Wendy Colonna w/Chad Pope @ The Corkscrew (Houston) REVIEW

Wendy Colonna w/Chad Pope

The Corkscrew

Houston Tx

June 24,2009

I was really excited about seeing Wendy Colonna & Chad Pope at The Corkscrew. This is a new venue for me. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing them play here before. My partner & I arrived early in order to enjoy the food & beverages. The Corkscrew is basically a WINE bar. They serve a few different beers and soda, but the attraction here is definitely wine. They have walls of wine. Any wine you could imagine or desire and your wish would be fulfilled. However, since neither of us are wine drinkers, we went for a beer & a Coke. The food offerings consist of pizza or paninis. Both are made with fresh ingredients and taste fantastic. The Corkscrew also makes its own chocolate truffles. I had one and I must say that they are excellent. Quite decadent. The only drawback to the truffle is the fact that its a single serving bon-bon sized chocolate and the price is $4. Call me cheap, but for $4 I want to get a motel room with it! (OK..I'm not that cheap, but I was cheap enough to only order one truffle).

.

The Corkscrew really has it going on in terms of atmosphere. This is an intimate setting that is perfect for socializing. There is a main dining area with tables. There is also a wine cellar room with a wine bar and then there is the listening area. This room consists of comfy couches with fluffy pillows. Very nice for a concert.

The venue has a sound guy (Julian) who set up a really nice Bose speaker system. The stage area was in a corner with a nice backdrop of rainbow-ish walls. The sound was excellent. This is a great place to hear music. Sitting on the couch its almost like being at home. I kept wondering why my little dog wasn't lying on the couch with me.

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Wendy & Chad showed up looking smoking hot.

That could have been because its about 342 degrees outside in Houston right now. As usual, they did an excellent set of music. There is not a Wendy Colonna song that isn't a keeper. Everything this girl writes and sings just touches my heart in a special way. Her voice is magical. I really admire the song-writing of Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls). The words have meaning and sustenance. I am in awe of how she can write down words that, even though they didn't originate from me, feel like my emotions. Wendy Colonna is equal in this ability. Her music is poetry for the soul. She finds a way of saying what you never really understood you felt, until you heard it from her. Chad Pope, as usual was brilliant on guitar. He also gives the setting a fun, sweet mood.

I am not a person who knows anything about meditation or yoga or any of the things one does to "center" oneself. I don't claim that I have any of the answers that anyone (including myself) is looking for to solve the great equation of Life. But I do know this...when I listen to Wendy Colonna, I feel GOOD. Her music rejuvenates and revitalizes my stagnant cells. I cannot explain the essence of her music, you just have to listen for yourself to know that what I say is the absolute truth. She recharges my batteries. What more can I say? I feel a bit guilty because I leech off her energy. But then I think about WENDY and KNOW that this is the perfect outcome. She writes her music because its in her soul & she needs for it to break out. I embrace her music and am continually blessed by all that she gives.

It is my turn to say "THANK YOU" to Wendy Colonna for making my world a much sweeter, tranquil place.

Wendy Colonna & Chad Pope @ The Corkscrew get an EYEBALL UP from JudgedByJody!

GUEST REVIEW - Deanes Deli Bistro - Belfast, Ireland

Guest Review by Senor Stingy!

Deanes Deli Bistro
Belfast, Ireland

Jo

I have just return from Belfast, Ireland, where I had dinner at Deanes Deli Bistro located on Bedford St. As you are aware, I always try to sample the local food when I travel (often with tragic gastrointestinal problems) and I spied this Bistro on a walk-about after work one evening. I immediately loved the offerings and actually had dinner there all three nights I was in town. Prior to this I have never eaten at the same location every night while traveling. The menu offered local fare and the specials of the day were local as well. I have provided photo’s from my last night/dinner in town.

Free Range Irish Chicken.
W/ Sweet & Sour Potato
Garden Beans
Roasting in juices
13.50 pounds (around $21.50)

The chicken was tender and moist with just the right amount of seasoning. It was a healthy, plump, boneless breast with a nub of a wing for good measure. The sweet and sour potato was a mixture of Sweet & White potato. It was not a pureed mixture but actually had pieces of both mixed together, I have never seen anything like at and it tasted wonderful. The green beans were crisp, long and fresh. I have the feeling that everything I ate was alive only hours prior. In fact it is possible that the last words the chicken heard was my name and the potato’s and beans were torn from the ground in my honor. The service was purely European which means that after you get your food you have to light a fire to get your bill so you can leave, this happened all three nights but it was worth this hassle. My other dinners were: Lamb Shank & a outstanding Shepherd’s Pie, both were as good. The wine offerings were nice as well and I did seem to be the only customer not enjoying a bottle!

