aaronsinger

My mom loves Schramsberg, and at a local World Market the other day they had a bottle of their Mirabelle on sale for $12. Looks like it normally goes for around $20? Wonder if it's any good.

My problem with them is in the implementation of the cameras, not in having red-light cameras themselves. I remember reading an article about red-light cameras in Denver giving out more than half of their tickets to drivers who stopped over the white line, no matter if just a foot or an inch over. Even more disturbing are cases in Chicago and Florida where the timing of the lights was secretly changed in order to shorten yellow-light timing, which AIUI is illegal by federal DOT standards, not to mention making intersections more dangerous and accidents more likely. And even when the city of Chicago apologized for doing so, they refused to refund tickets issued under those false pretenses. Perhaps unsurprisingly in Chicago, the original contract doled out to the first company the city used for their cameras was a shady one. And the lobbyist from that company is now going prison on corruption charges. When I lived in DC, I tried to avoid driving in the district I loathed it so much. I only drove out of necessity for errand-running, grocery shopping, etc. and on the weekends for pleasure if I wanted to take a ride somewhere. In general I much prefer to take public transit, when possible.

I went to a liquor store today to pick up some beer and get a bottle of bourbon. My mistake (as I was somewhat pressed for time) was I went to the only liquor store in Evanston, which is rather overpriced compared to the big chain 'round these parts, Binny's. I was thinking of getting Noah's Mill beforehand but most of the bourbons there seemed way overpriced; is Noah's Mill usually $49 these days? So my cheapskate self just got a $20 bottle, instead; I've never had Old Granddad but a friend I trust recommended it to me as I like other high ryes I've tried in the past; I was deliberating between that and Four Roses (just the Yellow) at the same price.

I finished off a bottle of the 12-year Weller awhile ago. Been meaning to replace it sometime soon. It was good, but I think I just don't like wheated bourbons all that much. I've never had Pappy, but for a similar reason I assume it wouldn't be my favorite, even if price wasn't a concern. I'm not the most knowledgable about bourbon, but KBD seems a bit of a mystery to me, compared to, say, Buffalo Trace. I've never had Noah's Mill, but my favorite bourbon I've ever had was Black Maple Hill, who KBD made for an outside firm. The bottle design was quite similar to Noah's Mill, too.

Just out of college I tried to make myself a drink with vanilla-flavored vodka and ice cream and I ended up sick. At that time I was working at a South African-themed restaurant and grew to love Amarula; more often than not just on the rocks.

Thanks for the recs! I asked a couple friends as well, and was thinking about Ethiopian since I've never had it. They suggested Keren, Eritrean restaurant at Florida/18th; they have a little baby so I was going to meet them there at 6 and then other friends at Churchkey after that. I made plans for another group of friends for brunch at DGS sunday. Thanks, Dean, for messaging me; I had another meal free for myself sunday night and was thinking of having an early dinner at Dino's before I headed back to my hotel before an early monday morning flight. And then I went to O'hare this morning for my flight and ended up going nowhere... Frontier said they couldn't rebook people for several days. If I owned a car I would have left this morning once I got back from the airport. Instead I'm missing my friend's wedding.

I am also meeting a smaller party of friends friday night for dinner. Friday night I'm staying in Arlington (Courthouse), but the two friends I know are coming live in Silver Spring & Columbia Heights. Again, up for any kind of food, but not overly expensive, so apologies on rather vague parameters.

Although I lived in the DC area for 2 years, it's been a few years since I've been back and I haven't kept up with local eateries much. Any suggestions for brunch sunday, hopefully not too expensive, for maybe 6-8 folks coming in from all over the area (so hopefully centrally located and easily metro accessible)? I know that's not much to go on, but I'm rather open to possibilities. Also we might be a party that will linger for awhile, so don't want a place that I'd feel rushed. Thanks! -Daniel Also, sunday morning I'll be coming in from a hotel near Dulles sans car, so hotel shuttle to Dulles-Washington Flyer-Silver Line, so probably meeting not too early, around 11ish.

Forgot about Intermezzo. Don't think I ever went there for dinner, but I remember a large variety of good coffee drinks*, some great desserts and also a good amount of yummy dessert-type drinks. Also, given the atmosphere a great date place. *The second night of college we drove into Atlanta (from Covington, GA, 40 miles to the east) and ended up there. I was not yet a coffee drinker, none of us had fake IDs and thus no alcohol, and I ordered Turkish coffee. Boy, was that a surprise--I didn't know what it was!

To Hall of Famer Frank Thomas.

Does the question mean an icon of that city's food, or of it's culture and people? If the latter, the first thing that comes to mind for Chicago is Manny's Deli. Watering holes for the nightly crowd, perhaps the Billy Goat or Old Town Ale House or the Green Mill stand out as truly iconic.

And I to Frank Thomas, my favorite ball player of all time; as a young impressionable kid growing up most of my family were fans of the other team in town and perhaps in alternate lives I would gone down that path. Instead, I paid more attention to one of the coolest guys in the sport. My dad took me to a playoff game in 1993 and the rest was history. Cheers to the Big Hurt and I hope to be in Cooperstown this July.

