PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Andrew” (aka the Guy Who Ate the Walgreens Sandwich)
Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week, it’s Andy the blogger behind Wined and Dined, and the first person to show me up by eating the Walgreens Sandwich. Judging by his comments below, I feel like I made the right decision. I figured you’d want to know more about this ML hero (or suicidal maniac, depending on how you look at it I suppose…)
Name: Andy
Age: 33
Occupation: Attorney/Food Blogger/Food Daredevil
Where in Midtown do you Work?: 55th between Park & Mad (home of the 100% Halal & Healthy Food, aka Cart with the Greek Salad, Papa Perrone’s Pizza Truck and the best hot dog stand in Midtown)
Favorite Kind of Food: Steak, shaved truffles (could have used some to mask the taste of that freakish bulkie burger), burgers, bbq, french fries of all varieties, spicy thai, smoked salmon, bacon and corned beef, fried zucchini sticks, plus I’ve been eating these low-fat donuts lately called ‘holey donuts.’
Least Favorite Kind of Food: Olives, tofu, anything at overpriced diners like Burger Heaven, pre-packaged sandwiches, anything bland, sardines, anchovies, anything with the name Beantown on it.
Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pasta bar at Fresco on the Go (on 52nd btw. Mad+Park), greek salad with spicy grilled chicken from my man at the cart on 55th and Park, the $8.50 sesame chicken lunch special at Fusia (56th and Lex… not to be confused with Fusha or the other Fusia on 2nd Ave), mexican falafel from Crisp (on 3rd Ave. & 43rd), grilled chicken salad at Houston’s (or is it Hillstone?) and the off-the-menu chicken fingers there- which are insanely good, a Carnegie Deli corned beef sandwich split 3 ways with co-workers (like Serious Eats: New York did with the Carnegie pastrami), alambre and carne asada tacos from Pampano Taqueria (3rd Ave. btw. 49+50th), and the southwestern chicken wrap at Pig n’ Whistle on 3rd (btw. 55+56th).
“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Chop’t which I’m thoroughly sick of, City Market Cafe on 55th, Pret, Stale and Farty Soups, Pig n’ Whistle on 3rd, Europa Cafe and my co-workers continue to eat at the Cosi on 56th despite the fruit flies and the horrendous service (I haven’t been since ‘06.)
Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? El Rey del Sabor Cart on 60th & 3rd (me and everybody else), Crisp, Biryani Cart (on 46th & 6th), Jamaican Dutchy Cart (on 51st and 7th), Olympic Pita (on 38th btw. 5+6th) and Walgreens (yeah, thanks alot)
If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? San Sebastian (Spain). Because, in the words of travel and food writer John Carlin, it’s “where every local bar is a culinary heaven and Michelin stars grow on trees.” Because of the Pintxos (Basque equivalent of Tapas). Because of the Wine. And because la comida (the name for the midday meal) lasts between 3-4 hours.
Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? I love spicy food. What is the best and spiciest Midtown Lunch dish you’ve had? Phaal curry anyone? Oh yeah, and why is the Midtown version of a restaurant never as good as the original location, i.e. Peking Duck House, Brick Lane Curry, Nobu 57, etc.
The ma po tofu at Szechuan Gourmet (on 39th btw. 5+6th) is easily the spiciest thing I’ve had for lunch in Midtown. Lake….of….fire. Although I haven’t take the phaal curry challenge at Brick Lane Curry Too. Has anybody else? El Rey De Sabor’s habanero steak is pretty spicy too, if you let the guy go all out.
Got a spicy recommendation for Andy? Feel free to put it in the comments. And as always, if you want to be the next Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er, or you’d like to nominate somebody in your office email me at zach@midtownlunch.com
Posted: 11:30 am, January 27th, 2009 under PROFILE: Midtown Lunch'er.
71 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
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71 Comments
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Kaeng Tai Pla is about as extreme as it gets for spicy thai, and you can get it at Pam Real Thai on 49th and 9th.
