![]() ![]() I think of him often and the world is less bright without him. He was a fiercely loyal man with a huge personality, and could find the humor in everything. ![]() Augie made sure he had my back and everyones' back if there were any problems. The experiences I had there shaped a lot of who I am as a person. When Asti closed, NYC got a little less awesome. He hired the most incredible singers and found people who just fit with Asti's quirky and original personality. Most importantly, Augie and the extended Mariani family were SO GENEROUS! My freeloading, college friends would pop in, or my mother had a birthday, the check would magically fly out the window. He was always happy to be in the restaurant and it was infectious to the customers. He encouraged my singing and challenged me to learn more opera and classical music. I learned how to multi-task, (credit goes to Gianni for that.) But Augie let me be myself completely. ![]() I was a freshmen at NYU and he hired me to be a cashier on that antique register. ![]()
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