Next Gangster BB Dinner Wed June 7th

Everyone is invited.

7:30 PM, Sorrento's Restaurant.

132 Park Avenue, East Rutherford, NJ.

The food is pretty good (although it's the company that matters the most), plus it's a BYO so we had plenty of great wine the last time we were there, and a private room so we could carouse all we wanted to.

I'm in!

Ah why not, I'll be there too

Well, since it's BYO, and DMC is finally legal, does that mean that our young friend will be supplying us with wine?

You have no idea how HAPPY I am to hear you say that!!!

Hhhmmmm......

Mapquest estimates it'd take me 1 hour and 40 mins to get there. I'd have to go to school the next day, but still I say, hhhmmmmmmmm.

Would it be worthwhile for an 18 year old to come or would I be wasting my time?

I'm not big on Map Quest MMTH.

Where do you live?

PM'd you Plaw.

Should I do my usual. Say I'll come, and then cancel at the last minute?

I don't think I can make it. I'll be washing my hair.

A shame

I'll change the reservation

Ok, I checked mapquest. I can be there in only 41 hours traveling a distance of 2,772.24 miles. :p Save me a seat, in case I hit a lot of traffic and arrive late.


TIS

No. Instead you should say that you can't come, and then show up at the last minute.


Don Cardi

Count me in. Arizona will just have to wait...

I've had better luck w/ MapQuest than...... oh, never mind. :p

Now that's a possibilty. There's a good chance I might have to work in my East Rutherford office that night, only about 2 miles away from Sorrentos.

There is a reason why we give advanced notice, y'know... You have 3 weeks to adjust your plans accordingly. :p

what if u live in america you can hardly go then!!

I've had better luck w/ MapQuest than...... oh, never mind. :p [/b][/quote]hence why:

The drunker they get the less ugly you get JG :p

Nah, even that doesn't help.

...at least until after they pass out.

JG, Stop selling yourself short! On the occassions that we've met, I considered you a nice-looking man. Of course, I may have had a few sips myself on those nights. Oh, wait...

THAT surely wouldn't help either!

Geoff, you are not ugly. If you don't stop that I will have to slap you the next time I see you.

Oh wait.....is that a BAD thing?

DMC thinks so...

Not at all

Beth,

DMC is coming you might not get a chance to slap him.

DMC thinks so...

[/b][/quote]Who are you going to believe?

I have to figure out who owes me a favor around my office, and is willing to stick around all day to run things for me.

Less than 5 miles from my job!!

A warning, though...I get out of work at 6pm. So somebody come & keep me company at the bar while I await the 7:30 crowd .

Apple

I would tell you to call me when you get out of work and are on your way, but I understand that there is a Cell Phone ban in restaurants in that county, and I wouldn't want to break the rules by bringing mine to the restaurant. :p


Don Cardi

No, that ban is just on schools in New York City .

Anyway, you don't need a call.
Like I said, I get out of work at 6pm.

Apple

Well proper ettiquette is that usually the organizer of these dinners is the one to be there first in order to greet his guests as they arrive.


Don Cardi

there is no Bar Apple

huh?

Hey change the date my son has a Doctor appt. that day. I won't make it in time with my 7 hour 408.81 miles drive. J/K

Oh, that's right....BYO so why would there be a bar???

Duh.

Don't worry, I'll find someplace nearby to pass the time. Someone come find me on the street corner holding a brown paper bag.

It's so closeby, seems silly to go home first...and if I did go home first, I'd probably stay there!!

Apple

There is a bar a few doors away.

Plaw, are you familiar at all with this bar? Is it any good?

Park City Bar & Grill
125 Park Ave East Rutherford NJ


Don Cardi

Apparently Wee Willie\'s Sports Bar is less than a mile away!

How about Da Bing?


Don Cardi

I doubt I could bring myself to set foot in a bar that calls itself 'Wee Willie's'.

Apple

I've seen it, but never been inside.

I'm not much of a bar-goer.

But you're right. As the organizer, I'll get there early with a couple of bottles of sparkling wine and greet the early arrivals.

We can all sit around and drink Champaign.....uh, Champaign Cocktails.....

Jeez, only legal for a couple days and already complaining about there not being a bar.

