A woman won $35,000 after a restaurant in New York's West Village asked her to leave the ladies toilets as they thought she was a man.
Khadijah Farmer visited the Caliente Cab Company last June. When she went into the toilet, a male bouncer ejected her and others in her party.
Read all about it in the New York Times !
I'm back!
I went to visit my father, my sisters and their families.
The weather ranged from boiling hot afternoons to cool evenings, dusty mornings and torrential rains.
As usual, the seasonal produce was on show. I was a few days too early for my sister's apricots but there were enough fruits to make up for them. The strawberries were delicious and the dates absolutely luscious.
A visit to one of Algiers oldest fish restaurants, Sauveur (a true Saviour!) was an evening to remember. Fish, fish and fish... Gorgeous.
Minted tea and roasted nuts, overlooking the Med from the south.
Fishermen enjoying a great sunset...
Karen and I went to Krimo's for Sunday lunch.
It's not often we get the chance to eat at Krimo's. A quick pizza or pasta at Portofino or a couple tapas at Casa, yes, but Krimo's is more of a "proper" restaurant and I wouldn't dare dirty a tablecloth or waste a posh napkin.
I had Boureks and Roast Beef and Karen had Pate and Salmon. She said what she usually says after the first mouthful of pate... "You should sell it in the shops! It's so much better than any of the stuff I buy in Asda..."
Yeah, right, Karen... She also says that about my Paesano sauce, Algerian Merguez sausages and Boureks.
I finished the meal with a beautiful espresso and two mint chocolates.
Tearing the wrapper I noticed the motto that I, personally, moi, myself, created over 10 years ago.
"Krimo's... A mint of restaurant!"
Seeing Mrs. Walker and her daughter, Molly enjoying their Sunday lunch, I realised that they must agree with my motto. After all, they should know. They have been coming at least once a week for the last 23 years...
Photo courtesy of BBC Sport.
Trying to fathom out how to take close-ups, I ended up snapping, among other things, a lime and a bunch of mint...
To the untrained eye, two simple green things...
Our Casa del Mar's Tom-Cruise-shake-alikes, Adam, Rob, Shelley, Lyndsay and Rachael would see the essential ingredients for my favourite Summer drink: an ice-cool, refreshing Mojito! With a touch of Havana Club or alcohol-free, Cuban Mojitos taste delicious!
Since finishing the web design course at Teesside Uni, I have been playing web designer. I am thinking about taking up another course on Flash so there is a bit of movement in the website. We'll see if I have time...
An initiative started nearly two years ago to bring together Hartlepool restaurants and the College of Further Education is still going strong.
This has led to a few of the local chefs working with the students to cook up a few of their dishes to a local hungry audience.
Yesterday, Steve of Al Syros restaurant prepared a delicious array of his own dishes with the help of a few of the catering students.
Many of Hartlepool's chefs and managers enjoyed a three-course meal for a mere £12.
I plumped for the pigeon, sea bass and strawberry soup, while Karen had the marinated scallops, duck magret and grilled pineapple. We shared our table with the Staincliffe Hotel's Mark and his wife, our Adam and Hayley.
You will remember that back in December our head-chef, Madjid was diagnosed with heart problems and was scheduled to have a triple heart bypass. Well, after a long and worryin wait, Madjid was finally and successfully operated on a week last Monday. I drove him home from James Cook Hospital las Saturday where he is now convalescing before he begins his rehabilitation programme. Another few weeks of gentle exercise and he hopes to be back at work.
Good and speedy recovery, Madjid!
On a lighter note, I didn't know that Muhammad Ali could cook but here is a great recipe of his. I think I definitely would like to try a plateful of this beautiful dish.
A little while ago, you'll remember, Stranton School organised a healthy eating competition. Mark, the Expochef, Mr Drummond, our town mayor and I had the pleasurable task of picking the winner out of four finalists. The competition was tough! Just a fiver to produce a main-course and a dessert!
The winner was Donna who really impressed us judges with her beautiful shepherd's pie. Enough to feed half a dozen hungry schoolchildren. As a prize, I provided the school with a meal voucher and last week, Donna and her four kids came to Portofino to enjoy her winnings.
Despite the untimely loss of her husband just before Christmas, Donna found the strength to compete and win.
Click on the link to read:
Donna's story as told by the Hartlepool Mail.
THYME flies when you're having FENNEL.
We've CINNAMON CUMIN and going.
We never got CARAWAY by our success.
No matter how CHILLI the North wind blew,
It was SAGE to CURRY on serving a good stew.
I sat making OREGANO planes with old menus,
And landed them in the waste PEPPER basket.
The mirror told me to turn a new BAY LEAF,
But, I CORIANDER piling on the beef.
To all our long SAFFRON staff,
Truly the SALT of the Earth,
Please kindly accept this BOUQUET GARNI
For GINGERLY putting up with me.
COS LETTUCE be honest, I think I have gone
PARSLEY NUTMEG, nearly as faulty as BASIL.
After eleven SEASONINGS in Sunny Seaton,
Could it be all the beef that I have eaten?
If this sounds all FENUGREEK to you,
It is MINT to be!
Says who?
SESAME, Krimo!
I wrote this daft thing in 1996 for the restaurant's 11th birthday!
Position: Head Waitress at Portofino
Age:20
Joined the restaurant: 1st September 2004
Initial job: Waitress
Job History: None. Portofino was my first job from school.
What do I like about working here? Friendly atmosphere and staff
Favourite dishes: Chicken and Pasta
Favourite holidays: Zante and Kos (Greece), Turkey, Florida, Barcelona and Costa del Sol
Places I'd like to visit: New York, Chicago, China, Australia, Italy...
Heroes: Superman and my Mam!
About me: I love working here. I will be sad to leave when I have to fly the nest ;o(
Krimo says: Joanne, Joey, Jo-babe... has been with us for the last for four years now. She is at Uni at the moment and will be leaving us in August. She is one of those easy souls who just glide effortlessly around doing a very good job of looking after customers, training new staff, always with a smile...
Jo-babe, though your sister Nicole makes better tea than you, you are one of the rare people who cheer me up with your shiny personality and cheeky smile. Especially when you say:"I need some Mula!" Glad you explained that it was the money you needed for our Saturday shopping list. If you're anything like Katie, one of your bestest friends and one of most memorable members of staff, who's back for another stint, I am sure that we will see again well after you've left us in August... Fingers crossed!
I am hooked!
Having just discovered BBC iPlayer which definitely makes the unmissable, unmissable I watched the first heat, all five episodes of it, from start to finish, last Saturday night-Sunday morning.
The contestants, well-known and truly accomplished chefs from many regions of Great Britain, have to devise a fantastic three-course meal using any ingredients they wish to choose as long as the main one is British.
Having come back from Birmingham feeling a little sorry for myself, mainly because I had no idea what the judges were looking for, I find that this marvelous program is stirring something inside me.
Getting back into the kitchen!?!
I wonder whether this crazy idea is just a passing fad or a true calling! Back to a hot stove?
Definitely a crazy idea!
I think...
