Philly Steak and Cheese

So I'm in some restaurant having the best Philly Steak and Cheese sandwich ever! It"s more of a real steak sandwich than a sliced one. The French Onion Soup was great too, but it was way too hot!

But I have no idea where I am! Some Bistro on Washtenaw Road near Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti. The name doesn"t appear to be written anywhere inside the restaurant...

Nice place. With lots of TVs for the sports crowd, but not really a sports bar. A few pool tables here too. Free WiFi too...

I'll have to check the sign on the way out for the location and update this later!
Later:
Ahh, it"s just called the "Bistro Bar and Grill", it does say "Bistro" all over the place in there...

It's at 4735 Washtenaw and I'm still not sure if it's Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti but it's in the area of St Joseph's hospital.

Technorati Tags: Philly Steak and Cheese

Drinking at the Theatre

So at some of the theater's in London (and I'm sure in other places in the world) you place your order and pay for interval drinks before the show starts. This way when it's time for intermission, your drink is already ready for you and there is no line. Very civilized :)

It's just coincidence that it's in "position L", that was already on the sheet when I scribbled my name on it. So when I went to get my drink there was my bottle of Schweppes, a glass with ice and my order sheet (see attached photo).

Technorati Tags: cocktails, customer service, drinking, intermission, interval, London, Schweppes, theater, Theatre

Speaking of Garfunkel's

So for the Waffle Toffee Crunch score: We were there eight days (Saturday to Saturday) and I was able to have a Waffle Toffee Crunch dessert seven of the eight days! They only day I didn't succeed was the day we left for Cardiff. In my defense we were on the way to the train station before Garfunkel's opened and they didn't appear to have any in Cardiff (they few people I asked didn't even know what Garfunkel's was).

So I consider the dessert portion of the vacation as much of a success as possible :)

Technorati Tags: dessert, Garfunkel's, Garfunkels, waffle, waffle toffee crunch

Waffle Toffee Crunch

At this point I managed to get my dessert four days in a row!

Warm Belgian waffle topped with vanilla ice cream, maple syrup and laced with toffee crunch pieces.
- Garfunkel's Menu

Technorati Tags: Garfunkel's, Garfunkels, waffle, waffle toffee crunch

What's for Dinner?!?

So what are you having?

Technorati Tags: Breaded Chicken Parmigiana, Chicken Parmigiana, dinner, Marie Callender, Marie Callender's, frozen

Insomnia Cookies

Unfortunately, they were closed. But I thought it was a funny name. This location isin East Lansing, Michigan.



They're on-line at InsomniaCookies.com

'Insomnia Cookies' uploaded by garylapointe

Dinner was never so tricky

Traveled for almost 6 hours today, just to stay at a hotel near the airport for the flight out tomorrow. I'll still keep posting Costa Rica tidbits over the next few weeks, I've got lots of photos and stories.

But trying to find a restaurant near the hotel is tricky, the roads are kinda bizarre around the airport (once we got on the road I remembered). The resturant across from the hotel is a Denny's and it's the anchor restaurant for the casino attached to it (how strange is that?) and we didn't want to eat there.

So we drove and "tried" to get off the expressway and eventually at local little bar. And the airport we got back to was a different one. You'd think foreigners asking the gate guard where the other aeropuerto was wouldn't be so tricky (even without understanding Spanish). Once he understood, we got understandable Spanish directions.

Plus, at the restaurant I dropped my keys and when I bent down I hit my forehead on the back of the chair next to me (it was really dark), I'm sure it's gonna leave a mark (it even bled a bit). So when you ask about the bruise and I say "I got it at the bar", you'll know what I mean...

Technorati Tags: aeropuerto, airport, Denny's, directions

North of Samara

So all the little towns north of Samara aren't really my kind of vacation spot, not much of a "downtown", it's all spread out. Generally not as spread out as Santa Teresa but no real central location. Now, we didn't drive down every street so we might have missed something. But that seems to be more of the norm around here. Garza was a little town right off the ocean, there was a big Fut Bol (soccer) game going on, but it wasn't a tourist place at all.

We did get to cross a pretty wide river in our little 4x4, I would have been a little hesitant but the littler BoGo 4x4 in front of us made it so we knew we could. Although we're pretty confident the woman in the passenger seat wasn't sure they'd make it (and they waited to make sure we made it). In hindsight we should have taken a picture of the river.

I thought Nosara would be a place I really liked but it was spread out a bit, but there seemed to be a lot there, a lot of "side streets", a lot of isolated hotels (some really fancy looking ones). It was off the main "highway" so that was really nice this town might require some more exploring.

But the cruise "up the coast" really wasn't the case, it was a lot of side roads that you had to take down to the water so you never know what might be down there: public access, a home, a hotel, a farm so that was a little tricky.

