Well, it's been awhile since I've done one of these, so let's get back to it with yet another Bar & Grill and see how it fares. Applebee's offers it's Grilled Italian Chicken Caesar Salad for $7.99 and it includes grilled Italian chicken (natch) served on romaine lettuce, with Parmesan cheese, garlic croutons and Caesar dressing. It also comes with a slice of garlic toast.
First off, the chicken is top shelf. It is a hot off the grill breast thinly sliced and very juicy. It was also blackened on the tips and edges, but the great taste made up for this. The rest of the salad is composed of chopped lettuce nicely tossed with just enough tangy dressing to be tasty but not too much that its overwhelming. The dressing is accented by the freshly shredded Parmesan. The croutons, though not fresh and a bit tough, had a good garlic and butter flavor. Finally, the slice of garlic toast is a nice tasty addition to the meal.
Aside from the chicken, this is a very standard Chicken Caesar Salad that is competently made and fairly satisfying. I recommend it to anyone who finds themselves in an Applebee's and is looking for something on the light side.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Monday, February 07, 2005
Super Bowl: The Aftermath
An anecdote: Back in 1995, my folks and I took a bus trip tour through Europe. Our first stop on the continent was Amsterdam. We arrived at the hotel on a Saturday night after a day of riding on the Channel Ferry and riding on the bus. Being exhausted, we all just turned in for the evening. The next morning, after the bus was loaded up, we went to see some landmarks of the city before getting on the road again. We were told by the tour director that there was both a Rolling Stones concert and a big soccer victory celebration last night.
What we saw was a city that seemed to have suffered a nuclear attack. On this quiet Sunday morning, there was trash littered everywhere. The lighter pieces of paper scrap skittered along the ground, propelled by faint breezes. There were no people on the streets. Presumably, the residents of Amsterdam were all in doors suffering a collective hangover. It was quite an image.
This is what I thought I might see coming into downtown this morning.
In actuality, it doesn't look that bad or all that different. There are still a number of tents and temporary structures up, including one of those big, portable grills you haul behind a truck with a sign that says, "SOUTHERN BBQ CHICKEN HERE". But other than that, no big deal.
Of course, my end of downtown is a bit away from the stadium, so it may still appear to be a wasteland on that end. But it'll get cleaned up quickly enough. The excitement is over. The game is over. And the people are leaving in droves. Jacksonville will go back to the sleepy town it has been, with maybe a slight increase in downtown activity. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has already stated we may get the Super Bowl again in another ten years. But, my fellow residents, go ahead and rest up for a couple of years before working yourselves up into a frenzy again. It's time we took a vacation.
What we saw was a city that seemed to have suffered a nuclear attack. On this quiet Sunday morning, there was trash littered everywhere. The lighter pieces of paper scrap skittered along the ground, propelled by faint breezes. There were no people on the streets. Presumably, the residents of Amsterdam were all in doors suffering a collective hangover. It was quite an image.
This is what I thought I might see coming into downtown this morning.
In actuality, it doesn't look that bad or all that different. There are still a number of tents and temporary structures up, including one of those big, portable grills you haul behind a truck with a sign that says, "SOUTHERN BBQ CHICKEN HERE". But other than that, no big deal.
Of course, my end of downtown is a bit away from the stadium, so it may still appear to be a wasteland on that end. But it'll get cleaned up quickly enough. The excitement is over. The game is over. And the people are leaving in droves. Jacksonville will go back to the sleepy town it has been, with maybe a slight increase in downtown activity. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has already stated we may get the Super Bowl again in another ten years. But, my fellow residents, go ahead and rest up for a couple of years before working yourselves up into a frenzy again. It's time we took a vacation.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Are you ready for some Football?
And so here we are.
The one question that has continued unabated amongst sports columnists and fans since the beginning of our Super Bowl party was this: Why Jacksonville?
The jokes about Jacksonville being a cruddy, backass town have been constant. To show our good humor, one local columnist actually printed a long list of them to help visitors along. But beyond all the jabs at our town is main reason why Jacksonville is a great choice for a Super Bowl:
This is a city that loves football.
It's the one quality of Jacksonville that is of little doubt. Some of the most heated rivalries between some of the greatest College teams meet every year in and around Jacksonville. Some of the most passionate fans of those teams live right here. It was, in part, the passion of these fans that convinced the NFL to put the Jaguars here in the first place. And the passion continues to this day, whether the teams are the Jaguars, the Gators, the Seminoles, or any of the High School teams here in town which have produced their own NFL greats.
As I have said several times in the past week, I'm not a big football fan. However, I can appreciate and enjoy a good game. Most of the rest of Jacksonville's residents go way beyond that in their devotion. So, in the end, the gripes about roads, hotels, and how many friggin skyscrapers we have is irrelevant. When it comes right down to it, this is a Football town.
The one question that has continued unabated amongst sports columnists and fans since the beginning of our Super Bowl party was this: Why Jacksonville?
The jokes about Jacksonville being a cruddy, backass town have been constant. To show our good humor, one local columnist actually printed a long list of them to help visitors along. But beyond all the jabs at our town is main reason why Jacksonville is a great choice for a Super Bowl:
This is a city that loves football.
It's the one quality of Jacksonville that is of little doubt. Some of the most heated rivalries between some of the greatest College teams meet every year in and around Jacksonville. Some of the most passionate fans of those teams live right here. It was, in part, the passion of these fans that convinced the NFL to put the Jaguars here in the first place. And the passion continues to this day, whether the teams are the Jaguars, the Gators, the Seminoles, or any of the High School teams here in town which have produced their own NFL greats.
