zgast

22 hours ago, jca76 said:

anyone have a report from tulum more recently?  we're headed for a long weekend in early may.  

Nothing in Tulum really stands out (to me at least).  Ana y Jose (discussed above) is a long-time favorite in the area, but I haven't been in years.  Would suggest you take a road trip up to Akumal (it's about 15 minutes) and try either Turtle Bay Bakery or Cueva del Pescador.  You can rent snorkeling equipment and swim with the sea turtles in the bay to work up an appetite.  Don't pay a tour guide - just rent (or bring) the equipment from the dive shop and don't stand up on the coral.

1 hour ago, Xochitl10 said:

You're correct. I just flew American and their basic economy fare now allows only a personal carry-on item. You can get the carry-on bag if you purchase a higher fare and/or Main Cabin Extra.

They've also changed their boarding system. They used to do pre-boarding, the various types of priority, then Groups 1-whatever (last group depends on aircraft size), beginning with Main Cabin Extra. Now, they're Groups 1-whatever, which means MCE folks end up boarding in Group 5 and having no overhead space near them. People in MCE ended up sticking their carry-ons in bins way, way behind our seats, which really jammed up deplaning. >:( I'm not a fan of the new system and will be booking on Southwest for my return flight.

It's almost like they screwed up by charging to check-in bags (everyone carries on now) and now are trying to add even more revenue to fix the very problem they created.

19 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

I wasn't going to go there.

Yes, Le Bernardin is better than any of the places I mentioned; it's all a matter of how comfortable you are with the prices (but I didn't realize they had a 3-course menu for $55) - to this day, it remains the only restaurant where I've had scallop consommé.

This certainly gets my vote. Incidentally, one of the major pieces of art there was done by one of Magdalena's (my MIL's) best friends.

Oh - I'll go there - as often as I can.  I guess my thought was that for a single dish, the price difference really is just a few dollars.  No way I'm walking out with less than three courses, but the option is there.  

On 2/28/2017 at 9:09 AM, DC in DC said:

Thanks! I will be near the theatre district (but not seeing a show) and then staying near Lincoln Center. 

I'd recommend cozying up to the bar at Le Barnardin.  3 courses for $55 or dishes a la carte for ~$25.  Definitely quiet.  You're worth it, trust me.  On 51st between 6th and 7th.

Where are you going to be in Midtown?  Might help narrow it down.

2 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Beautiful photos indeed.

it seems as if butter based sauces are having their moment (not a huge fan).

How can one not love sage and butter sauce over tortellini (or whatever those pasta are)?  

On 11/30/2016 at 0:02 PM, arldiner said:

Planning a trip to Italy for next fall (I know far in advance) and intending to stop in Bologna. Any recent recommendations from folks who have been there? Either for food, places to stay, places to visit.

Have been doing general research but the suggestions on these boards are invaluable. It sounds like asking around locally for great places to eat is a solid bet, but curious if anyone has particular places they love.

Additionally, this would be on a 7-10 day trip spanning northern Italy and western Slovenia - how long would folks ideally spend in Bologna? Maybe a day there and a day in the surrounding countryside?

Thanks for any advice!

I'll give you three grades of recommendations - Bologna restaurants really hew to these classifications more so than most other cities in Italy: Ristorante is the best service, most classic presentations.  Trattorias are a little more laid back, but focus remains firmly on the food.  Osteria is a wine and food place.  The food at the last can still be outstanding though - it's more about the ambiance.

Da Cesari is a solid ristorante for Bolognese classics.  Classic Bolognese dishes down with great service.  They can occasionally get creative in the kitchen - wouldn't recommend following them down this rabbit hole.  Stick with what they do every day.

Battibecco (which Poolboy mentions above) is very good and worth a visit.  Trattoria Da Me is worth trying is well.

For a feast, Osteria Braccaindosso is good food served in an osteria (more casual service, wine as a key focus).  It's going to be crowded with locals, so not the right place for date night, but a great experience.  It's a little odd in that you just tell them which courses you're going to have then pick a primo and secondo from the menu.  Appetizers and deserts are unlimited.  I have never left not completely full and I have never ordered the secondo.  I am also not a little guy.  Took my family here a couple years ago and while everyone wanted a nap afterwards, it's the one place they still talk about from our trip.

Last one - if you want to eat, drink wine and hang out for hours, I'm a big fan of Osteria Il Cantinone on via del Pratello.  Owner keeps several vegetarian options on the menu at all times as his daughter is vegetarian.  Diners skew college age - you'll be hard pressed to talk out with a tab over $30 per person as a result.