Found a nice little restaurant north of Nosara, in the town called Oxtional, just called "Tony Resturante". I think the ocean is just behind here but you can't see it. Nicely shaded, celling fans and just overall clean and nice (especially since they aren't far off a semi-dusty road). I had a delicious "Arroz con Camarones" (rice & shrimp) and Mark had some kind of Thai-ish Chicken entree (Pollo Tailandes) that he loved. And they have Coca-Cola and Fresca is glass bottles (that were mucho frio). They do have a translated semi-English menu if you ask (we couldn't translate Tailandes).

It's not dusty where we are eating, but we've passed a but of "health / dust warning" 20 KPH signs in various towns along here. Overall it hasn't been too dusty today, I think the rain helped.

Technorati Tags: Arroz con Camarones, Costa Rica, Nosara, Pollo Tailandes, Samaa, Tony Resturante

Gas Prices and Food Prices

I know everyone keeps their eyes open for good gas prices and will hit one gas station over another since it's a few pennies different. I'm sure some people sometimes waste gas by driving a little farther. I know I'm always happy when I can save a few pennies per gallon (I usually fill up on Tuesdays since I'm usually over by some cheap stations). Here's something to keep in mind, 6 cents more a gallon (if it's around $3) is only a 2% difference (12 cents more a gallon is only 4%).

Normally, when I eat at McDonald's I get a number 3 meal (Quarter Pounder - no pickle, no mustard which includes a 20 oz soda and medium fry). At the McDonald's by work (Plymouth/Beech, Redford, MI) it's $4.77 (tax included); at the McD's by my house (Michigan/Greenfield in Dearborn) it's $5.36 (tax included). That's a 59 cent difference! That's 12% more at the more expensive McDonald's. FYI, both the McD's I'm referring to have been renovated in the last few years and the cheaper one has a playland.

So keep in mind if your $3 gallon of gas was 12% more at a nearby location it would 36 cents more per gallon! Now it's not cost effective for me to take the time (and gas) to drive home to save 60 cents, but maybe I should check out the other two nearby McDonald's to see what they charge. Plus Kelly always refers to the Redoford one as an expensive one (that's the one I say is cheap).

When they talk about fuel price gouging, maybe we should consider all types of fuel...

Technorati Tags: fast food, gas prices, McDonalds, McDonalds prices, Quarter Pounder, Redford

Nachos at the Restaurante Tabacon

These Chicken Nachos are delicious! I'm at the Restaurante Tabacon in Jaco, it's right across the street from Planet Food (closed for years but still a landmark for giving directions). They come with everything, including sour creme, beans and guacamole (I did not get the latter two). It's a huge bowl for 3,000 colons ($6), it's not a appetizer, it's a meal.

I think I really enjoyed my food lat time here too. They used to be a pizza parlor and I think that was really good too, if I recall back 3-4 years correctly...

Other details:

"Someone is at my Table!"

So I'm at my Einstein's bagel and someone is at the table a always sit at. It's the only high-top table in the place and it's by the window but next to a wall so that I get shade for my laptop. When they asked at the counter "what would you like?", I said "I'd like my table". The one person didn't know what I was talking about, but the other one said "I noticed that when you came in..."

I guess I'm just a create of habit.

Update: The guy just left, I'm trying to decide if I'm obsessive compulsive enough to move. "It's nice and sunny right there", he thinks as he tries to rationalize it....

Technorati Tags: habit, habits

Kerby's Coney Island - Dearborn, MI

So I just got a bite to eat at the new Dearborn Kerby's Coney Island at Ford and Mercury (next to the Best Buy). I gotta tell you this is the most boring Chile-Cheese Omelet I've every had in my life. The eggs are boring, the chili sauce is boring and the toast seemed boring. I even tried the hash browns, which I generally find boring, to also be boring. Fortunately, the strawberry jam tastes normal so I know it's not me; and the water actually tastes pretty good!

There is another (non-chain?) restaurant, Parthenon II (Coney Island), where I usually get a Chile-Cheese Omelet, a little farther into this strip mall area that I've been to a million times and I'll be sure to go back there next time. Unfortunately, they'll probably lose business since Kerby's does have a much better location.

I've also got to try the new Seahorse Grill which just opened at the same mall.

UPDATE - I just drove by the Parthenon II and it looks like they are out of business :(

Technorati Tags: Coney Island, Kerby's Coney Island

I'm Here (Finally)

So I made it to Chicago, even with the traffic reports not helping me any (actually I had two ways to go and choose the one that I hadn't heard any numbers mentioned so maybe it did help). The weather is awesome right now and looks like it will be great.

