Sarkozys Eat "Demi-Fumees"

That's the literal French translation of the term half-smoke. According to The Caucus blog, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, each ate two half-smokes this afternoon at Ben's Chili Bowl, a place described as "a venerable U Street eatery" in Washington. D.C.

"They were both real hungry, I think," said Ben's manager, who waited on the duo.

RIP: Restauranteur Ben Ali

Washington, D.C.'s mayor calls it "one of the greatest treasures in the District of Columbia." And it's where ABC's Ted Koppel held his farewell-from-TV party. What is this place?

It's Ben's Chili Bowl, an atmospheric greasy-spoon diner that's located in Washington, D.C.'s diverse U Street neighborhood. It has been in business since 1958. I mention all of this in the context of noting that its owner-founder Ben Ali passed away last week at the age of 82.

This obituary appeared in the Washington Post. Read it all -- you'll enjoy it. The factoid in the last couple of paragraphs was pretty interesting to me.