D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
pressure. So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
to the big city. There were some shows at selected museums and
galleries we needed to see. Shows like Lawrence Weiner at the
Whitney, Kara Walker also at the Whitney, and Richard Prince at the
Guggenheim.

Also there were some things we wanted to eat. Things like Blue Point
oysters at the oyster joint in Grand Central and tapas at a joint near
the hotel on Amsterdam Ave. We didn't know we wanted these things
before we got to New York, but we soon realized our ignorance and
worked to remedy our oversights.

The first night, we got in late and -- subdued by alarming chicken
sandwiches on the plane -- had little appetite. A glass of wine at
the restaurant downstairs from our room was something of a restorative
and it eventually led to our ordering a couple of appetizers. D had
(pace, Barb) beets and chevre, which actually were very tasty. I
opted for grilled lamb sausage -- spicy little links on a puddle of
mustard.

Next morning I schlepped coffee from a Starbucks over on 81st and
Broadway back to our room because the packet coffee maker the hotel
provided wasn't up to its job. After our morning ablutions were
complete, we made a beeline to the Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's
insane shark in a tank of formaldehyde. Wow.

Apres shark, we explored the subway's delights and terrors, landing at
the Grand Central Oyster Bar and Cafe (or whatever it's called) for a
brunch. I had half of D's fine fried oyster po' boy and most of a
plate of assorted raw bivalves, including kumamotos, Blue Points,
Wellfleets, and whatnots. D had the rest. What fun!

That afternoon, we meandered down to Chelsea where an alumnus of my
department is featured in a show at a decent gallery and chatted with
the gallerists and whatnot who were celebrating the season with
chocolate and Champaign and gummi bears. Afterwards, we snacked on
more oysters at Grand Central (at least I did; D had fried clams)
Dinner was at a quasi-Portuguese tapas bar back up on the upper west
side. Nothing really stood out, but all was pleasant.

Next morning, I did the coffee run again, and we girded our loins for
a major modern/postmodern art extravaganza: All the artists mentioned
above held our attention as they were able. I was particularly
impressed with how beautiful Weiner's texts looked at the Whitney.
Lovely conceptualism, who knew. D was bowled over by Walker's fierce
take on race and sex and madness and history. Important stuff.

Lunch was sandwiches at a pseudo French establishment down Madison
Ave. from the Whitney where a Francophone-accented waitress assured me
that their "jambon de Paris" was like the jambon cru I'd enjoyed in
France more than a few times in days gone by. It was not.

Dinner that night was at a Thai place near the hotel. Seriously hot
food in a place that needed about 400 more square feet of floor to
adequately serve all of us eating there. The couple to me left were
conversing in what I believe was Mandarin. The couple to my right
spoke Russian. Two tables down a ******* couple shared a bottle of
Champaign. D had the squid. I had a beef dish which had three
asterisks next to its menu listing. My head sweated, my consciousness
altered, the endorphins rushed. It was good.

Third morning found me returning to Starbucks, and then to the hotel,
cups o' joe in my hands. I'd been playing phone tag with a friend who
lives in Brooklyn since we'd arrived, and we tried one more time to
connect with him. But it was not to be. He was involved in a
complicated buyout negotiation with his landlord and couldn't
extricate himself from the lawyers. Serious money was involved. So
we headed over to Zabar's to pick up a thing or two for Christmas
presents and then took the train down to the Village where we ate at a
bakery-***-sandwich shop. D had a crab cake sammy; I had another lamb
sausage thing, this time with pita and assorted Mediterranean fixin's.
Afterwards we walked to Washington Square, but it was cold and Peter,
Paul and Mary weren't anywhere in sight. On the way, we did see a
little theater with a historical marker on it indicating that Edna St.
Vincent Millay had founded it in 1923.

Then it was back uptown for our bags and a cab ride to La Guardia for
our flight to Cleveland where we lay over long enough to get
bagel-like objects in the airport before boarding a flight back to DFW
and a two-hour drive home to Cow Hill.
--

modom

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:43:55 -0600, "modom (palindrome guy)"
> wrote:

>
>D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
>pressure. So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
>and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
>to the big city. There were some shows at selected museums and
>galleries we needed to see. Shows like Lawrence Weiner at the
>Whitney, Kara Walker also at the Whitney, and Richard Prince at the
>Guggenheim.
>
<snip a lot of stuff>
>
>Then it was back uptown for our bags and a cab ride to La Guardia for
>our flight to Cleveland where we lay over long enough to get
>bagel-like objects in the airport before boarding a flight back to DFW
>and a two-hour drive home to Cow Hill.
>--
>
Danm, I'm tired just reading what you did. Glad you're home again.
Now I can rest!


