We understand that a lot of you have long been posting on these boards and have made friends, and want to discuss your personal likes and dislikes. And so we are pleased to offer this off-topic thread for fans of "Top Chef."

HOWEVER.

We re-iterate that we do not want to moderate these boards, and that we reserve the right to ban or approve commenters at our sole discretion. You are hereby warned that personal attacks on each other will not be tolerated. We will not referee nor will we moderate arguments. We will simply ban you. Keep it clean. These off-topic threads are an experiment. They will be shut down if necessary.

You such nice people! Thanks so much! I think everyone is gettin' along pretty well and now we won't tick off people with our ot rants on the epi boards. I give you BIG HUGS! Now... quit bein' do bossy!

LOL! Exactly! Off with their ears!

And so could he.

I think I speak on behalf of all my Board Buddies in thanking you for this thread. We will do our best to behave and will never cause you to doubt your wisdom in providing this outlet for us.

I think, on the whole, we have behaved ourselves on the PR off-topic thread and remain grateful to you for providing it.

Now, watch how fast this thread fills up!

Nope.
Well... as an actor, no.
As a new and much improved person I do.
I applaud his actions during Katrina. I just don't like his movies.

Yeah! The only problem now is bouncing around between them all!
I do have a question for everyone... Since we have this shiny new OT for TC board...
Do you guys think we should put our recipes here and just note a post on the epi board where we have them stashed?

I made this post originally on the Project Runway off topic board before I knew there was a Top Chef off topic board, so I'm making it again for those who have left the Runway boards for good.

I saw "The Pirates of Penzance" last night when I got home. I had TIVOed it, because I had never seen the film. It left the theaters too quick and I didn't have the heart to see it after the disasterous reviews the film got.

After reading Frank Rich's rhapsodic review of the new version in 1980 I saw it at Joe Papp's Delecorte theater on a balmy summer night under the stars. It was a wonderful show; Bringing rock singers (Rex Smith, Linda Ronstadt) and Broadway vets (Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline and the delightful George Rose) together, they mixed the old with the new in exciting new ways.

Though I could see some of the things in the film that I witnessed that lovely night, it was, overall, craptastic, so I have a question.

Why are most of the films made from hit musicals so bad? "The Producers" was lovely on the boards and awful on film. "Rent" was a show that so captured my imagination that I saw it on stage over a dozen times. It helped that you could wait in line for $20.00 seats in the first ten rows but that wasn't all. It was great.

Okay, "Chicago" was great, as was "Dreamgirls"; but most of the time they are like the film of "Evita", a show that wasn't much good on stage, and deplorable on screen. And don't blame Madonna and Antonio as they may have been great in a solid film. Bad musicals have been made into good movies.

Why,just why, can't we do these things now? We used to be able to do them. I just saw the film of "Damn Yankees" and it still holds up. I can't imagine wanting to see most of the modern musicals on film in 20 years. What happened?

She was good enough for the Dread Pirate Roberts, so who am I to argue.

See, I don't understand that at all. When I look at a film I look at the artistic merits(well, most of the time) and, no matter how much you may dislike his films, you really can't deny that Penn is a tremendously gifted actor and director. I wouldn't neccesarily want to hang with him, but he's one of the cream of the crop of that generation's actors.

Ditto on Brando, and, especially DeNiro. When "Mean Streets" came out I would ask people if they had seen this new and wonderful young actor. If not I took them to see "Mean Streets". In fact, he was so dynamic in that film that I didn't recognize him as the sweet comic actor from three early Brian DePalma films. I later saw them and was amazed. It was like a different person.

A year later, when "Godfather Part II" came out, I took this girl I was dating, and every time he came on screen she sighed and said "he's so beautiful". I could only agree. How could you tell the woman, you're dating, that you would rather be intimate with the actor you're watching, than with her? Very tricky.

I've now been with my HusBear for over 8 years and I still fantasize over DeNiro. But, then again, so does Drew. If I have given him nothing else I have given Drew an appreciation and lust for DeNiro.

