jhlurie

Okay, I'll mix this up a bit by posting advice from the most unlikely of sources--a washed up sitcom actress. Suzanne Sommers--who I've never had any occasion to appreciate except as the fulcrum point of a Thighmaster excercise device--claims that Atkins is basically sound but unrealistic because people can't keep it up. She claims that you can get much the same result as Atkins if you simply are careful to never have carbs and fats in the same meal. Does the "Thighmistress" have a point or is she just trying to push an idea that will get her flaky self on TV and sell diet books of her own?

Good lord Rachel, that site is hilarious. For example, Rocco sez: Way to make friends, Roc!

Apparently Rocco is supposed to be on this crappy "Extra" show tonight. Whoopie! EDIT - Just saw it. Rocco gets on a mike and invites you into his life. Then we get some crap about how how much Rocco loves his family--how his Mama cooks meatballs, his Uncle makes sausage, and his Aunt makes pasta. Followed by a preview of next week's show--a former customer gets a job as a server, all of the guys salivate over her because she's "hot", and once again "Rocco saves the day" (this last is a direct quote from this piece). "Extra" and "Rocco", perfect together.

Because Coca-Cola's take on Vanilla Coke sucks. Vanilla Pepsi is somewhat better, but still nowhere near as good as what you can make yourself.

Indeed. And Bourdain actually pulled off his bit very nicely. A "realist" guest starring on an episode of a reality show? Who'da thunk you'd ever see that?

Reporting on a great soda I've been drinking all week in Kansas City (I'm visiting there) called "Fitz's". Apparently they make kick-ass Root Beer, but since I hate Root Beer I've been sucking down their incredible Cream Soda instead. This is Cream Soda with a nice bite--its actually got a slightly spicy undertone under the creaminess of the Vanilla. Cane Sugar, of course, is the sweetener of choice in this stuff. No evil HFCS! (although they have Diet varieties with Aspartame) Click here for their whole product line...

No beer. This is serious.

Indeed. I'm still undecided about Topher, but it was a great interview.

Why would you ever import a pot from Italy? Has the science of metallurgy ground to a halt here?

Wow, a new spelling!

"Bound", with Jennifer Tilly, was notable for being a bit, er... kinky.

I worked across the street from Bill Hong's for over a year (and 3 blocks away for 3 years before that) and frankly the prices kept me far far away. It never seemed that busy either, but then again I rarely saw it during prime hours.

Hah, this is hardly a blow to Tony. NBC thinks he's irrelevent! Big whoop. And Ripert is only good for a cut shot. How will these guys survive the insult? I think they slept well last night, in relief that they weren't really part of this crap-fest.

Topher certainly has certainly received both the benefits and detriments of editing. In the first show he was made to seem smart but more professional than any of the other actors, er, I mean waiters--or at least more professional than the ones who agreed to/were chosen to appear on camera. In the more recent shows he's been shown as some kind of self-appointed leader of the rebel alliance. Sure the Vespa thing was horrible management. Then again, apparently Rocco thought a good bartender (and at least from what they showed she actually WAS a pretty good one) was harder to replace than a good waiter. This notion, more than anything, will probably cause lots of heat here (remember, I'm not agreeing with him, but it was obvious this is what the sequence was implying). The sex or orientation of the people involved may or may not have made a difference--really the editing left the interpretation of that part open. To be fair to Rocco for once (and boy that's tough these days), he was obviously playing to the cameras when he made that promise--"in real life" I'll bet he'd have never made that decision. So once again, its absolute BS to proclaim that we are getting a look into how a real restaurant would operate. The very presense of the cameras not only changed this decision, but they also probably engineered the events which followed. Topher himself may have also been playing to the cameras--he might have approached the situation in a totally different manner without them around--and even if he WASN'T (his word will probably be enough on that if he gives it), the events were still shaped by their presense.