--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

modom (palindrome guy) wrote:

> After our morning ablutions were complete, we made a beeline to the
> Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's insane shark in a tank of
> formaldehyde. Wow.

Now there's something I can relate to.

--
Blinky the Shark

"modom (palindrome guy)" > wrote in message
...
>
> D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
> pressure. So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
> and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
> to the big city.


Sounds like my kind of trip. I love New York. I had a friend
who spend untold thousands on a trip to Australia and NZ,
and hiked most of the time, or boated, anything but visit
a city. I looked at the photos and they all looked the same.
Give me the big, beautiful, scaryugly cities and all they have
to offer.

My favorite part of the narrative was"apres shark."

What is WWT?

On Dec 22, 9:02*am, "cybercat" > wrote:
> "modom (palindrome guy)" > wrote in messagenews:r37pm31t8bupp5jbb6okrbcvvp5iqgt4uo@4ax .com...
>
>
>
> > D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
> > pressure. *So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
> > and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
> > to the big city.
>
> Sounds like my kind of trip. I love New York. I had a friend
> who spend untold thousands on a trip to Australia and NZ,
> and hiked most of the time, or boated, anything but visit
> a city. I looked at the photos and they all looked the same.
> Give me the big, beautiful, scaryugly cities and all they have
> to offer.
>
> My favorite part of the narrative was"apres shark."
>
> What is WWT?

WWT is the obligatory "Weekend With Tammy" warning about an upcoming
post about a weekend food getaway, so that the ususal whining about an
off-topic post can be avoided. I missed the original posts back in
the day, but apparently the uproar is considered legendary to this
day...

..fred

"cybercat" > wrote in message >

> My favorite part of the narrative was"apres shark."
>
> What is WWT?
>

My guess sis Whirl Wind Tour.

The only part I did not understand, is being in one of the world's largest
and diverse cities and buying coffee at Starbucks three days running. There
is usually good coffee to be found at some little shop along with great
pastry.

"modom (palindrome guy)" > wrote

> D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
> pressure. So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
> and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
> to the big city. There were some shows at selected museums and
> galleries we needed to see. Shows like Lawrence Weiner at the
> Whitney, Kara Walker also at the Whitney, and Richard Prince at the
> Guggenheim.

I really enjoyed your story and I thought What a great place to go
with a real live artist. It's been a long time since I've been to the
Whitney, too.

nancy

In article >,
"modom (palindrome guy)" > wrote:

> D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
> pressure. So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
> and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
> to the big city. There were some shows at selected museums and
> galleries we needed to see. Shows like Lawrence Weiner at the
> Whitney, Kara Walker also at the Whitney, and Richard Prince at the
> Guggenheim.
(snip)
>
> Then it was back uptown for our bags and a cab ride to La Guardia for
> our flight to Cleveland where we lay over long enough to get
> bagel-like objects in the airport before boarding a flight back to DFW
> and a two-hour drive home to Cow Hill.
> --
>
> modom

And you didn't let Margaret know you were coming??? I'll bet she's
bummed!
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

<sf> wrote in message news
> On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:43:55 -0600, "modom (palindrome guy)"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
>>pressure. So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
>>and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
>>to the big city. There were some shows at selected museums and
>>galleries we needed to see. Shows like Lawrence Weiner at the
>>Whitney, Kara Walker also at the Whitney, and Richard Prince at the
>>Guggenheim.
>>
> <snip a lot of stuff>
>>
>>Then it was back uptown for our bags and a cab ride to La Guardia for
>>our flight to Cleveland where we lay over long enough to get
>>bagel-like objects in the airport before boarding a flight back to DFW
>>and a two-hour drive home to Cow Hill.
>>--
>>
> Danm, I'm tired just reading what you did. Glad you're home again.
> Now I can rest!
>

And I missed it all -- can you give me a re-cap?
Dee Dee

"kuvasz guy" > wrote i


>WWT is the obligatory "Weekend With Tammy" >warning about an upcoming
>post about a weekend food getaway, so that the ususal whining about an
>off-topic post can be avoided.

Ahhhh! I see.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
. net...
>
> "cybercat" > wrote in message >
>
>> My favorite part of the narrative was"apres shark."
>>
>> What is WWT?
>>
>
> My guess sis Whirl Wind Tour.

