It is 7 am. I cannot tell you about the sun and weather yet. It is still dark outside. Pitch black!

I received a message on Facebook this morning from someone in Great Britain. A woman. She told me I would have my next child in February 2012. Interesting. Especially since I am now 74 and for all practical purposes wifeless.

Her prediction can be a sign of good things to happen for me. Or a rediculous disaster at my stage of life.

Yesterday I walked. I continue to be a good boy.

March Madness is upon us! I watched the St. Mary’s/Villanova game. St. Mary’s drubbed the highly touted Villanova.

A month ago I thought Villanova was the best team in the country.

The Big East teams continue to fall. Wow! All season they were represented as the best league in the nation.

Syracuse plays Gonzaga at noon today. My fingers are crossed!

Last night was dinner with Jackie Grimm. Love Jackie! The best! Lovely, sweet, interesting, beautiful. She has it all.

I first met Jackie 12 years ago when I bought my Key West home. She and her husband Roland became friends. We had purchased our Key West homes at about the same time.

Roland unforunately passed away last year. A true loss. He was a good man. I enjoyed his company.

Jackie is allergic to fish. So if we eat out it generally has to be beef. She had never been to The Strip House. So it was there we went.

The food and ambiance were perfect, as expected. The service sucked. What a downer!

It did not ruin our evening. But what occurred could have been avoided.

The negative part of the evening began as soon as we arrived. The hostess wanted to know if we had reservations. Asked with that condescending attitude we have all experienced. No, I said. Knew I did not need one. Though a fine restaurant, The Strip House is never full. Even in season.

I asked for an outside table overlooking the ocean.

The hostess was a mature woman. Stated only for factual representation.

She spent 30 seconds checking her table list. As we stood idly by. Then said she would have to check.

She walked outside. Returned several minutes later and said she could take care of us.

She took us to our table. More than half the outside tables were empty. As I suspected they would be. And remained so the rest of the evening. Only 1 couple came in after we were seated.

That type attitude does not belong in Key West, even at one of its finest restaurants. It does not exist anywhere in Key West! I cannot remember the last time I got that bullshit!

I believe I am one of The Strip Steak’s best customers. I eat there frequently. You can’t beat the food and view!

Now comes the waiter.

A young man with a goatee.

A pompous ass! Condescending also!

It started with the water. Bottled or tapped? Tapped. Tapped? Yes, tapped.

We ordered steaks and 2 sides. Creamed spinach and french fries.

The steaks arrived in due course. Delicious! As expected! The best!

When we were half through the steaks, I asked the waiter if we could have the sides. I received a blank stare in return.

He left. Came back about 5 minutes later to say they would be out shortly.

Shortly was when I was down to my last little piece of steak.

No explanation. No apology. Just left the sides on the table.

It affected neither Jackie nor I. We had fries and creamed spinach AFTER dinner. Like desert.

Jackie wanted salt for her fries. The waiter brought salt and pepper. He made a production out of the fact he had also brought pepper. I wanted to shove the shaker you know where!

We sat a while and talked over coffee.

When we left, more than half the tables outside were still set for diners and had never been utilized. Inside was a bit busier. Busier than normal. About 40 per cent of the tables occupied.

The message for last night is that the hosting/wait staff did not meet up to fine dining standards from my perspective.

Out of a sense of fairness, I must say that I had never seen either the hostess or waiter before. Normally younger ladies host. Always charming. Never an attitude. No problem if no reservation. Happy to have me and my guests. Even let me select my own table.

Dan is the usual waiter. Class. He was not there last night. Perhaps Saturday is his day off, but that does not make sense.

My friend Russ is the Chief Chef. He was not working last night. That affects nothing. The other cook does a superb job also. And as Russ and I discussed at bocce this past week, how can you spoil beef such as his restaurant serves.

Note again, neither Jackie nor I were upset. It did not spoil our evening. In fact, we thought it cute the way we were eating the french fries with our fingers after dinner.

It is now 8 am. The sun is up. Beautiful outside! Looks like a great Key West day in the making.

Enjoy your day!

3 comments on “

  1. I don't understand your apparent surprise at being offered tap water. But I have to say, I have eaten there a couple of times and have had similar experience with almost comically aloof staff.

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