The latest on Highgrove

The comment I receive most often is "Be funnier!"

The commend I receive second-most often is "What's the latest on Highgrove?" In case you just moved here or haven't noticed the hulking empty building, Highgrove is the overpriced luxury McHighrise at the corner of Forest and Grove Streets downtown.

The Advocate has an article about the current status of the oft-delayed opening of the building (already four years behind schedule). Basically, the developer is having all sorts of financial and legal problems, so he gives a bunch of vague answers as to when it'll actually open.

Here's my best-case scenario: everybody who bought into this building back in the boom years of the early 2000s gets their money back; the building goes into receivership; and the units go on sale for far below their original asking prices, bringing them into reach for the non-millionaires among us! Yay! That'll all happen right after I get a unicorn and a flying car.

Merry Christmas, Stamford

Whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Mabon, another holiday or none of the above, enjoy the blessings of the season with your friends and loved ones.


As for me, I'm off from work all of next week, so between sitting around in my PJ's and fixing stuff around the house, I might not be on the ol' blog too much until next year. Oh wait, that's next week! I'd better get cracking on all that sitting around!

Concert and a cause

Tomorrow night at 8 p.m., the 17th annual Rob Mathes Christmas Concert will be held at the Palace Theatre — this is the first time the concert has been performed in Stamford (it has been at the Performing Arts Center in Purchase for the past 16 years). In addition to the concert, a very special photo exhibit will be on display in the lobby of the Palace during the concert and will be the beneficiary of the Rob Mathes Christmas Concert.

Through the Eyes of Children: The Rwanda Project was founded by a Greenwich resident, David Jiranek (1958-2003), ten years ago. David was the original person to go to Rwanda and teach orphaned children there photography to help them deal with the grief of the genocide. David’s approach was different though – he didn’t want to see the sadness of the country, but rather the hope for the future — through the children’s eyes. Many of the children were orphaned by the 1994 genocide in their country. Provided with cameras and a chance to express themselves through photography, the children’s work is visually stunning and informative, providing the viewer with a window into their lives. Initially, the pictures were developed locally, displayed on the orphanage walls and put into photo albums by the children. During the past 10 years, the photographic work created by these 19 children has been exhibited around the world and has received a number of awards.

Through the Eyes of Children: The Rwanda Project has been a very successful program, with a traveling exhibit of the children’s photographs being shown at the United Nations (for the 10th anniversary remembrance of the Rwandan genocide), at the Hart Senate Building in Washington, DC, at NYU, at the Holocaust Museums in Houston & Naples, Fla., in Alaska, Canada, Belgium, England, France, and many, many more places, including the New York and LA premiere of the movie Hotel Rwanda.

This will be the third time the Rwanda Project has been showcased at Rob’s Christmas Concert. However, instead of just showcasing the children’s photographs (which will be exhibited at The Palace), the concert is a benefit to raise funds to help send the 19 “photo kids” from the Imbabazi Orphanage in Rwanda to University.

The concert begins at 8 p.m.; doors open at 7:30 pm.

You can't spell Stamford without "smart"!

You also need "fod," whatever that is. Anyway, it turns out we're the #6 smartest city in the country! Well, not just us, since most of these lists lump us into the "Stamford-Norwalk-Bridgeport" region. Here's the article from Portfolio and the slideshow of the top 25 most educated cities.

Now if only some people could figure out how to make a left turn without jamming up the entire intersection...

Atlantic Street post office for sale - what the?

I was driving back to work from Layla's Falafel yesterday when I noticed something new at the Atlantic Street post office.


Do you see it? Hold on, I'll pull a CSI and "enhance."


Yup, our historic 1916 post office is for sale. The listing on the Cushman & Wakefield website (scroll to #10) doesn't list a price, but it describes the post office thusly:

"The potential for this unique site is significant. There are virtually no available sites that offer such a prime location in such a recognizable, iconic building in Stamford’s Central Business District. This exceptional property’s possibilities will be limited only by the purchaser’s vision."

