DonRocks

On 8/16/2022 at 9:50 AM, Bob Wells said:

The recent price hike is probably making reservations easier to come by too. https://ny.eater.com/2022/7/7/23198636/eleven-madison-park-tasting-menu-price-increase-august

The Inn at Little Washington’s menu is now $328 ($556 with wine pairings), independent of additional beverages, service (20% is $110), and tax (5.3%) is $30).

Dinner for two, with pairings, will cost about $1,400. Stay overnight, and you’ll spend over $2,000.

Monday nights may be the way to go here, as hotel guests get a complimentary dinner for two at Patty O’s (the main restaurant is closed).

Enjoy! 

https://www.mezli.com

21 hours ago, DIShGo said:

Oh, how I wish I read this or remembered reading it! I accidentally watched the Director’s Cut last week, thinking it was the original theater release. How I wish I hadn’t! I have no love for Harvey Weinstein as a human being, but as an editor, his work on this film transformed Tornatore’s vision from  mediocrity into a classic.

I can’t unsee the extended version, but I wish I could.

Wow. ol_ironstomach was absolutely correct, and unfortunately, once you see the “director’s cut,” you can’t unsee it. You end up understanding why some European critics consider Giuseppe Tornatore “mawkish.” (The other Tornatore film I’ve seen, “Stanno Tutti Bene” [Everybody’s Fine] is worth seeing, but absolutely mawkish.)

“Cinema Paradiso will never again have the same meaning for me, and it has gone from being a Top 10 favorite, to a barely decent film that I wouldn’t see a second time.

As much as it may be fingernails on a blackboard, Weinstein apparently single-handedly turned this into a classic by butchering it.

For some good news, the polar opposite effect occurred with “Madame Sousatzka,” which was merely pleasant when released here in 1988. However, John Schlesinger’s director’s cut adds back so much crucial information that it’s an entirely different film - one of great depth and impact. The director’s cut is a fantastic version, and after watching it, the viewer realizes that the original version made almost no sense (I explain this in detail in the link above).

Willie Mays grounds out to Brooks Robinson:

7 hours ago, lotus125 said:

Any recent experiences?  I drove by and noticed the very nice patio.  I haven't been in years, and I'm wondering if it's worth a visit.

I would also appreciate reports from any recent visits. Is the setup on the inside still the same, with the little bar when you walk in?

The Hall of Fame players with All-Star game hits against the greatest number of Hall of Fame pitchers:

(There are other players with hits against 1, 2, or perhaps even 3 different pitchers, but I spent a fair amount of time on this, and it’s complete at the upper end.)

1 Barry Bonds (Halladay)
1 Rickey Henderson (Carlton)
1 Pete Rose (Hunter)

2 Ernie Banks (Wynn, Bunning)
2 Joe Dimaggio (Dean, Spahn)
2 Charlie Gehringer (Hubbell, Dean)
2 Cal Ripken, Jr (Ryan, Glavine)
2 Frank Robinson (Wynn, Wilhelm)
2 Alex Rodriguez (Maddux, Glavine)
2 Mike Schmidt (Ryan, Fingers)
2 Ted Williams (Roberts, Spahn)
2 Dave Winfield (Gossage, Ryan)

3 Hank Aaron (Ford, Wilhelm, Blyleven)
3 Nellie Fox (Roberts, Spahn, Drysdale)
3 Steve Garvey (Perry, Palmer, Gossage)
3 Derek Jeter (Johnson, Clemens, Halladay)
3 Mickey Mantle (Spahn, Roberts, Drysdale)
3 Stan Musial (Newhouser, Lemon, Ford)

4 Roberto Clemente (Ford, Wilhelm, Bunning, Kaat)
4 Willie Mays (Ford, Wynn, Wilhelm, Kaat)
4 Carl Yastrzemski (Jenkins, Gibson, Seaver, Perry)

5 [none]

6 [none]

7 Brooks Robinson (Koufax, Drysdale, Bunning, Marichal, Perry, Jenkins, Gibson)

If Robinson hadn’t grounded out against Spahn, he’d have lapped the field.

“Brooks Robinson: The Greatest Defensive Baseball Player in Baseball History, at Any Position (A Seven-Part Serial)”

The 1965 MLB All-Star Game

Bottom of the 5th, AL batting, 2 outs, NL leading 5-1

Jimmie Hall walks against Jim Maloney, followed by Dick McAuliffe hitting a 2-run home run.

Still 2 outs, NL leading 5-3

Brooks Robinson singles (*), keeping the inning alive, and allowing the next batter, Harmon Killebrew, to hit a 2-run homer to tie the game at 5-5.

(*) Let's take a closer look at Brooks Robinson's single down the third-base line against Hall of Fame third baseman Ron Santo, who many are now saying was "superior to Brooks Robinson." Had the batter and fielder been reversed on this play, the inning would have been over, and the NL would have still been ahead 5-3. Maybe for Ron Santo this wasn't an error; had it been Brooks Robinson, it would have been.

