Restaurants to Avoid...

The Italian place I went to this evening in Providence RI.

We met my in-laws for dinner at a restaurant that's been in business since my FIL was a student at Bryant College, back when it was on College Hill. The place was very easy to find, and we had a 7pm reservation. We were seated right away, and I swear, that's the last thing that went right.

We waited a full 15 minutes before the waitress came to take our drink order. By then we had not only decided on what we wanted to eat, but we had memorized the entire menu and were quizzing each other on what was in the antipasto.

So, we got our drinks. Well, half of us did. Those of us who ordered drinks from the bar got them right away. Well, by right away, I mean within another 10 minutes. The people who ordered water? I think the staff had to make some, and frankly, I'm afraid of just how they did that. I stuck with my margaritas.

The water was accompanied by perhaps the best Italian bread I'd ever had. Warm and flaky, with a nice, soft garlic-infused butter......mmmmmmm.... We had been lamenting FIL's choice of eatery, but this bread nearly made up for it. What really made up for it was the extra service the restaurant offers -- they wash your pants for you! Of course, it's with icy cold water from a sweating metal pitcher, and it's only one leg, and at that, just from the knee down, but hey -- BONUS!

And what was extra great was that the heat along the outside wall (where we were seated) wasn't working, so we had the benefit of fresh, cool, crisp, nipple-binking air. I'm sure my FIL saw way more than he really needed to, but they had already taken my coat, and I was pretty sure it would take at least a half hour to get it out of hock, so I huddled and hunched and got the girls to behave.

Anyway, 20 minutes later, the appetizer arrives. By now, the 8-year old at the table was drawing on his place mat with butter sucked into his straw and it really was quite remarkable and ingenious; I have it hanging on my fridge.

Another 10 minutes pass, and three of the four of us get our salads, but everyone gets their entrees. At this point, we've already eaten the napkins, and determined that our puny human teeth cannot, in fact, chew through metal, so our knives and forks are still intact. We dig into the most bland, plain, generic Italian food ever. I mean, Ragu makes a tastier sauce (and if you know or are a real Italian like me, you know how bad that is for this restaurant).

We get through the meal quickly, mostly because we have a 45 minute drive to get home, and the 8-year old is mine, and gets cranky when it's out late. No way were we waiting for more water, so we rationed out what we had, and asked at least four times to refill the bread basket, and we're still waiting.

We thought about dessert, and the 8-year old got ice cream as part of the kid's meal, and asked for Vanilla. FIL asked for chocolate. We got three dishes, all chocolate. I mean, it's like they weren't even trying! We took the opportunity to ask for the check at that time, and got it right away. I mean within seconds.

Then I slid my lil Gold card into the slot and waited. And waited. Then was grateful I hit the ATM that morning, and depleted my wallet to pay the damned bill and escape. The in-laws tried to pay, but they only had plastic. I think we'd still be waiting if I didn't have the cash on hand.

I watch this show, called Kitchen Nightmares. In it, a British chef, named Gordon Ramsay, goes into these places that suck ass and turn them around. I kept waiting for him to come out of the kitchen and tell the hostess that her night was a f'ucking nightmare.

It was bad.

Then, to top it off, I needed to break the seal. I think I stumbled into the bathroom that the Fiction Mistress was talking about earlier this month. No lie, there was no heat in the room at all. Guess they want to discourage folks going in with a newspaper. No worries there. There was actual FROST on the mirror, and I swear to God, my ass would have frozen to the seat if the little hover maneuver didn't work.

All set with restaurants for a while.

Think I'll have leftover turkey tomorrow.

~ Hath

Live Earth Cancelled

Joint Official Statement from Live Earth Founder Kevin Wall, The Office of the Honorable Al Gore and Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Chairman IPCC Regarding Live Earth India

Last update: 11:19 p.m. EST Nov. 28, 2008

LOS ANGELES, Nov 28, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Everyone involved with Live Earth India, from our U.S.- and India-based staff, artists and crew to our India-based broadcast, production, non-profit and marketing communications partners, is stunned and saddened by the tragic events of the past few days in our host city Mumbai. We always felt very welcomed and safe as we spent more time on the ground in Mumbai to finalize plans for Live Earth India, scheduled for December 7.

Due to circumstances far beyond our control, we are saddened to announce that Live Earth India has been canceled. We will continue to work for solutions to the climate crisis for the good of the people of India and around the world. But for now, our thoughts and our prayers are with the victims of this terrible attack, with the bereaved, with the people of Mumbai and with everyone in India. For updated information, please visit www.LiveEarth.org.

Biker Bash for Charity...

Queenie posted this on her site:

Biker Bash for Charity...
Ft. Lauderdale Harley-Davidson Biker's Bash for Charity

HOLLYWOOD, FL (Nov. 2008) – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Bruce Rossmeyer’s Fort Lauderdale Harley-Davidson are bringing four non-stop days of police escorted rides, entertainment and fun to South Florida with the 10th Annual 2008 “Bikers Bash” – a weekend of motorcycling fun in the sun from December 11th – 14th. Attending the Friday night Bikers Bash – the premiere VIP motorcycle event of the year – will be Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora, and a whole bunch of other people :)

This will also be the final stop of the 2008 Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse Tour, a national touring attraction that recognizes custom motorcycle builders from around the country.

I echo Queenie's plea:

PLEASE, if anyone gets photos to this, please share! Richie on a Harley? Why not just kill me now :)

~ Hath

Story Update: Online

Posted the next chapter...
Happy Saturday!

~ Hath

Get Your Biddin' Finger Ready...