(It's worth noting that the equally beautiful 1917 Greenwich Avenue post office is for sale as well. I'm sure it'll make a very nice insanely expensive boutique store.)

There was a story a few months ago about how the USPS wanted to combine and consolidate the Atlantic Street and Ridgeway locations, but I thought the Atlantic Street building was going to become part of Tresser Square (PDF), a mixed-use development that's currently on hold due to the economy. I guess Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe didn't feel like waiting around, especially considering how many local projects have evaporated in recent years (City Place, The Luxe, Greyrock Place, etc.).

I was going to make a "going postal" joke, but I didn't want to just mail it in.

Cheese and pickles at Fairway!

I think I might be pregnant because I'm always craving delicious food like cheese and pickles. Thankfully, Fairway is there for me.

This Wednesday from 10-11 a.m., Fairway's famous cheesemongers, Steve Jenkins and Avanelle Rivera, will be at the Stamford store for a presentation and tasting of cheeses! You'll get to "find out how it's all possible to bring you the most superb selection of over 600 artisinal cheeses of the world." Some people might say that 10 a.m. is too early for cheese; I say it's never too early (or too late) for cheese.

And then, once you've recovered from your cheese-induced nap, head back to Fairway on Friday from 12-3 for an in-store tasting celebrating the Stamford debut of Horman's New York Deli Pickles! The new brand from the famous Horman family features four mouth-watering varieties of jarred pickles: Kosher Dill, Mustard Kosher Dill, Spicy Kosher Dill, and Horseradish Kosher Dill. You'll get to sip on brine shooters, learn how to create a decadent relish tray and even contribute your own pickle recipes to the first-ever online collaborative pickle cookbook!

Oddly enough, they keep rejecting my idea for pickle-flavored coffee.

Cash drop!

Brian Cashman, the general manager of the 27-time World Series champion New York Yankees, is ready to jump off of a building. No, it's not because of the tough negotiations with Yankee captain and future Hall-of-Famer Derek Jeter, it's because he'll be rappelling down Landmark Square with Santa Claus!

I didn't believe it at first, but it's true: Cashman, a Darien resident who works for the most celebrated franchise in the history of sports, will join Santa's elves and take the plunge off of Stamford's second-tallest building this Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Heck, it even made the New York Times.

Come to think of it, does Cashman really want to put himself in such a vulnerable position right now? But Jeter, an eleven-time All-Star, probably wouldn't do anything crazy like shaking Cashman's rope and yelling "What's that Brian? Twenty-three million a year??"

Or would he...???

Food at Fairway funds musical fun!

You already know how much I love Fairway, but now I have yet another reason to love them. Tomorrow night from 4-10 PM, you can have 10% of your purchase donated to the Stamford Symphony's Music Education Programs. So when you buy a bottle of their amazing olive oil, a loaf of their yummy ciabatta bread and some delicious Comte cheese, you'll be helping the Symphony to share the joys of music. (And let me know if you can't finish all that bread and cheese. I'll help.)

Small Business Saturday

Once you've recovered from Black Friday, shake off the turkey-induced drowsiness and peel yourself off the couch so you can take part in Small Business Saturday! We all know how important small businesses are to every community; they're owned by your friends and neighbors and not by a giant corporation based in Dallas or Omaha. Every dollar you spend locally stays local and is spent again and again right here, instead of being sent off to Arkansas or the Cayman Islands.

There are too many small, independent businesses in Stamford for me to list them all - and that's a good thing! We haven't been overrun by boring, generic chains - let's do what we can to keep it that way. To quote The Office's Toby Flenderson, "If we don't patronize the only Syrian restaurant in town, there'll be nothing left but pan pizzas and...you know, make-your-own-salads."

I encourage you to get out and shop at your local small business next Saturday!! Check out the Small Business Saturday Facebook page for more information.

Double Chocolate Eruption!

Last Saturday, I had the distinct privilege of attending the 13th annual New York Chocolate Show, and all I can say is WOW. I haven't seen that much chocolate in one place since the Fancy Food Show, and this show skips all the cheese, olive oil and wine and heads straight for dessert!

