Let's see....when I first glanced at the stationery-grade envelope, I noticed that my first name had been spelled wrong. Upon second inspection, it seems the addresser also listed the wrong apartment number (fortunately, my mail carrier knows me).
Yep, another invitation from a person who wouldn't know me if I slapped her face (which I wouldn't do because, hey! I don't know her either).
I just received an invite for a wedding. It's not from a brother or sister, a cousin, a nephew or niece, a coworker or even a former coworker! The wedding is my cousin's daughter's wedding.
There are a lot of families out there who are very close to their 'second-string' relatives. (By that I mean the aunts, uncles and cousins as opposed to the first-string relatives of mother, father, brother and sister.)
We are not one of those families...at least not at my end of the family tree.
I'm the youngest of a very large immediate family with more than 15 years separating me and my eldest sibling. I don't talk to - - much less see my cousins more than once or twice a year.
So, no, I'm not attending the wedding. Question is...do I send a present/check?
Please advise.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Pasta + red wine = good times!
I belong to a fun group of people in Chicago who have started a BYOB club. That's 'bring your own booze/bottle' for those of you who reside in a hole.
Every month, we hit a different BYOB restaurant in the city. It's a great way to check out restaurants that may be outside your neighborhood and may be different types of food that you wouldn't normally eat, but hey, it's a good time. And it's cheap(er).
And it's my turn to suggest a place. Ooooh, the pressure!
In the five-month existence of the BYOB club, we've mainly been eating at either Latin or Asian restaurants. Funny how so many Cuban, Mexican, Thai and Chinese places are BYOB (at least in Chicago). That's fine, but I wanted something different. I found an Italian place that's BYOB!!!
Let the chianti flow!
But, of course, since about 10-20 people will be dining in a restaurant of my choosing, I decided to do a reconnaissance mission and eat there.
It's a tiny place that features mainly 2- and 4-person tables. Where would our group sit?? I spotted a smallish room in the back separated only by a half-wall, perfect for a group our size. Okay, seating won't be a problem. Check!
The menu was pretty substantial with plenty of pasta, chicken, veal, beef and seafood dishes plus several choices of appetizers, soups and salads.
Something for everyone. Check!
I ordered a basic balsamic vinaigrette salad and baked gnocchi. For the ground-dwellers, gnocchi is a pasta-looking item that's made from potatoes. Looks a bit like a small seashell, but wonderfully soft and airy. Yum!
The salad was fine (I'm not a big salad fan, but thought I should try it out. Recon, ya know!) The gnocchi dish was HUGE!!!! And, oh, did I mention it's made from potatoes?!? So after eating about a third of it, I wanted to roll off my chair and pass out!
Ensuring that no one leaves hungry? Check!
One possible issue is the price. Each main dish is almost $20. Add appetizers and possibly desserts and we're looking at probably $40 per person (including tax and tip). Past BYOB dinners averaged about $20-25 per person.
Hmmm....
Every month, we hit a different BYOB restaurant in the city. It's a great way to check out restaurants that may be outside your neighborhood and may be different types of food that you wouldn't normally eat, but hey, it's a good time. And it's cheap(er).
And it's my turn to suggest a place. Ooooh, the pressure!
In the five-month existence of the BYOB club, we've mainly been eating at either Latin or Asian restaurants. Funny how so many Cuban, Mexican, Thai and Chinese places are BYOB (at least in Chicago). That's fine, but I wanted something different. I found an Italian place that's BYOB!!!
Let the chianti flow!
But, of course, since about 10-20 people will be dining in a restaurant of my choosing, I decided to do a reconnaissance mission and eat there.
It's a tiny place that features mainly 2- and 4-person tables. Where would our group sit?? I spotted a smallish room in the back separated only by a half-wall, perfect for a group our size. Okay, seating won't be a problem. Check!
The menu was pretty substantial with plenty of pasta, chicken, veal, beef and seafood dishes plus several choices of appetizers, soups and salads.
Something for everyone. Check!
I ordered a basic balsamic vinaigrette salad and baked gnocchi. For the ground-dwellers, gnocchi is a pasta-looking item that's made from potatoes. Looks a bit like a small seashell, but wonderfully soft and airy. Yum!
The salad was fine (I'm not a big salad fan, but thought I should try it out. Recon, ya know!) The gnocchi dish was HUGE!!!! And, oh, did I mention it's made from potatoes?!? So after eating about a third of it, I wanted to roll off my chair and pass out!
Ensuring that no one leaves hungry? Check!
One possible issue is the price. Each main dish is almost $20. Add appetizers and possibly desserts and we're looking at probably $40 per person (including tax and tip). Past BYOB dinners averaged about $20-25 per person.
Hmmm....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)