[Babbo (First 6 Years)]

As usual, a day late and etc.etc.etcetera. But I had to read the entire thread to get every bit of the grist. Now, I was raised in AZ., lived (AND I MEAN LIVED) in Texas 20some years and now reside in Montana. So the New York experience is not an everyday occurance.However after saying that may I just add something that does not seem to occur to anyone but made a lot of sense to me? Perhaps those outlanders (no "t" word here) that show up in inappropriate dress are only taking their cue from the great one hisself? I mean, hell, if all you know of Mario is his fnw shows, books, etc., then judging by his mode of apparel you might figure it's alright to dress like that.And I might also add that after 9/11, the entire country was urged to come and vacation and eat,sleep, play, and spend in New York. Some folks might not have been able to get there till now, but I'll bet in these lean times, they are happy to be there and you know what, I never heard of nobody gettin seriously put off their food by the clothes of the folks at the next table. Grow where you're planted, and worry about the service and food and wine. It's why you're there.

["The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 1]

There's just to me the self-image thing to deal with.Those of us who are only exposed to the "Eatlitists" by virtue of pbs, fnw, mags etc., have built it up that he was somehow more mature,controlled, and food-driven then he turned out to be on the tube. Now that I've watched that crap production, I wouldn't walk across the street to spit on him if he was on fire.

[This is what happened when you offend the Food God]

Be patient with me, this is my first response, but I gotta add. As a teen, I worked for a crop duster as a flagger in AZ. We started at 4 a.m. and were done by 11:30 or so because of the heat, and the chemicals. Anyway, me and this other highschooler were dropped at a short field (about 160 acres) AND we were buzzed by two sprayers, so we were ready to be picked up in about, ummm, 6.7 mins.(joke). However, the crew truck had broken down (unknownst to we two), & TMALSS, we were out on a caleche road for 5 hours waiting to be got otta there. Now to the part that is relevant. The field next to us, and the field across from us, was an already harvested canteloupe patch. Now the cattle had been turned in to clean it up. 118 degrees, Brahma cattle (and cattle flies and cattle manure) and rotted busted open canteloupe for like 6 hours. I can still not stand to smell canteloupe! Thereby meaning if I want Prosciutto con melone it better be a honeydew.