Haines His Way

As for the Topic of the Day...

Hmm...  Isn't every meal memorable and special somehow?

I do remember some really nice Chinese place by Tysons Corner in Virginia.  We had gone there for a some sort of party for one of my cousins.  The decor was much nicer than most of the Chinese restaurants we had gone to before, and the waiter service was semi-formal.  I seem to remember a lot of table-side preparations: sizzling rice dishes, Peking Duck carved tableside, etc.  -I was only 12 or 13 at the time, so, who knows, it could have been some really mediocre food, but it sure "felt" good.

Otherwise, the only other dining experiences that come to mind are two from a visit to Disneyworld: The Brown Derby at Disney-MGM Studios (this was before their "downgrade"), and Victoria & Albert's in the Grand Floridian.  I can't remember exact food choices, but I know that both Steve and I could not believe how good the food was at the Brown Derby - and the pianist even played "Deep Purple" for us.  As for Victoria & Albert, I splurged on the chef's table seating, so we got out our private table in the kitchen.  Truly one of the most delicious, well-presented, and well-served meals I've ever had.  -And in Disneyworld?!?!?

DR elmore - Just got your e-mail regarding tonight's concerts.  No worries.  Get and Feel Better.

The post office is a mess and of course there's only one automated postal machine and everyone using it ahead of me had never used one before so the wait was ridiculous.  Every post office needs one window designated "Know nothing? Complete Moron? This window only" and then those of us who arrive prepared and knowing exactly what we need won't have to wait in line forever.

At my local branch up here in West Harlem/Morningside Heights, it's like every window is labeled "Know nothing? Complete Moron? This window only".    -Which is why I will usually set aside some extra time to get down to Columbus Circle or Penn Station to take care of my postal business.

Hope you can start to feel better very soon, DR Elmore. Oh, how I feel for you! However, I certainly don't want to catch it (is it contagious?)!

TV Reminders:

LAW & ORDER: SVU back after months of reruns!

NCIS has a new episode.

AMERICAN IDOL Top 7 mentored by Mariah Carey.

ACCORDING TO JIM and BOSTON LEGAL have new episodes tonight.

And the usual slate of reality shows (HELL'S KITCHEN, THE BIGGEST LOSER Season finale, DANCING WITH THE RESULTS results).

I can remember as a young child (probably around 7 or going to a seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach and being allowed to order a seafood platter (adult size). When it arrived, Mrs. Willie Duke (mother of astronaut Charles Duke; the Dukes and my family are cousins) told me laughingly that I'd never eat even half of the platter. How surprised they were some fifteen minutes later that my bottomless stomach once again didn't let me down. To her (and others') amazement, I had finished the entire plate plus sides of cole slaw and fries.

To this day, I think that's the best seafood I've ever eaten.

Hope you can start to feel better very soon, DR Elmore. Oh, how I feel for you! However, I certainly don't want to catch it (is it contagious?)!

DR Matt H, you were in one of my dreams last night! I can't remember well any of them last night but there were quite a few because I slept so poorly. I kept waking up and trying to turn to a more comfortable position. I remember that the Macbeths figured in one in which I refused to speak to them, and this is clearly a concern I've got about my next trek to Ohio. There were several involving friends and acquaintances, but it's all too vague now.

I'm continuing my J.S. Bach "marathon" by listening to the B Minor Mass.

I really don't think that anything more sublime has yet been composed by any mortal.  

I can remember as a young child (probably around 7 or going to a seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach and being allowed to order a seafood platter (adult size). When it arrived, Mrs. Willie Duke (mother of astronaut Charles Duke; the Dukes and my family are cousins) told me laughingly that I'd never eat even half of the platter. How surprised they were some fifteen minutes later that my bottomless stomach once again didn't let me down. To her (and others') amazement, I had finished the entire plate plus sides of cole slaw and fries.

To this day, I think that's the best seafood I've ever eaten.

I had just the reverse experience when I was 12 or 13 years old.  My parents would take us to the Family Fish House every Friday night for dinner during Lent.  I loved their hush puppies - we all loved their hush puppies.  Well, I remember trying a fried oyster on a previous visit, and decided to go ahead and get a full platter of them for my dinner that night, instead of the usual fish and chips combo.  

This night it was particularly crowded and the kitchen was quite backed up getting the food out to the tables, so the waitress kept bringing out baskets and baskets of hush puppies to keep us satisfied until the food arrived.  Of course, once the food arrived - with even more hush puppies on the platter! - I think I could only eat one or two of the oysters.  But, boy, were those hush puppies good!

I'm continuing my J.S. Bach "marathon" by listening to the B Minor Mass.

I really don't think that anything more sublime has yet been composed by any mortal.  

You obviously haven't gotten my cabaret song yet.

(That's a joke, retract the claws please).

Bells are tolling and no one is posting.  And can someone tell me why so many people of the current generation spell no one as "noone"?  It is to wonder, but it happens so frequently that I have to wonder what they're teaching in school these days.

There is also the ubiquitous "alright" in place of "all right."

"Alright" ain't "right"!

There is also the ubiquitous "alright" in place of "all right."

"Alright" ain't "right"!

And there's also the seemingly now-interchangeable "lose" and "loose".

"loose"

Do you have a particular affinity for that word, DR JoseSPiano?    

I revised the link to the guy's new Kapok site...the pictures are better and there is more history.

Here's just one of the many gardens: