Ruby Tuesday (Mall of New Hampshire, Manchester, NH)

Any place that offers a three course meal at reduced prices in these tough economic times...not to mention bottom-less fries and soda deserves a write-up! My girlfriend and I were putting blisters on our feet at the mall all day and desperately needed a bite to eat. I'd never been to a Ruby Tuesdays before so we decided to give it a shot.

I recommend the spinish and artichoke cheese dip with chips. Friggin heaven (angels singing in the background). Each time i've been here since i've gotten the steak and its standard faire but always cooked the way i order. Can't say that about some "classier" places. I think the vegtable portion could be a bit more robust however - so i can dip some in the spinach and artichoke cheese dip (angels again). The waitress was super-freindly but strangely encouraging my girlfriend and I to drink from the bar.
I also like the low-key, more subdued decoration. Of course, i do miss the office-spaced spoofed suspenders and buttons on the waitresses that have been traded in for a borderline-gothic-black look.. That was so cute.

If you're ever at the Mall of New Hampshire this is great place to eat comfortably after you've been dragging ass through the mall all day.

Orinoco (Brookline MA)

At Orinoco patience is a virtue that is richly rewarded. The space is small and the wait long but the attitude and atmosphere are welcoming. The food is even more so. The open kitchen fills the small space with a wonderfully appetizing aroma that grabs hold of your senses and forces you to wait. The head chef was very personable and went out of his way to make our wait as comfortable as possible.  On this particular visit we had the good fortune of getting our seats within ten minutes (the benefits of showing up before 7 because by 8 the place was mobbed). We were immediately greeted by busy yet freindly waiter who proceeded to list the day's specials and was kind enough to make suggestions. We started with drinks. It should be noted here that the list of specialty drinks is quite robust but not displayed on the their website menu for some reason. If you love Mojitos  this is definitely the place for you as they have numerous variations. They also make a decent Sangria which i highly recommend. Wine is my thing, so i started with a moderately filled  glass of Malbec, recommended by the waiter. We opened our dining with these orgasmicly delicious bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with almonds. Its not on the website menu and i forget their name but i will never forget the taste! A perfect combination of flavor and texture. We then moved on to Arepas. The Domino was very nice though i still have no idea what palmizulia cheese is. The Reina Pepiada was ok, too dry and lacking avocado so i suggest trying something else. If you plan on sharing Arepas it should be noted that they are not easily cut and it may be wise for you to request they be served segemented. Also, these are basically sandwiches and should be eaten that way, try fork and knifing them and you are in for a mess. We felt ourselves filling up already so jumped to the main dish. I had the Atún. The serving was moderate in size, yet seemingly appropriate given what we had eaten thus far. The tuna was tender, flavorful and not overwhlemd by the sweet, delicious sauce that blended very nicely with the vinagrette dressing on the arugala. The fact that you are dining so close to others is not as uncomfortable as i at first thought. We were so absorbed by the food and converation that the proximity to other diners was a non-issue. However half-way through our dinner i got the sense we were being given the "here's your hat, what's your hurry" treatment when the waiter asked us if we were done when we were so obvioulsly not. Its somewhat understandable given the place was mobbed with people standing, some noticably uncomfortably, around the small bar awaitng a table. Overall, it was a very enjoyable and delicious experience. An experience that can only get better each time you dine there. Familiarizing yourself with the menu will enable you to coordinate the various options and enjoy a latin american dining experience worth wating for.

Evenfall (Haverhill MA)

I never go to an out-of-the-way or off-the-beaten-path or too-damn-far-to-friggin-travel-to-be-dsappionted restaurant unless i have heard at least two unconnected people say good things about it. Such was the case with Evenfall. Thankfully I was not disappointed. It didn't look like much from the outside i have to say and i actually thought it might have been closed when i drove in to the 1/4 filled parking lot.  Nevertheless when we stepped inside all my preconceptions twighlighted. It seemed to have this rustic appearance softened by a low-lit asian-like decor and ambiance. When i say asian-like i mean there are no specific indications (lettering, symbols, art or prints) of anything asian expect the decor itself. Like a Japanese restaurant minus the Japanese...um... In the words of Steve Martin: I think you know what i'm trying to say.