On the way in, I was starving and I headed straight for Standing Room Only to get some ribs. It was the last meal I had the last time in Chicago and they were delicious, so I made it my first meal this time around. Google maps on my phone helped me get here, I sure wish it had GPS to figure out where I am so that when I want directions and I'm don't have an exact location that it could figure it out for me!

I think I might take a short walk, and then go check in. I've got to get this car into the hotel parking so I don't need to deal with driving/parking any more today, then I'll see if I can hook up early with some of the people I'm meeting later on. I had planned on being in town hours and hours ago but yesterdays delays resulted in my not getting enough sleep and flooding delays encouraged me to do some shopping in Michigan City before getting too close to Chicago in hopes flooding would die down..

Technorati Tags: BBQ ribs, Chicago, Google Maps, ribs, GPS" rel="tag">GPS, SRO, Standing Room Only, Travel

More Alpha-Bits....

So after my box of yummy Limited Edition Alpha-Bits (now with the sugar back where it belongs) I hadn't seen it anywhere but Meijer's so I started feeling anxious that they might stop making it again (it is "limited"). But then I was at Target the other day walking out with my arms were full (I had paid back in the electronics section) and they had just opened (I needed stuff for work) I passed all the employees standing in the aisle having their morning meeting I spied an end-cap with the Limited Edition Alpha-Bits 3 boxes for $7. So I checked the expiration date and managed to stack up 8 boxes in my arms (in addition to my bags and the water, this was all I could hold), this will give me about 1 box a month until expiration, but that's probably not enough sugary letters for me, I should probably get another 8 or 10 boxes while they're still on sale today.

Long live Limited Edition Alpha-Bits!!!

Technorati Tags: Alpha Bits, Alpha-Bits, Limited Edition, Limited Edition Alpha Bits, Post

Limited Edition Alpha-Bits

So about 18 months ago I mentioned that Post removed all the sugar from Alpha-Bits cereal. Not only that, they removed all the flavor! They were awful!!!

So someone e-mailed me last week about the new "Special Edition" dark blue box that was out. Here's the thing, the box says "special edition" but not what's "special" about it. THe box does say it's sweetened but that's it. Very strange.

It's like the old Alpha-Bits are back. Very yummy! The last box I bought was the un-sweetened kind and I didn't even finish the first bowl. I hope these last a while. I which there was a place to vote or something they should never return to the awful bits they've been trying to peddle for the last year...

Technorati Tags: Alpha Bits, Alpha-Bits, Limited Edition, Limited Edition Alpha Bits, Post

Third Time's the Charm!

So I'm at McDonald's and I want my regular order, a number 3 combo (Quarter Ponder, Fries, Soda); so I order a "number 3, no pickle, no mustard" slow and articulated but as usual they have to ask me again what it is that I want. I don't understand how they don't get it the first time, it's a limited selection of items that I can order even if I slur my voice someone should be able to figure it out, it's not like I ordered an iPod with a side of onion rings. But that's actually not my complaint today, she did get it correct and processed that part of the order quickly and accurately.

So they hand me my order, while the QP box has the "no pickle, No mustard" tag on it there is an excessive amount of mustard on the box which lets me know to check before I bite. Sure enough there's mustard on it (maybe pickle too). So I sent it back. Minutes later I get another one, with pickle and mustard. So I send it back, it's easily 5 minutes more until I get a correct sandwich. They did give me fresh fries (the first order was better than delicious) and offer me a pie (but they didn't have apple so I passed). They handed the final order to me in a togo bag, was that a hint?

How much money (food and staff time) did they waste trying to make this sandwich correctly? We're not even factoring in my time wasted and the fact that this is the most expensive McDonald's around here.

Technorati Tags: fast food, McDonald's

Great Chips!!!!

I really like these new chips! They're new Lay's, cooked in 100% Sunflower Oil, Sour Cream and Onion chips. I like them better than the regular Sour Cream and Onion chips, I'm not sure what it is but I've really been enjoying them. And I really don't like the regular Sour Cream and Onion chips all that much, I'd rather have plain chips and use Sour Cream and Onion dip. So I'm sure this is way the heck healthier than the old way being cooked with the dip.

Plus, it really seems as if it lasts a long time before they go stale. I went way past the overdue date with the last bag and they were still super-fresh.

I'm not sure if they're migrating all the chips to Sunflower Oil or what. I'd link to the nutrition info but since their site is all flash, you can't link to anything (I hate that!) but it's pretty (it's just slow and unlinkable).

Technorati Tags: potato chips, sunflower oil

Auction Loot (or "It looks like Christmas")

So I made out like a bandit at the auction at school. I ended up with five baskets (three of them were the hugest ones there) and two gift certificates. I got good deals but I still spent some cash but I use to donate to the foundation by having it taken out of my check, which was boring, now I just go nuts at the auction and spend it there.