A fair guess!


>
> The only part I did not understand, is being in one of the world's largest
> and diverse cities and buying coffee at Starbucks three days running.
> There is usually good coffee to be found at some little shop along with
> great pastry.

I think Starbucks, like other chains, often wins out because it is at the
very least a "known quantity."

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:56:43 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> wrote:

>modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>
>> After our morning ablutions were complete, we made a beeline to the
>> Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's insane shark in a tank of
>> formaldehyde. Wow.
>
>Now there's something I can relate to.

True, but you're still alive, I'd guess.
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/h/h...ility.jpg.html
--

modom

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

In article > ,
"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:

> "cybercat" > wrote in message >
>
> > My favorite part of the narrative was"apres shark."
> >
> > What is WWT?
> >
>
> My guess sis Whirl Wind Tour.
>
> The only part I did not understand, is being in one of the world's largest
> and diverse cities and buying coffee at Starbucks three days running. There
> is usually good coffee to be found at some little shop along with great
> pastry.

Weekend With Tammy -- coined by Kay Hartman back in the days of
rec.food.cooking.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
-- coined by Kay Hartman back in the days of
> rec.food.cooking.

LOL

"modom (palindrome guy)" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:56:43 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> > wrote:
>
>>modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>>
>>> After our morning ablutions were complete, we made a beeline to the
>>> Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's insane shark in a tank of
>>> formaldehyde. Wow.
>>
>>Now there's something I can relate to.
>
> True, but you're still alive, I'd guess.
> http://www.artchive.com/artchive/h/h...ility.jpg.html
> --
>

Careful, you'll give Blink a case of Fin Envy.

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:56:43 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> wrote:

>modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>
>> After our morning ablutions were complete, we made a beeline to the
>> Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's insane shark in a tank of
>> formaldehyde. Wow.
>
>Now there's something I can relate to.

blinky, speaking as a friend i recommend instead pickling yourself
just a little at a time.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 06:19:42 -0800 (PST), kuvasz guy
> wrote:

>WWT is the obligatory "Weekend With Tammy" warning about an upcoming
>post about a weekend food getaway, so that the ususal whining about an
>off-topic post can be avoided. I missed the original posts back in
>the day, but apparently the uproar is considered legendary to this
>day...

There was no uproar. People loved those posts.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

