I Voted!

The kid and I voted at the bumcrack of dawn. It went very quickly but I was upset not to get the snazzy sticker. I made my own so I can feel superior to my coworkers all day.

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Urgent Re: Turkey

I liked the urgent, imperative, slightly aggressive sign at Mrs. Green's Natural Market.

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Dangerous Intersection at Train Station

There's an interesting discussion on the Advocate 411 blog about a car striking a pedestrian near the train station. Evidently the pedestrian was starting to cross the entrance ramp to 95, but was in a spot where there is no sidewalk OR crosswalk, and a car hit him. The pedestrian did not have the light to cross and was issued a ticket (after sustaining a severe head injury). What's clear from the discussion is that even if the pedestrian had had the light, it's still risky to cross there, because people are trying to zip onto the highway ramp.

I do not understand why there's even a crosswalk there. Why don't the pedestrians just cross at the light that's right in front of RBS? See photo above of that crosswalk, and click on the image to see it larger. Yeah, it's less convenient, but it's safer for everyone. In the photo, the I-95 entrance ramp is just past the tree.

An inconvenient crosswalk, though, does encourage jaywalking. I see that all over Stamford, actually, and I saw it at the intersection by the train station last Tuesday, which was a grey, rainy day. I watched a pedestrian (in a suit) dash across the road (not at a crosswalk), and thought to myself, "These people are NOT as visible as they think they are!" I'm not really sure what the solution is, but I'm sure Stamford has someone on staff who IS supposed to figure that stuff out.

It's human nature to rush around, often unaware of others, and that's why accidents happen. My husband has talked about riding his bike to the train station and I have told him, "Absolutely not." I add, "When I no longer care if you live or die, I'll let you know. Then you can ride your bike to the train station." Click here to read more.

Alpen Pantry's Candy Cigarettes: Totally Uncool

I snapped this photo last summer at Alpen Pantry, a great little deli in Old Greenwich. I was pretty horrified to realize that candy cigarettes are legal. I mean, they're just candy- how do you ban candy- but I think it's in poor taste to sell them. Cigarettes are a very unhealthy habit, and any thing that makes it easier for kids to play at smoking is just- well, yuck. I doubt adults are buying these candy cigarettes.

So listen- candy cigarettes exist. Alpen Pantry, that doesn't mean you should sell them.

Sure, I had candy cigarettes when I was younger, but I feel like with we as a society should know better now. Click here to read more.

Quattro Pazzi on Bedford: Very Good!

A friend posted on my wall yesterday that he saw me and my husband on a rerun Kitchen Nightmares, Stamford edition. That episode was filmed over two and half years ago at the since bankrupted Sabatiello’s on Bedford… geez, time flies!

When the husband and I were brainstorming places to eat dinner tonight, and he suggested “the place that used to be Sabatiello’s,” I said sure, even though I had no idea what restaurant it now was. “Whatever it is, I can blog about it,” I said.

We tossed the kid in the car and parked behind Bedford Street. We strolled up and I said, “Oh! Quattro Pazzi! This should be good.” We’d been to the Quattro Pazzi in Fairfield a few years ago, and it was a nice, simple Italian place with quality food.
“Are you sure?” the husband said. “This place looks kind of nice. You sure he (the kid) will be ok?”
“Yeah! If he’s terrible, we’ll leave.”

The Stamford branch of Quattro Pazzi lived up to my expectations from the very beginning, when the host and hostess didn’t look pissed that we were bringing a toddler into the restaurant. Actually, several people greeted us enthusiastically, which made me feel kind of like a celebrity, but I think I’m used to mediocre service. So many restaurants almost seem annoyed that you’re there (even if you’re not toting a toddler/baby). We truly had excellent service all evening. The downstairs was full by 6:45, and there was a big birthday party upstairs. It seems that Quattro Pazzi might be a great place for that big corner building on Bedford.

