What would be great would be neighbourhood restaurant gift certs. Say if 10 restaurants in the same general area agreed to cross-honour certs.

That way, if a restaurant went down, or if one was gifted with a cert to a place you have no wish to eat, you'd have options.

It would be a way for the local places to compete with chains. Not that chains don't suddenly go out of business, too.

I like the idea of buying a gift certificate for a local restaurant.

hmmm, wonder if Chameleon Cafe is offering gift certificates?

Isn't there some kind of Maryland Restaurant Association (or something) gift certificate that is good at many different places? Okay I'll look:

Restaurant Association of Maryland
Dining Gift Certificates
http://www.marylandrestaurants.com/dining/gift_certificates.asp

From Akbar to XS there looks like there are 100 restaurants in Baltimore City alone that honor the RAM gift certificates. That would definitely be the way to go and then the recipient can choose his own place to eat.

I love getting restaurant GCs. Especially to chains. They usually have 5 or 6 different restaurants associated with them, so you have a choice.

Lots of people think they are too impersonal. My SO gave me one for my bday. I ended up taking him with me to use it. Very nice gift, I think.

Lissa, there are ways to do this now. Besides the obvious individual restaurant gift cards, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express sell gift cards. Since these can be used almost anywhere you are safe if a particular restaurant closes, and it it not likely that the card companies will go out of business. You can also use them for anything, not just restaurants. I know that American Express offers personalized cards with recipients names on them; the others robably do too. Downside is that most start piling on monthly fees if not used within some time and there might be a "purchase" fee to buy them.

I got an e-mail with a list of floundering companies and a warning about buying GC's to them. It's kind of a double edged sword (the email). I mean true, the company may go out and somebody will be stuck, but now they're losing valuable holiday business that may have pushed them back from the brink.

OT, but incredibly strange and funny and worth mention. How weird was it that Wall Street took a dive when someone verbally confirmed that we are in a recession? I mean, c'mon Professor Plum, get a clue!

Joyce, agreed. I mean, weren't you paying attention, folks? Maybe they have the money to gamble on stocks because they don't pay attention to reality?

Enjoy the gift of owl meat? Oh, no. Not touching that one. Not with someone else's pole. Nope...

Carey, you have a very wise SO. One gift you both get to enjoy together.

One year, when my DW was into embroidery, for Mothers Day I gave her a kit to embroider a tie, which she gave to me for Fathers Day. We both got something we enjoyed out of the one gift.

What occasionally gets to be an even more vexing problem is the well-intentioned folks who get you a gift certificate/card for some restaurant chain that doesn't happen to be in your area! The corporations have gotten better than they used to by listing every possible chain they can be used at, but it's still possible to get a card for something like an In-n-Out Hamburgers, or some other chain with no presence in the Northeast (BJ's brewpub chain, for example).

Re: Owl's Restaurant Association mention

Pusuant to a previous conversation, Joyce, I see that on The RAM list, under Columbia, is Tomato Palace but the website is Clyde's!

More RAM list:

Cozy Restaurant in Thurmont is on it!

My co-workers and I recently bought someone a GC to Trapeze. I hope they used it quickly...

However, my post isn't going to be as pro the idea as I'm sure she wanted.

Just to clarify, the "she" there refers the restaurant representative, not to me, the food editor...:-)

Alexander--I am just back from our West Coast Thanksgiving trip and had a chance to try In-N-Out burgers. I am afraid I don't quite get it. You have a choice of one patty or two, with cheese or without, onions or not, with or without fries--and that's about it. I will concede that it was a good burger. The place was jammed, but why the mystique?

So, Eve, are you going to check 'em out? It's been so long since I've been to Tomato Palace, I don't really remember it. If not for the fact that I recently had to go to Columbia and the trek is fresh in my memory, I might go just to see what it's like and re-report. I didn't know it was owned by Clydes, I have been to Cozy recently enough to say, if one likes basic good buffet style food, it's a great place for someone!

Wow - the way you worded your post, I felt like I was being called into a business meeting!

Eve and Joyce, I just remembered that a few years ago when I went with a group to Tomato Palace, you also had the option of ordering off the Clyde's menu. I don't think they advertised it, but one of the people in my group knew to ask, and some of the diners did just that.

How weird was it that Wall Street took a dive when someone verbally confirmed that we are in a recession?