We have to find a way to remove Geoff from his life.

High up in the Sierra mountains. And your drinkin Champaign, Uh, Champaign Cocktails.


Sounds good to me!


Don Cardi

How do you say 'banana daquiri' in Joisey-ise?

Apple

If you guys want Chinese, I know the owner of Chan's Dragon Inn, in Ridgefield. They have a bar, and I'm sure he'll arrange the dining room to accommodate us as needed.

I live around the corner from Chan's Dragon Inn. My daughter & I go there for dinner at least once a month.

Smells better, too...since that smoking ban took effect last month.

They're kind've small and don't have any private rooms but I suppose they could accomodate one of our little BB soiree's.

Though I've never seen them choose any type of restaurant other than Italian.

Apple

I'm sure YOU have no affiliation with that bar :p

Guess what? We're neighbors.

The way this night is shaping up, I may need a few drinks. Hey, Plaw, would that sparkling wine be Veuve du Vernay, or are you bringing the good stuff?

I'd go, but I have to do something else that night.. like graduate high school. :p

What next? Cell Phones? :p


Don Cardi

Don Cardi...you appear to be taking this cellphone ban debate rather hard.

:rolleyes:

:p

Let's hope you're over it by June 7th.

Apple

What next? Cell Phones? :p

[/b][/quote]"Chan's" is an experience. It opened in 1962, and they haven't remodeled since then. They never take down the Christmas tree either. ....But the food is good, and the drinks are strong.

Just Lou...when I was a kid, the family used to go to Chan's for dinner occassionally. I remember once we swiped one of those teacups. That was when they had the pretty blue design, not the plain white like they give you now.

You are right, the decor hasn't changed a single bit!!
My daughter loves the fountain at the front...always wants to throw in a penny & make a wish.

Actually, I can almost look out the window & see the place as I'm typing now. Only thing blocking my view is the Bourough Hall building that houses our police station.

Anyway, I'm in the Chatroom right now awaiting company, if anyone wants to talk about anything.

Apple

Just teasing you Apple, just teasing you.


Don Cardi

If I look out my Window, I can see Chan's. I was there when I was a little kid too. My mother and grandmother used to take me there in the early 70's, before I lived around here. From my memory, it hasn't changed a bit.

Sheesh.....you two are right around the corner from each other.

Why don't you go over there JL and keep Apple company?

( )

Like usual, I'm at work. ...But hardly working. :p

No can do, plawrence.
I'm saving myself for you.



Apple

Just Lou, you've GOTTA tell me!!! Where are you working? Can I see YOUR building from my window?

Apple

YEAH!!!! Now we're talking!!!


Don Cardi

I meant I can see Chan's from my Window at home. Right now, I'm working in an office in Secaucus. If you can see Safeguard Self Storage, you can see my house.

Yes, I can see that. It's on Broad Avenue...directly across the street from Chan's.

SMALL WORLD!!!

Apple

Is this the place that you two are talking about?






Don Cardi

Apple, I'll wave to you.

That's it. Notice the Christmas Tree that never gets taken down.

Yes, DC...I believe that is the place.

For anyone who happens to venture in there at some point...hanging on the wall at the entrance is a framed newspaper review of the restaurant, which in the article is advertised as specializing in Polynesian cuisine. It was written ions ago by a woman named Nancy Syracuse. That woman is my mother's cousin.

Apple

OK, then.

Be at my house 9:00 PM Saturday.

I'll PM you with my address and instructions on what to wear, how you are expected to act, etc. Which I can see from my kitchen window and terrace.

I'm surrounded.

How funny! You guys may have passed each other on the street a hundred times and never knew it.


TIS

Wanted to bump this up and remind everyone of the date and time:

Wednesday, June 7th, 7:30 PM, a scant two weeks from today.

Reservation is made and we're all set.

Anyone else who wants to join us is cordially invited, of course.

C'mon all you hidden NYers and NJers (and CT and PA people too, if any)....don't be shy......

Where are we eating? Has it been decided? Is it on the waterfront in NJ? Will they give us a private room? Separate checks? Can we order off the regular menu? Is there anything GF related nearby?

Sorrento's, yes, no, yes, didn't ask, yes, there's "Sopranos" stuff nearby, but nothing GF-related that I'm aware of.