Hope's dashed to the floor like shattered teenage dreams.
Boys living next door are never what they seem.
A walk in the park can become a bad dream

People are staring and following me.
This is my only escape from it all:
Watching a film or a face on the wall.
Robert DeNiro's waiting
talking italian.
Robert DeNiro's waiting
talking italian.
Robert DeNiro's waiting
talking italian.
Robert DeNiro's waiting
talking italian.
I don't need a boy
I've a got a man of steel

Don't come any closer
I don't wanna feel.
You're breathing
you're touching
but nothing's for free

I never want this to happen to me.
Don't try to change me
you're wasting your time

Now I've got something much better in mind.
Robert DeNiro's waiting
talking italian. . . .
A walk in the park can become a bad dream
. . .
Robert DeNiro's waiting
talking italian. . . .

Thank you, Bananarama!!

Thank you so very much! If you drift through, the porch is always open for you, and a cup of tea or chai (or even champagne) ready and waiting. We really do appreciate this!

Yep yep yep!~

And....I want that pinto bean and potato recipe from you! Share????
Jazzie

Yes please! (and if you copy the http info, you can link us right to the recipe!)

Just popped in to read, saw this thread, went WHOOO HOOO and now have to go back to my regularly scheduled chores!

When I want to go from one topic to another, I just open another window or use the tabs. Makes it easier for me and I can read more than one topic at a time. When I was trying to catch up on reading past posts from topics like TC Holiday or (shh!) MMAS, I had 3 or 4 windows or tabs opened a one time. In fact, right now I have the OT TC thread and the Epi 1 thread opened.

I guess this is the place to post this now.

Attention Famous people. Look at what happened to Paul McCartney.

DONT GET MARRIED, EVER!!!! ITS NOT WORTH IT!!!!

Hey Angie Everhart could walk up to me and beg me to marry her right now.
It's still not worth 48 million.

In related news casinos across the country have stopped calling slot machines "One Armed Bandits"in favor of the more pop culturally relevant "One Legged Heathers"

Good idea... I hope it works.

Oh I was just commenting on the existence of this off-topic board in general.

Now, now, Kristy. The last time I offered my patented tutorial services, I got hauled over the coals for being a smartass, snotty, holier-than-thou type, and while I revel in my KIA status, I ain't going there again unless asked.

Hey, Heather got 34,000 bucks A DAY for being married to Paul. Was Paul really that bad to be married to for a gold digging publicity hound like Heather? He sure wasn't as bad as Ike Turner. Tina Turner got 36 cents for being married to Ike Turner. I'm sorry but if the world were fair Heather and Tina's settlements must have gotten switched.

I am a straight man and hell for 34 grand a day I will marry Paul... and I have 2 good legs.

So buh wha???
You did for real???
Nah!!! To YOU????
You are the most polite poster there is.
Really????

I didn't see that and I was offering your services so you
were fine........ Wasn't that nice of me???lol

SR is a friendly not a foey and we can surely kid with him...Who did such a dastadly deed to you???

I shall sic Psh on them!!!

Well see..we don't know the full story...No one does and I would NOT believe everything I read. I have hard her defenses and she has good ones.


HEY my broke arse ex is telling peeps I was a gold digger 'cause he owes me money and won't pay..lol
Don't believe everything you hear. We don't know the whole truth. But I know not to argue with you once your mind is made up

BUT oh YES to Tina.......That woman should have had everything.....but she did OK for herself anyway.
As they say.......living well is the best revenge.
I think she may have even said it.

Here's some Google alerts and I godda jet!

Tell us about your Grandma please....I would love to read that.





Google Blogs Alert for: Top chef

'Top Chef' preview: A trip to the market
By Tempo
As the video clip below indicates, Wednesday's episode of "Top Chef" has the chef-contestants visiting Chicago's Green City Market. My colleague Joe Gray of the Tribune's Stew blog spotted the "TC" crew as they were filming this episode ...
The Watcher - http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/

'Top Chef': Video teaser at Green City Market
By leisureblogs
This week's episode of "Top Chef: Chicago" makes us long for spring and the return of farmers markets. The Quickfire Challenge takes place at Chicago's Green City Market in Lincoln Park, which at the time of filming was teaming with the ...
The Stew - http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/