If one does not get the asian influence right away they certainly will when they see the menu. The chef has some very creative dishes with an obvious Japanese influence. Again the menu is like Japanese with the chef's own american twist. So what is sushi is not really sushi. I know what i ate was raw salmon yet i cant say it was "sushi". I cant really do justice by telling you what i ate i can only attest the the quality of the chef's work. I feel that creative chef's are the best chef's because they put the most time and care in to what they cook. Such is the case here. Anyway, for you traditionalists not willing to follow the chef down the creative-brick-road it has all the usual american fixings if you're feeling more country mouse than city mouse. I guess that's the point really. Rustic elegance.

Margaritas Mexican Restaurant (Manchester N.H.)

Muy bueno! I know this is a chain and all but it beats all the others of similiar type WITH a chain. I had a similiar experience at the one in Waltham. I went here on a saturday night with my girlfriend and was seated almost immediately. It was as bustling with people as one would expect on a fin de semana but our waitress was in our cara's within a minute taking our drink orders. After which a full bowl of very warm tortilla chips and salsa were placed in front of us. You can't not like free chips and salsa guys. As soon as that was empty another, even warmer bowl, was put in front of us. By now i was well in to my copa, fat in alcohol (really, it had too much alcohol, but who likes to complain about such things eh). I had the heavens to margatroid but recommend the coconut one. Mmmm.

What i like most about mexican food of any type, besides the taste, is the presentation. The array of bright colors really brings the food to life and makes it much more festive in the eating, We had mini-chingas for an app that were presented on a bed of lettuce and diced tomatos, sided with guac and sour cream. Hot, delicioso and just enough to whet my appetite for the plato principal. A sizzlng chicken fajita plate with black beans and rice that literally engulfed my head in an aromatic nube de humo when it arrived. On that note the waitress was very nice and accomodating. She was also considerate, suggesting the Ben & Jerry's across the street for dessert instead of trying to upsell us. Now, i'm a fat kid at heart whose has never not licked every crumb off my plate but i had to bow my head in vergüenza and cop to needing a doggy bag. So you know the serving was abundante.

On a side note: Can i go out to a place once, just once, and not run in to a bachlorette party. They're almost always annoying and all over the friggin place! Not to menton these veiled brides-to-be look no more than 21. Girls, enjoy life a little and find yourself before playing house.

Overall this is a really great place to eat and kick back over a couple of drinks with an amigo(a) (or fecha) on a weekend if you can handle the crowd....and the bachelorette fiestas

Harbor's Edge (Portsmouth N.H.)

In a word...Overrated! I called to make reservations for a Valentine's dinner at first and told they were booked. As i was about to thank the hostess and hang up she told me thay had an opening at 2pm. I pondered this and eventually accepted. The website said they were closed at 2 but i just assumed they would be open for Valentine's Day since she was willing to book me. I got there and was told by the attending hostess that they were closed and that the girl "must have spaced out". I left my phone number and all they had to do was call me when they noticed the discrepency. They didn't! I drove 50 miles because i heard good things about this place and they weren't even professional enough to treat me with respect and apologize about the mistake. I mean, they didnt even have the courtesy to accomodate m,y girlfriend and I in some way for THEIR error.  They told us the kitchen was closing and we had to hurry up and make our choices. A lunch menu was thrown in our faces and i was ready leave but my girlfriendwas hungry and insisted we stay. The dining area is small, open and faces the hotel lobby. You can literally feel a draft sweep through everytime someone enters or exits. As far as a Harbor goes it does not have a good view of the water except over a broken-down boat cruise place. The lunch itself could have been made at a local dive bar just as good. I dont think i need to eat an actual dinner here to know this place is overrated. They won't see me again.

The Oar House

If seafood is your deepest desire The Oar House is your seafood whorehouse. Its a rustic looking place located on a narrow one way street on the edge of the harbor. The windswept scent of the ocean bouncing off the building as you walk in is a welcome invitation to feast you're about enjoy. The celing is low and the seating is very intimate but the interior gives off a feeling of genuine authenticity. You can almost see the ghosts of fisherman past sitting at the tables, drinking and devouring their meals, hungry from a long voyage. They also house one of only two known natural spring wells in the state that serves as an intersting oddity in the dining area. The lobster offerings here are fantasticly numerous if you're a lobster lover. Judging by the groans my girlfriend made while she dug in to her baked stuffed lobster i can say with complete confidence that the quality is superior. If your not a seafood person you really shouldn't eat her but if your dragged by a date have the roasted chicken. They also have some steak options as well if you'd prefer. I got two plump legs full of white meat and nicely seasoned. The glasses of wine her are tall and fat. I suggest a the shiraz. Its a bit pricey but not ridiculously so and the staff is very freindly. If you're a fan of seafood authenticity then proposition your appetite here.

