Let's Eat!!

In this life, when it comes to food, there are only two sides…you either love to eat, or you just eat to live.  Which is why God created restaurants.  Either way, you can find something that makes your palate dance.

I enjoy eating out for reasons that go way beyond food, but good food is certainly a must.  Dining out must be mixed with comfortable surroundings (atmosphere?) and an ability to reasonably carry on a conversation…..after all, you don’t go out to eat just to stare at your dinner partner(s), do you?  Please say you don’t. 

And I have only one other requirement – that the food be cooked. You will not find me in a sushi bar, or a raw bar, or any of their siblings, eating anything that has passed directly from a fishing net or a corral to my plate.  I know more people than I can count do it, but it is simply not for me.  Perhaps I was scared away forever a few years back when someone I know dined at one of these places and took seriously ill.  She went to the hospital and was told that if she had waited just a few hours longer, she would have died.  Well, it took about 4 operations and over a year before she was declared “whole” again.  And the “raw” stuff was the culprit.  Long odds?  Sure, but who cares, for I do not intend to head for the last roundup over a bad clam. 

So, with that in mind, I offer up five of my favorite places to go in/around CNY.  In no particular order:

Morgan’s

The Sherwood Inn

The Retreat

Santangelo’s

The Scotch

Hmm, notice how none of these restaurants are “chains.”  Some chains are good and I do visit them, but give me an independent, locally owned place and my GPS will always say, “turn right here.”  Which is why I found it so sad to see that Smorol’s restaurant on Avery Ave. is closing its doors this week…and then the news about Aunt Josie’s.

And notice how many have fireplaces….why, all of them!  Even Santangelo’s now has one in their new room addition.  I guess I’ve always liked that feature, probably a concession to winter and how nice it is to have a fire nearby when you are enjoying your meal. There is nothing like a snowstorm outside, but you inside, with fire to watch and wine and food at your fingertips.

We’ll visit this again now and then…there are lots more places to eat and enjoy in our little neck of the woods.

Mark Twain Quote:  “In the manner of diet—I have been persistently strict in sticking to the things which didn’t agree with me until one or the other of us got the best of it.”

Boston? In Naples, Florida?

My favorite American city, hands down, is Boston.  Large enough to be a big city, small enough to be your home town, Boston oozes atmosphere and variety.  Forget you must the absolutely maniacal drivers that frequent its streets; you must fall in love with this historic national treasure. 

And one of the most precious of reasons for loving this town is a small, old, (some would say outdated) ballpark that is lovingly nestled within the protective arms of  Yawkey Way, Van Ness St., Ipswich St., Brookline Ave, and one Lansdowne St.

Hallowed Ground

I refer, of course, to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox and for my money, the quintessential American baseball venue.  There is no other like it (sorry Chicago), and there never will be.  Some poor sight lines, old bathrooms, small seats, nightmare parking, and carded every time you get a beer, you would think they’d just tear it down and start over.  Well, some tried that awhile back.  It’s still there.

In fact, come this April 20^th, Anno Domini 2012, this cathedral will be exactly 100 years old.  The first official game at Fenway, before 27,000 fans, saw the Sox defeat the N.Y. Highlanders (think Yankees) 7 – 6 in 11 innings.  A finer blessing for a new ball park one could not imagine!

I’ve been to Fenway many times, and drunk deeply of its sounds, its aroma, its vibe, its spirit.  There is nothing like wandering around outside before a game visiting the shops and enjoying a beer and a sausage from one of the many vendors. Maybe two beers. OK, three tops!

Imagine my surprise then, when riding up Rt. 41 just north of Naples one day, I glanced to my right and saw what looked like a bar at the end of a small strip mall row of commercial establishments.  Its name, proudly displayed above door, said it all:  Lansdowne Street.  Stop the car!

Gateway to Heaven - in Naples

A few brief moments later, and I walked into Boston, and into Fenway Park -  a little slice of paradise from up north, right before my eyes.  Decorated top to bottom, front to back, with all things Boston, Lansdowne St. is “the” official southern outpost of the Red Sox nation, complete with a miniature version of the “Green Monster.” 

The "Green Monster" - South!

A truly delightful find, it served cold beer and good, inexpensive food.  And the nicest surprise of all – it has two offerings of a genuine New England lobster roll – the mini (itself the size of one you might receive back home) and the gigantic version (I didn’t even try-the mini was just right). 

Boston, Fenway, lobster rolls, beer.  Can you say heaven?  A little slice of Boston, and it’s in Naples, Florida, of all places.  Further proof that there is a God.

Have you ever seen a cooler men's room?

Mark Twain Quote:  “Baseball – the very symbol, the outward and visible expression of the drive, and push, and rush and struggle of the raging, tearing, booming nineteenth century!”

We All Need - 10 Hugs a Day

Several years ago, I heard a seminar presentation by Dr. Joyce Brothers (those of you over 50, think Dr. Phil’s mom).  Her topic was – relationships.  She filled her talk with anecdotes and statistics, cleverly woven together to create an enjoyable hour or so. From that talk I took away two nuggets of wisdom that will stay with me always.

One of them is about hugs.  I never used to be much of a hugger, way back in the day.  Oh, some for my parents for sure, and sis of course.  Grandparents were a must as well, and given freely.  If I strayed close enough to an aunt I usually got caught up in a hug not of my choosing, but hey, that was ok too, some of the time.

And much later, when kids arrived, well…how could anyone not hug a baby, a toddler, a small child. But even then, those hugs were confined to family. Other than that, I gave up hugs very grudgingly, as if I were only allocated so many for life, and I was going to save them for very special occasions.

Dr. Brothers changed my basic belief in hugs in an instant.  She said that all humans need 10 hugs a day.  Ten each day!  We need them to feel loved, wanted, respected, fulfilled.  We need them in order to feel fully human. Even though we may not admit it, they are an integral part of our nature, largely undiscovered.  She said that so fervently, in such a wonderful way, that I can’t duplicate it with the printed word. Then she delivered the punch line:  very few of us get anywhere close to 10 hugs a day.

Ever since then, I’ve tried consciously to be a better hugger.  And into the bargain, I began to feel better, much better, as a person.  Hugs are reinforcing…they are as good for the hugger as they are for the one being hugged.  They affirm our humanity and let others know that we care.  They are good for the soul.

But I suppose that ultimately, hugs simply are not for everyone. It takes all kinds of people, in other words. In a few cases, I think some people will just live their lives that way.  At work some years ago, a new V-P was hired.  His staff simply did not like him, as he was aloof and distant.  I talked to him one day and suggested that he get out among his people, meet them, and get to know them, if just a little bit.  His response was, “You can ask my wife, I’m just not a touchy feely kind of guy.” He never made the effort to connect, and they never, to this day, developed a respect for him.  They have low morale, and do their jobs robotically. Some left.  That man missed a very golden opportunity to display humanness and leadership. As you may have guessed, he is not a hugger, and never will be. Sad. 

So, if you’re not a hugger, give it a try.  You will feel better.  The one you hug will feel better. Make the connection and pay it forward.  Imagine if we all did it…the power of hugs would surprise, and enrich.  () () () ()() () () () () () …. There, that’s for all of you (it’s the best I can do)…now…your turn.

Mark Twain Quote:  “There is a great deal of human nature in people.”