Morning Edition - 1/4/06

Prehistoric Customer Service; Extinct Portion Size
Last night, J’Moo and I decided to paint the town red for his birthday and enjoy a dinner to celebrate the occasion. I chose Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, a quaint new southern cuisine spot in West Harlem. Dinosaur is apparently a well-known chain with a mouth-watering menu that features everything from fried green tomatoes – which J’Moo and I devoured at the start of our meal – to pulled pork. Their sides include macaroni and cheese, southern greens and even a Creole style potato salad. To seal your Flintstone portion of Cajun delights, there are desserts like the pecan covered sweet potato pie to insure you open your pants and use the tablecloth as a napkin. Although the food is five-star the service makes you wonder if you stumbled on to a plantation soup kitchen. Twenty minutes after inhaling our appetizer we were still waiting for our entrees. All-in-all, if your patience is greater than your appetite, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que needs to be on your list of comfort food stopovers in the very near future.

Busted-Up Over The Breakthrough
Maybe I’m just one of those folks that wait to hear the buzz before spending my $12.99 on their music purchases. I mean, I’m the one who ran to the front of the line to snatch-up J-Lo’s last release, only to find that Ms. Lo needed to Get Right – FAST! Thankfully, Mary J. Blige’s new CD, The Breakthrough, is everything it’s been hyped-up to be. From song #2, Enough Cryin’, featuring Brook, to the much-played Be Without You, the CD has more than my required 4-good-songs for a CD buy. Song #13, I Found My Everything, features Raphael Saadiq. Let’s just say I no longer feel the number 13 is such an unlucky number. Blige has another hit CD with The Breakthrough and I’m just busted-up over it.

Who The F*ck Does She Think She Is?
Annette R. aka Freaking Rican, resident blogger, voluptuous queen, stern face and fluff heart, turns 39 this Friday. I met FR about two years ago and am lucky to call her a new addition to my “true friend” list. At first glance Annette gives the impression that she is a no-nonsense, pull-no-punches broad, but don’t be fooled. Under the protective armor lies a gem of a heart with a sensitivity that only those privileged enough to uncover its magic will ever find. Soon to grace our blog with a love story of her own – CLAIM IT! – Annette has taught me more about myself than I’ve actually learned about her. So for those who come across her and ask, "Who the f*ck does she think she is?" the answer is simple, she's our friend. This Friday, we will gather at La Maganet (correct my spelling if I’m wrong Carmen) to pay homage to our blog’s Queen of true heart. La Maganet (sp) plays salsa, R&B and House Music, so bring your dancing shoes and a big hug. ** Details of club location and time to follow **

On Blast
You’ve been diagnosed with a condition that requires surgery. The surgery will either leave you blind or deaf. The doctors approach you prior to the surgery and ask you which of the two senses you choose to keep. Do you choose to keep your hearing or your sight? Why?

Keep passin’ the open windows…