We placed our order right away, just in case the kid went crazy. Our salads were delish- Caesar for the husband, arugula with roasted beets and a goat cheese croquette for me- and the entrees were good as well. The husband got steak with gnocchi in a gorgonzola cream sauce. I got orechiette with meatballs, mostly so I could share with the kid. He devoured the meatballs. The food came out at perfect intervals: not too fast, not too slow.

While we were eating our salads, a lady who was leaving stopped by our table to compliment us on how cute and well-mannered our kid was. That made me feel good, because we always make an enormous effort to keep our kid happy and therefore quiet. The fact that others notice makes me realize that all of my frantic entertaining and redirecting is worth the effort.

Related Posts:

--February 20, 2008-- Gordon Ramsey, Cleavage, Me, and a Kitchen Nightmare in Stamford

--November 16, 2008-- Sabatiello's Kitchen Nightmares DeBriefing

--December 10, 2008--Sabatiello's is Closed: What Should Replace It?

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Harvest Festival: Room for Improvement

I think the Stamford Museum and Nature Center is the best place for kids in Stamford, but I was disappointed in the Harvest Festival.
By the time I got there at 2:30, they were out of cider and cider donuts, which were pretty much the only reason I went. On top of that, I had to pay 5 bucks for the event (for non-members it was $10). The kid and I didn't do anything except look at the animals. I wasn't interested in face-painting, food or story-telling.
I am taking this as a learning experience to get there EARLY next year. It started at 11. I'll be in the parking lot at 10:45 at the LATEST! I was trying to avoid the crowd, and full parking lots, but now I realize that you have to leap into the fray if you expect to get anything good in Fairfield County. Lesson learned.
Still, I hope next year the planners will recognize that at a family event, some people will arrive later because of nap schedules, and perhaps reserve some of the goodies for the later shift!

At least it was a beautiful day, the kid was well-behaved, and I ran into like 6 of my friends (who also missed out on cider and donuts).

They also ran out of popcorn, which I didn't notice, but my friend's kid was not happy about that. Click here to read more.

Last Meal at Bennett's

Wow, just read on Lunch Break Chronicles that Bennett's is closing. The husband and ate there a month ago during Bedford Arts and Crafts. My cosmo was AWESOME. One of our steaks was overdone and one was underdone, but after the cosmo, and because my parents and sister were babysittng the kid, I totally didn't care. My husband and I traded and I ate the overdone one (with delicious sauce). The appetizer and dessert were good.

Anyway, bye, Bennett's, place where the Dalai Lama once ate! Click here to read more.

Funny Article

What a great article from the Stamford Advocate online. (Might not be so funny if you know the guy.) I'll format it later. Here's the headline:

Cops: Naked man tossed $9,271 into river

And the article:
STRATFORD -- A 62-year-old Bridgeport man was committed for psychiatric evaluation after police found him naked throwing thousands of dollars into the marsh near the grounds of the Shakespeare theater.

Police responded to a resident complaint that a nude man with a goatee was throwing rocks at his dog on the theater grounds around 12:28 p.m. Tuesday.

When police arrived on the scene, the man ran along Shore Road and jumped into the marshland of the Housatonic River, according to Police Capt. Kenneth Bakalar. He then began throwing hundreds of bills into the water around him, Bakalar said.

Police fished out $9,271 of what appears to be the man's own money, Bakalar said.

Later, when asked why he was nude, the man stated a tornado had blown off his clothes, police said.

The man was then committed to St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport for evaluation.

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Harvest Festival Next Month at SMNC

My calendar is already marked for the Stamford Museum and Nature Center's Oct. 17 Harvest Festival. Pumpkin picking, hay ride, face painting, storytelling, apple cider and doughnuts... sounds pretty fantastic. Rain or shine, $5 members, $10 non, 11am-4pm.

I am a huge fan of the nature center. The only thing it's missing is a hose near the exit to wash the duck poop off your shoes and stroller wheels.

Geez, Oct. 17 is in only 3 weeks. Time flies.

