David Parkin has an idea

I’M feeling a little bit overwhelmed.

There were some lovely comments prompted by last week’s blog about Rodney Dalton.

But the biggest thing to come out of it was that so many other people felt exactly the same about the late, legendary Leeds lawyer as I did.

So many people knew him in so many different ways.

There were comments from former trainees who had worked with him, been mentored by him and gone on to successful legal careers.

There were comments from former neighbours who lived close by his parents’ home and then his family home.

Then there were those who had been on the other side of a property transaction from him: shrewd, tough but always fair, honest and genial seems to sum him up.

Of course there were architects, property agents, developers who all knew him - and even a recruiter who had read his comments about her profession but was convinced he wasn’t talking about her.

Plenty of people including those from law firms where Rodney didn’t work, such as Chris Allen at Blacks, have told me that they plan lunches and dinners to celebrate his memory and pay tribute to a much-missed character.

If these all happen then I bet Robert Chamberlain and his excellent team at Sous le Nez won’t need to take another booking for the next six months.

And I hope they do all happen.

But what struck me is that perhaps there is another opportunity to emerge from this immense outpouring of warmth and emotion sparked by his passing.

I wonder whether we could hold a bigger event than just a small lunch in a restaurant?

Perhaps a lunch where those who knew and loved Rodney could gather to drink good wine, eat good food and tell the legion of funny and entertaining stories that abound from a man who definitely had a life well lived.

Before approaching anyone else with this thought I went to see Rodney’s wife Helen and son Henry this week to outline what I was thinking about.

Many people could not make the funeral and even for those there, the time together was only enough for just a fraction of “Rodney” stories to be told.

I explained to Helen and Henry that the event could be an opportunity to raise money for a charity they wanted to support.

And I also said that my idea would be to base the lunch on the ‘Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts’ which were held in the ballroom of the MGM casino in Las Vegas in the 1970s and broadcast on primetime TV. (You can watch clips of them on YouTube,)

Themselves inspired by events held by showbusiness denizen the Friars’ Club in New York, the ‘roasts’ saw well known personalities gather to tell stories and take the mickey out of one of their own.

Dean Martin’s celebrity pull saw him attract old pal Frank Sinatra as well as Hollywood actors Kirk Douglas, James Stewart, Angie Dickinson, Lucille Ball and Orson Welles as well as high profile politicians and sports people such as Muhammad Ali.

After I explained my idea, Helen paused then nodded enthusiastically and Henry said: “I think my Dad would have loved that!”

They would like money raised from the event to go to the Leeds Hospitals Charity to support Leeds Cancer Centre where Rodney received so much care and support in his final weeks.

So it sounds like we have an event to plan.

Given the reaction to Rodney’s passing I don’t think a restaurant will be big enough for the number of people who would want to attend so I’m currently considering some alternative venues.

Given that the time between now and Christmas is a hectic one for most people, I think we should look at early in the New Year to hold the event.

Perhaps February, only because ‘Dry January’ can get in the way of social events.

Although I doubt Rodney knew anyone who would partake in ‘Dry January’ and if he did he would probably have counselled them against the folly of such a strategy.

What we need now is two things.

One, attendees and two, a group of people to help plan and put together such an event.

If you would be interested in attending perhaps you can let me know if you would like a table or a few tickets and that then will give me an idea of what kind of venue we will need.

I’m already looking forward to this event, the planning name of which is the ‘Rodney Dalton Roast’.

The premise is simple: bring good people together to have a good time, support a wonderful cause and remember a dear departed friend.

And from the food to the wine to the music and entertainment and even the dress code, there is only one guiding principle: what would Rodney have liked?

I hope you agree.

WHEN I went to meet accountant Richard Bright from TC Group for lunch this week he said to me: “I’ll take you to our canteen.”

Now the TC Group office on Queen Street is very nice, but a butty and a cuppa wasn’t what I was hoping for.

It turns out the TC Group “canteen” is Da Vito Ristorante round the corner on York Place.

The property has been home to a variety of restaurants over the years.

Former Rascasse chef Simon Gueller’s first eponymous venture didn’t last very long.

Then 3 York Place ran for longer, until the restauranteur did a bunk with money that customers had given him to invest in wine.

It was an Italian restaurant for a while but I was never attracted to it because they put the coffee machine in the front window with wires poking out the back of it.

I surmised that if they took this little interest in how their restaurant looked when customers walk in, then what effort would be put into the food?

Anyway, now it seems to be the settled home of a decent restaurant.

The food was great and the two guys that run it are charming, but the service was a bit erratic - think Fawlty Towers.

As Richard Bright explained, if you sit back, relax and don’t worry about it you’ll enjoy the whole experience.

And I did.

Richard is a generous host.

And while his business is clearly doing very well and he has a host of deals on the go for his entrepreneurial clients, he is always interested in asking questions and finding out more about others.

While this was my first trip to Da Vito, I already had another in the diary for next month with tax accountant, bon viveur and Papal Knight Tim Parr and former tourism supremo Sir Gary Verity.

As Richard and I walked into the restaurant I saw Tim sitting with his guests at a table, resplendent in suit and bright bow tie.

I called out a greeting and he put his hand up to his eyes and squinted towards me.

“Who is that? I can’t see you, the sun is shining around you and all I can see is your silhouette,” he replied.

I said: “It’s David Parkin.”

He replied: “Oh.”

I suppose that’s the closest I’m going to get to being a spiritual vision.

Have a great weekend.