eG Foodblog: balmagowry - Back to the future....

[SethG]

Re the doorway - thank you again. It's really pretty simple to do: you make the link to the image, and make the link to the site, and you take the entire image code and nest it in the URL code where the highlighted text would normally go. Depending on which machine/browser I'm working from, sometimes I can do all this inline, sometimes I have to create the two links separately and then cut/paste them.

Of course! Just as I thought!

[ms. victoria]

The pictures are coming through fine for me, fine except for the fact that I am insanely jealous of the lovely stores. And your picture of your boat with the dogwood in the foreground was a stark reminder how early spring comes here (Tennessee) compared to locales farther north. The dogwoods are nearly gone already and the irises will most likely be bloomed out by Mother's Day.

[phaelon56]

Once I got this idea to take pictures in the Carrboro North Carolina Harris Teeter for a friend of mine who was in China and had no access to cheese. They called the cops on me! I was taking pictures, and the manager came. He asked me to stop. I said OK and stopped.

I was trying to take photos in Wegman's Grocery for my blog and gthey shut me down the moment an employeee spotted me with the camera. Weird. It's not as though their store layouts or dsplays are so unique as to be unrecordable with a simple paper and pencil sketch if one were so inclined. At least they didn't call the cops on me!

[bleudauvergne]

At least they didn't call the cops on me!

Wegmans has their own security staff, don't they?

[phaelon56]

At least they didn't call the cops on me!

Wegmans has their own security staff, don't they?

Yeah... and most likely a bicameral alegislature as well - that place is huge! I'm surprised they dont' have their own zipcodes already.

[alacarte]

This is a cozy blog, B. Cat, dog, boat, fruit, coffee, diner. I feel more relaxed already.

Do you ever put coffee syrup in your coffee?

[alacarte]

Once I got this idea to take pictures in the Carrboro North Carolina Harris Teeter for a friend of mine who was in China and had no access to cheese. They called the cops on me! I was taking pictures, and the manager came. He asked me to stop. I said OK and stopped.

I was trying to take photos in Wegman's Grocery for my blog and gthey shut me down the moment an employeee spotted me with the camera. Weird. It's not as though their store layouts or dsplays are so unique as to be unrecordable with a simple paper and pencil sketch if one were so inclined. At least they didn't call the cops on me!

That reminds me of Torakris's blog -- wasn't picture taking frowned upon in Japanese grocery stores too?

[Mayhaw Man]

One of the big "freak outs" for grocery managers is having sales guys/shelf setters take pictures of "their shelf space" (or someone elses) with designs towards whining or complaining that someone is cheating on comdbody else's territory. They don't know who you are and don't want any trouble from the other vendors or their bosses.

Of course, they may just be camera shy.

[Marmish]

I have noticed signs posted on the doors at several groceries here (Chicago burbs)that pictures and video are strictly prohibited without prior permission. I don't really understand why either.

[mags]

I'm willing to guess that they're not thrilled with the idea of INS snapping photos, either.

[johnnyd]

"why are you taking a picture of the bread?"

"Why, your bread has been the first thing I think of when I awake in the morning! Since I come here so often you must know how I adore it. Just the other day I was chatting with my friends and told them how incredible your bread really was... and they didn't believe me! So... in order to show how wonderful your bread was, I simply had to come by and take a picture! Now your bread will be famous! And people from all over the world will see just how good it is!"

[johnnyd]

But seriously folks...

I can tell the eG foodblog is not going to go away, it's too wonderful. Might as well start developing strategy to get the pix we want, eh?!

loved the gateway, B!

[balmagowry]

This is a cozy blog, B.  Cat, dog, boat, fruit, coffee, diner. I feel more relaxed already.

Do you ever put coffee syrup in your coffee?

You know I do... don't you? If not, refresh your memory up-thread!

[balmagowry]

I'm willing to guess that they're not thrilled with the idea of INS snapping photos, either.

Of bread?

Well, I spose it is kind of an alien life-form, but I thought that got baked out of it....

[balmagowry]

The images are simple optimized jpegs and the html is primitive in its simplicity. I don't get it!

Stop thinking in terms of origin and destination and start thinking in terms of the journey. It's likely a bottleneck somewhere between those people who can't see the images and the canticlecomm server.

The appropriate test for this would be to run a traceroute from the user host to the server.

Sure, but who's going to do that? I take your point about the journey, but the way I look at it I'm not responsible for the journey. My chief concern is to make sure I'm not neglecting, or screwing up, any part of the process that I am responsible for. It's all academic now, since the problem seems to be resolved - have heard back from Soba and Jason and according to them all is well.

I'm losing sleep over Jinmyo, though.

[balmagowry]

Wegmans has their own security staff, don't they?     

Yeah... and most likely a bicameral legislature as well.

OK, look, I'm sorry, but someone has to say this, so I'm going to get it over with and then you can all groan at me: in that case, why didn't they try to buy your camera?

[Jensen]

The appropriate test for this would be to run a traceroute from the user host to the server.

Sure, but who's going to do that? I take your point about the journey, but the way I look at it I'm not responsible for the journey. My chief concern is to make sure I'm not neglecting, or screwing up, any part of the process that I am responsible for. It's all academic now, since the problem seems to be resolved - have heard back from Soba and Jason and according to them all is well.

I'm losing sleep over Jinmyo, though.

