PieMistress

For those of you who are interested in local produce, there's an event coming up you might like. The Land Connection, a Chicago non-profit focused on increasing access to organic and local produce, training organic farmers, and preserving farmland, is having its annual gala on March 28th at Prairie Production at 1314 Randolph St. in Chicago. The event will feature ramp-based creations by Blackbird, 312 Chicago, Vie, Lula, and Va Pensiero, and costs $75 a person at 7 pm. If you are interested in an additional cocktail hour (Aronia martinis) and time with restaurant staff, the cost would be $120, starting at 6 pm. Parking is free on the street. We will also have a live and silent auction which includes some nifty items, like a beer and cheese class at Goose Island by brewmaster Greg Hall, a wine of the month club subscription, a fall season pie subscription, a cheesemaking day and farm lunch, and other fun things. Tickets are available on TLC's website. I'm on staff at this organization and I think it's going to be a blast, maybe I'll get to meet some of you finally!

Hi, all: We are getting together with our neighbors for a 5th anniversary NYC trip next February (08). I would like to make reservations if necessary very early for our formal dinner. Here are our agreed upon requirements and ideas: 1) Excellent food, perhaps not super bizarre, as the male half of our neighbor couple is kind of squeamish about "weird" things - Sushi is okay with everyone. 2) We would like to pay up to $250/person, but including wine or wine pairing...so no Per Se. 3) No classic, heavy French or an atmosphere that is very "stuffy" and formal. No steakhouses or Bobby Flay. 4) Planning on lunch at Jean Georges on Sat. 5) The rest of the meals reasonably priced, we are staying near the Park at the St. Regis - anyone hear anything about Alain Ducasse's new restaurant in the St. Regis (Adour)? Would that be worth our formal night? Any other must-sees as you wish. Thanks!

Not to ride on your coat-tails, but this sums it up for me as well. I thought all the effort put into the presentation and the "tools" was fascinating, but at some level it did detract from food that could stand on its own. I would relate it to a person using a cane for aesthetic effect, instead of a genuine need.

Because my man loves me, we went to Alinea for our first time for my 35th birthday. The decor was amazing and we had a fun time cheerfully verbally sparring with our server. We had the tasting menu. Having lived in the Bay Area for several years, we were looking forward to the wine pairing. While there were some that were good, as a whole I would say that the pairings were uneven. This was somewhat disappointing for us. The table was too high for me, as I'm 5'4, and the server said I should sit on a pillow and that that's why they were there. While part of me thought that was cute, another part wondered why the tables were so high or the chairs so low. All in all, it was a very nice night and I would go again, but there will probably be more time in between visits there than there has been between my visits to TRU.