Top Chef Chicago Foodie Fly-Away Sweepstakes
By FatRick
The Top Chef Chicago "Foodie Fly-Away" Sweepstakes ("Sweepstakes") begins at 12:01:00 am on March 12, 2008, and ends at 11:59:59 pm on March 25, 2008 ("Sweepstakes Period"). How to Enter : To enter, visit bravotv.com/ Top_Chef/ ...
Sweepstakes Mag - http://www.sweepstakesmag.com

Top Chef
By carol
But as with everything in life, there is an exception to the rule, and my exception is "Top Chef" (much to my husband's chagrin — he hates it). I caught the premiere and I'm curious to see where this season goes. ...
Pure Sugar - http://puresugar.net

Come on, nancy boys. Make your Top Chef picks.
By Valerie Catrow
Episode one is over. Nimma is gone (good thing because, seriously, ZZZZZZZZZZZ). So, RVA peeps, it's time for you to put your fantasy teams together. You have until 6:00pm tomorrow to get them in. Be there or be excessively lame. ...
- http://rvanews.com/

BUT oh YES to Tina.......That woman should have had everything.....but she did OK for herself anyway.
As they say.......living well is the best revenge.
I think she may have even said it.


Living well is the best revenge.

George Herbert

English clergyman & metaphysical poet (1593 - 1633)

I know Sooners is cool. If he wants tutorials, I've got 'em out the wazoo.

QUOTE

Who did such a dastadly deed to you???

It was towards the end of PR, when all those posts from new folks suddenly flooded the boards. I'd noticed a number of them were having trouble with quoting, codes, multiple postings, etc., so I offered my services.

One of the hit-and-run types got nasty in response—and to some other posters' messages as well—and basically accused me of thinking I was better than anyone else and being condescending to the newbies. (As I recall, he/she/it also took issue with my sig.) The "Phantom" made about three posts and disappeared, and I can't recall the username—and don't care to.

QUOTE

I shall sic Psh on them!!!

Nah. Why spread the headaches? In the immortal words of Chef Dave Martin: "It is what it is."

Man... it's been a while since I played so I forgot that I don't read fast enough to be competitive in your Trivia game Kristol. I thought I was doing pretty good on that one but I was about 30 seconds too slow.

If I'm perfect then I'm way too slow.

If I'm fast then I miss stuff.

Either way I can't win, so I only do it on occasion, and strictly for fun.

Bear,
60 seconds is about as fast as I can read those questions, leaving no time at all for me to study the answers and pick one.

Sooners, if you do it often enough, you'll see repeat questions that you can zip through!

Yep, that's about right. I think my fastest is about 80 seconds. I was 5th. What's the point?I just end up feeling inadequate, so I do it for fun, and don't worry about it. Problem solved, and I can go back to my usual smug superiority.

And she is one of our own....she practices the same Buddhism as me (and Orlando Bloom!) I remember reading (a long time ago, admittedly) an interview with her about the whole thing (in one of our Buddhist newspapers) and I loved that she focused on how she overcame the problem and stayed true to herself. Awesome woman!

Back later, the kidlet was kind of enough to cart the mountain (ok hill) of laundry to the patio for me, and even do his own clothes finally! (Props to the kidlet, I only asked him once this morning to do it!)
Jazzie

You're giving away my secret....course I haven't had a chance to play much in the last few months! Maybe once I get some new spectacles (the glasses, folks, the glasses) I can pick trivia back up!

OIC... sneaky sneaky dog and Jazzy.

I do not treat the trivia as a competition...if I did, it would do some serious damage to my ego...LOL!!!

Aw TT and ALL.... Please don't be that way.
Tis just a for FUN game and tis not the measure of the man or woman....I mean come on.

We know all know what a smart arse Bear really is
I never care when LD...or Anne or MoHub beat my pants off......As a matter of
fact .....I quite like it when LD does it!

I just did the quiz. Just to see. I am 6th. I was also perfect, but it took 113 seconds, so I suck. This is why I rarely do the damn thing.