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It’s fermented fish kidney by the way.
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Phaall Curry…Made with Naga/Dorset chilis a ‘proper’ indian curry house will do it for you.
Mind, you’ll be walking like Goerge Michael for a week afterwards.
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DocChuck is rather, uhm, busy at the moment but as soon as he finishes with me, I am sure he’ll be on to compare his looks favorably to Andy’s. After all, when you’ve already told tens of thousands of lies about yourself online, what’s one more?
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Just get some of those little hot sauce containers from the real deal chicken & rice guys on 53rd and 6th, and whatever you add them to, automatically makes it the spicyest dish you can find. Seriously, that hot sauce is no friggin joke (to which Zach will attest to).
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Mamacita: Cool your jets. He’s taken.
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Zach, I see your ma po tofu and I raise you the szechuan brisket with noodles in soup at Szechuan Gourmet. The spiciest thing I’ve had on their menu.
Also, the florescent green hot sauces at any of the Kwik Meal carts. They dont put it on as a normal course of business and you have to insist on it since they tend to forget even after you ask, but once they do, you’ll see what i’m saying..
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Ha, I work on the same block. Glad you gave props to the hot dog man on the corner–solid grilled dog.
Also, have you tried the halal cart that does fried chicken on the corner of 55 and mad? Had it yesterday…I wanted to dislike it (based on its provencance) but I found myself scraping the container for the delish crispy bits.
Still can’t find a decent bagel or slice around here–any ideas?
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Kudo’s for living a great life and not leaving me w/ the impression that you’re a D-bag. I do the ghetto hot sauce in the desk as well. Nothing a bottle can’t fix. The most ridiculous things I’ve had are the hot wing sauces at Atomic, and the salsa that the Ecuadorian hole in the wall sprinkles on if you ask.
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Taken? *sigh*
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The hot sauce from the famous chicken and rice cart on 53rd & Sixth is definitely freakin’ hot. They only put a little on out of the bottle but will gladly give you extra in little containers to apply at your leisure. One whole container and I’m verging on a seizure.
Also, thanks again for manning up and eating the little sandwich that Zach couldn’t. ML Hero of 2009!
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No worries, Stevep or Andy, it was a innocent invitation, you can bring the wife, I’ll bring my other half too!
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stop the bickering people. Do you think anyone takes what Mamcita says seriously. No guy can take serious a gal who’s still obsessed with the happy hour scene. Grow up girl. This aint no sorority party anymore. And do some work instead of sitting on midtown lunch all day.
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Wow, still a virgin there, eh steve?
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Foursome!
Mama, this just gets kinkier and kinkier!!
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ummmm not quite….but just found it amusuing how you threw in the “oh ill bring my other half” once you knew Andy was taken. Prior to that seemed you were lookin to step out on “your other half” LOL. Didnt see you making those offers to other Tuesday Profiled Lunchers. Anyhow, once a whore always a whore.
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Err… you have issues.. been cuckolded too many time huh?
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My dearest Andy:
Food daredevil you! You DO very much resemble the character on the Underwood logo.
I am wondering why you keep what looks to be a jeroboam in a kennel. My wife reserves her for the show-quality dachshunds we lovingly breed right here in our townhouse.
It is an excellent way to supplement your income, by the way. -
maybe, but at least im not a whore
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Steve,
My mom always say: If you don’t have anything nice to say, then it’s better not to say anything at all because nobody will call you a mute.
You seem to forget a thing or two about socializing. The best times are with those who are interesting and likable. If Mamacita extends an invitation, it means Andy here is an interesting individual and is likable. Unfortunately, these are neither traits you seem to possess nor display.
Please be courteous. There’s no need for harsh words like that.
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Steve…..A Bostonian choir boy…blew his settlement from the Vatican investing in Zen Burger.
Wanker.
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DocChuckles,
I should think so! Especially with the paltry pay a registered nurse makes in Maryland penitentiaries these days.
