Pierogie Bowl

Mrs. T's Pierogie Bowl
Schuylkill Mall - Frackville, PA
Yesterday afternoon, my grandfather won his age bracket at the 8th annual pierogie eating contest sponsored by Mrs. T's.  He had a strategy going in - stuff two pierogies in your mouth in the beginning, and then just eat one pierogie for each one that his opponents were eating so that he'd stay one ahead.

Pottsville Republican Herald - click for full size

The City At Night

This was taken on 7th Avenue near Times Square.  You can see the signs for Tad's Broiled Steaks and MTV Studios above it.

We went to the Virgin Megastore while we were in the city.  You can see it in this photo on the right.  I wish I had taken a few photos of the inside of the store because it's huge.  I found a few old George Carlin albums that I didn't have for a surprisingly good price.

A Piece Of The Past Lives On

Howard Johnson's
46th Street and Broadway - New York, NY

We had a late dinner at this awesome restaurant.  It's a historic landmark of the city that has been in business since 1955, and a place where Gene Hackman and Lily Tomlin once worked.  It's such a warm and inviting place to have a meal.  It reminded me a lot of the restaurants in downtown Hazleton when I was growing up.  It's much larger places like Carmen's or the Copper Kettle, of course, but it's had such a small and peaceful vibe that I forgot I was having dinner in one of the busiest cities in the world.

Doo Wopp at Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall
New York, NY

We came to the city on the 20th because my girlfriend works for Hilton Reservations and got a free night for her and a guest to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.  When I saw that The Original New York Doo-Wopp Show was playing at Radio City Music Hall, my first thought as that she should have brought her dad with her on this trip instead of me.  The show featured Earl Carroll & The Cadillacs, Earl Lewis & The Channels, The Edsels and other doo wop groups and singers from the 50's.  We didn't go to the show.  It's not my type of music, and we really couldn't have afforded it even if it was, but her pop loves this stuff.

Arrakis And The City

This photo was taken near the intersection of 49th St and 7th Ave in New York, across from the Playwright Tavern and Pax Wholesome Foods.  There was a billboard for the Dune mini-series that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel last month on the building above Hoilihan's.  I wanted a picture near it like the nerd that I am.

I Recall Central Park In Fall

Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Planet Hollywood - Times Square
This is the sweater vest worn by Matthew Broderick and the license plate from Morris Frye's 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California.  It was his love.  It was his passion.  It was his fault that he didn't lock the garage.

It Was Cheaper Than The Other Souvenirs

I saved one of the tokens from the arcade at WWF New York on Times Square from last weekend.

Cross Face Chicken Wings

WWF New York
Times Square - New York, NY
We had dinner at WWF New York.  I picked the chicken wings instead of the cheesesteak because it comes in a collectible WWF bucket that they let you keep.  They really missed a golden opportunity to call them the "Cross Face Chicken Wings".

The place is pretty cool.  They're promoting the heck out of Chyna and the XFL.  There were tons of copies of Chyna's Playboy for sale, as well as footballs, pennants, shirts and everything else you can think of with the XFL and team logos.  I was tempted to pick up a New York Hitmen shirt, but they're pretty expensive.

Chyna was there at the time, but I didn't get to meet her.  I think she was having dinner with a fan, but I can't say for sure.  She was at a table and there was a camera crew filming her and her guests.  As cool as it would have been to meet her, there was no way I was even going to try to barge in.  I did, however, get to take a lot of dorky pictures, including one next to this giant "Stone Cold" Steve Austin collage on the wall.

I had to take one last dorky picture to show the fact that the men' bathroom door has a "Jabronis" sign.  At least it doesn't say Roody Poo Candy Asses.