CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: Cincydawg on May 14, 2021, 12:10:50 PM
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You best, or worst, or most memorable, or we could talk about the upcoming CFB season here, or playoff changes, etc.
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Ermitage de Corton – Chorey-lès-Beaune - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant (https://guide.michelin.com/en/bourgogne-franche-comte/chorey-ls-beaune/restaurant/ermitage-de-corton)
We stopped in here for lunch, I thought it was superb, of course the French reviewers find it middlin'. I laugh how places here get like 4.5 stars and it's a Red Lobster.
Trip Advisor and Yelp are basically useless.
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The Cinque Terre... Honestly in 3 nights there I had seafood all three nights, and it was amazing. The first was just a whole roasted fish in the Ligurian style, the second was the most tender octopus I've ever had, and the third was a whole fish cooked in salt crust.
However, this wasn't even about the food... It's more about the place.
Ristorante L'Ancora Della Tortuga (https://www.ristorantetortuga.it/)
It's this little restaurant on the water, with the inside dining room excavated directly out of the rock. We were there in late March, so it wasn't the crazy busy tourist season, and thus had no trouble getting a table.
It was just an amazing experience. Especially being the first time either my wife or I had been to Italy, especially since we were a few days away from saying our vows in Firenze, and it being our first day in the beautiful, quaint, sleepy [in March lol] beachside town of Monterosso al Mare. I'm not sure we had a more romantic meal in the entire trip than this one, including the amazing steakhouse in Firenze the night we got married.
If you ever find yourself in the Cinque Terre, I highly recommend it.
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ah, the hamburger Helper thread
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Gourmet restaurant at the foot of Mont Aimé (montaimehotelchampagne.com) (https://www.montaimehotelchampagne.com/restaurant-epernay-cote-des-blancs)
This place was incredible, fortunately I wasn't paying. Our menus didn't have prices on them. I recall after lunch we moved to another room entirely for coffee/tea and cheese.
(https://i.imgur.com/0omrvfX.jpg)
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There's a steakhouse here in Phoenix called The Keg. Great steak - the weight of the knife is enough to slice through it. Been there twice, enjoyed it both times.
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There's a steakhouse here in Phoenix called The Keg. Great steak - the weight of the knife is enough to slice through it. Been there twice, enjoyed it both times.
21001 N Tatum Blvd.??
I've been to that chain....... there was one in Thunder Bay, Canada back in 1988. I was on a motorcycle trip along the north shore of Superior.
Don't remember the food, but those crazy Canucks didn't know what a Moosehead beer was. They were really excited when I talked the bartender into pouring upside down margaritas into our mouths over the bar.
Got more than a little hammered..... they wanted to call us a cab. Asked for our address, Iowa.... went out and climbed on our bikes and drove off. They were aghast. We camly drove out of their parking lot and into the next parking lot. Threw sleeping bags down on some grass next to a dumpster and slept it off.
the next day we drove to Kenora with a bit of a hangover.
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There's a steakhouse here in Phoenix called The Keg. Great steak - the weight of the knife is enough to slice through it. Been there twice, enjoyed it both times.
Been there several times, my wife is a steak person and she loves it. Last there on valentine's day.
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The Cinque Terre... Honestly in 3 nights there I had seafood all three nights, and it was amazing. The first was just a whole roasted fish in the Ligurian style, the second was the most tender octopus I've ever had, and the third was a whole fish cooked in salt crust.
However, this wasn't even about the food... It's more about the place.
Ristorante L'Ancora Della Tortuga (https://www.ristorantetortuga.it/)
It's this little restaurant on the water, with the inside dining room excavated directly out of the rock. We were there in late March, so it wasn't the crazy busy tourist season, and thus had no trouble getting a table.
It was just an amazing experience. Especially being the first time either my wife or I had been to Italy, especially since we were a few days away from saying our vows in Firenze, and it being our first day in the beautiful, quaint, sleepy [in March lol] beachside town of Monterosso al Mare. I'm not sure we had a more romantic meal in the entire trip than this one, including the amazing steakhouse in Firenze the night we got married.
If you ever find yourself in the Cinque Terre, I highly recommend it.
Yup, I loved the food in the Cinque Terre. I too ate a bunch of seafood and had that Ligurian fisherman's stew as well as the salt-crusted fish. I coulda spent a couple months there.
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stopped at this fancy place in Tiburon, CA for some seafood
don't remember the food or drink, but the atmosphere was awesome.
I think what I remember most was the young lady sitting at the next table. Blonde tennis player from the Tiburon neighborhood.
Most beautiful young lady I've ever seen.
The Caprice Restaurant
2000 PARADISE DRIVE
(https://www.thecaprice.com/img/photo-grid/x2.jpg)
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You best, or worst, or most memorable, or we could talk about the upcoming CFB season here, or playoff changes, etc.
If a CFB thread turns into mustard talk, maybe this one will circle around to football? :)
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Yup, I loved the food in the Cinque Terre. I too ate a bunch of seafood and had that Ligurian fisherman's stew as well as the salt-crusted fish. I coulda spent a couple months there.
I'm still waiting for the investor who wants me to open a brewery there ;-)
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We used to spend a week in Ocean Isle Beach, NC because the ex's grandmother had a beach house. I was driving around one day getting a bit hungry and thinking of going to Calabash, which is ten miles or so south, and saw on the old road "Big Nell's Pit Stop", and stopped for lunch with my dad, who had come up. He ordered a grilled cheese, which I thought odd, and later said it was the best he'd ever had. I had eastern NC BBQ which was excellent, and hushpuppies, which were superb. I started to go often and get their fried shrimp which was the equal of anything in Calabash.
Big Nell was a large woman of impressive girth who had run for county sheriff and lost by ten votes, she said. She had the walls festooned with paint by numbers painting of Richard Petty. I looked for it last time I was through but it had closed.