I will give this place a Big Thumbs Up!!
http://www.michaeldeane.co.uk/deli.aspw.michaeldeane.co.uk/deli.asp

- Doug

Deanes Deli Bistro in Belfast, Ireland gets an EYEBALL UP from

Senor Stingy!

Indigo Girls w/Terri Hendrix @ Verizon Theater HOUSTON

Indigo Girls @ Verizon Theater (HOUSTON)
(featuring Julie Wolf)

w/ Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines

While I consider myself a major Indigo fan, my concert attendance record puts me in the neophyte category. There are some fans (who I know personally) who have been to more than 20 Indigo Girls concerts. My lifetime total is only 6, so that makes me a Little Dawg. I need to get back up on the porch. I’m sure that there are rabid IG fans out there who can boast attendances in the 100’s. I bow to these hard-core fans. These are the people who have carried this band through the past 20 years.

The Verizon concert featured Terri Hendrix as the opening act. I must confess that I am a die-hard Terri Hendrix fan. So her opening for the IGs was a double dose of goodness.
She was accompanied by the great Texas musician Lloyd Maines (father of Dixie Chick, Natalie).

Anytime I see Terri Hendrix, I am absolutely stricken with awe. The words of her songs just pierce me to the core. Her music has a message. And that message is one of hope and faith & perseverance. Terri has a beautiful voice to convey these songs and always seems to be full of joy & happiness. She has a wonderful stage presence. And this girl can really play the guitar. Seeing her & Lloyd go at it musically is absolutely amazing.

Terri played some really great music, including “If I Had A Daughter”, a song for all of us to cherish and let motivate us into being better caregivers, role-models & people.
If you aren’t familiar with Terri’s music, hop on over to http://www.terrihendrix.com/ and get an earful of what you’ve been missing. Check out one of her shows & if possible, go see her in person. She is Austin based & plays plenty of Texas shows. She is well worth a “road trip”. After seeing her perform you will leave the venue feeling rejuvenated.
Terri Hendrix is an exceptional talent and a darn good time.

My last Indigo Girls concert I attended was in Dallas in 2004. The OTHER & I dubbed this the “Bloody Stump Tour”. That’s because the venue was GENERAL ADMISSION.
That’s like flying SOUTHWEST. It’s a cattle stampede. First, everyone arrived there at least 3 hours early. So we stood in the hellish Texas summer heat and wished we were somewhere else. Then, the doors opened. Everyone rushed in. Only to be met with a stifling hot lobby where we stood pressed against each other like sardines for another hour. Finally, the big doors opened and everyone pressed forward. Again, stifling sardines, we stood some more & waited. The opening act that night was Cordero. They are a great Latino band. (I love me some Ani). I was wearing comfortable shoes (Polo by Ralph Lauren) but even so, my feet hurt so fricking bad. My feet were numb & tingling. I couldn’t concentrate on the music because I was in the middle of my own personal torture session. I ended up taking my shoes off & standing on the concrete in my socks, trying to work the circulation back into my feet. I whispered to The Other
“My feet are bloody stumps”, so the name stuck. And believe me, the name was appropriate and well deserved.

This Indigo Girls “Poseidon & the Bitter Bug” concert was nothing like that “Bloody
Stump Tour” in Dallas. We went for a drink to miss some of the crowd waiting to get in (which turned out to be totally unnecessary). We arrived shortly after 7pm (when the doors opened) and there was no one in line. Inside the theater, the merchandise booth and then the auditorium were also deserted. WTF? Are we in the right place? I was kinda sure that we were because the few people milling around were middle-aged lesbian couples.

Terri Hendrix came on at 8pm and then the place started filling up. This was not a sold-out show. But the fans that were here came ready for a good time with the IGs. Amy & Emily sounded absolutely heavenly. Their voices & harmonies have gotten even better (if that is possible) over time. Emily’s voice especially, was spot-on. The IGs both looked really good (which usually doesn’t happen for both of them at the same time).

The Girls spaced out their music perfectly. New songs, old stuff, fast, slow…a little bit of everything. They were accompanied by Julie Wolf on the keyboards & accordion.
Also, Lloyd Maines sat in on 2 or 3 songs with them. Terri Hendrix returned for a couple of songs at the end, including “Closer To Fine” (of course). All in all, they presented a well-rounded set for old & new fans alike. My hat is off to Amy & Emily for wonderful performances.