Well we'll be stopping for appetizers and drinks at Shula's in Manhatten. Then after that we'll go to the restaurant that Plaw booked for dinner in Jersey. Then after that we'll shoot over to Staten Island for some Ralph's Original Homemade Ices. Then when we are done, we can go over to Bklyn, SC's turf, where we'll be safe, to an 18th avenue Italian Cappuccino place, for coffee and dessert.

Is that ok with you? :p

Is that ok Apple? :p




Don Cardi

Yes, the Statue of Liberty which can be seen in both GF and GFII...is about 10-15 miles in proximity.

Shall we all hop a ferry & gather for a group photo after dinner?

Apple

Look the Gangster BB guys promised me a dinner. So they made up a lot of stuff about Shula's this, Ralphie's that..cause that's what they wanted. But it was all lies, uh...everything.

And they kept saying - appetizers, homemade ice, cappucino, uh...so I said yea sure, why not.

Apple

Look the Gangster BB guys promised me a dinner. So they made up a lot of stuff about Shula's this, Ralphie's that..cause that's what they wanted. But it was all lies, uh...everything.

And they kept saying - appetizers, homemade ice, cappucino, uh...so I said yea sure, why not.

Apple [/b][/quote]You better stay out of the bathtub then.

Only if you shave me yourself....

Apple

Plaw, are there any short stay motels nearby so that these two can carry out their fantasies in private so that we don't have to be subject to these kinds of "acts" while trying to eat dinner?


Don Cardi

Why? Is fathersson gonna be here and joining us for dinner?

Apparently, not unless there's shaving cream and a bathtub at the restaurant.

Well, the next town over, Secaucus (where I live), has more hotel rooms than any other municipality in New Jersey except for Atlantic City.

So I'm sure there's something to fit every need and every budget.

I assume you know how to get down here, FS, if you're driving.

To get to the restaurant, get off the Thruway at the exit for Suffern and take NJ Route 17 south.

If you want, I'll get back to you with the name of the exit on Rt 17, and exact directions to the restaurant from there; Let me know.

It takes about 3 hours to get from DC to Philly by car, as long as you can miss the DC traffic

Just another reminder.....it's this Wednesday night.

C'mon people, don't be shy.....everyone is invited. The more the merrier.

Plaw, will you be there?? :p

There's going to be a dinner?


Don Cardi

Is there going to be cheesecake???

Only if there's zucchini.

Everyone knows that Plaw loves his fried zucchini. Oh, wait, THAT kind of zucchini....

Hey, Plaw, as organizer of this event, do you need an official head count? And the reservation is for 7:30, correct?

Yes, 7:30.

I told the restaurant I would let them know by Wednesday afternoon how many people we'd be.

I wish I lived closer. You guys and girls have a good time. SB- have a piece of Cheesecake for me. :)Miss me

Regardless of how much food I eat or if I order dessert, I'm guessing I'm still only going to be one person.

I don't know, Beth. Depending on how much food a person eats, perhaps they could qualify as TWO people.

WINE ALERT! ( )

Should everyone who plans on drinking more than, say, a glass or two of wine bring their own bottle -- or should we chip in for those bringing multiple bottles?

I know what you mean SB. I'm already starting to be twice the person I used to be.

Geoff, if anyone is planning on drinking less then two glasses of wine they should be barred for life.

JG, It's a BYO. If you want to drink, BYO. :p

Just wasn't sure if TB wanted to clear out his wine cellar or not... But yeah, everyone should bring something if they want it...

Of course, if DMC is coming, now that he's legal, I'm sure he's bringing a case, at least.

Correction, I'm going with JG so I obviously already drank the case

So, do we have our official head count? Do we know how much wine to bring? How many sfogliatelle?

I would say that if you're a "wine drinker" you should bring one bottle.

If you're only good for one glass or so, though, you can probably sponge off of everyone else's - it's tough, even for a "wine drinker" - to down an entire bottle by themselves.

Yeah, 3.5 glasses/bottle is rough... but maybe that's just me... :p

Maybe that's you....

Even at those elegant and expensive joints where dinner takes 2 hours + (which this place is not), I always have trouble finishing that last glass, and I certainly consider myself a wine drinker.

