Mrs. Ed...

I came across this photo showing two ads. On of Sarah Jessica Parker and another of a horse. Coincidence??? Her dress does look like a salt lick. I am just sayin.....

Ummmm....No...

PETA has recently asked Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream to stop using cow milk. The substitute.....human breast milk. They say that moving to human milk would lessen the suffering of dairy cows. Last time I checked, dairy cows that have given birth must be milked anyway. What about the suffering of milking humans? I can see it now....rows upon rows of women hooked to breast pumps...yuck. I am not a big milk drinker anyway. I prefer soy milk and still I don't drink much of that. I am not sure I could stomach eating ice cream made from human milk.

http://www.wptz.com/news/17539127/detail.html

Tollway...

Just an FYI for those of you who drive on the Dallas North Tollway...the construction at Wycliff is pretty much done and so they are raising the rates to match the other toll plazas. For tolltag users the rate will be .70 and 1.00 for non users.

Nice obit...

I do not normally read obituaries but sometimes like to scan them just see if there is anyone on it that I know. I cam across this obit that I felt I just needed to share. The link will only be available for a short time so I posted it below:

Merritt, Edward "Bruce" Born April 3, 1951 in North Carolina. He was one of eight children. His older sisters regularly beat him up, put him in dresses, and then forced him to walk to the drugstore to buy their Kotex and cigarettes. After graduation from high school he went on to lead a life of luxury in the United States Air Force. After excaping from the government he spent most of his life as a mechanic, husband, and father. Bruce Merritt never met a stranger, and in many ways was stranger than most. He is survived by one daughter, two grand- children, two ex-wives, unpaid taxes, and many loyal loving friends. Services will be held on Tuesday, September 23rd at 2:00pm. Eastgate LBJ @ Northwest Highway 972-270-6116 www.eastgatefuneralhome.com

Busy...

It is quarter end here at work and that means I will be putting in some major hours! My posting will probably slow dow this week and next but I will try to sneak something in here when I can.

Forkboy on Porta di Roma...

I love good Italian food and am usually very disappointed in most of it. Having eaten my way through Italy I now know better. Many years ago I found the love of my life...Nero's Italian. I went into mourning when they closed after 30 years. I discovered Porta di Roma after I moved downtown. The restaurant sits in a large corner retail space in the Wilson Building. The place is nice but a little to faux Italian in their decor. Walls have been sponge painted to resemble ancient Roman architecture and that kinda bothers me...a little tacky. But the lights are dimmed low with candles on the tables and the large windows open up to a nice view of Neiman Marcus. So there is a little romance there, even if a somewhat contrived. The service has always been great with the exception of last night. The usual waiter is super nice and a great waiter, however we did not have him last night. This woman served us and she was awful! We placed our orders and our food took 30 minutes. I wanted to leave after 20 minutes but Ron said shut up and wait. We ordered the Stromboli and when it arrived I asked why it took so long. She responded that these are made from scratch. Bull shit. We have ordered them many times before and they came within 10-15 minutes. I wanted to ask if they were made from scratch and shipped in from Italy but I thought best not to be a smart ass.

The Stromboli is really good, despite the wait. They are full of sausage, pepperoni, cheese, and mushrooms. I love mushrooms and I could tell these were from a can, not fresh but oh well. These are served with a side of marinara. Normally Porta di Roma has a really nice and thick marinara but this time it sucked. It has the consistency of a watered down tomato soup. Ron said his was slightly cold.

What I believe is their best dish is the Lasagna. Oh my goodness! Now their Lasagna is made from scratch as well but I have never had to wait a lifetime to get it. Anyway, their Lasagna is really the best I have ever had. It is not that heavy crap you get in other restaurants. The garlic bread is divine!! Although it comes with the meal last night must have been an exception because the waitress failed to bring it. We were afraid to ask about it since we figured that it would be next Tuesday before it was brought to the table.

