Located at 625 Columbia Street, in downtown Lafayette, Sylvia's Brick Oven has a selection of starters, soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza's and pasta's. I found the location to be well kept and clean, with some minor spots on the floors and a cluttered service station. The music from the piano and the conversations from the other customers appeared to reverberate off the ceiling and walls, amplifying the sound making it difficult to hear conversations at times.
On a Friday evening at about 8pm, my friend and I arrived during the busy dinner crowd, so our wait for a table was about 10 minutes, which was shorter than the 20 minute wait time we were told upon arrival. I was taken to our table while my friend was talking with someone in the bar area. The tables were set "Pizzeria" style with red & white checkered table cloths, soft candles, and customary pizzeria condiments (salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, red peppers, and sweeteners).
Now, I have 20/20 vision, but I had a real difficult time reading the menu, based on the soft lighting and font used that made it almost indecipherable. I am sure the font and menu looks wonderful, I just had difficulty reading it. Luckily, our waiter, Jerry, was excellent at translating the menu for us. It is great when a waiter knows everything about the food he is serving, down to the smallest ingredients. His knowledge was exceptional.
For myself, I ordered a side salad with ranch dressing, an order of "Garlic Knots", and a "Carni" pizza. If you are interested in the menu, you can view it at http://www.sylviasbrickoven.com/menu_3DVV.html.
The salad was a basic spring mix salad of various greens and what looked like a grape tomato cut in half. I was expecting a nice cool, crisp salad but instead I received a salad of room temperature ingredients. Personally, I prefer my salads cold and crisp, but I was unfamiliar with this restaurant, and unfortunately, I did not ask if that was the norm. The restaurant menu states that they use produce from local farmers, so the salad could be exceptionally fresh.
As I am writing this review, I am looking at the menu, online, which I can read much better. For the "Garlic Knots", basically think of dough that is tied in a knot and baked. They are then to be tossed in fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese. Ours arrived at the table drizzled and plated in olive oil and a dab of pesto on the top of each knot. The pesto had a nice flavor; however, the knots had no flavor at all, just cooked dough. I was asked if I liked the knots, of which I told our waiter that I did not and explained why. He seemed a bit stunned by my comments.
Finally, the pizza arrived, and while I have very discriminating tastes when it comes to pizza, I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the pizza. The toppings were perfectly portioned so that each bite was full of exceptional flavor, and the pizza dough seemed to have more flavor that the dough used for the "Garlic Knots".
Overall Experience: B
Food: C
Service: A
Cleanliness: A-
Atmosphere: B
Cost: $25 plus tip
Friday, August 31, 2012
Friday, September 30, 2011
"256 Shades of Gray"
First off, no, I am not talking about my hair, which currently is a lovely shade of salt and pepper.
Yesterday, I was discussing, with a very great friend of mine, my moms "theory" on the 256 shades of grey. but, let me start at the beginning of our conversation. We were discussing the two main types of homophobia, which are listed as "those trying to repress a part of themselves, and a background of abuse when younger". The conversation then turned to my mom, as she was a very wise and lovely woman, who like me, felt that everyone you meet is a potential friend. Of course she could get pissed off at lot quicker than I ever could, but I digress. Anyway, I was telling my friend that when I came out, my mom was like a community mom while I was living in Tucson and Phoenix. She would go to the gay bars with me, she would talk with all the people there, she even tried hooking me up with a few of the guys. But mainly, she was there for some of the guys when even their parents would not have anything to do with them. As a side note, my friend wondered why we don't see or hear more about community moms, and I think it might be because over the past 20 years, parents have started to become more accepting, but again, I digress. So I eventually ask my friend if he had ever seen me post about my moms theory of 256 shades of grey. He said he did not, so I gave him the story I am about to write here. My mom was a true angel, and this is but ONE of the many stories I can tell about how she worked to make a difference in her own part of the world.
"256 Shades of Grey" a theory by Saundra Sue McKeown, as remembered by Edward G. McKeown.