PS Know why I am able to actually get a blog post up today? 'Cause I'm taking the day off work for the kid's 18 month well visit, and the little hellion is sleeping in. Nah, he's not a hellion, he's actually an angel, but I can't think of another short word that means "lots of energy, spins in circles for fun, really doesn't sleep as much as I had the impression that kids were supposed to sleep." Click here to read more.

Arts and Crafts on Bedford...

was nice!
Not that crowded as far as shoppers, but people were eating up a storm from 6-8 when we were there. I saw two moms I know from Stamford Hospital Moms Group (cue "It's a Small World After All"). The arts and crafts were pretty typical, but of good quality. There was some nice jewelry. The husband and I had dinner at Bennett's. Excellent service and decent food. My cosmo was EXCELLENT.

This is the first time I've ever made this event. I forget why. The people watching was very good. Lots of kids, lots of small dogs. The end. Click here to read more.

Cans and Cocktails Charity Happy Hour

I love cocktails, and I love blogging, so this is the perfect charity event for me... please join us in two weeks for this wonderful event organized by Stamford blogger Stamford Notes!

Ever wonder who is behind some of your favorite Stamford blogs? Come meet them over drinks and raise a glass to Stamford!

On Wednesday, September 29th starting at 5:30pm, join up for “Cans and Cocktails” at Chinese Mirch, 35 Atlantic Street in Stamford. Each blog will sponsor a cocktail, and each cocktail helps fight hunger in our community. All profits from the event benefit the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County.

The event is co-sponsored by:
- Stamford Notes
- We Can't Stop

With support from:
- Stamford Talk
- Streets of Stamford
- The Lunch Break Chronicles
- CT Bites
- Blog Stamford
- Always Home and Uncool
- PeculiarBliss

Chinese Mirch is also donating 10% of food sales from Monday, September 27th through Thursday, September 30th to the food bank. There will be specialty Stamford souvenirs created just for this event. For extra good karma, bring a few cans of food to donate.

Additional information available at www.stamfordnotes.com and www.wecantstop.com. Please email stamfordnotes@gmail.com to RSVP. Hope to see you there!

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Coalhouse Rocking the Pumpkin Beer

We had a fabulous dinner at Coalhouse Pizza tonight. You may know that I am pretty obsessed with pumpkin-related food, so the fact that Coalhouse had a Pumpkin Ale by Southern Tier Brewing Co only augmented what would have been a very good meal any way. I got the mac and cheese with broccoli rabe and sausage (delish!). The husband got the BBQ Sandwich. He loved it. And when I say he's picky, I'm not exaggerating. I'll be getting that BBQ Sandwich next time.

The kid ate almost all of his meatballs. At 9.75, NOT a great kid's price, but it's Kobe beef and I suppose relatively healthy, so I'll pay ten bucks as opposed to 6 or 7 for something not fried. I asked for a half portion, and the waitress acted like I was speaking Martian, but, well, the kid did eat almost all of it so... touche, waitress, touche!

Coalhouse was full of people who were obviously enjoying their food (and beer and wine). The chopped salad (love it!) towered on the plates of the people at the next table. My toddler passed the time waiting for entrees by drawing with the crayons that Coalhouse provided (thank God). It was a nice easy evening.

Coalhouse doesn't deliver, but that's OK for us since we live pretty close. We do takeout a lot.

Incidentally, I drove almost the ENTIRE LENGTH of the Southern Tier (of New York) last weekend for a friend's wedding. That's route 17/86. It was a gorgeous, gorgeous drive, the most beautiful I've taken in a while, and that made the over 7 hour drive bearable! It's almost to Lake Erie. I'm still somewhat in shock that I drove there Saturday morning and returned Sunday afternoon. Just one of the many reasons I'm finding it hard to keep up with blogging!

PS I had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season at the Stamford Mall yesterday! Click here to read more.

Pet Peeve: Train Station Pickup

Here I am waiting in the road since the south side parking spaces were full, and the measly north waiting area is full too. My sister's train is a couple minutes late. What a mess.

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