OT: Off Topic 2019 part VIII - Spring is just around the corner

[TD Charlie]

2 things I miss about Mass. 99 and Friendlys

Two of my favorite spots. Friendlys has great breakfast too

 

[smithformeragent]

The crown jewel of Papa Ginos is their hot dogs.

****ing fight me if you disagree.

The kids hotdog meal was pretty incredible.

We had a regular who we referred to at Md. Ferley because he looked like Don Knotts and he’d always get a well done dog and a small pepperoni.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

remember WHEN WE SPENT THE BYE Week talking about food.....

the writing was on the wall THEN for Papa Gino's

 

[smithformeragent]

There’s very little ice cream here in Cancun. They brought us some ice cream at the buffet because we asked and it was closer to sherbet.

Seems like they do very little diary.

I may venture to the dominos later as the food here hasn’t done much for me.

HBO go and NESN Go won’t play on WiFi here so my entertainment has consisted of Daredevil season 3. I’ve got one episode left.

I’ll have to settle for a condensed game tomorrow morning.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

The very first improvement to the house was the stand-by genny - my wife insisted on it. Unfortunately, cost way more than $1,000. My first inclination was to do exactly what you did - a portable, inlet and a switch box, but for my house I would have needed a genny close to 15 kW and at that point the pricing gets closer with the stand-by. The thing that pisses me off is that I can do any electrical work, but I'm not licensed in the US...

Wish I could have gotten an automatic stand alone unit, but cost was prohibitive. You don’t use them often, but they are a necessity in this region.

 

[nazartp]

Wish I could have gotten an automatic stand alone unit, but cost was prohibitive. You don’t use them often, but they are a necessity in this region.

Yea, our development has all of the lines underground, but the main line goes directly through the forest. We get short outages every month, at least. Somehow we are OK this time around.

 

[TP]

Their toasted ravioli's are another under-the-radar gem. Not as good as The Chateau, but honestly as close as you can probably get in a fast food joint.

Don't get me started on the Chateau................... What clown decided it was a good idea to give an Italian restaurant a french name?

 

[BMC]

Papa Gino's was OK but I have always preferred local when it comes to pizza.

 

[Chief Nine]

yup, their subs were good.

The pizza was meh at best. Crust was bland and too chewy. The sauce sucked, especially with all those pieces of tomato skin in it. Pizza sauce is not supposed to be chunky

I take it you're not Italian

(I do get what you're saying though)

 

[JRull86]

Was never the biggest Papa Gino's guy, the freaking skin chunks in their sauce...blah.

That being said, I'll be sad to see it go. I haven't had it in ages, but I'll order something before they shut down.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I take it you're not Italian

(I do get what you're saying though)

nope, but grew up/live right outside of Providence.

pizza strips and margherita pizza, sure those get chunky sauce. Even then, they have actual chunks, not just strips of tomato skin

but straight pizza like what Papa Ginos made should have no chunks

 

[LSCII]

Their toasted ravioli's are another under-the-radar gem. Not as good as The Chateau, but honestly as close as you can probably get in a fast food joint.

Grew up on the Chateau as I lived 10 minutes from the one in Waltham. Love that they finally started opening more of them too. Their t-ravs are literally like crack to me.

 

[LSCII]

Don't get me started on the Chateau................... What clown decided it was a good idea to give an Italian restaurant a french name?

That was like a small mom and pop place in Somerville called La Hacienda (which closed a year or two back). How does an italian restaurant have a spanish name? Regardless though, both places are like my childhood to me.

 

[SpeedyLazaro]

The quality of PG's is entirely based on location. If it was one of those small strip mall or mall locations, then it was usually sub-far. If it was an old legacy free-standing one in a highly trafficked area, then it was usually quite good. Requisites were that it served pitchers of beer and had a console table top video game.

The Chateau is brutal

 

[Kate08]

Just booked our summer vacation for July. Always nice to have something to look forward to.

