Ellen Shapiro

Greg LeMond has always been my hero--now there's simply no question!

Tommy I can try to help you understand your McDonald's dinner anxiety. Your posts indicate that you prefer a formal dinner environment. As you know McDonald's discontinued its "Candlelight Dinner at McDonald's" program in the late 1970s. The cost-savings on those little red candles has been significant, approximately six trillion dollars, but the loss of some dinnertime customers such as yoursef has been an unfortunate effect. Tjaehnigen in my family (me and Fat Guy that is) we have a name for this and even a discussion on egullet: Parking Lot Dinner.

FlaJoe—what a GREAT report. I also grew up in New Haven and my parents and one of my brothers still live there so FG and I go back once a month (or more). I’m glad Sally’s lived up to your memories and expectations. My family is a Sally’s family. We don’t cross the Pepe’s line. Oh! Those cannoli at Lucibello’s and the whole cakes with the real whipped cream frosting—to die for! Corner of Olive and Grove streets I think. It sounds as if you did well eating around town. I miss Leon’s! It was SO good for home style Italian food. And we knew the owners so extra orders of this and that would always show up at our table (as if the portions weren’t big enough already). Leon’s was my family’s special occasion restaurant. So nice to commiserate with someone who really knows the New Haven restaurant scene past and present. I also miss the “good old days” at Jimmy’s of Savin Rock. The grilled, split dogs there were great, as were the French fries and onion rings. When I was a kid, we’d go there and that’s all we’d order—no fish, no dessert—just the hot dogs and sides. And then a walk on the beach at Savin Rock. But Jimmy’s has really declined so we don’t go there anymore. Oh—do you ever eat at Claire’s Corner Copia? The food there has also declined dramatically—even the cakes--but when you hit it on “a good day” the Lithuanian coffee cake is still the best for my money. Problem is, most of the time it isn’t a “good day” so unless I’m really Jonesing for it, I pass. Other childhood favorites--including places that are long gone?

Hell, I'd go to Canada just to buy a Miele--if they're that much less! I really haven't used one in years but I'm telling you, the one I used day in day out the summer I was cleaning houses was like a revelation. As for the bag-less vacs, I'm skeptical. Anyway, what's the big deal about changing the bag?

This certainly sounds like a promising option. I really do need something heavy duty though because aside from crumbs getting ground into the carpet, there's also the constant issue of dog hair--all day, every day.

One thing you learn very quickly as a photographer is that there are certain kinds of places where if you whip out a camera and start snapping photos they kill you. Either you learn it or you don't, that is.

I finally saw the Blizzard commercial this morning. It wasn't a very good one, though I think it must have been the abridged edition--the one with the red, white and blue candy (maybe m & ms?). The Blizzard was turned upside down so quickly, that had I not known to watch for this, I actually would have missed it. The wonderful irony was that I was at the gym at the time--sweating on the Stairmaster!

So, we're driving to Yonkers. We take Madison Avenue up to the creatively named Madison Avenue Bridge and make the left to get on the Deegan. But, seeing a surprise traffic jam, we decide to go off-road, take the "sneaky route" past Yankee Stadium and along various service roads that get you past the Cross Bronx exit and it's always smooth sailing from there. The mission to Yonkers is for acquisition of watermelons, on sale 29 cents a pound at ShopRite. Along the sneaky route we always drive past but don't really acknowledge (just surviving the drive takes all one's attention) the Bronx Terminal Market. And there sure is a lot of fruit there. So I say, should I go in and see if they have watermelons RIGHT HERE? There's not much parking at New York Produce on the side of the main Terminal Market building. But if you hang around long enough and don't mind infuriating several thousand passing cars that you've forced into opposing traffic (see drive takes all one's attention above) a space eventually opens up. The prices are crazy-low even if you're just buying one of something. I can only imagine what happens when you go into big quantities. It's like, for a whole tray of mangoes, it's $5, which is pretty much what a single mango costs on the Upper East Side. The big-mama SEEDLESS watermelons were 23 cents a pound, lower than the lowest sale price in this region (which was 39 cents a pound this week), and a chunk lower than Costco (selling approx 15 pound watermelons for $5.99). I bought a 20 pounder and a 25 pounder, 44.60 pounds in all, for $10.25. You have to be really careful, though, because these hand-truck-forklift guys are moving around the place, zipping around the corners and blaring their horns. They're not looking where they're going; it's incumbent upon you to get the hell out of the way when you hear a horn, otherwise you will be restocked. The checkout system is one of the most Byzantine I've seen outside of, well, Byzantium. First you have to ask the price from "Juan" at "the first window." It's not clear that the price Juan tells you is based on anything other than mood, even though he diligently spends five minutes banging on the computer keyboard to give you your answer. If you have something to weigh, such as I did, you then have to go around to the other side of Juan's office where there’s another window and a scale. Juan tells you the weight, calculates the price, you go back to "the first window" and Juan tells you what your "ticket number" is. Then you go over to Juan’s counterpart who is in a maximum security window around the corner and you tell the woman there, "Ticket number 52," and she says, "What number," and you say "Ticket number 52," and she says, "27?" and you say, "52." Then you pay, no credit cards accepted despite the Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover Card stickers prominently displayed on the window, and you get two copies of a receipt. You give one copy to a bouncer-type guy "out front" who stands across from Juan’s window. He keeps his copy and he takes your copy and makes a hieroglyphic notation on it and tears the corner. At that point you are free to go if your car is still there.