Maybe that's just me.....

As witnessed by your Fantasy League posts you're certainly one of the biggest whiners I know. :p

You wanna see whining, look at JG's posts. :rolleyes:

Almost every day he's complaining about a different player, or something he did that he shouldn't have done or something he should have done that he didn't.

I rarely, if ever, complain about a player's performance or second guess my moves.

I only suggest ways to improve the game which, it seems, some people have trouble distinguishing from whines.

But I'm used to it. I fully understand that success breeds jealousy.

I have no time for jealousy.... I'm busy hanging flower baskets.

So how many and who will be attending tonight's dinner?


Don Cardi

Depends. Nobody has answered mine and Beth's questions about zucchini and cheesecake.

Well Plaw is the host, so he should be the one making sure that both you and Beth get what you need...eh..er..cough.. I mean want.


Don Cardi

I'm working in Rutherford tonight. I'll be running Interchange 16W on the Turnpike. I'll be nice and make sure all the lanes are open so nobody has to sit in traffic going to the dinner. If anyone wants to stop in and say hello, my office is located right where you get on and get a ticket. I'll be there until at least 9:40.

CUT TO: Exit 16W tollbooths. We faintly hear a baseball game over a radio. Geoff's car drives up to the tollbooth. He grabs a bill from his pocket and hands it to the toll-collector.

The car in front of Geoff's seems to be having a problem moving and Geoff sounds his horn. -day

GEOFF : "Sonofabitch! Come on! Come on, I have a Stoli's Martini waiting for me!"


[JustLou "drops" Geoff's change, and bends to pick it up, sliding the booth's door shut. Geoff turns his head and notices a line of armed men pointing their weapons at him. A fusillade of shots pelt the car, and Geoff, as he stumbles out screaming. Once fallen and dead, a hitman comes up and shoots him from very close range, stops, then
kicks him in the head. The assassins flee before DMC's car shows up]


Don Cardi

I'm gonna have to make sure I have only the finest toll collectors working there tonight. I'll send all the bad ones home.

I think I'll take the Parkway!

As always, I had a great time tonight!

I have a complaint --- the time went way too fast.

What a great group of people!! Verrrry pleasant evening for me, as well.

Glad it was fun... I bet no wine was left over, even if each person brought a bottle! Did you guys take pictures this time?

I didn't notice anyone with a camera.

zia, your name came up in conversation... I chimed in that at least I'm beating SOMEONE in the BB League! :p

The dinner was initially set up as a farewell to Turnbull (who will be moving out of the area). Don Cardi got him a truly hysterical "gift" - a small metal "antique" car (which Turnbull quickly identified as a 1939 Lincoln) with a cutout of Vito and sons attached to it.

I had a fantastic time last night. As usual the company was really great and the evening went by waaaaayyyy too fast.

It was a real pleasure finally meeting BethE! A young lady who is full of energy, is a lot of fun to be around and has a special way of making all those in her company feel very comfortable. A warm and sweet gal who is definitely is the life of the party.

As always, it's both an honor and a pleasure to be in the company of Mr. and Mrs. Babe, who I must say are really fantastic people.

I must admit that Don Malta and DMC make a really great looking couple. :p Seriously though, they are two really great guys!

Turnbull had everyone's attention with his 'True Confessions,' and his unlimited knowledge on so many different subjects.

Our friend Plaw, the man "who put dis ting togetha," did a wonderful job. Thank you Plaw.

Of course I always enjoy spending an evening with my most valued and trusted friend, SC, and our lovely Consigliere's lady. The both of them are such warm and fantastic people!

Oh, and let's not forget the fantastic news about Don Smitty, who we all raised our glasses to! Cheers DS!!!


Don Cardi

I wanted to post this last night, but I was afraid of being accused of just saying it because I was, as they say, a teensy bit tipsy.

I love you guys.

What a great evening! Couldn't ask for better company or more fun! I'm really gonna miss this. Thanks to all for the good wishes and gifts!

Glad you all had a good time. I think it's so nice that you all get together on a regular basis.

TB,

I know you have a home in Arizona, but I didn't realize you are permanently moving there??? I thought it was a second home. If so, that's got to be quite a change for you, since I assume you've been in the NYC all your life no????

