On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:50:53 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:

>In article >,
> Omelet > wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> "Dimitri" > wrote:
>>
>> > well we got in on Tuesday
>
>> Sounds like fun so far!
>>
>> Don't neglect Fisherman's wharf...
>
>It's very touristy. Some people like that, that's why there are so many
>tourists there.

Tourists have to go somewhere! I go to tourist places when I'm in a
new area. Nobody is immune.

Virtually every place Dimitri mentioned is tourist or Financial
District worker driven (I thought "Sam Wo" was long gone). To erase
the snottiness - I go to tourist places when I'm in a new area. IMO:
Nobody is immune. You tend to go to places you've heard about or are
near where you're staying. For instance, when I visited Quebec City -
I stayed in the "old city" (Fairmount Hotel) and ate exclusively in
Old Town" Quebec. I wasn't disappointed either. The restaurants we
pick were delicious and we didn't go for the most expensive ones
either. I think SF tourists feel the same way when they come to our
tourist sections.

Locals don't go there because those places charge tourist prices and
we know others spots that won't deplete our wallets as much. IMO, Sam
Wo was a tourist rip off. I didn't even know it still existed.
*Nobody* talks about it anymore. Apparently Herb Caen and the "upper
crust" of the time liked to be insulted and told to get their own
water. I was never intrigued by the idea of being insulted by a
restaurant worker, so I never went there (and won't).

Parking
No matter where you go in SF today - if the parking isn't free, it's
truly EXPENSIVE. It's free - but read the street signs carefully. If
you don't notice/see the signs, you'll pay mucho bucks because you
parked on the wrong side of the street on street cleaning day.

sf
Who lives in a part of town where they just changed street cleaning
from weekly to twice a month... I haven't decided if I should laugh or
cry (yet).


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:46:34 GMT, notbob > wrote:

> Pier 39? Entertainment, killer food, unusual shops
>(wonder if the all Russian place is still there? I could use a hat!).

At Pier 39 - a reasonably priced, and good quality restaurant would be
Pier Market on the first floor in the middle.
http://www.piermarket.com/menu.asp


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:49:02 -0500, "Pete C." >
wrote:

>There are definitely two distinctly different sub-species of humans,
>city and country. Cities are ok to visit, but I could never in a million
>years live in one. I don't know how the city humans can stand to live in
>a tiny box with no year, privacy, elbow room, quiet, darkness, etc.

Have you heard about the middle one which is called "suburb"?
Hubby tried to get me to move there a few years ago. Why??? GAG!
Chain after chain... restaurants, stores - no personality or
individuality.

Many of who live in Cities can't understand how country hicks do it
(Wasilla Palin is absolutely up town compared to what I'm thinking
about). BTDT growing up.... and HATED IT. The GD tree frogs used to
wake me up at night, and the GD moonlight kept me awake because it was
too GD bright. Our screened windows were wide open during the summer
time, but mosquitoes got into the room anyway. I spent many nights in
bed with the sheets over my head fending off biting bugs. I couldn't
sleep due to the humidity anyway, so I spent just as many other nights
sleeping on the floor (tossing and turning) because everything was too
sticky.

Mother Nature is a real bitch!

If I wanted to visit the suburbs or country, I could do it easily -
but it's not a big draw for me. Don't even suggest hiking in the
mountains. YUCK!

BTW: I was brought up in real country, with a crossroad community a
mile or so away. The only way you'd know you went through town (which
was one whole block of business district) was by stopping at a stop
sign in one direction or going over railroad tracks in the other
direction - so it got your attention one way or the other.

Reminiscing: I ADORED my first day/night in a real city and have never
looked back. I stayed awake for hours with my sister staring at city
lights the first week here - and best of all... NO BUGS! Life is good
in the city... very, very good. I like the ambient sounds, real
curtains/shades to block light, being close to museums, theaters,
restaurants, parks of all types and historic attractions. I love
public transportation too. I hope they improve that part even more.

Yes, I'm a reformed country bumpkin... which is almost as bad as being
a reformed smoker.