BIG NELL'S PIT STOP, Ocean Isle Beach - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g49406-d2343483-Reviews-Big_Nell_s_Pit_Stop-Ocean_Isle_Beach_North_Carolina.html)
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Blonde tennis player from the Tiburon neighborhood.
Most beautiful young lady I've ever seen.
The Caprice Restaurant
2000 PARADISE DRIVE
She's prolly never been back
(https://i.imgur.com/JOA13Qn.png)
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How much is the food, and how much is the experience? I think a lot is the latter, the locale, setting, being outside, nice temperatures, pretty servers dressed alluringly, ...
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How much is the food, and how much is the experience? I think a lot is the latter, the locale, setting, being outside, nice temperatures, pretty servers dressed alluringly, ...
Bone Daddy's!!
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She's prolly never been back
[img width=352.997 height=500]https://i.imgur.com/JOA13Qn.png[/img]
I grew up hating green beans. My mom always made them either frozen or from the can. I thought they sucked both ways.
Then one time when I was maybe 14 or 15, my mom actually made fresh snapped green beans. I turned up my nose but my folks asked me to just give them a try. And I'm glad I did, because I discovered that I LOVED fresh snapped green beans. Of course, when my mom realized how much I liked them, she turned the snapping into MY chore, but that's okay. She usually took a little time to help me, while she was doing other stuff.
So although I never had the pleasure of snapping beans with my grandma, I have gotten to snap them with my own mom, many times.
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I prefer canned to fresh. I probably have a minimum sodium requirement.
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Canned green beans were about the only green veggie my kids would eat, so we had them often. So, I get fancy and buy fresh green beans and they were good, and the kids hated them, wouldn't eat them. I'm a big believer in cruciferous vegetables and cook them often and like all of them.
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The world's best lunch remains a shorelunch on the waters of W- NW Ontario. Walleye, pike, bluegill and lake trout caught in the preceding hours, fried with baked beans, potatoes, raw onions s&p a nd your favorite hot sauce. Bread optional and a cold beer.
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Lake Nippissing way back in the Day 😎
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The world's best lunch remains a shorelunch on the waters of W- NW Ontario. Walleye, pike, bluegill and lake trout caught in the preceding hours, fried with baked beans, potatoes, raw onions s&p a nd your favorite hot sauce. Bread optional and a cold beer.
I hear the fly in fishing trips come up with some incredible lunches too, fresh fish is always astonishingly good in part because it is so "rare" in most of the country.
Why do we have Red Lobsters on any coastal city? Hmmmm. Or Captain D's?
I'm always a bit sad to see so many Starbucks in Paris.
I saw a Pizza Hut in Rome.
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A large difference between France (and Europe I suspect) and the US is that a hotel restaurant here is to be avoided with few exceptions. A hotel restaurant in France often is superb, not just good, but worth a trip. Here they usually are over priced and boring, maybe "OK" but hardly worth a trip.
We pulled into Chablis Feb 2020 on a Sunday a bit hungry and the wife warned me, again, that nothing might be open for lunch. McDonalds, which I was prepared to dine at, was closed. I drove around a bit, it's a small town, and found a motel that was open and we had a superb lunch. They offered a premier grand cru for 80 euros and it was superb (duh). Aside from being great food, the service was superb and the presentation was first rate. How often would you drive a few miles to dine at a motel restaurant in the US? There would be a few special ones, but in general nyet.
Restaurant (hostellerie-des-clos.fr) (https://hostellerie-des-clos.fr/restaurant-bar/restaurant/?lang=en)
Restaurant & bar (hostellerie-des-clos.fr) (https://hostellerie-des-clos.fr/restaurant-bar/?lang=en)
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(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/99/10/9a/99109a16984c443f74d8c176a45c7ad9.jpg)
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This place was fantastic.
Ristorante Benedicta Firenze | (https://www.ristorantebenedicta.it/?lang=en)
So was this one.
Ambrosia Rooftop Restaurant & Bar - Restaurant Via Nazionale - Rome (hotelartemide.it) (https://www.hotelartemide.it/en/ambrosia-restaurant)
So many great places in Italy. These two were part of the hotels we were staying at. Nothing like a great meal in the countryside though. That's the true spirit of Tuscany, to me.
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Yup, I ate a lot of meals in European hotels. When you're there for 3-4 months at a time, getting out and about for dinner becomes a little exhausting. Some nights I'd just get back from work around 6, sit down at the bar and have an aperitif or two, and then go into the hotel dining room around 7:30 and grab a fantastic meal. I was still usually the first one eating, most folks wouldn't come in until 8:30 or 9. Even later, in Italy.
Phillippe, the bartender at my hotel in Nantes, and I, got to be pretty good friends. After a while, I realized that he and the hotel staff were eating family style in the otherwise empty dining room around the same time I was getting to the hotel bar, and he'd have to split time bringing me drinks while he was eating. One day, he invited me to sit down and eat with them. The staff all got shift meals so there was no cost, and there was no way to pay. Eating with the staff became a regular thing so I started buying bottles of wine for the staff and having Phillippe write up the check as my dinner so I could still expense it. Those were some amazing meals, just whatever the cook had fresh, he'd serve family style in big dishes, and there was always a huge pile of frites at the center of the table. Boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, lapine a la cocette, and of course plenty of steak frites cooked almost raw. :)
Phillippe even invited me to eat at his home several times. His wife was British, and his English was perfect, although I did try to practice my French with them. We cleared out his wine rack more than a couple of times, but I'd take him to the Carrefour and restock him. I always asked him, "which wine would you recommend for a really important meal?" and he'd point it out, then I'd buy several for him. Even their very best wines were still cheap by American standards.
Those were the days.
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Wow, great experience. The wife talks about going over for 3 months sometime, but I don't think she means it.
She talks about registering our marriage so I could get an EU passport in five years.
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Wow, great experience. The wife talks about going over for 3 months sometime, but I don't think she means it.