And while we all know the job it is to be Amy Ray, she seems to have found her comfort zone. She smiled way more than has ever happened in the history of the world. Plus she looked as if she toured with a personal stylist. The press marks on her shirt sleeves were sharp enough to cut wood. I even noticed some lovely highlights adorning her well-coiffed (though meaning to look scruffy) hair. Amy looked and acted HAPPY. Now I’m not saying that Amy hasn’t been happy before, we have just been trained to expect a certain amount of anti-establishment anger and general Amy angst. Do not be mistaken, neither of the Indigo Girls have lost their edge. The new cd is well written, insightful and beautifully presented.

But looking out over the audience, I see a different fan than I used to see at the IG shows.
Before it was baby dykes, crewcuts & mullets. Now not to say there weren’t a few mullets in this place, but looking around the crowd for the most part was older, wiser, a bit fatter and kind of like Amy - a bit more happy. Somehow while we were jamming to the Indigos as the soundtrack to our lives, those lives actually snuck up on us. We are older now. Looking at the crowd gives me the same sensation as when I look into the mirror. I’m a bit surprised that I’m older…inside I keep thinking I’m still a girl…but I cherish the experience and knowledge that I have gained getting to this place…it is that which centers me. And from the looks of all things considered…the Indigo Girls are pretty well centered, too.


Indigo Girls w/Julie Wolf and Terri Hendrix w/Lloyd Maines at the Verizon gets an EYEBALL UP from JudgedByJody.

GUEST REVIEW!!! Second Post from SHANGHAI, CHINA

GUEST REVIEW BY SENOR STINGY

(Our friend Doug travels constantly for his job. He decided to send me a review. We call him Senor Stingy because he knows the value of a dollar & doesn't want to spend it)

Jo

I am back in Shanghai and thought you might like another guest review for your site.
Here goes:

After a 22 hour journey I finally arrived in Shanghai, China. Later having sworn that I had not had contact with a pig within the last 7 days and having my temperature taken I was allowed to disembark the aircraft and make my way to my hotel. In no time I was hungry and ready to give room service another try. As you recall I stayed at this same hotel (Swissotel Grand Shanghai) a couple of months ago and reviewed the Swiss Grand Burger.

This time I thought I would play it safe and try the Chicken Breast (200 grams) with Garden Vegetables, Fried Rice and Mushroom Sauce. After 25 minutes a nice Chinawoman was at my door with my order. As you can see from the photo’s, the presentation was very nice. The chicken tasted great and they know how to make rice pretty good too. I played it safe and did not eat the vegetables. But just like the Swiss Burger it did not take long before I was regretting my choice to order in. The good thing is as a professional traveler I carry a mini pharmacy in my bag. Unlike Japan, the rooms here do not have those butt washing toilets which would come in handy.

I will have to give this a thumbs down. I should have gone with the pork…..

- Doug

Shanghai, China Chicken & Rice (no vegetables) gets and

EYEBALL DOWN from Senor Stingy!

**Please note the word "CHINAWOMAN" is NOT sanctioned by this blogspot.
We prefer the term "ASIAN". We TRY to be politically correct (or not).
However this individual could have shown up at Doug's door in a rickshaw
wearing one of those coolie hats with a ponytail looking like Hop Sing from
BONANZA. We do not know the situation and do not judge his verbiage **

WAFFLE HOUSE - Beaumont, TX - REVIEW

WAFFLE HOUSE

2760 I-10 EAST

BEAUMONT, TX 77703

All right, people...

You KNOW you've eaten at WAFFLE HOUSE.
And if you haven't, then come by & get me
and we will go RIGHT NOW...

Myself & THE OTHER had ourselves a ROAD TRIP.
We drove from our home here in beautiful downtown Crosby,
all the way to Lake Charles, Louisiana. We drove the back roads,
going all the way down Highway 90 to Beaumont. Well, once we
got to Beaumont, we decided to grab some grub before we hoped on
I-10. Looking around, we scoped out WAFFLE HOUSE. Good for you, yes,
good for me, yes, done deal, lets go.

I ordered the cheesy eggs with the scattered, battered, nothing-mattered hash browns. Let me tell you this...my breakfast was DELISH. The cheesy eggs were fantastic cheesiness and the hash browns had everything thrown in there but the kitchen sink. (I'm gonna try them with the kitchen sink NEXT TIME).