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Thanks for your assesment and advice Rudy and Casadelun. Ill start with you Rudy….ummm, hmmm, lets see….uhhh….get a fucking life and stop spending your life on ML and maybe, just maybe, with little luck you will become one of those interesting people too. You seem to have way too much time on your hands. You must be an awesome date or conversationalit. Do you know anything outside of ML???
As for you, mr/ms casadelun….i dont really know ya so i cant comment much…..so just bite me -
Alright… enough. Please.
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Yes, I agree,Zach.
He is a wanker though.
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sorry Zach…no disrespect. I wont use that language here anymore.
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Zach, do you want anyone’s nuts bitten off? I will be happy to do so
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The City Market Cafe on 55th is absolutely dreadful. I ate there once. I got a bad burger with stale fries. Considering the options in that neighborhood, there’s no reason to ever enter that shithole.
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@ Mamcita – i keep a bottle of siracha on-hand. we love hitting up happy hours. we can make it a double date. i hear holland bar’s re-opening. or maybe rudy’s where i hear there giving away happy hour hot dogs.
@ Tom – that Kaeng Tai Pla sounds offal…keep hearing that Pam Real is best Thai in midtown (and maybe in manhattan)
@ Oh-Yeah – sounds like i may have to get some of that green hot sauce from Kwik Meal. thanks.
@ Dylan – did i steal your thunder again on the hot dogs…i already got you on the greek salad w/ grilled chicken. we def have one of the best blocks in midtown. haven’t tried that f. chicken cart, but noticed it last week. as far as slice, my co-workers like a place on lex b/t 54 and 55 (next to Dunkin D’s) and bagels i have to get brought in from either ess-a or some place on 2nd b/t 56 and 57 that i can’t think of the name.
@ ben and Ignorant but Happy – also will check out the famous 53rd/6th guys hot sauce. thanks.
@ Steve – i got some valium if you want one man.
@ DocChuck – not even sure what the undwerwood logo is. you my friend are an interesting character.
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Oh my! This guy is HOT! Love it. Thank you!
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Oh, San Sebastian, have you been? It’s on my top 5 of “places to dream about going to.” When are we all going out to happy hour because seriously there are few things better in the world than happy hour? Can we go to Judge Roy Bean so I can check on Derek?
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Minar makes a really nice Sambhar, aka indian sweet and sour soup. It used to be really spicy, but when I had it a couple of weeks ago it tasted like they’d made it a little milder. Still very good though, and spicy enough for most people.
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Hey W&D. This is my go to hot green sauce:
Green Chile Habanero Sauce by El Yucateco, you can get it at more markets.
http://www.mexgrocer.com/3107.html -
Took on the phaal challenge at the original Brick Lane Curry House location last summer. Haven’t tried the MD version. I’ll stick the original location.
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oh geez, just when i thought it was a truce, now this yuppie metrosexual is offering me valium.
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Me too, Mamacita. I also like Cholula.
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Steve,
You’ve made 7 comments to the same message board in 3 hours. Grab a shower, settle down and lay off the yak.
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this is the one good part about tuesday that i can always count on. haha
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@ Mamcita – thanks for green sauce link…wonder if it’s like that hot green sauce at blockhead’s. in addition to siracha, we have a bottle of sam’s famous hot sauce from waterfront ale house that is fire.
@ eater – did you finish the phaal? is your pic on brick lane website.
my friend adam in atlanta forwarded this link to me earlier…i’m hoping NYC street meat is higher quality than london street meat….which leads me to thinking there should be an international vendy awards:
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W&D the entire point of a late night Kebab is to soak up the booze not the health giving properties of the ‘meat’.
And @ 3am in Chelsea(The real one) there’ nothing like the look on the conceirgeface as you try and open you flat door with a fork from the kebab vendor.
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It is readily apparant why a professional psychologist like myself would be fascinated by this site.