--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:44:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
wrote:

>On Oct 24, 9:42*am, (Steve Pope) wrote:
>> merryb > wrote:
>> >On Oct 23, 7:35*pm, sandi > wrote:
>> >> merryb > wrote
>> >> > If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat- I think S.F.
>> >> > is my #1 favorite city!
>> >> I think so too. *But I do like Washington DC also.
>> >That's someplace I've never been- I'd love to take my 11 year old to
>> >the Smithsonian...
>>
>> I like Washington D.C. alright but it is seldom on people's
>> lists of favorite cities. *Outside of Georgetown and Dupont Circle
>> it does not seem like there are that many places to just hang
>> out. *I do not know that the city would sustain my interest.
>> Tons of tourist attractions, however.
>>
>> Steve
>
>I understand some of the poorest ghettoes are a few blocks from the
>White House...

Here' my first experience.... We'd heard about the ghettos and wanted
to find them. IMPOSSIBLEIf I want to visit the suburbs or country, I
could do it easily - but it's not a big draw for me. Don't ever
suggest hiking in the mountains to me. YUCK!



--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

"sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio
merryb >
> wrote:

>>> I like Washington D.C. alright but it is seldom on people's
>>> lists of favorite cities. Outside of Georgetown and Dupont Circle
>>> it does not seem like there are that many places to just hang
>>> out. I do not know that the city would sustain my interest.
>>> Tons of tourist attractions, however.
>>>
>>> Steve
>>
>>I understand some of the poorest ghettoes are a few blocks from the
>>White House...
>
> Here' my first experience.... We'd heard about the ghettos and wanted
> to find them. IMPOSSIBLEIf I want to visit the suburbs or country, I
> could do it easily - but it's not a big draw for me. Don't ever
> suggest hiking in the mountains to me. YUCK!

Go northeast, SF, go NE and into the adjacent MD suburbs. The ghetto
doesn't look like those 1939 photos, but they are there.

I lived in Washington DC for many years and there are lots of places to hang
out, but perhaps they are not as clear to visitors as they might be in
Paris. The ones you find easily in Paris are likely not the ones most
Parisians go to.

merryb > wrote in

s.com:

> On Oct 23, 7:35*pm, sandi > wrote:
>> merryb > wrote
>> innews:bfc9dec2-bbf3-4710-913b-a74cf5dbb2d
> legroup
>> s.com:
>>
>> > If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat- I think
>> > S.F. is my #1 favorite city!
>>
>> I think so too. *But I do like Washington DC also.
>
> That's someplace I've never been- I'd love to take my 11 year
> old to the Smithsonian...

Do it!

I took my kids there 2 times. Too much to see even on a 9 day
trip. A must is the boat ride down the river to George
Washington's house.

sf wrote:
>
> On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:49:02 -0500, "Pete C." >
> wrote:
>
> >There are definitely two distinctly different sub-species of humans,
> >city and country. Cities are ok to visit, but I could never in a million
> >years live in one. I don't know how the city humans can stand to live in
> >a tiny box with no year, privacy, elbow room, quiet, darkness, etc.
>
> Have you heard about the middle one which is called "suburb"?
> Hubby tried to get me to move there a few years ago. Why??? GAG!
> Chain after chain... restaurants, stores - no personality or
> individuality.

Most of the "suburb" these days is the worst of both generally. I'm
talking real country, as in I can see horses across the street out my
window country.

>
> Many of who live in Cities can't understand how country hicks do it

Same as those of us in the country can't understand how anyone can live
without a yard or any separation from your neighbors.

> (Wasilla Palin is absolutely up town compared to what I'm thinking
> about). BTDT growing up.... and HATED IT.

> The GD tree frogs used to
> wake me up at night,

I can't imagine how this would be worse than a city, since every city
I've visited has been far noisier, and the city noise is random and
obnoxious vs. consistent white noise background.

> and the GD moonlight kept me awake because it was
> too GD bright.

This one is really out in left field, since a city is the epitome of
light pollution. Indeed it seems that many city folks are afraid of the
dark and when they move to the country they quickly have to install
"security lights" and keep them on al night since the first actually
dark night freaks them out and they thing the squirrels are going to get
them in their sleep.

> Our screened windows were wide open during the summer
> time, but mosquitoes got into the room anyway. I spent many nights in
> bed with the sheets over my head fending off biting bugs.

Having lived in the country for nearly 39 years, I can't even figure
that one out, as I've never had problems with mosquitoes getting through
window screens.

> I couldn't
> sleep due to the humidity anyway, so I spent just as many other nights
> sleeping on the floor (tossing and turning) because everything was too
> sticky.

