So last evening the wife and I went out with four of our friends, Greg "Cable Guy" Goode & his wife Mary and Amanda "May hurt you during therapy" and her husband Will. Our first stop of the evening was to pick up Will & Amanda, since the beloved Kellie Poe-Bowdren was doing the babysitting chores for their son Calvin (and getting waaaaaaay more than I ever got for babysitting might I add). The four of us departed for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino where we met Greg & Mary and headed over to the Improv Comedy Club to see comedienne Lisa Lampanelli, aka "The Queen of Mean".
Lisa Lampanelli
We got a nice table and sat through the verbal assault known as one of Lisa's concerts.
I have to tell you, she's an absolute howl. That being said, quite honestly, this isn't a concert that I'd bring Mom & Dad too. Unless they like hearing jokes about queers, blacks, spics, chinks and other minorities (her words, not mine--just for the record).
She literally brings the audience to tears as she talks about things that "other people think about, but don't ever want to say out loud"---which is what someone at the table said during the concert. If you ever get the chance....run, don't walk, to get tickets.
***** Jeff sez, check it out.
After the concert, we all headed downtown to the venerable eating establishment known as "Anthony's Runway 84". This place has been around for like 35 years and is like stepping into a time machine. There's a famous scene in the movie "Goodfellas", where Ray Liotta is taking Lorraine Bracco on a date to a restaurant in New York City.
The camera follows them as they walk through the back of the restaurant, past the cooks, the patrons, the assorted hangers on....until they're seated at their table.
That's what walking into Anthony's is like. Its a combination of Goodfellas & Saturday Night Fever--mainly because they have a stereo system that is absolutely BLASTING 70's music while you eat. Don't get me wrong....its great music, I love it....but I'd prefer it at a club, not a restaurant. What really made the evening memorable though, was watching the people in the restaurant--the customers. 90% appear to be regulars, people who come by ever weekend to eat, to mingle, to be seen. What's even better is that all those 90 percenters are between 55 & 60 and areall desperately trying to recapture the glory of their youth in New York when they would go to the disco's in New York City. And I am totally NOT kidding. I turned to Kim and told her that if any man ever wanted to pick up a middle aged Italian woman who had at least one face lift, a boob job and assorted reconstructions about her person---this would be the place to look for her. There was this certain sense of desperation in the crowd. All the old single men are there trying to be seen and find someone to spend the night with, then move on. The women are trying to be seen and find someone to spend the rest of their life with---and the men here are so obviously NOT looking for a longterm relationship.
Its a fascinating study on an almost socialogical level.....and it made the evening that much richer. We had made reservations for 9:30pm, and when we got there about 10 minutes before, the maitre'd told us that it would be a few minutes. They still had a line going out the door and some couples were getting a little impatient. These two women, who's best days were long ago, cut in front of me and complained to the maitre'd about how long they had been waiting. He told them that he had a booth for them in the smaller bar area of the restaurant.
"Well we don't want that! We want to sit in the main room."
He tells them all he has right now is a booth, and they start having a fit.
"This isn't right! I come here all the time...I want to speak to the owner."
"Go ahead, the owner is in the bar."
It was hilarious--he just...dismissed them. So we get seated, and our fascinating people watching show continues. There is no dance floor in the restaurant. And yet, when a good song would come on....the people would get up and start dancing in the aisles by their tables. One table even had people dancing ON TOP of the tables.
Will looks at me and says:
"Damn, in one night, we get a show, dinner....and then ANOTHER show."
I told his wife that after 10:00pm the restaurant turned into a swinger's club. I think she almost believed me. The food began arriving and I have to tell you....the bread, was out of this world. I mean, some kick ass Italian bread--hard crust, soft middle and warm out of the oven. We had ordered an appetizer of meatballs, and they were delicious.
They also bring out a plate of mussels and calamari, but Kim and I decline....although the rest of the crew said they were good (Will didn't like the mussels though).
The main entree for me was chicken parm--which was good, not the best I've ever had though, and Kim had lasagna--which was the biggest plate of pasta I'd ever seen, it was way too much for one person though.
So, in summation, the food was pretty good---not the greatest Italian food I've ever had in my life or anything......but, you have to understand....that part of the dinner includes the uncredited floor show you get by watching the other patrons. Its an absolute riot.
We left, mainly because Kellie began calling me that there had been a power surge, the lights had gone out and she went into full on FREAK OUT mode......but it was the end to a very fun evening with good friends.
Later,
Jeff
PS....so then, about 4:45am, I wake up....head to the bathroom, and proceed to get sick as a dog.
GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY!
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