We8there Blog

2011-03-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Euroshock

Written by John Grabowski

The first time I ate in Europe, I experienced cultural shock, of the extremely pleasant kind.
It’s not simply a matter of different menu items or the high cost of food over there (and be prepared to empty your wallet). Europeans have a totally different philosophy of food and eating, one that would probably baffle many Americans.
For Europeans, eating is an extremely important ritual. It’s communal and in some places, such as France and the Czech Republic, downright sacred. I know of people in the latter country who turned down a better job in richer western European countries because the food, and especially beer, was just not as good. I can’t imagine an American ever taking that into consideration when planning a career move.
The French two-hour lunch is legendary. Recently there’s been an effort by President Nicolas Sarkozy to clamp down on this ritual, and to make French workers more like Americans, who often can be seen gulping a Coke, eating a Big Mac for lunch, jabbering on their cell phones and texting their coworkers, while driving.
And that goes on in Europe as well. Frankfurt certainly has its share of business-suited men and women running about making deals on sleek headphones in sleek cars. The streets in front of hotels and restaurants in the business districts of Berlin and Vienna are packed tight with Mercedes-Benzes and BMWs. But Europeans, no matter how busy, seem to manage to stop their urgent finance deals and stock transactions for what we can only call more civilized eating. Even a casual lunch on the go always seems to involve real napkins (no paper!), draped elegantly in the lap over an expensive business suit, an appetizer and an aperitif,(No qualms about drinking on the job here). Of course, no meal is finished until the espresso has been served.
Waiters in Europe take their occupation very seriously. They are not college kids with part time jobs this is a career. They are paid living wages and tips are just a small addition to the bill—you usually round up to the next euro or two and that’s it. Unlike American restaurants, in Europe it’s easy to estimate what the evening’s tab will come to beforehand. The bad news: it’s probably going to come to a lot these days compared to prices in the U.S.
The philosophy of service is very different. I often think that Europeans must feel rushed and slighted in American establishments. That’s because American restaurants “turn the table over” several times a night. In Europe it’s expected that it’s yours all evening. Slow service is good service. A server will not breathlessly rush your table the moment menus have been opened and ask if you know what you want already…and you have to ask for the bill, they will not bring it to you. That would be rude as would, expecting you to clear out so other customers can be seated at your table. Most people stay in restaurants all night, talking leisurely (there’s a word you hardly hear in connection with America) with large groups of friends (I’ve noticed Europeans tend to eat out in large groups more often than Americans), drinking, and smoking although ever-stricter regulations on where you can consume tobacco are becoming part of their reality.
I was floored a couple years ago in Salzburg when my wife and I were asked when we walked into a favorite restaurant if we wanted smoking or non-smoking. I felt like asking, “Since when?” But yes, many parts of Europe are now offering non-smoking sections or even banning the habit entirely. For me the change is welcome. I still remember the beer hall in Munich in ‘05 that was so thick with smoke we could not even see the other end of the room, or the gentleman in Berlin who lit up cigarette after cigarette at the next table and blew smoke my way as I was trying to enjoy a meal back in ’04. (My experience is if you shoot them a look, they think you’re miffed because they haven’t offered a smoke to you.)
There are quirks that take getting used to, “free refills” as a concept generally doesn’t exist. You have to pay for that second cup of coffee or soft drink, (trust me, the coffee is usually worth the extra dough)! Why Americans, who landed astronauts on the moon, never learned to make really good coffee is a mystery to me. And they don’t serve their drinks swimming in ice, cool to lukewarm is how most beverages arrive. You’d be surprised how fast you get used to it, too. There’s rarely free water for the table, and if you want some, you’d better specify tap (and many restaurants won’t like it when you do). If you just say “water,” they’ll ask some variant of “sparkling or still?” It’ll come bottled, and likely be very expensive, but will taste wonderful. Europeans drink more wine and other alcohol with dinner, it seems to me, though I haven’t “Googled” for specific stats. Almost every dinner table I see has wine on it, however, even in very casual (read “cheap”) restaurants. Many times that wine is cheaper than the soda.
For all the rumors I’ve heard that many European servers, especially in France, don’t like American tourists, I’ve rarely experienced anything less than wonderful service. They are attentive and genuinely seem like they want to make all their customers happy. One waiter I chatted with in Paris said he longed to come to America because he’d heard the food was so good here. Where here? Walnut Creek, California, about a half hour from where I live. As much as I love Europe and its magnificent cuisine, that comment made me realize what I easily take for granted sometimes.
This is the first column where I will be talking about eating experiences in Europe, of which I’ve had plenty. I hope you’ll come along as my “ipartner,” enjoying the foods I’ve experienced and the interesting restaurants, cafes, and pubs where I’ve experienced them.

We8there.com is the largest web-based open forum, restaurant, hotel, and bed and breakfast review site in the world. we8there.com® is dedicated to real people not paid reviewers and real reviews written by everyday patrons. You will also find a listing of restaurants, hotels and B&Bs that have submitted their own description to help you make an informed decision when choosing a dining or lodging experience. Remember you have the power to make a difference and a decision at we8there.com®!

2010-07-04T12:00:00.001-07:00

The internet can be your best friend or hang you out to dry. This is because photos and descriptions posted on-line can be really confusing or better yet downright deceitful. Look, if you are reading this article there is a pretty good chance that you have either used the internet to search for lodging and/or make a reservation for travel or know someone who has. And lets be honest, the internet is one cool invention. But it does have its down side.

I needed to go to Los Angeles to attend a graduation but searching for reasonable accommodations in Southern California can be somewhat of a challenge. Not due to a lack of hotels or motels, there is certainly no shortage of lodging, it’s just where you choose to stay and lay your head. Some of the hotels/motels hire people to write about their establishments to make them sound great, they use words like luxury accommodations, newly refurbished, and minutes from popular attractions. What they often fail to mention are words like near a seedy neighborhood, we have a hooker stroll nearby, plenty of freeway noise or my favorite “you may have to check in through a nighttime, registration window”. Which brings me to my stay at the Willow Inn Motel in Rancho Dominquez, California, at least that’s what the Willow Inn used as its mailing address, although all the street signs read Compton. Now, when you view the pictures and read the reviews posted by lodgers it seemed like a fairly nice place, but when I arrived to the hotel, I’m sorry, I mean motel, around 9pm after a just completing 6-hour drive down from San Francisco I walk up to the lobby doors where there is a sign that says lobby closed use nighttime registration window ….WTH??? a registration window? What’s next a hooker stroll? Then after ringing the bell, a man appears at the window and asks me, “cash, check, or charge”? Really?? I can see the lobby and it looked just the photos on the website. I asked the man behind the glass if I could step into the lobby to complete the checking in process, His response was simply, “the lobby is closed”!

Now under normal conditions, I would be running and screaming away from this place and checking into someplace with a restaurant located in the lobby but now, I was just curious to see where this adventure would take me. The man behind the window, (excuse me), bullet-proof glass, asked me for my Identification and credit card. He actually seemed surprised that I had both. I was hit with the real surprise after swiping my credit card, I was presented with a receipt for the length of my stay and I was asked to sign the credit card receipt. Now, never in my entire career I have ever been asked to pay for my stay in advance. Typically, when I check into a hotel, a hold is placed on my credit card and when I check out of the hotel, they bill my credit card, that how it’s always been. When I inquired as to why I was being billed for my stay in advance, the man behind the window in a rather thick Indian accent, explained to me that he had merely placed a “hold” on my credit card and that I was not being charged for the entire stay. Now, I am a pretty sharp guy and I happen to know that you don’t sign for “holds” on your credit card, at least not as far as I can tell. I was given my room key with no instructions on how to find my room in the dark. So this hotel gets a low score for customer service.

The room appeared to be a standard motel room, but it was clear that the owners went through great lengths to give this motel just a little classier feel. The rooms were nicely appointed for a motel room with nice artwork on the walls and above average furnishings. The television was a 27- inch Magnavox with a generic remote. Actually, the room was a pleasant surprise, except for the fact that the online listing offered free WIFI, but the only signal I was able to obtain was from a Starbucks in the next building. I called the front desk, with a bit of annoyance in my voice and asked “Hey your website says free WIFI, I was told, “the WIFI was not working today but if you will come down to the front desk” ,I could get an internet cable. I arrive at the front desk which is really the registration window, the man behind the counter whom I had just spoken with, asked me,” cash check or charge”, Really!! The hotel offered a continental breakfast every morning and it was pretty good, the housekeeping services were very good and all in all it was a reasonable good experience outside of the two details that I mentioned.

2010-02-05T08:10:00.001-08:00

Beethoven was here. It’s a sign I almost expected to see the first time I toured the 19th district of Vienna, Heiligenstadt, which used to be a distant suburb from that great the walled city. Once upon a time if you wanted to make it big in music, you had to come to Vienna, the way today you probably want to live in New York or LA in the U.S. Vienna was home to Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Johann Strauss (the waltz king), Mahler, Bruckner, and others. Many of them are buried in a cul-de-sac in the city’s central cemetery. For those of you who love trivia, it’s the same cemetery where they shot the burial of Harry Lime in The Third Man.

The suburb of Heiligenstadt is a train and then bus ride from the center of Vienna. Heiligenstadt’s most celebrated individual is Beethoven. This was his country get-away 200 years ago, when he got sick of all the annoying counts, archdukes and princes making demands on him. (“Can’t you simplify this violin part? It’s unplayable!”) In one of the houses, which today is a museum, the 31-year-old composer penned a famous document, appropriately called the Heiligenstadt Testament, wherein he discussed his deafness, which many people close to him still didn’t know about. He considered taking his life. But in the end he decided against it, and instead plunged himself into his art with a renewed vigor. Shortly afterwards, his style became grander, more heroic, more defiant, and masterpiece after masterpiece poured forth. Though the document was addressed to his two brothers, Beethoven never actually showed the Heiligenstadt Testament to anyone, and it wasn’t discovered until after his death.

The trip to the house where this document was written can be boring (because you’re basically looking at rooms of furniture, a piano or two, and facsimiles of letters) or deeply moving (because you’re standing at ground zero where music essentially changed, becoming more personal, more triumphant, more Romantic than ever before). I was one of the latter and after paying my respects to the man I consider the greatest composer ever, period, I wanted to get something to eat. Something hearty.

That’s the second reason I was in Heiligenstadt.

There are several lovely, breezy wine gardens located in the town. My favorite is Mayer am Pfarrplatz, and not just because Beethoven officially stayed here and dined here on some of his trips. The food is terrific—and cheap. It’s typical Austrian/German fare—smoked meats, potatoes, schnitzel, bread and lots of vegetables—washed down with a Heurige, which means “this year’s (white) wine” as well as the tavern or wine garden where it’s served. (Vienna produces lots of wine—there are more than 1,700 acres of vineyards within the city limits.) And there must be a law that says every wine garden needs an old man who sits off to the side and plays the accordion. It’s not Beethoven, but it made the evening feel that much more authentic.

The style is buffet. You sit outside. To get your food, you go inside. Portions are generous so make sure you eat lightly that day prior to your arrival, or you’ll find you have to turn down the scrumptious desserts—strudel with lots of whipped cream, and chocolate éclairs to die for, and some very tasty cookies. I felt guilty for not walking, or jogging, back to the center of town.

I love Heiligenstadt for a number of reasons. The wine bars are chief among them. The atmosphere is just what you’d imagine when you think tranquil food and drink in the beautiful Viennese outdoors. The prices are great. And everywhere you step, there is history, especially musical history.

In a nearby park there’s a statue of Beethoven. I really like this monument. Unlike many of the statues of Mozart which dot Vienna (and Salzburg) and which portray him as almost an Olympian bon vivant, tall and graceful (which he was not), this shows its subject in a characteristic pose, walking, hunched over in thought, carrying a small notebook behind his back. This is how Beethoven looked as he strolled through the village, planning masterpieces in his head. He even wrote a whole symphony that describes, in music, the flight from the city to the beautiful countryside for some peace and tranquility—his Symphony No. 6, the Pastorale. Today Heiligenstadt is not the quiet getaway it was 200 years ago—cars are everywhere, there’s more noise pollution than there ought to be, and I feel they really ought to make the area pedestrians-only. Still, for a beautiful evening with great food, you can’t beat this place.

John Grabowski
We8there.com

2009-10-17T14:30:00.001-07:00

There are so many different ways to rate a restaurant, you can rate the food or the service, you can even rate the atmosphere, but these are all subjective opinions. You have the option of either giving the business a high rating or a low rating, it all depends upon your mood or the mood of your server on any particular day. However, I’m going to suggest a new way to rate restaurants and this method is either a pass or fail, there is no in-between. This rating system has to do with rating restaurant restrooms. Please read on...

Before I sit down to eat, even at the finest restaurants, one the very first things that I do is make a little visit to their facilities, restroom, that is. Why? Well it's simple, the restroom in a restaurant can tell you a lot about the cleanliness of the kitchen more often than not. If the restroom is filthy and smelly there is a very strong chance the floor of the kitchen is sticky, the counters are dirty or even worse. Many years ago, I worked in the food service industry, everything from fast food restaurants to full service restaurants. I have friends who either own or work in various restaurants, who are deeply entrenched in the food service industry in every aspect from busboys and wait staff to executive chefs. So you can say I know my way around a kitchen.

How many times have you been in a restaurant restroom and read the signs asking that everyone wash their hands after using it? The signs are there as a reminder to the employees to always wash their hands before returning to work because unwashed hands harbor germs and bacteria that can be easily spread. My point is, if there is no soap or hot water in the bathroom, you have to wonder how the employees are washing their hands. The thought may have never crossed your mind, but I want you to think about that the next time you order a hand tossed anything. Yes, there is always a chance that there is a cleaning station in the kitchen for the chefs and cooks to clean up before handling food, but if you see a sign in the restaurant restroom advising the employees to wash their hands, rest assured that you are sharing the restroom with the restaurant staff.

So what do you do if you enter a restroom of a restaurant and it’s filthy? Restaurant experts say turn around and leave if the restaurant restroom is less than hygienic! Every business establishment(and home) has a down day where their bathroom might be a bit of a mess, but you can certainly tell the difference as to whether this is a permanent state of filth and dirt or just a bad bathroom day. Do not pass go, do not collect the two hundred dollars, (sorry I had a Monopoly moment). This simple, common sense precaution may save you from catching a food bourne illness, which we all know, is no fun at all. So, if you follow the new restaurant rating system I just suggested, you will notice your list of acceptable restaurants will begin to shrink and what you see will open your eyes, I promise !!
One more thing, is it me or have hairnets become a thing of the past? I have observed that in more and more restaurants, food handlers are not complying with food handling rules, by not wearing hairnets. I personally have found hair in my meals on several different occasions and most recently in my 5 year-olds food...not cool!

2009-05-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

Reviews we can't post but we thought we should share them with our readers!

Think (name withheld) in Camp Hill, Pa is delicious? You might think again after you read this…. Great service and a personal experience ? That is if you realize she is adding at least an additional .05 to .10 tax on every bill, like I said at the least. She also pockets all or at least ½ the tips from every table if you work for her. Wonder why the constant employee turn over? She steals tips off the tables as well. If you leave the heat on forget to charge a customer for a drink or break something she also makes you pay for it after she already takes ½ of the tips. Her kitchen employees are illegal. She doesn't pay them she just provides an employee apartment. Her front house employees are all paid under the table just from tips so she doesn't have to pay taxes or claim all the profits. She is always adding additional charges to customer's bill like bread they didn't order. They order one piece she puts a whole basket on the check which isn't even listed in the menu. There were many customer's upset with her about this who said they never ordered it and she said well you ate it and didn't say anything. Hence, the customer's didn't know how much bread came in an order. She only allows select customers to use coupons. If you do not notice the large sign 15% off all take-out on the front window, you only get that discount if you bring it to their attention. Otherwise, they said don't honor it. They save all the food that sat out all day on the buffet and either serve it for dinner or put it back on the buffet the next day. No gloves or hair nets are ever used in the kitchen. The Tandoori chicken and many other dishes are made on the floor in the kitchen. Their tomato soup and many other foods just like their Indian pickles are packaged. She put fresh fennel seeds out if the front of the restaurant one day from their dirty office, and there were bugs crawling all through them.She says that Asians are superior and smarter than Americans. She had a male working in front of the restaurant in November 2008 and said she fired him because he was gay. She seemed the think this was perfectly legal. Would you ever think she would take advantage of a blind person? Well she does she has a blind customer that comes in with a female she writes their check for them and their bill is always about $80.00. had worked for her on and off again for 2 years this is the longest I ever worked for her and found the truth in how they behave. If a bill is $28.30 it would be $14.50 each she will make it $16.00 each if they want to split it. She always adds atleast a dollar then the bill is split. She also won't split a bill exact she only will divide it by 2 or however many at the table which isn't fair to the customer. The kitchen is filthy they never clean the area underneath where the servers pick up their food, I could go on forever but I just wanted to put out a warning so the next time you are dining out for the evening you may think twice.
A P (05/10/2009) Camp Hill, PA
http://www.we8there.com/anec_detail.php?id=684&cursor=0

2009-02-08T01:28:00.000-08:00

Sitting in a restaurant off the Mendocino Coast and being ignored by the wait staff for what felt like an eternity is how We8there.com was conceived. The year was 1999 somewhere around breakfast time; Carmen Jones and I were sitting in the Sandpiper Restaurant in Gualala, California. We became angry because we could see the server and she could see us, but for somewhere around 10 to 15 minutes, she just walked right past us and never bothered to ask if we wanted a glass of spit or anything.

Believe it or not We8there.com has been online without interruption since September 1999, for the past ten years we have watched websites come and go. Of course as soon as we come up with an idea to put on the web, the dot.com bubble bursts, go figure!

Most of the companies we were partnered up with were closing their doors faster than you can say IPO. Everyone was saying, "wow, we8there.com is incredible," "you're going to make millions," "I wish I had thought of that", the funny thing was that almost everyone except we8there.com was making millions! Every person with something to sell was calling our home office phone trying to sell us something …"Get better rankings", "build up your trust score", "Let us host your account for only a bazillion dollars a month", at first I bought into some of those pitches until I discovered nothing changed, I still had the same ranking and was losing money.

Some of the best talent in the web business came on board to help move we8there.com forward including, Jean-Louis Brunet, who designed our incredible infrastructure; the man is quite simply, a genius! You see, I don't now squat about designing or creating a website, I simply like to create ideas and try to see them to fruition. I am delighted to see them become something more than just an idea. Jean-Louis used his creative genius to make the site safe and fun for the whole family. Jean-Louis introduced me to Connie Seidel, of Seidel and Associates, Connie created the user interface that you see today and he is as well, another extremely talented web designer. Carmen Jones, who co-founded we8there, is a gifted Vice President, who is a virtual wellspring employment and human resource law. Lionel Mosley, our very brilliant CFO, is a 30-year IBM professional who tries to keep me from tossing any money we make down the drain. We have invested a lot of time and energy in an effort to make We8there.com a household name and after 10 years you would think its time to give up. But we will not!!!