Humidity has nothing to do with city or country, it relates to the part
of the country you are in and how you manage your home. Try living in a
city like hot-lanta without A/C and you'll find you stick to stuff just
as much as in the country without A/C.

>
> Mother Nature is a real bitch!

So are cities.

>
> If I wanted to visit the suburbs or country, I could do it easily -
> but it's not a big draw for me. Don't even suggest hiking in the
> mountains. YUCK!

Have fun in the city then, but do me a favor, and convince you city
dwelling friends to stay there too, since a large percentage of the time
when they move out to the country they promptly destroy it by bringing
their city light pollution since they're afraid of the dark, cutting
down the trees since they don't want to maintain their yard, etc.

>
> BTW: I was brought up in real country, with a crossroad community a
> mile or so away. The only way you'd know you went through town (which
> was one whole block of business district) was by stopping at a stop
> sign in one direction or going over railroad tracks in the other
> direction - so it got your attention one way or the other.

I grew up in a fairly country area too, and in the last decade or so I
watched it slowly be destroyed by city dwellers moving out to the
country because it was so pretty, and then destroying it with the
actions noted above.

>
> Reminiscing: I ADORED my first day/night in a real city and have never
> looked back. I stayed awake for hours with my sister staring at city
> lights the first week here - and best of all... NO BUGS!

No bugs??? I don't think so boopie, every city I've seen has tons of
bugs, though most aren't the flying kind. Cockroaches everywhere, cat
sized rats, etc. ick!

> Life is good
> in the city... very, very good. I like the ambient sounds, real
> curtains/shades to block light, being close to museums, theaters,
> restaurants, parks of all types and historic attractions. I love
> public transportation too. I hope they improve that part even more.

I like natural ambient sounds, not honking horns, screaming people, etc.
Real curtains / shades work anywhere, and *gasp* in the country you
actually have dark at night. World class museums, theaters and
restaurants are all within about 45 minutes of me, as for parks, well, I
essentially own my own park, and my park doesn't have homeless
squatters, muggers, bums ****ing on the sidewalk, PYVs letting their
filthy dogs crap on everything, etc. As for public transit, no that
isn't in the immediate area, but it's of little relevance since most
everything you'd want is within a 10 mile radius, and *gasp* there isn't
any place that charges for parking. Oh, and if I really want to use
public transit in a city, I can drive about 30 min to catch a commuter
train into the city, and parking at the train station lot if free too.

>
> Yes, I'm a reformed country bumpkin... which is almost as bad as being
> a reformed smoker.

I sounds as though your only country experience was for whatever reason
a bad one, and not representative of the majority of country life.

On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:42:31 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:

> merryb > wrote:
>
>>On Oct 23, 7:35*pm, sandi > wrote:
>
>>> merryb > wrote
>
>>> > If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat- I think S.F.
>>> > is my #1 favorite city!
>
>>> I think so too. *But I do like Washington DC also.
>
>>That's someplace I've never been- I'd love to take my 11 year old to
>>the Smithsonian...
>
> I like Washington D.C. alright but it is seldom on people's
> lists of favorite cities. Outside of Georgetown and Dupont Circle
> it does not seem like there are that many places to just hang
> out. I do not know that the city would sustain my interest.
> Tons of tourist attractions, however.
>
> Steve

georgetown has changed mightily, dupont circle to a lesser extent. the u
street corridor is the latest 'hot' area of town, supplanting adams morgan
(which supplanted dupont circle, which supplanted georgetown...).

lotsa restaurants, night clubs and the like...

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_Street_Corridor>

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 01:18:54 -0700, sf wrote:

> On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:44:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
> wrote:
>
>>On Oct 24, 9:42*am, (Steve Pope) wrote:
>>> merryb > wrote:
>>> >On Oct 23, 7:35*pm, sandi > wrote:
>>> >> merryb > wrote
>>> >> > If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat- I think S.F.
>>> >> > is my #1 favorite city!
>>> >> I think so too. *But I do like Washington DC also.
>>> >That's someplace I've never been- I'd love to take my 11 year old to
>>> >the Smithsonian...
>>>
>>> I like Washington D.C. alright but it is seldom on people's
>>> lists of favorite cities. *Outside of Georgetown and Dupont Circle
>>> it does not seem like there are that many places to just hang
>>> out. *I do not know that the city would sustain my interest.
>>> Tons of tourist attractions, however.
>>>
>>> Steve
>>
>>I understand some of the poorest ghettoes are a few blocks from the
>>White House...
>
> Here' my first experience.... We'd heard about the ghettos and wanted
> to find them. IMPOSSIBLEIf I want to visit the suburbs or country, I
> could do it easily - but it's not a big draw for me. Don't ever
> suggest hiking in the mountains to me. YUCK!

there aren't any 'ghettos' blocks from the white house. there are street
people in the park across the street, but the white house is mostly
surrounded by (federal) office buildings and parks.

