Parking problems, a departure, a new pub
June 4th, 2009 by Cliff Bostock in Gossip, News, RestaurantsWe went — where else? — to the Shed at Glenwood Wednesday night, for the $3 sliders and had another great meal. I’m addicted to the barbacoa but tried a new one made with meatballs, which turned out to be another winner.
The place was packed last night. In fact, we had difficulty finding a parking space.
Speaking of parking, I headed to P’cheen Monday for its “Bone Lick BBQ” night. After 10 minutes, I gave up trying to find a parking space, so I didn’t get to pig out on the Carolina-style ‘cue. Instead, I headed to the Standard for its regular Monday night special of Indian curry. …
As I mention in this week’s Grazing column, we ate at Solstice Cafe twice recently. Today, Erick Newman, a partner in the restaurant who recently assumed management of it, made this cryptic announcement on Facebook: “Erick Newman has signed his separation agreement with Solstice Cafe and thanks all of his friends for the support they provided.”…
The Reynolds Group is this week’s winner of the Florid Writing Award in its announcement of a new pub:
Rí Rá Irish Pub, debuting in mid- July at the intersection of 12th Street and Crescent Avenue in Midtown, will epitomize a true Irish pub experience, building a comfortable neighborhood environment where conversation flows as smoothly as Guinness ebbs in the glass. Constructed from a pub meticulously restored in Ireland then shipped to Atlanta, the location is destined to be Midtown’s latest hotspot, offering an impressive line-up of live music, a comprehensive drink list and fare that defies pub standards. After all, when your name is translated as “celebration and good fun,” it would be blarney to have it any other way!…
How I dearly and futiley wish that well-intentioned PR firms would learn that they can greatly, hugely, impressively increase the chance of their oh-so-very-important news being published by sticking to the facts and leaving out the baroque, frilly, subjective adjectives.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Cliff, I am actually tickled by that press release in that they describe said “Irish pub” was meticulously restored and shipped over. I believe that’s a dime a dozen and honestly doesn’t mean a thing in terms of “authenticity.”
June 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Wait – the PR folk will increase their chances of having it published by writing less floridly? Didn’t you just PUBLISH IT to make that point?
June 4th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Yeah I mean, if you even Google “how to write a press release” EVERY single page you visit explicitly warns against doing that.
June 4th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Finally made it to the Shed for $3 sliders last night and was very impressed, although I’m guessing the size of the sliders as decreased since your first review (I split 7 of them with a lady friend, and I could have easily eaten another). Angus beef, Portobella w/Goat Cheese, Barbacoa, and Meatball were all fantastic. Pork Schnitzel was interesting – it was actually quite sweet, which surprised me, but I liked that it was different. Pork Belly BLT was good but seemed to be missing something. Pulled Pork with Jalapeno Slaw was surprisingly bland.
June 4th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
I’m not surprised by the Reynold’s Group press release. While in college working as a server, they represented our restaurant. I was not impressed. They were attractive blonds who flirted their way through every situation. While setting up shop, I could overhear every stupid ideas pitch. We, the lowly servers, were not impressed. When we were slammed and I was waiting on them, they would insert either “sexy” or “babe” at the end of every request, in order to ensure prioritized service. They’re an incredibly vapid and base firm.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Anyone who has ever been to a pub in Ireland would know that after the Guiness has “flowed” the conversation becomes the antithesis of smooth. In many ways this is what makes the Irish so awesome. Including the ebb of fists that invariably fly when the conversation has “smoothly” progressed to a heated argument.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:24 am
@Kirk: You know, I noticed Wednesday night that I seemed to be able to eat three WITH an order of fries with no difficulty. I’m not sure if this is because my appetite has grown or the contents of the buns have shrunk. I think I’m in training.
@Jim: Aren’t you kinda making Dick Cheney’s argument that revealing the evidence of an accusation strengthens the enemy?
@Bill: “Babe” is the new (diner-style) “dollbaby.”
@Chef Bour: COME HOME!
Anyway, the Reynolds Group is not any worse about the excess of adjectives than most other PR folks around town. My first communications job was with a PR agency and my boss would have shot me if I had used any adjectives of this sort. Of course, he was a former newspaper man, as I recall.
Maybe PR agencies are paying their writers by the inch like we used to at the weekly papers I worked for in rural Georgia. The “community correspondents” preceded every noun with an adjective in order to increase their pay.
Oh, and here’s a great piece of Irish culture from the brilliant Catherine Tate that I posted on Facebook today. It has nothing to do with food but it’s very funny in a gay sorta way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifUQq5p5i2g
June 5th, 2009 at 7:55 am
Am I bovvered?
June 5th, 2009 at 11:58 am
There are some really great PR groups in the city…Liz Lapidus always is at the top of my list.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
What a waste of time to bash pr firms in the city. don’t you have anything better to do? Guess not if you are spending your time eating & blogging!
June 5th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
You’re so right, Jane. I owe it to PR firms to give them good PR. Shoot me.