"Most people look at the people in the world and they see things in absolutes. To them, everything is either 'black' or 'white', and there are no compromises. What they tend to miss, or not see in larger picture, is that their really are not absolutes. Their are no 'absolute black' or absolute white', there are only the 256 shades of grey between those two defining points. For the comfort or enjoyment of another persons company, the absolute on one end would be a person that has absolutely no contact with the same sex, while the other absolute would be a person that has absolutely no contact with the opposite sex. Since these two options are relatively impossible, unless stranded alone on a deserted island or the choice to live as a hermit, these absolutes cannot be defined. Men communicate with other men, they go to bars together, they watch sports together, the have some point of contact with the same sex on a daily basis; while for ladies, the same is also true, ladies tend to do things in groups, go to ladies night out, go to bathrooms in groups, etc. And yet, we have no problem with these daily interactions, because it is assumed that ALL of the people involved are strictly 'heterosexual'. The same is true for the other end of the spectrum, where gays and lesbians interact with people of the opposite sex, yet we assume that at least one or more of the people are homosexual, when in fact, it is almost impossible to tell who is homosexual versus who is heterosexual. So this is where the theory of 256 shades of grey comes into light. Everyone, falls somewhere within that scale, and it doesn't really matter where you fall on the scale, just that their are no absolutes. Once you start looking at people in this way, will you truly understand the meaning of tolerance and acceptance."
Yesterday, I was discussing, with a very great friend of mine, my moms "theory" on the 256 shades of grey. but, let me start at the beginning of our conversation. We were discussing the two main types of homophobia, which are listed as "those trying to repress a part of themselves, and a background of abuse when younger". The conversation then turned to my mom, as she was a very wise and lovely woman, who like me, felt that everyone you meet is a potential friend. Of course she could get pissed off at lot quicker than I ever could, but I digress. Anyway, I was telling my friend that when I came out, my mom was like a community mom while I was living in Tucson and Phoenix. She would go to the gay bars with me, she would talk with all the people there, she even tried hooking me up with a few of the guys. But mainly, she was there for some of the guys when even their parents would not have anything to do with them. As a side note, my friend wondered why we don't see or hear more about community moms, and I think it might be because over the past 20 years, parents have started to become more accepting, but again, I digress. So I eventually ask my friend if he had ever seen me post about my moms theory of 256 shades of grey. He said he did not, so I gave him the story I am about to write here. My mom was a true angel, and this is but ONE of the many stories I can tell about how she worked to make a difference in her own part of the world.
"256 Shades of Grey" a theory by Saundra Sue McKeown, as remembered by Edward G. McKeown.
"Most people look at the people in the world and they see things in absolutes. To them, everything is either 'black' or 'white', and there are no compromises. What they tend to miss, or not see in larger picture, is that their really are not absolutes. Their are no 'absolute black' or absolute white', there are only the 256 shades of grey between those two defining points. For the comfort or enjoyment of another persons company, the absolute on one end would be a person that has absolutely no contact with the same sex, while the other absolute would be a person that has absolutely no contact with the opposite sex. Since these two options are relatively impossible, unless stranded alone on a deserted island or the choice to live as a hermit, these absolutes cannot be defined. Men communicate with other men, they go to bars together, they watch sports together, the have some point of contact with the same sex on a daily basis; while for ladies, the same is also true, ladies tend to do things in groups, go to ladies night out, go to bathrooms in groups, etc. And yet, we have no problem with these daily interactions, because it is assumed that ALL of the people involved are strictly 'heterosexual'. The same is true for the other end of the spectrum, where gays and lesbians interact with people of the opposite sex, yet we assume that at least one or more of the people are homosexual, when in fact, it is almost impossible to tell who is homosexual versus who is heterosexual. So this is where the theory of 256 shades of grey comes into light. Everyone, falls somewhere within that scale, and it doesn't really matter where you fall on the scale, just that their are no absolutes. Once you start looking at people in this way, will you truly understand the meaning of tolerance and acceptance."
Monday, September 12, 2011
The proposed 28th Amendment: some information
Earlier today, I received this from my very best friend that I have known for about 20 years and I consider my brother, Rob Walters. I thought it made sense, in part, so I decided to share it and hope that you find it as partially true as I do. Rob had stated that he did not know where it originated, as he received it as an email. I have posted it exactly as it was shared with me.
Unfortunately, Snopes.com lists this as "Mostly false" for several reasons and The World According to Opa notes some interesting views on the subject as well.
As always, you should do some research before passing along a chain email.
