Random musings

[Jocephus]

id skip olive garden for the food mainly

[Michael]

My boss just gave me the ice bucket challenge thing. I'm going to act like I didn't see the email.

id skip olive garden for the food mainly

I tend not to go to family restaurants. Not because kids might be there, but the food often stinks.

[ghostrunner]

My favorite thing about the Olive Garden is the ads they used to run where the Italian American (I thought we were just American, oh well) families come together to eat... at the Olive Garden. And you know they're Italian because they're gesticulating wildly and kissing each other.

Another favorite thing is when Wart gets indignant. I've avoided this thread for too long.

[Fat_Bulldog]

I've never even thought twice about taking my daughter to a restaurant. She's never behaved loud or badly. She recognizes it is a privelage to go out for dinner and enjoys it as much as we do.

[Michael]

I'm a little disappointed to learn FB's kids aren't unruly brats. They must take after their mother.

[Freed Roger]

In Chicago, it's got to be a pain in the arse to take kid(s) somewhere, even a baseball game. The cost, the headaches. It's everybody looking out for themselves. I'm guessing the more kid-friendly places are overrun.

My bro described a pretty negative and expensive experience taking 3 kids to Wrigley.

I'm guessing in St. Louis, there are more accessible and hassle-free places where the kids can be relatively happy, and the parents too. I think they are more spread out. Places like the Boathouse, or Delmar Loop. I always see kids at the local brewpubs. Time of day matters.

Also, kids are more primal - like dogs - they can sense an unwelcoming environment, and they raise hell accordingly.

[Michael]

In Chicago, it's got to be a pain in the arse to take kid(s) somewhere, even a baseball game. The cost, the headaches. It's everybody looking out for themselves. I'm guessing the more kid-friendly places are overrun.

My bro described a pretty negative and expensive experience taking 3 kids to Wrigley.

I'm guessing in St. Louis, there are more accessible and hassle-free places where the kids can be relatively happy, and the parents too. I think they are more spread out. Places like the Boathouse, or Delmar Loop. I always see kids at the local brewpubs. Time of day matters.

In the actual city (well, my yuppish version of the city) it's pretty rare to see kids. Around here I suspect family dining is more of a suburban thing.

[Freed Roger]

In Chicago, it's got to be a pain in the arse to take kid(s) somewhere, even a baseball game. The cost, the headaches. It's everybody looking out for themselves. I'm guessing the more kid-friendly places are overrun.

My bro described a pretty negative and expensive experience taking 3 kids to Wrigley.

I'm guessing in St. Louis, there are more accessible and hassle-free places where the kids can be relatively happy, and the parents too. I think they are more spread out. Places like the Boathouse, or Delmar Loop. I always see kids at the local brewpubs. Time of day matters.

In the actual city (well, my yuppish version of the city) it's pretty rare to see kids. Around here I suspect family dining is more of a suburban thing.

Yuppie Couples we've known in the city of Chicago, at first were bound and determined to stay in the city when they had a kid, only to bail within two years. then they look back and mourn the loss.

we visit around Thanksgiving, and my sister-in-law insists on a cultural experience with 3 generations of family going downtown for the evening. That's a situation where I need to drink to make it thru the night.

[IMADreamer]

If I want to go to dinner with my kids, I do. If you have a problem with kids, sorry. Mrs. Wart and I work very hard to make sure we are keeping the noise down with our kids; it takes constant reinforcement to keep things somewhat orderly. My wife gets all worked up if the kids make too much noise, I understand they are little and need to get the energy out somehow. If my kids get too loud, we walk outside so as not to bother other patrons. I have gotten dirty looks a few times when my kids get a little loud, but it is the [expletive] Olive Garden, if you don't like kids, don't go to a family restaurant, or asked to get moved. Don’t give me the death stare, I am married, the death stare has no effect on me. I am more likely to let the little ones get a little louder than normal if you give me an attitude, I have as much right to be there as you do, as long as my kids don’t get too out of hand, and we never let them get too loud. Live and let live, you are not the only person on this planet.

So you take the gets outside and don't let them get loud. You and your kids are not the people I'm concerned about. I don't even remember where we were at that started my mini rant but I'm sure it wasn't a family restaurant per se. Maybe a BBQ joint or some place like that. Still it doesn't matter. This little bastard was shrieking at the top of his lungs and since his parents are used to it, in capable of parenting, and are bad people they just ignore it. I was going to say something but then the little bastard got up and started running up and down the isle screaming. I thought about tripping him but then I figured he's just fall into my table and spill my drink on me. Finally the waiter or someone told the family to contain satan and they did. For about five seconds when he started the screaming again as they were leaving.

Yes I know I'm a bad person and I hate kids, but my dinner shouldn't be ruined because someone doesn't want to bother parenting.

[wart57]

If I want to go to dinner with my kids, I do. If you have a problem with kids, sorry. Mrs. Wart and I work very hard to make sure we are keeping the noise down with our kids; it takes constant reinforcement to keep things somewhat orderly. My wife gets all worked up if the kids make too much noise, I understand they are little and need to get the energy out somehow. If my kids get too loud, we walk outside so as not to bother other patrons. I have gotten dirty looks a few times when my kids get a little loud, but it is the [expletive] Olive Garden, if you don't like kids, don't go to a family restaurant, or asked to get moved. Don’t give me the death stare, I am married, the death stare has no effect on me. I am more likely to let the little ones get a little louder than normal if you give me an attitude, I have as much right to be there as you do, as long as my kids don’t get too out of hand, and we never let them get too loud. Live and let live, you are not the only person on this planet.

So you take the gets outside and don't let them get loud. You and your kids are not the people I'm concerned about. I don't even remember where we were at that started my mini rant but I'm sure it wasn't a family restaurant per se. Maybe a BBQ joint or some place like that. Still it doesn't matter. This little bastard was shrieking at the top of his lungs and since his parents are used to it, in capable of parenting, and are bad people they just ignore it. I was going to say something but then the little bastard got up and started running up and down the isle screaming. I thought about tripping him but then I figured he's just fall into my table and spill my drink on me. Finally the waiter or someone told the family to contain satan and they did. For about five seconds when he started the screaming again as they were leaving.

Yes I know I'm a bad person and I hate kids, but my dinner shouldn't be ruined because someone doesn't want to bother parenting.

Hating unruly kids does not make you a bad person. Trust me, I hate those parents who are too consumed by their phones or their "adult conversation" to take care of their kids.


I like cheap bland Italian food, besides I eat like 10 or 15 bread sticks, so I don't even tast the bad pasta.