I took my wife to the Harbor House for our anniversary dinner. I know it's a touristy place since it's in Seaport Village, but the place to which we wanted to go had an hour and a half wait and their earliest reservation available was at 9pm. So, that's why I opted for the Harbor House.
We got to the Harbor House a little after 6:30 on Saturday evening and were seated immediately. The host of the host/hostess team irked me a bit with his nonchalance. Nothing major, but just a really blasé attitude.
After getting seated, the waitress brought us bread and we asked for water, which she brought out promptly. We perused the menu for a bit and decided what we would have. I opted for the Mediterranean Penne Pasta with Shrimp and my wife chose the Shrimp and Scallop Fettuccine. We also told our waitress that my wife would like a glass of wine and that I would like a beer with our meal.
The food came out really quick. I was pleasantly surprised by this. By this time, my water was empty and we were waiting for our drink order. And waiting, and waiting, and... Well, you get the idea. A few minutes later, our waitress came over to ask if I wanted a water refill and I told her that we'd actually like our drinks. She had the surprised look of someone who totally forgot about something. Imagine that... The real kicker was I then watched her serving another table, a large group at that, their drinks, to include uncorking a bottle of wine. That was frustrating. We finally got our drinks after we were half-way done eating.
My wife's Scallop and Shrimp Fettuccine had only four shrimp and six very small scallops. Despite being billed as a light garlic cream sauce, my wife said it was a very heavy cream and light on flavor, in other words, bland. If it were not for the sun-dried tomatoes and asparagus, there would have been no flavor at all. She wasn't too thrilled with hers. On the other hand, my Mediterranean Penne Pasta with Shrimp was very flavorful. It was full of asparagus tips, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and some other type of tomato. The only complaint I had on the food is that there were only six shrimp on mine. I did expect at least a couple more based on the price.
The total meal came out to $73, which was just painful based on the evening. But hey, it's Seaport Village, right?
So, overall not a great experience. My food was good, my wife's was not, and the service was really inconsistent. I would have given it 3 stars, but based on the quality of my wife's meal, the price, and that I can't give it 2.5, I dropped it to 2.

Recent reviews by Joe H.

What's this?

Poor Ol’ Barry can’t find anyone to work for him… and the ones he can find have issues

Since Barry is so damn great, you would think that he would have no problem finding qualified people to work for him.  But that doesn’t seem to be the case.  So, here’s a recap of the people who have accepted positions that have no business being in that position and the people who had the humility(?) to withdraw themselves from contention.

First and foremost: Hillary Clinton (Secretary of State).  This woman has no international relations experience under her belt worth mentioning.  So let’s mention the “experience” that is trotted out by her supporters: her years in the White House as the First Lady and Commissioner of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe after getting elected to the Senate.  Ok, the first one is laughable; it’s not a cabinet position and trotting around the globe as a “soft power” does not constitute diplomacy experience.  The second position is actually one that could almost count as foreign relations experience, but it’s not enough.  I truly believe Barry’s campaign threw her this bone in return for her conceding the Democratic nomination last year.

Second: Timothy Geithner (Secretary of the Treasury).  Hmm, let’s see the guy we’re putting in charge of the Treasury Department (which oversees the IRS) FAILED TO PAY $34,000 IN BACK TAXES.  No matter how you slice it this guy is either incompetent or corrupt.  He either doesn’t understand how to do his own taxes or he’s trying to hide and slide his money and not pay his fair share.  I wonder if this is part of Barry’s plan for “redistributing the wealth”.  For crying out loud, if you can’t figure out how to pay your own taxes, HOW, HOW, HOW can you be put in charge of the Treasury?!?  Or, if he’s corrupt, how on earth did he get confirmed?  Oh wait, the Senate is now overwhelmingly Democrats who just want Barry’s boys and girls in power.

Now, let’s cover the ones who thankfully didn’t make it.  The following just shows you that despite all the promises for “CHANGE”, that Barry just has the same old Washington insiders and B.S. to offer.

Bill Richardson (Secretary of Commerce): This New Mexico governor was tapped to be Barry’s Commerce guy, but then Billy withdrew himself from contention due to a federal investigation into his political donors being awarded lucrative contracts.  Hmm, sounds a lot like the style of Ron Blagojevich.  Does that name sound familiar?

Judd Gregg (Secretary of Commerce): The next guy to which Barry offered the Commerce job was a Republican Senator who ultimately withdrew himself also.  His reasoning was that he could not bring himself to support Barry’s policy or the stimulus plan.