We8there.com has a unique niche and a following, when I see we8there.com family members like Ryan Johnson, who has posted more than 530 reviews or Loris F., who is getting close to 100 reviews and all the other new and faithful reviewers, I have to continue to try to make this site as successful as it can be…To all those venture capital firms who log on to we8there.com, (I know that you do, because I read them in our referral logs), take a second or third look. We are happy to forward a business plan, if you are interested. We8there.com is not a flash in the pan website, we here to stay. It's because of our faithful users, that we have remained a strong presence. We8there is here for the people and I hope in 10 more years that I can write another Stanley's Corner and have tons, upon tons of good news… In my bedroom, there is a news article hanging on my wall that says. "Turner Broadcasting acquires We8there Communications for 50 million dollars", I created that article, so I could have some motivation, something to dream about..Little old "me", Stanley Roberts, from Camden New Jersey wanting a dream to come true …

Stanley Roberts We8there.com

2009-01-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

On January 20, 2009, the United States of America swore in its first African American President ever, President Barack Obama…or is it? Some people to this day believe that John Hanson Moor was the First African American President of the United States, this reportedly happened back in 1781-1782. Some of these same people also say that George Washington was actually the 8th President of the United States. If you don’t believe me, just try searching the name, John Hanson Moor.

The fact is this, Barack Obama is now the new “President of the United States” and we will finally see the end to the Bush administration, (at least unless Jeb Bush runs and wins in 2012). There are so many people who thought they would never see an African American U.S President in their lifetime. This list included my mother, Patricia J. Hartley who passed on December 9th 2008 in a Camden, New Jersey Hospital, shortly after Barack was elected to be the 44th President of the United States. On November 5th, I called my mother to see what she thought of an African American winning the office of President, she said, “I never thought I would see the day.” Which was an interesting comment coming from a woman who because of her religious beliefs had never voted a day in her life or even possessed a drivers license…at least, as far as I can recall.

Some 2 million plus people from all around the nation descended upon Washington D.C. via planes, boats, busses; trains and automobiles just to witness this history making event. The Inauguration of Barack Obama, will rival the August 1968 March on Washington D.C, where an estimated 250 thousand people listened to the famous “I have a Dream” speech given by the Rev. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. I am so proud to see so many people coming together in the spirit of “Yes We Can”. I must admit though, I never thought that I would ever see the day when an African American would ever hold a seat in the highest office in the United States. I mean really, just look at the past attempt; There was Shirley Chisholm, who was not only the first African American woman to win a seat in U.S. Congress in 1968, but in 1972, she became the first African American woman to run for President and, of course, there was Jesse Jackson; who campaigned for the Democratic nomination twice, in 1984 and 1988. Some people say these runs secured his place as the pre-eminent black American leader of the era (I beg to differ.) There was Lenora Fulani, she ran as an independent in 1988 and was the first black woman to appear on presidential ballots in all 50 states. She also ran in 1992. There was Alan Keyes in 1996 and 2000 not to forget Carol Moseley Braun. A U.S. senator, Moseley Braun briefly sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, oh yeah, and then there was the Rev Al Sharpton in 2004.

The election of the nations first “Official’ African American President is without a doubt one of the biggest events in the history of the United States. My question is how do we top this or do we? I say, “let’s just bask in the glory for a few months”. Whether Barack Obama is the first African American President or the second, the 44th President or the 51st I still would like to say Congratulations on a job well done and much success in the White House. (Hey, I was just wondering should we still call it “The White House?)

Stanley E. Roberts, Founder, we8there.com

2008-11-21T13:17:00.000-08:00

We found this article listed in http://www.fohbah.com/ We wanted to share it with you!

They Might Bring Hanging Back...

Recently I mentioned how some restaurant review sites, like Yelp in particular, have been used to bludgeon the unsuspecting restaurateur.The way this allegedly works is if (and when) a restaurant gets a negative review there is very little s/he can do about it…unless they respond (positively) to a sales rep who coincidentally contacts the restaurateur, shortly after that negative review appears on the site. (I won’t even go into the idea of “who” is writing such reviews….and “why”…but you can figure that one out when you check the two sites I mention below…)This is a quote from the forum I’ll tell you about in a few moments….” Yelp's sales reps use negative postings as a "lead source" to call the owner and attempt to sell Business Owner Accounts. I received a phone call from a sales rep named ‘Summer’ who stated that negative reviews could be moved to the bottom of the page and possibly removed in the future if I purchased a Business Owner Account. The hypocrisy is legendary, and is further amplified by their removal of my negative "review" of Yelp on their own website. So much for, "The voice of the people" or "Real People. Real Reviews" Yelp hires paid "Yelpers" $15 / dollars an hour to write reviews because their business model is not succeeding. The ads for paid Yelpers can be found on Craigslist in every metro area in the U.S. You could call this, “Paid People . Fake Reviews". (End quote).This post and many more like it from angry restaurant operators are to be found at a site called: www.Yelp-sucks.com .There are so many irate food service owners vis-à-vis Yelp that now there is a class action suit being formed. You can learn more about this by going to: http://yelplawsuit.com/Personally, I would rather see my restaurant posted for review on a site like www.we8there.com for example. I would rather be on a review site that is honest, upfront, straight forward, with a positive track record; one who has been telling it like it is for a few years in this business. I’d even pay for that.The inability to face and answer your accuser is not a fair situation. With some of these sites, it is almost impossible to obtain a fair opportunity or forum to address or explain the complaint….assuming it is a legitimate one. Stories abound about disgruntled employees or spouses who have deliberately placed negative reviews on such sites to try and do the restaurant harm.Then there’s the restaurateur who tries to fool the review site by having a friend or relative put a glowing review on the site to enhance the image of the outlet. This might work for a while; but the owners of the review sites are not stupid. They have their ‘ways’ of determining the authenticity of a review…and they will throw you off the site if they find you cheating.Let’s face it: this is one damn tough business; we have to face the public every day with a smile…and at least look like we mean it. Our customers have huge problems, so folks hope to escape some of them when they come to your restaurant. It’s like going to a movie….to escape the reality of negativity….even just for an hour or two.We have many problems too (food costs, labor shortages, battered economy and so on). But that is what we have to deal with in our business. It comes with our territory. We must separate what we face in our business from why our customers come to us. Our job is to make them feel much better….to head off any problems up front.The best way to protect yourself from a negative review is to make sure you do all you can to please the guest and ask if s/he really did have a nice visit.I know what you’re thinking. We know that most often a customer will not want to unload on you ‘publicly’, right there in the restaurant; but will tell you what s/he thinks you want to hear. That’s human nature.But now they can go home, switch on the computer and dump all over you and your business. You can do everything possible to make sure they are happy; but you can’t please everyone. The unscrupulous or mismanaged review sites make your lives harder; but they can also really help you out too.Take that negative comment…that lemon…and turn it into your own lemonade!Try to get your guests’ email address so you can communicate with them via your blog or newsletters. This way, if you get a negative review on one of those nasty sites like you-know-who, use your blog and/or email lists to address the complaint right up front. Tell your readers ‘your side of the story’. Tell them what really happened, what you’re doing about it and how you hope it won’t happen again.People know you are trying to do your best…especially when you apologize in public and explain what happened. It will make your guests want to give you another try in the future; they will really respect you for your honesty and ability to admit that you were not quite 100% that evening.As for Yelp…don’t concern yourself with that outfit. You all know the old adage about giving an offender enough rope... In my judgment, it’s just a matter of time.© Roy W. MacNaughton, 2008

2008-11-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

They still Keep trying to post fake reviews on we8there.com and we keep catching them, here is the latest batch from a public relations company in New York, called yourpartyplanning.com they tried to post reviews for two different restaurants, our eagle eyed checkers caught them!

Vintage Irving
118A East 15th StreetNew York, NY 10003-2102
Phone: (212) 677-6300

This place is fantastic. Can't say one bad thing about it. Went in with my wife, ordered a bottle of wine- and took our time sipping. We ordered a cheese platter, and then serveral different plates to share. It was lovely. There was no rush to get up and we just sat and hung out for a while. I will return.

Ben Jones

And

The Village Pourhouse
64 Third Avenue New York, NY 10003-5534
Phone: (212) 979 2337

The Village Pourhouse is the perfect blend of sports and games. They have wii, rockband, and I think others.. they have a million tvs to watch all the games. They have tons of beers, and they have good choices for food.

Oscar Gomez

Both reviews were deemed bogus and deleted from the we8there.com database......

2008-04-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

When you begin your search for lodging near Yosemite National Park you will probably find a ton of misinformation from hotel and motel operators, many toting the fact they are located at the gates to the park. The truth is many of those businesses are close, if you consider 30 miles close to anything. However, I did find a lodge that is true to its words. The Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal is only a mile or so from the actual gates to the park, that is if you travel via highway 140 from the town of Mariposa. Yosemite View Park is actually a good place to stay without actually staying in the park.

The last time I stayed at a motel near Yosemite was in the town of Mariposa, again, thirty miles from the gates to the park. I stayed in a Best Western (same owners of the Yosemite View Lodge.) I was unimpressed; Yosemite View Lodge had changed my whole idea of overnight lodging near Yosemite. I stayed in room 2007, which had a loft with a pink spiral staircase (not my first choice of colors). The stairs lead to the loft which had a queen size bed and a television. The main room had a mini kitchen which is a plus when you have children and a flat panel television, not a good one, but nonetheless it was a welcome relief from the normal motel/hotel type televisions. You will be hard pressed to get any cell phone service so check with your carrier. The lodge doesn’t offer internet service, so the nearest internet hot spot is in Yosemite Valley (inside the park) about 14 miles away.

When you check into the lodge if you are looking for any special treatment, forget about it. They will check you in and move on to the next person. I wish I could give them high marks for personal service, but I’ve had better service in some of the smaller lodges I've checked into. Housekeeping appeared to have a shortage of face cloths because after housekeeping cleaned room 2007 they didn’t leave face cloths, only towels (apparently I drew the short straw) but hey, they did wash my dishes…. So, I put in an order for a few face cloths, after all, I had my two little girls with me ages 4 and 10 and needed clean face cloths… None appeared until housekeeping cleaned up the room on the next day, except this time they did not wash the dishes, so I guess you can’t have both.

I really like the Yosemite View Lodge even though it had problems with its service. The rooms are nice and clean, you can’t beat the views, and if you arrive in the winter you might just get to play in the snow. I will have to stay at Yosemite View Lodge in the summer and use one of their many pools; including the inside heated pool the lodge keeps open during those bitter cold winters. After all, you are two thousand feet above sea level. BTW: The entrance fee to Yosemite National Park is 20 dollars per car load, which is good for seven days and is worth every penny.

2008-04-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew up in a small city named Camden in New Jersey. When you enter Camden via the Benjamin Franklin Bridge or the Walt Whitman Bridge there are signs that read: “welcome to Camden watch our rebirth”…. Normally I write articles alerting you of great places one should visit...sadly this is not one of those stories. I really wish I could tell you Camden is a great place to visit and tour, but unless you like taking your life into your own hands, Camden, New Jersey probably should be avoided at all cost.

You see 40 years ago Camden, New Jersey was a rising star. I remember walking the streets in total safety; sometimes leaving the front door unlocked and not having a fear in the world, except for the occasional bully who thought it was fun to smack me around from time to time. I was proud to call Camden my home. I attended John G.Whittier Elementary School on Chestnut Street, moved on to Morgan Village Middle School, and finally graduated from Camden High School, the “Castle on the Hill.” I felt relativity safe attending all three schools. Now each of those schools are encircled by a fence, and by now when you enter my Alma Mater you are met by metal detectors and uniformed security guards.

I had to travel back to Camden this month (February) for a family emergency. My mother, who refuses to leave Camden because all of her friends live here and it is all she knows, had a heart attack and was admitted to Cooper Hospital in Camden. On the night I arrived, my flight touched down at Philadelphia International Airport at 11:02. I headed straight over the Ben Franklin Bridge to the hospital to check on her status and let her know that I was there for her. After visiting my mother I wanted (needed) to see if Camden had changed in any way, so I drove around the old neighborhood to get a firsthand look. Boy was I surprised at what I saw. At 1AM the streets were like a scene from the movie “Night of the Living Dead.” People were walking the streets trying to make eye contact with me or any other car as they passed by. I even saw one guy carrying a vacuum cleaner. Where he was going with a vacuum at 1 o’clock in the morning was a guess, but he didn’t appear as though he worked for a cleaning service.

If you drive around Camden in the daytime, you will see city blocks with either demolished buildings or abandoned homes everywhere. Now to Camden’s credit they are trying to change things. For instance, the city built an aquarium near the riverfront, which includes a symphony hall and an events center that was named Tweeter Center. The events center will soon be called the Susquehanna Bank Center. The old RCA Victor building is now loft apartments where the cost of the apartments doesn’t seem to match the economy of the city. But some of the lofts offer great views of the Philadelphia Skyline, even though they are a few blocks from the Camden County Jail and less than a mile from a state of New Jersey Correctional Facility, which was built on the same land one of my old houses, was located. But alas you can’t put lipstick on a pig and call it beautiful. I wish Camden City officials much luck turning my old city around, but to bring about a rebirth you will need to reeducate your residents. Since the beginning of 2008 there has been more than a dozen murders in Camden, the population of Camden is just over 80,000 residents… Scary!

2007-11-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

This fraudulent review actually made it past our filters and was on line for 6 months (we can't catch them all). The review was found after a random review audit was performed, whch we conduct from time to time targeting random reviews.

Review:
Laguna D'zur International
Cocina de pura passion ( Kitchen with pure passion)
Laguna d'zur International is like restaurant number one, we dine last week and chef is espectaculare, the duck escuisite.
I recommend this restaurant to people to enjoy master cuisine from all over the world, Kaibil Bravo sei numero uno

Review submitted by: Estefan Jesua Velazquez

How we determined the review was submitted by the restaurant is simple, just click this link: http://www.ulladulla.info/lagunadzur/

2007-11-22T10:34:00.000-08:00

Fraudulent reviews just keep coming in. The review posted below never made it past our filters although the poster used a fictitious name. We were able to track the review back to an employee of the business, who just so happens to have the same last name as the chef (go figure).

Review:
"Wow! Amazing experience! Hidden downtown Detroit gem! Great waterfront/riverwalk location with amazing food and impeccable service! Steaks are superb! We asked to meet the chef and Chris Franz was a delight! Can't wait to go back! "

MaryKay Richland

2007-11-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

As We8there.com’s popularity continues to grow so does the amount of fraudulent review attempts we receive. We are committed to maintaining a quality site for restaurants and lodging establishments, but when unscrupulous owners try to bolster their ratings with bogus reviews it undermines our credibility.

We are beginning to take drastic steps to curb this problem. Currently we are stepping up efforts to detect and delete fake reviews. We8there.com has implemented protocols that are now fully in effect. If your restaurant/lodging staff, whether it’s the owner, the general manager, a part time employee, the wife of the executive chef, cooks, busboy or anyone closely associated with the establishment past or present are caught violating our posting policy, we will ban your business for 30 days (first offense) 60 days (second offense) 90 days (third offense) and reserve the option of filing civil charges in the state of California for attempting to undermine the credibility of we8there.com. If you have purchased a Premium Listing and it's determined an employee posted a bogus review, you will forfeit your listing and the business will have to purchase a new listing when the ban has been lifted.

If you read the We8there.com Blog we have posted some of our offenders on what I would like to call our wall of shame. These were attempts at posting fake reviews to bolster the establishment’s ratings, in some cases it was because the establishment received a negative review and they wanted to counter that review. In other cases it was because they just wanted to get listed for free and give their business a positive rating in hopes of increasing business. I completely understand.

If you’re really interested in getting your business on we8there.com we do offer legitimate ways to do so. Check out our premium listings for as little as $70 per year you can list your business and point your customers to we8there.com for honest feedback. It would be easier to read what your customers think about your restaurant and fix the potential problem rather than never knowing the problem. Consider we8there.com as your personal secret shopper.
We are very happy the general public finds we8there.com useful and helpful, that was why I created the site. We will continue to offer quality reviews for both casual and business travelers. Word of mouth has moved us to approximately 2 million hits per month. Just recently an independent website researched multiple sites and determined we8there.com the best place for a business to maximize their exposure. How cool is that? Thank you for using we8there.com and please tell a friend.

2007-11-10T21:59:00.000-08:00

Yet another restaurant (Avocados World Bistro) trying to promote itself on we8there.com with a fake review... we were made aware of this fake review by a helpful user:

Review that was posted:

fabulous food!!!! Authentic flavors. Great wine list, nice range but doesn't break the bank. We also loved the selection of music, which is available for purchase in the restaurant, hard to find European music. Tracy Van Eijl

A very helpful website user pointed this out to us:

It disturbs me that the part-owners wife fakes a review on this website to try to bolster business, I am all for entrepreneurs but to go online and pretend you are a customer of your own restaurant, giving it rave reviews! Give me a break, I guess it shows the true nature, morals, and ethics of the owner(s).... Oh, and by the way, the place does break the bank, be prepared to call your bank the next day... Ad I write this I am reading below that this website does not accept reviews from employees, managers, and owners, It might want to research this one! Chris LiarSmith

2007-11-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Restaurant in Natick - We8there.com
Posted a review about Nicholas restaurant in Natick, MA. We8there.com did not want to post it because as they explained to me in an e-mail, my review was critical so therefore I am probably the competition. ??????? Beware, the website is weird... I honestly thought the reviews that were already there were so perfect that they could not be real. The restaurant is just OK according to other reviews, not the perfect scores these people posted.

