Our office is trying to resurrect an old office tradition of all the JOs going out for Wednesday night dinners to some random Italian restaurant out in town, picked by whomever volunteers, on a more-or-less rotating basis. So tonight I stepped up and picked out a place, and about 11 of us showed; not too bad a showing, really. It was at a steakhouse right up the street from my house that's supposed to be really good. Unfortunately, the crowd was not too enthusiastic about engaging in the full-on Italian meal experience of antipasti (appetizers), primi (pasta), and secondi (meat). We had the antipasti, but then everyone just went for either pasta or the (very, very good) steak. This sort of annoyed me and one of the other guys and his wife who were there and are leaving shortly, so they're trying to maximize their Italian experience. I mean sure, it's a lot of food, but you don't have to eat ALL of every course. It also visibly annoyed our hosts at the restaurant; I think they thought that we didn't think their food was good enough. However, they were extremely good about rolling with it and catering to our random American whims. And when they brought out the (really f-ing fantastic) steak, they also brought out ketchup and mayonnaise, and we all felt like jerks.

Anyway, the point of this is: if you come out to visit me, and I take you for a good Italian dinner, just get all the damn food I tell you to get and like it. It's not the damn Olive Garden, okay?

On a brighter note, aforementioned short-time guy and his wife gave me a heads-up on a Neapolitan cooking class they're going to on Friday; I think I may sign up for this one. You know--give a man a fish, vice teach a man to fish...