Results on the stuff I donated: My Costa Rican coffee basket had gotten quite a few bids but I think it still only went somewhere in the thirty-ish dollar range. My Cat in the Hat Visit basket wasn't selling very high at all (it had a few books, an audiobook, stickers and a visit from the Cat in the Hat [that would be me] for story-time or a party) so I bought it. The few times I've done it before I did birthday parties and it's hot inside the costume and the parties are usually outside and if someone isn't interested in donating enough money I'll donate it myself (and keep one of my Saturday afternoons free). Plus this means I've already got my basket made up for next year!

So here's the loot I got (click the image for a larger photo):

Sleep, Eat and 'Net....

So I haven't really done much at all today. So you get an “about my day” post. I've eaten a lot (and often) and had too way much Coca-Cola (but the last few had some Capt. Morgan's in it so that's okay). And I've been on the 'net all day (at home, at Wendy's, at the bar) catching up (and fixing) on things.

I did participate in a survey that I got $25 for (it might have been $25 for Amazon.com but that's as good as cash to me). It was a survey about the new extra-secure security features in IE 7. The thing is, I'm not so worried about my information being intercepted en-route; I'm more worried about their servers being compromised after the fact (or someone losing their laptop). My real concern when shopping on-line is that “Bob's Computer Shack” is just a place that “Bob” set up so he can steal my Charge Card information (he could even have an ultra secure certificate).

But tonight I need to drive to Ypsi to get a CAT scan of my hand. It's been bugging me and it's time to get it looked at. My problem is with chronic problems like this is they tend to not find a cause, which means they can't find a solution. He has said he doesn't think it's anything carpel-tunnel or repetitive anything-ish.

So I cleaned up my web site and tried to make it more XHTML compliant (total pain in the ass). But Technorati hasn't been indexing me lately and I can't figure out why and Googling-around I some people report that as a possible reason. But Overall people seem pretty dissatisfied on updated with Technorati updates. I know without any effort I used to show up all the time. I ping the heck out of them and I just don't show up, not sure why, everypne else just seems to look at my RSS/Atom feeds and index me just fine.

Oh, and I've been keeping an eye on Woot since they've got a Woot-off today. I did get a bluetooth Keyboard/Mouse that I've missed a few other times but I missed the ever elusive Bag of Crap....

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Midnight Espresso Cafe, Dearborn

So I stopped by the Midnight Espresso Cafe in Dearborn. I really like it there but it's generally pretty smokey (lots of smokers hang out and smoke cigarettes or a hooka) but they didn't look too busy so I stopped by. WOW! They just renovated and made it much bigger and it seems brighter too!

They've got a wide variety on the menu, I'm guessing much of it is Arabic in origin. Whenever I bring people here they generally find something interesting that they like. I generally get the BBQ Chicken Quesadillas and that's what I'm getting today.

Bonus, I pulled out the laptop hook up my phone as a modem and realized I connected to a network! So they've got WiFi now too (or else the business next door does), with their new larger non-smoking section and WiFi I think I'll be here a bit more often now.

Jonesing for a Coke

So I gave up Coca-Cola for a few weeks for several reasons. It's on my list of 101 in 1001 to try and see how if it makes me feel any better or sleep any better, etc. I chose this time just to hopefully have less sugar/caffine in my body to maybe stay healthier for the holidays (especially since I'm hosting Christmas for 25-ish people on Saturday). I'm not allowed to substitute other (inferior) caffeinated drinks or extra amounts of chocolate, etc.

Well, the health thing didn't work out since I got sick a few days later (last week) and don't know if I slept better due to the illness or the decrease of sugar/caffine. No friends or coworkers have noticed I seemed to be less hyper :)

But I do get cravings for Coke, even when I haven't removed it from my intake. But the other day at McDonald's I got my number three which includes a drink, fries a Quarter Pounder with cheese, no pickles or mustard for those of you who may not know what a McDonald's is, let alone what a #3 is. And as I took a drink of my soda I realized I was taking a really really long drink through the straw and it was tasting really really good. And then I realized why, I accidentally got a Coke. So while I hate to be wasteful, I went and dumped it out and got a Sprite instead. The Sprite just wasn't the same...

So I've got two more days to go. Actually, about two days and five hours. And I'm really ready for it. And I know I need to try this experiment again sometime, the getting sick really through off the results the “experiment”. But I think I'm gonna stick it out for a few more days just because I can. Maybe...

Pangea's Pizza

So I had some of the best Coca-Cola* yesterday at Pangea's Pizza in Traverse City. It was just extra tasty, I'm not sure why. And not only was it served in fancy old Coca-Cola glasses it was served by the charming Rachel** who attended to all my cuisine related needs. That, a slice of pepperoni pizza, some on-line access and I was all set. I was hoping for more dead animals on my pizza but I would have had to order a whole pizza.