On the other hand, you'll be close to CA, so anytime you decide to venture out to the "Golden" State, let me know and we'll arrange a West Coast meet.

TIS

It was really great spending a night with all of u. You all are a great bunch of people that I am glad to have as friends. Thanks to Plaw for putting together a great night with good friends.


ds

...an offer I can't refuse...

A great evening as usual, and "phooey" to all of those who criticize the internet as a way to meet people and make friends and tell folks like us to "get a life".

My own special thanks to Turnbull, who made the evening particularly memorable and special by bringing a truly rare and exceptional bottle of wine - a 1964 Chateau Latour.

If you're not a wine entusiast, allow me to mention that year after year Latour is unquestionably considered one of the finest wines in the world, and in the unlikely event that you could even find a bottle from 1964 in a wine shop it would certainly cost at least several hundred dollars, and probably two or three times that in a restaurant.

I think that this was what the bottle of wine looked like BEFORE SB and BethE knocked it off!





Don Cardi

In my best Urkel.."Did I do that"?

I don't recall. But I'm sure if it was on the table then I probably drank it. Plus, beings it was grown in 1964 that means it must have been great.

Great time last night. I agree with SC. It went by way too fast. But could any of you powerful Joisey guys use all your strengths and all your skills and ordered up a litte bit of sunshine?

No pics, this time, guys?

I had my camera with me, but forgot...

Oh man!! How could you forget? We love seeing the pictures. Are you sure you weren't all so drunk that you forgot about pictures? :p

TIS

That's an infamnia Geoffy.

Hey, let's be fair to our Don here. He can't do everything! He only has two hands and they were full with............................................................................ ................................................................................ ............... ........a glass of Red wine in one hand and a glass of White wine in the other.


Don Cardi

Great food last night.

DS

You said the same thing to me earlier today. I think it was around lunch time.

Watta are ya hungry again DS?


Don Cardi

...Ah knew he was gonna meet his conn-ECTION,
at his feet was a footloose MAIN...
you cain't always get what you WA-ant...

...Ah knew he was gonna meet his conn-ECTION,
at his feet was a footloose MAIN...
you cain't always get what you WA-ant... [/b][/quote]Ha ha ha!!! Good one TB!


TIS

Thanks, TIS! Meet you at the Chelsea Drugstore.

A story about wine that might amuse (then again, it might not ):
I got interested in great wine in the early Sixties after becoming a fan of the James Bond novels. The wine-mayven Bond is a creature of the films; the Bond of the novels usually drank bourbon-and-soda or vodka martinis (shaken, not stirred--I tried this once, and the only difference was that shaking diluted the drink faster than stirring :rolleyes: ). The only great wines Bond drank were either served to him or ordered for him by others. But Fleming wrote with such panache that I couldn't help being impressed enough to try the few that he wrote about:

One of the best scenes in the novel "Moonraker" is set at Blades, M's exclusive private club. He and Bond are having dinner there before Bond gets set to expose the villain's card-cheating habits by beating him at his own game. They order dinner and the wine steward appears. Bond (wisely) suggests that the wine steward decide. Here's the passage from memory:

"The steward seemed pleased. 'If I may suggest it, sir: the Dom Perignon '46. France only sells it for dollars, so you don't often see it here in England. Ours is a gift of the Regency Club in New York. It's the Chairman's favorite--he always has some on ice."

So, of course, Bond and M order the Dom Perignon '46. But we never read about how good it was because Bond, oaf that he was, immediately pours some benzydrine into it to sharpen him up for the big card game.

Now, this passage whetted my interest. I took a wine book out of the library that had old vintage charts. Wines were rated on a scale of 20 (20=best). If Bond had ordered a Dom Perignon '45 it would have been 20/20. If he'd ordered a '47, it would have been 18/20. But the '46 that "France only sold for dollars" was rated a lowly 11! Not only that, the "11" was in italics, indicated that it would have been way over the hill by 1955, when the novel was written. So much for Fleming's panache. :p
I did buy a Dom Perignon--a '59. It was outstanding!

Who was it who said explanations kill the mystery?

They may have been right, but not when the explanation is written with such panache as above.