She talks about registering our marriage so I could get an EU passport in five years.
It was a great experience for sure. I can only imagine it would be even better getting to spend that much time there, with a native like your wife.
I was lucky enough to have similar long-term experiences in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sicily. And then some shorter visits into Germany mixed in there. Never did get to anywhere in the UK though, that's on the list.
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We spent a full month in France in 2020 Jan/Feb just before fecal matter was spread widely.
The first three weeks were in a tiny village at our daughter's place. It's a one bistro village and we got friendly with the owner, a nice lady from Portugal, good food, they had a fire going every day. The wife says she survived the shut downs, barely, with government help. The lady said she went to market in a larger town each morning around 5 AM to get the food.
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Wow, great experience. The wife talks about going over for 3 months sometime, but I don't think she means it.
She talks about registering our marriage so I could get an EU passport in five years.
I'd say do it... 100%.
Not going to get political in this thread, but it's always good to have an exit strategy "plan B" if you can. I'll bet most of the countries on the long list of "oh my god how could that have ever happened?!" were filled with people who believed "it'll never happen here". It probably never will, but "probably" is a weak enough statement to have a plan B.
Yup, I ate a lot of meals in European hotels. When you're there for 3-4 months at a time, getting out and about for dinner becomes a little exhausting. Some nights I'd just get back from work around 6, sit down at the bar and have an aperitif or two, and then go into the hotel dining room around 7:30 and grab a fantastic meal. I was still usually the first one eating, most folks wouldn't come in until 8:30 or 9. Even later, in Italy.
Phillippe, the bartender at my hotel in Nantes, and I, got to be pretty good friends. After a while, I realized that he and the hotel staff were eating family style in the otherwise empty dining room around the same time I was getting to the hotel bar, and he'd have to split time bringing me drinks while he was eating. One day, he invited me to sit down and eat with them. The staff all got shift meals so there was no cost, and there was no way to pay. Eating with the staff became a regular thing so I started buying bottles of wine for the staff and having Phillippe write up the check as my dinner so I could still expense it. Those were some amazing meals, just whatever the cook had fresh, he'd serve family style in big dishes, and there was always a huge pile of frites at the center of the table. Boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, lapine a la cocette, and of course plenty of steak frites cooked almost raw. :)
Phillippe even invited me to eat at his home several times. His wife was British, and his English was perfect, although I did try to practice my French with them. We cleared out his wine rack more than a couple of times, but I'd take him to the Carrefour and restock him. I always asked him, "which wine would you recommend for a really important meal?" and he'd point it out, then I'd buy several for him. Even their very best wines were still cheap by American standards.
Those were the days.
Our best meal in Paris was at our hotel bar... Oddly enough, it wasn't even remotely French food... It was basically tapas. Our second-best meal was French and it was in the restaurant attached to a hotel a few blocks away. Both definitely better than the restaurant I'd found...
The bartender at our hotel bar was interesting... A very nervous little man from Vietnam, IIRC. He was pouring champagne for another table and we watched (we were sitting at the actual bar) as he literally had his face down at the level of the glasses pouring the two to ensure that they had the same amount of liquid to a precision that I'm sure was within 0.5 mL lol... Nice guy, but he seemed a little OCD.
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I'd say do it... 100%.
Not going to get political in this thread, but it's always good to have an exit strategy "plan B" if you can. I'll bet most of the countries on the long list of "oh my god how could that have ever happened?!" were filled with people who believed "it'll never happen here". It probably never will, but "probably" is a weak enough statement to have a plan B.
How would one go about doing that if there is no connection via marriage? Is it even possible?
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How would one go about doing that if there is no connection via marriage? Is it even possible?
That's my point... I don't have that option. If I did, I'd take it, just in case. CD has that option. Might as well fill out the paperwork and make it happen... The limited hassle and cost is a cheap insurance plan for SHTF territory.
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I figure is the US went south, France likely would have preceded us.
I suppose it would be a thing, and I could then stay there indefinitely. Right now, I can't get in anyway. The wife can.
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A passport for us mere mortals is a pretty big hassle. They wanted me to send my actual SS Card and Birth Certificate (not copies, the actual documents) through the freaking US mail to a faceless govt bureaucracy, where they will probably be handled by convicts that they hired from the local halfway house.
As inviting as that all sounds...
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passport is current
wasn't a problem either time I signed up. Did everything in person at the local post office.
I don't foresee fleeing this country, but never say never.
I'd probably just make the 7 hour drive north to Canada, or take a flight to the pacific coast of Mexico. Manzanillo and Zihuatanejo were nice the last time I was there.
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I got my first passport through the company. I've later just renewed, which is pretty simple. I recall getting a Visa to Brazil meant sending my passport by mail to the Brazilian Embassy (how many is a brazilian?). I was a bit nervous about that.
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One option with France (EU) is they still have islands in the Pacific, Bora Bora I think, and New Caledonia?
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wasn't a problem either time I signed up. Did everything in person at the local post office.
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Yeah, it was the county clerks office. I said "there's no way I'm sending the actual documents through the mail" and she was like "well then it looks like you're not getting a passport, hyuk hyuk hyuk." No, I guess I'm not.
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I got my passport and I don't even possess a SS card. Lost it years ago.
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Must have tightened things up since then.
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One option with France (EU) is they still have islands in the Pacific, Bora Bora I think, and New Caledonia?
Yup. Most of the traditional Polynesian island groups (Marquesas, Tahiti, Society, Gambiers) are still French colonies, as is New Caledonia.
As for my passport, I didn't need to mail in all my documents. I brought them to the passport office in downtown Minneapolis, and the clerk verified them there.
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Yeah I mean I just tried it last week. Not only did they not verify them there, they openly mocked me for even concocting such an absurd suggestion.
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you might be in Utah....