My point was that there's likely nothing you can do. Eventually, whoever is in charge of the weak router along the way will notice that there's a problem and they'll fix it. No worries!

[insert Bobby McFerrin soundtrack here]

cheers,

jen

Edit: typo

Edited April 27, 2004 by Jensen (log)

[balmagowry]

I love the collages. They look great.

Thank you! I must say I'm having fun doing them - never tried anything quite like that before. It hit me when I was working with the Sherry's images, because I was kind of surprised when I got home and downloaded them to see just how rich and varied they were (boy, is all this ever giving me a new perspective on my own environs and resources!) - I wanted to show them all but felt it would be overkill and TMI to shove them all inline individually. So I did it as a compromise - but I gotta agree that they look kind of cool.

[balmagowry]

My point was that there's likely nothing you can do.

Yeah, I get that. Or rather, I'm now satisfied that I've done everything I can do, short of importing the things to IG. Actually I'm betting that if she tries it again it'll come up like a charm... I only hope she does and will let us know.

[balmagowry]

So anyway, I just got home, a little before 1:00. (AM. EDT.)

The Toscanini thing was... I can't really describe it yet (and it's OT in any case) - very very emotional.

There was a little reception afterward, which we didn't get to until it was almost over because everyone was so busy schmoozing and catching up and exclaiming - but when we did, like a heat-seeking missile I went straight for the last of the Muscatel grapes ("Madam, I never eat Muscatel grapes" - your loss, Count...). Delicious they were, too. Turned out the Toscaninis had to stick around to shepherd some of the out-of-town guests, so we slipped off with some other friends. It doesn't look as if Mrs. Lee's is still there under any guise. Sudden inspiration: I suggested the Grand Ticino, only to find on calling there that the number is disconnected. Man, if this means what it almost has to mean I will be pretty seriously bummed. That was a great place and I have a lot of memories attached to it.

Anyway, at the suggestion of our friends, we headed uptown to the Cinema Cafe, which I of course didn't know. I can take or leave the cinematic gimmick, but I'll take the food, thank you, not to mention the very very charming young waitress. She's Romanian and for some reason she got the impression that it would be appropriate to try to speak Italian with us. And either she's a very good actress or she really was disproportionately thrilled when I suddenly remembered some of the few words of Romanian that I learned 30 years ago when I was there; fortunately the first thing out of my mouth meant "thank you," so at least it was appropriate! (Suddenly I'm imagining all the more farcical turns that scene could have taken, given a slightly different vocabulary.... ) Seriously, this will warrant some thought and discussion, in light of some of the conversation we've had on this thread about waiters' behavior; she might have been out of place in a more formal establishment perhaps, but she was perfect for this one, both sweet and funny - and the lovely thing was that somehow she fell in with our mood and the whole experience was kind of in harmony.

Got some good pictures of everyone's food, especially my own, and especially of dessert, which was a mango sorbet. I had kind of an overgrown crab cake with a remoulade, accompanied by first-class fries. Of special note among the other dishes: ultra-thin-crust pizza, very delicate and light. Really, no thicker than a crepe. Crisp at the edges; discreet as to toppings and quantities thereof. Makes me want to try making something similar myself.

More detail on this when I reach the point of posting the pictures.

Meanwhile... to bed. Good night, all.

[Pan]

I haven't been to the Cinema Cafe in many years. I remember it as a kind of pricey diner with cinema memorabilia and such-like that was open late enough to go to after seeing some theater. Sounds like you had a good meal, though. In particular, I noted that you liked the pizza, so maybe it should go on the NYC Pizza Survey list. (Warning, the link is to a 16-page-and-counting thread. Second warning: The shots of some of the pizze could make you salivate. )

[balmagowry]

I haven't been to the Cinema Cafe in many years. I remember it as a kind of pricey diner with cinema memorabilia and such-like that was open late enough to go to after seeing some theater. Sounds like you had a good meal, though. In particular, I noted that you liked the pizza, so maybe it should go on the NYC Pizza Survey list. (Warning, the link is to a 16-page-and-counting thread. Second warning: The shots of some of the pizze could make you salivate. )

There's nothing diner-ish about it now - and the prices are relatively reasonable for the kind of stuff they're serving. The schtick is still the schtick, but they don't shove it down your throat, so that's OK.

As for the pizza and salivating over photos thereof, just you wait till I post the pictures from last week's Pizza Night at JosephB's!

[balmagowry]

Quarter to 2:00. PM. EDT. Good morning - I think. Whatever.

Have snarfed another pear; my computer and camera aren't full of rabbit blood and garlic (yet...) but there is certainly an overabundance of pear glop where it shouldn't be. It's at moments like this, though, that Luke really proves the Usefulness vaunted on his AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate: he loves pear and apple cores. I think of it as another method of composting....

Coffee is almost ready. While I wait for it, a quick run out to gather violets. Then back to work on pictures: I'm determined to catch up.

See you later....

Edited April 27, 2004 by balmagowry (log)

[alacarte]

This is a cozy blog, B.  Cat, dog, boat, fruit, coffee, diner. I feel more relaxed already.

Do you ever put coffee syrup in your coffee?

You know I do... don't you? If not, refresh your memory up-thread!

ooops.

I fixated on the coffee syrup bottle, didn't realize it was going into coffee not just milk. YUM!

[SethG]

So whose job is it to call our blogger and wake her up?

edit: oops, never mind, I see she's up.

Edited April 27, 2004 by SethG (log)