On any given afternoon at Tally Ho, you might spot Andreas Vellios moving through a crowded dining room, greeting familiar faces and making room for one more. That same instinct for welcome now appears in his debut children’s book, PAG the Kissing Fish.

The title is personal. PAG reflects the initials of his children, Peter, Anastasia, and Georgia. Anastasia passed away just days after she was born, and including her initial allowed Vellios to keep her present from the start.

The story began as a bedtime ritual a dozen years ago. Pag loves to give friendly, gentle kisses to everyone he meets. But when no one ever kisses him back, the Kissing Fish sets out on an adventure across the ocean in search of love and acceptance. Whenever the story used the word “kiss,” Vellios would give his children a real kiss on the cheek, turning nighttime reading into a small game and expression of affection. “It was an interaction…to show the kid a parent’s love in other ways,” he told us. He sketched the illustrations in colored pencil, later digitizing them, and says holding the finished book felt “surreal.”

The book carries a gentle message that what you need might already be in front of you and ends with a twist inspired by his love of surprise storytelling. A new character appears at the end to set up the sequel, part of a planned three-book series.

The tone mirrors what regulars recognize from his restaurant. “Tally Ho is…family. Everyone who comes in there feels like family. This book is about my family.” Small gestures, open arms, and a hopeful ending shape the experience. “A great children’s story should always…make you happy at the end,” he says.

The release has already produced its own unexpected chapter. After appearing on Watch What Happens Live, the Bravo late-night show that shares a fan universe with The Real Housewives of Potomac, Vellios assembled color-coded gift bags with copies of PAG. Days later, a stranger shared that he found one at a New York train station while on his way to support a friend headed into surgery. The friend had planned to read to children in a hospital, so the stranger volunteered to go in his place and used the found book. “It was just a beautiful story,” Vellios recalls.

For first-time authors, his advice is straightforward: start now and protect momentum. Life fills up quickly, and small, consistent efforts are often enough to keep a project moving.

Sip & Sign This Saturday
Tally Ho will host a Sip & Sign event with Andreas this Saturday, November 8th 2025 from 3:00 to 5:00pm. The come-and-go event will include book signing and photos, a coloring station for kids, light sips for adults, pizza bites, and PAG merchandise including stickers, hats, keychains, and temporary tattoos. Some of his Real Housewives of Potomac friends may also stop by. Books and merch will be available while supplies last.

Where to Get the Book
PAG the Kissing Fish is available on Amazon. Attendees are welcome to bring a copy for a personalized inscription.