"modom (palindrome guy)" > wrote in message
...
>
> D and I worked very hard this fall, and we needed a break from all the
> pressure. So she found the room (Hotel Lucerne, Central Park West)
> and I found the plane tickets (Continental Airlines) and off we went
> to the big city. There were some shows at selected museums and
> galleries we needed to see. Shows like Lawrence Weiner at the
> Whitney, Kara Walker also at the Whitney, and Richard Prince at the
> Guggenheim.
>
> Also there were some things we wanted to eat. Things like Blue Point
> oysters at the oyster joint in Grand Central and tapas at a joint near
> the hotel on Amsterdam Ave. We didn't know we wanted these things
> before we got to New York, but we soon realized our ignorance and
> worked to remedy our oversights.
>
> The first night, we got in late and -- subdued by alarming chicken
> sandwiches on the plane -- had little appetite. A glass of wine at
> the restaurant downstairs from our room was something of a restorative
> and it eventually led to our ordering a couple of appetizers. D had
> (pace, Barb) beets and chevre, which actually were very tasty. I
> opted for grilled lamb sausage -- spicy little links on a puddle of
> mustard.
>
> Next morning I schlepped coffee from a Starbucks over on 81st and
> Broadway back to our room because the packet coffee maker the hotel
> provided wasn't up to its job. After our morning ablutions were
> complete, we made a beeline to the Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's
> insane shark in a tank of formaldehyde. Wow.
>
> Apres shark, we explored the subway's delights and terrors, landing at
> the Grand Central Oyster Bar and Cafe (or whatever it's called) for a
> brunch. I had half of D's fine fried oyster po' boy and most of a
> plate of assorted raw bivalves, including kumamotos, Blue Points,
> Wellfleets, and whatnots. D had the rest. What fun!
>
> That afternoon, we meandered down to Chelsea where an alumnus of my
> department is featured in a show at a decent gallery and chatted with
> the gallerists and whatnot who were celebrating the season with
> chocolate and Champaign and gummi bears. Afterwards, we snacked on
> more oysters at Grand Central (at least I did; D had fried clams)
> Dinner was at a quasi-Portuguese tapas bar back up on the upper west
> side. Nothing really stood out, but all was pleasant.
>
> Next morning, I did the coffee run again, and we girded our loins for
> a major modern/postmodern art extravaganza: All the artists mentioned
> above held our attention as they were able. I was particularly
> impressed with how beautiful Weiner's texts looked at the Whitney.
> Lovely conceptualism, who knew. D was bowled over by Walker's fierce
> take on race and sex and madness and history. Important stuff.
>
> Lunch was sandwiches at a pseudo French establishment down Madison
> Ave. from the Whitney where a Francophone-accented waitress assured me
> that their "jambon de Paris" was like the jambon cru I'd enjoyed in
> France more than a few times in days gone by. It was not.
>
> Dinner that night was at a Thai place near the hotel. Seriously hot
> food in a place that needed about 400 more square feet of floor to
> adequately serve all of us eating there. The couple to me left were
> conversing in what I believe was Mandarin. The couple to my right
> spoke Russian. Two tables down a ******* couple shared a bottle of
> Champaign. D had the squid. I had a beef dish which had three
> asterisks next to its menu listing. My head sweated, my consciousness
> altered, the endorphins rushed. It was good.
>
> Third morning found me returning to Starbucks, and then to the hotel,
> cups o' joe in my hands. I'd been playing phone tag with a friend who
> lives in Brooklyn since we'd arrived, and we tried one more time to
> connect with him. But it was not to be. He was involved in a
> complicated buyout negotiation with his landlord and couldn't
> extricate himself from the lawyers. Serious money was involved. So
> we headed over to Zabar's to pick up a thing or two for Christmas
> presents and then took the train down to the Village where we ate at a
> bakery-***-sandwich shop. D had a crab cake sammy; I had another lamb
> sausage thing, this time with pita and assorted Mediterranean fixin's.
> Afterwards we walked to Washington Square, but it was cold and Peter,
> Paul and Mary weren't anywhere in sight. On the way, we did see a
> little theater with a historical marker on it indicating that Edna St.
> Vincent Millay had founded it in 1923.
>
> Then it was back uptown for our bags and a cab ride to La Guardia for
> our flight to Cleveland where we lay over long enough to get
> bagel-like objects in the airport before boarding a flight back to DFW
> and a two-hour drive home to Cow Hill.
> --
>
> modom
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>

Could almost forgive you for not taking me in the baggage thanks to the
travelogue, but you lost my sympathies at the use of the word
'sammy'.......the most I would accept is the alcoholic slur making it a
sammich, but never, sir, a 'sammy'.....

Glad all is well and you are home to 'rest up' from your vacation.
-ginny

Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:

> Could almost forgive you for not taking me in the baggage thanks to the
> travelogue, but you lost my sympathies at the use of the word
> 'sammy'.......the most I would accept is the alcoholic slur making it a
> sammich, but never, sir, a 'sammy'.....
>
> Glad all is well and you are home to 'rest up' from your vacation.
> -ginny

I'm all in agreement on the "sammy" reference (isn't that a Rachel Ray
affectation??)....but you lost my sympathy support vote because you
didn't trim up any of the long OP you quoted, LOL

modom (palindrome guy) wrote:

> On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:56:43 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> > wrote:
>
>>modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>>
>>> After our morning ablutions were complete, we made a beeline to the
>>> Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's insane shark in a tank of
>>> formaldehyde. Wow.
>>
>>Now there's something I can relate to.
>
> True, but you're still alive, I'd guess.

Indeed. And I play to stay that way.

> http://www.artchive.com/artchive/h/h...ility.jpg.html

Dad!

--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

blake murphy wrote:

> On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:56:43 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> > wrote:
>
>>modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>>
>>> After our morning ablutions were complete, we made a beeline to the
>>> Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's insane shark in a tank of
>>> formaldehyde. Wow.
>>
>>Now there's something I can relate to.
>
> blinky, speaking as a friend i recommend instead pickling yourself
> just a little at a time.

Did that for years, not not just a little at a time.

Kinda doesn't interest me any more. Oh, well.


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

"cybercat" > wrote in message
>
> I think Starbucks, like other chains, often wins out because it is at the
> very least a "known quantity."
>

True and at one time I'd probably have done the same thing. Now I go out of
my way to find the local independent. Once in a while you get stung, but
most times you have a good meal and a little adventure.

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:10:18 -0500, "Virginia Tadrzynski"
> wrote:

>> bakery-***-sandwich shop. D had a crab cake sammy; I had another lamb
>> sausage thing, this time with pita and assorted Mediterranean fixin's.