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If you’re in London, get a beigel.
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Sam’s famous hot sauce is the bomb (I like the original better than the single barrel one)!!!
So is El Yucateco. The best place to buy it is at Tehuitzingo Deli. They have the motherload there (and big bottles, not the normal small bottles they have at other stores) and its cheap too
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Andrew,
I want to shave your truffle! Leave me a message on AIM.
While the fat man is away we can talk about my new troj vib touch. Do they have those in Midtown? -
Steve- One can only wonder if you are the same ‘Steve’ that posted this comment back on Dec 16th. If so, you should really just take the valium and shut the f up.
Comment from Steve
Time: December 16, 2008, 6:08 pmZach — PLEASE remove all of the unnecessary/harrassing/useless comments here. It makes reading this blog very painful and unbearable. Thank you to all who have something constructive to say, but I truly cannot stand having to sift through all of the surplusage.
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My entry in the Szechuan Gourmet division is the Hot Chili Blue Crabs. Holy crap, it’s like a plate full of peppers with some crab. I too work on W&D’s block (likely in the same building) and appreciate that he gives props to the good options here, while trashing the more numerous terrible ones.
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Steve – how is it possible to call someone you don’t know a whore twice, and then apologize not to the person whom you called a whore, but instead to Zach, and then say “no disrespect”?
This is a serious question.
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DDR….to answer your “serious question” its quite simple pea brain…..i apoligized to Zach for the use of foul language on his site which was wrong to do on my part. I didnt apoligize to Mamcita cause her actions were that of a whore. Two completely different things. What part dont you understand???? (serious question)
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@Steve- Seriously dude? You call my Happy Hour Correspondent a “whore” and then say “no disrespect”. I stupidly let you get away with it the first time… but repeating it is too much for me.
I give you guys a lot of leeway to joke around, and let the comments police themselves in the hopes that I don’t have to start banning people, or moderating comments… but calling one of my writers (and best commenters) a whore steps over the line of good taste.
Unless you know her, and are friends with her. Then it is ok. But you don’t. So it’s not.
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That’s actually a pretty good explanation.
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In most cases, douche bag is sufficient to describe people like Steve. But after being so mean to our lovable Mamacita, he has risen to the level of full on douche nozzle.
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@Zach – Mamacita is actually my friend in the real world.
@Steve: How much of an idiot are you? You do know that it’s really easy to figure out who you are and where you are posting from, don’t you dude? As Zach said, cut the crap or many of us will be forced to defend Mamacita in a much stronger way than this. Dude.
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Steve – did Mamacita reject your advances? Seriously, why else would you call someone you don’t even know in real life a whore? You just assumed that she and W&D weren’t already aquainted and called her a name because, it seems, that you wanted her for yourself. When you discovered she had a significant other, your plan was foiled and your infantile mind conjured up the only punishment it’s capable of – name calling.
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I invite guys with significant others out for drinks all the time. Women are allowed to have male friends in this day and age. It doesn’t imply that they, or I, am getting busy with them. The girlfriends/wives are always welcome to join.
It is, under ANY circumstances, not okay to call a woman you DON’T know crude and vile names such as that. It’s disrespectful, and you deserve a swift kick to the balls.
And last but not least, I don’t know anyone over the age of 15 who doesn’t like happy hour so that just makes you a weirdo or Mormon.
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Well said Blondie…you’re getting cooler by the comment.
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W&D,careful…remember Bossman.
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@Wined & Dined if you want to know about DocChuck please see my profile. He is a felon. Internet stalker and mostly right out of his mind. Google DocChuck.