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I got my first passport through the company. I've later just renewed, which is pretty simple. I recall getting a Visa to Brazil meant sending my passport by mail to the Brazilian Embassy (how many is a brazilian?). I was a bit nervous about that.
Yeah, when I needed a visa to go to China it was a bit of a hassle, but it was all handled by the company so it wasn't MY hassle lol...
At the time they were only giving 1 year visas, but I believe that's now extended so it doesn't have to be renewed as often.
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The Brazilian visa was pasted into my passport, which was fine, until I needed a new passport. So, I got the new passport but they kept the old one, apparently, with my visa in it, and then a month later they mailed my old one back. It's good for ten years.
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A passport for us mere mortals is a pretty big hassle. They wanted me to send my actual SS Card and Birth Certificate (not copies, the actual documents) through the freaking US mail to a faceless govt bureaucracy, where they will probably be handled by convicts that they hired from the local halfway house.
As inviting as that all sounds...
I have had no problems with doing this for my kids. Also, if you want to you can always go to a passport center and do it in person. you will get it quicker that way.
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Those places are hard to come by if you are in a more remote area of the country. The closest one to him is probably Denver??
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he can get whatever type of papers he'd like in Vegas, for the right amount of $$$
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I was lucky enough to have similar long-term experiences in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sicily. And then some shorter visits into Germany mixed in there. Never did get to anywhere in the UK though, that's on the list.
How freaking cool is Sicily? One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Like stepping into a time warp. The mountains, the sea, the beaches, the trees with giant lemons- the food- omg the food. Barcelona is my favorite spot I've ever been too, but Sicily is a close 2nd.
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I'd say do it... 100%.
Not going to get political in this thread, but it's always good to have an exit strategy "plan B" if you can. I'll bet most of the countries on the long list of "oh my god how could that have ever happened?!" were filled with people who believed "it'll never happen here". It probably never will, but "probably" is a weak enough statement to have a plan B.
I would get an EU passport in a second, but not for any political reasons or an "exit strategy". As F'd up as our gov't is in the US- their gov'ts are 10x more F'd up. They don't have freedom of speech. They don't have rights to bear arms. They don't have anywhere near the legal protections from their own gov't as you do in this country.
Everybody I know from Europe that lives in the US loves their countries but hates their govt's. They all tell me the same shit- there is no middle class, there is no opportunity there- and it's impossible to own a small business because they tax you out of existence. A friend of my uncles named who is a partner in a machine manufacturer in Italy was telling me that for every employee he has- whatever wage he pays that employee- he has to pay the same exact thing to the Italian gov't in taxes for that employee. This is absolutely insanity. He has a head engineer he pays over 150,000 euro per year- which means he has to pay the Italian gov't over 150,000 euro a year for that one employee. They have like 40 employees. They are getting crushed in taxes.
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Yeah, when I needed a visa to go to China it was a bit of a hassle, but it was all handled by the company so it wasn't MY hassle lol...
At the time they were only giving 1 year visas, but I believe that's now extended so it doesn't have to be renewed as often.
I know a few people that have been to China. Have only heard horror stories. I've got zero desire to go to that dirty shit hole.
Brazil on the other hand.....god I want to go so bad just for the steak and the women. Heard it's become very dangerous though in the last 10-15 years though.
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My German friends (they are in Florida now) are going to work on US citizenship. He gets taxed very highly in Germany. He's also very wealthy.
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youse fellas just keep on traveling and telling the stories
I have everything I need here in the US.
Great steaks and plenty of beautiful women
fantastic golf courses - college football
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I would get an EU passport in a second, but not for any political reasons or an "exit strategy". As F'd up as our gov't is in the US- their gov'ts are 10x more F'd up. They don't have freedom of speech. They don't have rights to bear arms. They don't have anywhere near the legal protections from their own gov't as you do in this country.
Everybody I know from Europe that lives in the US loves their countries but hates their govt's. They all tell me the same shit- there is no middle class, there is no opportunity there- and it's impossible to own a small business because they tax you out of existence. A friend of my uncles named who is a partner in a machine manufacturer in Italy was telling me that for every employee he has- whatever wage he pays that employee- he has to pay the same exact thing to the Italian gov't in taxes for that employee. This is absolutely insanity. He has a head engineer he pays over 150,000 euro per year- which means he has to pay the Italian gov't over 150,000 euro a year for that one employee. They have like 40 employees. They are getting crushed in taxes.
Trust me, I'm not one of those people who thinks Europe is some perfect place and sh!ts on the US... Europe has a LOT of problems, and in general the standards of living there are lower than here. It's a wonderful place to visit; I don't want to live there. Hell, the dying failed state sh!thole I live in now (California) is still far better than most of Europe ;-)
I'm talking about a true SHTF moment here in the US. I don't think that'll happen in my lifetime. But I also don't think it can't happen here. My faith in humanity is not super high...
If I had access to an exit strategy, I'd certainly make sure the paperwork was filed and up to date just in case.
I know a few people that have been to China. Have only heard horror stories. I've got zero desire to go to that dirty shit hole.
Brazil on the other hand.....god I want to go so bad just for the steak and the women. Heard it's become very dangerous though in the last 10-15 years though.
I've only been to Shenzhen and Shanghai. Shenzhen wasn't my favorite... Much more industrial city and not particularly amenable to tourists. Shanghai was very cool, though. Not dirty at all. I'd absolutely go back to Shanghai. Though, culinarily, Shanghainese food isn't my preferred when it comes to regional Chinese cuisine.
Obviously I've never really been to a lot of the inland areas. And I've heard Beijing is really awesome but the population and pollution make it almost unbearable. But I'd like to see it and the Great Wall someday.
Where I really love is Taipei, though. That's a great city. Quite a melting pot, and a very food-centric city, which as everyone knows (and back on topic for this thread) is something that gets me. And you don't need a visa to get there..
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My German friends (they are in Florida now) are going to work on US citizenship. He gets taxed very highly in Germany. He's also very wealthy.
