Good Golly, Ms Mollie

Major social gridlock took place when Montecito dynamic duo Mollie Ahlstrand and her son, Ali, opened their new Italian hotspot Mollie’s, the State Street eatery just a tiara’s toss from the venerable Granada.

The tony twosome have long run their popular nosheteria Trattoria Mollie, on Coast Village Road, whose lease is up in the New Year and have done a great job renovating the 2,950-sq.-ft. former Tupelo Junction space, which has a seating capacity of 100, including outdoor eating.

“This all came about very quickly, when I happened to be walking by and saw it was available,” says Ali.

“It all happened in about two months and I couldn’t be happier. It is a great location.”

Among the mob of masticators turning out for bustling boffo bash were Nina Terzian, Bill Brown, former mayor Helene Schneider, Bob and Marlene Veloz, Tom Parker, Diana Starr Langley, Gretchen Lieff, Pat and Ursula Nesbitt, David Sigman, Charles Ward, Mara Abboud, Sandi Nicholson, Corinna Gordon, Anne Towbes, Michael Smith, Eric Phillips, Carlos Lopes, Barry and Jelinda DeVorzon, Arlene Montesano, Allen and Anne Sides, John Palminteri, and Ron MacLeod.