Jay Definitely NOT About the Yangser Dorjee Himalaya Restaurant

So this place is in my building and right below us. It is the closest drinking/dining option w/out a doubt. I have eaten there a couple times and it is fine, not great, just fine. It is also always empty. Sometimes you see a few tables full at lunch but if you wanted a seat it is certainly not a problem. Why take the shot? Well, it helps set the scene for why this place is on close out watch. There is plenty of traffic down here at the waterfront, the Skinny Pancake down the street is always busy. That said it is a tough location where YDHR is and it was never easy for the Mexican place when they were there.

So after a couple months being open YDHR finally got a liquor license and it looks like they have a few beer taps. The sign (handwritten) on the door says the "Bar/Snacks" is open 2-5 and then dinner from 5-9 or whatever. So my co-workers and I had a brief window yesterday to have a beer and debrief on the day. We decided to pop on down and patronize our neighbor a little before 5.

When we came in the place was empty as usual. The hostess was no where to be seen. As we moved towards the back a couple waitresses were eating dinner. They gave us confused frightened glances as if we were robbing the place, and/or they were frightened natives from a remote island who had never seen other people before. I stepped up and asked the guy that looked like the manager if we could have a beer on the patio outside. He told us that they considered themselves a restaurant and did not serve drinks without food. I explained to him we were walking out of the empty "restaurant" and going down the street to another restaurant that does serve beers without food at 4:45PM.

When you are perpetually empty, serve pedestrian food, and do not advertise... are you in a position to turn any business away? Particularly what could turn into a food order or longer term regular clientele? I am not sure serving a couple of early beers will turn you into a bar scene by the way. Not when no one knows where you are, your location is not great and you have no TVs to watch sports.

I had thought that YDHR was not long for Burlington and gave them under 1 year, I am downgrading that to 4 months unless the owners have family money or are willing to go bankrupt. I feel bad for there employees who are now garnering 0 tips. Pretty poor effort all the way around, 2 huge thumbs down and a disappointing headshake.

Jay About Neil Young

So my special lady and I team up w/ LB Squared and the JBs for an evening w/ Neil Young. We started over at one of my legal council's place for some fun, conversation and a really nice meal. It was then onto the venue. We had to navigate at least one drunk driver and a couple other ya-yos as well as crazy traffic but LB's traffic app got us to our destination. I must admit I was not going in w/ high high expectations. While I really like Neil's music and he has never played in VT before... I have seen a few of the old guard play past their prime and it is generally not pretty. The voices are usually strained and hollow, and the musicianship is haggard at best. When you look at Neil Young he certainly looks like he will fill that bill.

Happily this was not the case. Hey, Neil Young has never had a beautiful voice but it is unique. What came through Sunday night was strong and sounded just like he has always sounded (more or less). I am not getting into the opener Nora Jones, she was fine. Neil opened on piano and banged out a couple classics solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica. He then moved to the first Monsanto tune on the pipe organ? He busted out the band and played a few more semi acoustic before breaking out the big stick to really rip. The backup band Promise of the New is apparently made up of some of Willy Nelson's kids and they were a nice accompaniment. One kid busted out Moonlight in Vermont and sounded just like Willy. Neil was fierce. His guitar ripped and he was bopping around invading other musicians space all over the place. He was great. They are touring for a new album and it kind of sucks but they mixed in a bunch of the old tunes that were great and they jammed out on the new stuff enough to keep you engaged. They played one long set trying to evade the weather that managed to remain at bay.

Overall 2 thumbs up. I was very pleasantly surprised at how hard a 70 year old rocks out. And apparently he dates the Mermaid...

Actually Not a Dilemma at All?

So I cruised into the recently opened Doughnut Dilemma this morning looking for a coffee and maybe treat myself to a doughnut. There were only 2 other people there and at least 4 employees so it was not busy. The guy behind the counter fumbled around for a bit as I perused the doughnut selection.He then presented me a tiny "large" coffee cup about 1/4 filled. He said it was almost a small and I could probably have it for free, the beans were doing something, they literally had no more coffee. At that point I cut him off and told him I was all set and took off. I have had doughnuts from the place and they are expensive but pretty good. That said, they are not open Mondays, sometimes open, sometimes closed on the weekends when they attend the local farmer's market, and I have had issues getting coffee before. The sheen appears to have worn off and the place is often empty. It is a tough location but I think they need something besides just a diner counter w/ nice doughnuts? So it will probably be another couple weeks before I venture back in there... the dilemma easily solved for now.

Jay About Catching Up

Hey we made it onto a website... check out the Prohibition Pig accolades page! What have I been up to lately? Actually quite a bit, but hard to find time or motivation to write about it.

For instance, a couple friends and I went up to Jay Peak to see Widespread Panic play. Hotels were pretty nice, very fun venue even if acoustics not great, super chill place to see a concert overall. We even learned a couple tricks but I don't want to give them away... suffice it to say, if you are going to a concert there, get a Stateside room. The water park is fun too. I enjoyed to waterboarding experience of La Chute. I even had fun trying to surf and nearly getting a concussion. When you see the overweight 65 year old woman who has trouble walking but floats effortlessly on the indoor wave it looks so easy! She is a ringer!!!! I have to imagine she may have even been attached to ropes from the ceiling it was that easy for her. Meanwhile, I was on my feet for 31 seconds before I face planted and lost my trunks. No one even laughed... they looked mad I was taking up their wave time. It is like the looks I get when I hit on 16 up in Montreal. Daggers.

I also went down to see college friends in NYC. I stayed a night w/ my buddy at the Baccarat Hotel. Swanky. Excellent service, super high tech (the TV is IN the wall mirror), and just super nice. Yeah, they thought we were 3 gay dudes staying there but whatever. Asked if we needed tickets to a show. The trundle bed was very comfortable. We then went to the premier of Ted 2. My buddy worked on the movie. I thought it was funny, even better than the first one. I enjoy toilet humor. Not ashamed to admit it. My GPS also took me all the way up Broadway to Hastings on the Hudson. What a journey. Neighborhoods I had never seen nor hope to never see again.

On a sad note we will soon be losing one of my favorite local spots Archie's. Heard the owner is ill and needs to sell. Great spot for kids and excellent burger fare. Will soon be home to a Dunkin Donuts. I have no ill will towards Dunkies but will miss Archie's.  Also closing down is San Sai. Best sushi in Burlington by a mile. Location was tough and no one ever ventured down there. Locals are not that into foreign food here in VT. Tourists never seemed to know it was there. If the Tavern can manage to always have a crowd but San Sai is never busy you know you live in a shitty food town. We do what we do (pub fare) pretty well but a very narrow scope. Also heard Tilt may be changing hands or closing. I like that spot as a place to escape when I am out doing chores on the weekend. I hope they stay open. A new pub will be opening near the Shelburne Meat Market where the old Town Tavern floundered. I hope they do a better job w/ the space... that corridor needs a place to have a burger, beer and watch a ball game. Besides the bowling alley of course.

So there you have it... if my kids stop peeing the bed, eating possibly poisonous berries, screaming in my ear, messing up the house, eating paint chips, playing w/ knives, somehow getting poop on their face, refusing to wear pants, I may try to keep this blog a little more current.

One last review, Maurice Sendak's Chicken Soup with Rice is an excellent bedtime book. Currently is my favorite and the kids dig it too. So whoopy once, whoopy twice, whoopy chicken soup with rice!!!