Used to sell a line of extremely high end German cabinets. I'm talking super high end stuff. Owner of Tampa Bay Bucs bought a kitchen for his home in palm beach from this company. Family owned them since 60's, taxes + recession of '09 crushed their US division. Had to sell & restructure the entire company, never stopped selling in EU or Asia, but they were out of the US market for like 8 years. They just got back into it in 2019. Ask your friend if he's ever heard of allmilmo cabinets. Phenomenal stuff.
Tell your buddy to go for the EB-5 visa, they get permanent US residence if they invest over $500,000 into a US business that will employ 10 or more people. That's what Stephen Ross uses to fuel all those high-rises Related builds in Miami and NYC. He gets entire families in EU/China to put up $500,000+ a person to get their permanent US residence. Family of 4 puts out $2 mil- they all get papers. That's why Stephen Ross supported Trump to the core- because he wanted those EB-5 visas to keep flowing.
Your buddy should do a spec home in South FL east of 95 near the water. Find the right tear down- he can get his entire family papers and make $1+ mil on a tear down, build new home and sell it.
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Trust me, I'm not one of those people who thinks Europe is some perfect place and sh!ts on the US... Europe has a LOT of problems, and in general the standards of living there are lower than here. It's a wonderful place to visit; I don't want to live there. Hell, the dying failed state sh!thole I live in now (California) is still far better than most of Europe ;-)
I'm talking about a true SHTF moment here in the US. I don't think that'll happen in my lifetime. But I also don't think it can't happen here. My faith in humanity is not super high...
If I had access to an exit strategy, I'd certainly make sure the paperwork was filed and up to date just in case.
I've only been to Shenzhen and Shanghai. Shenzhen wasn't my favorite... Much more industrial city and not particularly amenable to tourists. Shanghai was very cool, though. Not dirty at all. I'd absolutely go back to Shanghai. Though, culinarily, Shanghainese food isn't my preferred when it comes to regional Chinese cuisine.
Obviously I've never really been to a lot of the inland areas. And I've heard Beijing is really awesome but the population and pollution make it almost unbearable. But I'd like to see it and the Great Wall someday.
Where I really love is Taipei, though. That's a great city. Quite a melting pot, and a very food-centric city, which as everyone knows (and back on topic for this thread) is something that gets me. And you don't need a visa to get there..
Ok I feel ya on all that.
Taipei I definitely want to go to. Singapore as well. Japan as well. Seoul as well. Have heard nothing but great things about all these places. My uncle is in the machine business and goes to Asia frequently. He's told me the worst food he's ever had in his life was in China and it's so dirty and disgusting. Those other cities/countries- he tells me are amazing. He says Japan has some of the best food he's ever had in his entire life and it's beautiful.
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Your buddy should do a spec home in South FL east of 95 near the water. Find the right tear down- he can get his entire family papers and make $1+ mil on a tear down, build new home and sell it.
He just sold his place in Pembroke Pines to move over here. He's got a great condo on the water in Fort Myers.
We are actively looking for land to build on. There is a major roadway construction project that will be done this year, and more and more people will come here as a result. There is no inventory at all.
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Ok I feel ya on all that.
Taipei I definitely want to go to. Singapore as well. Japan as well. Seoul as well. Have heard nothing but great things about all these places. My uncle is in the machine business and goes to Asia frequently. He's told me the worst food he's ever had in his life was in China and it's so dirty and disgusting. Those other cities/countries- he tells me are amazing. He says Japan has some of the best food he's ever had in his entire life and it's beautiful.
Yeah, Singapore, Japan, and Seoul are all on my list.
I have no desire to ever go back to Bangkok. If you want to talk about dirty...
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He just sold his place in Pembroke Pines to move over here. He's got a great condo on the water in Fort Myers.
We are actively looking for land to build on. There is a major roadway construction project that will be done this year, and more and more people will come here as a result. There is no inventory at all.
Pembroke Pines is really nice area, great location as it's kind of a midway point between Ft Lauderdale and Miami- but it's too far west. You can make some real money on spec homes east of 95 near water in lot of little pockets.
There isn't any inventory at all in South Florida either. GL Homes- which is a production garbage builder- right now is sold out in Boca Bridges- 2 years out to deliver a new home from them- it's complete garbage- and oh yeah the neighborhood is way out west- 25-30 mins to beach- and the houses start at $1.4 million for a 2,600 sq ft piece of production junk. That's $1.4 with zero options. They are a McDonald's level builder- not even a real builder- and they option you up for every single little thing. Average sale price in there after options is like $1.7- and the re-sale is insane right now. Doing a new structure pool house in the back and an addition to the main house for a customer who bought in there for $2 mil- and his neighbor a few houses down who was an initial buyer in there and got there home for $1.6 mil - literally just sold his house in like 3 weeks and it closed at $2.75 mil. Straight cash homie. It's freaking bananas what is going on right now. So many people with money are moving to South Florida and paying cold hard cash for million dollar plus homes.
https://www.glhomes.com/boca-bridges/
Right property out east near water- you can make big bucks on it. Find a little pos tear down on intercoastal/canal for $1.2-1.5 mil, build a brand new modern looking house 3,500-4,500 sq ft- can turn around and sell it for $3.5+ mil all day long right now. Thing is- who knows how market will turn in a year or so- which is how long it would take to build that sucker.
There literally is no land in South Florida- I'm sure that's a different case out your way though. If you need help looking, can give you a hand in that. Just PM me.
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Thank for that.
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Here is an aerial around me. My development is fully built out.
(https://i.imgur.com/u0bxVlw.jpg)
There are lots available in the areas marked in red. Purple is residential under development now - almost sold out.
Green is mixed use, and white is commercial opportunity.
Road you see going North/South is Burnt Store Road. It is being widened to 2 lanes in each direction, which will attract residents, who in turn attract commercial.