Over all I was really pissed and disappointed in both the food and the service last night and that was reflected in our tip (which was less than 5%). I will go back but I will demand to be served by someone else. I think that last night was just not in the cards for us.

Food: 3.0
Service 3.5 (although last night would have been -3.5)
Atmosphere: 2.0
Health Score: 89 (Good)

Porti di Roma
1623 Main Street
Dallas, Tx 75201

A coup d’état…

Yesterday I sensed a great disturbance. I emailed Brittny and she said not to email at her office address anymore. I could tell that something was up. So finally I found out that the powers that be that own the building have fired Capstone Management hence ending the tenure of fabulous management that we have come to rely upon and love….effective immediately. I have already drawn up our notice to vacate. This change will ruin the building and that is really sad. People are really pissed and I know that we will not be the only ones to move out.

Pumpkin Spice Latte…

Every fall Starbucks places its Pumpkin Spice Latte back on the menu. Normally the only thing I get at Starbucks is green iced-tea but I love the PSL. It is certainly a hearty beverage. It is basically pumpkin pie in a cup! LOVE it!

El Fenixican...part bleh...

Last night we went to El Fenix downtown to have the wednesday special which they were offering at .90 for their 90th birthday. It was awful. El Fenix is certainly not four stars but after last nights dinner I think they should burn the place down. I don't believe that my dinner has yet to fully digest! I am not sure that I really would ever want to go back. I am going to update Forkboy on El Fenix.

New look...

I became tired of the color scheme on here so I decided to change it up a little. I really like the blue against the grey!! Hope ya'll like it too.

Need a tissue?...

The J. Erik Jonsson Library located in downtown Dallas (and next door to my residence) is full of everything a great Library is known for…and then some. Now, for the price of FREE, one can watch a peep show. I am not talking about those penny peep show machines from the early 1900’s. I am talking a live peep show. The other day there was a man who, while surfing internet porn on the fifth floor, pulled down his pants and began to masturbate. After a woman turned him in he disappeared and not even the cameras could find him. I am guessing he needed a little “me” time.

Gay Pride...

This weekend is the annual gay pride parade and festivities. As a gay man I have been criticized for not wanting to participate in theses festivities. I let that criticism wash right on over me. I have many reasons why I just don’t care. Call me a prude or whatever you like but I just do not wish to be around a bunch of half, or mostly, naked and drunk queens. A little gayness goes a long way in my book. Of course, the media is quick to find the most girlish, shirtless, guy with a cocktail in one hand and a dildo in the other…not to mention the harness he is wearing. I am serious about that as I have seen it on TV every year (minus the dildo-I added that for effect). I think this is tasteless and only aims to perpetuate the gay stereotype. I have attended the parade on several occasions hoping to find some sort of quality about it that would have made it worthwhile. Sadly no. I was miserable in all aspects. I decided right then and there that I would never attend another parade. Hell, I rarely go to the gayborhood as it is.

Getting down there is a hassle. The streets are closed and they charge a fortune for parking. If you want a good spot overlooking the parade route then you better get there at the crack of dawn. I think a lot of this is due to the fact that it is parade—plain and simple. I have never been a fan of any kind of parade, unless I am in it. Screaming kids, pushy adults, traffic, etc. Not my idea of a swell time.

I have been accused of not having pride in my "gayness," whatever the hell that is supposed to mean. My sexuality is not a big deal at all to me. I am who I am and I take pride in the life I have made for myself and the relationships that I have with my friends, family, my career, and I take pride in the love I share with Ron. Being gay has nothing at all to due with any of this. I am not the kind of person who stands on the front lines with a picket sign. I am the kind of activist that writes a check. I certainly do not need a parade to justify the fact I am a homo. I know, I know…it is about working through discrimination. It is about equality, blah, blah, blah. That is all well and good and I will continue to support the community by donating cash. I just prefer not to be seen and the pen will always be mightier than the picket sign.

