The wedding reception is a time for the bride, groom and guests to mingle and unwindafter the ceremony is finally over and the knot has been tied. Of course, socializingcan never be properly done without the right assortment of food and beverages, which

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I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical about the Doubleshot energy drink.  I imagined it being something like that wretched coffee flavored cola they came out with a few years ago, Coke Black.  OH GOD IT WAS AWFUL.  It was literally Coke with the flavor of coffee added.  VERY BAD.


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Have you ever actually priced out the cost of those plastic mesh sacks of potatoes?  They  usually end up all stacked together in the farthest corner of the produce department, somewhere near the onions and yams.  The sacks don't look very appealing, particularly not compared to the delicious bins of loose potatoes.  But check out those prices!


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1232 North State Street
Bellingham, WA 98225-5016
(360) 647-7547

Rudy's is a bit of an institution in this coastal Western Washington college town. It's next to a beer-bar called the Up and Up. The Up and Up features an extraordinary array of beers on tap, and (a requirement for beer bars in college towns) cheap beer by the pitcher. People would get their beer at the Up and Up and then duck next door to Rudy's to order a pizza. You'd have a fun evening with a bunch of friends, and if you split the tab, beer and pizza for very little money. A few years ago the owner of Rudy's bought the Up and Up, so now you'll see a lot of back and forth traffic between the two places.

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I've seen signs for several "homestyle" buffet restaurants; they feature buffet stations where you serve yourself, and offer a variety of choices built around the concept of middle America cuisine, and "comfort food." I note that they tend to be at malls and shopping centers—off of main throughways and interstates, where not only families with children, but long distance truckers and travelers can spot the familiar sign even in unfamiliar areas. I should probably confess that my first knowledge of these restaurants was via a South Park episode, where the featured buffet restaurant was named "Old People's Buffet." Most of the "comfort food" American style buffet restaurants are owned by a single corporation, who owns the "Country Buffet, " "Old Country Buffet" and "HomeTown Buffet" chains.

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While Seattle is chock full of fabulous places to dine that suit every palate and pocketbook, Seatac is less fortunate, even outside of the actual airport itself. There's a Dennys, of course, and the ever-present fast-food chains are well represented by Jack in the Box and Taco Bell.

And then there's Dave's Diner and Brews.

Dave's Diner and Brews is a genuine diner, with a full service bar in the back. There's a neon sign, and a classic car parked beside the front windows of the diner. Inside, the diner is decorated with old license plates and road signs.

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There's a small family-owned Mediterranean grocery and cafe in Bellingham, Washington. The grocery sells about thirty kinds of olive oil, twenty-five pound sacks of rice, several kinds of bread including lavosh and pita, imported teas and jams—including, as far as I can tell, the complete range of Twining's tea in both tea bags, and in tins of loose tea. There's a decent selection of chocolate from Europe, Greek and Lebannese coffee, wine from all over the world at a range of prices, honey, a wide variety of special oils, including sesame, walnut and cottonseed, various canned Greek delicacies, several different kinds of

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I know, you're already sneering because as a native Seattlite, you view Ivar's Acres of Clams as a tourist magnet. I don't care. I think the chowder is fantastic—and I've had Maine chowdah cooked on the beech. I mostly eat outside, along the wharf, and no, not just because the food is cheaper (which, it is), but because I like the view, and I love the sea gulls. If you choose to eat outside, you join a mass of people outside a series of windows. If there's a big crowd from tourist busses, you'll be asked to raise your hand when an order taker lists an entree you want, so they know how many of what you want. Sometimes, yo

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There are two Seattle eateries that I pretty much insist on visiting every time I'm there. One is Ivar's, and the other is a tiny family-owned one-note place called Piroshky Piroshky. The next time you're in Seattle, down by the Pike Place Market, make sure that you notice a little storefront restaurant called Piroshky Piroshky.There's usually a line all the way out the front door and down the sidewalk before this small family restaurant even opens. This downtown Seattle landmark has hit on the secret of doing what you know, simply and excellently, without trying to do too much, or provide a bunch of superfluous options that only serve to clutter up the menu. Reviews of Piroshky, Piroshky only confirm what the line on the sidewalk out front tells anyone passing by.

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2226 Wilshire Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA
310-829-5303

Owner "Willie" William O'Sullivan opened his pub in 1994, and it was immediately a favorite for other Irish expatriates and overseas workers. It's dimly lit, with a long bar that seats about 15, and two columns of booths. Large screen TVs are visible from about anywhere. They serve Guinness (which they pour properly, thank you), Harp, Bass, Magner Apple Cider, Harp Lager, Stella Artois, Wydmer Hefeweizen, Bud Light and a selection of bottled ales, as well as offer full bar service. The drinks are real drinks, and they're usually a good selection of Irish whiskey on hand. This is a good neighborhood bar, one where you'll still find Irish patrons in search of Guinness and a proper Irish breakfast. Which brings me to the food—qu

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