Friday, June 03, 2011

A Quick Hit

Ah.  We feel MUCH better today after sleeping the sleep of the just.  That last may be overstating the case a bit, but I DID sleep well... and long, too, albeit in shifts.  I don't sleep well away from home but I got at least eight hours of shut-eye last evening, split into two sessions.

I ate well last evening; I had a mediocre steak, some ahi tuna (like that pictured: it's kinda like sushi for gaijins), and washed it all down with a Big-Ass Patron Margarita.  Dining was an interesting experience, to say the least.  I'm staying at a Courtyard By Marriott (my road lodging of choice) and there happened to be an Outback Steakhouse within walking distance of the Courtyard.  I was pretty well wiped out by the time I was all checked in last evening, seeing as how I didn't get to the motel until nearly 1800 hrs and my day began at 0200.  So I hoofed it over to the Outback. 

I like Outback.  A lot.  They do Good Things for our troops and the food is always pretty damned good.  Nothing wrong with this organization at all!  I like 'em even more after last evening... I'll spare ya a lot of detail and just cut to the chase.  I ordered my steak rare: warm red center.  My waitress asked if I REALLY wanted "rare," and I confirmed.  The steak was served medium well.  I sighed and didn't want to send it back, as tired as I was... I just cut in to the thing and began eating.  The waitress drops by and sez "how's everything?" as I was putting my third bite in my mouth... and I simply showed her my steak was anything BUT rare.  She offered to take it back; I declined.  I was pleasantly surprised when it came time to settle up: the manager had comped my steak.  Total bill: $18.00.  I tipped my waitress a tenner and called it a night...

Well, ALMOST a night.  We walked back to the Courtyard, bought a couple o' beers ("Craft" beers: a Blue Moon and a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, from Courtyard's "Craft Beer Selection") and adjourned to the outdoors to sit on an uncomfortable wrought iron park bench under the parking lot's trees, drink my beer, and enjoy a cigar.  Ah... life in smoke-free 21st Century America.  I feel a rant coming on, so I'll just stop now.

So now it's off to the shower and then off to the airport.

6 comments:

  1. "I feel a rant coming on..."

    Nothin' better'n a festered rant ;-)

    I have one somewhere, too.

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  2. If it's still as hot as when I was in that Texas town, you could have warmed up your steak (since you don't like it cooked, heh) on the sidewalk. Take care, Buck!

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  3. Your steak (happens to me regularly) was cooked by someone not qualified. Great job on the staff in making it better. Sometimes, it pays to be reasonably nice.

    I was waiting for the punchline that you got tagged for drinking/smoking in public. Glad it wasn't!

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  4. Hey you food nazi, or sumpthin like that! No post on Donuts? Really? Its National Donut Day! Instead we get a post on Steak???


    Though I do like steak, but HEY! Our Congress Critters worked hard to come up with a special day for the special food "donuts" and you just know Michelle is looking to get this day revoked ... for our own good...

    Oh well. Rant over. And we gone.

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  5. Yeah, these are good. It's priceless to learn what you can about which people have good character; learning the same thing about businesses is much harder to do, even though it may be more important. Good to know which ones go out of their way to support the troops.

    So Outback goes on the "good" list. Think I'll file that morsel of information under delicious. They have good product there.

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  6. Ivan: Sometimes I think I get carried away with the rants. I'm tryin' to quit, yanno? ;-)

    Staci: It was warmish in Lubbock, say about 94 or so. And WINDY, too!

    Darryl: I'm thinkin' I was sitting in a designated smokin' area at the Courtyard... there was an ashtray, anyhoo.

    Hey you food nazi, or sumpthin like that! No post on Donuts? Really? Its National Donut Day! Instead we get a post on Steak???

    Dang. I missed that... it flew RIGHT over my head! But thanks for remindin' me, Anon.

    Morgan: Yeah, Outback is on my "good" list, as well. They do more for the troops than that one press release I linked, like shipping TONS of their food over to The Af.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.