The most extraordinary thing about this WAFFLE HOUSE was the waitresses.
As soon as we walked in the door, 3 or 4 of them yelled "Welcome".
Blink, blink. For reals? Where does that ever happen? We sat at
a booth & our waitress came over PDQ. She was very nice. And, although
there was a miscommunication regarding my TEA (I wanted it unsweetened but
it came with a 5-lb bag of sugar stirred into the 12 ounces), which she
corrected quickly, our dining experience was excellent.

Of course WAFFLE HOUSE is just good, plain, down-home food,

but the exceptional attention from the staff made this a perfect road trip experience.

So if you find yourself out Beaumont way...stop in at this WAFFLE HOUSE...corner of
Old 90 & I-10. They will spoil you with there hospitality.

WAFFLE HOUSE in Beaumont, TX gets an EYEBALL UP

from JudgedByJody!

Wendy Colonna @ Anderson Fair - REVIEW

Wendy Colonna
Anderson Fair

2007 Grant

Houston TX

March 28, 2009 9pm

Wendy Colonna w/Chad Pope

I have seen Wendy Colonna perform on two other occasions. The two venues/performances could not have been any more different. The 1st time, I saw her perform acoustically in a small listening room (Almost Austin). The second time was at a nightclub (Chances), where she was accompanied by a band. Both performances were magical, although in different ways. When its just Wendy & her guitar, you appreciate the introspective, profound nuance of her singing/songwriting. And with a band, she can really jam out "with her clam out". Anderson Fair turned out to be a perfect format for this amazingly gifted artist.

First, let me tell you a little bit about Anderson Fair. The name itself is a bit deceiving - "Anderson Fair Retail Restaurant". Most decidedly because this place is not RETAIL and its definitely not a restaurant. (And its not a FAIR either). Anderson Fair does serve beer & wine, but be advised that all beverages, as well as tickets bought at the door are a CASH ONLY transaction. If you arrive with your ATM card hoping to enjoy some delicious beverages, you will spend the entire evening dry mouthed and yearning. The building itself is very old. The stage is quite large & can be seen easily from all seats. The room holds tables and chairs for approximately 50 people. This is a perfect set-up for really LISTENING to music. You are so up close & personal with the artist that its impossible not to be carried away by the performance. I recommend Anderson Fair as a perfect listening room. However, when I mentioned that the building was very old, please take into account that this includes the restrooms. If you periodically use the facilities at service stations and/or convenience stores, then you won't be icked out by the rusty crusty-ness of the bathrooms. Please be advised that this is not the Mariott. Enter at your own risk (especially since the toilets are perched upon a platform...as if you're on a throne). (The restrooms aren't as bad as service stations, but do conjure an atmosphere of grunge).

http://www.andersonfair.com/

Wendy opened the show with a very throaty rendition of "We". She is a very beautiful woman which makes it very easy to "fall in love" with her as she leads you on journeys of self-exploration (that kinda sounds like a porn movie synopsis). On a personal note (not even remotely connected to her singing ability) I think that Wendy has the most perfect teeth on the face of the earth). When she smiles, its as if all the negativity just melts away and you just feel GOOD. Her smile lights up an entire room and warms the hearts of everyone lucky enough to be in her vicinity. This song makes you nod your head, tap your foot and reach for more all at the same time. The first verse grabs you with intensity:

"We procrastinate our bodies

We procrastinate our souls

We close our eyes and meditate

And wait for time to fill the holes"

Now come on people...how can you not FEEL that? And if the words themselves don't grab you, then Wendy reaches in with her sultry voice & grabs your attention. Her performance is a ONE TWO punch on the psyche. She followed next with "May Day" a song of summer love gone wrong. Her 3rd song, "Bound To Fall" is 100% total BLUES. You feel her emotion in every note of the music. Wendy Colonna has no contemporary equal when it comes to singing the blues. Her Louisiana heritage sprouts out of her with a flourish that will take your breath away. She can throw down the blues with the best of them. This tune is reminiscent of blues queen Etta James. You go, girl. Also, Chad Pope puts some hurt on these blues with his exquisite guitar playing. But let me say that it doesn't seem like he's just playing...it seems like he picks up the guitar and his soul flows out through the strings. This guy's playing is absolutely amazing. And his harmonies with Wendy are spot on. Wendy is fantastic alone with her guitar. She's also fabulous with a band. But in my opinion, she is at her absolute best when she performs with Chad. They play off each other perfectly, bringing out the finest in each other's performance. Her 4th song was a new one, "Do Not Burn". 5th in the set was a cover of Ike & Tina Turner's "Poor Little Fool". Again, Chad is all over the guitar licks & Wendy has the voice to blues this up perfectly. Next up was my absolute favorite song: "Texas Summer Love". Wendy confessed that Chad was her inspiration for this song, so that just makes me like it that much more. Song #8 was "Thunder". Anyone who has ever been in love can relate to the lyrics:

"You're so beautiful

When your heart is full

And you shine, shine, shine

Like the sun divine

I'm so glad that you're mine"

At this point in the evening, the crowd was quite enthusiastic. Wendy asked what everyone wanted to hear. The resounding answer was "Coffee Today". So, guess what...that's exactly what she sang next. (Wendy is kind of nice like that). "Coffee" is an extremely likeable song about....coffee. Well, actually its about missing someone for coffee. Wendy advised that this was a sad song. I can agree with that statement. The essence of the song itself is sad (loneliness) but the feeling it leaves with the listener is anything but sad. Wendy's performance of the song makes me feel very hopeful. There is an innate "goodness" about all of her music. The intensity of her enlightened being is projected into the music and what could be sad is actually hopeful and healing. (Ok...please, don't stop reading because I sound like a pompous blowhard...its really really difficult to describe how moving her music is if you just sit back and let it take you). This song could easily be on the pop charts. Its catchy and quite singable, everything needed to be a pop hit. Next up was "Hurricane". This is a crowd favorite for anyone living on the Gulf Coast.
The 11th song was the Peter Pan inspired "Your Parade". Wendy really hits the nail on the head with this song. All of us who have been in love with someone who wasn't exactly as much in love with us can relate to these words:

"Silly boy

Its your parade I know, I know

That it was never about me
Its your parade I know, I know
Guess that it was all inside my head"

When she sing's the line "What kind of hero are you, anyway?" I want to cry. This song encapsulates all the hurt and disillusionment of WRONG-MANCE. Her next song was also one of my favorites. This song is not on any of her CDs, but I really hope that it shows up on one soon. "Mother, Please Forgive Us" is an insightful song about nurturing each other. When this song makes it onto an album, I'm gonna wear a groove into my cd on that song, because I will play it over and over like a 45rpm.

Chad Pope entertained us with his Fort Worth Stylings on "Low Down Dog". Again, let me just restate that this guy is an exceptional artist. He plays like an angel and sings to match. And he is very cute. (That never hurts). Wendy accompanied him on harmony and Nose Harmonica. These guys play great together. Song #14 was the title track of her cd "Right Were I Belong". This is a definite rock song with a Bonnie Raitt feel to it. Then came a cover by Townes Van Zandt "Snowin' On Raton".And then another cover, "Noah" by Austin's Neal Kasanoff. Then, we were truly blessed by a song from Chad Pope. This song doesn't have a name yet, but my vote is for "Wait Forever". This is a classic love song. Chad can churn out the blues, rock and obviously he has mastered the ballad also. There is a very gentle side to this quasi-cowboy renegade. (He also played tonight with his custom made guitar pick that he fashioned from a coconut shell. It is rumored to possess much mojo & juju).

The last song of the night was the Wendy Colonna anthem: "Nothin Gonna Take My Love". If I had to choose only one song to express Wendy (I would really be hard-pressed to do that because she is so damn versatile), I would have to choose this song. On this song she testifies to her commitment to enlightenment:

"May my eyes be bright
And may my heart be light

May my hands be filled with grace

When the shadows fall

Let me light them all

Let me smile in Trouble's face"

This is an anthem that we could all benefit from remembering in our everyday lives. Wendy Colonna music is about enlightenment, introspection and celebration. With any concert, you pay your $ and expect to be entertained. Wendy Colonna takes you one step past entertainment. Its as if you are a sponge soaking up the radiance from her light. Honestly, its like she's the Energizer Bunny and anyone can get their batteries recharged just by spending some time with her and her music. What more can I say? I've written a fricking thesis here and have only skimmed the surface of all that I want to say about this incredibly talented performer. I have heard the fabled "Siren Song" and it has the voice of Wendy Colonna.

http://www.wendycolonna.com/

(I issue this official apology to all parties involved for any mistakes I may have made with

titles, lyrics, etc. I am an amatuer. Grade me on the curve...)

Wendy Colonna (& Chad Pope) gets an

EYEBALL UP from JudgedByJody!