---

First I had to pick the right outfit for the show.

"Does this chocolate dress make me look fat?"

Then I hopped on a train to the city.

Forget the new M-8s; Metro-North should buy chocolate train cars!

Then was on to chocoholic heaven!

There were works of art like these, from William Dean Chocolates...


...and these by Håkan Mårtensson of FIKA Choklad:

Mmm...chocolate hyena...

I guess babies are the next big chocolate market now; who wouldn't want their baby to be up all night, wired on caffeine and sugar?


Here's a sampling of some of the other chocolately exhibitors:


Around noon, I started to get hungry, so I headed over to the Peanut Butter & Co. booth for a lunchbox full of peanut butter.


After lunch, I had a blast talking with Elyissia Wassung, owner of 2 Chicks with Chocolate.

L to R: Jennie Spencer, Chicklet; Elyissia Wassung, 2 Chicks' Chick-in-Charge;
Stephanie Vazquez, 2 Chicks' Lead Chocolatier.

Elyissia told me about how she started selling her mom's homemade chocolate door-to-door in Queens when she was just nine! After venturing into the business world, she fell back under chocolate's siren song and decided to make the sweet stuff her full-time job. Judging by the popularity of the 2 Chicks with Chocolate booth and the funky/hip/cool treats they create, it seems to me like it was a wise move! (If only there were a way to turn my expertise in eating chocolate into a career...)

Rock-N-Pop - chocolate-covered popcorn with popping candy! (Yes, popping candy is what you think it is.)

Fire & Ice chocolate martini mixers - the fire is the mild spiciness, and the ice is, well,
the ice that you use to make chocolate martinis!

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It may sound like heresy to some people, but after all that tasting and tasting, I had had enough (I won't even get into the 100% cacao bar that was waay to strong for me). I decided to head home on the delicoius chocolate train, but on the way out, I picked up some Jacques Torres gifts...

Yes, they're all made of chocolate.

...to put under our new toffee bark Christmas tree!

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, AACK!

Who among us hasn't wished that Willy Wonka's chocolate factory were a real place? Well, the closest you'll come to swimming in chocolate like Augustus Gloop is this weekend's New York Chocolate Show. (Sorry about the short notice.)

Here's a list of some of the vendors:

- Boissier

- Jacques Torres Chocolates

- Michel Cluizel

- Guittard

- FIKA choklad

- Neuchatel Chocolates

- NibMor

- Sweetriot

- William Dean Chocolates

- Peanut Butter & Company (I loooove their flavored peanut butters.)

I'm attending, and I'll take lots of pictures. I'd give out some samples, but they still haven't figured how to transmit chocolate over the internet like they promised back in the 1950s.

Help strike out cancer!

During the baseball season, Fairfield County native Craig Breslow brings the heat as a relief pitcher for the Oakland A's but during the off-season, he works to strike out childhood cancer for good.

This Saturday, his Strike 3 Foundation will hold its annual First Pitch Gala at the Stamford Hilton, featuring ESPN's Karl Ravech and Stamford's own Bobby Valentine as guest emcees, along with many of Craig's current and former teammates. The Strike 3 Foundation works to "heighten awareness, mobilize support, and raise funding for childhood cancer research." The proceeds from the gala will be donated in support of raising funds to contribute to a pledge that Craig has made to the Yale New Haven Children's Hospital as a founding sponsor of Connecticut's first pediatric bone marrow transplant center.

For more information on the Gala, check out the Strike 3 Foundation website.

I need to be framed

Can anybody recommend a good framing shop? I have some posters and other memorabilia of the awesome things I've done that I'd like to have framed (my lifetime membership certificate from the Nintendo Power Player's Club).


I've used the in-house framers at Michael's and they were ok, but not superb. Your thoughts?

This just in: Fairway is awesome

Let's just say it: Fairway is the coolest thing to come to Stamford since me and my awesome blog.

A bunch of co-workers and I caravanned it over to Fairway for lunch and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I've been to the store on Long Island, but this bad boy dwarfs the L.I. store both in size and magnificence.