9 hours ago, Joe H said:

This is different.  Bethesda involves meters and perhaps a credit card.  If Reston had done this, probably this thread wouldn't exist.  They have an "app" which involves a number of steps to use along with several minutes each time it is used.  At Reston Town Center you need a smartphone.to park on the street (although not in a garage where you can use a kiosk although not every garage has one). As I noted above there are "terms and conditions" which you have to agree to if you use it.    There are also other complications such as $3.00 an hour to park on the street including Saturday while a garage is $2.00 an hour and Saturdays are free.  Please read the "terms and conditions."  They are breathtaking.  There may be more than 1,000 posts on Reston Town Center's Facebook page with virtually every one negative. https://www.facebook.com/RestonTownCenter/?fref=hovercard

There are no meters, no gates, no tickets.  Nothing traditional.  This is parking for the 22nd Century.  Except we're in the 21st.

Parking in Montgomery County is by way if you wish in most public lots (it's a lot more convenient).  Some public lots are credit card only.  Street parking is 2.5X more expensive than garages, which remain free on the weekends.  I have no idea about the implementation in Reston, but not totally dissimilar in concept.

Esca at 9th and 42nd or 43rd might work.  Pastas are ~$30, Meat entrees are a bit more than that.

5 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

Most places offer it as a special, or on weekends and selected evenings. I have not yet tried the version at Phoenicia, but it's on my target list.

Of the places where it's regularly on the menu, Me Jana and Lebanese Taverna (Tysons) are the best of my recent tastes. I'll admit that I haven't been to Mount of Lebanon in a while, but I have heard that they have re-branded back to Lebanese Butcher Market. I would bet that the quality of Lebanese Butcher's kibbeh nayyeh is very good.

Of those places where it has to be ordered in advance, Mediterranean Gourmet Market in Franconia is my go-to.

Have you tried it at Bacchus of Lebanon in Bethesda?  Looking for a nearby alternative.

On 1/27/2017 at 3:40 PM, DanielK said:

Wait, what? United and Delta's websites both say that a "carry-on and a small personal item" are included for each passenger for each fare.

To my knowledge, only the ultra-low-cost airlines (Spirit, Frontier) charge to put a bag in the overhead compartment.

You are correct for Delta (I had thought they didn't allow overhead space.)  United is definitely no overhead space, though.  Has to fit in the area at your feet - same as American.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/basic-economy.aspx

1 hour ago, DanielK said:

Street rumor is that American is going to follow the ultra-low-cost Spirit/Frontier path, and their lowest published fare will no longer include a carry-on bag.

This year I was one flight short of Gold status, and they wouldn't waive it, so rather than start over, I will probably switch airlines.

Delta has done this for years - and United just started - so they're really just following them.  As for the Gold status, you're not missing much.  It's really just useful for the free checked bag, which you can replicate with the credit card.

4 hours ago, DaveO said:

While I probably last visited Stan's about 3 decades ago, I was a bit surprised by the entrance.  Definitely divey; a basement entrance and the stairway down could have been cleaned up and freshened.  Walk inside and its a bar/restaurant certainly a bit dated looking but nice enough.  At about 3 PMish I sidled to the bar to try the experiment in measuring Stan's pours of alcohol.  Wasn't crowded,nobody in the restaurant seating area, and only a few people at the bar. At least some were regulars bantering with the day bartender. Experiment wise it looked promising...except the bottles at the bar mostly DID NOT use a standard pour spout, as I've grown accustomed to using and being able to measure pours.  Most of the liquor and liqueur bottles had measured "flat top pours"   They look like the picture below though all we can see as customers is the top:

I'm used to pour spouts.  I suspect the openings pour at a different speed.  Damn.  That totally screwed up the effort at the experiment.  So even though the bartender had her back to me I was still reasonably confident of the pour "count/rhythm".  Yet I can't vouch for accuracy. Which pours more quickly, the flat pour or the pour spout?   Honestly I don't know. The drink was poured neat (without ice) into a rocks glass and we have glassware like that at the bar school.  But I'm not sure of the size equivalency.  Damn, I failed here.  If my science/thinking cap was on I would have measured this glass height and opening against my hand and then compared it to what we have on site.  Damn damn.  without thinking cap going full throttle this thought didn't hit till after leaving and somewhat tipsy.  What the hell, its a liquor science experiment for drinkers not precision rocket science.   My guess is that the two glasses are either the same or close equivalents.  All of which leads to the "eyeballing test", something in which I have less faith.  Nevertheless upon pouring into a similar glass at our school and eyeballing where the full pour sat against the rim the test seemed to indicate a 3 ounce pour.    So that is my report on the "science of this thing" KN, though I can't vouch for millimeter accuracy.

I heartily endorse your scientific endeavors.