It's a house of cards. Remember when money honey Maria Bartiromo made an off-hand comment on air about something the Fed Chairman said at a cocktail party and the market dropped?

In reaction to comments made on-air by Maria Bartiromo, the "Money Honey", regarding a conversation she had with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke at dinner on Saturday, the S&P 500 fell 0.7% and the NASDAQ dropped nearly a full point Monday, [2006]

Even weirder is the The Maria Bartiromo Market Hairdex, which predicts market fluctuations based upon her cowlicks.
http://www.kaleberg.com/maria/maria.html

Owl Meat....that RAM link is so terrific...thank you! Was considering getting our in-laws a GC to Dogwood or such, and though I think Dogwood is probably sound, the RAM GC will give them a bajillion options. Even though The Dogwood isn't on the RAM list, there are plenty of great places for them to pick from. Thanks again.

Joyce, Eve, and Anonymous: Both Clydes of Columbia and the Tomato Palace are owned by the Clydes Restaurant Group, which, among others, also owns the Old Ebbitt Grill and 1789. In Columbia, the Tomato Palace and Clydes share the ground floor of one of the Lakeside buildings. They share the same rest rooms, but appear to have separate kitchens (the one in Tomato Palace is "on display" at the rear).

Drat! Just cleaned out my browser and lost my cookies. (Not a good thing to say on a food blog!) The Anonymous Clydes/Tomato Palace poster was me. (Ooo - "was I" in case John McIntyre is peeking in!) I knew they were owned by the same group but found it interesting that you could order from either restaurant.

KristinB wrote: Ooo - "was I" in case John McIntyre is peeking in!

I've had this suspicion that Prof. McIntyre has some fancy blogware-grammar-checker thing that he monitors us all with. Or, with which he monitors all of us. And he's taking notes.

That's my secondary theory, after Owl Meat Grammarian.

(Background explanation for RTBS: there is considerable opinion--from the internal Sun staff, no less--that John McIntyre and Owl Meat are the same person. Since nobody has ever seen them together, I happen to think it's true and have made it my life's work to perpetuate the theory.)

Bucky,
Might you be RTBS?

hmmmm?

One should only give the certificate if one knows the person receiving it lives near the place or would want to go there.

Last year at my office someone gave me a gift card to Olive Garden. I live in the city and don't go to the suburbs if I can help it. I don't even know where an Olive Garden is, except that there is probably one somewhere near a Target. Plus I hate chains, and never eat at one unless it is some kind of emergency or regretful compromise.

I put it in my purse thinking someday I would use it, but then realized that would never happen, as I don't leave the city.

I tried to give it away, for free, and actually had trouble finding a taker.

Rob - No, I'm not, but the letters did look familiar the first time I saw them.

LJ, I was given an Olive Garden gift card in June. On the night we chose to use it, the line was out the door and we didn't see anything we liked on the menu. I had read the fine print at the bottom of the card, and Red Lobster is part of the group that owns OG. So we went to a nearby Red Lobster and had a pleasant meal. The upshot is, read the card to see if you can eat somewhere that might be a bit more appealing than OG. Good luck.

FYI, for anyone looking to buy a restaurant GC's, here are some groups of chains where the cards can be used at any of the group's locations:

-Carraba's, Outback, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Flemings, Bonefish, Roy's, Blue Coral, Lee Roy Selmon's

-Olive Garden, Capital Grille, Red Lobster, Bahama Breeze, Longhorn Steakhouse, Season's 52

-Chili's, Macaroni Grill, On the Border, Maggiano's

If anyone knows any others please list them, I find it helpful and interesting!

Snuff the diss on OG sistas.

Young OG? Huh... I always thought OG stood for original gangsta, not Olive Garden(er). But now I remember your first album where you were rappin' about endless bread sticks and droppin' rhymes like they was Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dips. I thought those were euphemisms for sex and drugs. Who knew?

For anyone looking for restaurant gift certificates this hoilday season, the Restaurant Association of Maryland Gift certificates are redeemable at over 500 locations throughout the state and available for purchase in increments of $10, $25, or $50 online at http://giftcertificates.marylandrestaurants.com, by phone (410) 290-6800 or in person at RAM’s headquarters located at 6301 Hillside Court, Columbia, MD 21046.