 

[nazartp]

Just booked our summer vacation for July. Always nice to have something to look forward to.

Going anywhere interesting?

I have my parents coming over for a bit mid-summer. Will be figuring out where to take them.

 

[TD Charlie]

Speaking of poor names, there’s a new buffet in Fairhaven called “festiva buffet” and the colors are all red/orange/green.

It’s a Chinese buffet!

 

[Kate08]

Going anywhere interesting?

I have my parents coming over for a bit mid-summer. Will be figuring out where to take them.

We used to rent a big ass beach house in the Outer Banks every summer with a bunch of friends. 15 - 20 of us in an oceanfront mansion for a week. It was awesome.

Then people started having babies and buying houses, so for the last few years, we haven't been able to get a group together as priorities shifted. It's a long drive for just my husband and I and at this point, we're sick of the "who wants to go this year" followed by "now let's all agree on a house and a week " game that ends in nothing being accomplished because we all are more busy now than we were.

Last year my husband and I went down the Cape for 5 nights which was nice. This year, we wanted a little more of a "getaway" feel, so rented a beachfront condo in Wildwood Crest, NJ. Hoping for a week of good beach weather and good cocktails. Close enough to head to the boardwalk if we want to explore, but far enough away we won't be dealing with the crazy crowds.

 

[GlenFeatherstone]

Brigham’s in Belmont. Lived right down the street from there growing up. Many a summer nights(and fall, winter, and spring) going there. I miss it. Although the ice cream place in that location now is pretty good.

 

[Gee Wally]

Don't get me started on the Chateau................... What clown decided it was a good idea to give an Italian restaurant a french name?

Don't go dissing the Chateau. Or I will hunt you down.

 

[LSCII]

The quality of PG's is entirely based on location. If it was one of those small strip mall or mall locations, then it was usually sub-far. If it was an old legacy free-standing one in a highly trafficked area, then it was usually quite good. Requisites were that it served pitchers of beer and had a console table top video game.

The Chateau is brutal

You're dead to me.

 

[nazartp]

We used to rent a big ass beach house in the Outer Banks every summer with a bunch of friends. 15 - 20 of us in an oceanfront mansion for a week. It was awesome.

Then people started having babies and buying houses, so for the last few years, we haven't been able to get a group together as priorities shifted. It's a long drive for just my husband and I and at this point, we're sick of the "who wants to go this year" followed by "now let's all agree on a house and a week " game that ends in nothing being accomplished because we all are more busy now than we were.

Last year my husband and I went down the Cape for 5 nights which was nice. This year, we wanted a little more of a "getaway" feel, so rented a beachfront condo in Wildwood Crest, NJ. Hoping for a week of good beach weather and good cocktails. Close enough to head to the boardwalk if we want to explore, but far enough away we won't be dealing with the crazy crowds.

Cool! Cape May is OK, just don't expect really warm water in July. It really starts getting nice in August, but you'll get enough of the beach and cocktails.

 

[Kate08]

Cool! Cape May is OK, just don't expect really warm water in July. It really starts getting nice in August, but you'll get enough of the beach and cocktails.

I don't need super warm water, I'm from Boston. Just a quick dunk in and out is all I need. Plus our place has a pool.

 

[nazartp]

I don't need super warm water, I'm from Boston. Just a quick dunk in and out is all I need. Plus our place has a pool.

Yeah, I remember the water there... I've gone soft...

 

[sarge88]

I only went to a Papa Gino's once or twice.

I never really saw its purpose, you can get better pizza at a local hole in the wall and cheaper pizza at national chains like Pizza Hut or Dominos. Papa Gino's seemed to be caught in the middle of the two.

For my money Papa Gino's was much better than the other chains. Obviously, in any town, you're probably going to get a better product from a local mom and pop shop, but even those vary. I don't like thick pizza, or greek style, so when I'm in a town that I'm not familiar with, I'd tend to choose Papa Gino's.