Romeo Lunch 12-21-10

The Romeos met again for lunch today, 12 noon, Tuesday, 12-21-10 at Rocco’s Restaurant in Wilmington, MA. You can see the web site and menu at the link…..
Go to www.roccosma.com for more information.

Everyone arrived on time and we were seated in the solarium which is a glassed in greenhouse on the lower level with seating for about 60 people. Upstairs there are booths and tables for smaller parties. In addition, there is a horseshoe shaped bar with seating for 30 people.

The Restaurant just celebrated its 70th year in Wilmington and was started by Rocco DePasquale and now run by the two sons, Chucky and Mattie. It has been a favorite family place for generations and serves excellent food including seafood, steak and especially Italian.

As soon as we were seated, the waitress took our drink orders and passed out menus. The ten Romeos present were: Jim Terlizzi, Joe Lapiana, Joe Loduca, Peter Gabriel, Steve Winter, Brother Tim Paul, Jack Tweedie, Joe Pignatiello, Ed DeSchuytner and Mark Ryan.

The waitress quickly brought drinks which consisted of apple martinis, beer on tap, and sodas. It is hard to choose from such a large menu with choices ranging from sandwiches, to pizza, to lunch specials and full course meals. I started off my order with a Shrimp Scampi in white sauce with Angel Hair Pasta and house salad. Others ordered the Clam Plate (Large Bellies), Turkey Tips with side of pasta, Meatball Sub and Veal Cacciatore. In addition there were Caesar and house salads and refills on the drink orders.

When the food came, it was super size and delicious. The red sauce on the pasta was excellent and the white sauce had just the right amount of oil and garlic. I said they add just enough sugar to the red sauce to take out the sometimes bitter tomato taste. Jim and Joe Lap, then had a discussion on which was better (sugar or no sugar) in “real” Italian sauce.

During and after dinner the conversation bounced around on a variety of topics from the current news. Ed said the “Toys for Tots Theft” recently on the news had a good turnout of new givers. Toys-R-Us donated 50 thousand dollars in toys and private donors gave money and toys. There were enough gifts for this year and next.

Ed, Joe Lap, Jim and Mark talked about the IPOD Touch and all the things that it can do with all its APPS. It’s like a Magic Box. After, Mark showed his IPOD last month, the rest bought their own as a Christmas present. It’s like a pocket size mini computer. You can use it as a Web Phone with Text Messaging, email, surf the net, get the news, get GPS, Address and Phone Book, Date Calendar, Music, Photos, Camera, Radio, eReader (Books and Newspapers), and play games. I find a new APP every day that you can download from the Apple (ITUNES) store. Most are free and others start at $0.99.

Joe Lap. recently returned from a trip to Germany. He took a boat excursion down the Rhine River and was treated like a king. Because of the large amount of snow in Europe, the rivers were running very high and the last part of the trip was rerouted by bus because the boats couldn’t get under the bridges with high rivers. To make up for the inconvenience, the passengers were given a $500 allowance on their next cruise.

Brother Tim talked about flying in the winter weather. The air is much clearer with greater visibility. Joe Lap. asked how often he could fly. Brother Tim said that to keep his license current he had to do 3 landings a take offs per month.

Joe Loduca then told a few jokes to keep us all laughing. Ed D. then said he heard a joke in church told by his priest. After a brain freeze he remembered the punch lines. …. “Three men waited at the Pearly Gates and were told that they had to take something out of their pockets that was about Christmas. The first man took out some keys and shook them like Jingle Bells. The second man took out a cigarette lighter and said that the flame was the Light of Christmas. The third man pulled out a pair of women’s panties and said these are Carole's”.

We then ordered coffee and a few desserts with plenty of spoons to share. Mark then handed out “Photo Christmas Cards” with a collage of photos of 14 Romeos. Pictured were all the 14 Romeos that attended the lunches this passed year. The card also read – “Season’s Greetings” – The Romeo Gang.

You can see some photos of the group at the link below……
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeLunch122110#

Suggestions and Comments Welcome…. markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 11-16-10

The Romeos met again for lunch today, Tuesday, 11-16-10, at the Beacon Grille in Woburn, MA. You can see the web site at … www.thebeacongrille.com

The nine members present were Ed DeShuytner, Joe Loduca, Paul Girard, Steve Winter, Joe Pignatiello, Jack Tweedie, Jim Terlizzi, Joe Lapiana and Mark Ryan.