Top of the 7th, NL batting, Sam McDowell pitching, none out:

* Willie Mays walks

* Hank Aaron singles to right, sending Mays to third

* The NL pinch-hits the right-handed Roberto Clemente (think hard about this) for the left-handed Willie Stargell

Roberto Clemente grounds to shortstop Zoilo Versailles. As he did so many times in his career, Brooks Robinson ran to his left and cut it off, giving him enough time to check Mays (who had broken towards home, and was forced to scamper back to third base), then threw to second base to force Hank Aaron while Roberto Clemente reached first.

The next batter, Ron Santo, with the score still tied at 5-5, chopped a ball over Sam McDowell's head, which went off the mitt of second baseman Bobby Richardson, and was then bobbled by (1965 AL MVP!) Zoilo Versalles (?!) before Versalles desperate throw was too late, and Mays scored with the wnning run (the final score was 6-5).

Both the Santo grounder and the Richardson-Versalles grounder would have been errors in the league that Brooks Robinson came down from; instead, the NL won this game 6-5.

Fear not - the NL won the 1966 All-Star game also, but Brooks Robinson was named the only MVP in history from a losing team. A make-up call from this game? Perhaps, or perhaps he deserved it both years.

I'm certain advanced sabermetrics can account for all these nuances, even though almost no games were televised. I mean, you can get all these details just from looking at a box score, right? Right?

Six years later …

“The Problem with Self-Driving Cars? Many Don’t Drive Themselves” by The Editorial Team at washingtonpost.com

On 3/3/2022 at 4:18 PM, eatruneat said:

When friends and family asked @MichaelBDCwhat I wanted for Christmas, his automatic reply was "she really likes this restaurant Kinship so a gift card there would be nice." Sure, I am the only one who likes Kinship and would be the one to benefit from said gift card in this marriage. All of that is to say, I had a few gift cards waiting for the right moment to be used.

Enter: Kinship Cassoulet. When I saw this on the menu, I knew we had to order it to complete the neighborhood cassoulet trifecta (Convivial, Corduroy, and now Kinship). This "For the Table" entree consisted of two perfectly cooked duck legs, two good sized braised shoat belly, sausage, white beans, and topped with delicious bread crumbs. It was also served with a simple yet delicious arugula salad and parker house rolls. From the duck to the shoat belly to the salad, everything was perfect. There are not enough good things to say about this dish and we luckily had leftovers to polish off a few days later. 

Prior to the cassoulet, we also had the tuna tataki and the caramelized sunchokes. We've never had a less than great dish at Kinship and these two were no exception. The tuna just melted in our mouth and the sunchokes were a crispy treat. I also had the oaxacan chocolate for dessert despite being very full. Like @safsaid above, exceptional. 

One gift certificate down, one to go. I would definitely use it on another cassoulet feast. 

Go with us in September - I hope we can go.

This is so much better than the second-best film-streaming service I've discovered that it stands alone on the podium. Nobody knows about it; I watch it nearly every evening. It is far-and-away the greatest resource for film lovers ever assembled in one place. It costs $10.99/month or $99.99/year, and is worth five-times that much for the right viewer. Yes, I said that - does anyone else agree?

On 4/18/2022 at 12:35 PM, pras said:

Had the clam at Montgomery Mall last week.  Clams appeared to be canned and were a huge disappointment.  We were happy with the other pie we ordered though.  I meant to ask if canned clams was temporary or what they plan on using full-time.  If fresh, I would give the clam another shot.  As far as eating in, we arrived early around 5:30 and were seating immediately.  There was a short wait by the time we left.  The big story is the volume of carry-out orders they have been receiving.  Evidently it is off the hook and the wait can be over an hour at peak times.  Not sure how well it travels, as the two times I have been there we ate there.  First time was a medium pie for my daughter and myself (half plain and half with black olives).  It was really good, nice crust, nice char, and good flavor.  The medium was really too much for the two of us, although I powered through it.  Second time was with wife included.  This time we got two smalls--the aforementioned clam (with canned clams) and the other was again half plain and half black olive.  We finished both, but it was the right amount.  As mentioned previously, the winner was the half plain/half black olive.  

Oh, just to be clear, the clams at the Danbury, CT location were almost surely canned. Both of us found 1-2 very small fragments of clam shell in a couple of bites, but nothing more than that. Also, I have no reason to think that any other location than New Haven is actually "coal-fired."

When I say "very happy with the result," I'm talking 'Pupatella quality' which is not that bad for suburban strip-mall pizza.

15 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

Jared Kushner now cashing in bigly from his father-in-law's stint in the Oval Office.

https://scheerpost.com/2022/04/12/hes-cashing-in-kushner-firm-gets-2-billion-from-saudi-fund-run-by-crown-prince/

https://saharareporters.com/2022/04/12/how-saudi-gave-trumps-son-law-jared-kushner-2billion-investment-fund-after-alleged

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jared-kushner-s-deal-saudi-arabia-sure-looks-corrupt-n1294342?icid=msd_botgrid

Always remember, with this family, it's never about peace. It's always about money.

"Massive Saudi Investment Raises Questions about Jared Kushner's Business Earnings" by Geoff Bennett and Tess Conciatori on pbs.org.