Sonnets beyond me, so Haiku I will rip off. Sorry, Bergerka! The Cat stalks her meals, and we are in for the kill. Her verse, sharp as knives.

Well then he's got to be upset that the editing implies that he left because Rocco didn't offer him a Vespa, doesn't he?

care to try again? Sorry your right. But I don't think it was as small a contribution as you make it out to be. Hah. Stop fighting children! eGullet will sail on successfully with or without people who are on the "inside" of any issue we discuss. On the other hand, they can indeed help the discussion, and from what I've always seen are usually given a pretty good shake at it. In other words, eG doesn't "need" them, but can and does "appreciate" them, assuming the contribution is positive. The amount of that contribution matters not, I think, as long as it outweighs any negatives. Some great collaborations can occur this way (or not). Like all discussion sites, eGullet is inherently a bit of a jungle, but unlike some, it's in a nice spot where we've killed lots of bugs and cut away the underbrush some. It would be nice if everyone felt comfortable exploring the whole site, but its also perfectly valid for someone to be here specifically for one topic. I mean if someone has an axe to grind, or simply something to shill, and nothing else, we usually spot that too, right? It's part of the fun (and I'm NOT saying that either of those is the case with anyone here--I'm just talking about the concept of these things happening). I think. . . I'm not some site official speaking here, just an occasional flunky at most. So add an invisible "in my opinion" to every sentence above. {edit for spelking, I mean spelling. idjit.}

Rocco is on Conan O'Brian's show tonight. EDIT: Sit down interview, not a cooking segment. Mom was in the audience and yelled stuff out. Best Rocco quote: "I have no clue what I'm doing in the Kitchen when it comes to Italian Food" (he was explaining why Mom was involved) Conan cut on the product placements a lot. Some blather about how many women Rocco gets, because he cooks. Better than yet another cooking segment, but it was still pretty bland.

Dr. Phil ain't exactly skinny himself.

Yes, 'tis true. It simultaneously induces both admiration and cringes in different parts of me. This is very much the Rocco I see doing the current show--ambituous, desiring of fame, somewhat ruthless under the nice (that's not necessarily a bad thing by itself), having real talent underneath but perhaps not willing to face the cost of his rise to fame. He's like a Greek tragedy waiting to happen, except he's Italian.

New question (not weighty enough for its own thread, I think): Bottled Water. Expiration Dates. Why? Discuss.

Geez, "the 'chester" is pretty big (well, not really... but it seems that way with all of the traffic), and you are fairly far from parts of it--being on the extreme southern end. It's been years since I lived there (in Irvington), so I can no longer be very specific. Let's cover areas. You will be fairly close to Yonkers. Central Ave. in Yonkers, and up into Scarsdale and into White Plains has always had a lot of mid-level stuff--which seems to be the area you are looking for. I feel I should remember more about Mount Vernon and New Rochelle... but I don't. The area where I used to live--up through Dobbs Ferry, Irvington and into Tarrytown was never that great for the middle. Maybe things have changed. Also, don't forget that Bronxville, while not the Bronx, is CLOSE to the Bronx--in other words the Arthur Avenue area. Go there, and go often. I think it counts as the "staff of life", but hey, I may be fooling myself. Don't be afraid of the occasional sorties over the GW or Tappan Zee Bridges into Bergen County and occasionally even Rockland. Obviously not for quick takeout, but 'tis good for the shopping trips. I gotta go and sit and see if I remember anything more specific. I dunno... Stu Leonard's? You may run into Fat Guy.

Does Lime Jello in a bundt cake mold with Pineapple rings inside still count? I mean assuming you ever have to do this kind of thing again.

Even if A-B did buy it, they'd be insane to close it. Sell it under another name, as much of a shame as even THAT concession would be. Or position it as a Premium Budweiser, call it "Budweiser Gold" or something like that.

Here's some more of these suckers. The Crown Frankfurter Surprise is particularly grotesque, in my opinion.