Friday, September 20, 2013

RALPH'S GREAT DIVIDE...GREAT FOOD IN LOCKERBIE

DON'T BLINK....IF YOU DO WHILE DRIVING EAST ON NEW YORK STREET AROUND LOCKERBIE SQUARE, JUST EAST OF DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS, YOU ARE LIKELY TO MISS RALPH'S GREAT DIVIDE.  AND THAT WOULD BE A MAJOR LOSS FOR YOU.  THE RATHER NON-DESCRIPT YELLOW AND RED EXTERIOR NEVER EVEN TEASES YOU AS TO THE PRETTY AMAZING CULINARY GOINGS ON INSIDE.  READ THEIR HISTORY AND CATCH UP ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE FOR DECADES, IF YOU WANT, BUT JUST GET THERE AND DON'T BE LEFT OUT!  THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE IS A SMALL DINING AREA WITH SEATING FOR 20 OR SO AND A PIANO FOR SING ALONG NIGHTS!  THE BACK BAR AREA HAS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF SEATING WITH TONS OF FUN STUFF TO GAZE AT ON THE WALLS, AROUND THE BAR....WELL, PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE.  AT FIRST GLANCE THE MENU PROBABLY SCREAMS "GOOD AMERICAN FARE" WHICH IS TRUE, BUT THE SECRETS AT RALPH'S ARE A BIT MORE SUBTLE.  THE OUTSTANDING QUALITY OF THEIR BEEF, THE HOMEMADE SALAD DRESSINGS, THE MADE IN HOUSE BOURBON BAKED HAM, OFF THE CHART DESSERTS, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.  EVERY DAY HAS A DIFFERENT AND COMPLETE LUNCH AND DINNER SPECIAL.  I HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE MENU AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING THAT WAS LESS THAN VERY GOOD.  THE STAND OUTS ARE THE THE BEEF TENDERLOIN TIPS.  OMFG THEY ARE TO DIE FOR.  ALSO IN THE STELLAR CATEGORY IS THE HOT POT AUG, THEIR SUPER RICH CREAM OF POTATO, CHEESY CONCOCTION THAT CAN BE TURNED INTO HOT POT PIG WITH BACON FOR ONLY A FEW CENTS MORE.  THEY ARE ALSO FAMOUS FOR THEIR COCONUT CREAM PIE.  FULL BAR SERVICE IS OFFERED, AS WELL, WITH A KICK YOUR FACE IN SPICY BLOODY MARY BEING THE STAND OUT.  SEVERAL LOCAL BEERS ARE AVAILABLE BUT THE LAST TIME I ASKED THERE WAS NOTHING ON TAP.  SAD.  ALSO OBVIOUSLY MISSING ARE ANY VEGETARIAN OFFERINGS OTHER THAN AN APPETIZER OR SALAD HERE AND THERE.  AS FRIENDLY AS THE STAFF IS AT RALPH'S IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF THE WIZARDS IN THE KITCHEN COULDN'T WHIP UP SOMETHING FOR THE VEGGIE DINER.  THE SERVICE AT RALPH'S IS RELAXED BUT ATTENTIVE.  THE PIANO GETS IN GEAR ON MONDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS AND IT GETS CROWDED AND STAYS THAT WAY, SO CALL AHEAD. OUTDOOR DINING IS AVAILABLE, WEATHER PERMITTING.  ENJOY!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

HOTEL CAESAR PARK IS HOME BASE IN BUENOS AIRES.

