La Niña

Perhaps if you had made your comments privately to Nick, he would have understood. Or the rest of us, at least, wouldn't have assumed you were speaking publicly (which you were).

Dem dat dish it out have to know how to take it too, Jin.

Jin, given the limited knowledge I have of you....I think you'd love it.

God, I hope it's not an antiquated practice, but I fear you're right. It happens with a generation somewhat older than I, still, and for that at least I'm grateful.

Yes, there is that rule about standing when a lady comes and goes. I suppose that's fading, though. But when someone does it for me, I adore it.

I'm a "modern woman," and I harbor no such resentment. I find it delightful when a man offers me a seat, or pulls a chair out for me, or holds a door for me. Actually, when a man doesn't hold a door for me (there are exceptional situations of course) I find it rude. About the handshaking...I understand why Chasidim won't shake my hand, but other than a religious requirement like that, I expect my hand to be shaken when I meet someone for the first time, always. Those gestures to which you refer are absolutely taken (by me) as signs of good manners. Thank goodness for men who still do such things.

I agree with you about the shooting. But about the starting to eat thing - in that case I think the "right" thing is also the "polite" thing - which is to wait for the person, unless he/she has said to start without him/her. You also have the option of telling the waiter to take the food and keep it warm for a mintue more.

But I wouldn't be so rude as to get up at the wrong moment, unless it was a real emergency, and I can hardly imagine such a circumstance. And if I did get up at the wrong moment, I would tell you to start without me if need be, and then I wouldn't feel at all slighted if you did so. I guess I'm saying that the person getting up from the table has some responsibility toward the other diners.

FG, what's the difference between what's "right" and what's "polite?"

Personally, I'd find it quite rude if someone started eating before I got back to the table. But I'd also do my best to make my absence as brief as possible. And I would not, under any circumstances, take a phone call (or have my phone on, for that matter), or leave the table for any reason other than a real need to go to the bathroom. And that generally doesn't take very long. If I sensed that the food was about to arrive, and I had to get up, I'd say "please do start without me," and I would hope that having said that, my companions would do so. In a fine restaurant, the food should be held until all parties are present. And I'm with FG on the rule issue. I could segue beautifully into the appropriate clothing issue from here, now couldn't I? Oh, and it's not true that nobody knows the rule. Plenty of people know the rule. And the rules of etiquette in general are known by many people - perhaps a declining number, but thankfully, not "nobody."

Trek out to Luger's. I've had two disappointing meals at the Old Homestead. Just can't compare to Luger's - I'm sitting there wishing I were at Luger's, ya know? I don't like the room much either.

Okay, thanks, I"ll buy the paper in a bit.

I don't have the paper, I'm reading it on line...what's the name of the article?

I can't find it... Also wanted to note that D'Artagnan serves really good butter. We ate a ton of it. (One person commented that we should have eaten the boiled potatoes with the butter and we'd have been happier).

You took the words right outta my mouth. I really enjoyed our Lynch-Bages dinner last month (I mean the food), but last night was disappointing. Even the chestnuts weren't consistently roasted sufficiently. I thought the daube of venison was barely edible - sour, watery, dried out...yuck. And the dessert left me flat. It was more like way, way too much mille feuille with a few apple peels buried somewhere. I bought mallomars on my way home... But I did have a lovely time. I can't believe I missed that Armagnac (I had to leave at 10)...but anyway, I'll go again to their Armagnac tasting this Friday... I have yet to go to D'Artagnan on a regular night and eat off the menu, so I suppose I'll do that at some point.

Yes, Tangra Masala in Queens is WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL FOOD. We gotta go...

My "secret" vinaigrette: First of all, no EVOO. Never. Walnut oil Vegetable oil (I use Mazola, but it's not so important what brand - corn oil and canola oil are okay too) Balsamic vinegar Red wine vinegar mayonnaise dijon mustard salt pepper pinch of sugar one big clove of garlic, crushed juice of one lemon dried thyme I do about 1/3 walnut oil to 2/3 vegetable oil. about 1/3 balsamic to 2/3 wine vinegar. Oil to vinegar is between 2:1 and 3:1. Start with that. Then adjust your other things depending on how much dressing you're making. If I'm making a cup of dressing, I use a healthy teaspoon of mustard, a tablespoon of mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, etc. It's a little different every time. Sometimes I put in a little cider vinegar. Sometimes a little tarragon or rosemary. Sometimes extra garlic. The sourness of the lemons can vary, so sometimes I add a little more oil if need be, at the end. I use a little whisk to mix it, then keep it in a glass jar with a lid so I can shake it just before dressing the salad. I always make extra, and it lasts fine for at least a few days..just take it out of the fridge a little bit ahead of time.

He won't. Trust me on this. Certainly not this topic. He only likes controversy.

Just made reservations at the bar at JB on Christmas Eve. Hurray, can't wait! (Shhhhh, it's a surprise for the Beau).

Hoard it! Hoard it!

I'm the blues-wailin' vocalist. Yep. I used to do that for a living. Nope, not shittin' ya.

I doubt he's shittin' you. Steve? edit: oops, he answered.

It was really so, so much fun. Thank you, CathyL, for providing your home (once again!).

I just ate lefovers for lunch: sweet potatoes, dirty rice with sausage, salad, cheesecake, and lemon cake. And I ate a spoon of one of ahr's peanut butters....' ahhhhhh..... Nobody talked about the wine - we brought a '98 Bandol which I really liked... ...will post my "secret" vinaigrette later...

Jin, not that you care necessarily, but I find that so annoying. Why derail the thread? Why trivialize it? Why do people think that this silly pie business will change anything except just to make people wade through silliness to read the substance of the thread? If the thread offends you, don't read it, or don't comment. Or perhaps this: if you have nothing to add ON THE TOPIC AT HAND, then how about just saying nothing?