<http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/tours/map.html>

your pal,
blake

On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:59:03 -0600, Christine Dabney wrote:

> On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:41:58 +0000 (UTC),
> (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
>>Christine Dabney > wrote:
>>
>>>(Steve Pope) wrote:
>>
>>>>I like Washington D.C. alright but it is seldom on people's
>>>>lists of favorite cities. Outside of Georgetown and Dupont Circle
>>>>it does not seem like there are that many places to just hang
>>>>out. I do not know that the city would sustain my interest.
>>>>Tons of tourist attractions, however.
>>
>>>Oh, there are tons and tons of places there in DC to hang out. It is
>>>a very happening city...aside from all the monuments, museums..etc....
>>>Georgetown and the Dupont Circle area are just one of many lively
>>>areas in DC.
>>
>>Cool. So, what are a few other neighborhoods/areas to check out?
>>
>>Steve
>
> I think one is called the Adams Morgan neighborhood...
>
> And head on up Connecticut Avenue....north of Dupont Circle.
>
> And don't forget just across the river, in Alexandria...Old Town is a
> great place!!
>
> Last time I was in the DC area, was back in 2004-5. So I am not as
> current as people living closer.. But even when I have lived there,
> and when I was there a few years ago for a few months, there was
> much, much more to DC than those places you mentioned.
>
> And as I mentioned, it has become a happening food town...some really
> good restaurants there.
>
> A good forum for foodies, for the DC area and a bit beyond:
> http://www.donrockwell.com/
>
> Maybe Pat (Cryambers) will speak up..she is very familiar with the DC
> area, as well as our own Blake Murphy.
>
>
> Christine

i responded with a few posts upthread.

tyler cowen has a fine ethnic dining guide website for d.c. and environs,
which is searchable by neighborhood, cuisine, restaurant name, etc. very
knowledgeable guy.

<http://www.tylercowensethnicdiningguide.com/>

your pal,
blake

sf wrote:
snip

I know I've posted on this thread before and I apologize in advance. I
did though want to mention what was a 'must' for us all the many years
we lived in the Bay area. Every new Year's day we'd get up early and
walk across the Golden Gate bridge. A fantastic experience, then we'd
head over to the Buena Vista for Irish coffee, that is till that raised
their prices way beyond reason.

"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Paul M. Cook" > wrote:
>
>
>> San Fran is a lot of fun to visit but I'd never want to live there. I
>> remember doing the Boudin (no e) Bakery thing once and overheard some
>> "locals" bitching about the "f*&*ing tourists." At least in NYC the
>> locals
>> don't act like they own the place. I mean the whole Wharf is all about
>> tourists. Great chowder though.
>
> It's easy to tell the tourists in the summer. They're the ones wearing
> shorts with bright blue legs.
>
> --
> Dan Abel
> Petaluma, California USA
>


Better yet- how about this image - shorts, black socks & Wingtips.

:-)

Dimitri

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 10:39:47 +0200, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>Go northeast, SF, go NE and into the adjacent MD suburbs. The ghetto
>doesn't look like those 1939 photos, but they are there.

Funny thing is that on that particular trip, we went to Boston too and
got lost trying to get around a parade. We ended up in a ghetto
filled with beautiful brownstone buildings. I imagine it's a high
rent district nowadays.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:46:22 -0700, Don Martinich >
wrote:

>Dimitri-
>Original Joe's had a fire last year and I don't think they have reopened
>yet. I just checked their website and there was no indication that they
>reopened. If you want a very similar dining experience, you can take
>BART out to the Daly City station and walk to the Westlake Shopping
>Center and right across John Daly Blvd. on the west side of the mall you
>will find Joe's of Westlake. Same format, same menu, same age group.
>It's another classic Joe's. Sit at the counter and have buger or a
>Special.

