Mokka mit Schlag » New York

When, more importantly why, did every restaurant in New York under $50 a plate decide that ambiance required television sets blaring in every room? Today Beth and I ate at what used to be one of our favorite Brooklyn restaurants only to be serenaded by a full hour of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. We were the first customers there so I personally turned off or muted the three closest sets (there are several in each room) but the waiters relentlessly turned them back on again. I asked the waiter to leave them off, but he flat out refused, claiming that this was “entertainment”. My entreaties for a quiet meal on the water with my wife had no effect on him.

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Title says it all. I have a user group meeting at Google’s Chelsea office, and I’m debating whether it’s worth lugging my laptop into town or not. If there’s no Wifi, I might as well just bring pencil and paper.

Memo to self: never go to a restaurant you actually like on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant’s overcrowded, the staff overworked, the food cold, you can’t get a decent table, the bill will be wrong, and anything that can go wrong will.

I won’t name names, because every restaurant in New York has the same problems on Valentine’s Day; but last year I went to a very nice restaurant where Beth and I have gone for birthdays, anniversaries, and such for about ten years now; and it’s always been wonderful.

This time, let’s just say it wasn’t. If this had been the first time we’d gone there, it would have been the last. We got a horrible table. My chair was broken. The food ranged from overcooked to cold (or both). Service was abominable. Just an all around bad experience.

What misanthropist thought it would be a good idea to put 44th Road, 44th Drive, and 44th Avenue in the same borough? And not only that, but put them one block away from each other running parallel? It’s amazing anyone ever gets their mail in this borough.

I just found out something interesting when I called to unsubscribe from yet another catalog I hadn’t requested. The operator from White Flower Farms asked me if I wanted to know who they’d gotten my name from. The answer was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I bought my wife’s Christmas present from their store last year. I won’t do that again.

The primary is over here in the Eleventh Congressional District of New York State. I don’t yet know who won the judicial races (Surely, someone somewhere posts complete election results; but whoever it is I haven’t been able to find them with Google) but not counting those races I’m 2 for 6. I.e. of the six candidates I voted for, 2 won.
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