[Time to let the cat out of the bag]

The restaurant at the Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, TX. About an hour+ outside of Dallas. Very off the beaten path. Well worth the trip.

http://www.roughcreek.com/dining/

[Napa Valley]

Have lunch or dinner on the deck of the bar at Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford. You won't be disappointed!

[Santa Barbara]

Pck-up a copy of the current issue of Wine Spectator. It's all about the Central Coast.

Wine Cask is a great dinner spot. It's also a wine bar and wine retail shop. Owner, Doug Margerum, is also a winemaker.

http://www.winecask.com/

[Between Austin and Fort Worth]

Late to the game, too, but you should try the restauranat at the Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose. It may not look like much from the outside, but once inside you will not be disappointed. Beautiful setting, rustic charm, high ceilings, dual-sided fireplace, and great food. Chef Gerard Thompson has been there since its inception 1998. They also have a small number of very nicely appointed guest rooms (<40). It's southeast of Fort Worth, so I guess that makes it between Austin and Fort Worth.

http://www.roughcreek.com/dining/

[Dining in San Diego]

Not a restaurant, but a great find is Venissimo Cheese on West Washington.  They will track your purchases for you, special order for you and you can order on line.

http://www.venissimo.com/store/

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If you like Venissimo you should also visit Aniata in Del Mar:

http://www.aniata.com/

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Honkman,

Thanks for the tip. I'll be at Arterra on Sunday, so I will check it out!

[Dining in San Diego]

Not a restaurant, but a great find is Venissimo Cheese on West Washington. They will track your purchases for you, special order for you and you can order on line.

http://www.venissimo.com/store/

[Pasta Shapes]

Don't know the technical term, but as kids we called them wagon wheels. Love the texture. Easy to eat. Don't fall off the fork.

[New Generation Gins]

Although I no longer touch the stuff, I used to enjoy the occasional Boodles Gin on the rocks. If nothing else, the label is worth observing. It is identical front and back and the adhesive side can be viewed clearly through the clear bottle and spirit...as long as you haven't had one (or more) too many!

[Not Celebrating Mother's Day]

Mother's Day is more of a brunch holiday than a dinner holiday. I think you will be surprised how "unswamped" many of the good restaurants will be. Sunday evening is typically a very good night to dine out. It is almost always more pleasant than Saturday night (a.k.a. amateur night).

[NE Dining with Concord New Hampshire as a Base]

Both of these are in Maine.

I have not been, but Chef/owner Melissa Kelly enjoys a fine reputation.

http://www.primorestaurant.com/home.cfm

You may also wish to consider the restaurant at 5-star/5-diamond The White Barn Inn

http://www.whitebarninn.com/rest.html

[Restaurants in Williamsburg, VA area]

http://www.thetrellis.com/

I have not been, but The Trellis enjoys a good reputation. It has been around for many years. You amy familiar with the chef/owner's cookbook, "Death by Chocolate."

Perhaps those who have been there can comment.

[Sharing Recipes]

suggestion: Have a few pre-printed/email-ready recipes that you don't mind sharing. Then when someone requests a specific recipe, you can provide the one(s) of your choice, without totally offending anyone. They'll understand and appreciate the gesture. Done well and presented attractively the recipes can be nice marketing pieces.

[Am I too old to be a waitress?]

The industry is starved for good, responsible, mature professionals. Anyone with a solid work ethic (early for work, doesn't call off, doesn't mind working long hours on his/her feet, etc.) and a passion for food & wine, not only can be successful, but will be very marketable and in high demand. Go for it!

I've only done it one night for a friend who was short of help at the time, but here's what I'd ask after my one experience, which was when I was about your age (I'm now 53):

How's your stamina? Good circulation? Can you take many hours on your feet/got comfy shoes? Got a great memory? Can you take criticism? Can you handle belligerent drunks/cranky chefs? (Yes, you get them in fine restaurants.)

I'm sure that others who have done this more than one night can offer much more insight, but based on my one night of waiting tables, those are the questions I think you need to think about.

Caveat: I did work in a cafeteria when I was 16. I wasn't waiting tables, but clearing them and then worked my way up to checking and cashiering. Lots of unpleasant stuff, but not terrible. Or maybe it was just that I handled it better when I was 16. 

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