Cincinnati – Terrys Turf Club

Last weekend we made a trip to Cincinnati for a short Fathers Day visit with my dad.  Having been rained out on our Father/Son/Grandson fishing trip Saturday morning we quickly moved to the Plan B activity.

Just a small example of the outdoor signage

Located in the East End/Mount Washington area of town sits what some could say is a neighborhood eye sore but in this case Terry’s Turf Club actually improves the otherwise run down neighborhood.  As we drove to Terry’s for lunch I could not help but wonder if there was a mugging in my future.  When you see couches on the sidewalk and mattresses in the front yard you start to realize you might be in the wrong neighborhood (or we missed one hell of a party last night).

With it’s abundance of neon lights (inside and out) and motorized arm-waving signs it’s impossible to miss this place.  Diners Drive-ins and Dives did a segment in 2010 and the restaurant looked very intriguing.  I’m not a Guy Fieri stalker by any stretch of the imagination but I’ve been to a few places featured on his show.  There’s a lot of disagreement on the Internet about the places he picks, etc. but so far I have to say he’s exposed some gems to the Food Network audience.

Back to Terry’s…  We arrived around 2pm and there was a small group of people standing around outside.  We lucked out and scored a parking spot right in front of the place (including a perfect parallel parking job if i say so myself).  There were cars lined up and down the street a good 200-feet in either direction and a light drizzle was bringing people in under the awning.  We added our name to the list and settled in for a 30-minute wait (my limit to wait for ANY food by the way).  I’m curious if the DDD exposure contributed to the popularity of Terry’s or if it’s just one of those places that draws a crowd on its own.

My dad brought out a bowl of in-shell peanuts for the kids (and us) to help pass the time.  We watched groups of people going in and out of Terry’s and those exiting all looked happy.  My dad asked one lady how it was when she came out and she answered “wonderful”.

Neon, Neon & more Neon

It was our turn to be seated & we were placed right inside the door at a tall 4-top that was converted to a 5-top.  A little cramped but workable, plus it was right next to the electronic jukebox with 5 song credits ready to be picked and played.  I’m not a fan of the raised chair/table combo and prefer having my feet on the floor when I eat but I’m not going to let this ruin my experience.  Neon signs are definitely the predominant decor at Terry’s.

The menu at Terry’s is simple yet complex.  They are known for their burgers and the vast array of toppings, some of which are surprising (Fioe Gras, Halloumi Cheese, Crab, Pate, Scallops…).  If you’re not careful your $8.00 burger could easily exceed $15.  I went for the Burger (medium), Bacon, Swiss, lettuce, raw onion & a portabella cap ($10.75 total).  My son ordered a similar combo but with shitake mushrooms instead.

My grease stained slip

My dad ordered a burger with Brie (one of my least favorite cheeses no matter what you pair it with).  The girls ordered their burgers and we split 2 orders of fries among the table (plenty of fries by the way).  Each food order was written on it’s own slip and your name was added to the top for good measure.

After we placed our orders and selected a few songs on the jukebox it was time to start looking around the place in a little more detail.  There could not be any more than 40 people in the place and the noise level was a little high.  If you are thinking about bringing kids here be sure they can take a little noise without being uncomfortable.  I was a little concerned about how our son would react to the chaos (he’s not a loud noise fan)  but he was a trooper.

Unfortunately the humidity, air conditioning, and exposed HVAC ducts right above my left shoulder resulted in a few shockingly cold drips during our meal.  Nothing major but a little annoying nonetheless.  After the mixed reviews on Urban Spoon I was wondering how long it would take for our food to arrive.  10-15 minutes passed & our orders were delivered (not bad at all) .  All burgers were all cooked & dressed as requested & the fry’s looked great!

The final product

Everything was served on paper plates & the forks were plastic.  If you want a knife to cut your burger they bring you a giant slicer and return it to the holder on the wall after you use it.  I doubt Terry has a dish washer on his staff since the only thing that needs to be washed are the tables and the soda cups.  This was a little surprising considering the price of the food and toppings.   But, if you look at it another way, this definitely cuts down on the table turnover time which is important when you have a constant line of hungry patrons.  None of the customers really seems to care and it was served that way when DDD was shooting the segment.