Get out of my seat…

Every morning, for the past year and a half, I have been sitting in the same seat on my DART bus. I take the 7:39am 205/183 express and I always sit on the right side, third row isle. Not today. This idiot woman takes my seat because I am nice enough to let the ladies on first. Well this woman is now on my shit list. She didn’t even say thank you when I said “after you!” It just frustrates me. Luckily the weather this morning was beautiful. I woke up in a great mood and fully rested and ready to go. So I was not about to let her ruin my morning.

Moron...

I came across an article in the DMN and just shook my head. This moron was riding in the back of a pick up “holding” a mattress. The pickup hit a bump and sent the moron and the mattress flying. The moron is in serious condition. Guess he didn’t land on the mattress.

I thought that it was illegal to have someone in a pickup bed going faster than 35 mph. I was half right. It is illegal to have someone under the age of 18 in the pickup bed while traveling faster than 35 mph. The people in the cab must wear their seat belts but those in the back are shit out of luck. I call it natural selection.

Ike part 2...

The hurricane has come and gone. Unfortunately it did not bring the rains Dallas needed. We got some but nothing to write home to mamma about. Even the wind was disappointing. I was hoping for more but was denied! Oh well. What we do have is fabulous cool weather. We will be sleeping with the bedroom doors open and the air conditioning off. We are looking at a low this evening of around 58.

Ten items or less...

Yesterday we were in Target. We needed just a handful of things. Well Target has what seems like about 25-30 registers yet they only have what seems like 5 open at any given time. We go to the express lane where everyone has way more than ten items. This ruined my day. Normally I would have said something but usually I would expect the cashier to say something. I just stood there and said nothing. I was so frustrated by this point I was ready to kill so I thought it best to leave the situation alone. Ten items or less means exactly that!

Fools rush in, just like a 17 foot tidal wave...

I was reading some articles today about Ike and the evacuations for the Texas coast. Even in mandatory evacuation orders people refuse to leave. This storm is speeding up and could possibly be an category 4. I would have left by now. Period. What causes someone to refuse to leave a life threatening situation like this? Do they think they can save their own homes? They say God will watch over us…well…God is about a category 3 right now. These fools will wash away with their homes. The images of people stranded on top of their homes waiting for rescue have been burned into my head after Katrina. Pretty powerful stuff. I believe that those who refuse to obey a mandatory evacuation order and end up waiting on top of their homes for rescue (at tax payer expense) should be left there. Those who do not heed the warnings will be left to recover by themselves and not eligible for assistance. There is no reason why my tax dollars should be used to save a fool.

El Fenix at 90...

OMG!!!! I am SO there!!! El Fenix will be turning 90 this year and to celebrate they will be offering their traditional Wednesday special (two enchiladas, rice, and beans) for 90 cents!!!!! Holy crap!! That means more margaritas!!!! Ole!

Ike...

Wow, this is rare for Dallas. We are under a Tropical Storm Warning. If the storm shifts a little toward Corpus then Dallas will really get a good chunk of the storm. We are somewhat on the edge but still expecting major winds 40+mph and lots of rain. This storm is huge.

Oh, I need...

Perhaps I am just double thinking things here. The past few days I have really been concerned about our upcoming move out of downtown. Ron said that we didn’t have to move but I said I wanted to. But still, I keep wondering how things will change for me, I am not worried about Ron-he is incredibly adaptable. I am anticipating my adaptability to having to do without certain creature comforts that I have come to know and love in and around downtown. Theses thoughts actually frighten me. I have gotten so used to living above the Urban Market and being within walking distance of restaurants, bars, etc.

I like to call this problem the “oh, I need…” factor. “Oh, I need….a lemon” “Oh, I need…a light bulb.” “Oh, I need…cat food.” “Oh, I need…a gin and tonic.” It is like having a vending machine with everything in it at my finger tips or better yet, one of those replicator things from Star Trek. Everything is within instant reach. I cannot “Oh, I need…” while living at the Verona.

