La-Van Hawkins Redux - Opens Downtown Restaurant - Proclaims 12 More to Follow

[Zacha341]

Then skip town! Again!

Can't trust Hawkins. The only reason he's talking about opening 12 restaurants is that you can skim more of your investor's funds with 12 restaurants than with one.

[the rock]

I wonder if Hawkins can pitch.

[canuck]

If you want an idea of what his "companion" looks like, check out this other bit about her in the same magazine. She is listed as a creative director and a youth advocate. The Peepscope thing is as creepy as it gets under the circumstances...

The longtime girlfriend of the Chicago restaurateur Jerry Kleiner, Marisa Molinaro is a familiar face on the city’s social circuit. Last fall, she entered a competition to get a show on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network and displayed an array of talents in her video submission, including playing the violin and boxing. [[She made it to the finals but didn’t win.) These days, Molinaro is focused on her next project—Peepscope.com, her soon-to-be-launched video-diary website for teens. “It’s based on an online social network for teenagers, a way of talking from an emotional point of view without worrying about parents logging in,” explains Molinaro, a former elementary-school teacher. “Having a mentor helps teens see beyond themselves and realize their circumstances aren’t forever.”

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Ma...risa-Molinaro/

[Detwa]

She wants to give teens a private place away from parents, on a social network? And this was a teacher? Just...wow. Sounds like one of those teachers who like to have the kids over to their house for alcohol and try to be cool, you know, away from those pesky parents!

[Zacha341]

^^^Right! Just what teens need more of.... NOT!

[Islandman]

If you want an idea of what his "companion" looks like, check out this other bit about her in the same magazine. She is listed as a creative director and a youth advocate. The Peepscope thing is as creepy as it gets under the circumstances...



http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Ma...risa-Molinaro/

Well, she is very easy on the eyes. If I was taking a picture for a magazine spread with her, she'd be right next to me, not posing with the drywall.

Here is her website. She has an interesting style, not getting a nutbag vibe from it.

http://www.marisamolinaro.com/index.html

[401don]

Wow. Cool. Her favorites are same as mine. Gandhi, Oprah and I would add Katy Perry!

[Honky Tonk]

"I wonder if Hawkins can pitch. "

Sounds like he's good @ pitching BS.

[DetBill]

I just wish he would get those tacky lions out of the front extrance of the cheesecake bistro.. I swear i saw them at a big lots store ages ago.

[Hypestyles]

detroit needs more good quality, family restaurants. Hopefully throughout the general neighborhoods and not just downtown or midtown. We'll see.

[bailey]

I wonder how much in DEGC backed, non recourse loans he received for this soon to be closed restaurant?