My house has gone up 30% in one year. This area is about to explode.
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What are the key business/career opportunities in the Fort Myers area?
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Same as everywhere, except a lot more tourism.
Obviously heath care, real estate, financial, law and accounting are huge.
I'm trying to find an engineering/surveying firm to buy, but nobody has time to even talk to me. They are too busy.
Demographics are changing too. More and more younger folk are moving to this area.
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Had lunch here today, we go fairly often after a Costco run:
CANOE ATLANTA – Tucked Away, Not Far Away. (https://www.canoeatl.com/)
Very reasonably priced, good food and service, great location. I had this Asian open faced beef sandwich, ate half of it, $16.50 and had a Czech Pilsner Urquel.
(https://i.imgur.com/qmpGWTd.jpg)
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Example of the grounds. Chattahoochee River in background, was up today. The ourdoor bar opens in the evening. Some of Shermans' army crossed here.
(https://i.imgur.com/BbHqD9F.jpg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/Nb5BgSo.jpg)
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Here is an aerial around me. My development is fully built out.
(https://i.imgur.com/u0bxVlw.jpg)
There are lots available in the areas marked in red. Purple is residential under development now - almost sold out.
Green is mixed use, and white is commercial opportunity.
Road you see going North/South is Burnt Store Road. It is being widened to 2 lanes in each direction, which will attract residents, who in turn attract commercial.
My house has gone up 30% in one year. This area is about to explode.
Looks like there is a lot of land there. Check out an aerial of west palm beach down to miami for shits and giggles. Literally no land anywhere.
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What are the key business/career opportunities in the Fort Myers area?
not really sure on Ft Myers area- but South Florida area is increasingly becoming a financial services/investment hub and a tech-hub. Palm Beach area is becoming Wall Street South and Miami is slowly becoming the new Silicon Valley. Best freaking place in America to live if you ask me.
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What town are you in?
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What town are you in?
I've lived everywhere in South Florida lol. I'm in Delray Beach area near 95. I think it's my favorite spot. It's about 20-25 mins south of Palm Beach, 5-10 mins north of Boca Raton, 30-35 mins north of Ft. Lauderdale, and about 45 mins to 1 hr north of Miami. All depending on the traffic of course. Traffic is god awful during rush hour here, but for most part every other part of the day it's pretty clean.
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Going to Eight Sushi tonight, will give review when back.
Menu looks great.
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We're meeting our German friends at Ford's Garage for burgers tonight.
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I would go back to Ford's for burgers. Found out Wednesday is $10 burger night. All the burgers were listed at $12.50 and up to $14.50 on the menu.
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Tried a new Vietnamese place last night. Bun was excellent. The pho was pretty good, but just not in the same ballpark as my favorite place that is much further in town.
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We go to this place. It's really really good.
About Us | Pho Saigon Punta Gorda (phopg.com) (https://www.phopg.com/about/)
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Going to Eight Sushi tonight, will give review when back.
Menu looks great.
Worst dining experience I have had in many many years. Very disappointed.
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We go to this place. It's really really good.
About Us | Pho Saigon Punta Gorda (phopg.com) (https://www.phopg.com/about/)
The place I go is called Tan My and doesn't have a website. That's how you know it's legit. ;)
Seriously though, it's the best pho I've ever had, including all the places recommended to me in California, Houston (large Asian populations in Houston), and even multiple places in France (strong French connection to Vietnam for those that don't know their world history, in fact that's why banh mi exists). I have never been to Vietnam so can't compare it to that.
It's all about the broth, and theirs is the best, deepest, richest, I've ever had, without being greasy like some places.
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Going to Eight Sushi tonight, will give review when back.
Menu looks great.
Worst dining experience I have had in many many years. Very disappointed.
You should come out here to Ten Sushi (https://www.yelp.com/biz/ten-asian-bistro-newport-beach?osq=ten+sushi).
It's clearly two better.
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Kroger sushi is as good.
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I will say that for as much as I love me some Costco, the Costco sushi is terrible.
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Never tried Costo sushi.
Our regional grocery chain HEB sushi is pretty good, as far as grocery store sushi is concerned.
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yup, our regional Hy-Vee has some sushi that doesn't suck
it's really not "good", but it'll do and doesn't cause me to gag
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The place I go is called Tan My and doesn't have a website. That's how you know it's legit. ;)
Seriously though, it's the best pho I've ever had, including all the places recommended to me in California, Houston (large Asian populations in Houston), and even multiple places in France (strong French connection to Vietnam for those that don't know their world history, in fact that's why banh mi exists). I have never been to Vietnam so can't compare it to that.
It's all about the broth, and theirs is the best, deepest, richest, I've ever had, without being greasy like some places.
Best I've had was in Long Beach. They didn't make it through Covid.
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Tons of good sushi around here.
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Dear Sir:
My wife and I live in midtown and dine out often. I am rarely, as in never, prone to writing a letter about my dining experience, this is the exception.
We arrived to learn our reservation had been botched. I called on Monday to make a reservation on Wednesday. The hostess discovered it was made for Wednesday of NEXT week. I would have reserved on line, but you appear not to offer that as an option, so I called, left a credit card number to secure it, etc.
She then said she’d see if a table was available and disappeared for several minutes and said she could seat us. There were many tables open, and several remained open through the night. She did me no favor, I should have left then.
Our waiter appeared, I could not read the menu on line because of poor wifi so I asked for the wifi password, which didn’t work, if I heard it correctly. The waiter was extremely difficult to understand through his mask and with the noise of the place, which was in my view excessive. The wifi password COULD be printed on the menu with the QRF code. My wife got up to request paper menus, our waiter had disappeared. We finally ordered, again, that was difficult because of the music and the crowd noise. I also was seated on a banquet which was extremely uncomfortable for me, the table legs intruded and there was little room. I could not ask about menu items or sake because of the noise, and the mask.