Tom Daschle (Secretary of Health and Human Services): Now here’s another winner.  Barry tapped Tommy for HHS secretary, but turns out we have yet another nominee who DIDN’T PAY HIS TAXES.  This is a US Senator, for crying out loud, who failed to accurately report and pay taxes on income.

Nancy Killefer (Chief Performance Officer for the Federal Government):  First of all, what the hell kind of office is this supposed to be?  Honestly, just another example of Barry creating Big Government.  But, let’s look at the person he nominated for it.  He picks a consultant who failed to pay taxes on her household help.  Wait, let me say that again: FAILED TO PAY TAXES!  Really? Can’t get something as simple as your employer taxes figured out, but you want to be the CPO at the Office of BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT?  You must be pulling my leg.

Honestly, if it were Republicans not paying their taxes and pulling stunts like this, the Dems would be all over them as corrupt and greedy.  I am sick and tired of the hypocrisy that is coming out of the White House.

Barry, the demigod

Okay sports fans, I’m kicking it off with the “I Can’t Believe It” fact of the week.  We’ve all known it for a while, but this article just highlights the fact that Ol’ Barry is just one step away from being a deity to so many people in this country.  (Yes we can: Schools, streets renamed for Barack Obama).

Ok, so apparently all these communities are renaming their schools and/or streets after this guy who’s been in office a whopping TEN DAYS!  One school even renamed itself back in November long before he even took the (flubbed up) oath last week.  So, these people are so enamored with this guy (even though he’s done NOTHING of any real significance as a politician EVER) that they can’t wait to make this happen now.  Most places don’t name things after people until after they’ve left office or even died.  But hey, this guy is “the great unifier” or something…  whatever.

I also find it disgusting that CNN (long known to be partial to Barry) is actually selling t-shirts that are nothing more than propaganda, plain and simple.  Again, just another example of the overboard, dare I say, love of this guy. ("Some of the Most Historic Shirts Money Can Buy")

In so many eyes, he can do no wrong; even when he does something stupid.  Last week he walked into a window at the White House thinking it was a door!  REALLY?!?!  This guy's the leader of the free world!  (But it's ok, he's just young!) If Bush had done that, the media would have had a field day.  Oh wait, one time he did try to open a locked door in China and they blasted him for it.  Well, at least when Bush did it, it was a door and not a window, right?  (Hey Bam, that's not the door!)

Additionally, he’s throwing cocktail parties celebrating the “stimulus plan” getting passed.  Well now that just seems a tad hypocritical to me.  Who’s footing the bill for these soirees?  Doesn’t it seem to be a bit out of touch with the “commoners” who are struggling financially right now?  And again, if Bush had pulled a stunt like that, the media would have been all over him like a democrat on a welfare program.

Without a doubt, Barry is the most left-leaning, socialist person ever elected to the highest office in the land.  If he has his way (along with Pelosi, God help us), this country will be unrecognizable in four years.  I honestly hope he doesn’t run this country into the ground, but I think with his agenda, he will.

It just goes to show you that a vague catchphrase and (supposedly) charming smile can take you all the way to the top.  Next time, I’ll try to talk policy.

Two types of people that irk me

Ok, I'm going to start off light.  I know I said, "Stand by for some astute political observation."  However, I'm trying to keep my blood pressure down (even though I have an AWESOMELY low BP), so I'm going to talk about two kinds of people who really get under my skin.

First, smokers:  Have you ever met a smoker who admits to throwing a cigarette butt on the ground?  Me neither, but somehow thousands of butts end up at street corners everywhere or on the side of the road, on the sidewalk, or even in my front yard.  I guess it must be that magical "Butt Fairy"!  And that sounds even worse when you say it out loud.

Second, motorcycle drivers: I'm sick of bikers saying that it's the people in cars that are at fault when a motorist hits a biker.  I see plenty of bikers on my way to and from work everyday and sure, most of them are driving within a reasonable level of sanity, I mean safety.  But, I still see plenty who are darting in and out of traffic while doing 90+ mph.  I see plenty who ride the "white line' between cars when it's unsafe (and illegal) to do so.  Heck, I almost hit one today because he couldn't wait to make a left turn and so he darted across in front of me!  So, bikers get off your high (octane) horses and admit that most of you ride like jackasses!

Now, I know that there are those smokers and bikers out there who don't do any of the stuff I'm ranting about.  So, I charge you with snatching your compadres up by the ears and tell them to knock it off, because they're giving you all a bad name.

Next time I promise it will be political.  So, stand by Obama!

Hello World

Well, this is my first time starting a blog.  So, stand by for some astute political observations!