JosephB

I know what you mean. Just reading about it is enough to drive me mad. My wife thinks I'm way too pedestrian crowd and traffic conscious. However, if more people were the same way, moving about the City would be more pleasant for everyone.

Just to make clear, Bar Jamon and Casa Mono are both new Batali/Bastianich ventures, according to the NYTimes 12-3-03. With Spain a hot topic in the food world, I guess these guys think it's time to capitalize. I haven't been to these new places yet, but I'm sure B&B have a smart formula.

D'accord

Can you be more specific?

no fucking way. I hate to break this to you, but maybe you haven't noticed that beef prices are skyrocketing. It's just not going to be possible anymore to get good meat (burger) in Manh for $8. Good burgers will simply elude us. The only exception, IMHO, are the smallish burgers like PM's, for example.

Fat Guy gave a very good review to the burger at Le Zinc. Fat Guy Eats Le Zinc

My most "I'll never shop here again experience" at Fairway occurred on a busy pre-holiday afternoon. When I shop at Fairway at peak times (which I always regret) I take a cart, park it in a location central to my needs, and shuttle my groceries to the cart, because there is no way to happily maneuver the cart through the store. Well, on that day a rather desperate shopper, I suppose, decided that the twelve or so items that I had collected were not worthy of a cart. I went to the place where I had strategically parked my cart to deposit more stuff, but the cart was not there. I looked around and found my groceries piled up on top of the red bliss potatoes.

It'll be interesting to see what happens on the UWS when the giant Whole Foods Market and Cafe open in Time Warner, giving shoppers a major alternative to Fairway. I've only been to a Whole Foods once, so I can'y really speak to what they have to offer. Anyone?

We're in if it's Corner Bistro or Fairway. I don't think you can reserve at Fairway, and it's pretty busy on Sat. afternoon. On the other hand, they have some tables where 8 could squeeze in.

Sunday, 12/14?

OK, but you just wait and see how hard it will be to walk into Blue Smoke and pass on the baked beans, not to mention the ribsl! Damn you're tough.

Correction. I just checked the menu. Blue Smoke Menu Fries are included in the price of the burger. Sorry to shake you up like that. On the other hand, if you want the delicious baked beans . . .

Add some fries, a couple of brewskis, tax and tip, and you're at about $33-$35.

This business about what is unknown or unknowable, etc, has been dealt with extensively by the big cheese in the Pentagon. BBC: Rumsfeld wins award for quote

I'll be there plus at least one TBA.

The Times did a piece last week on the man behind Daisy May. NY Times Nov. 26, 2003

I read the article with dismay NYTimes Dec. 1, 2003, but then thought that any visitor to NYC who chooses to stay on a parked boat rather than cruise the streets of this City is probably not needed here.

Hey Doc, how were the Red Bourbons? We had an Eastern Wild of no specific address.

BTW guys, have a great Thanksgiving -- respite from burgers.

Got it Suzanne. Put me down for 2.

Are we talking lunch? I can't do Sat. night, and I don't want to miss this one.

The guys at the Parker Meridien were hysterical. You'd order a milkshake, and they'd draw a beer. When you told them you'd ordered a milkshake, they'd make you one and drink the beer. Fries flying and burgers sizzling. Great music and a fun atmosphere. Pickle in a cup. And cheap to boot. I can hardly wait to go back. Jamie Jamie, I totally agree with your reflection on PM. As a group, it's really about the moment. -Joe

Quite a sample.

No, it was a spontaneous "I'm at Fairway at 2:30 and I haven't had lunch" event. By the way, forgot to mention that Ed Koch was there...didn't see him until he was leaving so didn't see what he had to eat. Jamie I bet Ed's a pretty good fork.

By next summer, the City is likely to see many new outdoor cafes. NYTimes Nov. 23, 2003. I can't wait!