Hughes Catfish Inn (Goodrich, TX) - REVIEW

Hughes Catfish Inn

Hwy 59

Goodrich TX

I went on an enjoyable 3-day weekend to the lake with my sister & my nephew.First night there, we needed to go get some food to cook, so we decided to eat out. We studied the situation very carefully by looking at the parking lots of all the restaurants we passed. No cars = crappy food. Lot of cars = good food. Well, that logic works in THEORY only. We stopped at the restaurant that had the most cars of any along that section of 59. This place was buzzing. The name was Hughes Catfish Inn. Sounds promising. MY SISTER said "I'm in the mood for some good catfish".

When we walked in the door, this place was packed to capacity. There were people spilling out everywhere. Every table, every booth, every nook & cranny. The dining room looked like a fricking ant bed. Right off, THE NEPHEW & I went to wash our hands. I like to think that you can tell a lot about a restaurant from how clean they keep their bathrooms. Washing our hands, checking out the shitter...me and THE NEPHEW got some hinky vibes. The bathroom was crusty and musty. I felt like my hands had more bacteria on them AFTER I left this shithole than before I got there. I should have just broke & run for the hills. But I tried to cowboy up and make the best of the situation.

The dining room was huge. Kind of dark and scary. All over the walls were hanging stuffed animal heads. Deer, goats, hogs, gazelle, bison...you name it...they killed it. There was some much dead stuff hanging around, it looked like Jeffrey Dahmer was the interior decorator. There was even a MYSTERY ANIMAL that someone had invented that was part of a deer head and a deer ass sewn together to make an unidentifiable yet scary as hell THING. (Maybe when we saw the deer ass used as decoration, we should have known to get the hell out). "Dumb Ass DNA" must run in our family. THE NEPHEW got shrimp. They tasted exactly like those frozen kind from the grocery store. The ones that are all crust but not crunchy and the shrimp is mushy. My sister ordered the stuffed crab & stuffed shrimp. I ordered the catfish. (We decided to split our dinners so we would get more variety). The dinners came with a salad and baked potato. We were happy about the baked tater cuz they be so tasty. Well, the service sucked. Everybody in the place (even people arriving AFTER us) got waited on before we did. Guess TOURIST was written on our foreheads. (I think my sister had on a top that said "I went to Cut-N-Shoot & all I got was this darn t-shirt")

<----The catfish were about the size of GOLDFISH

<-----Notice the onion & pickles? Is this a fricking sad dinner?

They brought the food out. I don't know what the hell these people were thinking. Nestled up beside the seafood on the plates were a slice of onion and some pickles. I had to re-check the restaurant sign to make sure we weren't at a BBQ joint. I have eaten a whole lotta seafood in my time and NEVER...NEVER...EVER have I seen it garnished with onion & pickles. A sprig of parsley, maybe. Somebody needs to tell Red Lobster & Joes Crab Shack that they're doing it WRONG. And the slice of onion was so old & dried up that it had a chalky white film across it. That thing was older than my cooder...and it smelled ALMOST as bad.

When the waitress left the food, she said "Oh, you need a condiment tray" for our baked potatoes. This consisted of a set of 3 metal bowls on a hanger. The idea was kind of artsy fartsy. Having your own condiments at the table. BUT WAIT! She reached over to the adjoining table and took the USED condiments and gave them to us. The 3 bowls consisted of: cheese, green onions & bacon bits. These restaurant people must buy their onions from the YEAR-OLD SHOP. These green onions were so dried up that they looked dehydrated. They weren't even green anymore. It looked like something that MOSES threw outta his lunch over 2000 years ago. And the shredded cheese...wasn't even there. Obviously the people at the other table liked them some cheese. The whole concept of giving me someone else's food is just nasty. You have no way of knowing what kind of shenanigans went on with that food at that table. That is unsanitary. We ate the potatoes dry. It was the safer option.

<---Where the hell is the cheese?????

My catfish tasted OK. While eating it I tried not to look at the insides because every piece looked like it had grayish clotted vertebrae in the middle. It was boneless. What the hell was looking like a fricking bone? MY SISTER's stuffed shrimp was a joke. The stuffing on it & in the crab was Stove Top. Right outta the box. I peeled the stuffing off the shrimp and the shrimp itself was almost invisible. And flat. Flounder are flat, not shrimp. My sister placed it on a Sweet-N-Low packet to show the actual size.

