Neighbors Christmas Dinner at the Mecca

Whats wrong with me?

I go to a Christmas party at the Mecca Restaurant with friends and I leave early.

We arrived at 7pm and the bar/restaurant was not very busy.

The 14 of us were seated at a long table.

We had a pre-dinner drink, ordered our meals and had great conversation, curing all the problems.

At about 9pm, a few had to leave.

The rest continued to talk and a few started to go to the bar.

As soon as we walked away from the table, it was cleared off by the staff and moved from its location.

Almost instantly, the crystal mirrored ball lit up, spot lights pointed in a ever changing directions.

THE DANCE FLOOR WAS OPEN.. Only 5 of us stayed at the bar and were bumped over and over by folks walking past us to get to the dance floor.

It wasn't too soon after, that the joint was filled up with kids, you know the under 40 set.

Sad, Frank Sinatra's and Beyonce's soon blasted from the speakers.

Its amazing what a cheap Karioke machine makes people do.

It got so loud, I said good-nite and told Karolyn to call when she wanted to be picked up.

I went home and to sleep before midnight...I heard her come home at 2am.

Laughing and joking with those that drove her home.

I was so glad she had a nice time and I enjoyed the peace of my home and bed.

SO WHATS WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE, NOTHING.

We both enjoyed the evening.

Oh, it was her 58th bday dec 10th, and a couple rounds of Happy Birthday made her night.

Thats all folks good nite c'ya jim

Its the Christmas Season-Not Happy Holidays

What is this Happy Holiday Greeting baloney?

I was in Panerra yesterday morning with 4 guys just bs-ing.

A young couple sitting next to us, finished eating and as they were leaving said "Happy Holidays".

At first we started to reply "Happy Holidays" back when one old member said
"Hell no, its not Happy Holidays, ITS MERRY CHRISTMAS...

Everyone woke up and agreed including the young couple.

We looked around Panerra and there were signs selling Christmas gift cards
from Panerra,
but not one ornament celebrating Christmas or the birth of the baby.

Merry Christmas---isn't that when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ...

You know I'm not very church going, but again the Politically Correct are changingmy life style.

I mean Christmas is Christmas, its not Happy Holidays...

So from this Chicagoan, to all of you.

May you all have a very Merry Christmas season...

c'ya
jim---I think I'll attend midnight mass on Christmas eve---elliott

Krazy Kats

Good morning to you all.

Cats...I hate them....now more than ever...our cats I hate more.

Tues morning our cat Braveheart had been sick for over a day.

The nicest cat, Braveheart was throwing up constantly and it started to have a little brown tint to it.

Tuesday was the day I went to the dentist for filling replacement.I had the old ugly silver fillings replaced with tooth looking filler.

Numbness shots over the entire inside of my mouth.

It took about an hour maybe longer. I got up and stumbled my way to the front desk, where Karolyn works and sits.

I barely make it to the desk and she says the cat has a veterinarian appointment in 5 minutes but they will wait for you.

I rushed home, got the cage, cleaned it out , put in a small towel and the cat and covered over it with a larger towel for warmth.

Rushed to the Vet office and started to talk. They stopped me and said you must beMr. Elliott, your wife just called from the Dentist office. THEN THEY LAUGHED AS THEY LOOKED AT ME.

They apologized and went on with the visit.

Dr. Mary Beth who loves animals so much came in and took Braveheart away.

She came back and discussed how the xray showed that Bravehearts stomach was upset. Probably from the Hibiscus plant he likes to chew on.

She said have a nice Christmas and see ya next time.

Oh, I was glad to leave and walked to the front desk and said "How MUCH"

A few minutes later I awoke after collapsing.

I apologized and gave them my credit card.

They said do you think thats too much money.

I SAID YES: THERE IS NO CAT WORTH $307.00.

What was that goofy doctor thinking. What was I thinking?

$307.00 just before Christmas and Karolyn's bday on Dec 10th.

I picked up the cat who showed no gratitude and staggered to my car.

I was going to buy a nice gift for myself, err..I mean for Karolyn's birthday.

So I paid $307.00 for a Cats STOMACH ACHE....

I hate cats....

c'ya

jim---a Krazy Kat for taking that cat to a Vet---elliott

A surprise Sunday together.