Cheers,
Edward G. McKeown
The 28th Amendment - Please read and pass along
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail,
before cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
If you think these are good ideas, I'm asking each addressee to forward this to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below.
A. Two six-year Senate terms
B. Six two-year House terms
C. One six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms
2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans can.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
Unfortunately, Snopes.com lists this as "Mostly false" for several reasons and The World According to Opa notes some interesting views on the subject as well.
As always, you should do some research before passing along a chain email.
Cheers,
Edward G. McKeown
The 28th Amendment - Please read and pass along
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail,
before cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
If you think these are good ideas, I'm asking each addressee to forward this to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below.
A. Two six-year Senate terms
B. Six two-year House terms
C. One six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms
2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans can.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Independence Day comes to a close
As this Independence Day comes to a close, I am reminded of the enjoyment that comes from watching fireworks and celebrating this grand day.
For some, the 4th of July is just another day on the calendar, yet for those of us still in school, it marks the middle of the summer and reminds us that our break is about half over. Except for those of us taking summer classes, anyway.
In just under two months, 7 weeks to be precise, I will be starting my 4th year of PhD studies at Purdue University. If all goes well, I will be done with all of my course work by December and only have to work on my dissertation for the last year and a half. This is an exciting time for me, as I will be the first in my family to achieve a PhD degree and I hope that by making this achievement, I can be a role model for my sister and her kids.
This is a dream come true for me and I have had to fight for this dream. The United States of America was a dream 235 years ago and we have had to fight for that dream ever since as well. For me, Independence Day is our way of showing that we will do whatever is necessary to keep our dreams alive.
Cheers, Edward G. McKeown
For some, the 4th of July is just another day on the calendar, yet for those of us still in school, it marks the middle of the summer and reminds us that our break is about half over. Except for those of us taking summer classes, anyway.
In just under two months, 7 weeks to be precise, I will be starting my 4th year of PhD studies at Purdue University. If all goes well, I will be done with all of my course work by December and only have to work on my dissertation for the last year and a half. This is an exciting time for me, as I will be the first in my family to achieve a PhD degree and I hope that by making this achievement, I can be a role model for my sister and her kids.
This is a dream come true for me and I have had to fight for this dream. The United States of America was a dream 235 years ago and we have had to fight for that dream ever since as well. For me, Independence Day is our way of showing that we will do whatever is necessary to keep our dreams alive.
Cheers, Edward G. McKeown
Monday, June 27, 2011
Politics 101 and the Debt Ceiling
Now, I am not an expert in politics. In fact, I have only taken one class in college on the subject during my undergraduate studies, but I did get an 'A-' in the class, so I theoretically learned something.
Anyway, I pay attention to the news and what is going on in the world of politics and this argument over the debt ceiling has really began to become what I consider a serious issue, but is being treated as a joke by politicians.
It is my understanding that all the members of Congress take an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution from all enemies, foreign or domestic, and it is the job of Congress to raise taxes, borrow money on the credit of the United States, and basically be the financial portion of the government.
I will admit that I have difficulty budgeting my own money, so some may call me out on my inability to judge congress on this issue. The major difference here between Congress and I, is that I don't have the ability to raise my own income (taxes), especially when I am unemployed, or raise my debt ceiling to give myself more credit to pay other options off.
With that in mind, I find the tactics that are being used by Democrats and Republicans as nothing more than partisan politics being used as a way to try and divide the nation. Unfortunately, playing games with the countries finances, to me, appears to be in violation of there oath of office to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. By forcing a default on the debts of the United States of America, Congress is in clear violation of Section 8, #'s 1,2,3,& 5. It would be great if the media would pick this information up and press Congress about these parts of the Constitution.
So what happens if a Congress person violates their oath of office? Does anyone know?
As I see it, there are really only two options, with several sub-options, that would resolve this issue and I am sure that they (Congress) already know this but are trying to gain political points on this issue.
Option #1: Do not raise the debt ceiling
Sub-Option #1: Increase taxes without spending cuts; increases would need to be intensive to bring down the debt before it hits the ceiling.
Sub-Option #2: Increase taxes with spending cuts; increases income, decreases spending.