We8there.com Response to this posting that was found on multiple websites

Nicholas restaurant in Natick
What the user failed to mention was We8there.com removed close to five reviews of Nicholas Restaurant all posted by him, using a different name for each review but using the same email address. Here are all the different versions of the reviews that were posted. review #1. I like Greek food. I decided to try Nicholas's restaurant. We ordered appetizers. After 20 minutes we had no food, so we tried to call the waitress to find out what was going on. It took at least 10 more minutes to get the waitress to respond. I cannot tell you how rude she was, my party and I felt as if we were imposing on her. We all left, and I cannot believe, nobody at the restaurant even questioned what happened. Needless to say, What a crappy place it is, we will never go back again!!!!! robert xakon

review #2 After passing by this restaurant I noticed that the old Nick's Ice Cream restaurant had changed, no more Drive Inn fare or antique cars, but a sit-down restaurant. After reading reviews we decided to try the greek food. Very different from American tastes, if you are adventurous and want to try something new you need to keep an open mind. Actually, the greek appetizers were quite good, something for a special occassion. The fried scallops were a little dry, but the tuna salad was pretty good. One note on service, it was a little slow but friendly. The restaurant is worth trying out once even if you do not go back. My recommendation is more American food be put on the menu, martha stacks

Review #3 I love greek food. I decided to try Nicholas' restaurant, unusual because one does not expect a greek restaurant in the suburbs. I went with a party of four. We were greeted by a young girl and seated immediately. After many minutes of conversation, we all noted that nobody came to our table. I asked a waitress to please send someone to our table. She told me that my waitress was busy in the kitchen, but she would speak to her.Finally the waitress arrived. She asked what would we like. I asked her why we had to wait so long ( I have been known to be a grump) She said and I quote, " we are really busy tonight, what do you want". I'll tell you, I was shocked!!!. My wife told me to chill out. OK, I get upset at situations like this, but she was so rude. We all ordered our food but I have to tell you... It gets worse. When dinner finally arrived, it was wrong. I ordered Arni Souvlaki, I got Fried Haddock. Although I have nothing against Haddock, it was not what I ordered.So... it gets better. I told the waittress she gave me the wrong meal. She told me "That's what you ordered". I said no, I ordered Souvlaki, not fish. I could not believe what a face she made. She actually walked away towards the bar!!! I shouted out "Miss, Miss" Nobody even came to our table. Although my dining partners were happy with their meals ( althought 1 person ordered Lamb Ribs and received Ckicken Souvlaki), I got upset. My wife told me I need to chill out. After many minutes of conversation, we all agreed that something needed to be done. I called our waitress and asked that she please come to our table. She told me that she has other people to serve and she will be with us as soon as possible. Well, 20 minutes later is as soon as possible. I could not believe the attitude she had. I finally lost it and asked to speak to the manager. She walked away. Almost 20 minutes later, a young girl approached our table and asked us what the problem was. I told her our problem and she actually said the following ( I could not make this up!!), "the manager is in the kitchen and cannot be bothered"OK, judge for yourself, but even though I tend to be somewhat "critical", I really believe there is something wrong with this picture.A testimonial from some average guy...who likes to eat good food!!) Peter Franks

Review#4 After reading all the stellar reviews it makes me wonder why so many people would spend so much time writing wonderful things in such detail...MMM...sounds fishy to me. The reality of this restaurant is that it's OK, it appeals to the Pat Whitley crowd. If you really like fine food, go into Boston. Bill Tilly

Yes we added this reviewer to our wall of shame.

2007-09-06T02:01:00.000-07:00

I went to a Taco Bell the other day… ok there I said it, I went to Taco Bell and the funniest thing happened to me, no I didn’t get screwed in the drive through as Joe Pesci so eloquently put it. What happened was this: after placing my order I noticed a miniature trash receptacle on the counter; when I say miniature I mean it stood about 6 inches from top to bottom. There was a sign on the micro trash can that said if I made you smile please leave a tip. Oh give me a break! Is that what it’s come to now, you make me smile and I give you money, at a Taco Bell?

This whole tip thing has just gotten out of control. Now when you buy something to-go at a restaurant, there is actually a place on the bill to leave a tip, and the funny thing is I feel guilty if I don’t one. Why do we have to tip the person who just poured us a cup of coffee, or the person who reached in an open cabinet and simply placed a bagel in a brown paper bag? TIP means To Insure Proper service. You pouring me a cup of coffee is not TIP worthy. And if you think that pouring me a cup of coffee is tip worthy, please keep reading because I am about to blow the whole lid off this tipping deal. No pun intended.

For the record this is my second article addressing this tipping issue. It seems that everyone wants a tip these days. I am waiting for the day when I get stopped for speeding and after the officer issues me a ticket it will have a tip calculator attached. Ok maybe that’s a little extreme, but I think you get the point. Maybe there should be a code of ethics when it comes to when and when not to leave a tip. I just took a tip quiz on a website I found called expertrating.com and guess what, I failed. I thought I knew the rules of tipping, but now I have a better knowledge of who should get a tip and who should not. I’ll share some of the information I discovered.

First off the hotel concierge who makes your dinner reservation should get at least a five dollar tip. To all the hotel concierges I have short changed, I’m sorry. If you employ the service of a wine steward he should get, get this: 15% of the cost of the bottle of wine. The pizza delivery man gets no less than two dollars. But what about the person who shampoos your hair at the beauty salon? The correct answer is two dollars. While a flight attendant does not get a tip (I knew that) the cocktail waitress at a Vegas casino should get 1 to 2 dollars per round unless you hit the jackpot, then I might just be inclined to give a little bit more.

Now according to expertrating.com there are some big tipping rules that you might not be aware of, and I must admit some of these caught me by surprise. For example your personal trainer, once you reach your goal you are required to tip the trainer 60 to 100 dollars. Your housekeeper should get one week’s pay, but only around the holidays. If you get married you are required to tip your florist 15% of your total bill, which could be significant. Now get this, according to expertrating.com you have no obligation to tip anyone at Starbucks or for that matter any other coffee shop period, so save your money. If you have any more information regarding tipping rules please send them to me at sroberts at we8there dot com.

2007-06-30T02:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I’m kind of dating myself here, but I’m a big fan of the Transformers. I was pretty upset when they killed off Optimus Prime, so imagine my joy when I’m sitting in a theater and the trailer for Transformers with the name Steven Spielberg attached flashed before my eyes. The trailer alone had me hooked, and then as if the movie gods shined upon me and I got to attend a premier of the Transformers in San Francisco, one week before the rest of the world.

I’m sitting in the theater with more than a hundred spectators, a large portion were members of the media, all wondering will the creators get it right because all too often a lot of these old cartoon characters that are brought to the silver screen are such a disappointment and should have been left in a comic book. So what does Transformers offer that the other comic book like companies tried to create but missed the mark? Well first off, special effects. If there was an instant award for special effects I’d present it to the makers of the Transformers. I actually had a tear in my eye as I watched the movie, it wasn’t a tear of sorrow, it was a tear of joy. I was in love with the silver screen all over again.

I’m not going to tell you about the movie I think you should go see it yourself, but if you are a fan of special effects and high tech gadgets and car crashes and things that go boom and trucks and helicopters and fighter jets that can change shape, I can go on because everything that you could ever dream about was in this movie. At some points during the movie the audience actually cheered, ok they cheered and applauded several times, but then again they cheered when the name appeared too which lead me to believe that most people were dating themselves as well.

So what was wrong with the movie? Okay I have to say some of the fight scenes got a little confusing as I tried to figure out who was fighting who, which means that I may have to go back and watch it again (which won’t be a problem) to fully understand the movie. It’s two hours and 23 minutes, but it goes straight to the action within the first two minutes of the show. Although we view them as robots, they like to be called Autobots and Deceptocons. And you actually feel sorry for them during the fight scenes (well only for the good guys.) So should you spend your 7-10 dollars to see the Transformers? I would say yes. When Optimus Prime said his name it sent chills through my body, and for a few seconds I reverted back to a 10 year old, and I said “This is the best movie ever.”

The dialog is witty and at times comical though sometimes getting way too bogged down in the minutia. My favorite was the masturbation reference, which reminded me of a scene from American Pie. The Transformers movie had a lot of cameos like the classic scene with Bernie Mac and the exchange between him and his mother. Oh and the scene with the guys from sector seven kind of felt to me like a scene from Men In Black minus Will Smith.

I can’t say two thumbs up because someone else has the trademark on that, but I definitely give Transformers five unequivocal smiley faces. I would give them six but we don’t go that high. The movie starts July 3rd although some posters say July 4th whatever day it starts I’ll be there again. And when it comes out on DVD I’ll be the first one to buy it. In fact I have Transformers saved as wallpaper on my laptop. Oh and one more thing, I have never seen anyone give a movie a standing ovation until now. It may not be for everyone but it’s definitely the movie for me.

2007-06-30T02:32:00.000-07:00

Flying has changed so much it’s hard to picture how it was 10 years ago. I remember my first flight: I moved from Philadelphia to Salinas, California after receiving an invite from my Uncle Ralph Eugene Roberts; may he rest in peace. I flew on Continental Airlines, which for a while left such impression on me, that it was the only airline I flew by choice. The more I flew, the more I enjoyed it. I remember my first, first-class flight, it was also on Continental and I flew non-stop from Los Angeles International Airport to Philadelphia. They served rack of lamb with mint jelly and we actually used real knives and forks. Yes, there was a time when a plastic knife was a taboo.

That was then and this is now. With the rising cost of fuel and airline tickets, more and more discount airlines are popping up every where, but just as many are quickly vanishing. For example, Song Airlines, was quickly gobbled up by Delta Airlines. Now, if you log onto flysong.com you will be redirected to Delta’s website.
Discount airlines scare the big airline carriers because they sometimes offer last minute cheap tickets. In the past when you needed to take a last minute flight you were required to spend what was tantamount to a first class ticket. But now you can find a last minute ticket for less than three hundred dollars through many discount airlines. For example, I booked a last minute flight through Frontier Airlines from San Francisco to Atlanta, the day before my flight. In the past unless it was a bereavement flight, you still paid about 500 dollars . The cost of my last minute one-way flight was 190 dollars.

Now there is a new breed of discount airlines. Skybus Airlines offers self-service air service, which means you have to pay for any extras and I mean ANY extras. A pillow could cost you three dollars, and you have to check your own luggage. But a plane ticket will cost you only 10 dollars. Okay, only 10 seats are available at that price. Skybus does not have a phone number and is a completely no frill airline service based in Ohio. Some are calling it the Greyhound of the sky. I am curious to see how long this company will stay in business or if anyone else will follow suit.

But I guess as long as the air service gets me there without incident all is well. I just hope the no frills service does not include the maintenance or for that matter no frill pilots.

2007-04-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Sustainable Agriculture Certification Program Expands into California
Davis, CA – Tuesday, April 17, 2007—The non-profit organization Food Alliance announced today that it has opened an office in California to certify farms, ranches, food processors and distributors in the state for sustainable practices.
Food Alliance has hired David Visher to represent its program in California. Visher brings broad experience to the position, having been a farmer, managed a produce company, been an educator with University of California Cooperative Extension, and consulted to agricultural businesses on management and regulatory compliance issues. “I’m really pleased to be able to support the nex t wave in sustainable agriculture in California,” said Visher. “Consumer and market expectations are only going up. I think there are real opportunities for growers and processors that can meet Food Alliance standards.”
The move by Food Alliance will also create opportunities for retail and food service companies. “Food Alliance has been very valuable for our operations in the Northwest as they move to source more sustainably grown products,” said Culinary Support and Development Director Marc Zammit of Bon Appétit Management Company, “We look forward to working with Food Alliance in California as well.”
Food Alliance certification standards for farmers and ranchers include:
Safe and fair working conditions
Healthy and humane care for livestock
No hormones or non-therapeutic antibiotics
No genetically modified crops or livestock
Reduction of pesticide use and toxicity
Conservation of soil and water resources
Protection of wildlife habitat
Planning for continuous improvement
Certification standards for “handlers,” including food processors and distributors, address:
Handling of Food Alliance certified products
Safe and fair working conditions
Conservation of energy
Conservation of water
Responsible solid waste management
Reduction of toxic and hazardous materials
Quality control and food safety
Planning for continuous improvement
Businesses that meet Food Alliance’s standards, as determined through a third-party site inspection, use the certification to make credible claims for social and environmental responsibility, in order to differentiate products and to protect and stre ngthen brands.
Food Alliance launched its certification program in 1998 in Portland, Oregon, with a single apple grower selling in three area grocery stores. Today, there are over 270 Food Alliance certified farms and ranches managing over 4.3 million acres of range and farm land, and raising beef, lamb, pork, dairy products, mushrooms, dried beans and lentils, wheat, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Food Alliance has also certified 13 handling operations, including 9 fruit/vegetable processors, a cheesemaker, and three units of a mainline produce distributor.
Food Alliance’s expansion into California has been funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Cedar Tree Foundation. Food Alliance Certified businesses in California currently include the Hearst Ranch and pear processor Ale x R. Thomas & Co. “We’re looking forward to building a strong presence in California,” said Food Alliance Executive Director Scott Exo, “And to helping more farmers, ranchers, and food processors add value to their products with verified claims for social and environmental responsibility.”
Contacts:
Scott Exo(503) 493-1066, ext 30 Scott@FoodAlliance.org
David Visher(530) 852-7188 David@FoodAlliance.org
Marc Zammit(650) 798-8062 MarcZ@bamco.com

2007-03-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

Pine, Colo. (March 30, 2007) – The Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) is seeking hundreds of volunteers willing to sacrifice either a few days or a week to help to complete the national treasure that stretches from Canada to Mexico , the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).

“We’re looking for people who enjoy activities like digging new trail and moving rocks of various shapes and sizes,” said CDTA’s Director of Vounteer Programs, Susan Westhoff . “It’s a great chance to meet new friends, enjoy spectacular scenery, have a one-of-a-kind outdoor adventure and participate in one of the largest conservation projects in the nation’s history.”

Since its inception in 1995, the CDTA’s ambitious volunteer trail building program has put more than 8,500 volunteers on the ground. This year, nearly 60 projects are planned in all five CDT states, Montana , Idaho , Wyoming , Colorado , and New Mexico , at elevations ranging from 4,000 feet to 13,000 feet.

Running from Canada to Mexico along the backbone of America , the 3,100 mile-long Continental Divide Trail will be the most significant trail system in the world when complete. Building the trail mile-by-mile, CDTA volunteers have made enormous progress, but much work remains to be done. Last year, volunteers logged 31,225 hours valued at $563,255 of volunteer labor. Often hiking miles through the backcountry to a project site, volunteers build new tread, repair eroded and damaged sections of Trail, and construct bridges and trailheads.

Volunteers of all skill levels and backgrounds are needed to build and repair trail, scout planned routes, or serve as Crew Chefs (cooks). No prior experience is necessary. While some projects require backcountry experience, many offer vehicle accessible campsites. Meals are provided on about half of our projects. Though the work can be challenging, CDTA Crew Leaders ensure that everyone has a fun and rewarding experience.

This year’s trail projects range from the New Mexico desert to the high peaks of the Colorado Rockies to the majestic scenery of Glacier National Park . The 2007 CDTA Volunteer Program offers backcountry adventure, a way to give back, and a chance to be a part of history as the CDTA builds momentum to complete this national treasure.

To learn more about this year’s volunteer opportunities or to download a copy of the 2007 Volunteer Guide, go to www.cdtrail.org/getinvolved . For more information on this program or for a free copy of the 2007 Volunteer Guide or, please call (888) 909-CDTA or email volunteer@cdtrail.org .
______________

The Continental Divide Trail was established by Congress as a National Scenic Trail in 1978. When complete, the “King of Trails” will be the most significant trail system in the world. Stretching 3,100 miles along the backbone of America from Canada to Mexico , it accesses some of the most wild and scenic places left in the world while conserving the environment and promoting personal well being.

Since 1995, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance has played a central role toward the completion, management and protection of the Trail and it is the voice for unity in the diverse story of the Trail.

For more information about the Continental Divide Trail, call (303) 838-3760 or toll-free 1-888-909-CDTA (2382). Or visit www.cdtrail.org .

2007-03-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)
The day may soon come when you show up at just about any San Francisco restaurant to find the doors closed and the lights off.
Restaurant owners say they're considering a citywide protest in which all eateries would close for a day. The restaurateurs say San Francisco's newly increased minimum wage is among the factors putting some of them out of business.
"What margin?" Chef Dan Scherotter said when KRON 4's Cindy Chen asked him about his restaurant's profit margin. "There is no margin. That's why restaurants close so often."
Scherotter says a quarter of the money he takes in goes for food, 40% pays for personnel, and most of the rest goes for overhead and upkeep.
"The public has the ability to vote on something like health care or sick pay and they're good social programs," Golden Gate Restaurant Association spokesman Kevin Westlye told KRON 4's Cindy Chen. "The question is, do they consider at that moment at the ballot box the ramifications?"
Westlye's group runs about 800 San Francisco restaurants. Now they're trying to figure out when to close the eateries for a night.
"Do we do it when we would get the most impact that is, when there's a very large convention in town?" Westlye wonders. "Or do we respect their hard work because this is really not aimed at them? This is really a message for the public that lives here."
The stoppage is likely to be called with no notice, so even if you're planning a night on the town, you had better make sure there's something to eat in the refrigerator as well.

2007-02-09T00:23:00.000-08:00

Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / David Perry(415) 693-0583, news@davidperry.com

6th Annual "Wine and Wishes" Gala Raises $650,000 for Make-A-Wish

8 February 2007, San Francisco: Wine and Wishes 2007, an event that benefits the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation ( www.makewish.org) , far exceeded the event committee’s expectations. Combining contributions from ticket sales, live and silent auctions, corporate sponsorships, and cash donations, the event raised $650,000 to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. This represents an 8% increase over last year. An additional $290,000 was contributed in in-kind donations. Now in its sixth year, the event sold out months in advance and has developed a reputation for providing a lavish sampling of the Bay Area’s best wineries and restaurants.

"For the third consecutive year I have had the privilege to announce that every dollar raised by this event will go directly to granting wishes," said Patricia Wilson, Executive Director of Make-A-Wish. "We have developed a loyal following of supporters over the past six years, and are extremely grateful to our patrons, corporate sponsors and in-kind contributors who are responsible for the event’s success."

Held this past Saturday, February 3rd on Treasure Island, Wine and Wishes featured a gourmet four-course meal created by four of the Bay Area’s top celebrity chefs, including Bart Hosmer, Parcel 104; Roland Passot, La Folie; Xavier Salomon, Executive Chef and William Werner, Pastry Chef, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay; and Quentin Topping, Tanglewood. In addition, distinguished chefs from over 25 other restaurants, including Bacar, Farallon, Millennium and One Market, offered a sumptuous array of hors d’oeuvres during the Tasting portion of the event. Thirty-five wineries, including Far Niente, Patz & Hall, Nickel & Nickel Winery, and Saintsbury delighted those in attendance with their signature wines.

Over a third of the revenue from Wine and Wishes came from the silent and live auctions, bringing in $263,000. The top lot this year was a weeklong culinary experience in Tuscany. Two other lots that brought in high revenue were an American Idol experience including tickets to the show’s taping, and a wine country trip planned and hosted by Chef Roland Passot. Next year’s Wine and Wishes will take place on Saturday, February 2, 2008.

About the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation:In 2007, the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation® celebrates 23 years of fulfilling magical wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. One of the largest chapters nationwide, it has granted over 4,000 wishes in its 17 Northern California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Solano and Sonoma. In August 2005, the Chapter was recognized with a coveted "Best in America Seal of Excellence" award, the first Make-A-Wish Chapter to achieve this distinction for its outstanding management and governance practices. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal. For more information, please call (800) 464-9474 or visit www.makewish.org

2007-02-04T22:11:00.000-08:00

Many children in the world may never reach the age of 20 because they have life-threatening illnesses. These range from sickle cell anemia to leukemia, just to name a few. There are more than 150 organizations worldwide that give these kids a chance to enjoy life by granting their wishes. One organization that stands out as the leader for granting children with life-threatening illnesses their wishes is the Make a Wish

Foundation.