The burgers were good really good.  Cooked to order, dressed to order and generous in size.  Lots of “Yums” at the table as everyone dug in and took the first bite of their sandwich.  I was surprised to find not one but TWO nice-sized portabella caps on my burger.  This created a mushroom to beef ratio nearing 1:1 and required the jaw separating ability of a snake.    A little squish, lots of juice, and some trial and error finally got this burger in my belly.  If I had one “complaint” it was the little-to-no seasoning of the portabella caps.  Everything else was spot on.  A little seasoning on the mushroom would have gone a long way.  Having tried a bite of my son’s (seasoned) shitake topped burger confirmed this suspicion.

Throughout the meal the staff was attentive and everyone had a good experience.  The check came & totaled just under $100 (5 burgers, 2 fries, 3 sodas & 3 beers).  A little steep but not unexpected after reading various reviews online.

Terry’s Turf Club was a great change from the “normal” burger joint. It’s quirky, uniquely decorated and efficiently run.  The burger “accessories” are over the top and the location is a little sketchy.  This  it all works to give residents and visitors alike something to talk about when discussing good food in Cincinnati.  Besides, how much can be said about Chilli, and don’t get me started about my disdain for Goetta.

We’re going to be back in the area soon and I’m going to seek out Zip’s which I hear is the local competitor to Terry’s Turf Club.  I’ll be sure to write up a review of that one as well.
Terry's Turf Club on Urbanspoon

007 is Back!

I started reading the latest James Bond book called “Carte Blanche” by Jeffery Deaver.  Mr. Deaver has modernized 007 and readers will find a younger, more “hip” Bond.  All of the old characters are still there & so far it’s a great read.  It’s kind of hard to put down!

This is the first Bond book that I’ve read on the Kindle & I think I’m going to purchase the back catalog so I can re-read the classics in the new electronic format.

If you’re a Bond fan I think you’ll enjoy this latest book.  Although the author is new to the Bond franchise you can definitely tell he’s a fan & I’m looking forward to more of his books.

The Digital Pen That Delivers

I was in a meeting a few months ago and one of the vendors had an unusual looking pen. I quickly did a Google search and discovered the pen was called a “LiveScribe” pen and it has quite a loyal following.  The pen digitizes your handwriting, records meeting audio and a whole lot more.  After some online research and the discovery of a great deal on eBay I had one to try for myself.

The first thing I noticed once I unpacked the pen is its size.  I’m used to full sized pens with the daily use of my Dunhill Sidecar but this one was just a little bit chunkier (and all plastic).  The weight is well balanced and it’s pretty easy to get used to the feel of the pen.

The “secret” to the LiveScribe system is a special Moleskine like notebook with micro-dot paper and a pen with a infra-red camera in the tip. Navigation “buttons” at the bottom of each page control various functions of the pen.

If you don’t want to use the Moleskine type notebooks you can print your own pages if you have access to a 600 dpi color printer.  Other notebooks are available in various form factors.

After you turn on the pen (important) and take notes, you plug the pen into your computer and the software downloads a copy of your notebook.  The mico-dots tell the application what notebook and page the notes were written on.  You can have up to 8 notebooks in the system (200 pages each) before you have to start archiving data.  It’s pretty impressive how well this all works.  Individual pages from multiple notebooks can be grouped together into a virtual notebook within the software.  All pages can be printed for more flexibility.  Being left handed I found the spiral bound started notebook to be a little difficult to use but the Moleskine type books are working great.

The latest software upgrade allows you to draw a double line anywhere on the page and write “email”, “Facebook”, or “Evernote” and once you sync the pen your notes will perform that pre-defined action, such as email a copy of your notes as a PDF.

A built-in audio recording function allows you to record meetings and directly tie the recording timeline to your notes.  After the meeting you can tap any word in your notes and the recording will start playing what was recording when you were writing that particular word.  I have played with this feature a few times but very few of the meetings I attend really need to be recorded.  I did use it for a 2-hour vendor seminar and it worked perfectly.  The 4GB model will record up to 400 hours of audio.

Livescribe offers various applications such as foreign language translations and games such as hangman.  One of the most used features, besides the pen, is the calculator.  Inside the notebook covers (front and back) are calculator “buttons” that you can tap on at any time to perform just about any calculation.  If you need to perform scientific calculations an optional app and calculator card can be purchased for around $6.

For those of you that use Evernote, all of your notes can be synchronized with the online service.  An optional OCR application can even turn your handwritten notes into editable text!

This pen has a lot of powerful functions built into a small package.  The development of applications is a little slow but the apps that are available are solid and work as advertised.