I arrived early and sat at the bar waiting for the others. They soon arrived and the waitress brought us to a special meeting room called the Baldwin Room. It had a round table with seating for ten and sliding doors, for private business meetings. The room was very pleasant and didn’t have that background (white) noise you usually get from a crowded restaurant.

The waitress took our drink orders and gave us lunch menus to look at. As soon as everyone had arrived, she took our meal orders which consisted of burgers, steak, fish and salads with bowls of smoky tasting chowder.

In a short time, the meals were served promptly and were quite good. The chowder was meaty and tasty. After dinner, we had some coffee, cappuccino and desserts with spoons for sharing.

As always the conversation touched a variety of topics from TV, to the latest movies, to politics, to the church pedophile scandal. We all new some priests who were caught up in the fiasco, some innocent and others questionable. We also talked about Bishop O’Malley’s latest trip to Ireland.

Joe Lapiana said that Ireland had already paid out a billion dollars in law suits. Joe Loduca said that the money comes from the collection boxes in all the Catholic churches around the world. Each church is assessed an amount to send to Rome and pay its bills. Only a small amount goes to the upkeep of the local church. Most priests are hired as private contractors and must deal with their own retirement funds and health insurance. When they retire, they can go back to the monastery to live.

Jack asked about flat screen TV advice and what size TV the Romeos had. Depending on the room size, the sizes were from 32 inches to 52 inches. Joe Loduca then told one of many jokes which kept us all laughing. He then said that he asked a sales clerk “How big his was and could he lift it and put it on the table”.

Joe Lapiana then talked about watching the TV show “Two and a Half Men” and all the off color jokes they get away with. He said that they never swear on the show but make sex jokes by innuendo.

Mark then continue to demo his new Ipod Touch hand-held electronic device. It seems to be a miracle machine and could do a million things. It can act as a phone with Skype and a wifi connection. He demoed it by calling Ed’s cell phone. It can store thousands of songs and photos,

Mark showed the photo album from the last Romeo meeting. It has thousands of Apps that can do any number of tasks like keep a calendar and date book, or list of phones and addresses, or watch the latest News programs on TV. It can download the news from the Boston Globe or NY Times. It can play news clips from Brian Williams and NBC. It can get the weather.

It has a GPS App and can find directions to any address. It has Google Earth where you can get a map of any place on earth and through satellite photos zoom right down to street level. I showed a satellite view of my house in Wilmington and zoom down to my garden.

The IPOD Touch cost about $200 and there are no other fees. You only need a Wi-Fi connection of which there is more and more each day in restaurants, libraries, airports, malls, homes and coffee shops. All the places you would be anyway. Of course you could also by a Smart Phone (Like the I-Phone) and you need to pay the $60 per month service fee. However, the IPOD Touch does not have any service fee.

You can down load Apps easy. There are now over ten thousand. Most are free from the ITunes Store. I also downloaded several books which I can read at off times while waiting for an appointment at the dentist or doctor office. The text is small but it reads just like the other electronic readers like the Kindle from Amazon.

The time went by quickly as we all laughed at each others comments and jokes and it was now approaching 3 PM. Before leaving we decided on the next Romeo date and place and then said our good-byes until next. Jim will send out an email to let everyone know about the next date and place.

You can see photos of the Romeos today at the link below…..
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Romeo111610#


Comments welcome…. markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 10-20-10

The Romeos met again for lunch this month on 10-20-10 at 12 noon at the I Pazzi Restaurant, 50 Maple St., Danvers, MA. You can see the menu and other info at the link below….. http://www.ipazzirestaurant.com/

The Romeos in attendance were Mark Ryan, Paul Girard, Joe Lapiana, Joe Loduca, Joe Pignatiello, Ed DeSchuytner, Jim Terlizzi, John Tweedie and Peter Gabriel. You can see some photos of the group at the link below…….. http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Romeo102010#

Parking was limited on the main street to only one hour so we all found off street public parking a short distance away. As soon as we all had arrived the waitress gave us menus and placed homemade bread on the table with small dishes of oil and vinegar for dipping.

