porcupine

Not Miles Davis. It was the full opera. I did a little research and am fairly sure it was the Mel Tormé/Frances Faye recording. My father was a talented amateur musician and he did have good taste , though I never understood why he liked Mel Tormé so much.

I'm sorry, it never occurred to me to check. My friend and I ordered two pastries: a cream-filled cake thing that tasted to me like cotton candy, and a red bean paste egg custard that was great. The bubble tea was... odd.

Now open. Pictures of menu below. Also they serve bubble tea.

I'm sorry I missed you. It's a nice space and the menu looked great, but I saw no reason to return after several people told me "Edan no longer works there".

Since opera seems to be the topic du jour, how about this one? I'm familiar with it primarily from a recording my father had, about 40 years ago, that I played over and over and sang to when I thought no one was listening. I seem to recall it was a "jazz" version but I remember little else. Does anyone know what I'm referring to? Anyway, just a few years ago we saw the WNO production at the Kennedy Center, which was excellent. Although I adore the music, the lyrics grate on my ears. I know that it is supposed to be evocative or representative of the actual dialect of that time and place, but it just sounds wrong, like the lyricists (DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin) are mocking and condescending. Perhaps I'm too PC for it. Gerswhin at his best (I'm deliberately referring only to George here) wrote music that brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." "My Man's Gone Now." Just beautiful. Here's Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis performing "You is My Woman Now": And Audra singing "My Man's Gone Now": Mornin' time and evenin' time...

In the spring of 1987 I saw a production of Carmen in Boston, by the Metropolitan Opera, I think. It was my graduation present to myself, but the timing was awful: I had two final exams that day, after which I had to pack for the trip home. My fiancee rolled in from DC just in time for a quick dinner before the show. We were both exhausted and probably that's why we didn't enjoy it. What I remember of the production is that they took full bows after each act, which seemed preposterous and vain beyond belief; that each intermission was 20 minutes long; and that in act 1, the changing of the guard scene, there was no boys' chorus to sing the parts of the urchins. But rather than skip it, the performers promenaded around the stage while the orchestra played. It was dull, dull, dull. We left after Act 3, which is also dull, dull, dull, no matter who's performing it. Nonetheless, acts 1 and 2 contain some of my favorite music ever.

Any suggestions welcomed. WHC is a *big* place, but I'd still love to find restaurants within walking distance. Thanks.

I have no answers for you. You have my deepest sympathy. Nothing is harder than watching a loved one go through something like this. I hope she finds an easy path out of limbo, and soon.