Tis the season that can wear you down.

About 1pm Gail Powers called..

Say I just had a great idea. “How about coming over tonight about 5pm for a little get together. We’ll collect $12 a couple and order pizza’s.

Gail I said: If you would have said chicken or ribs I would have said no but Pizza how can I resist. Pizza is food of the gods. At least this God.

I yelled for Karolyn and told her whats being proposed and she said Sure.


So we arrived at the Powers at 5:30pm. Waiting there were:
Jerry & Peg Murphy,
Lee and Jackie Panicke,
Bob and Marcia Schut ,
Joe & Rita,
Wally and Gail Powers of course and
Ms. Diane Carrado.

Drinks were served. Uuuummm they had the best Pepsi for me. And really drinks for the others.

Soon, we ordered pizza’s from Dino’s on Higgins. 4 of them.

Conversation started with Da Bears.
We all had just finished watching da Bears win another game.
Will they ever lose again?
I guess not. After all they are Da Bears.

Conversation continued with many a laugh but all things come to an end.

So Lets add it up.
$60 for sat nights concert and dinner.
$20 for breakfast Suunday morning at Alisons Restaurant with Jim & Barbara Boyle. $12 for Pizza.

A weekend with friends Priceless.

Oh bullshit priceless!
it cost us almost a $100. Karolyn better look for another job.

I love the holidays.

North Park College Christmas Concert & hot wings

Well, Jerry did it to us again.

Hey everyone, How about we go to the North Park College Christmas Concert with all the Holiday songs?

Sure we want to hear all those old songs, you know like Rudolph and Jingle bells.

So we all coughed up $15 a piece, got into our cars and drove to North Park.

Last year we went there for a St. Lucia celebration. Thats where some brave young lady walked into the concert hall with a crown of Burning candles.
-----
North Park College is a Swedish Covenant school. A lot of the students are Swedish from small Wisconsin Minnesota and other Northern states. Except for the basketball team and football.

But anyways we drove thru a slight snow storm which gave the impression of a White Christmas.

It was a sell out and we were able to get good seats as we used force to race in as the doors opened.

Once the music started we were greeted with: Swedish, Dutch, German, Latin? and Classical Christmas tunes. Not one Rudolph nor Here comes Santa Claus or dreaming of a white Christmas.

The had their choir of about 50 students. An orchestra of about 30 string instruments.
and the music made us think we were at an Opera.

Just Wally fell to sleep and woke up at the end for Mandelsons---Merriah? Messiah? Yes, that was it.

Then it was over.

LETS GET A BEER. We drove to some Hot Chicken wing restaurant. As we walked thru the
restaurant we noticed we were the oldest by 30years. Ok, maybe 35years.

The food was good.

I had a HEALTHY chicken sandwich with BBQ sauce, Bacon, Cheddar Cheese and tomato.

For drinks I had a wonderful Premium Margarita. Wow was it smooth and tasty, it went well with my Pepsi no ice.

Others had the wings and burgers and all agreed it was a good joint to go to. Price about $32 per couple including tip.

Now I'm home at Midnight and ready for bed.

Got to go to sleep as we have an Ellisons restaurant with the Boyles tomorrow morning at 8:30am.


c'ya
jim---3 times I cleared the snow off my car tonight--elliott

An Email from the Past.

Hi everyone,

Today exciting things have been happening.

It all started early last year. I did a GOOGLE thing.

You know where you put your name in a search on Google.

Well, I started to use names from my past. Like my best childhood friend,
Vince Versaskas.

Vince and I hung out every day until we got married. You know that tune "those wedding bells
are breaking up that old gang of ours". Well, they did.

Everyday we played fast pitching baseball against a brick wall of the Old National
Grocery store at Newcastle and Belmont aves.

We would use chaulk to draw a box but being kids thought Paint would be better.

If you go past the bldg now you still see the strike zone box still there, faded but still
there. See even as kids we left our mark.

But time goes by and we haven't talked for 30 years, losing contact with each other.
------
So during the Google search, I found some Lithuanian page and left a message for anyone
that might know him. That was early 2004.

Last night I received an email from Mike Versaskas, who acted susicious. As he should have.

We exchanged a few emails and this afternoon VINNIE called. It brings a tear to my eye as I write this.