We ordered a couple bottles of red wine and the waitress poured a little in some glasses. We then raised our glasses in a toast to Joe Balsama who had passed away this week unexpectedly. We then all reminisced about all the fun times we had when Joe told his stories with a funny but dry humor. Joe’s wife said that he always talked about the Romeos and they were a big part of his life.

The lunch menu was limited with some appetizers, salads and a few pasta dishes. However, everything was made special, cooked to perfection. Some ordered salad with mussels, or tuna, Caesar or house. Others ordered the Panini chicken sandwich or Ravioli.

Everything was delicious and very filling. After, we had coffee and cappuccino and dessert. We ordered a few desserts and spoons to pass around. The main desserts were Tiramisu and Panna Cotta.

The conversation was lively and the topics varied around the table. We talked about politics and the misinformation that you get in the political TV ads and also from the phone calls. Everyone accusing everyone else but no one have a plan to fix the economy and unemployment.

Paul mentioned that there was a cigar shop a few stores down which started a conversation between a few cigar smokers (Joe Lap, John T. and Paul). The ice cream store next stored tried to petition an ordinance to not allow smoking within 50 feet but lost. The ice cream store now plays loud music out to the sidewalk to deter customers.

We then talked about dental care and Jim said he switched a few dentists since they were trying to influence him to have unnecessary expensive dental work. I then told a funny story about getting some dental work done at the Brighton Marine Hospital when I was 18 and went to Maine Maritime Academy. I got there on the bus and train in 1966. I had not been to the dentist for years. I needed 11 fillings and had two wisdom teeth pulled and plenty of nova cane in one sitting. After, I took the bus home to Chelsea and half way there the drugs wore off. The next day, I was due back at Maine Maritime in Castine, Maine. There had been a huge snow storm and the only way I could get there was to hitch hike. My father drove me to Portsmouth, NH and I thumbed the rest of the way. The following day, we were out to sea on the school ship; a 300 ft hospital ship; and my gums were throbbing to beat the band. We were on a 3 month training cruise to South America. Those were the worst days of my life. Smelling the salt air, ready to vomit because of the rocking boat and my gums swelled up like Popeye. However, things got better in a few days and I learned a lot about working on a ship and the sailors life.

The conversation then switched to the latest round of murders in the newspaper and whether the guilty should get the death penalty or life in prison. Everyone had an opinion from swift revenge killing to incarceration. Ed D. said that he was out in Arizona recently and they have a privatized prison system there were the state pays $42,000 a year for each prisoner. That way they do not have the cost of upkeep of state prison buildings nor do they have to pay state prison workers.

We next talked about legalizing marijuana. Again the opinions ran from yes to no and that it was a drug that can be misused. However, California has legalized medicinal marijuana and seems to be doing ok. Maybe if it were legal it would reduce the drug traffic across the Mexican Border States.

The time went by quickly and it was 2:30 PM before we knew it. We paid the bill and then decided on a date and place to meet next month.

Comments and suggestions always welcome: markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 9-28-10

The Romeo Gang met today at noon for lunch at Aprile’s - European Restaurant in N. Chelmsford. This new restaurant just opened on Labor Day and is owned by the son of the original restaurant owner from the North End of Boston. The old place closed several years ago during the Big Dig construction.

As you may recall the old European Restaurant was on Hanover St., a well known place in the North End of Boston frequented by many people from the surrounding communities as well as the locals. I remember going there as a child in the 1950’s with my family and later with friends. It was a great place for a late night pizza or for a Sunday afternoon dinner. You can see the new restaurant menu and some photos at the link below …… http://www.aprileseuropeanrestaurant.com/

The Romeos attending were Jim Terlizzi, Paul Girard, Joe Pignatiello, Steve Winter, Mark Ryan, John Tweedie and Ed DeShuytner. You can see some photos of the gang at the link below… http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeoLunch92810#

I arrived early at 11:30AM and decided to walk around the old Mill complex that houses the new restaurant and several other businesses. I spotted a store next to the restaurant called the Music Academy and walked in to talk with the proprietor. He was a young man in his late 40s and standing at the counter. I am an amateur piano player and always enjoy picking someone’s brain about the subject. We talked about playing “Fake” Music which is real sheet music with only one staff of notes rather than two where the left hand chords are written as letters above the C-Clef Staff rather than as notes on the Bass-Clef Staff.