In 2005 the Make a Wish Foundation granted more than 12,500 wishes, with many of wishes trips to Disney's theme parks. The average cost of a single wish is more than six thousand dollars. Of every dollar donated, 79% goes toward granting wishes, which is more than can be said for some well known charities. To qualify for a wish, the child has to be 2-1/2 to 18 years old and be doctor certified with a life-threatening condition. Any race or socio-economic status is accepted.

I just attended the Wine and Wishes 2007 Charity Benefit for the San Francisco Chapter of Make a Wish. This gala included some of the great restaurateurs, and vintners from around Bay Area. Presenting chefs included names like, Nate Appleman of A16, Arnold Eric Wong of bacar, and Mark Franz of Farallon Restaurant. Guests were able to sample food and drinks while they placed bids at the silent auction, which included weekend getaways and cases of top shelf wines, fine pearls, and even a signed Joe Montana football jersey. All the money raised went toward granting wishes to children whose lives might not allow them to live and enjoy life as normal children might.

The wine and food tasting was just one of the events - there was the Wine and Wishes Winemaker Dinner which began after the tasting event. A band of chefs called the Back Burner Blues Band, included Chef Joey Altman, who was once one of we8there.com's featured chefs. The dinner was a three course meal. The first course was Three Beets, Two Nuts and a Pear (I'm not making this up). The second course was Cedar Planked Scallops with a Deconstructed Clan Chowder, and the third course was Roasted Veal Loin with a Chanterelle and sweetbread Crepinette, Sunchoke Puree, Horseradish Veal Jus. Dessert there was Salad of Citrus Confit, Caramel Ganache and smoked salt. Our wine glasses were never empty from the moment we entered the door.

After dinner was the auction with items up for bid that would rival lifestyles of the rich and famous. (Nothing that I could afford, but it was nice to dream.) One of my favorites was life in the fast lane, where five of your friends would be treated to a fleet of high performance luxury cars (Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati) for a weekend as you toured the wine country Italian style. Opening bid $2,000. I didn't stick around long enough to see how the bidding went, but If I had the money, there were a few items I might have bid on. However, I'm a journalist and we don't make that kind of money. Let me rephrase that. Most of us don't make that kind of money. If you are feeling charitable, the Make a Wish foundation is the way to go. Although I am still a big fan of donating to food shelters, since the birth of my three year old I have a soft spot in my heart for the little ones. Reporting from San Francisco's Treasure Island I'm Stanley Roberts of We8there.com. www.makewish.org

2007-01-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Stanley Roberts Restaurant Tour

At Backroads, we love to eat – from exotic ethnic dishes to all-American comfort food and just about
everything in between. Over the years we’ve sampled wonderful dishes in dozens and dozens of restaurants in Northern California.
Today, we’re going to try a few more. And we’re going to do it in the company of a terrific guy who does not just eat to live, he lives to eat!
Stanley Roberts loves good food. He loves seafood, ice cream, pancakes and cheese steaks, just to name a few. Stanley loves food so much he’s created a web site to help other people find exceptional eateries.
The site, “we8there.com,” has thousands of reviews written by real people, rather than paid critics.
“Word of mouth is king,” Stanley explains. “If you don’t like something, you’ll tell a million people.
If you like something, you’ll tell one person. We8there, we’re trying to change that. If you like something we want you to tell you a million people.”
Since 1980, Stanley has been working up a big appetite as a photojournalist. Today, he’s taking a day off to show us four of his favorite places to eat in San Francisco.
Our first stop is on the Embarcadero. Java House serves breakfast and lunch all day, every day. The hamburgers and pancakes are popular, as are the prices. We have hearty helpings of pancakes, eggs and nice crisp bacon. The food sure is good and so is the friendly atmosphere.
Owner Phillip Papadopoulos, his wife Susie and their daughter Maria treat customers like extended members of their family. The Papadopoulos family has owned Java House since 1983, but the restaurant has been here since 1912, when the area was a busy, working waterfront. I ask Maria why the restaurant has endured so long.
“It’s because it’s the last part of what was the great history of San Francisco,” she says. “We try to retain that part of the character of the waterfront.”
With the fun characters and the good food, it’s tempting to stay at Java House right through lunch. But Stanley has something else in mind – a taste of Philadelphia. We got to Lower Pacific Heights and a little restaurant that serves up big, sloppy sandwiches. It’s called the Cheese Steak Shop and for Stanley, who grew up in Philadelphia, coming here is like coming home.
“I go on a mission,” Stanley says. “My mission in life is to find the best Philly cheese steak places outside of Philadelphia.”
Stanley says these cheese steaks are the best ones you can get in San Francisco. They’re loaded with chopped meat, chopped grilled onions, and American cheese. It’s a tasty combination and an authentic one. The rolls are flown in from Philadelphia and the restaurant offers both sweet and hot peppers, just like they do ‘back East.’ Next, we try a ‘hoagie,’ a Philadelphia specialty that is loaded with Italian meat, cheese, lettuce and onions and oil. But my favorite is the ‘cheese hoagie’ with provolone and American almost an inch thick. I’m getting full, but Stanley has one more hometown treat for us.
“I cannot have the Philadelphia experience unless we include Tastykake,” Stanley says, as he unwraps some of the baked goods. They’re hard to find in California, but they’re worth the search. They are very flavorful, but not too sweet.
Our next stop is full of sweet indulgences. Mitchell’s Ice Cream, on the edge of the Mission, is one of San Francisco’s finest dessert destinations. People come from all over to taste the rich ice cream and unique flavors that are made here daily. Linda Mitchell helps run the shop that her father Larry opened back in 1953. Linda and Larry tell me mango has been the most popular flavor over the years, “hands down.” Stanley and I sample the best-seller and we can’t resist trying a few other flavors – including vanilla, egg nog, and rum raisin – as long as we’re here. All the flavors are delicious and creamy. The secret is 16 percent butterfat!
Our final stop sits deep in the Sunset. Thanh Long is believed to be San Francisco’s oldest Vietnamese restaurant; it opened in 1971. Although Thanh Long has a full menu, many people come here just to get the restaurant’s two signature dishes – roasted Dungeness crab and garlic noodles. The two recipes are closely guarded by the An family, which owns Thanh Long. In fact, the Ans built a second kitchen, sealed off to everyone but family members who prepare the dishes and push them out a hole in the wall. Just a taste reveals that these are secrets we’d love to learn! The crab and the noodles are alive with flavor. They’re buttery, but not too buttery and garlicky but not overwhelming.
After dinner, we meet co-owner Hannah An, one of the few people who knows exactly what happens inside that secret kitchen. Hannah’s grandmother brought the secret recipes with her went she left Vietnam in the 1970’s. And Hannah’s not about the spill the secrets. We’ll just have to come back to Thanh Long the next time we crave roasted crab.
For more information about dining at Thanh Long, call 415-665-1146 or visit the An’s website: http://www.anfamily.com .
For more information about Mitchell’s Ice Cream, call 415-648-2300 or log on to www.mitchellsicecream.com .
The Cheese Steak Shop has several locations in the Bay Area. You can find them online at http://cheesesteakshop.com or by calling 510-724-7100. You can reach Java House by calling 415-495-7260.

2007-01-02T21:37:00.001-08:00

It’s 2007 and it seems we have finally caught up to the future! Soon you will be able to buy cloned meats at your local supermarket. Here’s the part that scares me, some expert went on record saying “there is absolutely nothing wrong with cloned meats, so we don’t believe the meat requires any special warnings.” I strongly disagree with that philosophy and the idea of selling cloned meats, and even more, not marking the meat as cloned. All of a sudden the vegan thing is looking so much better to me

How many times have we heard ‘there’s nothing wrong with this product’ – only to hear about a recall because they’ve found a problem? What’s wrong, cows aren’t reproducing fast enough, that now we have to call in scientists? I guess soon we will have designer cows. Imagine this, you go to some swanky restaurant and order a Louis Vuitton filet mignon, specially cloned with the trademark Vuitton logo, for lets say, 500 dollars a cut. I can see the lines forming for the next seating. Or even better yet, Albertsons opens a special designer cloned food section, which could mean that regular meats will now be found in the generic food section.

Here’s what I think, if cloned meats were labeled as cloned, there would be a lot of unsold Angus on the refrigerated shelves. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration claims that American consumers won’t mind. I hate to break this to powers that be, but last time I checked I was a consumer, and I do mind. BTW, I know at least a couple dozen other consumers who “mind” as well.

I’m personally open to try anything once, within reason, but I think it’s only fair that I know what I am buying. You as the consumer should also be aware of what you’re buying, just in case someone twenty years from now discovers that cloned beef, pork, lamb or whatever they decide to clone next, actually has problems. That way we don’t have 200 million plus people wondering if they need to get a special cloned meat shot. What I mean is this, if I never eat cloned meats and it turns out there was a problem with designer meats, I won’t be affected.

It’s the future; I would have preferred the flying car rather than designer meats! Welcome to 2007 and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2006-12-01T07:29:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of traveling down south to Mexico or traveling up north to Canada, their both great countries to visit. Since I don't have to go through whole rigmarole of having to have my passport stamped every time I visit, it makes it so much better; all I needed to do was show my California drivers license or my birth certificate to re-enter the United States. But thanks to "The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004" that will all be a thing of the past.Beginning January 23, 2007, every U.S. citizens traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid U.S. passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, children too, but at least the government has a sense of humor, you notice the date is not January 1st, they want to give the New Year's partygoers one last fling before you have to register with the government. Because if your not registered with the United States Government you will not be able to leave or re-enter the country.There is a catch, this rule is only for travelers who fly and not those who walk or drive across the border, so if you are fond of your casual stroll across international borders you will get one more year to walk home drunk. If you've ever been to Tijuana you will understand that last sentence.Under a different program, Homeland Security plans to require all travelers entering the U.S. by land or sea, including Americans, to show passports, starting as early as January 2008. No more three day cruises without a passport.The Homeland Security Department estimates that about one in four Americans has a passport. The cost for a new passport is about $97 per person, a pretty steep price if you're on a budget.The US Government think the price won't be a problem at all, because data revealed that in September 2006, 90 percent of passengers leaving from Canadian airports had passports. The department of Homeland security estimated that 69 percent of U.S. air travelers to Canada, 58 percent of U.S. travelers to Mexico, and 75 percent of U.S. travelers to the Caribbean hold passports.Also in 2008 if you are a single parent, you will need a document from the other parent allowing you to take the child out of the country. This is the governments attempt to keep custody battles from getting out of hand, and one or the other family member taking the child out of the country without permission.See you in 2007, from everyone at We8there.com have a happy holiday season!

2006-10-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

I am on strike, and I want you to join the strike with me. I promise that you will not have to stand on a picket line and I promise that there will be a firm date to end this strike! The work stoppage will end on November 25 at midnight. After midnight on that date, you can resume normal activity.
I am protesting the proliferation of Christmas decorations; in?let?s say...October!! In some cases, I have either seen or read about Christmas decorations being placed out as early as late August. I used to joke that as soon as we finish with the Independence Day celebrations, shops move right to the Christmas decorations, I?m starting to think that its not a joke anymore. I am getting a little annoyed by this phenomenon. Don?t get me wrong, I?m not going to get on my soap box and preach about Christmas being about Jesus and sprit of giving, blah, blah, blah. But I am going to say that this Christmas should not be about how much corporations and retailers make so that they can finish out their year in the black.
Already were seeing fights in Target Stores over the newest ?Tickle Me Elmo? dolls that laugh. What in God?s name is happening here? Why in God?s name are we fighting over frickin? dolls? There should be a natural order for holiday promotions starting with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas! Not Christmas, Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and then more Christmas followed by after Christmas sales. The truth is I really think we skipped Thanksgiving last year. Yeah, I saw the Macy?s Turkey Day Parade and there was very little mention of Thanksgiving. After Halloween, we basically went straight to Christmas.
So here is what I want you to do, I want you to take a pledge that you will not spend one red cent of you hard earned money on Christmas, until black Friday, or November 25 which ever comes first. I want you to decorate your house for Thanksgiving this year and remember those who may not have a family to spend the holidays with. If you?re one of our readers from a country other than America, then celebrate that holiday, whether it is Independence Day in Finland on December 6th , National Heroes' Day in the Philippines, or Kinro-Kansha-No-Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day) in Japan, hold on to your Christmas spending money until the beginning of the official Christmas season.
So grab your picket signs and join in on the protest make a pledge to keep with tradition and start your Christmas shopping when it is appropriate, the day after Thanksgiving, and not a day earlier. Send us an email and tell me how you plan on spending your Thanksgiving this year, oh and enjoy your Halloween. Have a wonderful and enjoyable holiday season!

2006-09-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Stanley Roberts Restaurant Tour

At Backroads, we love to eat ? from exotic ethnic dishes to all-American comfort food and just about everything in between. Over the years we?ve sampled wonderful dishes in dozens and dozens of restaurants in Northern California.
Today, we?re going to try a few more. And we?re going to do it in the company of a terrific guy who does not just eat to live, he lives to eat!
Stanley Roberts loves good food. He loves seafood, ice cream, pancakes and cheese steaks, just to name a few. Stanley loves food so much he?s created a web site to help other people find exceptional eateries.
The site, ?we8there.com,? has thousands of reviews written by real people, rather than paid critics.
?Word of mouth is king,? Stanley explains. ?If you don?t like something, you?ll tell a million people.
If you like something, you?ll tell one person. We8there, we?re trying to change that. If you like something we want you to tell you a million people.?
Since 1980, Stanley has been working up a big appetite as a photojournalist. Today, he?s taking a day off to show us four of his favorite places to eat in San Francisco.
Our first stop is on the Embarcadero. Java House serves breakfast and lunch all day, every day. The hamburgers and pancakes are popular, as are the prices. We have hearty helpings of pancakes, eggs and nice crisp bacon. The food sure is good and so is the friendly atmosphere.
Owner Phillip Papadopoulos, his wife Susie and their daughter Maria treat customers like extended members of their family. The Papadopoulos family has owned Java House since 1983, but the restaurant has been here since 1912, when the area was a busy, working waterfront. I ask Maria why the restaurant has endured so long.
?It?s because it?s the last part of what was the great history of San Francisco,? she says. ?We try to retain that part of the character of the waterfront.?
With the fun characters and the good food, it?s tempting to stay at Java House right through lunch. But Stanley has something else in mind ? a taste of Philadelphia. We got to Lower Pacific Heights and a little restaurant that serves up big, sloppy sandwiches. It?s called the Cheese Steak Shop and for Stanley, who grew up in Philadelphia, coming here is like coming home.
?I go on a mission,? Stanley says. ?My mission in life is to find the best Philly cheese steak places outside of Philadelphia.?
Stanley says these cheese steaks are the best ones you can get in San Francisco. They?re loaded with chopped meat, chopped grilled onions, and American cheese. It?s a tasty combination and an authentic one. The rolls are flown in from Philadelphia and the restaurant offers both sweet and hot peppers, just like they do ?back East.? Next, we try a ?hoagie,? a Philadelphia specialty that is loaded with Italian meat, cheese, lettuce and onions and oil. But my favorite is the ?cheese hoagie? with provolone and American almost an inch thick. I?m getting full, but Stanley has one more hometown treat for us.
?I cannot have the Philadelphia experience unless we include Tastykake,? Stanley says, as he unwraps some of the baked goods. They?re hard to find in California, but they?re worth the search. They are very flavorful, but not too sweet.
Our next stop is full of sweet indulgences. Mitchell?s Ice Cream, on the edge of the Mission, is one of San Francisco?s finest dessert destinations. People come from all over to taste the rich ice cream and unique flavors that are made here daily. Linda Mitchell helps run the shop that her father Larry opened back in 1953. Linda and Larry tell me mango has been the most popular flavor over the years, ?hands down.? Stanley and I sample the best-seller and we can?t resist trying a few other flavors ? including vanilla, egg nog, and rum raisin ? as long as we?re here. All the flavors are delicious and creamy. The secret is 16 percent butterfat!
Our final stop sits deep in the Sunset. Thanh Long is believed to be San Francisco?s oldest Vietnamese restaurant; it opened in 1971. Although Thanh Long has a full menu, many people come here just to get the restaurant?s two signature dishes ? roasted Dungeness crab and garlic noodles. The two recipes are closely guarded by the An family, which owns Thanh Long. In fact, the Ans built a second kitchen, sealed off to everyone but family members who prepare the dishes and push them out a hole in the wall. Just a taste reveals that these are secrets we?d love to learn! The crab and the noodles are alive with flavor. They?re buttery, but not too buttery and garlicky but not overwhelming.
After dinner, we meet co-owner Hannah An, one of the few people who knows exactly what happens inside that secret kitchen. Hannah?s grandmother brought the secret recipes with her went she left Vietnam in the 1970?s. And Hannah?s not about the spill the secrets. We?ll just have to come back to Thanh Long the next time we crave roasted crab.

For more information about dining at Thanh Long, call 415-665-1146 or visit the An?s website: http://www.anfamily.com/ .
For more information about Mitchell?s Ice Cream, call 415-648-2300 or log on to http://www.mitchellsicecream.com/ .
The Cheese Steak Shop has several locations in the Bay Area. You can find them online at http://cheesesteakshop.com or by calling 510-724-7100. You can reach Java House by calling 415-495-7260. For thousands of restaurant reviews written by ?real people,? check out Stanley Roberts? website: http://www.we8there.com/ .