He had 3 kids, 5 grandchildren, his bride then and now Kathy and has just moved, (about 5 years ago) to Dell Webb city in Huntley, about 5 years ago.

Karolyn and I talked with Vince for 20 minutes and agreed to get together the end of Jan.

Sometimes Life is Good...

c'ya
jim---friends are always friends---elliott

Diane's 65th Party

Hey its been a long time since I posted. The reason is I forgot.

But a good email friend "Nan" sent me to her blog and presto
somehow I found my old blog and signed in.

------------------

This blog was originally to be for Restaurant visits that my neighborhood group has attended.

We've been to many but I have failed my own blog.

Today I would like to tell you about a birthday party for my sister Diane who is 65yrs old.

The party was a surprise held at the Grazie Restaurant at Oakton just west of Mannheim in Desplaines, IL

The food was terrible. Beef slices--that were filled with griesel and fat.

About 40 friends/family/coworkers attended.

#1--There was the table with old high school friends, who have evolved into the old lady coffee club.

#2--Then the old co-workers from that .com that went out of business--which one?

#3--tables of family and neighbors, some who i had not seen for years.

They had hired a DJ who played the best music.

Any time "Celebration" or Billy Joel's "Old time Rock & Roll" is played, yours truly starts a rockin back and forth.

Yes, JIM ELLIOTT became a dancing fool. So many dances so little talent.

Why even one of my cousins tried to dance with me and asked what I was doing. Doing, I don't know what I'm doing.

I even did the STOOGES CURLY SHUFFLE.

I jumped to the floor and spun around on my elbow in one direction and then the other.

I'm only 61 and should know better but I was high on the music.

The party ended and everyone was looking at me with new respect or was it wonder how long the heart would last.

that should be it for now, more to follow if I remember to return.

c'ya

jim

Ras Dashan Dining 12 Feb 2005

We went to a restaurant tonight. Murphys, Powers, and us.

RAS DASHEN Ethiopian Restaurant5846 N. BroadwayChicago, IL 60660(773) 506-9601

The food came in round metal plates like a deep dish pizza pan.
A thin spongy bread covered the bottom of the pan and the food was put on top of the bread in different areas of the pan.

No utensils but sponge bread to scoop up the food. There was extra bread rolled up like a flour tortilla. We unrolled it and tore it into small pieces as scoops.

I enjoyed it and sent them an email saying so.

I'll include my email to them. And their web page
jim

http://www.rasdashenchicago.com/index.html

Hello,
Tonight, Saturday February 5, 2005, we visited your lovely restaurant.

One of our group likes to try different ethnic restaurants.

We had made reservations for 8 and were seated at two little colorful tables.

At first our thoughts were negative until the food actually came. Then we were pleasantly
surprised at how comfortable we were in the soft chairs and in conversation with each other.

Our waitress was obviously new but so pleasant she made our night out successful.
The red-head.

We changed our order completely and she just flowed with us.

We ordered the multi plate meals. Lamb, beef and chicken. The egg caught us by surprise.
I don’t know if anyone took a bite out of it. I’m sorry I didn’t but eating that egg just
didn’t seem like an easy thing to do for 2 of us with fingers and sponge bread.

The bread was not like anything we had before. It was tasty and yet because we weren’t
used to that type hesitated. Fortunately, I didn’t and jumped right in with the bread.


It was spongy like advertised. I wish I had a spoon to pick up the bread that was on the
plate and covered with juices from the meats.

A young woman came around our table to ask how we liked our dinner. She said she was an owner with her mom.
She had such a beautiful smile and again a sincere friendly personality. She
pointed out her mom who was in the kitchen cooking.

Their web page was excellent. I like photos and the one of mom was excellent.


There was a nice group of musicians playing. I was waiting to use the restroom to wash up.
As I stood in line, I had an opportunity to listen to their soft music.

Then while at our table near the front we could hear them clearly and not loud.
The music just added to the lovely feeling of your restaurant.

We are from Edison Park and go out often. We call ourselves the Edison Park Restaurant Reviewers.
We couldn’t come up with a better name. It changes every week.
Our aim is to start a review column. Unfortunately, we haven’t done much reviewing just eating.

In summary: we enjoyed your restaurant.

Thank you very muchJim