After a while I noticed some Romeos arriving and told the waitress that we may expect 10-12 people. After only seven Romeos arrived and we heard why some were not coming, we ordered drinks and read the menu for our dinner choices. Although there were pasta, steak, fish and sandwich selections on the Lunch Menu, most Romeos chose the Scallops, Salmon and Haddock dinners with some bowls of Italian Escarole soup and/or salad.

As we drank and ate, the conversation bounced around the table. Although we sat at a long rectangular table with four on one side and three on the other, it was hard hearing what everyone was saying unless they were next to you.

Jim Terlizzi just returned from a two week trip to Turkey and talked about how great it was to see the historic sites. However, it was exhausting since every morning they were up at 6AM and on the tour bus at 7AM. He went with a local group of several people.

I then told a story about my brother-in-law “Bob” who stopped for coffee in Revere at a D&D. Bob went into the D&D and stood in line. Another short man came into D&D and stood behind Bob and began complaining that Bob took his parking place. Bob said sorry and offered the guy to order ahead of him. The man kept on complaining and getting more agitated, like he was having a fit of “DD Road Rage”. Another man with a pony tail, muscular and with tattoos entered the D&D, overheard the commotion. The tattoo man grabbed the short man by the hair and pushed him to the ground. He then dragged him to the door and through him out and told him not to return. At this point all the employees ducked behind the counter.

The next day Bob returned to the D&D and said he was sorry for the commotion and asked why they all ducked behind the counter. The D&D manager said that a few days earlier another man caused a commotion and pulled a gun but then ran out. No one was shot but they were worried that the current maniac also had a gun.

What is this world coming to? Does everyone have to settle a disagreement with a gun? Ed D. told a related story about his relative who is a policeman in Chelsea. One night, there was a call that gun shoots were heard at Bellingham Square. The police immediately responded and arrested two suspects with no guns. Searching the area, they found 15 guns scattered around that were quickly tossed into the street, alley and trash cans so that no one would be caught with one in their possession. How easy is it to get an unregistered gun?

Today, four people were shot to death in Boston. Is everyone mad at the world? Does life have no lasting value? Are we watching too many TV shows and video games where all the characters come back to life after getting shot a zillion times?

On another note, Joe P. said he recently saw a presentation of “Wicked” in Boston and said it was terrific. The $95 tickets were a gift. We also talked about the theater shows that are available at the Stoneham Theater and cost less. I said that the Stoneham Theater has a deal for patrons to try out the theater on the first Thursday of each month and can pay what ever they want.

Jim then talked about seeing the movie “The Town” with Ben Affleck and said it was pretty good. It has got good reviews online and in the Globe. I said that I saw it too and went to the Showcase Cinema in Woburn on Tuesday where senior citizens can get tickets for the early afternoon show on Tuesdays for only $4.50 each. “I just love the senior citizen discount”.

Ed and John talked about teaching online courses and how the quality of student achievement has gone down. They want an “A” grade but don’t want to study too hard for it. Ed gives exams for each unit he teaches which are strictly timed. There are 80 multiple choice questions including problem solving where the students are given 60 minutes to answer online. Ed can tell how long each student takes to answer a question and also if they are trying to find the answer in the book.

Steve Winter said he was doing better after being stung by angry wasps in his back yard. Evidently he was working at his compost pile where the wasps had made a nest. In a few minutes he was stung by 20 wasps and had a reaction. His wife called 911 and he spent 6 hours at the hospital.

Lastly, I recently bought an IPOD Touch with the new built in camera and wifi. I have been having so much fun with this new gadget. I feel like a kid again exploring all the APPS that it has and all the things that it can do. It’s like having a mini computer in your pocket. I showed some of the Romeos what it does at the lunch.

The cost is about $229 at the Apple Store. The IPod Touch has a touch screen where you tap on applications or flip pictures and screens with your finger. It has over 250,000 applications that you can download from the Apple Store. Some a free and some have a cost.