I think this Fairway might have more cheese than other stores have products.

They have an olive-oil tasting bar. If I ever have a finished basement, it's getting an olive oil bar.

For lunch, you can grab paninis, pizza, burgers, sandwiches, sushi, soup, chopped sala, and a number of choices from the hot bar. There's a bakery, a huge cheese counter, a seafood ice-counter-thing and a deli.

I can't wait to go back when it's less crowded and I can really take my time and do some shopping.

PS: I apologize for the lack of pictures. I didn't bring my camera, I wouldn't have had time to take good pictures, and I figured the Advocate would do a better job what with their fancy flash-bulbs and daguerrotypes.

Electile dysfunction

I think I should call the doctor because it seems like this election is lasting WAY more than four hours. I've already complained about overused phrases, but now I'm just burned out on the whole darn thing and completely sick of hearing anything about it.

The most directly annoying aspect is the deluge of glossy flyers I keep getting in the mail from all the campaigns. Not only are they a waste of paper (though I recycle them along with all my other junk mail), but they're nasty and simplistic. I'm especially tired of the ones that claim that one candidate (usually the incumbent) is SOLELY responsible for SINGLE-HANDEDLY DESTROYING CONNECTICUT, and that ONLY by electing their opponent will we be saved from BANKRUPTCY, MASS STARVATION, REANIMATED CORPSES and NUCLEAR WINTER!!!!!

Blaming one party, let alone a single elected official, for the problems in our state and our nation is beyond oversimplification. The flip side of that is the other party claiming that they have ALL THE SOLUTIONS and that if you vote for them, everything will be perfect and we'll all get personal jetpacks and unicorns as pets.

The truth is that both parties are part of the problem; when things are going poorly, blaming the party in power is a cheap campaign ploy. The only way out of this mess is for our elected officials to SHUT UP, SIT DOWN and WORK IT OUT LIKE ADULTS. Like it or not, we're all in this together, so the only way forward is together.

Mmm...beer...

Want to try some microbrew and craft beers, and support a good cause at the same time? Then you should check out the North Stamford Exchange Club's 3rd Annual Beer Exchange! It takes place this Saturday from 1-4 at the Italian Center in Stamford, and benefits the Exchange Club's Community Fund.

New England and Metro area micro-breweries will be sharing samples of their ales, lagers and specialty brews. Local restaurants will also be offering samples of their menu items. A silent auction of sports goods and memorabilia will be held, as well as a 50/50 drawing. Two large-screen TVs will show the day’s NFL games (which is nice if you're a Cablevision subscriber and a Giants fan!). Tickets are $55 each.

See http://www.northstamfordexchangeclub.org for select ticket locations or contact Amy Wilmot at 203-322-3788 or amywilmot@optonline.net.

Burger wars!

Now that I'll be able to burn some calories at the new Chelsea Piers complex here in Stamford, I can't wait to eat at Shake Shack's new location in Westport! Along with the forthcoming Burgers, Shakes and Fries in Darien and the new Five Guys in Norwalk, we've got a burger smackdown just waiting to happen!

This leads me to wonder: what's the best burger in Stamford? I had Napa's incredible Wagyu burger last year, and that bad boy sets the bar pretty high. What do you think?

Dear Cablevision: You suck

First, Cablevision took YES Network off the air over money. Then Cablevision took HGTV and Discovery off the air over money. Then Cablevision took ABC off the air -- during the Oscars -- over money. And now Cablevision has taken Fox 5 and My9 off the air over money. Hmm...what's the common thread here? Yeah, it's Cablevision.

Why do they keep doing this? Maybe they want to challenge BP's title of Most Hated Company in America.

Whatever the reason, as soon as another TV provider becomes available in my neighborhood, I'm dumping Cablevision just like I dumped Prodigy as my Internet provider last year.

My favorite part of Cablevision's stupid ads is how they're blasting Fox for wanting more money for the same service while, at the same time, forcing their costumers to pay for their stupid digital boxes and providing no additional services in return.