15 hours ago, franch said:

The wine menu is small, but delivers what you need -- skews heavily Italian, of course. We ordered a couple glasses of wine - Ornellaia's third wine, Le Volte ($17) and Tolaini's Valdisanti ($19). A bit pricy -- both are around $20 bottles -- but nothing too bad.

That sounds absurdly high to me. 3X markup on wholesale, I get.  But this is 2.5-3X on retail!

47 minutes ago, DaveO said:

Big big crowd tonight.  Too crowded. Going elsewhere

This makes me happy - I'll join later as well.

17 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Taking the kids to Zoo Lights, will likely eat here afterwards.  Most reviews on yelp relate to the $29 bottomless booze brunch, which seems to attract many frugal minded yet bitchy people.  Any recent dinner diners?

Most recent meal at Ardeo was quite good.  That was prior to the Bardeo-Bindaas conversion, though.

48 minutes ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

And at the fear of sounding a little Trump-like, but noting that I am ethnically a Middle Easterner, Halal restaurants tends to be less inclusive in terms of clientele. The counterexamples, like Me Jana in Courthouse or Afghan Bistro in Springfield, draw a decidedly diverse crowd because they offer non-Halal dishes and alcohol.

Definitely wouldn't include Amina in this category (haven't been to the Silver Spring location, but I've been going to the Rockville location for a decade).  I think most of the clientele is unaware it's halal - and those that do know probably do because Amina had to explain why they don't offer pork.

22 minutes ago, Dr. Delicious said:

And I'll be there tomorrow morning, likely up at the AA club, so say hi next time!

That AA club is too pricey for me!  I've only had real status on BA until this year, so can't contemplate paying for lounge access that should be free!  But I'll wave from outside the lounge.

2 hours ago, Dr. Delicious said:

Tl;dr ... anyone using "Clear" at DCA? I'm considering it. I'm already a GE/Precheck member, fwiw

I fly out of DCA a couple times a month and have never seen anyone in the line.  Ever.  Except for the guy who tries to chat up the TSA Pre-check line.

"TapaBar Review: The Smaller, the Better at this Pleasant Envoy from Spain" by Tom Sietsema on washingtonpost.com

4 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Despite me being 25% Bolognese (my maternal grandfather arrived at Ellis Island on a boat), I've only been to the train station in Bologna.

You are missing out.  Bologna is for Italian food what Burgundy is for French - its heart and soul.  I'd correct that immediately.

Google Flights to Bologna

If you want art, go to Florence.  If you want history, go to Rome.  If you want love, go to Venice.  If you want to eat - go to Bologna. (Translating from an Italian expression here.)

I say this being 0% Bolognese.  Maybe 2% from everything I ate while living there.

On 11/17/2016 at 10:45 AM, DonRocks said:

[Oh, I thought he meant it wasn't a *solid* red-sauce joint, as in quality; he meant as a descriptor. I'll change that now, and will eventually delete these two posts. It did seem odd to me that the Bastianich's would open a red-sauce joint - I should have looked more carefully, but I spent a *lot* of time splitting up that thread and I'm exhausted.]

I'm probably unclear exactly what's meant by a red-sauce joint then.  I was disappointed that it wasn't authentic Italian when I went.  Would also say it's definitely not on par with Bastainich's other places.

3 minutes ago, zgast said:

You're right.  But in a base pi system, wouldn't it be 2?

10.  Crap.  And this is why I left mathematics for good.  Clearly not so good once things get theoretical, linear, or imaginary.

Just now, DonRocks said:

Yes, but in a "Base Pi" system, Pi is 1.

You're right.  But in a base pi system, wouldn't it be 2?

1 hour ago, DonRocks said:

Well I can certainly enlighten you about bases - you can have a numeric system in any base you want, and if we had only eight fingers instead of ten, we'd all be counting in octal - "10" in octal is "8" in decimal.

In Computer Science, the two primary bases are binary and hexadecimal (base 16), and that's because there's 8 bits to a byte, and it takes two bytes to represent a character in systems such as EBCDIC and ASCII (okay, maybe I'm not helping much). 

In hexadecimal, the numbers 10-15 are represented by A-F, so "2B" in hexadecimal is "43" in decimal.

What I'm asking is whether or not anyone has investigated if there's some non-base-10 numeric system that makes a little more sense of the universe, e.g. "base 863.4821894." Maybe using that system, a lot of irrational numbers would become rational, the Pythagorean comma would disappear, etc. I suspect this has been proven false, but I'm just curious if anyone has looked into it before.

I wrote a paper on this in college (you can tell the dorks right away, no?).  Base 12 is actually somewhat ideal, according to what I found.  Don got the reason right - it's mostly because it can be divided evenly, which results in less irrational numbers (like pi) which are somewhat of a scourge in math and science.  Only 5 and 7 can't divide it evenly.  Pi is still pi though no matter what the base system is.