AFTER AN UN-EVENTFUL 10 HOUR FLIGHT FROM ATLANTA, A 40 MINUTE OR SO CAR RIDE GETS US TO THE HOTEL CASER PARK.  LOCATED CLOSE TO THE LA RECOLETA DISTRICT OF BUENOS AIRES, IT'S A MEDIUM SIZE BOUTIQUE BUSINESS HOTEL.  LOCATED IN A STATELY OLD BUILDING, THE INSIDE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REHABBED WITH A BEAUTIFUL SPACIOUS FRONT DESK/ATRIUM AREA, WITH A SMALLISH RESTAURANT AND BAR AREA OFF IN THE WINGS.  OUR ROOM WAS NICE WITH A GOOD SIZE FLAT PANEL TV, A DESK AREA AND A VERY SPACIOUS BATHROOM WITH A SEPARATE TUB AND SHOWER AND EVEN A BIDET!  OUR VIEW WAS LESS THAN SPECTACULAR, EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKED TOWARDS THE BAY, MOST OF THE WATERFRONT IS PRETTY INDUSTRIAL.  HERE IS THE BREAK DOWN ON THE HOTEL.  LOCATION:  IF YOU ARE IN B.A. ON BUSINESS WITH A NICE EXPENSE ACCOUNT, YOU ARE IN LUCK.  ACROSS THE STREET IS A NICE HIGH END SHOPPING MALL AND CLOSE BY ARE SOME VERY NICE UPSCALE DINING OPTIONS. FOR THE POOR TOURIST LIKE MYSELF, IT IS A BIT MORE OF A CHALLENGE.  TAXI'S ARE PLENTIFUL IN THIS AREA, AND NOT TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE UNLESS YOU GET JAMMED IN TRAFFIC.  AVOID TRYING TO GET AROUND DURING RUSH HOUR.  BUSSES SEEM TO BE FAIRLY EASY TO CATCH, BUT THE CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION I COULD FIND WAS QUITE A HAUL AWAY.  I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE STUDIED THE BUS ROUTES MORE THOROUGHLY, BUT I DID A LOT OF WALKING AND CAUGHT A CAB HERE AND THERE AND DID JUST FINE.  AMENITIES: THERE IS A SMALL FITNESS CENTER WITH AN INDOOR SWIMMING POOL ATTACHED.  THERE IS ALSO A SMALL DINING AREA WITH A BAR AREA ATTACHED FOR GET TOGETHERS.  THE CONCIERGE DESK WAS ALWAYS STAFFED AND VERY HELPFUL.  ALL OF THE STAFF ARE SUPER PLEASANT AND SPEAK FLUENT ENGLISH IF YOUR SPANISH ISN'T UP TO SNUFF.  EVERY MORNING THE DINING AREA FEATURES AN AMAZING BRUNCH.  SEVERAL FRESH FRUIT SELECTIONS INCLUDING FRESH SQUEEZED JUICES, CEREALS, DELI MEAT, CHEESES AN OMELET STATION AND HOT SELECTIONS ROTATING DAILY.  AS WITH ANY BUFFET, THE HOT ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO VARIOUS ELEMENTS THAT USUALLY DETER FROM THEIR ORIGINAL PREPARATION.  ALL THE OTHER ITEMS ARE SPOT ON!
A SHORT WALK AWAY ARE SEVERAL LOCAL EATERIES, SEE SOME MORE REVIEWS, AND SOME INTERESTING SHOPPING OPTIONS.  STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON MY TRIP TO BUENOS AIRES.

ARGENTINA HERE I COME....LIKE IT OR NOT!

THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL PAL JERRY, I AM OFF TO BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA FOR THE FIRST TIME.  WITH A CONNECTION THROUGH ATLANTA I WAS ABLE TO MEET UP WITH LEE CUTHBERT, A GREAT FRIEND THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS.  WE HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO ENJOY A SANDWICH AND A BEER BEFORE I HAD TO HOP ON THE TRAM TO THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL AND WAIT FOR MY DEPARTURE.  THANKS TO SOME UN-MENTIONABLE MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE PLANE, OUR TAKE OFF WAS DELAYED FOR OVER AN HOUR.  NORMALLY NOT GOOD, BUT THANKS TO JERRY'S DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP ON DELTA, WE HIT THE SKY CLUB TO PASS THE TIME.  WHO WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT I WOULD ENJOY ONE OF THE BEST BLOODY MARY'S I HAVE EVER HAD.  SUPER SPICY AND PERFECTLY LOADED WITH GIANT GREEN OLIVES.  THANK YOU DELTA!  I AM READY FOR A SMOOTH 10 HOUR FLIGHT, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT WEEK IN BUENOS AIRES.