I know I bitch and complain about the homeless and in some ways I really shouldn’t. They have certainly made downtown living interesting. Some are nice and some are not. Some are crazy and some are not. I could say the exact same thing about downtown residents and in some cases I would much rather be around the homeless than with those who are not.

There was a man last night getting cozy in front of DP&L. He had cute dog with him. The man was in the same spot when I left for the office and the dog was sleeping on his lap. I am not sure who I empathized more for, the dog or the guy. The man was very nice and his dog was cute as a button. Last week there was a incredibly intoxicated woman, clearly not homeless, that decided she needed to empty her bladder on the Browder Street entrance to DP&L. She pulled up her dress and urinated right there for everyone to see. So in this instance I would much rather befriend the homeless man and his dog and kick that drunken bitch in the face.

Once I really pissed a homeless man off to no end. He had a clip board with “official” looking papers on them. He said he was from some church and soliciting donations for an AIDS charity. I could tell this man was full of crap. I told him I already give to the Resource Center of Dallas and tried to walk away. He said “there are children DYING and you DON’T care.” I told him that people die everyday and I donate to official charities and not to harassing beggars on the street. About a month later whilst pounding down gin and tonics on the patio of Urban Market the same guy came up and this time his sad story was children with cancer. I guess it is always something.

I never give money to beggars but the other day while waiting on my bus in front of the Kirby and man approached me and asked me if I could please spare a bus pass. I said no. He said he was trying to get to parkland. For some reason I felt the need to ask why he needed to get to Parkland. He said that he had gotten into a fight and that his hand might be broken. Then he showed me his hand. OMG! I said “you’re serious about needing a pass!!” I gave him 1.50 for a one way pass and made sure that he got on the 44 to Parkland. His hand was a bloody and swollen mess. He thanked me about 20 times.

Basically I am seriously going to miss downtown but I feel it is in our best interests to move out. I will just have to adapt the best way I can.

Of course, there is no telling what lies ahead.

Jumbo Hostel...

I came across an article about a new hostel/hotel at an ariport in Stockholm, Sewden. I really like this idea and wish something like this would be done here in the U.S. Basically a guy had the idea to convert a 30 year-old 747 Jumbo Jet into a hostel.

http://www.jumbohostel.com/DynPage.aspx?id=64660&mn1=5291

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/09/11/Jumbohostel/index.html#cnnSTCPhoto

Young McCain...

I came across some pictures of John McCain back in his early years and I gotta tell ya…he is kinda sexy!

Spicy...

I came across this news article this morning and had to read it twice to make sure I was not crazy. Some whacko in California breaks into a house of two men and steals some cash. Before he left however, he decided that he would rub one man with spices and then hits the other man with an 8-inch sausage. Something seems a bit fishy here. I am just wondering what spices were used.

Click on the title to view the article.

I am published!!!...

Really nothing at all to get excited about. I frequent the Dallas Morning News Eats blog. I posted a comment a few weeks ago on "The best Italian food in Dallas." DMN emailed me and asked if they could use the comment and I said most certainly! Unfortunately the quote was published in the print only Guide section of the DMN newspaper. The food critics published the best, and most expensive, Italian restaurants in Dallas. The public spoke! No one really agreed with the critics, mainly because the places they chose were so expensive. The DMN asked the public what they thought. I offered up Porta di Roma downtown as the best lasagna as well as saying Sal's was great. I also mentioned that I missed Neros Italian. Although the quote was small I am very happy that they used my opinion! Hopefully there will be more to come.

200th post!!...

This is the 200th post of IBIN!! Not much to say except that it certainly won't be the last!

Cookbook...

For those Cooking with Karen fans, and myself, I have starting to work on the first edition of my cookbook. This is not going to be some thrown together piece of crap in a three ring binder. Nope, this will be a nice hard bound book of exceptional quality. I have also learned that doing this is no cheap endeavor. I have earmarked just a small handful of books as gifts and am figuring out what to do from there. I hope to have this completed by mid november.