These APPS include Music, Video, Games, and other applications on the Touch. It also has two cameras that can take stills and videos directed at you or at the scenery you are looking at. It also has a phone application called SKYPE where you can call another computer with SKYPE for free or another phone anywhere in the world for about only $0.02 a minute. The IPOD Touch is like the IPhone except you don’t have a $60/month phone bill. The only draw back is you need to be near open wifi network.

You can get a SKYPE account for free download on the internet. If you have one or get one send me an email. I would love to try out the “video” phone call with others.

Comments and suggestions always welcome….. markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 8-25-10

The Romeos met for lunch again this month at Michael’s Harborside Restaurant in Newburyport, MA. Although it was raining cats and dogs, nine hardy souls showed up for this monthly event. Those present were Paul Girard, Joe Pignatiello, Joe Lapiana, Jim Terlizzi, Brother Tim Paul, Peter Gabriel, Joe Loducca, Ed Deschuytner, and Mark Ryan. Peter was the last to arrive and we saved a seat for him right next to Joe Loducca his bosom buddy. You can see some photos at the link below ……
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Romeo82510#

The waitress seated us all at a long table at the end of the restaurant where you could see out into the harbor. There were loads of all size motor yachts tied up at their slips and on a warmer and sunnier day you could sit outside on the restaurant deck.

We all ordered drinks and needed something warm to take off the chill from the cold damp rain and strong wind. As you might guess, our sailing days with the rain pelting in our faces is long gone and we would rather be inside looking out than vice versa.

In a short time we placed our orders with a variety of selections and they were served up promptly. Looking around the table you could see a fisherman’s plate, scallops, seafood salad, tuna steak and several cups of fish and clam chowder. After a delicious meal we ordered coffee and a couple of desserts to share with spoons all around.

The dining room filled up quickly from 12 noon on and was packed at 1 PM. Looking around, the cliental consisted mostly of the senior set with a few younglings’ here and there. We also saw Wayne Adams from the North Shore Teachers group who was there with his family.

Like always the conversation was lively and bounced around the table. However, it was hard hearing what was being said at the other end of the table.

At my end of the table, Paul said he had just returned from a couple weeks on the Vineyard. Those having vacation the last few weeks really had great weather. Paul also mentioned that there was a great fishing boat out of the Vineyard and wondered if we all might be interested.

We could take the ferry over in one big car and come back the same day or stay overnight. Others mentioned that we also might look into going back out of Gloucester. Right now it’s all up in the air and we are thinking about it. Joe P. also said that he had been fishing near the Amelia Earhart Dam in Somerville off the pier and that the stripper bass were really biting good.

We also talked about gardening. Paul had a good harvest with tomatoes, potatoes, beans and peppers. Joe Lapiana had a good take of tomatoes. Mark’s tomatoes seem to be coming back. He has a lot of cherry tomatoes but several plants of yellow plume pear shaped tomatoes ripened and then the leaves died off. He has had a lot of water problems since he has been away most of the summer and the garden has suffered.

We then talked about getting up on a ladder to do house chores. Now that we are older, heights are less attractive. I said I used to work for a roofing company when I was 18 and had no trouble straddling the high roofs. Paul talked about seeing a TV documentary where Indians had no fear building the Brooklyn Bridge or the Empire Sate Building.

We then talked about the price of food and living in New England as compared to Florida. It seems that Massachusetts residence moving to Florida get some tax advantages while still collecting a Massachusetts pension.

Joe P. mentioned how he liked shopping at Market Basket in Chelsea where they may have 40 registers open to serve all the customers. The place is always clean, well stocked and you can use coupons. Ed said that he grew up in Chelsea and his house was right where the customer service desk is now in Market Basket store. Joe Lapiana talked about an Asian Food Market in Burlington which has a large assortment of all kinds of fresh fish and other goods at good prices.

Jim T. then asked us to choose a place and date for lunch next month. We finally selected September 28 at a restaurant in Chelmsford. Jim will send out an email to let us all know the details.

At about 2:30 PM, we decided to say our good-byes until next time and hit the road and face the torrential rains. When we left, the wind was still blowing strong although the rain had lessened somewhat.