A very healthy response, I'm sure. And good that you remind your mother--every time--of her parenting failure.

I've never seen the commercial in question. Does that make me out of touch with the current generation? I never stray from vanilla. My greatest detour will be a chocolate dipped vanilla cone. Of course, I'm not averse to tasting anyone else's selections but at heart, I'm a DQ purist.

I am extremely impressed by these precision strategies. I try to clean up before going to bed--or at least wash all of the dishes so that all I have to do the following morning is put everything away. It still takes time to put everything into its specific place (remember, New York apartment—it’s like a puzzle) but it's not too overwhelming.

I love Dairy Queen. Usually I get a large cone (is there any other size?) but I had a friend in college who was a blizzard regular. She would select her own toppings to add in (can they be toppings if they're not on top?). Every creation was a treat. Nice touch the upside-down hand-off.

Spoken like a true man!

Crumbs ground deep into the rugs. Water stains on the furniture. Piles and piles of china, silver, and crystal. How do you handle it? (Side note I am in the market for a new vacuum cleaner; which ones really kick but don't cost $800 like a Miele?)

Those Picardie tumblers are the right weight for my tastes, but I prefer a non-sloped glass. A straight glass is much more stable and feels better in the hand: hold out your hand the way you'd hold a glass and relax the muscles . . . does your pinky wind up inside the grip of your forefinger? Not unless you're from Men in Black II.

I'm waiting (somewhat) patiently for your report. What I liked best about your post was your usage of the word snark.

Scrat! Oh my god! I feel like I've struck gold. I assume that what you've included here is a summary and you'll elaborate in subsequent posts.

I'm going to cut some watermelon now.

These are good stories. There may be a book in this!

Why are good drinking-glasses so hard to find? In my house when you ask for a glass of water you'll get a glass of water. None of these little juice glasses that used to be shrimp cocktail from the supermarket in the 1970s. No yellow plastic cups leftover from frat parties. No square glasses that are impossible to drink from. You'll get your water in a heavy, copious glass that feels good in the hand and is a pleasure to drink from. But such glasses don't just grow on trees. You have to be on the lookout. Often you have to buy a whole set of glasses in three sizes, two of which are ridiculous, in order to get the good glasses. I hate that.

I have a confession to make: Sometimes (usually?) I cut things without using a cutting board. I just hold whatever it is in my hand and cut towards my hand, or towards my neck, or in some other direction or manner that doesn't affect the countertops. Yesterday I cut up a whole watermelon without using a cutting board. I think I'll go cut a bagel right now.

Is tablecloth one word or two? Do people use tablecloths anymore, other than for special occasions? What's the purpose of a tablecloth? Why are they so expensive? What are the cheaper alternatives? Bedsheets? Making your own? Making your own out of bedsheets? How do you care for them, get stains out of them? Any favorite old family heirloom tablecloths? Any personal tablecloth issues or stories to share? What kinds of table coverings can substitute for tablecloths? Unusual tablecloth tale: We knew a family in Vermont--with nine kids I think it was--who always used a tablecloth. A plastic-coated paper tablecloth. And all plastic utensils and paper plates and disposable cups. And at the end of dinner, they'd just gather up the four corners of the tablecloth and form it into an ersatz trash bag--with all the utensils, plates, cups, and napkins still right in there--and throw it away.

I'm thinking to haul out a wedding-present-waffle-iron, never opened never used in this century, but can hardly remember anything about waffle-making. What to do? Are there tricks, tips, better and worse recipes, issues, factions, schools of thought? (Related topic: waffle irons)

Here are a couple of links to previous discussions that have relevance here... http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=3705 http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...ST&f=13&t=17768 I'll post some comments soon that are more carefully tailored to these specs (I'm just back from a backpacking trip myself, sorry to be offline for the long weekend), but let me repost one of my old posts as well... Responding to Heather in August 2001...

As the primary coffee consumer in the Fat-Guy-Household I can say the home roasted product has really improved the coffee around here. I'm not confident enough to do the roasting myself, and once in awhile FG forgets so I have to fall back on Illy. It's always a disappointment to have to drink not-fresh-roasted. There's just something missing from the flavor, even though Illy is very good.