2006-09-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

The John Karr case, in my opinion, is an excellent example of how our legal system is broken. When I say broken, I mean that there needs to be a better way to handle legal cases. This 'NUT' had an obsession with JonBenet Ramsey's murder and had the world believing that he was the killer of that little girl. It ran on the news everyday, as if they had just caught the Lindbergh baby's kidnapper.
Here is my problem with this, the city of Boulder, Colorado sent two officers to Thailand to bring this loser back from Bangkok, flew him in Business class and he was fed gourmet food and champagne. Ok, what was wrong with this picture? I wonder If I were accused of or confessed to a murder and the police came looking for me, would I get to fly business class?. Hell, I?m not accused of any crime at all and I still can?t fly Business class. They then fly this 'character' to Los Angeles, for no other reason than to give the Boulder police time to get their case in order, and you mean to tell me that no one in Boulder Police Department could secure a DNA kit to take to Bangkok. The citizens of Boulder should be livid; this inept District Attorney?s office can?t solve the murder of a child that happened in 1996. The JonBenet case is just one example, lets look at the 'war on drugs' and while I don?t condone the use of any type of drugs, except medical marijuana. I?m beginning to think that this country is fighting a war that is impossible to win. I do a television news show in the San Francisco Bay area aptly named ?People Behaving Badly? and I see first hand how much of a losing battle this is. I have seen crack dealers selling drugs on government property with impunity. I hear about court cases where known drug dealers are set free, while drug users are being jailed and it is no secret that most of the drug addicts are minorities. The population of African Americans in America is 13 percent however the population of African Americans in prison is somewhere around 75 percent, but you knew this already.
There are laws for everything, and we expect the police to keep the peace and the sad truth is they can?t, if all hell broke loose tomorrow, most police agencies would be stretched so thinly that chaos would take over and If you have any doubt about what I?m saying just look at what happened in New Orleans. I recently watched a Spike Lee documentary ?When the Levee Broke?. I thought I knew what happened during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina from watching the news, but that documentary really blew me away.
I am angry and I believe the John Karr case was the last straw for me they should have left him in the Thailand jail mailed a DNA kit to Thailand police officials and if he tested positive they should have then gone to get him. Instead, he got a free ride home courtesy of the Boulder Police Department. Election time is coming and I want to find candidates who realize the system is broken and can think out the box to try to fix at least some of the problems. We should not be flying heinous murder suspects around like movie stars; we should not be cutting the budgets of local police organizations, and we should do our part as citizens to say 'enough is enough'. We should be 'mad as hell and not willing to take it anymore'. These are my thoughts, tell me what you think

2006-07-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Food avaialble at the Gilroy Garlic festival

July 28-30, 2006Gourmet Alley
Calamari Stuffed MushroomsItalian Sausage SandwichPeppersteak SandwichGarlic BreadGarlic Ginger Chicken Stir-FryScampiPenne Pasta Con Pesto

"Throughout Christmas Hill Park: ... Escargot & Marinated MushroomsOysters on the Half Shell Cajun Crawdads Blackened Shrimp & Rice Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya Cajun Fried Catfish Gourmet Garlic Fries BBQ Ribs & Turkey Drums Guacamole with Chips Garlic Ice Cream Ravioli with Garlic Basil Sauce Garlic Jelly Key Lime Calamari Shrimp Quesadillas Garlic Poppers Garlic Veggie Wrap Bruschetta Garlic Frog Legs Fresh Vegetables with Garlic Sauce Garlic Chicken Wings Garlic Chocolate Garlic Kettlekorn French Fried Garlic Artichoke Hearts Garlic Chicken Pizza Garlic Rosemary Chicken Sandwich Rattlesnake, Buffalo, Kangaroo or Wild Boar on a Stick

2006-07-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

GILROY, California--- Micki Pirozzoli's great grandfather didn't have cell phones, the internet or satellite TV when his family moved here in 1868, but the President of the 2006 Gilroy Garlic Festival Association wonders more about the sense of community he experienced in that time.Each July, Gilroy hosts the world famous Garlic Festival, a food and entertainment extravaganza recognized internationally as a model of citizenry working as one to improve their environment.The 28th annual Festival is slated for July 28-30, 2006 at Christmas Hill Park and will entertain an anticipated throng of 130,000 visitors from throughout the world.In 27 years the Festival has hosted 3.2 million visitors and raised over $7.2 million for local non-profit organizations through an innovative volunteer equity program."The Festival brings us together as a community in a spirit which remains indescribable," said Ms. Pirozzoli, a native Gilroyan and great granddaughter of William Cullen . "It's a year round strength that manifests itself each July.""In October you'll run into a fellow volunteer shopping for a specific item they'll need for the next Festival, then you might not see them again until you cross paths in arts and crafts or the children's area."Over 4,000 volunteers comprise the 33 committees that operate the Festival. "Annually the challenge is to make it bigger and better??..but don't change anything," Mrs. Pirozzoli warned. "It's a very fine line." The 28th annual Festival will maintain its traditional sights, sounds and smells but include some fresh spice. The most anticipated new element of 2006 will be the availability of advance ticket purchasing on the Festival website gilroygarlicfestival.com."We're elated to finally offer this service," Mrs. Pirozzoli admitted. "We expect this feature to significantly alter the walk up crush at the ticket booths'."Three stages will feature 42 live concerts over the three days of the Festival with fast-rising country recording artist Gary Nichols performing on the Vineyard Stage at 11:45 a.m. on July 29. The musical fare is renowned for its wide range of performers that include '50s and '60s rock 'n roll, Latin Salsa big band, jazz, belly dancing and zydeco.Other amusement and entertainment opportunities include arts and crafts vendors and an award-winning children's area. Lots of things to do????..when you're not eating. Festival visitors will consume over 20,000 pounds of beef, 8,000 pounds of scampi and 8,000 pounds of pasta among delicacies enhanced by over four tons of fresh Christopher Ranch garlic that comprise an unmatched 72 hour bill of fare.World famous Gourmet Alley -- which will broadcast a continuous live webcam on the internet at live.garlic.com throughout the Festival -- will feature pyrochefs grilling scampi, calamari and other delights with their spectacular flameups.The Gourmet Alley chefs will reveal the secrets to their creations in hourly cooking seminars on the Gourmet Alley Demonstration Stage presented by Washington Mutual. Shows will run daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Washington Mutual will distribute pre-printed recipe cards featuring selected favorites.The Great Garlic Cook-Off, a competition of eight finalists from hundreds of international entries, will begin on the Cook-Off Stage at 9 a.m. July 29 with a scheduled 12:30 p.m. conclusion. The 2005 Cook-Off Champion was Mary Beth Harris-Murphree of Tyler, TX who created Basil and Garlic-Stuffed Sea Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto and served with a Spicy Citrus Beurre Blanc. The Festival Cook -Off committee has again aligned with popular Mama Mia's Ristorante Italiano to add the winning entrée to its menu at all four south bay locations beginning August 5.The 2006 Gilroy Garlic Festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 28-30 at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for seniors (age 60-plus) and $6 for children age 6-12. Children under age 6 are admitted free.Advance tickets are available online at gilroygarlicfestival.com

2006-07-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

We8there.com sponsored and Golf Tournament to help send kids to school. This was the sign they place at the 8th Hole, by the way, my team came in first place so we ended up with a very nice trophy! Ignore the white socks "there's nothing to see here" keep moving

2006-07-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

This is a review that will probably fall on deaf ear?s, in other words before the spiders can add this article to the worldwide web, the Holiday Inn in Anaheim, California will be closed and turned over to new owners?. With that in mind, I hope the future owners take time to read this review, my experience at this Holiday Inn was an incredible, bizarre experience, and I hope the new owners, of what will soon no longer be a Holiday Inn, fix the incredibly inept service issues when they convert the building to another hotel
Ok, let?s start from the beginning, we checked in around 9.30 pm on Friday July 14th we were given room 310, which was suppose to be the ?Kid?s Suite? (a room which was decorated with cartoon characters, offered free video games and DVDs for the kids to keep them entertained, (so us parents can get some much needed down time). We had at least 10 pieces of luggage, (one piece belonged to me) we grabbed a luggage cart and headed to the room, only to find out that the door key was not working, so I left Carmen and my two daughters ages 2 and 9 outside the room while I got the card re-activated. I soon returned and this time the key worked, so imagine my surprise when I opened the door, only to find someone else?s luggage in the room and the room a total mess. I quickly slammed the door shut and headed back to the front desk. Ok, by now I am a little annoyed, not only did they give us a room on the other side of the complex; I had to make two trips in an attempt to fix the problem.
When I arrive at the front desk one of the supervisors looked dumbfounded when I told him my room was already occupied, he checked again and mumbled something about a housekeeping error. So I asked what does a house keeping error have to do with my room being used by someone else? The last time I checked, housekeeping was not in the room issuing business?? To make a long story short, we were not going to get the ?kids suite? instead we were offered a standard room at a reduced rate, during this whole event, I try to maintain a little composure, I frown on things like my room not being ready, or not being available, so I asked, do you have any other suites available? To my surprise he said yes, ?we have the family suite? Let me explain the difference between the ?kids suite? and the ?family suite,? the kids suite is not a suite at all, in fact, what the hotel did was take a standard room, put a partition to separate the regular bed, add bunk beds, a second TV with a special Playstation that apparently can only be played in the kids suite. The family suite is nothing like the kids suite, it came complete with a 50 inch projection television, a full living room set, a full kitchen, two queen size beds and a very large Jacuzzi tub, this tub was so large you could park a Volkswagen in it. So I should be happy, since I was just upgraded to MEGA SUITE. We, I mean I, accepted the upgraded and were told someone would come up to connect the Playstation, no one ever did. Finally I called down to the front desk, only to be told, ?you can only use the video game controller in the kid?s suite, if I wanted kids to play video games I would have to pay for them??.. Oh, and I was informed that they fixed the housekeeping error and magically a kids suite room had just opened up. (This is after we unpacked our luggage and put the kids in their PJ?s around 11:30pm). We had a Disneyland adventure planned for the next morning so changing rooms at this point was not an option.
And then to add insult to injury, we requested a late checkout with the front desk, which means we would be leaving 1pm instead of 12 pm on July 16. However around 10am on the 16th day there was a knock on the door, (yes, we hung the do not disturb sign) it was housekeeping, (I guess they really do run the place) asking us when do we plan on checking out of the room, Hello it?s 10 o?clock in the morning, why in gods name are they pounding on my door to see when we were leaving It not like we got the room for free, and besides regular check out is not till 12pm at the earliest. We packed our stuff and split at 11:30 I needed to leave that place before something bad happens you know when SWAT arrives and yells at you through a bull horn asking you to come out with your hands up!
If I had to return to Anaheim again in the next couple weeks I would never use that Holiday Inn again. It too bad such a nice looking hotel has so many service issues. On a final note I do want to thank the assistant general manager Rick who took time to show me the kid?s suite for this article, good luck on your new venture!

2006-07-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

and the Tortuga Trio of Creme Brulee!

2006-07-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

Three dessert dishes offered at the Blue Bayou cafe in Disney Land I hope to get better photos from the Media department at Disney and I thank them for thier hospitality. The first dish if the Key West Key Lime Pie... and The Flying Dutchman Cookie Boat .

2006-07-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

I have to say the presentation was much more appealing than these photos ....... First is the Cajon-Spiced Salmon
Followed by the Royal Street Seafood Jambalaya the menu calls it a robust combination of king crab, jumbo gulf shrimp, mahi mahi, tasso ham andouille sausage and chicken with dirty rice!

How about a five pepper Roasted Prime rib of Beef

Or Le Special de Monte Cristo .... and you thought Disneyland was just for kids!!!

2006-07-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

On day six, Disney rolled out the red carpet for we8there.com so we could sample the new menu of the Blue Bayou..... I will have more on that in a future Stanley's Corner. Allow me to share some of the food we experienced.............

2006-07-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, they do have a little kid water park as well so no worries!!!

2006-07-14T22:40:00.000-07:00

Day five took us to Legoland Theme park, bet you didn't know they had a waterpark, apparently neither did some of the employees. We heard about the possiblity of a water park but had no comfirmtion. When we arrived we inquired about the water park to one of the workers, she shrugged her shoulders and said "we have a water park" then another employee came to her rescue and give us directions, somewhere in this photo is our 9 year old Rebekah. This photo was shot moments before the bucket of water spilled form the top completely soaking everyone on the bottom!

2006-07-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

Day 4 of our road trip is a day that will go down in Infamy, it started out ok we were packing and getting ready to check out, until we noticed we were missing the key to the hotel safe we have no idea where it could be. I am talking about a key that has never left the room is now missing with our stuff locked inside, we tossed the room LAPD style and found nothing! We searched all the luggage triple times, finally after several hours of searching we had to have the safe drilled, lucky me! Please don't ask how much that cost, I'm still crying if you want to send money to the save the safe fund email me and let me know... About 2pm, we got on the road and hit the border traffic which took more than an hour to pass through the checkpoint,. by then it was 4pm and rush hour was in full effect so we were stuck in traffic driving through San Diego. We will have to visit Legoland on Thursday, so it's off to Carlsbad and rest time at the local Holiday Inn... They offered free meals for kids so there is some justice.

2006-07-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

Day three: we started out by heading north to Rosarito Beach, we were told about a little restaurant just after the Fox Mexico Studios named La Bamba, which offered a taste of good old American food. We were told that the restaurant is easy to miss so look carefully, we still missed it, so we ended up with a brief tour of downtown Rosarito. If you have never driven in Mexico let me tell you it requires 100% of your attention I have never see so many non drivers in one city in my life, any way back to what we were in Rosarito for, breakfast. La Bamba is a 50s style diner with excellent food, the only drawback is the prices are also at American levels, so forget the cheap eats you would normally be privileged to in Mexico. After breakfast we took a brief drive though Rosarito, we headed back north to an unknown destination( sometime I just like to drive and see what the world has to offer I call it my adventurous side).... We ended up driving more than 100 miles to a little town named La Bufadora about 17 miles south of Ensanada, Mexico, were we were suckered into a two dollar parking spot by some official sounding guy with a whistle, only to be told that was a scam, and that we could park for free several hundred feet ahead, oh well 22 pesos for a parking spot , and 50 cents to use their public restrooms, welcome to a third world country.

About 500 yards from the bootleg parking spot is where mother nature puts on a show. La Bufadora is famous for its natural water spout. Waves coming in a narrow path in the rock shore, force the Ocean thru a hole. The water shoots high into the air. The spray looks like a glittering fireworks display. This is my second time visiting La Bufadora the first time was on a Royal Carribean cruise, this visit is just as wonderful as the first, fresh made tacos 1 dollar, shops full of goods if you are in the mood for shopping, and plenty of restaurants. After a few hours in La Bufadora we headed back to the Puerto Nuevo for more pool time, before we check out on Wednesday and head to Legoland in Carlsbad.

2006-07-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry for missing a day, the wireless internet that is located in the lobby of the New Port Beach Hotel in Puerto Nuevo, Mexico crashed.... Now, I could have found a internet cafe, but being a tourist would be more fun.

On the morning of the second day of the we8there.com road trip, we headed straight to the hotel buffet which according to the signage, was voted the best in Baja, for 8.95 US Dollars for adults and 4.95 for the little ones, it makes for pretty cheap eating. The all you can eat style buffet, gives you the ability to eat all the breakfast your little heart desires. After stuffing our faces we headed to the pool, where I am writing this portion of the blog enjoying easy listening Spanish style music from the Pool bar. This has to be one of my most difficult assignments but I think it will get through it.

The Pool faces the Pacific ocean, and only gets 41/2 feet deep, so it make it a great pool for the kids to play around in all day..... they have a wading pool for the very little ones, and for the adults there is the jacuzzi at a comfortable 104 degrees. we snuck away for a few hours to head back to the town of Puerto Nuevo where we were constantly approached by shop owners wanting to relieve us of our US dollars, 10 years a go this was fun, on this day it was not, since we were traveling on a budget. Some of the restaurant owners offer the classic bait and switch in an attempt to lure you into their restaurants to eat, what is I would consider to be the same food all the other restaurant are offering. gaugeage is this, if they don't accept credit cards then I don't use them because if things go horribly wrong, at least I have the power of my credit card company to get my money back. After careful consideration we chose the Puerto Nuevo II Restaurant because the restaurant I am familiar with was closed which ironically is named Puerto Nuevo Restaurant I and ordered the town speciality Puerto Neuvo style lobster, which is fried lobster in a shell.

After returning back to the hotel it was time to rest and get ready for the next day, day Five

2006-07-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

But before we could enter Mexico we had to go to the rental company in San Diego Airport, once again to trade out into a mini-van, a Mazda MPV to be exact, because apparently Mexico has a big problem with auto thefts, according to the rental agent. Imagine what it?s like to change cars 4 times with the amount of luggage we had, lets do a re-count, we started out this a Nissan Murano which was missing the Satellite radio we requested , then we moved into a 300M, not enough trunk space, so we were put into a Lincoln Town Car, very comfortable, plenty of trunk space but we could not take the car out of the country, so we ended up in a minivan.

Day three of our road trip places us in a little town 18 miles south of Rosario Beach, Mexico, two toll roads or 52 pesos (based on the current exchange rate) past the Mexican border. The funny thing is this, when I Googled the town of Puerto Nuevo to find a map, one map placed Puerto Nuevo in central Baja, no where near the beach, when actually it is a beach front town with american style hotels dotting the coastline.

We crossed the border about 6pm on Sunday night the room we had reserved a room on-line for 80 US dollars, per night, but the room appeared to be way too small for an active family of four so we upgraded to the family room which allowed us the ability to spread out. Our first priority was to eat so we drove next door to town for dinner, then back to the hotel to rest for the night.

Our first night was interesting because most of the night was interrupted with the sounds of M-80?s going off every few minutes, if you are unaware of what an M-80 is, it is equivalent to a quarter stick of dynamite and the sound hit the courtyard of the hotel and is amplified. But soon the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore took over, very relaxing!!

2006-07-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

So, what are our thoughts on the Holiday Inn in Ventura...... http://www.we8there.com/bnb_detail.php?busid=6405

Room 259 is equipped with a flat panel television mounted to the wall and a large wrap around balcony, in my opinion the balcony needs just a little more furniture, the two plastic chairs just don't do it for me, yes I admit, the view is wonderful, but a table for lunch or a casual game of cards would really add to the decor. This is a good hotel but I feel that when the conversion is complete it will be a better hotel. The hotel offers free wireless internet, that reaches out on the balcony but here is the best part, the harbor also offers unsecured wireless access, so if the hotel access ever goes off line, you should be able to grab a signal from the Ventura Harbor. I could spend a few days here just looking out at the harbor, enjoying the flat panel TV or just walking around the harbor reading the names of the boats. I will have to add this hotel to the list of my favorites. Oh and beach is only a few yards away so bring the kids!

2006-07-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's still Saturday, but now its a little past 10 pm and we have made it to Ventura, California where we will crash for the night at a Holiday Inn Express at the Ventura Harbor. What a day it has been, we had three bad starts....we went to pick up the rental car but the computers were down so we had to be processed manually, we finally got on the road at 11am and about a hour into the trip, we tried to switch the to radio Satellite radio, that was a no go, there was no Satellite Radio, which we requested when we made the reservation, we called the rental company, they asked us to go to the nearest airport, so we had to backtrack for thirty minutes to the San Jose Airport.....we finally ended up with a 2007 Lincoln Town Car with a satellite Radio system and satellite navigation and 100 dollars off the weekly rental price for the inconvenience, not a bad deal, by the time we finally got on the road, it was 1pm. From San Jose Airport we drove to Splash Bakery in San Luis Obispo, the sister restaurant to the Splash Cafe in Pismo beach who makes some of the best clam chowder on the West Coast! I sat down to talk to the ownerm Joanne who gave me a brief lesson on the history of the Splash Cafe and, she also spilled the beans about a possible new location on the California Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo and a possible Costco connection I'll tell you more about our conversation in a future Stanley's corner....... oh, and one more thing after leaving San Luis Obispo, we hit the highway only to realize we had entered the northbound lanes, basically heading in the wrong direction I realized this about 10 miles into the trip, I read a sign that said, "Salinas 102 miles" and for a minute I was wondering why there was two cities named Salinas, then it hit me, duh.... you're going the wrong way!!

