hollywood

i think that his association with the CC changes that. I see this as similar to the time when Bob Vila started doing Sears Ads. Then it seems like he got booted from This Old House. Wonder if Rick is gonna get tossed from PBS?

Gosh! Guess he can afford the Wine Clip now.

Flattery will get you everywhere--or at least $79.

I'm thinking low 6 figures. But that's a total guess.

Alive and kicking. Guy who owned it sold it (cheaply, I'm told) to one of his employees who's carrying on.

Baby did a baaad baaad thing!

Actually, I can see him getting off on the "woosh."

Isn't this really the point? Neiman is serving up crappy posters and trying to sell them for wads of dough as art that he has made. Bayless is just shilling a sandwich he never made. Anybody can see that. It's advertising.

So, excommunicate him!

My mind drifts back to a 1969 CSNY concert at the Greek Theater when kids in the crowd were yelling "Stills for President!" People cheered and laughed. Who ever dreamed that someone like Arnold could be Governor?

Perhaps Dali is a better modern art example what with his "limited" editions, etc. Neiman is about one small step above Thomas Kinkade in my book.

Steven, It seems as if you can't "punish" Bayless or Eliot, you want to punish yourself. You're OK. It's just the emphasis on sellout/sin that's reminiscent of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.

This note's for you!

The proof that higher quality can be had without a significant price increase (what I said was "hardly any more," not "the same price," and I'll keep pointing it out every time you misquote me or try to evade context, so why don't you try to keep that under control, okay?) is all around us. Nobody needs me to open a restaurant to prove that. Look at In-N-Out Burger, White Manna, or any of a dozen other single-unit and small-chain operations where they sell hamburgers made from fresh, never-frozen, beef and fries from potatoes cut on premises. It doesn't cost anymore to eat at those places than at McDonald's. If that doesn't prove my point, I don't know what evidence you would accept. Yet McDonald's does much better business than those places. There is in fact a McDonald's directly across the street from White Manna in Hackensack and I bet that McDonald's sells more hamburgers per day. Likewise, as I've repeated a number of times now, there are a near-infinite number of potential options, ranging from wholesome and delicious to the nasty garbage that Burger King serves, at whatever price point you want to name. Whatever budget you want to set -- $8, $4, or $2 -- good food can be had. Bourdain is a lot of things -- call him just about any name you like, I won't mind and neither will he -- but there's one thing he's not: a hustler. Tony is the genuine article and is more honest than a fucking Vulcan. You know, Eliot, in your attempts to discredit the straw man you've created, you've managed to introduce quite a bit of sanctimony of your own. FG, I think you and Eliot are placing a different gloss/value on the term Hustler. Eliot as I get it uses it as a descriptive term but not a pejorative one. You seem to accentuate the pejorative. Which I think is sorta his overall point. Some folks admire hustlers who can pull it off. Certainly, Bourdain does.

It's a competition. They are trying to become the Lowest Common Dominator.

Over on Chowhound, they've been discussing the "scandal" of Tony's being caught eating health food! In a way, it might have made more sense if Bourdain had endorsed the sandwich. And probably would sold more sandwiches in the process. And, frankly. more people would have been pissed off when they didn't like the sandwich. Maybe Bayless had it his way.

I completely agree, especially with regard to eggplant. Although with eggplant, liking or disliking varies considerably with preparation and execution.

Tanino's is nice--a good choice in Westwood, for sure. But in my book, Angelini Osteria has much better food. H'wood--do you mean Di Mori in Beverly Hills? I've not been there...

Sounds like you've done most everything. The Towers, however, are more than a drive by thing. You should actually get out and go on the tour which explains all about em and take some photos. They may not be there forever.

You've tapped into a certain Puritanical aspect of this thread. It seems inevitable in any "sell out" discussion.

Hollywood: Now that he's a Gov., I think you have a better chance filling in for Arnold in the next Terminator movie. Yeah, but I'd probably do a better job filling in for him as gov. And, I'm just trying to offer you a money making suggestion. Isn't this a profit thing? $1.99 + your advise = less than the cost of a subway ride. I suggest you keep the $1.99 for acting lessons. Maybe you'll find your niche starring in a B-grade movie. In the mean time, I'll stick to creating the business plans. Is The Wine Clip afraid to take on Two Buck Chuck? Maybe you're right. Probably nothing can save that stuff. But candidly, I think the appeal of the Clip will turn out to be more that of a conversation piece (witness this thread) a la the Ouija Board than a serious wine improvement product. I'm just thinking you'd make a lot more $$$, selling a million at $1.99 plus whatever Trader Joe's might kick in than selling 47 at $4.99. Plus you'd get all the marketing thru the Fearless Flyer and in-store displays. As for some proposed movie career, can't I just run the Clip over my DVDs and make my features A-Grade? God, wait till Dennis Woodruff gets this idea!

Looks like Food Zealot's link covers the waterfront. OTOH, are there places today that will be considered classics tomorrow? Spago, etc. Also, hope you go to the Watts Towers if you've never been.

Hollywood: Now that he's a Gov., I think you have a better chance filling in for Arnold in the next Terminator movie. Yeah, but I'd probably do a better job filling in for him as gov. And, I'm just trying to offer you a money making suggestion. Isn't this a profit thing?