The biggest thing you have to get used to is turning the pen on each time you use it.  If you don’t turn it on the pen will not capture your notes electronically & it works just like a (dumb) pen.

The Livescribe system, which includes the pen and a starter notebook is priced as follows:

  • 4GB Model $149.99**
  • 8GB Model $199.99
  • Journals vary in price from $9.99-19.99

**I was able to find my 4GB model on eBay for about 1/2 price.

It remains to be seen if the Livescribe pen is a toy or a productivity tool.  For now I’ll have to say the concept is working quite well and I have been happy with the purchase.

Thai & Me

I’ve found a new food love… I’ve been hitting up the various Thai places around the north side of Indy (I still have a few more to visit in this area alone). So far none have disappointed.

I’ve had Thai food before & always enjoyed it but it was nothing I would seek out.  I don’t know what happened but I started craving Pad Thai a few weeks ago.  It might of had something do with a sub-par experience from what was once my favorite sushi spot.  I needed something different.

There is definitely a BIG price difference between the lunch and dinner menu (and you get the same amount of food!).  I’ve also noticed these places seem to have quite the carryout business as well.  I’m a dine-in kind of guy.  I think the food testes better when you eat it right away vs. 30 min later out of a Styrofoam container.

I’ll post some reviews after I get a little more adventurous and move over to the curry side of the menu.

What’s your current food favorite?

The Amazon Kindle

I’ll be the first one to admit it… I don’t read for fun nearly as much as I should (or want to).

When Amazon launched the first Kindle in late 2007, I really didn’t take notice.  By the time Generation 2 came out in early 2009 I knew I had to have one.  I was traveling weekly for work and found myself with more downtime in the evening than I normally had when I was at home.  Being limited to a book or magazine in my suitcase was not the preferred option as my preference for subject material changes quite frequently.  It’s not unusual for me to have several books/magazines going at one time.

The clincher for me was the “Whispersync” technology that keeps all of your various reading material synchronized between devices.  By devices I mean not only the Kindle but your PC, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, Android and iPod Touch.  This feature allows you to purchase and share kindle content among the various electronic devices you use every day.  A prefect example of this in use was when my wife wanted to read a book on the Kindle.  I was able to grab the laptop and continue reading my own book that I had been working on previously.

Whispersync is the feature that pushed me over the edge from “want to need” and convinced me to purchase a Kindle sight unseen.  They were not available in the traditional brick and mortar stores until recently so I read enough positive reviews that I took the plunge.

The Kindle display uses Electronic Ink which is amazing.  After spending all day working on a computer it’s actually refreshing to stare at the Kindle screen.  It looks like ink on paper and works perfectly inside and out.  There is a slight “flash” as the page refreshes as you turn the digital page.  It’s noticeable at first but you end up not even noticing it after a while.  The Kindle only uses power when it’s refreshing the screen or communicating wirelessly.  When it’s “off” there’s actually pictures (screen savers) on the screen.

Speaking of communicating wirelessly, the Gen 2 version I own has a built in AT&T 3G data card in it.  It’s free to use for the life of the device and allows for the wireless sync as well as some basic web browsing via the built in browser.

Battery life with the 3G radio disabled is measured in weeks (2-3), even with daily reading sessions of an hour or more.  With the 3G turned on your battery life drops to 4-5 days.

The new Generation 3 devices have an even better display and a lower cost from the previous generations.  I could go on and on about what a great device the Kindle is.  It only does one thing but it does it very well.

West Coast Tacos

People living on the east and west coasts have had the luxury of food trucks for years. In 2010 this concept, that’s all but unknown in the Midwest, came to Indianapolis. West Coast Tacos, managed by Arnold Park, John Ban & Trent Davis, has hit the city by storm.

The group uses Social Media to spread the word about their ever changing locations and menu items.  The Twitter/Facebook feeds also provide a platform for their growing fan base to sing their praises and communicate with the staff.

The West Coast Tacos truck can regularly be found in Broad Ripple catering to the late night crowd; sometimes staying open as late (or early) as 3am.  Other times they are roaming the city streets setting up at various locations for the lunch crowd.  I wonder how many customers they recognize from one shift to the other…

I was fortunate enough to have West Coast Tacos at my workplace for lunch a while ago & was very happy with their offerings.  In that case it was 3 soft tacos with their ever popular salsa.  My second visit was in Fishers shortly after the debut of the Fried Rice Burrito.  It was even better than expected!

