Romantic Dinner

Here's to the power of the Web 2.0! User created content and all that jazz. My hat goes of to anyone that is out there creating something new. In the spirit of WWWII (World Wide Web 2.0 ©) let me share something personal about myself, for those of you who don't know me already (and haven't reverse-Googled the things I have mentioned). I live around Binghamton, NY... "Greater Binghamton" as the paid spin-doctors say - "the Southern Tier" if you please... or "the triple cities" (for those who overlook that there are more than three or only one city, depending on perspective).

Why would I share this with you? Am I gradually working my way into putting a webcam in my bedroom? Am I beginning to photograph my face every day for six years? Nay... I just think there is sometimes additional humor to be derived from context. For example - it makes more sense that I was complaining about green grass and a lack of snow in January when you know that I live at 42 degrees latitude.
What inspired this disclosure? Valentine's day of course. I was searching for great restaurants to go to, and came across a list of The Best Spots for a Romantic Dinner in Binghamton, New (they truncated "New York", not me).

It is from this article we learn that:

The Spot is one of the best places that you can go for a romantic time at a restaurant.

This tops the list above "The Whole in the Wall" and the venerable "No. 5" restaurant. I'm a bit at a loss of words... I just can't quantify what kind of inside joke this is for anyone that has visited The Spot. It isn't "similar to a diner" - it is a diner. This is indicated by their round-the-clock hours and their newest addition - a giant red LED signboard out front. Or the stainless trimmed counter you can sit at. Or the Greek cuisine.

I'm not going to bash the service or the food... and I sure as hell am not badmouthing diners - they are some of my favorite places to eat. I love a great deal on eggs, potatoes, and ham all scrambled together with hot sauce. It's just that I'm not going to put a diner over the No. 5 as "best place for a romantic dinner". Perhaps it's because the "mood lighting" of the place is pink. Not pink tinged, but pink-pink.

And the value? Maybe they have a different menu for late night, when I tend to go there, but their prices irk me. What is it - $2.65 for two eggs and $2.45 for one? Many a joke has been made about how special that egg must be. Maybe it is the variety of food that Dan admires - perhaps his picture of romance is splitting an order of "milk fed calves liver".

Oh, I'm not cold-hearted... I can see how it would be somewhat of an intimate setting to chat with someone and have a good time (even when you aren't drying out at 2am), but I would recommend saving The Spot as the place you go for that "first date cup of coffee". Not the "this better be perfect because it's Valentine's day" restaurant.

So what am I doing? I'm going to Outback thank you very much... if this infernal snowfall ever lets up. It's not looking good though... shoveling my driveway was like painting the Golden Gate Bridge this morning. Maybe I'll test my "gasoline as icemelt theory". Yeah, I nominate myself as most likely to attempt my own "Mythbusters" episode and ending up only making the Darwin Awards. Didn't we get the inspiration for the "methane 'n milk jug" from them? Don't worry Adam and Jamie - I left instructions for my estate not to sue you.