As I have said several times in the past week, I'm not a big football fan. However, I can appreciate and enjoy a good game. Most of the rest of Jacksonville's residents go way beyond that in their devotion. So, in the end, the gripes about roads, hotels, and how many friggin skyscrapers we have is irrelevant. When it comes right down to it, this is a Football town.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Super Bowl Countdown: One Day Left
We're hunkerin' down.
I mentioned the 2004 Hurricanes in Thursday's post, and it has struck me that residents such as myself are reacting to the Super Bowl as they did Hurricane Frances: stocking up on supplies and sealing themselves inside their homes. A Florida Times-Union article from today's paper made the same observation.
So much of the negative press have focused on too little hotel rooms there are and too much traffic there is. Well, some of us have made the decision to clear out of your way. After all, this is really your game that will be played tomorrow, no matter where it's located. I'm guessing there aren't a huge amount of Eagles or Patriot fans actually living in Jacksonville. Hell, we're getting a big enough kick at just looking at all the activity on TV.
So enjoy all the restaurants, clubs, theaters and, yes, Waffle Houses and Hooters (thank you, Tony Kornheiser, you putz). Jacksonville has worked for years to show you a good time. After all, that's what a good party host does.
Mi casa, su casa. We'll be out in the garage if you need us.
I mentioned the 2004 Hurricanes in Thursday's post, and it has struck me that residents such as myself are reacting to the Super Bowl as they did Hurricane Frances: stocking up on supplies and sealing themselves inside their homes. A Florida Times-Union article from today's paper made the same observation.
So much of the negative press have focused on too little hotel rooms there are and too much traffic there is. Well, some of us have made the decision to clear out of your way. After all, this is really your game that will be played tomorrow, no matter where it's located. I'm guessing there aren't a huge amount of Eagles or Patriot fans actually living in Jacksonville. Hell, we're getting a big enough kick at just looking at all the activity on TV.
So enjoy all the restaurants, clubs, theaters and, yes, Waffle Houses and Hooters (thank you, Tony Kornheiser, you putz). Jacksonville has worked for years to show you a good time. After all, that's what a good party host does.
Mi casa, su casa. We'll be out in the garage if you need us.
Friday, February 04, 2005
Super Bowl Countdown: Two Days Left
Well, so much for the grey suits in Publix.
Yesterday, the rumors started flying in terms of celebrity sightings in town. Now, I can get into this as much as anybody, but when celebrity sightings amount to figures chiefly from the sports world, I'm underwhelmed. I'm sure that having Deion Sanders, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Jerry Rice around is extremely exciting for some, but not me.
But there have been exceptions. I first heard about Robin Williams beings at Sneakers Sports Bar early yesterday via word of mouth. Then I saw the picture at the First Coast News celebrity sightings site (The picture's not a very good one, I'll admit. It could be Robin Williams. It could also be that old guy from the Barber Shop). So it's freaky to think of him here.
John Travolta has also been sighted, but that's less impressive since it's known around town that he owns a house down in Ocala. He's become a bit of a local boy. He shot "Basic" down at Camp Blanding several years ago, and he's going to be making "Lonely Hearts" with James Gandolfini in Jacksonville later this year.
And then there's Brad Pitt. Specifically, this is the statement that has been spread around town: "Brad Pitt was seen buying Orange Juice at a Ponte Vedra Winn Dixie". I suppose that in the case of restaurants, it's easier to accept celebrity sightings, as if they were actually conjured on the premises. But Winn Dixie?! How mundane can you get?!
And the week is still young. We may see more before it's all over. Suffice to say, if I run into Colin Farrell sipping on an Expresso at the Docking Station, you folks will be the first to hear about it. And furthermore, I'll be sure to ask him what was up with "Alexander".
Yesterday, the rumors started flying in terms of celebrity sightings in town. Now, I can get into this as much as anybody, but when celebrity sightings amount to figures chiefly from the sports world, I'm underwhelmed. I'm sure that having Deion Sanders, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Jerry Rice around is extremely exciting for some, but not me.
But there have been exceptions. I first heard about Robin Williams beings at Sneakers Sports Bar early yesterday via word of mouth. Then I saw the picture at the First Coast News celebrity sightings site (The picture's not a very good one, I'll admit. It could be Robin Williams. It could also be that old guy from the Barber Shop). So it's freaky to think of him here.
John Travolta has also been sighted, but that's less impressive since it's known around town that he owns a house down in Ocala. He's become a bit of a local boy. He shot "Basic" down at Camp Blanding several years ago, and he's going to be making "Lonely Hearts" with James Gandolfini in Jacksonville later this year.
And then there's Brad Pitt. Specifically, this is the statement that has been spread around town: "Brad Pitt was seen buying Orange Juice at a Ponte Vedra Winn Dixie". I suppose that in the case of restaurants, it's easier to accept celebrity sightings, as if they were actually conjured on the premises. But Winn Dixie?! How mundane can you get?!
And the week is still young. We may see more before it's all over. Suffice to say, if I run into Colin Farrell sipping on an Expresso at the Docking Station, you folks will be the first to hear about it. And furthermore, I'll be sure to ask him what was up with "Alexander".
Thursday, February 03, 2005
The Horrors of Encyclopedia Britannica
When I was a kid, we had a set of encyclopedias in the house that I loved to thumb through. This image is one that I found in there that has never left my head. Even having since seen hundreds of sci fi, horror and fantasy films, this remains one of the creepiest things I have ever seen.
It's called a star-nosed mole, if you're curious.
It's called a star-nosed mole, if you're curious.
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