>Could almost forgive you for not taking me in the baggage thanks to the
>travelogue, but you lost my sympathies at the use of the word
>'sammy'.......the most I would accept is the alcoholic slur making it a
>sammich, but never, sir, a 'sammy'.....
>
You are so very right. I truly have no idea what came over me or why
I wrote such a horrid thing as "sammy.". You may rest assured that no
such utterance will ever emerge from my keyboard again.
--

modom

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> "cybercat" > wrote in message
>> I think Starbucks, like other chains, often wins out because it is at the
>> very least a "known quantity."
>>
>
> True and at one time I'd probably have done the same thing. Now I go out of
> my way to find the local independent. Once in a while you get stung, but
> most times you have a good meal and a little adventure.
>

The last time I was in NYC I was shocked by the glut of Starbucks. Some
on facing corners even. What did New Yorkers do before Starbucks..?

I spoke to a friend today whose wife works at a Starbucks and he
mentioned that some of the coffee drinks go for about $6 after people
add all the options.... good lord! Coffee used to be a cheap drink. LOL

In article >,
Goomba38 > wrote:

> Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> > "cybercat" > wrote in message
> >> I think Starbucks, like other chains, often wins out because it is at the
> >> very least a "known quantity."
> >>
> >
> > True and at one time I'd probably have done the same thing. Now I go out
> > of
> > my way to find the local independent. Once in a while you get stung, but
> > most times you have a good meal and a little adventure.
> >
>
> The last time I was in NYC I was shocked by the glut of Starbucks. Some
> on facing corners even. What did New Yorkers do before Starbucks..?
>
> I spoke to a friend today whose wife works at a Starbucks and he
> mentioned that some of the coffee drinks go for about $6 after people
> add all the options.... good lord! Coffee used to be a cheap drink. LOL

I was in NYC earlier this month, and wandered around midtown Manhattan
while SO met with some research collaborators. What shocked me is how
many retail outlets are identical to what we can find here in downtown
Seattle, with the exception of Kitchen Arts & Letters. The unique
merchants are being squeezed out by the chains.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:48:47 -0800, Cindy Fuller
> wrote:

>In article >,
> Goomba38 > wrote:
>
>> The last time I was in NYC I was shocked by the glut of Starbucks. Some
>> on facing corners even. What did New Yorkers do before Starbucks..?
>>
>> I spoke to a friend today whose wife works at a Starbucks and he
>> mentioned that some of the coffee drinks go for about $6 after people
>> add all the options.... good lord! Coffee used to be a cheap drink. LOL
>
>I was in NYC earlier this month, and wandered around midtown Manhattan
>while SO met with some research collaborators. What shocked me is how
>many retail outlets are identical to what we can find here in downtown
>Seattle, with the exception of Kitchen Arts & Letters. The unique
>merchants are being squeezed out by the chains.
>
>Cindy

Chains did abound in New York, but there were some significant
independents still. Zabar's, for example.
--

modom

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:43:55 -0600, "modom (palindrome guy)"
> wrote:

>Also there were some things we wanted to eat. Things like Blue Point
>oysters at the oyster joint in Grand Central and tapas at a joint near
>the hotel on Amsterdam Ave. We didn't know we wanted these things
>before we got to New York, but we soon realized our ignorance and
>worked to remedy our oversights.

fun time snipped

Looks like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing

koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 12/16

"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

Cindy Fuller wrote:

> I was in NYC earlier this month, and wandered around midtown Manhattan
> while SO met with some research collaborators. What shocked me is how
> many retail outlets are identical to what we can find here in downtown
> Seattle, with the exception of Kitchen Arts & Letters. The unique
> merchants are being squeezed out by the chains.
>
> Cindy
>
<sigh> yeah, it is a shame. The same thing happens in towns that become
overrun with chain restaurants. I was in PA a while ago and considered
it a "chain restaurant hell." Thankfully with research and effort we
managed to find an incredible gem of a "mom and pop" Italian restaurant
that to this day I still drool remembering the meal we enjoyed but I'm
sure there are way too many people who think the Olive Garden is Italian
food (or even *good* food) and that Red Lobster serves good seafood. Too
many people will never experience a true seafood restaurant by the ocean
that only serves what actually is caught locally or grasp that Italians
eat things other than huge plates of overcooked spaghetti with a tomato
sauce on top.