Cablevision: Ruining the television experience (and the Knicks) for decades.

Come n' get some chili!!

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know that I love to eat, especially spicy food. Once again, I can combine my love of food, spice and do-goodery at the 3rd Annual Stamford Charity Chili Cook-off!!!

It'll take place on Saturday, October 23rd from 12-3 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Stamford and will benefit the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. Seven professional chefs will be pitted against seven amateur cooks to see who makes the best chili in town. Tickets are $10 at the door or $5 with a donation of a bag of food to support the Food Bank.

The best part: I finally have an excuse to my chili pepper hat again.

Double-secret double feature

Last week's entry in the Avon's Cult Classics series, Evil Dead 2, brought out a crowd of horror nerds (and one classicly handsome blogger) who not only quoted all the great lines, but riffed on the cheesiest parts of their beloved movie, á là Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Next week's Cult Classic promises to be even more Cultish and even more Classic, as the Avon presents not only the synth-heavy, big-haired 80's comedy-horror classic Return of the Living Dead, but they follow it up with a super-secret surprise double feature! What could it be? Dawn of the Dead? Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death? Twilight?? (Unless Stamford is prepared for a mob of angry horror fans rioting in the streets, let's hope it's not Twilight.)

But wait, there's more! As if seeing ROTLD and a surprise second movie weren't cool enough, the whole event will be hosted by B-Sol, the shuffling zombie behind The Vault of Horror, one of the most in-depth, insightful and entertaining horror sites on the interwebs. B-Sol will be joined by Captain Cruella of the Carnivorous Cadavers for a brain-eating good time!

Mmm...brains...

Things candidates need to stop saying

Here are some trite, overused phrases I'm tired of hearing in campaign ads and speeches, followed by my comments. DISCLAIMER: I'm not targeting any particular party or candidate. People from all over the political spectrum use these clichés.

"I will lower taxes."
- Candidates have been spouting this nonsense since the dawn of time. If it were actually possible to lower taxes as often as candidates promise it, we'd be paying exactly $0.00 in federal, state and local taxes. I hate to break it to everybody, but it costs money to provide the services we all expect and demand from our governments. Yes, they need to eliminate waste, inefficiency, and patronage, but it still costs money to run a government, and those costs only increase year after year, so lowering taxes ad infinitum is not a feasible option, but only an empty campaign promise. And then there's our crumbling infrastructure...

"I'm going to create jobs."
- Sure, if you own your own business, maybe you can. Otherwise, all an elected official can do to "create" jobs is to work with the business community to provide services and incentives that allow local businesses to grow. And don't even get me started on the "we'll give you $100 million in tax breaks to move to our state, only to have you leave once they expire" shell game.

"I'm going to fix Washington/Hartford/Albany."
- No you're not. The systems in our legislatures are well-established, which is both bad and good: bad because it allows the bloat and waste to continue and also prevents a bright, ambitious legislator from effecting positive change, and good because it also prevents a less altruistic person from introducing some crazy or even harmful changes. Plus, no matter how ambitious (or rich) you are, you're still just one of 535, 187 or 212. No rookie legislator is going to make much of a ripple.

"I'm an outsider."
- Sure, as of right now you are, but if you're elected, you'll quickly learn that you have to play the game -- and you'll become just like those evil "insiders" and "career politicians" you claim to hate so much.

Are there any other hollow platitudes that bug you? Sound off!

Cans and Cocktails tonight!!

I'm sure you've had it on your calendar for weeks, but don't forget that tonight is the biggest, bloggiest event of the year!! Since I can't really add much more, I'll copy and paste the details from my earlier post:

On Wednesday, September 29th, starting at 5:30pm, join us for “Cans and Cocktails” at Chinese Mirch, 35 Atlantic Street in Stamford. Each blog will sponsor a cocktail, and each cocktail helps fight hunger in our community. All profits from the event benefit the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. The event is co-sponsored by:

- Stamford Notes
- We Can't Stop

With support from:

- Stamford Talk
- Streets of Stamford
- The Lunch Break Chronicles
- CT Bites
- Blog Stamford
- Always Home and Uncool
- PeculiarBliss

Chinese Mirch is also donating 10% of food sales from Monday, September 27th through Thursday, September 30th to the food bank. There will be specialty Stamford souvenirs created just for this event. For extra good karma, bring a few cans of food to donate.