He is famous:
DocChuck was sentenced for ‘harassing communications’ in Baxter County Arkansas , He was harassing employees of The Baxter Bulletin; a Gannett Newspaper and an employee of First Federal Savings and Loan. He pleaded no contest in Baxter County District Court to a single misdemeanor charge of harassing communications. District Judge Van Gearhart entered a finding of guilty against DocChuck and sentenced him to 90 days in jail with all but 10 days suspended. City Prosecutor Roger Morgan brought reams of papers to the hearing that were allegedly faxes and printed copies of e-mail authored by DocChuck containing untrue, derogatory and profane statements directed at the victims or their employers. Morgan told the judge that DocChuck’s communications with The Bulletin had continued for more than seven years and had recently become increasingly personal and defamatory in content. After the third trial he fled the jurisdiction in the middle of a third trial to avoid going to jail again. It is all a matter of public records. -
Zach, I think it actually is time to start moderating comments or banning posters. This is ridiculous. I can totally picture a lot of people getting turned off from being profiled for this freakin’ abuse. And it takes us away from the point of the blog which is to find good food.
What I’m taking out of this is that if I ever set up a blog, I will definitely be moderating.
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I said just this thing months ago and my post got removed for trying to talk some sense. So Boo take my advise trying to moderate kindergarten is a waste of time. On the Internet everywhere Doc goes it is like this. I often just X the blog out when I see his name on them. Today was no major news release this stuff is going on everyplace that dude goes to.
I just ignore it when I see it. If you speak up you get silenced and they want hitshere or they would not allow it. -
Oh and I forgot Steve is a total AH. Sorry Steve it is not a frat party and if it was you would have a lit candle stuck in your ass. I would pay to see that too!!!
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@Karen – I rarely if ever delete comments… i just don’t like to do it.
in fact, there are a number of comments on the site related to Doc Chuck’s real identity and previous legal problems. Was your comment extremely long?
I’m hoping eventually he’ll just disappear on his own.
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You people do realize that the person(s) that posts here is/are not the real DocChuck. DocChuck the felon, lunatic and stalker does not post here. His mockers do.
Plus there are far more egregious examples of rude, offtopic, offensive, foulmouthed than his posts.
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True. And at least the folks posting as the Doc have never called anyone a whore.
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Thank you for clarifying that Zach. :)
Doc posts here because his same brand of crazy is on 2 other blogs I frequent and I admit I now can tell the difference between fake Docs and the real McCoy. Frightening as that is.
I need to actually work more at work. Let us stop the infighting and go back to slandering the food.
K wuvs you all <3 except Doc and still Steve says something nice. -
Yes, it’s not just Doc and his zillion other personalities I’m talking about. In addition to Doc, I’m talking about those posters who mock these people who are profiled. They are putting themselves out there and should realize there are going to be a few nuts who will start critiquing them about things totally unrelated to food. But there’s a point where it gets to be too much.
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Did someone *TWITCH* say N U T S?
I will GLADLY bite your nuts off. Especially DougieC’s.
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Poor Hammy, I’ll rescue you!!
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For the thousandth time, people … I do NOT own a hamster.
Just a housecat named Mr. Cutlets.
This thread has become a veritable font of material for my research.
Thank you for that.
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ok guys, i apoligize for my comments and the ruckus it caused and taking away from the purpose of the blog. Also, want to directly apoligize to Mamcita for the direct insult. Sorry Mamcita. Didnt mean it. It was initially a harmless remark that went too far.
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Well, as the *TWITCH* saying goes – out of sight, out of mind.
Given that I live deep inside DocChuck’s rectum, I am definitely *TWITCH* out of sight.
and I doubt many of you would deny that DocChuck is out of his mind.
Oh, and don’t mind DocChuck – he’s just in a bad mood lately due to *TWITCH* a recurring bout of Malaysian tsunami diahrrea. He generally isn’t able to make it across to the other side of the single-wide quickly enough, and so the middle hallway *TWITCH* is starting to resemble the lower half of a sewage main.
Wined & Dined! Awesome!
excellent profile. can’t help you on the spiciest food rec. after all I keep a hot sauce bottle in my desk drawer because most things are not hot enough for me.
Ps… Join me for happy hour sometime!