hollywood

Are we our brother's keeper? Or just big brother? no one seems upset about the seatbelt law, which is in lots and lots of states. ironically, this law is designed to keep the wearer of the belt safe, and protects no one else. hmmm. So, that's it then. If you wear a seat belt in a bar or restaurant, you should be able to smoke--just like in a car.

I see a McLaughin Group style show with Plotnicki sitting in John's chair and panel members Tommy, Cabrales and Nina with a fourth chair rotating Fat Guy, Simon, Jinmyo, Wilfrid and Whiting in and out. If Plotnicki doesn't interrupt people, he'll get it with practice, I'm sure. Me? I'm in the audience with a supply of ripe tomatoes.

Are we our brother's keeper? Or just big brother?

This is a fair point, but is smoking the "object of the bar"? Perhaps it is, for some people. Most people would say that a bar is a place to have a drink rather than a place to smoke, though, and smoking is one of a number of secondary activities such as talking with friends, dancing badly, or finding someone to hook up with. California's experience seems to indicate that removing smoking from bars is not overly disruptive to business despite industry's predictions (New York's smoking ban in restaurants is also evidence on this point). If it is possible to enforce a safety regulation without disrupting business significantly, this seems like a reasonable approach. However, it's possible that for some limited number of places and people, smoking is an integral part of their bar experience. To that end, I think it's reasonable to continue to allow smoking in some circumstances. I'm not sure what these are, but something like Miss J's licensing example seems reasonable, especially if licensing requires installation of effective ventilation systems. Notwithstanding holier than thou pronouncements from politicos, at a lot of bars and particularly music venues in Los Angeles, smoking is treated like prostitution. It's not legal. Everybody knows it. It goes on anyway. Some few people get caught. The rest keep smoking. The exception is high end places where a nonsmoker is likely to complain (they probably have a patio anyway) and family oriented places. The one place where nonsmoking seems universal is movie theaters.

no, it's not. it sounds like you're suggesting that it would have been impossible to enforce. well CA found out differently several years ago. When you look at the big picture, it's odd that so much stress is being placed on not permitting smoking. Sure it is a health hazard, but then so is living in cities, breathing the air (I'm in LA). Probably more lungs would be saved from second hand smoke by cleaning up gasoline than banning smoking in public spots. After reading the article in New Yorker about the food inspectors (and having spoken with an inspector here), it is apparent that eating out is hazardous to your health. So, ban restaurants? It is good to remove the risk factor posed by second hand smoke. No question. The real question is why this particular poison? Some puritanical streak in our collective consciousness is at work, perhaps a reaction to being tricked into thinking cigarettes were good for us (originally endorsed by athletes as healthy). Yet by expending so much energy on smoking, we ignore big oil, corporate shenanigans, influence peddling, the ongoing social security shell game, so we can live a little longer having avoided some smoke but die poorer.

There's good rose in Chinon, too, but I agree about Provence. Two years ago I was fortunate to stay with some friends in Provence. They would drive down to the local commune and fill a large plastic container (almost like filling a gas can) with the local rose. Cost for this deliciousness worked out to under a dollar a bottle.

Great reportage. You do better at forgetting meals (Fleur de Lys) than I do at remembering them. Looking forward to further stuff.

It seems generally agreed that Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas has the best, most authentic Thai in America. Renu Nakorn (which is in a location formerly occupied by Lotus of Siam, I believe) in Norwalk, California is said to have excellent Thai. Thus far, I've been content to hang in LA's Thai Town enjoying the likes of Kruang Tedd, Palms Thai, Ruen Pair and Sanamluang Cafe--all of which are located on Hollywood Blvd.

The President is concerned about our health and the cost of health care. He is concerned about homeland security. He is concerned about plaintiffs' lawyers and frivolous litigation. He frets about our economy and corporate responsibility. He wants to create jobs and avoid high unemployment. He and the USDA worry about the food we consume. The President has given up alcohol and would apparently be sympathetic to the goals of MADD. A solution is required. Henceforth, all meals will be eaten out. Each of us will be assigned our own personal consumption assistant who will accompany us to all meals and nights on the town. Said valet will clear all food orders and veto high fat, high cholesterol choices, high sugar content desserts, excessive quantities, cut our food into small bite sized portions, monitor the number of chews per bite, and wipe our mouths when necessary. The assistant will monitor and limit alcohol and smoke intake, ceasing any such activities should they offend any other patrons or staff in our vicinity. At the conclusion of every repast, the assistant will use a government provided PDA to calculate the appropriate gratuity. This will be paid. No one will "walk the check." Eating hours will be staggered so that each of us in turn can serve as the consumption assistant for another. No one will be the consumption assistant for any one serving as his consumption assistant. There will be no collusion and any violations will result in the death penalty. We will have full employment and every one will be well fed with healthy meals. William Jefferson Clinton will be an exception to these rules. Given his past eating transgressions, he will be assigned two (2) consumption monitors. That is all.

If you listen closely to the end of "Swinging Party" by the Replacements, you can hear Paul flick his Bic.

You might want to read the article. Apparently, you can create a test that will fool a lot of folks.

I'm trying to link Trillin's article in The New Yorker in which he muses over the relative inability of tasters to distinguish red wines from whites in taste tests. What do you think? http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?020819fa_fact

Any chance you might make it to Fleur de Lys?

Jello pudding pops were great I really miss them I swear by this pill that is sold at my drugstore, Liverlite, the trick is to remember to take it BEFORE you consume. I cannot tell you how many times I have been hanging out in my bathroom thinking, if only I had anticipated getting this *@#$ faced. Unfortunatly you usually don't think of it before hand, but if you do that pill is great stuff. One semester I had a grad student in chemistry for a roomie. He drank a lot of beer. He had a jar of some reagent that he took spoonfuls of after bingeing. Don't know what it was, but he swore by it.

Hamburger Hamlet used to make a Hangover Omelet, a big one filled with bits of ham and runny cheese covered in salsa. Not a panacea, but it tasted good and seemed to help. I believe they also had some "cure" which was a fishbowl of beer mixed with tomato juice (never tried it).

One of the downsides of Counter Intelligence is that it lacks a geographic index. If you go to chowhound.com, somewhere on their crowded homepage you'll find such an index. Worth printing out. Saves time.

Resistance or not, synthetic "corks" are all ready in use. Somewhere I read that Italians were trying to come up with some sexy design for a screw cap to make it more acceptable to those of us who might associate it with the likes of Thunderbird.

You are undoubtedly right about the value, but what can I do? Plotnicki has dissed California wines because they don't respect the terroir. The master has spoken.

Beachfan, Where can i find these? Wine House? Top Line? Wally's? Du Vin? Thanks.

Increasingly, reviewers are touting wines of this region. Increasingly, restaurants are offering them. But, when I go to the store (in LA), selection is slim, prices not the value reviewers have suggested. What gives? What's good and where can I get it for how much?

Suggest you get on line with wineexpo@aol.com. Also, you definitely want to get their witty periodic mailers with good Spanish and Italian picks. I realize you are on the opposite coast but it would still be informative.

You probably know this but in Chartres you have to go on Malcolm Miller's tour of the cathedral. The man puts stained glass windows in the proper context.

BTW, it's Violon d'Ingress.

Just sit at the bar and order sushi, sushi, sushi. The line is a good thing to the extent it moves fairly rapidly and discourages others from coming. Nonetheless, it's always been crowded when I've gone.

Wasn't it Zappa who said, "Brown shoes/Don't make it/Quit school/Why take it?" I rest my case.