I've been close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but did not walk across. I spent the final night of that trip in an Auckland hotel room watching the All Blacks play at home vs Australia, but, alas, I was not in the stadium. As for myself, I would love to visit all 50 states. I am currently at 39 at 29 years of age, so that should be doable.

Evanston, Illinois. I bought it at the Binny's in Skokie. Weller, not Black Maple Hill.

I just paid $28 for a bottle of the 12-year Weller. And that's a splurge for me. Oops...

Hopefully Karl didn't make the same mistake someone did on NPR this morning, calling Banks a former great of the President's beloved White Sox. While POTUS does root for the same team I do, and I always enjoy him poking fun at the other team in town, Mr. Banks is known as Mr. Cub for a reason!

I walked into a liquor store on saturday night set out to buy gifts (wine for my aunt, beer for my cousin, her son) and I ended up also walking out with a bottle for myself. I ended up with the 12-year Weller.

Boo on you, Stewart. What's funny about this is the idea that Chicago is full of deep dish pizza places, when I find it much easier to find good Chicago-style thin crust.

I had a Christmas ale recently from Chicago's Revolution, who I normally am a fan of. Their FistMas Ale, though, was overwhelmed by hops masking the Christmas-y spices they added to it. Oh well.

I love Sun Wah and it's a great and very affordable place, but I don't know if it's any better than Peking Gourmet in Falls Church. Wow Bao is nothing special, just a quick service lunch place both downtown and River North (I often will get stuff from Chinatown bakeries to take a mile or so south to Sox games, and those are as good; same goes for bakeries on Argyle to take stuff downtown to Millenium Park or something from my home in Evanston). As for the other recs, Dominic's sound good, though I also have yet to get to many of those places. Hot Doug's, where I assume you'll be going for hot dogs, is definitely worth it. Lou Malnati's... not so much. But as I said earlier in the thread, I don't know what deep dish places are still good (maybe Due's), I would recommend Longman and Eagle, and I was just there two weeks ago. But, they just got a Michelin star and don't take reservations, so I would think you have to get there early to get seated. I met a friend there at 8 pm the saturday before last, the host just laughed at me when I asked how long for a table for 4. We ordered cocktails, though (which were excellent, they have a very lengthy whiskey list, as well), and ended up seating at the bar (I can't comment too much on the food; I had eaten beforehand and only ate a sandwich, which was a very yummy wild boar sloppy joe). Big Star is another super-popular place that doesn't reservations, and it can get loud (especially so in the summer, though). I don't know if the food is worth a trip with so many other places in Chicago (especially Kahan's other locales), but it's a fun place to hang out. As far as eateries go near the places you mentioned, not much around Soldier Field (there's a couple good breakfast spots I've been to before Bears games). Hyde Park also has a dearth of good restaurants, the only ones that come to mind are the cafeteria and neighborhood hangout Valois, and where I often end up eating with my uncle, Medici (which I like, but it's certainly not a destination). If you have a car, Calumet Fisheries is a truly unique and great place, but it's only accessible by car, well south of MSI (which is my favorite museum in Chicago next to the Art Institute, and my favorite science museum anywhere). Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of lunch places around the Sears Tower, but for dinner spots you have to head a little further on to Greektown or any of the numerous spots on Randolph St. (where I'm guessing you'll eat multiple times).

I'm wondering the same thing...

Wow, thanks for this! I worked at a bar/restaurant in Atlanta in 2006-7 and had Black Maple Hill there and loved it! Around that time I also remember seeing their rye sold for around $100 retail. Haven't really seen the label at all since then, however. Are there other similar bourbons made by KBD at somewhat reasonable price points?

I think one factor in the restaurant's closing may have been health issues. One obit I read of him today quoted a former sommelier of his who said that he had an inoperable brain aneurysm. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-charlie-trotter-dead-20131105,0,3424072.story And here is a piece by Homaru Cantu: http://homarocantu.blogspot.com/2012/12/did-i-ever-tell-you-best-part-about.html

Oh, I don't doubt that they have kept that promise. I wouldn't know the difference as I've never been to the corporate Uno's. As I live near Chicago, it thankfully wasn't that big of a deal. I do have to get to Burt's one of these days. He just re-opened after being closed for a few months due to health issues. I've never been to Pequod. Gulliver's is probably the closest commercial establishment to me, and yet I haven't been since I was little. No idea if it's any good. Giordano's is pretty mediocre, Malnati's is marginally better than that. It's funny, despite the stereotype, Chicago doesn't have all that many deep dish places. Chicago-style thin crust is much easier to find, let alone the recently trendy neapolitan style.

That's true, and I have never been to Uno's (since Due's is much bigger). However, even my most recent trip to Due's, which admittedly was about a year or two ago, was very disappointing. The sauce was was too sweet, and the pizza not quite cooked enough.