tommy

am i understanding that some people aren't tipping on the wine at all?

not necessarily. and that's why people don't mind the 20% guideline.

it's a crazy place with crazy people!!!! oh man!!!! for me, i use as few words as possible, and gauge the situation. i generally pull back, (that is, "shut up"), when i feel it's not going over well. i'm mean, my MIL, she's really conservative, and she's go these views on stuff, and i tell, her, i'm like "hey, you know, that's so wrong", and she just goes on. and then my wife gets involved, and she's like "hey, wow, but i agree", and we're all educated, and then we all agree, and man, i'm torn. it's so wacky though, i have to admit.

to me, it taste and stank like fish. i also find the texture unappealing. is this really a good thing?

it's just so simple. when i open a restaurant next year, or maybe 3 years from now when i want to dump my life's savings in a questionable investment with the goal of providing the public and friends with a cool, good place to have dinner and hang out, the first thing i will consider is service. you suck, you're out. i'll do the whole thing myself before i let some inexperienced idiots do it. i'm amazed that so many "business people" let inexperienced, uninterested kids represent their buisness as servers, when it's pretty clear that 98% of customer relations aspect of running a restaurant comes from the dolt taking your order. oh, and the dolt who brings the plates to your table (another place so many restaurants fall short). this advice was free; the next tidbit will cost you. contact me via PM.

thanks for the insight chris. it really does sound forced, though. as i suggested, i wish it didn't sound so forced. i think me and chris on the mic could make for a more natural spur-of-the-moment-feel than they currently have with their mix of post-production voice-overs. i understand that this might be necessary for the production of this show, but please don't make is so obvious to a dolt like me. imagine all of the people watching this show who don't have any idea of how a show like this is put together thinking "this sucks, it's so sterile". actually, i guess we're seeing some of that here.

it works. give it a shot, and then judge. yes?

This, I agree with completely. A wine that has been 'adjusted' to fit unnatural marketing parameters is not one I'd be interested in trying. i don't find myself interested in trying most BV wines to begin with. You've never tasted a BV Private Reserve, Georges de Latour, have you? nope. although i suppose that's not one of the wines the artisans will compromise. their most recent run-of-the-mill bottlings have been, to me, pretty standard stuff. oaky chards, fat fruit reds, the usual suspects. perhaps i'll take another look at them (their non-low-carb offerings, of course )

the fries at the bottom of the bag, which i've dubbed "the bottom of the bag fries", very cleverly, of course.

steak. and frying pans.

the places i went to used a plain old mug. it didn't strike me as odd back then, given i was about 23 years old, but it was kind of like everyone ordered their own *pitcher* of beer. you gotta love it.

i've never been to winberie's, but it always looked a little too much like a diner to me. and they aren't BYO, which is a big strike against them in my book. also, i think they're somewhat of a chain. (there's one in summit?!?!?) mrs. tommy tells me it's OK for lunch, but looking at the menu, i can't see myself going there for dinner, especially given the (few, but better) choices around. i look forward to any kind of report, as a positive review might change my mind.

ooo, i just remember the "floater". is that what it's called? where they take a cold mug with ice in it and float it in your pitcher of crappy beer to keep it cold? it's one hellavu good idea i think.

not to worry, i don't mind doing the ranting and taking the heat. for me, i don't get too upset about lack of knowledge or ignorance vis-a-vis people's choices about their diets as much as i deplore the ignorance associated with railing against those personal decisions, especially considering that there are many professionals (doctors, nutritionists, etc) who are suggesting the same. but i expect too much from people, and i haven't yet found that one source that has all of the "right" answers.

i'm no TV mogul, but i'm going to have to go ahead and guess that you're probably on to something there.

in my brief, but eventful, tenure in South Carolina, i saw more knife and gun play in bars than i have in the past 17 years in NYC bars. in my mind, that sets southern bars apart. that, and i heard clarence carter's song "strokin" more times in SC bars than i ever had anywhere else. in fact, i don't think i've *ever* heard it anywhere else. (note: if not for rhapsody, i would have never figured out who did that song, and i sure as hell wouldn't be listening to it right now).

i think a lot of the sterility that we're seeing is due to what someone suggested, and that's that the voiceovers are done after the fact. i hope i'm wrong, or at least i hope it doesn't continue to seem that way to me, but i can't help but think that alton isn't doing this stuff off-the-cuff.

this sounds like my kind of place.

i've been drinking Salmon Run (Dr Frank) riesling and pinot noir during the summer for about 4 years now. i really enjoy both as summer wines. and the price has been right, somewhere around 10. dr frank is dead, but his wines live on.

Beats me! All I saw was the sign. i'm still trying to get the other 5 straight, and re-reading this thread just now didn't help. anyway, if they have the fresh killed not long time refrigerated chicken, i'm in.

to which of the existing GSs will this one be related?

jon says they're open til 6. i'm getting the idea that they run out of chicken in the afternoon though?

it should be live with interactive commentary from people on egullet. that would help alton a bit with the give-and-take.

i got wrapped up at home and made pizza. if you guys went, please let me know what i missed.

beautiful, ain't it? i totally rearranged my dinner plans from friday night to work in the immediate satisfaction of a hamburger at home, all in the name of science.