Getting Belayed: Adventures in Indoor Rock Climbing by Dennis Kimmel

In all my days previous to this I never thought I would be climbing a wall that looked like the underside of my high school homeroom desk. Yet there I was looking down 20 feet to the floor, feet and fingers planted firmly on the brightly colored holds. A slight sense of accomplishment welled up inside of me as I thought about what I had just done. Something I didn’t think merely climbing a wall would do for me to that point.

I’ve always been looking for something more fun and exciting to do on weekends during the colder months. Something that was different than catching a movie, going bowling, or whatever other standard indoor activities one usually partakes in during the winter. I heard about indoor rock climbing from a friend who’d been hounding me to go all winter. I must admit that I have a slight fear of heights and the very thought of climbing a wall was not my idea of fun and exciting. What if the rope broke? What if the person belaying me decides to day dream and I hit the ground like a Little Focker?  After much internal debate and an outright challenge to the state of my manhood among a group of friends, I relented.                                                                    

Once the waivers are handed in and money has changed hands we are issued our climbing gear. This includes climbing shoes and a harness. The shoes are, should be, tight fitting with a thick adhesive rubber sole. The harness is worn around the waist, not the torso as those around me pointed out upon seeing me struggle to fit the contraptions over my head, with two adjustable loops for each leg. After wrestling the device up and around my jeans I was ready to go.  Our instructor brought us over to some ropes dangling from a nearby wall and proceeded to explain how to secure the climber. She showed us how to secure the rope to the belay device, also called an Air Traffic Controller (ATC), which connects to the harness via a c-clip attachment called a carabiner. This device allows the belayer to provide enough slack on the rope as the climber ascends without fear of losing tension. The rope travels up an around an anchoring device at the top of the wall. On the other end the climber is secured by bending the rope and running in through the loop on the front of the harness and tying it off in what is called a “figure eight” knot.

Once secured I began my ascent and not wanting to show trepidation in front of so many curious eyes, I proceeded with a forceful determination. My feet and fingers seemed to find their holds with ease and with little thought I found myself moving quite confidently toward my destination. Once I reached the top I looked down at the group with a wink and “no sweat” smile. The slight feeling of accomplishment that had arisen in me at that point was immediately dwarfed when my friend called up, “Now do it by taking a route.” I was lowered down and the instructor explained that each hold is part of their own route. The routes have various levels of difficulty marked with colored tape that corresponds to that particular level, and wherein lies the real challenge of rock climbing. The routes for this gym begin at 5.5 (the easiest) to 5.13. Each difficulty level has the climber starting at a lower position with ever shrinking holds.  The remainder of my day entailed mastering 5.5 while being guided by my experienced companion. Each climb requires a certain level of pre-thought and planning before attempting. This added element makes the activity both physically and mentally trying as well as rewarding. I was able to work up a sweat without really feeling like I was working out and challenge my mind without feeling like it was work. The only regret I ended up having was not discovering this activity years ago.



The Bouldering Area



Rock Spot Climbing is located at 67 Sprague Street in Dedham, Massachusetts (even though the website says Boston) and is open daily 10 A.M to Midnight. I suggest making reservations to take a beginners course as the gym fills up rather densely by mid-afternoon. It is also wise to get here as early as possible for the same reason.   Wear gym clothing like t-shirts, tank tops, shorts or sweats. I wore jeans and it was rather uncomfortable with the harness and the extra material around my legs hindered my flexibility. Additionally, Rock Spot also has four auto-belay devices that allow for solo climbing in certain spots. They also have areas with more slanted and even horizontal climbing called “bouldering”. This is an intriguing and challenging element, since those who boulder-climb have no harness and their only means of safety is a crash mat. Something I was not about to partake in during my time there. No “Focking” way!

http://www.rockspotclimbing.com/