<---Smaller & flatter than a SWEET-N-LOW

The stuffed crab did not have any crab in it. There were red bell peppers in there that "looked" like crab...but no crab MY SISTER didn't like the tea either. Actually, none of us liked anything about any of this. MY SISTER said that the portion size was so small that it "wouldn't even make a turd". That might be true, but it did give us some horrendous gas. I think we blew another hole in the ozone layer. So if you are ever in the Livingston area and want to be thoroughly disappointed, creeped out and disgusted all at the same time...stop by Hughes Catfish Inn. But when you go home crying because you're hungry and then fart like a mule for the rest of the night, don't blame me. I WARNED YOU!

Hughes Catfish Inn gets an EYEBALL DOWN from JudgedByJody!

GUEST REVIEW!!! Senor Stingy Reviews Burger in Shanghai, China!!!

GUEST REVIEW BY SENOR STINGY

(Our friend Doug travels constantly for his job. He decided to send me a review. We call him Senor Stingy because he knows the value of a dollar & doesn't want to spend it)

Jo,

I thought I would review the burger & fries I had while here at the Swissotel Grand (Hotel) Shanghai. I ordered this from room service. Please see attached for photographic reference. I did not attach the after photos.

After a day of walking around this foreign land called (Shanghai) China, I was gasping for clean air and too tired to go out to eat so I decided to order room service. After giving serious thought to the Dan Dan mien and Murgh makhini I decided to play it safe and order the Swiss Grand-burger from the "Crusts" section of the menu for only 90 Yuan ($13) plus 15% service charge (somebody has to carry this to my room after all). After only a 20 minuet wait my door bell (yes, my room has a door bell) rang and upon opening the door I discovered a small Chinaman holding my dinner plate.I gave the man a 10 Yuan tip (about $1.70) and sent him on his way. I then discovered that the Swiss part of the burger does not reference cheese, but a nearly raw egg. The egg was cooked only enough to form its shape so I decided to poured it off. The burger had Canadian style bacon on it along with lettuce and tomato. I had ordered it medium and it appeared to be cooked through. The burger tasted quite good and was seasoned just right. The fries were great. I like my fries crispy and the thinner, the better. About half way through eating the burger I began to feel distant thunder in my intestines and passed it off (and out) as a result of eating too fast. By the time I did finish, I realized that perhaps I should have eaten out after all. Three trips to the toilet within 15 minuets took care of any thoughts that I would gain weight from this rather unhealthy meal. I can only think that perhaps western food should be left to western societies. The fries tasted great as did the burger. Which one was the culprit is the mystery I do not plan to solve. I give this meal choice a big thumbs down...

Doug aka Senor Stingy

Swiss Burger in Shanghai, China gets and EYEBALL DOWN (by proxy) by JUDGEDBYJODY!

**Please note the word "CHINAMAN" is NOT sanctioned by this blogspot.

We prefer the term "ASIAN". We TRY to be politically correct (or not).

However this individual could have shown up at Doug's door in a rickshaw

wearing one of those coolie hats with a ponytail looking like Hop Sing from

BONANZA. We do not know the situation and do not judge his verbiage **

Charming Cafe / Sushi (Crosby) - 2nd REVIEW

Charming Cafe

Chinese & Japanese

Sushi Bar

14405 FM2100

Crosby, TX

March 10, 2009 6pm

This restaurant is really close to my house. So I am really glad that the food is so good. I had a really bad day at work, so THE OTHER surprised me by saying "Let's go out to eat". And you know me...I NEVER say NO to groceries! Once at the restaurant, THE OTHER sipped a Kiran beer & nibbled edamame. For those of you who aren't familiar, edamame is soy beans. It is served steamed and sprinkled with salt. They look like big green pea pods. You can use your fingers to crack them open or pop it in your mouth & scrap the beans out with your teeth. BUT DO NOT (even if your friend Sara says its OK) EAT THE HUSK. The beans are very tasty. They taste a bit nutty. The first one or two make you think...WTF?...but then you get into the groove and figure out you LOVE THEM. While THE OTHER was eating her vegetables, I ordered the Cajun Hand Roll. Its a deep fried oyster with avocado and spicy mayo. Pretty darn good. (Even though THE OTHER swears that this cooked oyster stinks worse than the raw fish). I ended up not eating it until LAST because I had to pace myself with THE OTHER & make sure I got my FAIR SHARE.

For an appetizer (please forget all that we've already eaten) we got the Charming Tar Tar. Its a giant fried won ton chip covered with raw tuna, raw salmon, raw tai (sea bream), raw white tuna, avocado & cucumber. This was the first time we had this...and we both gave it high marks. It was really, really...yes, I mean REALLY good.