The wife liked the sushi, she ordered maki, I tasted it and it was “OK”. But by then I had such a dim view of the place, I suppose my negative attitude was a factor. Needless to say, the place is not for me. I’m not looking for any compensation, just passing on my observations.
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google review?
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Letter to the owner.
Several places here apparently cater to a younger crowd that likes boompah boompah music, which I just don't expect in an expensive place. Well, STK does it and they are very expensive.
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When did brisket get so expensive? $4.49/lb today for a full packer.
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Finally tried the Chicago dog in my neck of the woods last week, and it was slamming. Exactly as I remembered it from my Northwestern trips in college.
On the menu they also had a "Detroit dog" topped with chili, chopped onions and cheddar cheese. That sounds suspiciously like a Cincydawg, so I had to try one of those today. It wasn't.
In some ways it was a tremendous upgrade, since the used the same dog and bun from the Chicago dog. But then the Coney sauce was pretty disappointing, and there was only a fraction of the cheese. Maybe that's how they do it in Detroit, I don't know.
Anyway, these folks are obviously from Chicago, and specialize in Midwestern delicacies. So I need to devise a plan where I can get them to whip up a more authentic Cincy dog, only while still using the vastly superior Chicago bun and dog as the base. But how?
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@Brutus Buckeye (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=31) Is it "One Hot Grill"? Have you tried the Italian Beef? That's also a Chicago specialty.
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@Brutus Buckeye (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=31) Is it "One Hot Grill"? Have you tried the Italian Beef? That's also a Chicago specialty.
Yes I have, and they nailed that too. Everything they have is a pretty solid. The first thing I tried was the pastrami burger, which is a local delicacy around here. But man, it is all pretty good.
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I buy hot dogs occasionally, Nathan's or somesuch, and make a version of a Cheese Coney, but it's a lot better of course.
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I will be getting my share of Italian Beef soon.
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not much Italian beef in this part of the world
unfortunately
I did enjoy a dern tasty Reuben sammich in Columbus NE a couple daze ago
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I will be getting my share of Italian Beef soon.
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ceaqSkQ8P6I/hqdefault.jpg)
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When did brisket get so expensive? $4.49/lb today for a full packer.
Beef prices are sky high right now. Best I saw this week was $3.69 for a choice packer.
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I will be getting my share of Italian Beef soon.
(https://i.imgur.com/zYgp9JS.jpg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/tWmTHQI.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/tWmTHQI.png)
You're so Chicago lol. I've been to Chicago a bunch, especially growing up we used to go every year since it was only a 4 hr drive or so- and have to admit I've never tried one of those chicago beef sandwiches before.
If you're ever in Ft. Lauderdale- check this place out- it's called Cafe Martorano's and it is definitely one of the best Italian-American restaurants in the country. It's on Oakland Park Blvd right over the bridge to the barrier island and it's right next to CVS in that same shopping center. There's always celebrities and athletes in there, Dan Marino, Dennis Rodman, Joe Montana, Fat Joe, Jamie Foxx, Shaq- someone is always hanging in there- it's a completely ridiculous place with mafia shit all over the walls and tv's playing mafia movies, disco balls in the ceilings and a DJ booth near the kitchen where the ridiculous looking tatted up 'roided up plastic surgeried up owner/chef will start DJ'ing music after like 10pm. Place has some insane prices- but the food is very good- and the philly cheese steak is honestly the best I've ever had in my life. Atmosphere is weird, prices are insane, but the food is very good.
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Dining (breakfast) at TPC Sawgrass this morning before Tee time.
Fearless- wish you were here.
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I certainly wish I was there with you
FORE!!!
Good luck
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What is this Tee Time you speak of?
(https://i.imgur.com/Hc6GXfR.png)
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You're so Chicago lol. I've been to Chicago a bunch, especially growing up we used to go every year since it was only a 4 hr drive or so- and have to admit I've never tried one of those Chicago beef sandwiches before.
Well... I did live there for 53 years. So, there's that.
As for The Beef... once you try one you will never eat another Philly again. :96:
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well, I wouldn't go THAT far
but, yes, the Italian beef done right is better than most Phillys
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If you are not from Chicago, then they will punish you by dunking that thing into the "juice" for a good six or seven seconds.
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Which makes it even better!!
I like mine on garlic bread, dunked, with hot giardiniera.
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nothing wrong with a good dunking
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Personally I like a nice toasted bun, not one that has the consistency of wet tissue paper.
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That's why you have it on garlic bread.
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nicely toasted!!!
(https://iamafoodblog.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/garlic-bread-grilled-cheese-7565w.jpg)
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I don't think that garlic bread would hold up very well to a 5+ second "juice" dunking.
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I used to go to TPC every year when we lived in Jax. Very cool!
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I've played the course where Caddy Shack was filmed.
Rolling Hills???
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I've played the course where Caddy Shack was filmed.
Rolling Hills???
Are you sure that it wasn't the one where Caddy shack 2 was filmed?
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yes
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can guarantee you that you will not eat at a better Italian restaurant in the US. By far the best around in 'Merica.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJXOSKpHRZt/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLxv0bNLfiO/
https://www.instagram.com/p/By5gQMegM0s/
https://www.instagram.com/p/5cQ2e5ykx4/
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByQSR_Ig-6I/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3izaYyBn9o/
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByvPwwQACnE/
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I'd try it if Mdot21 was buying
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“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria.”― Benjamin Franklin
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can guarantee you that you will not eat at a better Italian restaurant in the US. By far the best around in 'Merica.