For a complete list of restaurants participating in the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s gift certificate program please visit our website at www.marylandrestaurants.com or simply click on http://www.marylandrestaurants.com/participating.

Tom Foulkes
Executive Vice President
Restaurant Association of Maryland
Steve F. de Castro Building
6301 Hillside Court
Columbia, MD 21046-1048
410-290-6800
tfoulkes@marylandrestaurants.com

All of these texting abbreviations....hate 'em.
For example "DW"....Dear Wife?, Dead Wife?..Divorced Wife?...
Anyway, I really dislike them IMHO..lol

Now, there is a properly done and informative shill! It is in the proper topic, includes contact info (a bonus) and clearly comes from the organization being promoted. It also has useful info that answers a question raised in the topic.

Thanks, Tom. I hope you'll come back sometime.

Lissa, that's not a shill, as proper disclosure was given. A shill by definition requires deception or the attempt thereof.

True, Hal. I was very imprecise. My apologies, Tom.

Thanks, Tom.

Good info!

Michael Weinfield wrote ""DW"....Dear Wife?, Dead Wife?..Divorced Wife?..."

In my case it means Darling Wife. Just saying "my wife" or, even worse, "the wife" doesn't seem right and since she has been my wife for over 38 years, and my darling even longer, Darling Wife, abbreviated DW, seemed appropriate.

For those of you who get Olive Garden gift cards and, for reasons I don't understand, don't want to use them, this is the place for you.

Not shilling; I have no interest financial or otherwise, in this web site. I do know people who have used it and were pleased with the service.

Retired in Elkridge,

I could tell you were still married, just by the way you talk. But I didn't know what DW was either.

I think it's the sweetest explanantion I've ever heard! I love that you still treasure her after all these years. Makes my heart melt.

Now can you come up with something better than "SO" for me? lol

Now can you come up with something better than "SO" for me? Is that something, or someone? Just asking.

"SO" has always sucked. 25 years ago or so, I read a hysterical column in (I think) Bay Windows about how straight people (married was implied) got good terminology, but anyone else had only imprecise, clinical or just generally bizarre terms.

RTSO,

significant other

We are straight, I just don't like boyfriend/girlfriend. Significant other isn't much better.

The only reason to marry is to get useful terminology.

Well, that and the right to visit one's partner in hospital.

Lissa,

I agree. Neither of us want to get married. That's why I'm looking for something better than SO.

(BTW, I've already made up my mind with the hospital thing....I'm lying and saying we are married. I work in the medical field. Nurses don't check, nor would they really have any way to verify it.)

Domestic partner pretty much stinks too (as a descriptor - not as a "right") I like the comedian who says "Domestic partnership sounds like we clean houses together for a living!")

Carey: How about beau? Or swain, flame, sweetheart, truelove, suitor, or even fella? The old terms seem to have more charm even if they aren't as clinically accurate as SO. And I always associate the word boyfriend with fifteen-year olds.

Not all people in long term relationships live together, either.

Some other monstrosities are "mate" (unless Australian), "roommate", "girlfriend" or "boyfriend", "special friend" and "spousal equivalent".

I usually just go with "partner", but it makes me want to either go into business or wear a cowboy hat.

The lack of clarity in English (the language that steals from everywhere) on this issue rather astounds me. Can't we find a good term in Old Church Slavonic or Buryat or something, and steal it?

Domestic partner pretty much stinks too ...

Go get a Roomba!

So if you don't like words that already have pre-loaded meaning, make up your own and give it whatever meaning you like. May I suggest something from Ikea:

JORUN SLINGA
KVARTAL
STÅLIS
TÄLJARE
TUPPLUR
WILMA

If Swedish doesn't appeal to you, perhaps Klingon or Rigelian might. Ask your Wilma.

SHILL
Function:noun
Etymology:perhaps short for shillaber, of unknown origin
Date:circa 1916
1 a: one who acts as a decoy (as for a pitchman or gambler) b: one who makes a sales pitch or serves as a promoter
2: pitch 8a

Don't apologize Lissa. Prince Hal didn't do his homework.

"Spousal Equivalent"...makes it sound like you are going to follow up with some kind of algebraic formula.

I guess "friend" isn't adequate either, and "lover" is too much.

Did anyone else notice that the winner of DWTS this season seems to have 3 or 4 children with her "fiance"?

I suppose CPA isn't acceptable?