Bar Harbor; Northeast Harbor; Southwest Harbor A quick report while waiting to board a flight home from Bangor, Maine. Please forgive typos, brevity, etc. After nine days in Bar Harbor, I can safely say that although the area has almost as many dining options as tourists, most of them aren't particularly good. Note: most of these write-ups are based on a single meal; take them for what they're worth. Also, it seems that the consumption of lobster and blueberries is obligatory; at least, they're hard to escape. There are so many places to eat in Bar Harbor that it's hard to research them all and easy to miss many of them. Most of the best places I tried I found by striking up conversations with locals. Some places I was obliged to eat in as I was traveling with a group the frist few days. Breakfast Jordan's has the advantage of opening at 5:00 am, but that's the only advantage. Supposedly famous for the blueberry pancakes, there will be a line out the door of this modest diner by 8:00. I'm not sure why. I could make better pancakes than these without even following a recipe. The coffee is standard shitty diner coffee. But hey, open at 5:00, that's worth something. Coffee Cup Diner also opens at 5:00 am, a fact I didn't discover until my last evening in Bar Harbor. Cafe This Way is supposed to be the place for breakfast, but beats me why. Opens at 7:00. I had the single most boring French toast I've ever had. And the bacon was burned. How do you burn bacon? Jeannie's Great Maine Breakfast was somewhat better. I had some sort of eggs Benedict concoction that was pretty tasty but I don't remember the details. Once I found 2 Cats (130 Cottage St., Bar Harbor; no website), I ate nowhere else for breakfast. Like many places in Bar Harbor, it's on the ground floor of an old house. Quaint but not fussy, comfortable, and very good food. Blueberry pancakes in which you can actually taste blueberry. Great biscuits. Try the hot sauce if you're a chili-head - spicy but well-balanced and not overwhelming. Lunch I had perfectly acceptable cod fritters and pizza at Sweet Pea's Cafe. I asked whether Edan was there and was told yes; later several friends told me he was no longer there. One person said he'd been gone more than a year. I don't know if the waitress lied to me or not. In the end what matters is whether the food is any good; in this case it wasn't worth going back a second time. Also, I've tired of the "hunt down the respected but elusive chef" game. Perfectly fine if rather bland lobster roll at Testa's. Boring lobster macaroni and cheese at Side Street Cafe. Most of the breakfast joints stay open 'til around 1:00, so that's an option. Had a really mediocre and annoying lunch with the group at some place in Southwest Harbor; can't remember the name, can't find it on the map; maybe it was The Upper Deck? Most of my other lunches were trail snacks. I'm told by locals that Peekytoe Provisions is pretty good but I never had a chance to try it. Milk and Honey in Northeast Harbor was not really that good, but it was a charming little place off the tourist-beaten path, the kind of place I want to succeed even if the food wasn't the best. Dinner Stewman's Lobster Pound is a big, touristy lobster place. The men in our group donned bibs, tucked in to their lobsters, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The women all ordered fish and chips, with corn on the cob (only half a cob). The haddock was nicely flavored and had a good texture, but was limp. The joy of fish and chips is the crispy exterior of the fish, but that didn't happen here. Blueberry pie was engh. Mache Bistro offers creative modern American food. I ate there twice, once at the bar where I ended up conversing with the owners of Tea House 278 for most of the meal; the second time my husband was sick so I ordered little and ate fast. As a result I'm not sure I can offer details, but everything I tried was distinctive, flavorful, and well-prepared. It deserves better treatment than I'm giving it here. Mr. P's favorite was Burning Tree (Otter Creek Drive a few miles south of town). This is the one place on the island, AFAIK, that is truly fine dining. If they're going to play that game, though, they need to better train the staff (please don't kneel at my table), and maybe drop the stiffness and pretension. The food was excellent, much if it coming from their own garden. Definitely emphasis on seasonal here. My main course was grey sole on sweet corn and tomatoes, with curry butter. Sounds simple but it was an outstanding dish. The curry was just a whisper, a tease rather than a punch, and the fish was perfect. Gorgonzola bombolini on a mixed greens salad was also delicious. My favorite was Red Sky, (Clark Point Road in Southwest Harbor). Not sure the food was quite as excellent as Burning Tree, but I hate pretension and prefer Red Sky's relaxed but not informal ambience. Same basic type of food but with a different aesthetic. One night I had a house-made duck and pork sausage and something with polenta; the other night a smoked lamb taco with pickled red cabbage and a mixed greens salad with smoked duck breast, dried cherries, shaved Parmesan, and some other stuff. Everything I ate there was just wonderful. Havana in Bar Harbor was disappointing. Modern Latin American influenced food. The portions were stupidly gigantic. My main course, cochinita pibil, was rather plain and overcooked (ie, almost mushy), but all the accompaniments were tasty. Fathom was...interesting. Verging on formal, well-hidden, quiet. I forget what my appetizer was but remember loving it. My main course was a delicious preparation of green zebra mussels. The mussels themselves were so-so - large, a bit tough, rather strong. I don't know if that's a characteristic of the breed or if they weren't well-prepared. But the garlicy, lightly tomato-y broth was delicious with the stunningly good breads. Best blueberry pie I had the whole trip (a proper pastry crust, not achingly sweet). Other Trailhead Cafe brews a decent coffee, as does Matsumoto Joe. If you like tea, don't miss Tea House 278, but be warned, the owners are serious about tea. Really serious. Asian tea only. No dairy on the premises, so if you want hot, milky, malty black English breakfast tea you are out of luck. But they brew the tea properly, and the Chinese-style garden is lovely and a relaxing respite from the touristy bustle of Bar Harbor. Lots of ice cream in town. CJ's Big Dipper is fine, but Mount Desert Island Ice Cream ("Fearless Flavor") is extraordinary; some of the best I've ever had. The flavors are intense but clean, the creaminess is just right, the texture is spot-on. Highly recommended. For baked goods (mostly sweet, some savory), Little Notch is wonderful (several locations on the island). Weird that the really good places don't have websites... Things to Do I went for a photography class. Acadia National Park is a wonderful place for photography. I was a bout to write that it's a wonderful place for hikers, but maybe not. The trails are great: well laid out, well signed, well maintained, but mostly rather short and of course crowded. Hit the trailhead early and avoid ones marked "easy" if you want to avoid tourists. Hiking Acadia National Park (Falcon Guides) and Field Guide to Acadia National Park (Russell D. Butcher) are both available at the Visitor's Center and I highly recommend them. Cadillac Mountain is a zoo. One morning I arose early and was at the summit at 0430 for some stargazing; within 45 minutes the parking lot was full. Mr. P wanted to try a boat tour. Fine by me, but I hate crowds, which means I hate buses, jumbo jets, and tour boats. We found an operation that was one man in a small motorboat (Captain Shaw, the Sea Venture), right up my alley. Captain Shaw is an ornery old coot who told more stories about himself than anything else, but he knew his stuff, by which I mean the natural history of the area. And the human history. It was cool to scoot about the Porcupine islands with just three of us, going wherever we wanted to and talking about whatever we wanted to (mostly bald eagles, cormorants, peregrine falcons, lion mane jellyfish, the cruise ship industry, and The Problems With The National Parks). So much better than a PA blaring "and on your right we might be lucky to see some bald eagles". When traveling we like to check out the fine art scene. There is nothing in Bar Harbor that would qualify as fine art, though there are some decent crafts if you hunt for them, and plenty of kitschy souvenirs. In Northeast Harbor, though, we found a really nice gallery, Artemis, as well as an antiquarian bookstore and a bookstore specializing in naturalist publications.

