais is hosting a “progressive event” at The Waiting Room, where you can enjoy champagne and nibbles. 

Beaujolais in My Blood is available for purchase for $20 online and at the Kelley House Museum, as well as at both events.