Option #2: Raise the debt ceiling
Sub-Option #1: major spending cuts to keep the debt from getting too high too quickly
Sub-Option #2: Increase Taxes with some spending cuts, in hopes that the deficit will go down
Sub-Option #3: Increase Taxes with major spending cuts; deficit drops faster
Sub-Option #4: Increase Taxes with no spending cuts; nothing may change
The object is, that we can not keep going like we currently are. Taxes do need to be raised in order to pay the debit of the United States Government, which everyone benefits from in one way or another. Spending also needs to increase to provide jobs and money for those that are currently out of work. Increased income results in increased tax revenue and increased spending by individuals provides capital for companies to hire and expand. It is the age old issue of you have to spend money to make money, and with the amount of government jobs that could be available again, the economy would again prosper and America would be able to come out of its problems more quickly.
That brings me back to my question earlier: Are Congress members violating their oath of office by threatening to allow the federal government to default on its obligations?
Anyway, I pay attention to the news and what is going on in the world of politics and this argument over the debt ceiling has really began to become what I consider a serious issue, but is being treated as a joke by politicians.
It is my understanding that all the members of Congress take an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution from all enemies, foreign or domestic, and it is the job of Congress to raise taxes, borrow money on the credit of the United States, and basically be the financial portion of the government.
I will admit that I have difficulty budgeting my own money, so some may call me out on my inability to judge congress on this issue. The major difference here between Congress and I, is that I don't have the ability to raise my own income (taxes), especially when I am unemployed, or raise my debt ceiling to give myself more credit to pay other options off.
With that in mind, I find the tactics that are being used by Democrats and Republicans as nothing more than partisan politics being used as a way to try and divide the nation. Unfortunately, playing games with the countries finances, to me, appears to be in violation of there oath of office to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. By forcing a default on the debts of the United States of America, Congress is in clear violation of Section 8, #'s 1,2,3,& 5. It would be great if the media would pick this information up and press Congress about these parts of the Constitution.
So what happens if a Congress person violates their oath of office? Does anyone know?
As I see it, there are really only two options, with several sub-options, that would resolve this issue and I am sure that they (Congress) already know this but are trying to gain political points on this issue.
Option #1: Do not raise the debt ceiling
Sub-Option #1: Increase taxes without spending cuts; increases would need to be intensive to bring down the debt before it hits the ceiling.
Sub-Option #2: Increase taxes with spending cuts; increases income, decreases spending.
Option #2: Raise the debt ceiling
Sub-Option #1: major spending cuts to keep the debt from getting too high too quickly
Sub-Option #2: Increase Taxes with some spending cuts, in hopes that the deficit will go down
Sub-Option #3: Increase Taxes with major spending cuts; deficit drops faster
Sub-Option #4: Increase Taxes with no spending cuts; nothing may change
The object is, that we can not keep going like we currently are. Taxes do need to be raised in order to pay the debit of the United States Government, which everyone benefits from in one way or another. Spending also needs to increase to provide jobs and money for those that are currently out of work. Increased income results in increased tax revenue and increased spending by individuals provides capital for companies to hire and expand. It is the age old issue of you have to spend money to make money, and with the amount of government jobs that could be available again, the economy would again prosper and America would be able to come out of its problems more quickly.
That brings me back to my question earlier: Are Congress members violating their oath of office by threatening to allow the federal government to default on its obligations?
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday the 13th, 2011.
With good news there is sometimes a little bad news as well.
The good news is that I got all A's in my classes this last semester for a 4.0 GPA. Ever since my issues from Spring 2010, my grades have been steadily improving and for that I am extremely happy.
The bad news is that I was discharged from working at Walmart last night. I am not going to go into specific details about what happened, just that I am upset at loosing what I thought was a wonderful job. I will miss working there and seeing all the friends I made while working there. Luckily most are either friends with me on Facebook or we text occasionally.
Walmart will still be covering the medical bills associated with my leg injury under workers comp. In the mean time, I will be focusing my energy on getting better, working on parts of my dissertation, and preparing for the beginning of my prelims.
The good news is that I got all A's in my classes this last semester for a 4.0 GPA. Ever since my issues from Spring 2010, my grades have been steadily improving and for that I am extremely happy.
The bad news is that I was discharged from working at Walmart last night. I am not going to go into specific details about what happened, just that I am upset at loosing what I thought was a wonderful job. I will miss working there and seeing all the friends I made while working there. Luckily most are either friends with me on Facebook or we text occasionally.
