hollywood

So, French Laundry goes from #3 last year to off the list this year?

What happened with pinot noir?

Hey, Steve, Are you going to be in Paris on the 20th -21st? See link to Flo Group's visit an historic bistro thing. http://www.bparis.com/newsletter1464/newsl...m?doc_id=121036

Very lyrical. I wanted to grab those haricots vert away from you.

I checked our machine. It's a KitchenAid Classic Plus. About $50 at Best Buy last year. Maybe there was a $10 rebate. The major variables in good coffee seem to be the water and the coffee.

I've tried it but it takes a lot longer than the drip situation. It's great for cold coffee. I think it can't compare for hot stuff via nuking.

Thats pertty interesting that you say that. I had a heated argument on Chowhound a few years ago with many San Franciscans who claim Chinese food superiority in every way to New York. Of course, I told them they were full of shit, but they didn't want to hear it. :) The shitty dearth situation may be overstated. Of course, there's always the San Gabriel Valley in SoCal for mucho Chinese.

Not Harry, Henry.

Henry's is good. Has a nice cookbook, too.

Pane e Vino Hawthorne Lane

Why not go with whatever's on sale at Fry's, Macy's, J&R, Costco, Best Buy, etc. in re regular coffee? Unless you wanna get fancy and do a French Press thing. On the espresso end of things, I think it's more fun to have it out. The milk steamers always clog on the home machines.

I think you should send it to me for tasting. Hey, it coulda been Blue Nun.

For my "last" meal, I'd barbecue the executioner.

I'll drink to that!

You can get respectable Zardetto Prosecco for @ $10 a bottle. So, for $50 you've got a party.

However you have to get to Brigtsen's is worth it. I hear you about Pres Hall. Great vibe there standing on the dirt floor. And when they launch into The Saints........ Snug Harbor is more polished though not too. And more contemporary jazz--one or more of the Marsalis clan is frequently in the house.

If you like seafood and don't want to break the bank, I'd try Taira for French-Japanese fusion. If you can confer with the chef by phone in advance, he should be able to come up with a really special meal. Address and numbers in most guides.

Deacon, Sounds like a good trip. Did you go on any musical adventures? I'd recommend Snug Harbor. I'd also opt for the Cafe Brulot at Galatoires. The cab ride to Brigtsen's is well worth it. As for places to stay, Soniat House is a funky but very civilized B&B in the Quarter. Not cheap but the biscuits and homemade jam in the morning are a treat. The staff also seems to have the line on where and when. Roll on.

I saw a piece on the evening news about this. Looks like it could be very good, or GIGO. The system sounded pretty simple and basically I think it was a way for people who fear wine and stewards to feel like they exercised some discretion in picking their wine. The question is has the restaurant changed its markup since starting the laptop?

Tommy, Plots is making a pale imitation of you. Not a pale imitation, merely watered down.

Silver Oak is one of the better known (deservedly so) high end California cabernets along with Opus One, Stag's Leap, etc. I'm no expert but I have noted a consistency in the Silver Oak I've tasted--from bottle to bottle and year to year. Some might find this boring. I like it.

You're all wet.

I would second the nod for Roellinger in Cancale. When I was there too many moons ago, there was a main place and then a second two story stone house a short distance away (in which we stayed). There was an onsite woman who was exceptionally helpful and it was nicely decorated and at the time very inexpensive. And, of course, it enabled us to eat in the wonderful restaurant. As for St. Malo, the ramparts are nice. From them, I took a photo of some topless sunbathers. I gave this to a single guy in my office. For whatever reason, his cat ate it. As for Mont St. Michel, wherever you stay, you might want to bring food with you. The food on the Mont is both mediocre and expensive given the captive audience nature of this otherwise beautiful spot.

Williams Sonoma has several nice books, one of which I think is a compilation of 3 smaller ones. Check their site. It may be on sale.

ironically i do go to bars, smoke occasionally, but still wouldn't mind seeing smoking go bye-bye, if only to make the law consistent. if there's one thing i hate it's inconsistency. if there's another thing i hate it's people not recognizing the inconsistency in their arguments, for or against. So, to be consistent we should bar tobacco smoking everywhere that's public. And if we are going to allow medical marijuana smoking, then we should allow marijuana smoking across the board. So, no more tobacco smoking in public. Pass the dutchie.