We're going there today for an early dinner.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

In article >,
says...
> On 24 Oct 2008 02:35:08 GMT, sandi > wrote:
>
> >merryb > wrote in
>
> >s.com:
> >
> >> If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat- I think S.F.
> >> is my #1 favorite city!
> >
> >I think so too. But I do like Washington DC also.
> >
> Those of us on the West Coast think DC and the surrounding area rocks
> too.

I have to use both hands to count the number of times I've been to D.C.
It's got some cool stuff like the monuments but my absolute favorites
are the museums, particularly the Smithsonian museums.

Other than that the city appears very monochromatic to me.

Christine Dabney > wrote:

>(Steve Pope) wrote:

>>Christine Dabney > wrote:

>>>(Steve Pope) wrote:

>>>>I like Washington D.C. alright but it is seldom on people's
>>>>lists of favorite cities. Outside of Georgetown and Dupont Circle
>>>>it does not seem like there are that many places to just hang
>>>>out. I do not know that the city would sustain my interest.
>>>>Tons of tourist attractions, however.
>>
>>>Oh, there are tons and tons of places there in DC to hang out. It is
>>>a very happening city...aside from all the monuments, museums..etc....
>>>Georgetown and the Dupont Circle area are just one of many lively
>>>areas in DC.
>>
>>Cool. So, what are a few other neighborhoods/areas to check out?
>>
>I think one is called the Adams Morgan neighborhood...
>
>And head on up Connecticut Avenue....north of Dupont Circle.
>
>And don't forget just across the river, in Alexandria...Old Town is a
>great place!!
>
>Last time I was in the DC area, was back in 2004-5. So I am not as
>current as people living closer.. But even when I have lived there,
>and when I was there a few years ago for a few months, there was
>much, much more to DC than those places you mentioned.

Thanks. I had forgotton about Adams-Morgan.

It's really been since the 1990's that I've hung around in
or near D.C.

Steve

In article >,
sf > wrote:

> On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:50:53 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:
>
> >In article >,
> > Omelet > wrote:

> >> Don't neglect Fisherman's wharf...
> >
> >It's very touristy. Some people like that, that's why there are so many
> >tourists there.
>
> Tourists have to go somewhere! I go to tourist places when I'm in a
> new area. Nobody is immune.
>
> Virtually every place Dimitri mentioned is tourist or Financial
> District worker driven (I thought "Sam Wo" was long gone). To erase
> the snottiness - I go to tourist places when I'm in a new area. IMO:
> Nobody is immune.

I didn't mean to be snotty, it was just a comment.

> Locals don't go there because those places charge tourist prices and
> we know others spots that won't deplete our wallets as much.

And some visitors want to know where these other places are, also.

> IMO, Sam
> Wo was a tourist rip off.

Let me count the ways that it isn't a tourist ripoff, based on my visits
30 years ago:

1. You walk in the front door and there's the kitchen. Most tourists
would do an about face and walk out. Failing to find the "real"
entrance, they will eat elsewhere.

2. If they were clued in about the entrance being by the kitchen,
where's the eating area? There is one table on the first floor, and
it's *always* occupied. There's stairs, but they look like typical
stairs down to the basement, except they go up. They are unpainted
wooden boards.

3. Ripoffs have high prices, bad food or both. Sam Wo's has very cheap
prices and good (although plain) food.


> I didn't even know it still existed.
> *Nobody* talks about it anymore. Apparently Herb Caen and the "upper
> crust" of the time liked to be insulted and told to get their own
> water. I was never intrigued by the idea of being insulted by a
> restaurant worker, so I never went there (and won't).

Edsel Fong is gone. He was old 30 years ago. I don't know if he
trained a successor in the art of insulting customers. Besides, it was
always true back then that if you didn't want the insults, you just went
up to the third floor. There was a regular waiter there.

> Parking
> No matter where you go in SF today - if the parking isn't free, it's
> truly EXPENSIVE. It's free - but read the street signs carefully. If
> you don't notice/see the signs, you'll pay mucho bucks because you
> parked on the wrong side of the street on street cleaning day.