I'm sure you already know this, so forgive me, but I have to state the importance of having all your affairs in order and making sure that someone close knows all the details of your plans. And buy insurance that covers emergency medical evacuation. And have contact numbers for American Citizen Services/American Embassy for every area you're visiting, even though they're first world countries. And, bon voyage.

Thank you SilverBullitt, ktmoomau, and lion for the tips. It's looking less and less likely that I'll be needed there, though it's still a possibility. It will depend on how long she's there. The first relative in the queue is leaving tonight and she has a background in public health and travels extensively in foreign countries; she can do a lot more for our cousin than I can.

I don't know the naming conventions and can't decipher the borders of neighborhoods/areas from google maps, but it's in "Pocket 1" - of what, I'm not sure. Sector B? It appears to be a few kilometers southeast of the airport. Thanks for the suggestions. This is the kind of detailed info that makes me feel a little more confident. It's still totally up in the air if I'm even going, or when. Fortunately two other people are queued up to go as soon as visas are issued, etc. We don't know if she'll be out in days, weeks, or months.

Looking for general travel tips for Delhi. Very specific situation: a dear relative is in hospital there and may be there for a long time (details are not important), and she is alone. I'm thinking of going for maybe a week to be with her, maybe advocate for her if she needs it. Am not thrilled at the thought of traveling there on my own. Am especially worried because I have a GI condition and my gut does not handle big changes well (last international trip was to Fiji, where I came down with an unpleasant case of, um, traveler's tummy). Because of this last, IF I go I will stay in a high end hotel and only eat there and only drink bottled water, I guess. How hard is it for a woman to be there and get around on her own? Again, not looking for places to eat or things to see/do or big adventures. Just want to be safe/healthy/comfortable and maybe come home with my cousin in tow.