Ya know my Aunt gets real upset when she doesn't know stuff but she is a real Scrabble whiz and in person too.
So everyone has their forte's ...I know if you played Actor's movie one you would do great.
I can't read the damn thing fast either most of the time and I am a really fast reader so....who cares...I know I'm smart.... we know you're smart...We are a bunch of smart arses for GAWD'S sakes.


Oh yeah....... 113 seconds sux...lol
Just play damnit Janet... play'cause you can buy fingers and cars and such

This is the expensive stiuff...Whoa!



Thank GAWD for the disclaimer!!!

Note: These are NOT real prizes. Seriously, we're not giving away blenders, cats, and monster trucks. We certainly DO plan on having raffles for REAL things like mugs & T-shirts in the future, but it's bragging rights for now.


A Book Tree. Ok, not as cool as money.



Buy - 300 FT Bucks

Treasure Chest



Buy - 670 FT Bucks

A Money Plant. Water Daily.



Buy - 700 FT Bucks

Pirate Loot



Buy - 780 FT Bucks

A Money Fountain. Why not.



Buy - 899 FT Bucks

Hooray, a Money Tree!



Buy - 1500 FT Bucks

Hey KK, It's Tuesday

LOL,too funny.

Could someone please explain to me how that [expletive deleted] had the nads to think she could get $250 million,her original asking price,and ended up with almost $50 million? What exactly did she do in the 4 years of their marriage that earns her such a high asking price?

Then again,Paul should thank his lucky stars that it only cost him $50m to get rid of her. Now,they will have to play nice for their daughters sake but at least Heather is gone.

WOW! Thank you so much. Many of us are friends here...and we love it! Now we have a place to visit without annoying everyone else.
YIPPEE!

OOOOOOoooooo...recipes????YESSSSSSSssssss!

Ummm *said in a breathy sexy voice*

I have no plans luv...You?????



That's really the color of my eyes.
My humility suit is SO tight .....lol

No I really do have very light green eyes expecially whenst tan or wearing blue or greens.. and it's weird with dark hair and all....The one thing I got from this family that is the good DNA!!
The rest I would like to keeeeeeel Grandma Nancy and Anne for. I'm the only person in my WHOLE family that has ever gained weight.



So uh...what's for dinner or where
you taking me?????

I really do godda' jet and hit the lesbian places....You know Home Depot....Army Navy store

BTW...Home Depot has the CHEAPEST prices on cleaning supplies.....BIG ARSE bottles and such.....Industrial strengths...... Good deals.
Made this cheap arse self really happy .

Maybe he'll feel the need to write a relevant piece of music. He hasn't done that since his short lived collaboration with Elvis Costello in 1989. It may be a proper kick in the arse.

Oh, I read plenty fast. I just can not answer a question on a quiz without time to consider what I'm going to say. I was like that in school too. I got good grades, but I was never the person who handed their test papers in after a very short period. I had to think it through. That's why I'm bad at timed contests.

I mean, I read two to four books a week. Just don't ask me what I thought, right after I finish, because it's not going to happen. I need time to digest the information. I was talking to Drew about a book and he said "you read that book a month ago. That's a lot of digesting." That's how I roll.

Question is....who will beat the pants off me!!!

andiain'ttalkingtrivia!!!

So buh wha???
You didn't think Silly Love Songs was a masterpiece?

Hey.... I like fluff and I even like Air Supply.
YES I do and Barry Manilow too and I say that with my head held high...BUT Paul you just made
bad music after the Beatles save for a few. I mean it actually used to pain me to listen to most of it and to watch a video was worse.

I can't even explain it 'cause it just was terrible and I even like to listen to Coltrane.... But it bothered me the way some jazz does... I don't think it was the intricate rifts or
outstanding complicated arrangements either
It didn't ring true to me... I just now thought that...it wasn't coming from an honest place as a musician.

Oy ....something in the way he moved made me sick like no other musician...I LOVE the Beatles........but Paul and Wings..Take those broken wings and fly away and let it be.
Who knows how long I will wait for a good Paul solo song......I only know......I will!!!



Le sigh!!!


This album excites me like no other album.
Something in the way they do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go2wjF7f-zw

Love the egg dying one!!