Walmart will still be covering the medical bills associated with my leg injury under workers comp. In the mean time, I will be focusing my energy on getting better, working on parts of my dissertation, and preparing for the beginning of my prelims.
Monday, May 9, 2011
My leg injury, or how to really piss me off.
Okay, so I go to the leg doc, nice man, very professional, explains things if very fine detail.
While I was waiting in the exam room, the A/C came on and I got a major chill that caused me to get goose bumps and the tingling sensation that goes along with them. Well, the tingling sensation stopped just below my right knee on my right leg, but went all the way to my toes on my left leg. I tell this strange sensation to the doc and he discusses with me that I am experiencing the symptoms of nerve compression from the contusion. He says that when my leg got essentially crushed, the swelling and bruising caused the nerves to basically overload and quit responding to stimuli. I go take my paperwork to work, they asked how the doc appointment went and I told them what the doc said to me. Unfortunately, the paperwork did not include this information, so I essentially looked like a lying idiot. I called the doc with a MAJOR WTF!!!
The doc just called me back and I reminded him of the discussion we had in the exam room and how when I went to take the paperwork to my employer, the fact that the information we discussed was not on the paperwork made me look like a lying idiot and that is not something I feel comfortable with. As I stated earlier, he is very professional and said that he would contact my employer and let them know that he inadvertently left that information off the paperwork. I thanked him for doing that and said that I would see him on Monday for our next appointment.
Aside from that, The doc feels that I am improving, that I should start putting weight on my right leg as tolerated, and has placed my work restrictions on alternating sitting and standing for the next week. I do not go back to work until Thursday, and I was told I will remain on door duty for the duration.
So that is what is going on with my leg. As far as the title goes, the part about really pissing me off refers to making me look like a lying idiot. I learned from my mother that lying does not help anyone and telling the truth is easier to remember. I live by that and have lost people I had thought were my friends because of it. Apparently some people do not like it when you tell them the truth, no matter the consequences.
I am done ranting about that, I will end with the poem my mom wrote shortly before she passed away that speaks about her position on lying versus telling the truth.
While I was waiting in the exam room, the A/C came on and I got a major chill that caused me to get goose bumps and the tingling sensation that goes along with them. Well, the tingling sensation stopped just below my right knee on my right leg, but went all the way to my toes on my left leg. I tell this strange sensation to the doc and he discusses with me that I am experiencing the symptoms of nerve compression from the contusion. He says that when my leg got essentially crushed, the swelling and bruising caused the nerves to basically overload and quit responding to stimuli. I go take my paperwork to work, they asked how the doc appointment went and I told them what the doc said to me. Unfortunately, the paperwork did not include this information, so I essentially looked like a lying idiot. I called the doc with a MAJOR WTF!!!
The doc just called me back and I reminded him of the discussion we had in the exam room and how when I went to take the paperwork to my employer, the fact that the information we discussed was not on the paperwork made me look like a lying idiot and that is not something I feel comfortable with. As I stated earlier, he is very professional and said that he would contact my employer and let them know that he inadvertently left that information off the paperwork. I thanked him for doing that and said that I would see him on Monday for our next appointment.
Aside from that, The doc feels that I am improving, that I should start putting weight on my right leg as tolerated, and has placed my work restrictions on alternating sitting and standing for the next week. I do not go back to work until Thursday, and I was told I will remain on door duty for the duration.
So that is what is going on with my leg. As far as the title goes, the part about really pissing me off refers to making me look like a lying idiot. I learned from my mother that lying does not help anyone and telling the truth is easier to remember. I live by that and have lost people I had thought were my friends because of it. Apparently some people do not like it when you tell them the truth, no matter the consequences.
I am done ranting about that, I will end with the poem my mom wrote shortly before she passed away that speaks about her position on lying versus telling the truth.
There once was a woman
I considered my friend
but I caught her in some lies
she could not defend.
Liars and thieves I cannot stand
as far as I'm concerned
they go hand and hand.
A thief will take the possessions you have
and very likely leave you flat broke
A liar can lie to you right to your face|
then laugh to their self, saying, "What a joke."
Soon it will be her judgment day
I'll say, "Take her devil and make her pay."
for our friendship she lost
by lying to me today.
Saundra Sue McKeown
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