Will be in Bar Harbor soon for 10 days, part of which will be with a group. Would love any/all suggestions for breakfast/lunch/dinner, not to mention places to pick up tasty snacks/picnic fare for the daypack. Also, suggestion for a Sunday lunch in Bangor would be welcomed. Many thanks.

I had some success with 5/2 last year. One acquaintance lost a *lot* of weight on the routine. Mr. P has had moderate success. For women, the target intake on "fasting" days is 500 calories. I find that no matter how well hydrated I stay, by evening I have a raging headache and feel weak and shaky in a low blood sugar kind of way. It's most unpleasant, and as a result I haven't been able to stay with the routine. But there is at least some evidence that it really works.

I admit to be hasty in my use of the word "nonsense". It's a hot-button issue for me. As for the other part, you're right and you're wrong. I didn't watch it this time. I did watch part of it when it was current - what, a year and a half ago? - but only part of it, because it was making me sick. I'll step back, then, until such time as I can watch the whole thing. I might need to drug myself first. Did I say anything about that? I would never do that. What people do with their religion in their own homes is their concern, not mine. "An it harm none, do what ye will." I do, however, take strong exception to people using religion to shape public policy - for example, teaching creationism to the exclusion of evolution in public schools.

I think it's important that people not waste their time on such nonsense, unless their intent is to study the mechanics of debating. For anyone who doesn't believe that evolution actually happens, I have two words: antibiotic resistance.

Bob's Bakery is to be a Taipei-style cafe, offering breads and small breakfast and lunch items - quick snack-type items, not full meals. It's the project of one of the partners, and he does not intend to compete with BS66. They're trying for a September opening. [ps to Rocks, you might want to change the word "Shanghainese" to "Taiwanese" in the title]

Mark, I agree about Justin's answers, enjoyed the insight he provided. I suppose I have a knew-jerk reaction against someone assuming that I'm out to screw them, but I can't blame restaurant staff for doing their jobs. Wish they'd be a bit more thoughtful at times, though.

This piece in the Washingtonian is an interesting explanation about one of my pet peeves. Yes, I'm one of those people who would like to take my seat (if I have a reservation) while waiting for my party. I understand the explanations given, and I never give the host a hard time, but it's still annoying. Case in point: Mr P and I were meeting some friends at a restaurant; we had a reservation for about 15 minutes after opening time. We arrived about 7 minutes early. The restaurant was empty as far as we could see, except for the bar, where every single seat was taken and about twice as many people were standing. We were asked to "have a seat in the bar" while waiting for our friends to arrive. Mr. P was wearing a cast on his foot. A walking cast, but still. (I pointed that out to the hostess, as it may not have been obvious.) Was that really necessary? There are times when people need to think about the situation at hand rather than blindly following the rules. One of our favorite restaurants does this at busy times, except that we're there so often when I tell them "my husband is parking the car, he should be along in five minutes or so", they believe me. I appreciate their trust and never abuse it.

[sorry, Rocks, if there was a more elegant way to split and merge the Berlin and Prague thread I failed to find it.]

Berlin Prague Waitman (and Rocks), would you mind if I split the replies in this thread and merge with the existing threads?

FWIW, shortly after places in Mosaic District opened for business, I was chatting with one of the store owners with whom I'm acquainted (not Andelman), who told me that the developers had made a big effort to fill the stores with small, local businesses rather than chains. For many of the stores, Mosaic is only the second or third location. This one particular owner was grateful for the opportunity to expand his business.

Driving along North Washington Street in Rockville last night a sign caught my eye: "Bob's Bakery". It was on a papered-over window in the same building and around the corner from Bob's Shanghai 66. A cursory internet search turned up a yellow pages listing and no more. You now know all that I know. Suddenly I've realized that it's been more than a week since I've been to BS66! This is a situation that must be rectified promptly. While there I will ask about the bakery.