Yeah, they really sock it to you.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:24:30 -0400, T >
wrote:

>
>I have to use both hands to count the number of times I've been to D.C.
>It's got some cool stuff like the monuments but my absolute favorites
>are the museums, particularly the Smithsonian museums.
>
>Other than that the city appears very monochromatic to me.

Monochromatic in what way? Not enough clubs, cultural events....


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

In article .com>,
"Pete C." > wrote:

> sf wrote:


> > Our screened windows were wide open during the summer
> > time, but mosquitoes got into the room anyway. I spent many nights in
> > bed with the sheets over my head fending off biting bugs.
>
> Having lived in the country for nearly 39 years, I can't even figure
> that one out, as I've never had problems with mosquitoes getting through
> window screens.

Guess you haven't seen the screens on my windows. Some screens fit very
poorly, as do some doors. If there are enough bugs, some can get
through.


> > I couldn't
> > sleep due to the humidity anyway, so I spent just as many other nights
> > sleeping on the floor (tossing and turning) because everything was too
> > sticky.
>
> Humidity has nothing to do with city or country, it relates to the part
> of the country you are in and how you manage your home. Try living in a
> city like hot-lanta without A/C and you'll find you stick to stuff just
> as much as in the country without A/C.

Even the older office buildings in SF don't have A/C, much less the
houses and older apartments. SF doesn't get hot and it never gets that
humid. See the third paragraph down for explanation.

> > Reminiscing: I ADORED my first day/night in a real city and have never
> > looked back. I stayed awake for hours with my sister staring at city
> > lights the first week here - and best of all... NO BUGS!
>
> No bugs??? I don't think so boopie, every city I've seen has tons of
> bugs, though most aren't the flying kind. Cockroaches everywhere, cat
> sized rats, etc. ick!

Believe it or not, I don't think there are many bugs in SF. Maybe it's
too cold? Of course, I personally think it's too cold for humans, also.
SF is very small, 7 miles square, less than 50 square miles total. It
is surrounded by salt water on three sides. And it's not just some
little thing sticking out. The peninsula is about 50 miles long,
although it gets wider further down.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:36:24 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:

>In article >,
> sf > wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:50:53 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:
>>
>> >In article >,
>> > Omelet > wrote:
>
>> >> Don't neglect Fisherman's wharf...
>> >
>> >It's very touristy. Some people like that, that's why there are so many
>> >tourists there.
>>
>> Tourists have to go somewhere! I go to tourist places when I'm in a
>> new area. Nobody is immune.
>>
>> Virtually every place Dimitri mentioned is tourist or Financial
>> District worker driven (I thought "Sam Wo" was long gone). To erase
>> the snottiness - I go to tourist places when I'm in a new area. IMO:
>> Nobody is immune.
>
>I didn't mean to be snotty, it was just a comment.

I wasn't referring to you, Dan... I was referring to my own comment.
>
>
>3. Ripoffs have high prices, bad food or both. Sam Wo's has very cheap
>prices and good (although plain) food.
>
OK, over hyped.
>
>> I didn't even know it still existed.
>> *Nobody* talks about it anymore. Apparently Herb Caen and the "upper
>> crust" of the time liked to be insulted and told to get their own
>> water. I was never intrigued by the idea of being insulted by a
>> restaurant worker, so I never went there (and won't).
>
>Edsel Fong is gone. He was old 30 years ago. I don't know if he
>trained a successor in the art of insulting customers.

My BIL (who is not a nice person and a cheap SOB to boot) loved that
place when Edsel Fong was alive. *Nothing* I heard about it ever made
me want to dine there.



--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:30:44 -0700, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>Better yet- how about this image - shorts, black socks & Wingtips.
>
>:-)

Don't forget your fedora!


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

In article >,
"Dimitri" > wrote:
> Last Night Sam Wo (Chinatown) (Holy COW) spring roll, sweet & sour pork,
> Beef with Broccoli, steamed rice = the tab $12.75 really.
>
> More to come
>
>
> Dimitri

Sam Wo!! Used to be a waiter there (40 years ago) name of Edsel Ford
Fung. Dirty old man!
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, Thelma and Louise
On the Road Again - It is Finished

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:24:30 -0400, T wrote:

> In article >,
> says...
>> On 24 Oct 2008 02:35:08 GMT, sandi > wrote:
>>
>>>merryb > wrote in