Additional information available at www.stamfordnotes.com and www.wecantstop.com. Please email stamfordnotes@gmail.com to RSVP. Hope to see you there!

People need to relax

Things people complained or ranted about that turned out to be fine (or at least not that big a deal):

• Chopping down the cherry trees in Mill River Park
• Making Spring Street a two-way street
• New city trash cans
• Trump Parc
• 5-cent deposit on water bottles in CT

Discuss.

Hang with cool bloggers for a good cause!

Ever wonder who is behind some of your favorite Stamford blogs? Come meet them over drinks and raise a glass to Stamford!

On Wednesday, September 29th, starting at 5:30pm, join us for “Cans and Cocktails” at Chinese Mirch, 35 Atlantic Street in Stamford. Each blog will sponsor a cocktail, and each cocktail helps fight hunger in our community. All profits from the event benefit the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. The event is co-sponsored by:

- Stamford Notes
- We Can't Stop

With support from:

- Stamford Talk
- Streets of Stamford
- The Lunch Break Chronicles
- CT Bites
- Blog Stamford
- Always Home and Uncool
- PeculiarBliss

Chinese Mirch is also donating 10% of food sales from Monday, September 27th through Thursday, September 30th to the food bank. There will be specialty Stamford souvenirs created just for this event. For extra good karma, bring a few cans of food to donate.

Additional information available at www.stamfordnotes.com and www.wecantstop.com. Please email stamfordnotes@gmail.com to RSVP. Hope to see you there!

The City that ROCKS

OK, this is one of the coolest things I've seen/heard since I moved to Stamford.

A few weeks ago, the Advocate ran an article (the link to which I can't find) about how a number of players on the Stamford High School football team were suffering ill effects from not having enough to eat - I'm talking about kids collapsing, sometimes requiring hospitalization. It was really sad; some players have very tough family situations and their parents simply couldn't provide enough food. Head coach Bryan Hocter said he needed $2000 to provide proper nutrition for his players.

And then I read this article. I'll let you read all the details, but I will say that it's AWESOME how the people of this city rose to the occasion for these kids. Heck, I was going to post about this and maybe even organize a fundraiser, but a whole lot of generous people were way ahead of me!

While we're on the subject of fundraisers...I have some big news in store. Stay tuned...

Double-secret probation

What's that? You think summer's almost over? Well, nothing's over until WE decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??

HELL NO! Now let's get in Dorfman's brother's car, pick up Fawn Leibowitz and head out to see Otis Day and the Knights! The Avon is showing Animal House this Thursday night at 9:00!!

Brain teasers for while I'm away

Since I'm sure you'll miss me while I'm away next week, here are some brain teasers!

1) Two CVS's (CVSes?) are about to open in our fair city, and I've noticed something strange about their signage: the word "pharmacy" is covered up.




Why is that? It's obviously some legal thing, but what exactly? Why does "pharmacy" have to be obscured, but "CVS" is OK? Is it to prevent Vicodin addicts from lining up outside before the store is even open?

2) Why are the waterwalls at the train station dry? To save money? They were one of the few pleasant aesthetic touches at an otherwise drab and unwelcoming facility.


3) Why is there a replica Mississippi River-style steamboat docked off of Canal Street?




4) Why did we get FOUR phone books the other day? Who still uses phone books?


5) What the heck does this banner at Prospect Market mean?


What are "New Jersey prices"?? Do you get a free bottle of self-tanner with every purchase?


The first person to correctly answer each brain teaser wins a prize*! Extra points for cleverness!

*Prize may just be a hug.

First look at "The Big C"

The first episode of Showtime's "The Big C," where Stamford stands in for Minneapolis, is now available online. You can watch it on YouTube or IMDb.