Been there. It was fantastic, but this place is better:
About – Trattoria Stefano
(https://trattoriastefano.com/about/)
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Been there. It was fantastic, but this place is better:
About – Trattoria Stefano
(https://trattoriastefano.com/about/)
I'll have to try it- but I'm highly suspicious that it's better. This looks more Italian-American, than well actual Italian. It looks very good, very comparable to a high-end Italian-American place like Cafe Martorano's in Ft. Lauderdale. Which- don't get me wrong- I love spots like those- but they aren't real Italian. They are Italian-American. Whereas Pane & Vino is straight up Italian as it gets- as authentic as it gets- it's just like the food in Italy. Italian-American food is very different than Italian food- and when you go to Italy- you aren't getting anything like that- you're getting better honestly. The food in Italy is just better. By a lot.
Some American dude in the middle of a small-town that I've never even heard of in Wisconsin- or an entire crew straight off the boat from Bologna, Tuscany, & Sicily where pastaiolo's make every pasta & ravioli they serve by hand every single day. Hmmmm.
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Which place has better Spaghetti-O's?
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Some American dude in the middle of a small-town that I've never even heard of in Wisconsin- or an entire crew straight off the boat from Bologna, Tuscany, & Sicily where pastaiolo's make every pasta & ravioli they serve by hand every single day. Hmmmm.
Stefano is a Tuscan. To work there, you must go through a heavy background check and agree to spend two months in Tuscany, learning from Stefano's family's restaurant, and other restaurants. Everything is made fresh, and by hand. The kitchen is somewhat open - you can see what's going on if you want to, and I did.
It's as authentic as it gets.
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Which place has better Spaghetti-O's?
Chef Boyardee's.
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Chef Boyardee's.
I'm partial to generics.
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Chef Boyardee was a real guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeGiim6Bv0I
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https://www.npr.org/2011/05/17/136398042/the-man-the-can-recipes-of-the-real-chef-boyardee
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The chips come with the salsa and the salsa is the soup.
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Which place has better Spaghetti-O's?
Ed Zachery and do they have a clean sink to eat them over - out of the can
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Chef Boyardee was a real guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeGiim6Bv0I
Clevelander,born in Italy kept the GIs in grub,that's no small feat
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Chicken kaarage
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I will be getting my share of Italian Beef soon.
You going to Portillos?
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Hell yes. But, at Portillo's I get the cheeseburger.
Plenty of mom and pop Beef joints that do it better.
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Hell yes. But, at Portillo's I get the cheeseburger.
Plenty of mom and pop Beef joints that do it better.
Portillos opened locations around Central and Southwest Florida. That's why I was asking.
Its been a while since I've had a good Chicago sandwich. Gonna hit the one in Orlando up next time I'm out there.
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Tampa's a bit too far to go for a Beef. Hopefully they will look at Fort Myers. But, I'll probably hit the Tampa one when we decide to make the trip back. Not sure when we are going yet.
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My FB feed is now barraging me for ads to buy steaks and fish eggs.
I suppose had I an aquarium I could plant the eggs and grow fish, or something.
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My most memorable dining experience was when we were in San Francisco a couple years ago. We ate at Epic Steakhouse that evening and this was our exact view. I had a prime New York Strip which was amazing and au gratin brussel sprouts. The sprouts might have been my favorite part of the meal. I finished it up with a glass of a super high quality port which to this day is the smoothest I have ever had. I love me a nice glass of port and this stuff was amazing. It's no longer on their menu so I can't be sure what it was.
(https://sanfran.com/get/files/image/galleries/EPICAug20176.jpg)
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Portillos opened locations around Central and Southwest Florida. That's why I was asking.
Its been a while since I've had a good Chicago sandwich. Gonna hit the one in Orlando up next time I'm out there.
They opened a Portillo's on the northeast side of Indy not long ago. We went once and I was not impressed. Won't be back. It just wasn't very good.
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I think you are the first person I've known to not like Portillo's. Maybe they had a bad day.
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My most memorable dining experience was when we were in San Francisco a couple years ago. We ate at Epic Steakhouse that evening and this was our exact view. I had a prime New York Strip which was amazing and au gratin brussel sprouts. The sprouts might have been my favorite part of the meal. I finished it up with a glass of a super high quality port which to this day is the smoothest I have ever had. I love me a nice glass of port and this stuff was amazing. It's no longer on their menu so I can't be sure what it was.
This recipe is one I've made before, and it's REALLY freakin' good...
https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/highlight-earthy-flavor-brussels-sprouts-61608963
They opened a Portillo's on the northeast side of Indy not long ago. We went once and I was not impressed. Won't be back. It just wasn't very good.
I think you are the first person I've known to not like Portillo's. Maybe they had a bad day.
Peay, what did you order?
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Peay, what did you order?
I had some sort of italian beef sandwich. It was cold and the bread was soggy.
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I had some sort of italian beef sandwich. It was cold and the bread was soggy.
The bread is supposed to be "soggy"--they dip the bread in the jus after they assemble the sandwich. So I can't say anything about that. It's by design.
Cold isn't right, though... Was it eaten immediately or did you do take-out and it was a while before you ate?
Did you get peppers (either sweet peppers or spicy giardinera)?
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We ate in the restaurant. I must have just had a bad experience from what everyone else says. I just can't do soggy bread though.
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You can ask them to not dip it. That's a Chicago thing though. That's why you have to ask.
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Frankly, Portillo's isn't the best place for Italian Beef sandwiches. They're passable, but not great.
Try the Jumbo Dog w/everything or the Maxwell St-style Polish sausage if you want something that's truly "Chicago". The cheeseburger / double cheeseburger is outstanding, but not really a Chicago specialty.
And get the cheese fries... Definitely the cheese fries.
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maxwell st has kraut?
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maxwell st has kraut?
No. Yellow mustard and fried onions.
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Frankly, Portillo's isn't the best place for Italian Beef sandwiches. They're passable, but not great.
Try the Jumbo Dog w/everything or the Maxwell St-style Polish sausage if you want something that's truly "Chicago". The cheeseburger / double cheeseburger is outstanding, but not really a Chicago specialty.
And get the cheese fries... Definitely the cheese fries.
100 percent spot on with the whole post. I never get a Beef at Portillo's.