West Coast Tacos definitely fills a niche in the Indy food scene and I hope to see more innovation like this in Central Indiana.  The possibilities are endless for would be entrepreneurs, from BBQ to Pizza to Chinese food.  The food truck has grown up and is bringing some fun and excitement to the area.  Welcome guys & best of luck!

West Coast Tacos (Mobile Food) on Urbanspoon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_truck

The Leatherman Micra – Multi-Tool

I’ve been carrying a Leatherman Micra in my pocket for the last 8-10 years.  It’s one of those items I can’t leave the house without.  Each of the 10 tools on the Micra has a specific use and rarely do I need to dig out the full sized Leatherman from the gear bar.  The scissors are surprisingly strong and have a very smooth accurate cut.  At least with me they get the biggest workout.

Tools:
1.5 inch Clip Point Knife
Extra-small Screwdriver
Medium Screwdriver
Flat Phillips Head Screwdriver
Spring-action Scissors
Nail File/Cleaner
Bottle Opener
Ruler
Tweezers

Size:
2.5 inches long when closed
1.6 inches blade length

Weight:
1.75 ounces

List Price:
$20

If you are looking for a small, well made multi-tool you really can’t go wrong with the Leatherman Micra.

 

  • • 420HC Clip Point Knife.
    • Extra-small Screwdriver.
    • Medium Screwdriver.
    • Flat Phillips Head Screwdriver.
    • Spring-action Scissors.
    • Nail File/Cleaner.
    • Bottle Opener.
    • Ruler.
    • Tweezers.
  • Measurements:
    • 2.5 inches long when closed.
    • 1.6 inches blade length.

 

Is Groupon Good for Business?

After watching the Freakonomics movie, I started thinking about this…

I’ve been on the mailing list for the “Flash Sale/Deal-of-the-day” site called Groupon for several months.  It was not until I learned about a Blackberry application did I actually take note of the “deals” and purchase one.

Although I had a good experience and saved 55% off a lunch I would have paid full price for I could not help but notice how many people were taking advantage of the same offer.  I heard the word Groupon mentioned by customer and staff repeatedly.

The place was packed more than I’ve ever seen before & tempers were starting to flare as the number of seats came into short supply.  The constant attempt by the waitstaff to turn the tables, no doubt to help get everyone moved through the system, was also a big turn off.

I’ve started going back through my Gmail archive looking at the previous deals and I’m pretty surprised by the size of some of the discounts (80% in some cases).

This leads me to a couple of conclusions/questions:

  • There’s a tremendous markup in a all of these products and services
  • Businesses are willing to break even (or loose a little money) to bring in new customers
  • If I get a large discount for a product or service, am I going to be willing to pay full price for it again?
  • If hundreds of people take advantage of a service, such as a hair salon, how many weeks can that business survive with decreased margins and what about the regulars who suddenly cant get an appointment?

How are these online services any better than the Entertainment books we’ve all bought for $20 at one time or another that gave us hundreds of buy-on-get-one coupons for places we would probably never check out were it not for the “deal”?  A little research online revealed that Groupon takes 50% of the already discounted price and then pays the rest to the business over 2 months.

I’m going to continue using the service & look forward to some good deals while doing so.  So my take is this, if you’re a consumer these deals can be great.  If you’re a business, be very careful before jumping on board…

Finally, if I can’t get into my dentist or barber because of one of these deals I’ll quickly change my opinion!

Watched Shutter Island & LOVED IT!

I don’t do a lot of movie reviews on the blog but after watching Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island Shutter Island last night I had to spread the word about how great this movie is!

The movie takes place in 1954 where Leonardo DiCaprio plays US Marshal Teddy Daniels.  Daniels and his partner Chuck, played by Mark Ruffalo are sent to a mental institution on a remote island to investigate the report of an escaped patient thought to be somewhere on the island.

Categorized as a Drama/Mystery/Thriller Shutter Island has a few disturbing scenes along with great visuals.  Max Von Sydow (I’ll always remember him from Strange Brew) and Ben Kingsley play very convincing roles as Psychiatrists at the hospital.

The movie has one of the better endings I’ve seen in a long time.  I can’t say any more without possibly giving up one of the many plots in the movie.  If you are looking for a captivating 2-hour movie I don’t think you can go wrong with this one!