Smith & Wollensky
An old favorite of New Yorkers for Steak and Chops is "Smith and Wollensky", located on on the corner of 49th and 3rd AVenue. Tel: (212) PL 3-1530. We decided that we were in need of a great steak dinner so on Sunday evening ( reservations required) four of us struck out for this famous eatery.The atmosphere is casual as is the dress of the guests. It's a big multi-storied place, a bit close in the seating arrangements and very noisey. We tried filet mignon, prime rib, and sirloin steak as our main entries. All the steaks were GREAT... our favorite was the prime rib. The portions were all a bit too large. The Weston food critic shared a prime rib wife his wife and they were both satisfied and even a bit "over full".
Their good friend brought an excellent bottle of French wine to be openned and served by the restuarant. If they have the same wine on the menu, the "corking charge" will be 1/2 the wine list charge. Their wine list goes from $100 per bottle to up to $1500 per bottle. Fortunately, the wine we brought was not on their wine list so the corking charge was zero.
Their bourbon pecan pie was a great way to finish off an already excellent meal. The price tag? With tax and tip, the evening cost us $44/person. Certainly worth the short trip to the Eastside.
Paul Visits Bob Delahunt
Paul and his friend Len Aberbach decided to take the day off and drive to the Cape to visit their old Polaroid boss, Bob Delahunt. The Delahunts have a summer home on Cape Cod at the Wings Neck section of Pocasset (very close to the Bourne Bridge). Bob recently retired from Polaroid after 40 years of service.Just before leaving for the Cape, Paul did his normal 2 mile morning walk. He rushed home to showed ( it was a hot and humid morning) and then made the 1 1/4 hour hour drive to Wings Neck. First activity of the morning with Len and Bob? Why a 4 mile walk to see all the beautiful home along the coast line! Then off to a great lunch in Falmouth, the next town to Bourne. Then we shared news about Polaroid and Polaroid people. Before you knew it, it was 4 pm and time to leave for home in order to prep dinner for the "bread winner of the family".
The Paper Chase Begins
I suppose before I start, I should admit that I have never seen the movie and never heard of it before I started looking for law schools. Well, it has started and I have been officially a "professional student" for the past three weeks. Unfortunately, these three weeks has not revealed exactly what that term means. Does that mean, I am a student as a profession, even more than when I was a lowly undergraduate? That I am a student OF a profession? So what does it mean to be just a student? And how about all those people in military academies or other types of institutions that crank out people for a particular skill in society? Anyway, I digress. School has been interesting, when I have been awake for it anyway. I still don't understand professors' fascination with waking up early and having early classes. They have that great ability to control when they want to go to work, and yet they seem to love the mornings. I mean, wouldn't you think that they would love to stay up late with their families? Or...maybe they just want to suffer along with the rest of their family. How masochistic. The material itself has been interesting, although confusing at times. We pretty much have learned one important lesson, the law is grey. Maybe that is why I am a lawyer, I actually like grey.:) I actually went to the first Bar Review during orientation weekend. Open Bar, how could I pass it up?:) Just kidding, I picked up the free tickets but didn't drink anything except straight orange juice. It was nice to meet my classmates, except for the smoke that was everpresent at the bars along with the noise level. Thus, every subsequent Bar Review has been skipped by me. So I am really looking forward to my actual social outlet, the softball tournament that is happening for the next few weeks. I can't wait.:) Unfortunately, this weekend's games were cancelled because of Rashomon. Darn. Oh well, other than that, life is normal, and I will let you all know if anything fun happens.:)Flooding on South Ave.
In one of our the biggest downpours and thunderstorms, Weston's South Avenue flooded in many places, including right in front of the Bau's home. The consequences to the house were minor, in that it ususally means a few inches of water on the front yard, and these usually recede within hours of the storm stopping.Well, right after dinner and at the height of the thunderstorm, Paul had to drive Ron back to his apartment in Newton Lower Falls. The traffic on South Avenue was really heavy for that time of the evening and the visability was very poor. Paul cranked up the airconditioner(it was hot and humid), turned on the front and rear defoggers, and proceded to "hypdrplane" merrily along. Suddenly, the airconditioner light started to blink on and the off, on and then off. Strange, this had never happened before in the Lexus. Then the windows began to fog up... Paul could not see well and there was a lot of traffice going both ways along this busy roadway. Then everything went dark. No outside headlight! Oh, my God, we couldn't see and the other cars on this dark night might not be able to see us either. Paul pushed on the emergency blinker lights. No blinkers!
As luck would have it, we were very close to the Fire Station on South Avenue. Paul is very familiar with this road and as Ron rolled down his passenger side window, we could just make out the large driveway that leads to the Firehouse. Luckily, Paul was able to get off the road and into the Fire Station parking lot.
After sitting in the lot and running the motor for five more minutes, the wires and things under the hood dried off. On came the headlights, then on came the airconditioner, and then on came the defoggers, etc. Paul proceded towards Newton Lower Falls, but this time at a slower more cautious speed. No more hydroplaning for this taxi driver.
Surprise Gifts for Anthony
Grandpa took little Anthony shopping in Gladwyne Village to buy some light bulbs and sugar. At the Super FResh Grocery store, one of the Deli clerks who thought Anthony so adorable, brought him in a Sesame Street VCR tape, "ELMO". I'm certain that Anthony is just about ready for Sesame Street and will enjoy the gift.Walking home, one of the neighbors saw Anthony pushing his stroller up Howard Road. She rushed out carrying a push toy designed as a shopping cart. "Do you think that Anthony will enjoy pushing this more than his big stroller?", she asked. "Why certainly", answered Grandpa. The shopping cart was used years ago by her children, some of whom are in high school or college now!
Anthony is a lucky little boy. He's very cute and everyone wants to give him presents and see him smile :-)