The only local spot I recognized was this one, when Cathy Jamison (played by Laura Linney) dines at Saltwater Grille, with Harbor Plaza in the background.


If Stamford Harbor is supposed to be one of Minnesota's 1000 lakes, shouldn't it be frozen year-round?

Here are a few views of Cathy's house on the show:




It looks like a nice little Shippan-type house, but I'm not sure where it is (and I'm not about to go stalking the nice people down there to find it).

As for the show itself, I didn't really care for it. Cathy is a high-strung, risk-averse cross between Ed Norton's character in Fight Club and Ben Stiller's character in Along Came Polly, and she's not particularly likable or sympathetic, even after you learn she has cancer. Her annoyance with her estranged husband seems forced, as if the writers felt the need to throw one more complication into her life, so they said "Let's have her kick her husband out for no reason!" Her relationship with her son is also oddly annoying. It's like they tried to take Weeds and replace a 40-something mom dealing pot in the suburbs with a 40-something mom dealing with cancer in the suburbs, but they forgot to make the characters interesting.

Anyway, that's just my take. Check out the show and see if you can spot any other hometown localities!

Primary Tuesday

If you're registered in either party, don't forget to vote in the primary today! I'm going to write myself in for every race. I'll be the best Senatovernorepresentattorneygeneral Connecticut has ever seen!

Greenwich = nightlife?

OK, we can never, ever complain that there's "nothing to do" in Stamford, because there's even less to do in Greenwich! The New York Post decided to fact-check Governor Rell's claim that Greenwich is "a wonderland of low-cost living and high-end nightlife." Low-cost living - in Greenwich? Um...

Anyway, here's what they found: Dullsville, Conn.

$tamford, baby!

Do you like what I did there, replacing the S in Stamford with a dollar sign? I'm clever.

Well, there's a reason I did that: Stamford made the list of the least and most expensive cities in the U.S., but I won't reveal which category we're in!

OK, fine, we're among the most expensive. You're shocked, aren't you? Maybe we should change Stamford's nickname to "The City that Works Two Jobs Just to Afford to Live in a Decent Apartment."

Walkin' the walk

You can't really get to know a place from behind the wheel of a car, so head downtown to enjoy a stroll around town with Stamford Walking Tours! The group leader promises "a fun walk to learn about Stamford's history, architecture and development plans." It's only $10, so I'll definitely take the tour soon (and blog about it, of course)!

Creature features

Our first creature-related item comes courtesy of everybody's favorite local animal shelter, PAWS. They're holding a fundraiser "Yappy Hour" at BUtterfield 8 on July 28th from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are $40 each and include 2 hours of open bar and appetizers. $15 from each ticket sold will be donated to PAWS. Tickets are only available at the door the evening of the event.

Get your drink on and help adowable widdle kitties at the same time!


But before you do that, make sure you hit up the Avon this Thursday at 9 p.m. for "Creature from the Black Lagoon" in 3-D!!

"Are you cheating on me? It's not that damn Aquaman, is it?"

Eats of Stamford: The Fez

I really, really want to like The Fez, the new Moroccan restaurant on Summer Street. I was thrilled to see something new and different here in the FC, but The Fez just comes up short in too many categories.

First impressions are huge. When you enter, you're greeted by contemporary American rock music instead of anything even remotely Moroccan or Mediterranean. The space itself is nice, but nothing special - no lush couches, red-shaded lamps or other Middle Eastern clichés. It doesn't scream "Moroccan" at all.

As for the food, I had the swordfish tagine with saffron couscous, green olives and fennel salad, and JT from BlogStamford had the roast quail special. (Yes, we local bloggers roll in groups.) Both meals were pretty tasty, though my swordfish was a touch overcooked.

My biggest gripe with The Fez is the prices -- everything is just too expensive. $6 for hummus and avjar (an eggplant pepper spread)? $4 for a side of couscous?? The swordfish tagine was $25, and I was still hungry afterwards! Oh yeah, did I mention that the portions were too small? I don't mean they were small compared to ridiculous Olive Garden-sized American portions; they were smaller than even a sensibly-sized meal.