"blake murphy" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:56:43 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> > wrote:
>
>>modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>>
>>> After our morning ablutions were complete, we made a beeline to the
>>> Metropolitan to see Damien Hirst's insane shark in a tank of
>>> formaldehyde. Wow.
>>
>>Now there's something I can relate to.
>
> blinky, speaking as a friend i recommend instead pickling yourself
> just a little at a time.
>

hahaha

In article >,
"modom (palindrome guy)" > wrote:

> On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:48:47 -0800, Cindy Fuller
> > wrote:
>
> >In article >,
> > Goomba38 > wrote:
> >
> >> The last time I was in NYC I was shocked by the glut of Starbucks. Some
> >> on facing corners even. What did New Yorkers do before Starbucks..?
> >>
> >> I spoke to a friend today whose wife works at a Starbucks and he
> >> mentioned that some of the coffee drinks go for about $6 after people
> >> add all the options.... good lord! Coffee used to be a cheap drink. LOL
> >
> >I was in NYC earlier this month, and wandered around midtown Manhattan
> >while SO met with some research collaborators. What shocked me is how
> >many retail outlets are identical to what we can find here in downtown
> >Seattle, with the exception of Kitchen Arts & Letters. The unique
> >merchants are being squeezed out by the chains.
> >
> >Cindy
>
> Chains did abound in New York, but there were some significant
> independents still. Zabar's, for example.
> --
>
> modom

Although Eli Zabar (same family) has several branches of his EAT empire
around Manhattan. I've been to his Vinegar Factory store on the Upper
East Side.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:05:50 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" >
wrote:

>
>"cybercat" > wrote in message
>>
>> I think Starbucks, like other chains, often wins out because it is at the
>> very least a "known quantity."
>>
>
>True and at one time I'd probably have done the same thing. Now I go out of
>my way to find the local independent. Once in a while you get stung, but
>most times you have a good meal and a little adventure.
>

just out of curiosity, do you usually ask 'what's good today?' or
'what do you usually have?'

your pal,
blake

n Sun, 23 Dec 2007 01:09:35 -0500, Goomba38 >
wrote:

>Cindy Fuller wrote:
>
>> I was in NYC earlier this month, and wandered around midtown Manhattan
>> while SO met with some research collaborators. What shocked me is how
>> many retail outlets are identical to what we can find here in downtown
>> Seattle, with the exception of Kitchen Arts & Letters. The unique
>> merchants are being squeezed out by the chains.
>>
>> Cindy
>>
><sigh> yeah, it is a shame. The same thing happens in towns that become
>overrun with chain restaurants. I was in PA a while ago and considered
>it a "chain restaurant hell." Thankfully with research and effort we
>managed to find an incredible gem of a "mom and pop" Italian restaurant
>that to this day I still drool remembering the meal we enjoyed but I'm
>sure there are way too many people who think the Olive Garden is Italian
>food (or even *good* food) and that Red Lobster serves good seafood.

Our son got a gift certificate to RL from work for Christmas. He said
anyone who wants it can have it because he won't eat there. Guess he's
been trained well. LOL

Lou

Sounds like you had a good time, and you found some good eats. In
September, 6 of us are going to the city, and one of these people is a
newbie. It will be fun seeing the city through her eyes.

Becca

Lou Decruss wrote:

> n Sun, 23 Dec 2007 01:09:35 -0500, Goomba38 >
> wrote:
>
> >Cindy Fuller wrote:
> >
> >> I was in NYC earlier this month, and wandered around midtown Manhattan
> >> while SO met with some research collaborators. What shocked me is how
> >> many retail outlets are identical to what we can find here in downtown
> >> Seattle, with the exception of Kitchen Arts & Letters. The unique
> >> merchants are being squeezed out by the chains.
> >>
> >> Cindy
> >>
> ><sigh> yeah, it is a shame. The same thing happens in towns that become
> >overrun with chain restaurants. I was in PA a while ago and considered
> >it a "chain restaurant hell." Thankfully with research and effort we
> >managed to find an incredible gem of a "mom and pop" Italian restaurant
> >that to this day I still drool remembering the meal we enjoyed but I'm
> >sure there are way too many people who think the Olive Garden is Italian
> >food (or even *good* food) and that Red Lobster serves good seafood.
>
> Our son got a gift certificate to RL from work for Christmas. He said
> anyone who wants it can have it because he won't eat there. Guess he's
> been trained well. LOL


Well, if you remember, SHERYL liked to eat there every year for her
birthday with a group of "the girls"...some folks don't aspire to very much,
I guess.

[just had to throw that in...]


--
Best
Greg