Star MegaDO 4 - Pre event discussion

I'm sure whatever you were doing was a much greater contribution to society than what was going on here.

A LOT! But I have been reading and am still not quite sure where this is headed.

There's so many comments I could make here. But, if it were possible to drag this thread further off course, that would do it. So, I'll refrain.

Does anybody really know?

I was hoping to contribute to the subject of New Jersey, but the thread was long gone from that by the time I caught up with today's posts

Nah, you're still good. A lot of what discussed in this thread happens on a daily basis in New Jersey

Only the naughty-looking ones!

It was the mid-70’s, when I was doing my masters degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science, when the 1st McD opened as a test out in Greenwich, a nearby suburb of London to the SE. Word quickly spread amongst we Yanks studying there as the only place to get a decent hamburger at that time was the original Hard Rock Cafe on Piccadilly by Hyde Park Corner, where it still is today. Otherwise, you really were dealing with the worst form of mystery meat and a milk shake consisted of a glass of milk into which was stirred a medium teaspoon of ice cream.

We got together and picked a night to make a pilgrimage/caravan out there, and included a few of the natives who were friends and were curious about the apoplectic drooling we’d been doing for about a week over this; the fact that they had cars and could drive was purely a tertiary consideration. I still remember the sweet ecstasy of sucking hard on that straw to draw the thick mixture into my mouth, my cheeks drawn in like some long-starved man; the joyous combination on my tongue of crisp pickle vs the slickness of the fatty patty. And, of course, the fries. These were not English chips, which were more of what we call steak fries then. One look over at our Brit friends was all it took to see that they now understood all.

I also happened to be in Moscow the day after the 1st McD opened there. It was a precursor to the lines we now see at Apple Stores when new product arrives, the way it snaked up the streets for half a mile, at least.

For a moment I thought you were talking about Susan.

and then I realised that this is a private conversations between you and wijomas

Except for the guy Katstarr met in the gym, I don't remember anything like this at the New Jersey FTU a couple of weeks ago. Was I on the wrong floor?

Just back from the library, where I was asked to leave. They weren't any help at all, and they didn't like the long topcoat and socks I was wearing, either. Guess it wasn't the best thing to wear on such a nice sunny day.

I hope you didn't get you popcorn buttered

Oh dear

During the laste 1970's my London office was at 7, Old Park Lane. That was about 100 yards from the corner of Old Park Lane and Piccadilly where the Hard Rock Cafe beckoned. Almost every day a number of us lunched there amongst throngs of American tourists and the odd Brit wanting to reduce fat intake for given meal.

Only people who were there then can imagine how bad the food was, nor how much fat could be stuffed in a given meal. After all they'd just had their tablespoons of cold pork fat for breakfast and the fish and chips simmered in semi-warm fat until enough absorption had taken place. One had a pint of warm beer or some iced red wine to clear the cobwebs away, followed by a few brandies, then back to work.

London has changed! The banks have closed their clubs, most people do not have pre-lunch drinks, drinks with lunch and post lunch drinks before going back to "work". The biggest change is that there is good food now.

I have not been back to that Hard Rock for several decades.

The key is to keep the topcoat closed at all times. It’s when you spring it open suddenly that puts people, especially non-naughty librarians, off.

Me neither. Perhaps time for a nostalgia visit the next time in London.

I have never been...I used to work around the corner from it a decade ago.

Well, that would certainly explain a couple of things. ...

the funniest was when I got an email from him! I think everyone in the courthouse I work at heard me scream! I wrote about it here:

http://www.willrunformiles.com/2012/05/naked-man-part-deux.html

this gives the term LAUNCH party new meaning.

Oh my....too funny!

Too funny indeed. Maybe that's why I liked so much FTU in New Jersey. When I hear katstarr tell that story, it set my expectations for all things MP related way high. :-D

Sent from my iPhone using milepoint

I know exactly the spot you're talking about on Route 35 at the Jersey Shore.

Thought I saw you, all those years ago, also rubbernecking at “Yellow” from another car!