Because I have no money to lose I've never glommed onto the whole Bernie Madoff story. But now, finally an angle I can identify with: wealthy con artists love chains too!
Sure, there's a Per Se instance, lots of Lure, and on January 10, 2008 he spent $88.60 at the Outback Steakhouse on 23rd Street. Sadly, we'll never know if he AmEx'd a Bloomin' Onion.
Other less chainy chains include Houston's, Wollensky's Grill, Blue Ribbon (Brasserie and Sushi) and Dos Caminos.
The Bernie Madoff Dining Index [Clusterstock via Eater]
I cannot wait for the Clam and Ham combos and boxes of Timbits to invade Manhattan. I don't really even eat doughnuts (I really want to type donut) but Tim Hortons (love the unnecessary unapostrophed S) reminds me of being on vacation. And with all the poutine swarming the city, we might just have a mini Montreal on our hands.
I'm not sure which is worse, the fact that my boyfriend's mom gives him stuffed animals or that he keeps them. He used to have a toy rabbit we named Tim Horton but I haven't seen the thing in years. Ok, maybe naming stuffed animals is the worst.
-- I can totally sympathize with this “Sweet Tooth Bandit” who spent nearly $700 at Swiss Colony using a stolen identity. I used to become desperate and tormented every holiday season when the unsolicited Swiss Colony catalog showed up on the mail. I would longingly page through the wish book, coveting the petit fours with all of my grade school being. I never ever got a single item from Swiss Colony and now that I have free will (and better taste in confectionary) I feel less compelled to order anything. If there’d only been an internet in the early ‘80s, who knows what havoc I might’ve tried to wreak.
--It’s not every day that fried chicken brings out the firebug in people. I do love the NYC brand name bastardization process. Somehow Kentucky Fried Chicken (don’t forget the Kitchen Fresh Chicken fiasco) becomes Kennedy Fried Chicken and then JFK Fried Chicken emerges.
I discovered the regionally confused chicken Maryland when I was in Penang. I never ordered any, but it appears to be fried chicken served with fried bananas, fritters, fries and sometimes sausage or bacon. Does that scream Baltimore to you?
The unanswered question in this arson case is why a Twin Donut would be selling fried chicken at all. Franchises are so renegade in NYC--I recall there used to be a Blimpie that sold Thai food on the side and a Chinatown Popeye’s that hawked pork dumplings under the counter. I’m sure there are countless other examples.
--Ok, malnourishment isn’t a felony but if your eating disorder fucks up my commute something criminal just might happen.
Apparently, Ruby Tuesday is coming to Times Square next spring. Currently, the nearest location is in Elizabeth, NJ, also home to NYC's closest Ikea. I don't have particularly strong feelings about Ruby Tuesday, it's not a restaurant I grew up with or have any emotional attachment to. On my first ever visit just a few months ago, I threw up in the bathroom (not due to their food but now the connotation between RT and puke is hard to erase). I've always thought of it as an oddball chain, kind of outside the Olive Garden, Applebee's canon, people are very fond of their burgers.
Speaking of feeling good in the neighborhood, Tyler Florence and his "huge flavors" is Applebee's new gimmick which doesn't surprise me in the least. Did Tyler ever strike anyone as highbrow in the first place? I'm not clear on how much name and face recognition he has, though. Is he even in the Rachael Ray/Emeril eschelon? No matter, that bruschetta burger speaks for itself.
I realize the time is long past to mourn the loss of favorite (or even not-so-favorite) songs to commercial jingles. When Of Montreal's "Wraith Pinned to the Mist" gets turned into an Outback Steakhouse shill, nothing's shocking. But I was mildly put off by Kohl's appropriating Big Country's only U.S. hit to advertise mediocre clothing (I've only been to Kohl's once and it wasn't very memorable) with this ad campaign using catch phrase signage like Transformation Road, Transformation Place and Transformation Trail interspersed with a pregnant woman making a bed and marriage proposal from some guy in a velvet blazer. God rest poor Stuart Adamson's soul.
In my book there's no such thing as a bad chain--I have room in my heart for them all--but clearly not everyone agrees.
New Yorkers have been crapping themselves over the soon-to-open Trader Joe's. Part of me can't blame them. $2.99 vegan pad thai? Amazing (I guess), though I'm more of a discount Niman Ranch bacon and Total Greek yogurt shopper.
The new Bed-Stuy Applebee's isn't being met with so much love. What kind of foolish freaks line up for honey bbq Riblets, they ask? Well, these people, apparently. There are worse crimes than Applebee's fascination. I'll admit that a new chain in a formerly chain-less area can be weirdly thrilling.
I'm just excited to hear that the Applebee's is housed in a former Lerner's. If they'd only create a two-in-one concept.