I prefer "luvaaaaaahhhh" pronounced in the most elongated fashion with a sigh at the end and a caddish wag of the head.

Klingon....right! I need to check my Klingon language books! Whatever the word is, it will be quick and attention-getting...

Owlie, habibi, I appreciate the save, but one could make a valid argument that people who hear shill hear deception as part of it in modern usage, no matter what the dictionary says. I failed my shading roll on that one.

Housework then algebra...maybe I need to dump my partner before this happens to us. Taxes are bad enough.

Shill

my jorun slinga,

has a nice ring to it.

"Partner" all depends on context and hearer, too. My mom was terribly confused one time when I was talking about a massage therapist friend of mine and her partner the architect. Mom simply couldn't figure out what kind of crazy business they had that brought those two professions into partnership. Oh dear.

I love the MD Restaurant Association gift cards and have given them on several occassions. It also saves me from having to step into the Olive Garden (when I know that's what the recipient) really wants. Now if only I could find a way to use up my now wortheless store credit at Raw Sugar.

I dunno, KristinB. I've seen some pretty designed massage tables, if you know what I mean. Add some new age business jargon, and I can totally see that business.

Owlie, habibi, I appreciate the save

Oh, thanks, "habibi", that's a cool word. I needed a little hug on this cranky congested day.

Yes, your choice of shill in that case had the wrong nuance, but mostly I wanted to zing Halli Baba for the incorrect statement: "A shill by definition requires deception or the attempt thereof." Not the dictionary definition.

Sorry Hal, I had to take my crank energy out on someone and I wouldn't dare take it out on my jorun slinga.

"luvaaaaaahhhh" reminds me of Sex in The City. " jorun slinga" sounds like a piece of furnature at Ikea or possibly some delectable lingonberry torte. I'm laughing imagining peoples reaction to either if used with straight face.

Joyce,

I think you should try using jorun slinga at your Festivus party.

What about using "My Sharona".

Ok, Trixie, now for the rest of today I'm going to be humming "my my my, whew, my my my Sharona..."

Thats almost as bad as the week I couldn't get King of the Road out of my head!

"Trailer for sale or rent,
Rooms to let, fifty-cents,
No phone, no pool, no pets
Ain't got no cigarettes"

I remember it well.

I'm going to have to start singing, "Me Left Me Cookie at the Disco" in self defense, you guys.

Lissa, now THAT would really confuse Mom!

I just had a very non-Barry Manilow experience.

On the way home from playing at the Night of 100 Elvises this evening I caught the middle of an interesting show on XM satellite radio where Steve Earle was playing covers of Beatle songs by various people.

One of the pieces played was Wilson Pickett doing Hey Jude. I've never really liked that song much (especially the long tedious ending), but I was surprised to find that Pickett's version of it actually made me finally appreciate the song.

jorun slinga is best.

down here, Wilma scares the crap out of people, since it was a nasty hurricane that visited a few years ago. It didn't do much here, except draw up the nasty red tide, something that makes you cough like crazy when on the beach. It kills fish, but just makes life unpleasant for folks on the beach.

Other than that, Wilma is just Fred's wife.

Now I have to wrap my head around the idea of our very own Voice of Reason playing at the Night of 100 Elvises! It's too early in the morning to accommodate that vision.

Dahlink, at least I wasn't playing with one of the Elvis imitators.

Wow - Hal you were an Elvis? And you never like Hey Jude? Wow. It's still to early in the morning to get my head around either and I haven't even known you as long as Dahlink has...

Try googling "jorun slinga." The first five results are for IKEA, but we show up at the number 6 position!

I know, I could not get it out of my head either, but now after reading this, it's back! Ugh. Actually, after personal experience, I am just going to start using "This is the woman who eventually will screw me over and break my heart"...Bitter, nah!

Joyce, no I wasn't an Elvis. Only about have the acts there are Elvis imitators, and I wasn't playing with any of them.

Trixie, that too shall pass! Soon you'll be saying "here's my Wilma" or whichever of these delightful choices you like best!

Hal, you have to admire a city that has the night of 100 Elvises. Does the big Apple have that? I think not! I'd like to personally see the night of 100 Hendrixes. I believe I know about 40 of 'em personally!

Trixie, you can't have the ups without the downs.

For a change, you can always try to break her heart first. Although I've found that hurts worse.

Major league spam 12:38 AM