2006-07-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

Captains log Saturday July 8th 6am PST, it's time to begin our annual Road Trip, first on the list is to pick up the Rental from the San Francisco International Airport ..... Our actual estimated time of departure is 9am, with one stop in Gilroy California at the factory outlet. To pick up a few last minute items .... Our first real food stop will be at the Spalsh Cafe in San Luis Obispo which is know for its Clam Chowder, we have been to the shop in Pismo Beach, California which usually has customers standing in line around the corner waiting to order, but this will be our first visit to the San Luis Obispo store..... After which we will head to Santa Barbara, we were invited to visit the Eagle Inn Bed and Breakfast so we have added that to our list.... we plan on picking a ramdon hotel somewhere in the Los Angeles basin to bed down for the night... On this Trip is Carmen Jones our VP, Miss Brooke Taylor Roberts and Rebekah T Roberts our children's food expert. We are actually heading for Baja California where we plan to cross the border around 2:30 pm on Sunday our check in is for 3pm on Sunday and barring any problems we should be on time. Here's the crazy part, apparently you cannot rent a car from San Francisco and then drive it into Mexico, not the same for Canada, so we have to drive to the San Diego Airport, get into a different rental car (something about the high rate of stolen carsin Mexico) pay 35 dollars a day (mandatory) for Mexican auto insurance.... That is above the price of the second rental.....Is it worth it or should I have just used a personal auto? We shall soon find out. After Mexico we will be heading straight to Legoland amusment park in Carlsbad California along with some of the restaurants in that area then Disneyland and we will be blogging along the way....if you want to keep up just log in to this blog everyday or send us an email at info@we8there.com to say hello!

We will report in as soon as we reach another Wifi area.
Stanley Roberts /CEO

2006-07-06T23:47:00.000-07:00

Illegal immigration has been a topic in heavy rotation in the news lately, some are asking for amnesty for illegal immigrants and some of us are yelling ?throw the bums out?. Now, there is a new volley in the anti-immigration buzz. In Philadelphia, my home town, Geno?s Steaks, a very popular cheesesteak restaurant located in south Philly has erected a sign that simply says ?This is AMERICA, WHEN ORDERING SPEAK ENGLISH!? So this begs the question has Geno?s gone too far?
I personally don?t have a problem with immigrants simply because America was built on the backs of immigrants. I do, however, have a problem with illegal immigration, the key word here is ?illegal?, no one should be allowed to sneak into a another country without proper documentation. For example, I can?t sneak into a bank one night and stay there until morning, then when the bank employees arrive they see me counting the money in the vault and when they call the police, I argue that since I?ve been in the bank all night, I am entitled to most of the money and even some employee benefits. You and I both know that I would get hauled off to jail, so fast that it would make your head spin.
Is a sign like the one at Geno?s fair to our non-English speaking residents, let?s look to France for the answer. In Paris, to be honest, you don?t need to speak French to get around. All the museums and other tourist attractions will have either guided tours or written guides in English. Where you might have more of a language problem is in the countryside. But even there, you still will be able to get around and have a great time. Most B & B owners at least have a limited English vocabulary, enough for them to understand that you want a room. So the urban legend that you have to speak French to get around in France is just that an urban legend.
I think restaurants should do what they can, within reason, to offer services to every person, even if they have a language barrier. Not catering to an individual because they are different is a step backwards in race relations. I will be visiting Mexico in July which will take me to Puerto Nuevo, Tijuana and Rosarita Beach, the truth be told, even if I don?t have a little knowledge of Spanish language, I can?t expect the residents to learn English, just so I can order food and they don?t expect me to learn Spanish. The truth is if you own a business, you never want to alienate any of your customers, every dollar counts. I know, I know, you?re probably wondering why we8there.com is only written in English, why don?t I have this site in every language? It?s very simple, I can?t afford to yet, but when I can afford to, you can bet we8there.com will be in every language available.

2006-07-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

Road Trip 2006

Every year for the past four years we8there.com conducts a road trip to various locations on the west coast, our first was to Canada, where we had tea at the Empress Hotel ... This year we are heading south of the border to Puerto Nuevo http://puertonuevo.baja.com/ the lobster capital of the world.......and you thought that was Boston..... we will be staying at the http://www.newportbeachhotel.com/ We will be blogging up and down the west coast, as we hit different cities including Carlsbad by the Sea California, if you have a place you think we should visit, send us an email at info@we8there.com and we might add it to our itentiary.

2006-06-11T03:29:00.000-07:00

When you order something online that you need right away, you have a few options. Let?s see there is overnight, second day air, three day priority and hand-delivered on foot by some guy who must have personally walked your package in from Canada. Whatever the case, most delivery services don?t live up to their word, unless you make your order in a certain ?golden time zone?.
Recently, I ordered a package from Tastykake for an event that was to take place in San Francisco on May 7th, the order was placed on May 2nd so, I had the option of overnight or second day air delivery. Hell, l it was only the 2nd of May and I needed the shipment by May 7th, so I thought that I would save a little cash and order the product second day air delivery, which means it should arrive on May 4th. Right? Wrong! You see my mistake was that I placed the order at 9pm, thinking that online orders were processed as soon as you placed the order. It turns out that the order I made on May 2nd from the West Coast was really placed on the May 3rd at 12am East Coast time, which meant it was not sorted, billed and processed until the evening of May 3rd to be marked for shipment on May 4th, my expected delivery date.
So, on May 4th at 1pm, I get an email from a service named, Quantum View alerting me that my package has been shipped, with an expected delivery date of May 8th, one day later than I needed it. So I made an attempt to call the powers that be at Tastykake, to see if I could have the shipment expedited. Silly me, I thought that 2nd day air was expedited! As fate would have it, Tastykake shuts down at 4pm Eastern Standard Time. I tried desperately to get through to someone on the phone and was routed to a security guard, who routed me to an answering machine, that simply stated that all lines were busy and to leave a message. So I did! Now, get this, I tried calling the Quantum View (which turns out to be UPS) to see if I could get the order upgraded to overnight as that would solve my problem, it turns out UPS only has the paperwork and not the actual order, so until they had the actual order, there was nothing they could do. So would someone please explain to me how an order has been shipped when it has not been shipped?
It gets better; at 6:18 am on May 5th, I get a call from a Tastykake employee inquiring about the message that I left, telling me since I made the order on May 3rd Eastern Standard Time which was really May 2nd West Coast time and because it takes one day to process the order and UPS will not deliver on the weekends, I would not get my order until May 8th, so I asked her to cancel the order. Now your average company would be bending over backwards to make an attempt to get your order out to you, so that they don?t lose the sale, I guess the powers that be at Tastykake don?t need the money, so now I will be stuck with 6 pounds of useless pastries. In this case, 2nd day air will take 6 days! I guess I have to move on the Plan B??Now what was plan B I know I left that plan around here somewhere!
And just think, I paid extra to get second day air!

2006-05-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

When dining out, I tend to reserve my comments until the second visit to a particular establishment. If my first visit to a restaurant was stellar or even if my server seems to "crash and burn", by making a second visit, I am able to give the establishment a second chance. This was my second visit to BJ's Brewhouse in San Mateo California, located just a few miles from my home. This restaurant is always packed to the brim and on both occasions that I visited, the wait was around 50 minutes. A long wait at a restaurant is usually a pretty good indicator that the food is above average and the service is on par. Oh, how I wish this was the case! My first visit included myself, Carmen and my two-year old daughter, Brooke. We had no complaints about the service on that trip; however, the kitchen failed to get my bacon blue cheese burger order correct. I asked for my burger to be well done, it came to the table medium rare, I also, asked for the bacon to be extra crispy and it was soft and floppy. Our server did bring out crispy bacon when the discrepancy was brought to her attention, she wanted to return the burger, but I just wanted to eat! Our server promptly removed the cost of the burger from the bill, this is what I call "good service, bad kitchen"!
Now, on my second visit to this fine establishment, I was solo and again, the wait was about 55 minutes, so I went to the bar to try out one of the freshly brewed beers that BJ's is so proud of. Since I am really not a beer drinker, I asked the bartender to surprise me with one of their best beers, he chose the Jeremiah Red, a very good beer with rich flavor and a smooth finish, not bad for a microbrew. About 40 minutes later, I was finally seated, I waited for about 5 minutes for my server to appear and she did apologize for the wait. I ordered my meal and although I had finished my beer, the server never asked if I wanted something to drink. I truly believe that she should have waited to apologize about being no being prompt, because she would soon repeat the original "long wait" scenario multiple times before I finished my meal and left the restaurant.
I ordered the full rack of baby back ribs and mashed potatoes, along with a bowl of clam chowder. I waited and waited and waited, finally a second server appeared with a half a rack of baby back ribs and a side of mashed potatoes. I began to second guess myself, "did I accidentally order a half rack"? Was I really not that hungry and only requested a half portion of ribs? Just about the time my stand-in server was ready to take the ribs back, I had a flashback from the last time I was in Burger King and took my onion packed Angus burger back because I had asked for "no onions", the counter person threw the burger in the trash. What a waste of a cow or a pig in this case, so I took the half rack and waited for the remainder of my meal to appear. Now remember this, I had also ordered clam chowder, which in a perfect world would have come as an appetizer before my entree, well, being this is not a perfect world it came last, as though it were a dessert, along with yet another apology.
I hope you are following this story closely, because it only gets better, for a while I lost site of my server and began to work on my ribs, mashed potatoes and my "dessert" soup until I was ready to leave. I made the mistake of asking for a "to go" box and bowl. Quite sometime later, lets say, 10 minutes or so, although it could have been only 5 minutes that seemed like an eternity, my server reappeared again with yet another apology, and a to go box and bowl, according to the server, she had to go on a "search mission" to find a bowl. Now, here is the part that really chaps my hide, remember when I told you I waited for about 5 minutes when I first sat down? Well just about the time I was preparing to leave, two other tables were seated one behind me, and one to the right of me. My server was already taking their drink orders before their "booties" could touch their chairs. Oh well, needless to say, I work way too hard for my money to spend it getting service this poor. I think the next time that I see a BJ's Restaurant, I will probably just keep driving. Oh, and when I signed my bill, I wrote "we8there.com" on it with a frowning face??? Do you think the server or anyone else at BJ's will get the message?

2006-05-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

We8there.com does not post fast food reviews but this one had to be posted. It was posted as a review for Hardees in Humbolt, IA..... well anyway read the posting.

"restaurants need to have paper towels available in restrooms because after you go potty you touch the faucet handles w/ germs on your hands, wash, then ya gotta shut off the water with clean hands touching the contaminated handles with out use of a paper towel to put on the handle therefor getting germs back on your hands, then go eat w/ your hands"

2006-05-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

Family Booted From Buffet For Wasting Too Much Food

Manager Says: Family Wasted Food Several Times

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Wendy Dershem may think twice before leaving that egg roll on her plate at her next Chinese buffet.
The Des Moines woman, her boyfriend and her two children were kicked out of a restaurant last week after management at Dragon House accused her of leaving too much food on her plate.
Dershem said she paid for her buffet on Saturday but was abruptly told to leave after eating one plate of food.
Employees said they had been watching her family on previous trips to the restaurant and were fed up with her habits. They said she would pile her plate with food, take one bite and throw it away.
"They just take one bite and throw it away," said cashier Lin Huyen. "They take four egg rolls and crab ragoon, take one bite of egg roll and throw the whole plate. That is wasting food."
Dershem said she was shocked by the scolding and complained to management when she paid her check.
Dragon House manager Kent Cao said his restaurant does not offer an all-you-can waste buffet. He said Dershem's family took food, didn't finish it and then piled on the same food again, he said. He says he won't allow her back in the restaurant unless she changes her ways.

2006-04-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

When will they learn? We constantly check for review fraud!

Once again our keen eyed team found more fake reviews

This next group comes from the city of Nashville! See if you can spot the similarities, all reviews came in the same day.

Review 1
I treated a group of highly valued clients to Past Perfect, and the food (We had mostly steak, fish, and salads), the wine, and the service were way beyond expectation. I will be back.

Review2
Great food and great atmosphere. It is a nice, classy place, but also fun. It is a new restaurant, but it runs very smoothly for a new place. It is the new place to be, in my opinion.

Review3
I travel frequently on business and tend to be a connoisseur of good food and nice dining establishments. My colleagues and I enjoyed this restaurant very much and would recommend it to anyone.

Review4
I had to entertain some corporate clients in Nashville. It was the perfect location especially for those that were staying at the nearby hotels. The food was great, the atmosphere was urban and fun, and the service was impeccable. I'll go back.

2006-03-29T07:06:00.000-08:00

Why we don't require you to give us your personal information!

I firmly believe with all the identify thefts going on, lapstops being stolen, hackers, etc at we8there.com we believe in order to post a review should not require that you give us your first born. We do require a real email address because we need to verify every review submitted, why? it's very simple we do not permit the posting of fake reviews and if you enter a false email or a non working email your review will not be posted. I really hate to delete wonderfully written reviews that do not have valid emails. No I don't want your email so I can add you to a spam list, we do not sell, loan, barter our email list.

Also We are testing our new service http://we8there.com/travel.html We8there.com travel we are trying to keep we8there.com free, we are not a giant company we are ordinary people with regular jobs who are trying to help you with your travel needs. please click some of our links of buy some of our travel products or we might have to reconsider offering we8there.com for free.......... just kidding.

2006-03-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

This is the worst case of review fraud I have ever encountered to date.... This individual uses multiple names, AND multiple emails in an attempt to counter some negative reviews of this restaurant....... These reviews are being added to the hall Of SHAME

Review #1

Z's in Tempe has incredible Chicago Style Food, including GREAT BBQ Baby Back Ribs, and Italian Beef Sandwiches. You must check out this place. Also their french fries are OUTSTANDING!!!!!
Review #2

Z's is an outstanding reminder of Chicago Style Food. They have incrediable Chicago Style Hot Dogs, Italian Sausauge that is out of this world! And they even make REAL Ice Cream Milk Shakes. If you're looking for a Chicago Style Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ, Z's Restaurants is definitely the place to check out!

Review #3

Z's at 2019 S McClintock (SE Corner of Broadway and McClintock in Tempe AZ) is a true reminder of my home town Chicago. The food is great and the Hot Dogs, Italian Beef and french fries are the best I've ever had in my life. The place is cool too, it's all decked out with street signs from Chicago and other memorabilia. It's really cool too cause they place really cool music inside. You better check this place out soon, before you can't get a table. Evidently this location just opened and the word hasn't hit the streets yet. Best of all it even has a drive thru and let me tell you the service was quick. The people are friendly too, I would strongly recommend this place if you love "true" foods from Chicago. You can't miss the place it's across the street from New York Ted's so if you're from Chicago and someone tries to send you there you better go across the street if you're looking for something like a Portillios cause this place ROCKS!

Review #4

Not sure what the other reviewer is talking about as I ate their today after finding several reviews on Z's great food. I ordered a hamburger, fries and drink and it came to $6.27 plus tax no where near the $10 that Anna is talking about. and let me tell you for a FRESH ground hamburger, and HOME made fries its well worth it! Chicago Hamburger co is good, but has gone done hill since they recently sold, and now microwave their burgers to order. All Chicagoans you can't go wrong with this place trust me I was actually born and raised in Chicago's south side. This place is GOOD! about time to see some good food in the valley thats fresh and not a fast food type. Maybe the other reviewer should continue going to McDonalds for their value meals. (After all if you watched TV and say Super Size you'd relize you get what you pay for.

Review #5

Z's in Tempe is good, we go from the office 3 times a week, and the value is good, we use to go to the Slider place on Indian School until we started checking out restaurants at http://www.maricopa.gov/ you might want to check out any restaurant first before going. Some of these places are really bad. Z's we noticed received 2 back to back gold ratings since they've opened and I have to say the place is spotless, usually these New York and Chicago places are dirty, but the manager of this place really takes pride in cleanliness, which now a days is a good thing.

Reviews #6

Z's in Tempe rocks! I go there at least once a week and everytime I've been there it's been a great experience, and if there is anything ever wrong the manager is awesome and fixes it. Not sure what this Bonnie person is talking about, cause I've always had pop there and they do not charge for refills, they did for a bit due to some issues getting their product, but I was there today and there was a sign up that said FREE refills. You might want to read the signs next time your there. Al's is good too, but since they've been selling out the name it's not like it once was, when it was in Chicago. I recommend this place to everyone.

2006-03-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

"More Fake Reviews" They almost got this review by, except they got greedy, so I am adding them to the Wall of Shame.......

First review

"BEST bakery around!!! This is a wonderful family owned and run shop. It is great to go in and see the same smiling faces especially the owners and their three SWEET daughters! It is a place where you could go and enjoy a great cup of coffee and some breakfast, stop and get a last minute dessert to bring out, or order just about anything you could think of. The taste is hard to match and the prices are unbeatable. I highly recommend Icing on the Cake!!!"

A few seconds later, a second review........

I have heard and experienced wonderful things about this place! It is a wonderful family business with a great atmosphere, great food, and great prices. The owner pays attention to every detail when decorating his gorgeous cakes and they even taste as good as they look! If you have an idea he is glad to meet with you and plan out exactly what you want! He also offers a number of great ideas for wedding cakes, birthday cakes, baby showers, graduation cakes, and communion cakes. If you come around a holiday be sure to order early. This bakery's line wraps all the way out the door and down the sidewalk. This family business has been around for about 20 years and I could see why!

Our investigation only took ten seconds to determine the review was written by the father's daughter and her future husband.

2006-02-25T17:53:00.000-08:00

When I created we8there.com one of my primary objectives was to create a brand that would be trusted and revered. I wanted we8there.com to be a fun site, when you visit we8there.com you would feel like part of the family. One of the biggest problems surrounding the internet is this faceless, distant cyber world, where there is almost no personal contact associated with the web. With we8there, my goal was to buck that current trend, rather than just another faceless website where you post a review and magically your posting appears for the world to read. If you ever received a phone call from me you know we are a different kind of internet company.

Another one of my goals was to begin moving toward creating a travel portal which included hotel, airline and car rental bookings.... In a few weeks we8there will realize this goal as we introduce We8there.com Travel. This in not a link to some other travel service, this will be the start of we8there.com's branded travel portal with all the deals you would find on lets say a site like Travelocity. We8here.com will still be your source for honest restaurant, hotel and bed and breakfast reviews, However in the next 30 days we will be launching We8there.comTravel........... Stay Tuned!! We will announce the launch soon!

