lamb

I've sailed on RC twice over the past five years. Their sit down lunches (vs. the standard lunch buffet) were much better than their dinners. Celebrity, which is now owned by RC, has a much better menu as well as execution. My mom took my family, along with my brothers' last year on Holland America. Definitely the hit of the blue hair crowd, with simple menus and execution. Vacation is vacation, any way you take it! Enjoy, Marlene.

Lou, Would the Option B sides be served on a separate dish? I have a tendency to forget about my sides, even if I have ordered them, if they are not plated along with my entree. I also don't like the extra dishes smooshed on the table if the sides are separate. I don't know that I would be insulted or annoyed if the sides weren't finished, but I would be if the main was left behind. I'd say, after all this rambling, that I would probably prefer option A. It's also great of you to think to ask; shows that you care about your customers! Too bad I live in Southern NJ, and don't venture too far up north all that often to visit your place!

Melt's "Ugly American" is up on the Channel 7 website Ugly American

It makes me wonder if their "late arrivals" are planned. I can hear the conversations between them, "oh, they won't get started till x:xx time so we have a few hours." My family is the same. Pehaps that's why they were so insulted, maybe a little guilt? ← While that can be true, part of the family fun is that we are all together and helping out before dinner. Cousins get together, and far-flung in-laws get to catch-up with one another. Truth be said, we are a pretty friendly group, and that's part of the reason why we can't understand why the offending party won't join us before dinner. I guess that won't be a problem going forward, since they probably won't be joining us for dinner either! Too bad, the arrival time pool was a lot of fun.

As mine is the largest home in my husband's large Italian family, we are usually the designated hosts for holiday meals. I really don't mind since it's fun for everyone to get together and most help out. What I do mind is brother-in-law and sister-in-law along with 3 children who live no more than 20 minutes away are usually arriving as we are sitting down to dinner (about 2-3 hours past when they said they were going to arrive). This past Easter we were joking about what time everyone thought they were going to arrive, when my son took out a pad and started writing down the times that everyone said. We decided to make a pool out of it, with the closest one to their actual arrival time pocketing the winnings (came to $30). When they arrived after we were seated for dinner, we whipped out the list and grandly announced the winner (my niece). Late arrivers ended up leaving because we insulted them "beyond words". Never mind the fact that they have done this do us for years; we insulted them. You can pick your friends, but not your family. edited for spelling

My dad, many many years ago, called me Chicken Licken. Don't know why, and I really didn't like it that much. I'd give a gazillion dollars to be able to hear him call me that again. My daughter, Amanda, was conceived after a festive night - drinking many Margaritas Hubby and I were tempted to name her that, but it really didn't go with our last name. While she was learning spanish in school as her second language requirement, her teacher assigned each student a spanish name. When she came home and said her teacher was calling her Margherita, we cracked up. Someday I'll tell her why.

A little info on Gavlan's on Rte. 18 in East Brunswick http://suburban.gmnews.com/news/2005/0310/...t_Page/052.html

I don't know that I am very optimistic about the accuracy of a service like this offered by ShopRite. I see that the SR in Spotswood is offering the service, so if I feel adventurous, I just might try it. Spotswood is a town over from where I live, so it wouldn't be too out of the way. My town's ShopRite had gone decidely down hill over the past 3-4 years. It's about 15 years old, and was a beautiful "World Class" ShopRite when it was first opened. The owners have failed to make any upgrades to the store, and it sorely shows. The appy counters and slicers are not appetizing at all to look at! Even the parking lot needs repair. I make the trip to Woodbridge's Wegmans now on a weekly basis (not bad, only a 10 minute drive). Judging by the level of competence in ShopRite's current employee base, I cannot believe that I would receive my SR from Home Order as I had placed it. Now if Wegmans offered that, I would jump at it in an instant!

see story below Board Fired over accusations of financial impropriety

← The website talks about the new featured restaurant in Cherry Hill Nw Cherry Hill Lamberti's the decor has changed and the menu is diff from the Lambert's Cucina that I visit in Manalapn. New concept? I think that may be going a bit too far. Sorry if I didn't get the quotey thing just right, can't get the hang of it.

Both! It's a new name and a new concept. Same owners. ← What's the new concept? Both names still seem Italian - what other concept could there be?

Opening Tutti Toscani by Lamberti, 1491 Brace Rd, Cherry Hill (856-354-1157). Closing Lamerti's Cucina, Cherry Hill Rosie, Is this opening and closing just a renaming of a restaurant? edited because I can't type

I think you might want to take the jam away from the bagel and cream cheese. It's a bagel with a schmear here - no jam.

So, =Mark, was that ruining a good beer, or ruining a good pizza, or just combining the best of both?

Here ya go, Laurie Pickle Ornament Story I don't think this would work in my house. I'm sorry, but my kids would tear the tree apart looking for the damn pickle. That may make them sound like monsters or something, but they're really not.

Screw the french onion dip, whipped cream cheese is by far THE BEST dipping condiment for potato chips.

snowangel, Have you been eating my mother-in-law's gravy? I have been dreaming over the past few nights of actually telling the women that we hate her gravy and to please let me do something else. Anyone have any turkey gravy suggestions?? Oh - sorry to say that we will still be having a "traditional" T-Day dinner. Old habits die hard.

I haven't been there yet, but a good friend of mine and her college-age daughter frequent Turning Point for lunch. Friend's daughter is a picky eater (although when Mom is paying, she'll eat almost anything ) and they rave about this place. It is fairly close to me, but because I'm in NYC daily, and my weekends are usually chock-full with, well, weekend things, it's still on my list of places to go. I have heard that it gets really crowded during weekend lunch. Can't keep a good place a secret, I guess!

Kris, have you always disliked chocolate covered things, or is it since you moved overseas? Has your taste change any since living in Japan? I know that I for one would probably acquire new tastes, but NEVER give up the sweet/salty together cravings that I have.

Actually I thought that the Washington Inn would be more formal than it was. I didn't find it to be stuffy. We were there mid-week off season so I don't know if things are different during the summer. ← pnapoli, The last time I was at the Washington Inn was several years ago (during the summer) but I don't think much has changed since that time. I wouldn't call the Inn "stuffy" but I think the term "sedate" might better describe it. That term would be used in comparison say to Daniels, Peter Shields or Waters Edge. I've also had dinner in the Inn's wine cellar, and enjoyed it very much. I was with a group of 8 and we felt more at ease being more ourselves out of the earshot of other diners. The last time I dined at the Inn I was in my mid 40's (nothing like giving away my age!), and we were at the lower end of the spectrum age wise.

ahh..wait a minute.... wasn't it Wonder Bread that said "Helps build strong bodies 12 ways"? I know that my Mom thought that it was actually good for my brothers and I.

Oh God - looking at that menu makes me know that I have to get myself back there. Haven't been in about a year or so, and it's well overdue! Be sure to have the cheese tasting - it's amazing. You made the right decision - Cafe Abracci and Dan's on Main are nowhere near the league of Nicholas. I have dined at both - usually while waiting for my son after dropping him off at St. Joe's dances. He had fun, and so did my hubby and I! Since he drives himself this year, our Metuchen outings have decreased somewhat, but we have to get to Cafe Abracci - I prefer it over Dan's.

Rosie, No problem

I can understand being a month or two off, but a whole year??

Rosie, Are you sure about Grill & The Grape closing in October 2004? It seems to me that they have been gone for much longer, see earlier post from this summer where Teak was mentioned as opening where Bacchus and G&G were previously: Teak I also see that the format still hasn't changed - still have to scroll down whole page to find current closings. It would make more sense to have current openings and closings together, imho.