We got carryout from Frank Pepe in Danbury CT on Monday, and were very happy with the result. I've never been to the original in New Haven, and would have been disappointed had I gone there and gotten this, but for suburban, chain, strip-mall pizza - even with such a big name - it was very good road food (and indeed, we devoured it on the way home from Connecticut).

A Medium (16") White Clam Pizza ($27.75) with Fresh Clams (not in shell, though a couple small bits of shell were found), Grated Pecorino Romano, [lots of] Garlic, [lots of] Oregano & Olive Oil was pre-sliced, salty, rife with clams, and enjoyed during a 6-7 hour car ride, as well as for lunch the next day.

The only other White Clam Pizza I've ever tried was at Matthew's in Baltimore, and this was completely different as Pepe's crust is thin and well-charred; Matthew's is its own creature, having a thick crust (Pepe's is thin, and somewhat charred) and being extremely filling. The two couldn't be more different, but both are worth trying, albeit perhaps secondary to their tomato pies.

On 5/15/2016 at 2:19 PM, DonRocks said:

What do people think of Talenti gelati and sorbets? The first time I ever tried them, I thought they were about as good as any premium brand of ice-cream product on the market, and I *still* think they are, but has anyone noticed that they've become ubiquitous, and that you can even find them at Rite Aid? 

I suspect the reason for the massive increase in distribution is that the company (which was founded in 2003) was acquired by Unilever, the world's third-largest consumer goods company, with $60 billion in annual revenue, in Dec, 2014. Although Talenti is a subsidiary, they're still accountable - literally accountable - to Unilever, and I'm wondering if anyone has noticed a change (I'm not convinced I have, except for the increase in distribution; although I did just recently notice that they're going out of their way to explain why they're using dextrose). 

My guess is that if they're left alone, they can maintain a high level of quality, but if they're micro-managed, the product will go the way of Häagen-Dazs (General Mills) and Ben & Jerry's (also a subsidiary of Unilever, which, to me, foreshadows The End of Talenti in the next 5-10 years).

If you haven't noticed a precipitous drop in quality in Ben & Jerry's over the past fifteen years, then you're not my target audience.

Cheers,
Rocks

I just saw a commercial for Talenti on ABC World News Tonight, ie, on national network TV.

Ten years later, I ask: Does anyone know the best place to find lobes (not patés) of foie gras?

On 4/5/2022 at 9:41 AM, dcs said:

Some more detail here:  Jaleo in Crystal City to Close, Making Way for Residential Development by Jo DeVoe, September 27, 2021, on arlnow.com.

South Arlington is now a close-in suburb of Crystal City. If you think I'm kidding, then look closely, or just wait twenty years.

Good riddance and all, but don't think for one minute that Tysons Corner (excuse me: "Tysons") is going to be the only example of a vertical neo-eyesore.

I hope that Bezos has enough savvy (ego?) to spend the extra 10-20% and make Crystal City into a world-class architectural destination, instead of thowing up functional junk, and then making a $50 million donation to the National Gallery of Art twenty years into the future.

On 3/12/2012 at 11:29 PM, DonRocks said:

Save this read for when you have 10 good minutes to spend on it. It's a fascinating piece about the first-ever electronic musical instrument, the Theremin (demonstrated for УльяновLenin (sorry, bit of pedantry there) in 1921 by its titular inventor). Apparently, people still play it - I'd never heard of it before now - and yet, it's that spacey-sounding thing in The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."

They say you learn something new every day, and damned if I didn't pull it off with only 30 minutes remaining on this lovely Monday.

Listen to the first few notes of the opening to the theme song of Alfred Hitchcock's 1945 film, "Spellbound," written by the great composer Miklós Rózsa (Academy Award, Best Original Score).

There's one overriding reason you must watch "Servant of the People" on Netflix, and it's not because the show is a freakish reflection of real life.

Separated at birth:

Viktor Saraykin, the President's father on "Servant of the People," and Chef RJ Cooper, 2007 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef - Mid-Atlantic Region:

"These Events that Are Unfolding Now Will Shape the 21st Century" - interview with Alexander Vindman by KK Ottesen on washpost.com

The Canopy in Ellicott City was as good as ever today (I hadn't been there in several years).

That said, I agree with DIShGo that Pioneer (in 2019) was better still, and that's saying a lot.

For some odd reason, I keep imagining that if I ever met Larry Bird, he'd be my height - maybe a couple inches taller.

Who in the hell is 6'9"?!

As you're about to see in this Dick Cavett interview, Port Talbot, Wales "probably could coast on its reputation for a century or so for having produced the actor, Richard Burton." But then it went right on to produce Anthony Hopkins.

There's a wonderful piece featuring John's Roast Pork right now on BBC World News (6:55 PM EST).

On 4/29/2010 at 11:47 PM, DonRocks said:

It is so designated.

I understand that there are other similar days recognized throughout the world, but ours is going to be on May 5th.

One act of kindness, no matter how small (or even unnoticed) is required of every person who reads this.

I wrote this almost 12 years ago.

Shall we have another go at it?