Stanley Roberts
CEO

2006-02-23T22:08:00.000-08:00

In my previous Stanley?s Corner article, I talked about etiquette when using your cell phone, since it appears that with the proliferation of cell phones most of us have gotten out of control. A device that was once only available for the rich, is now so affordable that almost everyone has a cell phone of some sort. We take photos, we record video, you can search the web, get email text messages, if you can name it, and its more than likely it is available on your handy-dandy cell phone. I personally have four separate cell phones with four separate telephone numbers, two of the phones have GPS, one of the others is a blackberry, which notifies me every time someone submits a review or sends me a personal email.
Some people may not realize this, but they may be breaking the law just by carrying a cell phone. Did you know that cameras are not allowed in some courtrooms without the direct written permission of the judge in that particular jurisdiction? Before you can even bring a recording device into almost any courtroom you must submit a camera request to the court clerk, the clerk must then present the request to the judge who can either accept your request or deny it. If you bring a recording device into the courtroom and the judge finds out, he may confiscate your camera and may hold you in contempt of court. Of course, the wireless phone companies will never tell you this when you purchase your phone. And the truth is, most of you reading this will probably never see the inside of a courtroom, at least I hope not. I pity the person who gets caught using their camera phone to record a court case!
There are some places where cell phones should simply not be used. I have been a cameraman/pseudo reporter for more than 15 years and a ringing cell phone has ruined many sound bites which is why I usually keep my phones on vibrate. But a ringing cell phone in a funeral is just simply rude, turn your phone off, better yet leave it in the car. While I am sure your phone ringing will not wake the dead, it will annoy the crap out of everyone in listening range and the will, of course, be sound magnified in a super quiet environment, probably bringing unnecessary attention you. Imagine, the? Gold digger?(Kanye West) theme song, playing right in the middle of the service, that could be a little embarrassing.
Several years ago, I went on the FOX News Channel to debate the use of cell phones in restaurants. I was pitted against Steven Shaw, a restaurant reviewer in New York debating pro or con cell phones in restaurants. I was then and still today against the presence of cell phones in restaurants, I believe the use of cell phones while eating is annoying and rude. I just read that someone has come up with a cell phone jammer. I know, ?you need your cell phone for emergencies? but the truth is, have you ever tried using your mobile phone to call the police? I witnessed an accident, one day while driving in town, so I called 911 on my cell phone and received a recorded message that lasted for more than 10 minutes in English and in Spanish. Thank God, no one was injured, but it turns out the phone call did not go to the local police instead it went to the Highway Patrol, who had to transfer me to the local law enforcement agency. In an emergency 10 minutes can be the difference between life and death.
I will say that cell phones are a necessary evil in our society; I say evil because using a cell phone in the wrong environment, could have devastating results. I don?t mean to be dramatic, but is your life or the life of your family that important that you need to allow your cell phone to distract you from driving safely? My suggestion to you is invest in a hands- free phone and use it. But the most important suggestion that I can make about cell phone use in public is pretty simple. ?USE COMMON SENSE?!

2006-02-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

Imagine my suprise when I see the partial we8there.com webpage in full color on the front cover of the New York Times!!!

2006-02-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

Hotel Reviews Online: In Bed With Hope, Half-Truths and Hype
By CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT
Business travelers like Michelle Madhok used to consider online hotel reviews a reliable reference.
Whenever she traveled to an unfamiliar city, Ms. Madhok said, she clicked on sites like TripAdvisor.com or IgoUgo.com, where she found thousands of ratings written by real guests.
Or so she thought.
Ms. Madhok, the president of the Internet shopping site Shefinds.com, said she was now becoming increasingly skeptical of what she saw online. "I read reviews of hotels that I've stayed at," she said. "And they're just wrong. I wonder if they've really stayed at the hotel."
On a recent visit to a spa in New York, she says, her doubts turned to disbelief: the resort was discreetly offering a free reflexology treatment to customers who posted a positive review of the establishment on Citysearch.com. "It was very troubling," she said.
As Web sites that publish guest hotel reviews become more influential, some hotels ? from bed-and-breakfasts to large resorts ? are going to greater lengths to ensure that their properties are rated highly. Their efforts, analysts say, range from encouraging guests to write flattering reviews to, in extreme cases, submitting bogus recommendations to Web sites.
The hotels justify their actions, the analysts say, as a counterweight to out-of-context rants by disgruntled guests; both sides are exploiting a new technology that lacks the safeguards of the traditional travel guidebooks, which are written by professional writers and edited for accuracy.
It was not always so. In the early days of hotel review sites on the Web, the Internet was a less diverse place, and the postings generally came from like-minded travelers, the experts say. But as more and more people are using the Internet to make travel decisions, there are more incentives, and opportunities, to manipulate reviews.
The major hotel chains deny that they try to influence online reviews in any way. But publishers at the most popular review Web sites say they have been inundated by fraudulent posts and have had to develop numerous measures to protect travelers.
Analysts and Web site operators say they fear that the effort is a losing battle. "Most sites can't catch a fake review," said Stanley E. Roberts, the chief executive of We8there.com, a lodging and dining review site.
Even so, Mr. Roberts says he reads every review before it is posted ? a laborious process that relies on instinct and experience. Still, he said, "I'm never sure if a fake is going to make it through."
The relentless efforts by hotels to influence their online ratings have made some review sites suspicious, if not paranoid. "We assume that every review we get is bogus, and it is bogus until proven otherwise," said Kenneth J. Marshall, who publishes HotelShark.com, a small hotel review site "We have to look for a reason to publish it." Indeed, more than half the reviews he receives do not make the cut, he said. As a result, only about 1,200 hotels are reviewed on his site.
IgoUgo.com, another ratings site, takes a different approach to ferreting out fraudulent write-ups. The guest commentaries it publishes are put into context, with detailed information about each reviewer, "so you can see exactly who is writing the review and if that person has similar travel needs to yourself," said Jim Donnelly, the site's vice president for marketing.
IgoUgo counts about 670 active business travelers in its membership. Their postings are also monitored by editors as an extra precaution.
TripAdvisor, which is owned by Expedia, is perhaps the best known of the hotel ratings sites and proclaims it is the largest, with more than three million reader reviews. It is so concerned with review fraud that it hired Reed Meyer to create a fraud detection algorithm to sniff out suspect reviews. Mr. Meyer would not disclose how the program worked because he did not want to tip off hotels on how to circumvent it. Nor will he say how many reviews have been weeded out by the application.
Christine Petersen, TripAdvisor's senior vice president for marketing, said, "Hotels periodically try to get around the system." In one memorable case, an Italian hotelier offered the site a bottle of Limoncello di Capri liqueur if the site would remove a poor review of his property. The site declined.
"If a hotel is caught trying to influence the process, they're put on a watch list," she said. "That influences their ranking, and is a huge black mark against them."
Hotel executives agree that the stakes are high in the ratings game, especially when it comes to business travelers, but they maintain that their efforts to influence the process are legitimate. If anything, they say, the review sites have gone too far to prevent positive guest comments from being published.
Take the case of Amelia Island Plantation, a conference hotel on Amelia Island, Fla. It recently sent an e-mail message to its customers urging them to submit positive reviews to several hotel ratings sites, including TripAdvisor.
"Please visit these Web sites from your home computer and tell them about your wonderful experience at Amelia Island Plantation," it said. "If you do not have an experience that you can relate, send these sites to your friends or family that have had nice experiences."
Richard Goldman, the vice president for marketing at the resort, said he sent the note to guests to counter negative reviews about the property that were a result of confusion over Amelia Island Plantation Inn and nearby condominiums. With 67 percent of the resort's guests going to the island on business trips, he said, "every review matters." He added, "I don't think there's anything wrong with what we did."
TripAdvisor disagreed. When it found out about the e-mail message, it deleted all of the hotel's reviews posted after the note was sent and imposed a moratorium on new ratings. (As a result of deleting the later reviews, the hotel's rankings fell to 31/2 stars out of a possible 5.)
But the inn's actions seem benign compared with some of the other tactics that are said to be used to populate Web sites with positive reviews. A hotel in Key West, Fla., recently offered its guests a 10 percent discount for publishing a rave review on TripAdvisor. We8there.com routinely intercepts reviews submitted by hotel employees and their spouses.
Web site publishers say they have heard about secretive "reputation management" departments at hotels that submit fake reviews from alias e-mail accounts, with typographical errors added for authenticity.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association does not have a formal policy on how a property should manage its online reputation. "It's up to each hotel or hotel company," said a spokeswoman, Kathryn Potter.
Del Ross, the vice president for global e-commerce at the InterContinental Hotels Group, which owns the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands, says his company closely tracks what is being said about its properties. But the only time it steps into the process is to investigate a documented negative experience that might be repeated. "Every negative remark," he added, "is an opportunity to improve."
The Hilton Hotels Corporation, which owns the Doubletree, Embassy Suites and Hampton Inn brands, also follows the ratings sites. But trying to influence the system by prompting employees or guests to write a positive review "would not be ethical," said Bala Subramanian, Hilton's senior vice president for distribution and brand integration.
"What's more, it's a waste of time," he said. "If we have a problem with one of our hotels, we want to address the problem, not rig the system."
For many business travelers, the efforts to sway the online reviews may be meaningless. David Deehl, a lawyer based in Coral Gables, Fla., said he was not only mindful that hotels would try to promote themselves on the review sites, but also wondered how much he had in common with hotel guests who took the time to post their observations online.
"If I need the name of a good hotel, I'd rather call a friend," he said. "There is no substitute for a word-of-mouth recommendation."

2006-01-31T07:55:00.000-08:00

There was a time not so long ago that if you saw someone talking to himself or herself, you would laugh at them or make jokes. Now when you see someone talking aloud you assume that they are either crazy, or talking on a cell phone, PDA or some other form of wireless communications, sometimes it is not even a wireless phone, you just cannot see the cords to their cell phone earphone. What is my point? The point is, with all the new high tech communications gadgets in the world, we have reached a pinnacle.
We need to establish cell phone etiquette, or to be more specific wireless cell phone etiquette. The issue to which I am referring, is ?the who is talking to whom syndrome?, where someone is having a conversation with you, and your phone rings, however the only person who hears the phone ring is you. You begin your conversation with the mystery caller and the person you were just having a face-to-face conversation with, thinks you are talking to them, so they try to answer a question you posed to the person on the other end of the phone. First you point to you ear to notify the real person that you are on the phone, they don?t quite get the message, so then you say to the face to face person to hold on, nevertheless the person on the phone thinks you are talking to them and they say ok. Except you were talking to the face to face person, who also says ok, then you say to the phone person not you, I meant someone else and so the sage continues?If you have ever owned a cell phone headset, you are all too familiar with this problem.
Therefore, I propose a solution, cell phone headset etiquette, or C.P.H.E for short. C.P.H.E would, for now, help eliminate the confusion and mixed messages you get when someone is talking on the phone while using headsets. Whether you are in your office or out in the public, in a perfect world, you would never again be sent mixed messages or have someone hang up on you simply because they thought you were telling them goodbye, when actually you were talking to someone else who might be standing right in front of you.
In Public Let us start at the beginning, for proper headset etiquette, you must first, before starting a conversation with someone face to face, advise them that you have on a headset (your headset may not be clearly visible) and that while you are not expecting a call, you might have to change your conversation abruptly. (That was the warning message), If you actually receive a call, before answering the phone, alert the person you are talking with that your cell phone is ringing, and ask if they would mind if you answered it.(this way now they are fully aware, that you are on the phone). When you begin your conversation on the phone it is important not to be, rude to the person you were having the face to face with by keeping your phone conversation short and sweet. Never turn your back on the face-to-face person, if you can help it, perhaps by simply excusing yourself and walking away from that person a safe enough distance to finish your phone call with some degree of privacy. When your phone call is finished apologize to the face-to-face person and continue you conversation with them.
In a Car/Train/BoatThis is the hardest, because you are usually sitting very close to someone and conversations tend to get crossed. First, if you are using public transportation, avoid talking on your cell phone, unless your call is urgent, the reason, although you don?t think you are talking loudly, you usually are, and now everyone knows your personal business. If you are in a car, again, alert the person you are with, that you are about to answer your cell phone. Keep your phone conversation short, because it is considered rude to talk on the phone for a prolonged period, if you are in close quarters with someone else. When you are finished with your phone conversation gently reach over to the person next to you, touching them on their arm and advise them you are finished with your conversation and you are ready to continue with your previous exchange. This will let them know that you are directly talking to them and not with some invisible person on the other end of a phone line.
The preceding hints are some simple rules for talking on the cell phone with headsets. I decided to create these rules, because there does not appear to be any set of laws with people talking on cell phones and now that we have wireless headphones, it is out of control. In the next Stanley?s Corner, I will talk about cell phones in restaurants, hospitals and funerals yes I said Funerals.

2006-01-12T21:48:00.000-08:00

Fake reviews are bad!

Not only did this person try to post three seperate reviews, they also had the nerve to email us with new versions. We check all reviews to make sure they are not written by employees, owners or disgruntled employees.... There are usually signs that the review was written by an employee or an owner, read the reviews below and tell me what are the red flags. I removed the name of the restaurant and the name of any employess that may have been mentioned.

review #1

"The R R couples perfect ambience, service and food into a truly unforgettable experience. Whether you're in the mood for beef, wild game, seafood or vegetarian options, the chef does an outstanding job preparing and presenting a meal that is on par with reknown restaurants such as C T's and Jn Gs. Between the first class hospitality that is felt when one walks into the door to the attentive servers throughout the night, the evening undoubtebly reflects the ambiance of a true five- star restaurant."

Review#2

"Having dined in many five- star restaurants, the R R provides impeccable food combined with first-class service as well as an unbeatable ambiance. Whether one is in the mood for fresh seafood, beef, wild game or vegetarian entrees and appetizers, Chef T D prepares and presents an exquisite meal for all. Whether its' a special occasion or simply a night out, its a perfect place to be able to relax while enjoying the most sensational food"

Review #3

"This truly was a great lodging experience. From the unbeatable hospitality when you first enter the lodge, to the freshly baked cookies waiting for you in your room to the unique western decor, this place has everything to offer to make you feel right at home. The location, its proximity to West Yellowstone and the assortment of both winter and summer activities make it a perfect vacation for all types of travelers be it family, friends, business or with significant others."

"revised reviews"

Review #1

"Staying at the RR Le in Big Sky, Montana was a great lodging experience. From the unbeatable hospitality when you first enter the lodge, to the freshly baked cookies waiting for you in your room to the unique western decor, this place has everything to offer to make you feel right at home. The location, its proximity to West Yellowstone and the assortment of both winter and summer activities that Montana, and particularly Big Sky has to offer, make it a perfect vacation for all types of travelers be it family, friends, business or with significant others.

review 2"

The RR restaurant provides impeccable food combined with first-class service as well as an unbeatable ambiance in Montana. Whether one is in the mood for fresh seafood, beef, wild game or vegetarian entrees and appetizers, Chef T D prepares and presents an exquisite meal for all. Whether its' a special occasion or simply a night out, its a perfect place to be able to relax while enjoying the most sensational food."

When all the reviews cam in back to back the reviews were flagged when the reviewer asked to edit the reviews we called the lodge and the first person to answer the phone was the reviewer. I am sure if you check other review sites you will find these reviews posted like real user reviews......

Anyone wishing to respond to my notes posted in this weblog can do so on the we8there forum.

2005-12-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

TRUSTED REVIEWER: Submit 10 or more authenticated reviews, and you may qualify for an upgrade to trusted reviewer. As a trusted reviewer you will no longer have to check your email to authenticate your submissions, we will do it for you automatically.

2005-12-14T22:12:00.000-08:00

We need to establish cell phone etiquette, or to be more specific wireless cell phone etiquette. The issue to which I am referring, is "the who is talking to whom syndrome", where someone is having a conversation with you, and your phone rings, however the only person who hears the phone ring is you. You begin your conversation with the mystery caller and the person you were just having a face-to-face conversation with, thinks you are talking to them, so they try to answer a question you posed to the person on the other end of the phone. First you point to you ear to notify the real person that you are on the phone, they don't quite get the message, so then you say to the face to face person to hold on, nevertheless the person on the phone thinks you are talking to them and they say ok. Except you were talking to the face to face person, who also says ok, then you say to the phone person not you, I meant someone else and so the sage continues?If you have ever owned a cell phone headset, you are all too familiar with this problem. read more at Stanley's Corner .

Anyone wishing to respond to my notes posted in this weblog can email me at Sroberts @ we8there.com .

2005-12-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

More Interviews before we get to the task at hand... Eating! It as a very exciting and fun filled day!

2005-12-10T12:53:00.000-08:00

From right to left Owner of Java House, Phillip Papadopoulous, Carmen Jones, Editor-and-Chief, and Founder Stanley Roberts of We8there.com.

2005-12-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

We were visiting some of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco which happens to be Java House, The Cheesesteak Shop on Divisidaro street, Mitchell's Ice Cream on San Jose street, and Thangh Long. The Java house has the best breakfast for a reasonable price!

2005-12-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

Doug and I discussed We8there extensively, I tried not to leave anything out or anyone.... However who knows how much will end up on the cutting room floor! this segment should air sometime next year. I want to thank Norm Kennie for taking these photos of the shoot.

2005-12-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

We8there.com spent the day with the crew from Bay Area Backroads a Local San Francisco Travel show which features cool things to do in Northern California and sometimes the world, from left to right is Cameraman, Dean Kindricks shooting with a HDTV Sony camera, Carmen Jones, Editor-in-Chief of We8there.com, Stanley Roberts CEO of We8there.com In the grey jacket is Doug McConnell host Of Bay Area BackRoads and the producer is the lovely Laura Remington. we are dicussing the next set shoot. Bay Area BackRoads followed us around for a whole day, we had a blast!

2005-12-05T22:54:00.000-08:00

Bay Area Backroads will be shooting a segment featuring we8there.com and Stanley Roberts.... the feature will highlight our CEOs favorite restaurants in San Francisco.... The shoot will take place December 7th all day in San Francisco the air date is pending!

Since 1985, Bay Area Backroads has been exploring the Bay Area -- finding fun and amazing places to experience right in our own backyard Doug McConnell has worked full-time in television since 1982. He has created, produced and hosted many series, special programs, and news projects for local, national and international distribution. He has received many broadcast awards including a handful of Emmys, an Iris, and a Gabriel.
Since 1993, McConnell has been the host and senior editor of "Bay Area Backroads." "Backroads" explores the paths less traveled in northern California and beyond. It is consistently the highest-rated locally produced, non-news program in the nation's sixth-largest market. McConnell's best-selling "Bay Area Backroads" book is available in bookstores throughout Northern California.
In addition to "Bay Area Backroads," McConnell's long-running television series since 1982 include:
"Mac and Mutley," Producer and Host, KPIX-TV, Discovery Channel USA, Discovery International, and Westinghouse International
"The Adventurers," Host, Discovery USA and Discovery International
"Wild Things," Host, Discovery USA
"Wild Guide," Narrator, Westinghouse International and Discovery?s Animal Planet Channel
"Petline," Co-Host, Discovery?s Animal Planet Channel
"Preview Vacation Bargains," Co-Host, NBC stations in eight major markets
"Pacific Currents," Producer and Host, KPIX-TV
"KING 5 Magazine," Producer and Reporter, KING-TV in Seattle McConnell?s national specials and mini-series include:
"Discoveries of a Lost Voyage," Co-Host, Discovery USA
"Secrets of Alcatraz," Producer and Host, Discovery USA
"Secrets of Alcatraz: Return to the Rock," Producer and Host, PBS
"Secrets of the Gold Rush," Producer and Host, PBS
"Secrets of the Wine Country," Producer and Host, PBS
"Big Cat Tales," Host, Discovery USA
"Prime Time Primates," Host, Discovery USA
"The Crusaders, Pilot," Producer and Reporter, Buena Vista Television
McConnell?s television news experience includes:
"CBS This Morning," Environment Reporter
KRON 4, Environment and Travel Reporter
KPIX-TV, Environment Reporter
McConnell has also produced and hosted many other special programs, live and pre-taped, for local broadcast on KRON 4, BayTV, KPIX-TV, and KING-TV.
From 1970 to 1982, McConnell produced a wide variety of communications projects, including television, radio, books and public events. He focused principally on environmental and natural resource matters. His clients and employers included the President's Commission on Coal, The White House Conference on Balanced National Growth and Economic Development, The United Nations, The Johnson Foundation, Cambridge Seven Associates, The Institute of Ecology (a consortium of 70 universities in the western hemisphere), The Governor's Office of the State of Alaska, The University of Alaska, the Alaska Public Forum, The Alaska Capital Site Selection Committee, and public broadcasting stations in Alaska and the Rocky Mountain states.
Between 1968 and 1970, McConnell worked on the Navajo reservation, recruited minority students for the admissions office of Pomona College, and served as a news researcher and story producer for KTLA-TV in Los Angeles. Prior to that, McConnell received an Master's degree in Political Science from the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University (1968), and a Bachelor's degree in Government from Pomona College (1967).
Since 1983, McConnell has lived in the Bay Area with his wife, two sons, and a bevy of pets. He maintains a busy schedule of community activities and has been honored recently by the Marin Humane Society as "Humanitarian of the Year," by the San Francisco Bay Trail Project as "Volunteer of the Year," and by California State Parks as "Honorary Ranger of the Year."