On Dec. 1, Ebay Celebrity Memorabilia Auction Honors World AIDS Day

A massive auction for the World AIDS Day will include CDs autographed by Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Carly Simon, Jennifer Hudson, Bon Jovi, Lindsay Lohan, and Amy Winehouse; signed books by Madonna, Lance Bass, Tori Spelling, Ann Bannon, and Oscar De La Hoya; posters signed by Jake Gyllenhaal, Owen Wilson, Patti LuPone, Debbie Harry, Melissa Etheridge, Liza Minnelli and Matthew McConaughey.

BID 2 BEAT AIDS begins December 1, 2008 to benefit LIFEbeat.

The BID 2 BEAT AIDS 2008 auction will kick off December 1, 2008 (World AIDS Day) at noon EST on eBay. Once the auction begins, log onto the LIFEbeat eBay store at http://stores.ebay.com/Bid2BeatAIDS. To receive an email reminder, join their mailing list.

LIFEbeat is dedicated to reaching America's youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention. LIFEbeat mobilizes the talents and resources of the music industry to raise awareness and to provide support to the AIDS community.

Story Update: Rings

Terri and I posted another chapter :) We hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a great one!

~ Hath

Story Updates!

I've updated Online with a new chapter.

And, after much procrastinating and prevaricating, and a whole bunch of other -ating words, I've posted another chapter of Believe.

Both stories can be found by clicking the "Stories in Progress" tab above.

Thanks for sticking with me!

~ Hath

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing all my US friends a happy and healthy Thanksgiving weekend.

Wishing all my non-US friends a happy and healthy regular-old weekend. :)

To all my friends, I count you among my blessings. Thank you for your friendship.

~ Hath

PS: Thanks Willow for the adorable turkey clipart :)

Dark Streets - Movie Soundtrack (round II)

So, it came out today.

And I listened....

And I LOVE the songs I've listened to.

Admittedly, I've just listened to Richie's song (Blood on the Ground) and the two he is featured on (It Ain't Right and It Don't Make No Never Mind )

Blood on the Ground is a deliciously dark song. Absolutely love it. I listened to it on a loop for about an hour and a half. I'm addicted. That's my new feel-good, feel-dirty song.

For now.

~ Hath

VH1 Classic All Time Top 10: Bon Jovi

DVR ALERT! DVR ALERT! DVR ALERT!

VH1 Classics is running a Top-10 Bon Jovi Videos show on a few dates this week. It aired last Friday (I missed it) but I will be DVR'ing this bad boy for sure :)

VH1.com reports the show being on the following date/times:


Tue Nov. 25 08:00 PM ET
Wed Nov. 26 11:00 AM ET
Sat Nov. 29 08:30 AM ET

~ Hath

Setting A Great Example

People Magazine (among others) has reported that Richie and Heather are spending Thanksgiving together with their daughter Ava. Jack Wagner, Heather’s boyfriend, and a few good friends will also be having dinner with them. The article made no specific mention of Jen Mallini, so I wonder what's up there? Hope things are alright with them -- Richie has looked so happy this past several months, and part of it has got to be Jen.

Anyway, I (and many others) happen to be glad to see that Richie and Heather continue to be supportive of each other, and put their daughter first. Too often, in "regular" divorced couples as well celebrities, the kids get the short end of the stick. When you hear of divorced couples taking time to both be there for their kids, or getting along, even simply so their kids aren't hurt, well, Goddess thinks that should be the rule, not the exception.

One website reports an unnamed friend of Heather’s as saying:

Heather and Richie are very supportive of each other. They talk all the time, and anytime Ava has something important happening they are there together. It’s going to be a very nice Thanksgiving for everyone.

They may be divorced, but they are raising a little girl they both love very much, and the holidays, when you get right down to it, really are for the children. So kudos to Heather and Richie for doing the right thing.

And Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Hath

AMA Slideshow

I got lots of pictures from people, and nobody said NOT to post them publicly, so...

My only complaint is that he didn't take off his shades :)

And can I say, I love that his daughter was his date? That was too cute. I hope for her sake, that these things never get old.

~ Hath

Richie on the Red Carpet

Quality isn't the best, but Our Richie is at 1:05....





I just love the smile :)

~ Hath

How can you NOT love this smile:

American Music Awards

So, my Google Alerts and network of informants have failed me :(

I totally missed the AMAs tonight, and our Richie was presenting. He presented Alicia Keys with the Pop/Rock Album award. The show was held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

I do, however, have an intimate relationship with Google and Yahoo searches, and found and snagged some pictures...



I hereby send out a call to arms to all my Devotees.... When his spiel hits YouTube, I need the link :)

Check out these gorgeous pictures on GettyImages

*sigh* Some days I wish I was a reporter....stupid watermarks....

~ Hath

Bye! I'm Going Shopping!

Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, left, at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick. The duo created a musical version of the cult film "The Toxic Avenger," which received rave reviews.


David Bryan returns to his hometown of Edison just when his career is "Toxic."

Bryan, perhaps best known as the keyboardist for Bon Jovi, will make a celebrity appearance at the "Simon Evening of Giving" from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at Menlo Park Mall in Edison.

Bryan, who attended the township's J.P. Stevens High School, wrote the score for the hit musical "The Toxic Avenger," which recently played at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick to rave reviews.

OK, how long will it take me to drive to Jersey if I floor the Hemi? And before you bash David for appearing at a mall, it's called "Giving Back". You should try it sometime.

~ Hath

Story Updates

It's Sunday, and I polished and posted another chapter of Online, and wrote and posted another Joker. I'm working on Believe next :)

Yeah, so this is what happens when I have time to myself :)

~ Hath