June 23, 2007
Just got back from the Owl Cafe where I had Huevos Mexicanos and shoddy service ($11.05 True West account). It's interesting to me, here you have a hipster diner cafe with a dozen cute waitresses in hipster t-shirts whipping around but yet I sat for ten minutes before the manager came over and asked me if I wanted coffee. Not good, and I told him so. Of course all the time, these t-shirted employees are acting busy and bustling around but nobody even stopped to say, "We're slammed, I'll get to you in a second, Hon." Which always calms me down.

In direct opposition to this morning's bad service, last night Trish, Sam and I met Jeff Hildebrandt at El Pinto for dinner. Huge place, with a parking lot that looked like a cross between a city park and a Jimmy Buffet concert. Hundreds of cars snuggled beneath rows of big trees with a silver stretch-Hummer parked out front awaiting the celebs, or prom dates, inside.

Newly minted Master's Degree-est, Tracy Hutton recommended the joint to us.

We walked into the lobby and it was huge, with a waterfall and vaulted ceilings and one of those jumbotrons that announces what numbers are being seated: 118, 23, 256, 18, etc. I expected the usual long wait and shabby service, but it was just the opposite. We waited maybe five minutes, were seated quickly and courteously. The chips came immediately and the server ( the bottom of the food chain in a restaurant) actually smiled and welcomed us. We ordered margaritias and they were excellent. I had the house specialty, adobada enchiladas and they were also mighty fine. True West picked up the tab ($115) and we were on our way. Really a great New Mexican experience, and a lesson in the right way to do things.

Marky's Mark?
"Okay, okay, I know you've got a lot of shit coming down—not even counting Shylock O'Brian grabbing for the pound of flesh. But let's get the musical quotes correct. 'Mr. Jones' was not done by the Smashing Pumpkins. Billy Corgan would blanch at the thought, I suspect. It was done by Adam Duritz and the Counting Crows. Now get back to your show, you wise-guy you."
—Mark Boardman

Consider it the earmarkings of a fading memory bank, with more withdrawals than deposits.

"I can't remember when my WWA reception is, but I can remember Rock Hudson starred in Taza: Son of Cochise"
—Paul Hutton, describing his memory loss while dining Wednesday night at the Owl Cafe