Anyone wishing to respond to my notes posted in this weblog can do so on the we8there forum.

2005-11-23T21:37:00.000-08:00

Some travelers head to grandma's house earlier this Thanksgiving
ATLANTA (AP) ?

At the world's busiest airport, Joe Lamport had plenty of time on his hands ? he had arrived two days early for Thanksgiving.
"I wanted to beat the rush," said the 35-year-old New York City man, who brought his family to Atlanta to spend the holiday with his brother-in-law's family.
Lamport wasn't alone. Although the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year, it seems many holiday travelers hit the road or boarded planes a little earlier this year.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reported 289,597 passengers on Tuesday ? nearly 4,100 more than what's expected for Wednesday. Tuesday's rush also prompted lighter-than-normal commuter traffic in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.
Why? Like Lamport, many wanted to avoid the long lines, delays and downright rudeness from snarling fellow passengers that often comes with waiting until the day before the holiday to leave town.
After years of recommending that holiday travelers leave early, AAA said it appears U.S. travelers are finally listening and have learned how to avoid being caught in unpleasant holiday travel conditions.
"It used to be that everyone waited until Wednesday afternoon to leave for Thanksgiving trips, but now that's starting to spread out because they are trying to avoid those peak travel hours," said Mantill Williams, a national spokesman for AAA, which estimates nearly 37.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving weekend but does not break down those numbers by day.
"Travelers understand that if they can leave on a Tuesday instead of Wednesday, they can avoid some of the traffic jams and long waits at the airport and cut their trips by as much as half," Williams said.
Tuesdays before Thanksgiving always are the busiest travel days for the Greyhound bus company, mainly because of the additional time it takes for buses to travel across vast distances. Also, holiday blackout dates for advance purchases and companion fare tickets go into effect on Wednesday.
"We have seen a higher number of passengers," said spokesman Dustin Clark, who did not have exact travel estimates for Tuesday and Wednesday travel.
Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell said 125,000 people last year traveled on Amtrak trains the day before Thanksgiving, up 80% from the 69,000 who ride the trains on an average day. No data was available yet for this year.
Atlanta's airport said Tuesday was its busiest day of the year so far, but it is expected to be eclipsed Sunday when nearly 300,000 passengers are expected to pass through its gates.
Some travelers said they had no choice ? either no seats were available on flights later in the week or tickets were too expensive.
Lynn Hoh, 48, of Conyers, Ga., said her 82-year-old mother, Jean, wanted to come to Atlanta on Wednesday but the flights were all booked up so she flew in from Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday instead. In addition, she wanted to return home Saturday, but that ticket was too expensive so she will return Dec. 3.
"She'd like to get home to her dog," Hoh said.
On Tuesday, security lines at the Atlanta airport grew early and passengers such as Lamport passed time waiting for relatives to greet them by playing with their children, catching naps in the airport's busy atrium or standing outside in the chilly air for car rides.
Airport spokesman Felicia Browder said the day's high travel numbers likely represented an anomaly that likely won't be continued next year.
Likewise, other airports estimated Tuesday represented a slightly smaller travel day than Wednesday ? Miami International Airport reported 83,700 passengers Tuesday and estimated 92,000 passengers Wednesday. Denver International Airport also said it had a little more than 130,000 passengers Tuesday and estimated more than 150,000 for Wednesday.
About a half-hour after Lamport waited in the airport atrium, his brother-in-law arrived. Lamport said his family will stay through next Tuesday to avoid the return rush Sunday.
"I wanted to cut it off on both ends," he said.

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2005-10-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

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2005-10-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

Editorial:Grappling With Progress, A Destination Denies Chains

By John Hendrie

The character of a destination. How will the community define itself, maintain its integrity, traits, history and essence, yet meet the expectations of the tourism engine which drives its commerce and livelihood.
Ogunquit, Maine is the latest Destination to fight for independence, waging a campaign against the "formula" chain restaurant scourge, in the minds of many citizens. This battle is not new, with towns like Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA, Bristol, RI, and even the neighboring town of York, ME enacting strong preservation measures. But, Northern New England states, with their cachets and je ne sais quoi, particularly tend to challenge the Chain mentality. The debates are visceral, alliances are fragile, emotional discourse abounds, as these New England communities address progress and retail commercialism. It starts out with that demon Dunkin Doughnuts or McDonalds and then accelerates with villainous Starbucks and Chili's. Lock the doors, bar the windows, hide the children, secure the women - the Huns are coming!

Every community has not only the right but also the obligation to define itself and protect the community interests. The histories of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are particularly instructive. The character is fiercely independent with a strong Puritan tradition, governing a wonderful and unique landscape of the ocean, grand lakes and resplendent mountains. But, those darn "Flatlanders" have historically caused uproars. Trust Funds be damned! Havoc wreackers all! Patriot, Ethan Allen, wanted Vermont annexed to New York State and the ski area, Killington, percolates to secede to New Hampshire. That state's "Live Free or Die" slogan neglects to mention property taxes that attracted Massachusetts residents some twenty years ago, who are now moving back to the Bay State. And, Maine tussles with the reality of two regions in the State - Southern and Seacoast Maine and all the rest. Progress is a tough nut!
From city to hamlet, the community leaders have combated retail (this includes Hospitality). It may have started with Wal Mart, which threatened the very fabric and heart of these localities. Battle lines were drawn, laws enacted, citizenry engaged and often, enraged. Never mind that in these communities was a Mobil station, a local bank that may have become regionalized through merger or acquisition, or even an A&P. Corporations "from away" were already there. But, somehow the fast food type retail operation caught everyone's attention and became symbolic of the crush and turmoil to come. The only certainty is change, although this can be controlled, guided, and directed to the common good.

AP writer, Clarke Canfield, caught the spirit of the debate very well in the Portsmouth Herald, 10/1/05, with his article, "Not in Our Town - Ogunquit group lobbies to ban chain restaurants". Persuasive arguments abounded: "pristine and special", "character", "change the whole color of the landscape", and "Once you have a Dunkin' Donuts, you're going to have a TCBY, a Subway and a McDonalds." Debate is one thing, reality is another. Some Destinations have descended into the crass miasma of commercialism, while others have integrated worthy contributors. It is about balance, but certainly Ogunquit has the right to self determination, but do not "bite the hand" that feeds you!

What gets lost in the proverbial wash is the poor Visitor, and Ogunquit is dependent upon Tourism. Beyond being beset with horrible traffic on Historic Route 1, which wends its way through town, they must then search for elusive parking. But, Ogunquit really is a gem of a small resort area. As Writer Canfield opined, "Ogunquit?is a popular summer Destination known for its quaint bed and breakfasts, art galleries, restaurants, summer playhouse and white sand beaches". At some point in time, the Visitor will wish to dine. With a chain restaurant, a visitor knows that their expectations will most likely be met - there is familiarity, consistency, and known Quality Control. In a destination with only independent operations, the visitor is disadvantaged, taking a chance, uncomfortable with the lack of reliability for their meal choice. This is very real!

You now have an uninformed visitor, totally at the discretion of the dining establishments. Who captures Visitor satisfaction, who responds and corrects customer complaints, who is accountable for the Visitor Experience? Guidelines and standards provide that confidence. Without those you are potentially preying on a captured, uninformed audience. Matter of fact, a group of enterprising independent restaurants in Portsmouth, NH recognized this fact, exacerbated by competition from the chains in outlying malls. They banded together, rallying around a Quality Assurance Certification, which gave them a competitive stance with the chains and a comforting message to their prospective customers. It was an effective Awareness Program and marketing outreach.

Ogunquit is indeed a marvelous Destination, but the argument appears to be related to the "me" in this issue versus to the "them", the visitor, who has no alternatives. Maintain the character, promote the qualities, but, for goodness sakes, give the Visitor some means to make an informed decision, feel confident in that choice, and provide a forum for community accountability. Just as we have laws and ordinances to address behavior and performance, should we not have the same through a set of standards to meet or exceed expectations, particularly as the Visitor is our "bread and butter"?

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2005-10-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

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2005-09-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Some of our we8there.com visitors may have noticed the messageboard was off line for a while. On September 9 our message board was hacked by a racist individual who thought it would funny to post inappropriate comments regarding race on our site. This loser hacker also deleted some very important files causing the loss of data to some of our forums in the message board . The new message board will show comments posted, but when you enter into the forum you will see blank threads. You know in 2005 you would like to believe that we have move on in life and that racist comments would be a thing of the past, I can tell you it has not. We set up the message board not for profit but for help, the message board is for you to enjoy and to help the victims of the devastating hurricane find missing love ones.

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2005-09-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

I have some good news to report with all the bad news out there, one person posted that she was looking for her sister in Sun,Louisiana who also turned out to be the Mayor of Sun. So I went on a mission to see if we could find Barbara Gibson I found two emails one I posted on the web and the other I sent an email to directing her to call her sister Debbie.... The good news is Barbara call her sister tod and all is well!!! Here is the link to that thread http://www.we8there.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=224

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2005-08-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

We have opened our message board to allow anyone to post information regarding missing persons, contact information or anything that would helo the victims of hurricane Katrina. No need to register to post.

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2005-08-30T23:26:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Katrina Relief: American Red Cross needs your donations to help the victims of what is being called the worst natural disaster to hit the United States ever. We8there.com will donate 100% of our profits from any We8there Gear purchase!
Anyone wishing to respond to my notes posted in this weblog can do so on the we8there forum.

2005-08-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

Here is another photo showing how widespread the flooding is in the affected area.

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2005-08-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

My sister who lives in Columbus Georgia sent me some images of the aftermath from hurricane Katrina these were taken from a helicopter and show the full extent of the flooding

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2005-08-13T00:22:00.000-07:00

Is this photo Real or the magic of photoshop send me your best guess I will answer every reply info@we8there.com

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2005-08-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

Our CEO was invited to do a little cooking in Gourmet Alley where all the great dishes are prepared for the Festival..You missed the festival this year but mark your calenders for next year for more information visit the Gilroy Garlic Festival at http://www.gilroygarlicfestival.com

The Gilroy Garlic Festival Association is a non-profit corporation. Its goal is to support the community projects, charitable groups and service organizations of Gilroy.
In 2005 over 4,000 volunteers from 166 non-profit groups worked 43,243 hours to host the
27th Annual Garlic Festival. $225,000 will distributed to non-profit organizations. From 1979 through 2005 the success of the annual Festival has enabled the Association to award more than $7 million to these groups, not to mention the other charities which generated funds through booths operated at the three-day event.

2005-08-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

Even Jelly Belly created a Garlic Jelly Bean for the occasion, and to tell you the truth it was not all that bad.

2005-08-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Master of cermonies of the cookoff was Narsai David. When you say Narsai you are saying food and Wine Narsai is one of my personal favorites ....I found Narsai's bio on his web site at http://www.Narsai.com

The culinary tour from drive-in hamburger house in Turlock, California to the most successful food show in radio history is a tale well told by Narsai David. Born to Assyrian immigrants, Narsai's story began in Chicago where he joined his family in transporting bushels of summer tomatoes and peaches home for canning. The family later moved to the central California farming community of Turlock where Narsai was called into culinary service early.
"There were no daughters," recalls Narsai. "In an old country family, surely had there been a daughter, she would have been in the kitchen helping Mom. Since there wasn't, the boys were not only welcomed, but actually encouraged in the kitchen." Memories of his mother's home cooking pervade his own culinary practices and the counsel he now provides San Francisco Bay Area viewing and listening audiences. Narsai's style is one of fundamental basics. The easier he can make a recipe, the more likely it will be successful and useful for the cooks in his audience.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, Narsai first worked with Henry Rubin and Ed Brown at Berkeley's Potluck Restaurant and then launched a gastronome's delight, Narsai's Restaurant, in the small East Bay community of Kensington. From 1970 until 1986, Narsai's Restaurant, Market and Catering businesses were a culinary mecca for traveling gourmets. The hospitable redwood dining room (fashioned from a giant redwood tank) was the backdrop for some of the most attentive service and finest food ever served forth. The wine list at Narsai's was described as "one of the ten finest in the world" by the New York Times. Centerpiece for the restaurant's fame was its Monday Night Dinner Series at which Narsai offered a fixed menu from whatever cuisine happened to capture his attention and appeal to his senses at the moment.
From 1978 to 1985, Narsai's Market (next door to the restaurant) presented a remarkable line of specialty foods. Narsai's bakery was the first in Northern California to offer the French spined baguette called Epine as one of its regulars. Narsai's many different specialty breads, including his famed croissants, were repeatedly selected as one of the finest anywhere. The Chocolate Decadence Torte?, Mudslide Cookies?, Avalanche Cookies?, and Snowstorm Cookies? were among the many creations first introduced at Narsai's Market.
Narsai's years as one of the Bay Area's leading restaurateurs were overlaid with highly publicized caterings representing some of the grandest, large scale outdoor dining experiences anyone has ever known. Rock impresario Bill Graham called on Narsai regularly to cater his concerts as did the Napa Valley Wine Auction and San Francisco Symphony. In 1986, it became apparent that Narsai's eclectic appetite for the full smorgasbord of food and wine adventures would run counter to his commitment to full time personal attention to his restaurant and catering businesses. He closed the landmark dining room, taking with him one of the country's most extraordinary wine cellars, a line of specialty food products bearing his name, and a recipe collection that would eventually be published by Simon and Schuster in Monday Night At Narsai's .
From 1977 to 1984, Narsai hosted the nationally syndicated PBS television series, "Over Easy." From 1984 to 1995, he wrote a column for the San Francisco Chronicle Food Section titled "California Cuisine." From 1987 to 1996, Narsai was Resident Chef at "Mornings on 2" for KTVU in Oakland.
Today, as Food and Wine Editor at San Francisco's KCBS radio station, Narsai broadcasts his secrets of gourmet cooking 36 times each week. Narsai was co-host of "Cook Off America ," a television series highlighting regional cuisine from around the country. As "Macy's Culinary Expert," he hosts cooking demonstrations every Saturday morning at the flagship store on Union Square in San Francisco, and holds bi-monthly demonstrations at the Valley Fair store in San Jose. Narsai oversees the management and new-product development for his line of Specialty Food Products, and makes celebrity chef appearances at festivals throughout the world.
In keeping with his desire to give back to the community, Narsai is actively involved in many projects. His services include: President of the Board, Assyrian Aid Society of America; President of the Board, Berkeley Community Fund; Founding Member, The Hunger Awareness Project in San Francisco; Host, Alameda County Meals on Wheels Annual Dinner; Honorary Chair, VNA Hospice Annual Wine Tasting fund-raiser in Berkeley; and hosts the Annual Narsai Toast to the Arts, benefiting the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Wherever he goes, Narsai's objective remains the same: to share the simple pleasures of cooking, food and wine through education.

2005-08-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

This is the winner of the Gilroy Garlic festival Garlic Cookoff. Mary Beth Harris-Murphree from Tyler, Texas here she is being interviewed by one of the local television stations out of Salinas California. KSBW 8.

2005-08-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

These are the judges for the Garlic Cook off, this event is very competitive some of the dishes up for the award were Curry Seafood Gumbo with Saffron Rice, Pancetta Wrapped Turkey Breast with Garlic and Wild Mushroom Stuffing with Pesto Sauce, the winner Basil and Garlic Sea Scallops Wrappped in Prosciutto with spicy Citrus Beurre Blanc. And for the first time in 27 years the winning recipe would be available for consumption at Mama Mia's Ristorante Italiano with four locations in Northern California. But not till August 5 2005.

2005-08-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

We8there.com paid a visit to the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy California. The Garlic festival is one of the few events that stay true to the theme. Garlic! before you turn your nose up to the stinky rose you should give the festival a try!

2005-07-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Need I say more!! Check out the Gilroy Garlic festival website!!!
The most fun you will have with garlic!!!!
http://www.gilroygarlicfestival.com

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2005-07-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's time for the Gilroy Garlic festival..... my favorite festival of all times Gourmet foods, garlic Ice Cream, and Gourmet alley!!!!! I will be there Saturday, what about you?
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2005-07-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

Ok this is the way movies should be made, full of action and great story line......I left the movie in tears...... tears of joy. The Fantastic Four is on my must buy list of DVD's!!!

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2005-07-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

If you are a fishing fan you can rent a rod and reel and fish off the pier all day long!

2005-07-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

Pismo Beach is a wonderful tourist spot just off Highway 101 on the central coast of California. Here is a cool shot where the mountains meet the beach.

2005-07-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

The sourdough bread bowls being prepared on the grill for the feast........

2005-07-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

The employees hard at work taking phone orders and tending to the steady stream of customers....

2005-07-10T16:18:00.000-07:00

I found this gem by accident I was actually looking for another restaurant when I saw a line snaking outside the door (a good sign)! on The day I snap this pic there was a line although not very long....I was a cool day at the beach so I think that was the reason the line was not a block long...... but no matter how long the line is the food is worth the wait!

2005-07-10T16:14:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite restaurants is" The Splash Cafe" In Pismo beach California. The reason? They make the best clam chowder on the west coast. http://www.splashcafe.com/

2005-06-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

The festival was held in the civic center on the steps of San Francisco City Hall, the current home of Gavin Newson, the lightning rod for the push to legalize Gay Marriage in California.

2005-06-27T09:13:00.001-07:00

The food was nothing to write home about mostly generic festival food, nothing that I could say was gourmet!

2005-06-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of those only in San Francisco Photo's, but a very colorfull one as well.