Plus, it just seems like they're trying too hard, like a restaurant vying to be the new hot spot down in TriBeCa. In doing so, the food disappoints. They try to make it too elaborate. Lobster-stuffed falafel? Give me a nice eggplant tagine or some spicy lamb.

My second-biggest gripe is how the waiter kept pushing the "Snacks" (appetizers) and, later, the desserts. We considered Snacks once and said no thanks, but he asked us twice more if we wanted something, and even rattled off a few recommendations. Dude, we said NO THANKS. (PS: "Fingerling potatoes confit with harrisa mayonnaise" is really "Fries with mayo.")

One positive about The Fez is the presentation. Both of our meals were very nicely arranged and served.

Since I'm a nice guy, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they're still ironing out the kinks, and I'll probably try The Fez again at some point.

Pros:
Something different.
Nice presentation.
Great for people-watching.

Cons:
Not enough food for the money.
Nothing really Moroccan about the place.
Enough with pushing the snacks!

Eats of Stamford: Chinese Mirch

Some places in this world hold special meaning to people for spiritual or religious reasons; Machu Picchu, for example, or the Vatican, or Mecca, or the "vortices" of Sedona, Arizona. In my case, it's 35 Atlantic Street. I loved Galangal when it was there, and now that I've experienced Chinese Mirch, I am inextricably drawn back to that same place time and time again.

Yes, I know that Stamford Notes has already written about CM (and her post is immortalized on their wall!), but I wanted to share my thoughts anyway.

The space is very cool - it's comfortable and interesting without being too hip (yes, I mean you, g/r/a/n/d) or too sterile (like Duo). I like the zig-zag middle section because you can put an arm up and lean on the side. However, I do have to admit that I miss Galangal's giant elephants. I hope they've found a new home in the new Long Island restaurant.

My friend and I ordered the rock shrimp appetizer, which was good but not earth-shattering. My friend then had the Five Spice Roast Duck and enjoyed it, though he was sweating halfway through (he's a lightweight when it comes to hot food). As for me, I asked the waiter which was the hottest dish on menu, and he recommended the Tellicherry Pepper Chicken. Tellicherries are black peppers from the coast of India with a strong peppery taste that makes them much sought-after by chefs. This dish made amazing use of the pepper as a complement to the spice. It was an incredible meal and I highly recommend it -- but only if you can take the heat!

My only criticism of Chinese Mirch -- and it's very, very minor -- is that rice is extra. Come on, guys. Rice should be included with the meal.

I'll let it slide, though, because I can't get enough of their mints!


Heck, I ordered lunch twice the week after I first ate there!

Also, they get big points for hosting the happy hour fundraiser organized by Stamford Notes to benefit the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. We all hope you can make it on September 29th!

Breaking news about LeBron!!!

I hear from a reliable source that there's a reason LeBron James is making his big announcement in our fair state. I can't say exactly why, but here's a hint:

Hot today, Scot tomorrow

Man, was it a scorcher today! It was so hot that people were actually willing to drink Scofieldtown water to stay cool!

OK, I'm no comedian - but you know who is? Craig Ferguson!! I can't wait to see him tomorrow night at The Palace (if you're reading this on Wednesday, mentally replace "tomorrow night" with "tonight").

And if you like comedy at the Palace, Lewis Black returns on October 1st!

Falafel free-for-all

Since I'm already stuck in a love triangle with the falafels from Layla's and Tabouli Grill, I figured I might as well turn it into a love octagon by trying all of the falafel in town. Stamford Talk and the Stamford Pizza Tour have kindly offered their assistance in this monumental and delicious task.

Here's the list of places I can think of that serve falafel - did I miss any?

Fez
J&D Deli
Layla's (downtown)
Layla's (High Ridge)
Myrna's
Sweet on You Cafe (in the JCC)
Tabouli Grill

We'll try them all and then crown one undisputed falafel champeen of the world!! Or at least of Stamford.


And the title belt would say falafel, not waffle.