>>>s.com:
>>>
>>>> If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat- I think S.F.
>>>> is my #1 favorite city!
>>>
>>>I think so too. But I do like Washington DC also.
>>>
>> Those of us on the West Coast think DC and the surrounding area rocks
>> too.
>
> I have to use both hands to count the number of times I've been to D.C.
> It's got some cool stuff like the monuments but my absolute favorites
> are the museums, particularly the Smithsonian museums.
>
> Other than that the city appears very monochromatic to me.

if you stick to the mall and the smithsonian, of course it is. it's all
white people from out of town.

your pal,
blake

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Dimitri" > wrote:
>> Last Night Sam Wo (Chinatown) (Holy COW) spring roll, sweet & sour pork,
>> Beef with Broccoli, steamed rice = the tab $12.75 really.
>>
>> More to come
>>
>>
>> Dimitri
>
> Sam Wo!! Used to be a waiter there (40 years ago) name of Edsel Ford
> Fung. Dirty old man!
> --
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
> http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, Thelma and Louise
> On the Road Again - It is Finished

I hope I stay a "Dirty old Man" till the day I die.

:-)

Dimitri

Jim Davis wrote:
>
> merryb wrote:
> >
> > That's someplace I've never been- I'd love to take my 11 year old to
> > the Smithsonian...
>
> Been there 3 times, just this April the latest. Wanted to see
> Smithsonian thoroughly. Loved it every time, but now don't plan to
> return. Seen that, done that.

There's a lot to see on the mall, but except for the
National Air and Space Museum most of it was quite
forgettable. The National Dried Fish Museum (or
whatever they call it) and the National Rock Collection
(or whatever they call that) were pretty much a waste
of time.

Steve Pope wrote:

> merryb > wrote:
>
> >On Oct 23, 7:35 pm, sandi > wrote:
>
> >> merryb > wrote
>
> >> > If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat- I think S.F.
> >> > is my #1 favorite city!
>
> >> I think so too. But I do like Washington DC also.
>
> >That's someplace I've never been- I'd love to take my 11 year old to
> >the Smithsonian...
>
> I like Washington D.C. alright but it is seldom on people's
> lists of favorite cities. Outside of Georgetown and Dupont Circle
> it does not seem like there are that many places to just hang
> out. I do not know that the city would sustain my interest.


That's because it's a one - horse town (government) and to me it more
resembles a college town, the "college" being the government areas, with a
nice residential area in the NW for those engaged in governmental
activities. This is surrounded by horrible black slums and further out
towards the Beltway you start getting to Suburbia Land...

It never had any industrial or commerce sort of base as most other big US
cities had, so no large influxes of foreign immigrants; no blue collar class
to provide working class "interest", such as large ethnic nabes with the
requisite culinary attractions, workingman's taverns on every corner like
Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, other places had...you have to go up to
Baltimore to get that, and frankly, Baltimore as a normal city is a much
more interesting place. After you see all the tourist attractions DC can be
pretty boring...

DC is also a pretty transient place and IMO it's a fairly provincial place.
Until a few decades ago it was practically a backwater in most every sense
of the word, pre - WWII it was a sleepy small southern town, nothing more;
people if they could fled the place during those pre - air conditioning
summers, making it a virtual ghost town. That started to change during the
JFK administration and a bit later large groups of immigrants from places
like Korea, Vietnam, Eritrea, Ethiopia, etc. began livening things up,
especially culinarily...


> Tons of tourist attractions, however.


The best, and many, many, are free...it's a vast storehouse of cultural and
historical treasure.

The entire area that is of interest to visitors (the Mall and close adjacent
areas and NW) is almost entirely walkable, that's how small of a place it
is...it's well - equipped to handle tourists, easy to get around, it has a
great subway and bus system. DC is also centrally - located to many
attractions in the area, e.g. mountains and the Tidewater in Virginia,
Delaware beaches, Annapolis...Philadelphia, Baltimore, and even NYC are
fairly close by train. To a person like me stuck in Chicago that is
surrounded by vast and boring flatlands with it's dreary Putzvilles it's a
treat of a place to visit. But I would not want to live there...and the
population in general is the most stuck - up and unfriendly I've ever
encountered in this country, most everyone it seems has their sphincters
wound *extremely* tight, totally opposite of the folks in Baltimore or even
NYC. I've never seen such sour faces as I've seen on the streets of DC...


--
Best
Greg