I have been working on new episodes but the last one turned out awful so I scrapped it for later. I will be working on two new episodes this week and will alert everyone when they are up and running.

Another reason...

Last night as we walked Moses I looked over and clearly saw a non-homeless female squatting in the Browder Street entrance at DP&L relieving herself. The woman was so drunk. There are trees and bushes and restaurant bathrooms she could have hidden herself in. Instead she pees right there for everyone to see. I came incredibly close to saying something but it would have done no good. There was pee everywhere. WTF? If it was a homeless person I dont think I would have really been so peeved or suprised and honestly, probably would not have cared. But this was a woman, about my age, and clearly not homeless (and not very pretty if you ask me). If I lived at DP&L and walked out the door to only have to step over her...I think I would have beaten the crap out of her for what she was doing.

Cooler weather...

I am so happy that cooler weather is arriving here in Dallas. Today's high is 92 instead of 102. Thanks to hurricane Gustav we have been getting into the upper 60s at night. I expected the temps to get higher after the hurricane but nope! We are holding steady at around 90.

There is always something else…

My mother alerted me yesterday to some news she saw on TV about the health risks of granite counter tops. I went and did some googling and came across an article in the New York Times about this. Apparently granite emits radiation and radon that can give us cancer. This is just something else to get people all in a tizzy and start ripping out their counters and floors to save their lives. Of course those doing that will stop periodically for a brief smoke break but I digress.
I am in my kitchen everyday touching the granite and I shower everyday while surrounded by it. I think the only way your granite counters are going to be harmful is if you eat them and if that is the case then you should be in a straight jacket by now.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&oref=slogin

A leisurely day in the ghetto...

Today I took my mother to the dentist. She had some major surgery in her mouth. So I had a few hours to kill. Her dentist is in DeSoto and I had not been down that way in years. After dropping her off I decided that I would go to Dairy Queen for lunch. I was in a really ghetto area so when in Rome, right? I already stood out like a sore thumb. I walk into Scary Queen and order a steak finger basket. Miss Ghetto Fabulous behind the counter could not have cared less about her customer service skills. I placed my order and of course it was wrong. I am not quite certain how one could screw up a steak finger basket. Perhaps she thought I was speaking french or something. I got a chicken finger basket "to-go." I guess they didn't want me there. So I took it back and they gave the right order. No sorry, my bad, kiss my ass or anything. Oh well. I ate about half of it. There were not that many people in the place but I certainly was the odd man out. The clientele were East Texas Dairy Queen/pool hall types. After leaving I still had more time to kill so, in keeping with the ghetto motif, I wandered into a Dollar General where nothing really of use costs a dollar. I bought four things and spent 20 bucks. I walk in and the cashier (who needed to visit my mom's dentist) was reading her large print Bible and offered me a "hi there, God bless." So kind of her. I went down every isle and studied the merchandise. I really wanted to buy Ron a pair of faux Crocks but was not able to find his size. The velour pull-over was tempting but I passed. I was really surprised to find Glad Wrap for $2 but could not find a collar for Moses. They also had the old school flammable plastic Halloween costumes. I remember those from my childhood. I was so excited when I was young to go to Moses 5 & 10 and pick out my costume. I remember the the Casper costume like it was yesterday. Plastic powder blue cape/dress thing with a white plastic Casper mask. Over all I could have just put on a shower curtain since the costume smelled like one anyway. I eventually found my way into the kitchen gadget section. This ain't no WIlliams Sonoma. Over all there are things there that are way cheaper like laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, and paper products. All name brand stuff too! I purchased a 5 year light bulb, a new scrubber for the kitchen sink, and 2 packages of razor blade refills. Luckily my mother's appointment went shorter than expected and we left DeSoto. I had fun on my excursions but not really wanting to return anytime soon. May have to check out a Dollar store closer to home!