For entrees we got a Crosby Roll: Kani (crab), cucumber & avocado topped with spicy baked crawfish. This was plenty spicy and extremely tasty.

And also we got the Spicy Tuna Crunchy Maki: Spicy tuna with crunchy flakes. We agreed that the crunchy maki wasn't as crunchy as it could have been...but was very good nonetheless.

***We also go an entree TO GO for our lunch the next day. We split the HAPPY FAMILY:

shrimp, scallops, beef, chicken, broccoli, mushrooms and carrots with steamed rice.

It sat in the fridge overnight marinating in its goodness. I ate every bit of my lunch. Yum.***

The only minus to our trip was the waitress. Ordinarily the service here is top notch. But this girl was new and didn't seem very friendly. I wasn't even through eating my damn hand roll & she was shoving the bill up on the table. Hey bitch, since I'm paying $55 for some raw fish, why don't you wait until I'm done to push me outta here. Its not like you needed the table. Don't rush me or I'll pop a cap in yer ass. OK...I really couldn't shoot her so I guess that's why I only left a 10% tip. She's lucky she got that. After all, it is called a GRATUITY. I wasn't grateful for her shitty attitude.

<-----PLEASE NOTE: Bill is shoved up on corner of table,

when I haven't even started to even EAT my damn

Cajun Roll. It's obvious the meal isn't DONE.

That's just RUDE!

<-----Here's the $55 check, bitch. Don't spend that $5 all in one place.

(P.S. I ALWAYS tip at least 20%, usually more...but you gotta

EARN IT)

Charming Cafe gets an EYEBALL UP from JudgedByJody!

Big Bowl Pan Asian Cuisine - Kemah - REVIEW

Big Bowl Pan Asian Cuisine
1415 Hwy 146

Kemah Tx

We spent the day in Galveston and drove through Kemah on the way home. We wanted to get something "different" to eat before we ended up back in Crosby with the "same old, same old".

Big Bowl is a Chinese buffet with a sign so big that you can see it from outer space. They offer all the basics plus a wide variety of sushi, including specialty rolls. I usually don't enjoy sushi on buffets because the rice sits around and dries out, but the rolls with sauce here were pretty good. Also, I was immensely surprised when I saw that among the seafood offerings was my favorite...snow crab. One might be hesitant to eat it off a buffet, expecting second class fare, but this was not the case. The crab was exceptional.

The service was good. The dining room very clean. The buffet held a vast variety of items you don't normally find in the neighborhood Chinese place. If you are in the neighborhood & want a good Asian buffet...you can't go wrong by stopping here. That crab was damn good.

BIG BOWL gets an EYEBALL UP from JudgedByJody!

Hasta La Pasta - Humble - REVIEW

Hasta La Pasta

7681 FM 1960 E

Humble TX

OK...the name: Hasta La Pasta

Is it Mexican...or Italian?

We weren't sure...so we decided to stop in & give it a try.
The answer...its definitely ITALIAN.

We came by during dinner time on a weekday. The place was about1/2 filled. There seemed to be plenty of staff available, but for some reason they were very disorganized and inefficient.

The dining room decor was rustic & subdued. The atmosphere was very inviting.
We were seated at the table and given menus. The menu is pretty basic. Pasta. Tomato sauce. Alfredo sauce. Meatballs or meat sauce.

The basic spaghetti with tomato sauce was $9 then add $2 more for meat sauce.OK...lets try it. Well, thats where the problem occurred. No one ever came to the table to wait on us. So we

enjoyed 15-20 minutes of just sitting there looking stupid. No drink order. No nothing. We waited. And waited some more.And then waited again.

After it was obvious no one in the place would EVER wait on us, we got up and walked out.
Surprise! Even then, nobody noticed.

JUDGEDBYJODY has this advice for Hasta La Pasta: If you are going to charge $10+ for some noodles & tomato sauce, then your SERVICE needs to be kick ass. Unfortunately, yours isn't.

My visit did nothing but PISS ME OFF! To anyone out there thinking they might need to give Hasta La Pasta a try...Instead of wasting your time & money here, stay at home & eat Chef Boyardee...your pocketbook and your blood pressure will THANK YOU.

Say "Hasta La Vista" to Hasta La Pasta!

......

Hasta La Pasta gets and EYEBALL DOWN from JUDGEDBYJODY!