We're still here!
You are most like Chris Pirillo. You dominate your brand and do quite well in marketing it. However, you go out of the way to place the focus on other people as much as possible as a decision on power and authority. You may have many followers, readers or fans but you rarely let this distract you from your mission and focus.
On a pleasant note:
A common thread on this blog has been where we get pizza – as seen here (pizza in Chicago’s Giordano’s), here (Fornino), here (Grimaldi’s), here (Di Fara’s), and most recently (I think!) here (Franny’s). Or links to articles or websites on pizza. (even the concept of fried pizza… or how pizza’s advertised). Pizza, pizza, pizza, as the Little Caesar commercial once said.
My latest contribution: Saturday – went to Totonno’s in Coney Island (it also has other branches in the metro area) with a friend. We had a white pizza. Quite tasty. Thumbs up, I’ll say.
Speaking of Coney Island – whither Astroland? We shall see! From what I can tell, the progress of re-developing Coney Island has some kinks to work out.
Dim sum on Sunday, since we had visiting relatives – Diamond on Eight on 8th Avenue in Brooklyn (formerly known as Ocean Palace). Used to be better, I’ll say. Not nearly impressed. Last month, we had taken other relatives to Pacificana, at the other end of 8th Avenue (brand spanking new place, with nice bathrooms, I’ll say) – and the food there seemed jazzier. I’m hardly an expert on dim sum though.
Didn’t think that it’d be much of a primary election – next Tuesday – but there are some odd races in our borough. Oh, well. Guess I’ll do my civic duty.
9/11 observations tomorrow – Time magazine’s Jeffrey Kluger observes:
Grief has always been our most well-policed emotion. Mourning is painful, so we make it the stuff of pageantry –of muffled drums and riderless horses and black-draped catafalques. To suffer collectively is, if nothing else, to suffer prettily.
What’s harder to know is, When is enough enough? A lot of Americans are quietly, and guiltily, asking themselves that question this week, as Sept. 11–the sixth Sept. 11 since 2001–once again approaches. A sixth anniversary is an awkward thing, without the raw feeling of a first or the numerical tidiness of a fifth or 10th. The families of the 2,973 people murdered that day need no calendrical gimmick to feel their loss, but a nation of 300 million–rightly or wrongly–is another matter.
Some have suggested that we discontinue the moments of silence and solemn speeches and all the other ceremonies that have marked our recent Sept. 11s. While many argue that that would leave the day bereft of meaning, it’s possible that there are deeper kinds of meaning to be had. [….]
There are many ways to remember the dead. It’s hard to argue that learning how to defeat real evil, slap aside pretenders and rebuild in the face of abiding sorrow aren’t three very good ones.
Thoughts to keep in mind, a mindful time of year. Be they happy thoughts.
Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse: The place seemed to be designed for the casual business dining crowd. We tried the BBQ wrap and a side of their ribs. The ribs were tasty, somewhat like
Skyline Chili: The thing that you have to understand about Cincinnati Chili is that while it may have some visual resemblance to what is commonly recognized as chili, that illusion is quickly dispelled once you dig in. It is probably better described as slightly overcooked spaghetti with Grecian sweet spiced (we’re talking sweet like sweet sausage, not sweet tea) meat sauce topped with thinly shredded cheddar cheese (the “3 Way”), and possibly diced onions and red kidney beans ( the 4 and 5 Way, neither of which are cooked in the sauced). Oyster crackers (the ones commonly used for New England clam chowder) accompany the dish – they are used to sop up the thin sauce at the bottom of the bowl. To mix the metaphor even more, they also serve chili dogs called “Coneys” (the name derived from Coney Island in Brooklyn), which are 5 inch German style wieners topped with the Cincinnati Chili and the shredded cheddar cheese . It is one of those foods like
Renaissance Fair Good stuff: mead – a local company in the area made the heavenly brew from local honey. Fantastic – I had two glasses, and each had a distinctive taste based on the honey it was made with. The best bargain was the smoked turkey drumsticks – the dark meat tasted like tender ham on the bone. Very tasty. The fair itself was a bit kitschy – something between Medieval Times and Great Adventure. Glad to have checked it out.
Kroger’s: the things that we noticed: 1. lots of sausage and pickles – they had almost a aisle just for pickles 2. a lot of recalled item signs, including for cans of regular chili and even margarita salt. We bought grilling stuff, because it was inexpensive – grill gloves and apple wood chips.
Jewish favorites: during the bris, we had excellent lox and various cream cheeses, chopped egg salad, hummus, and excellent bagel, bialy and hallah bread A wonderful spread.