Comments Welcome …. markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 7-27-10

The Romeo gang had lunch today at Finz Restaurant on Pickering Wharf in Salem, MA. A good number showed up at noon time for the lunch which added to the lively discussion around the dinner table.

Those in attendance were Paul Girard, Mark Ryan, Jim Terlizzi, Steve Winter, Mike Zapantis, Joe Lapiana, Joe Pignatiello, Joe LoDuca, Ed Deshuytner, Peter Gabriel and John Tweedie.

You can see photos of the group and the area at the link below ……
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Romeo72710#

The waiter sat us at a table on the outside terrace overlooking the Marina and a contingent of boats. We put three small tables together to accommodate the group of eleven. We never know for certain how many old fogies will show up, but just like fog they all rolled in.

The restaurant was crowded and most every table filled. The waiter was attentive and took our order for drinks which ranged from draft Ales, Largars, Martinis, and Margaritas. We also ordered a few appetizers of Buffalo Calamari which had a hot tangy taste.

After everyone had arrived we ordered the food which included Lobster Roll, Fried Haddock Plate, Blackened Catfish, Blackened Tuna, Seafood Paella and Scallop Salad. The meal was great and we gobbled it all down. After dinner we ordered coffee and shared a few desserts with extra spoons.

As always the conversation was lively and bounced around the table on a variety of topics. Of course, at a long table it is hard to hear what is being said at the other end. However, at my end we talked about the latest changes in health premiums and prescriptions from GIC. We can now get 90 day supply of medication either by mail or right at the drug store for the price of 60 day supply.

Paul and I talked about gardening and the gopher that is eating all my zucchini leaves and the dry weather. Paul also sold his boat since it was hard getting a crew together for sailboat racing and you also grow out of interests.

I heard Joe Lapiana say that he has had a busy June with his Justice of Peace roll and performing marriages. Joe LoDuca talked with Jim Terlizzi about baseball and staying up late to watch the games.

The conversation then turned to John Kerry’s boat and paying $500,000 taxes. Paul said that he bought the boat in Australia for millions, had it repaired in Rhode Island and is paying taxes in Massachusetts. Paul then said it all depends where the boat is moored on July 1st.

Mike Zapantis will now join us for lunch periodically since he has officially retired as Superintendent. However, he is staying on part-time a few days per week, for this coming year until they find a good replacement.

Since the parking was limited around Pickering Wharf, most of us left periodically to check our cars, put in a few more quarters at the meter or move the car to another spot where there was a new two hour parking limit. Some found chalk marks on the tires where the meter-maid was keeping track of how long the car was parked at one spot.

The time went by so quickly and it was 2:30 PM when we left the restaurant and said good bye until next time. Before leaving, we decided to meet next month on the 25th in Newburyport. Jim Terlizzi will email you.

Comments Welcome - Email markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 6-17-10

The Romeo gang met for lunch this month on Thursday at 12 noon on June 17,2010 at the BYC (Boston Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA. I was a great day with the sun shinning boats filling Marblehead Harbor

Although I was not able to attend, I got some info from Paul Girard and Jim Terlizzi . Jim said it was the usual banter about current events. Paul said it was a small group, good food and many missed. Those in attendance were Paul Girard, Jim Terlizzi, Joe Pignatiello, Ed Deschuytner, and Jack Tweedie.

The summer time is quite busy with loads of family activities and other events that sometimes conflict with all the great things that you would like to do. Not everyone can attend each time. Hopefully more will be available next time.

In order to have some photos with this Blog article and to show how picturesque the BYC is, I used some photos from last year’s event. You can see them at the link …………
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Romeo61710Rep#

Comments always welcome: markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 5-26-10

The Romeo Gang met for lunch at Gritty McDuffs Brew Pub in Portland, ME this month on (Weds. 5-26-10). We took the Downeaster Train from Woburn, MA (Anderson Station) and went to Portland (PTC) on the Amtrak Train.

We found out from the Downeaster Brochure that you could get a half price discount with the code number V543 and needed to purchase your ticket at the automatic ticket machine at the train station with a credit card.

The normal price for a ticket from Woburn to Portland was $44.00 Round Trip. If you used the Discount Code number for Seniors (62+) you could get an approximate half price ticket ($20.85 Round Trip).

Although some Romeos were a little late because of traffic, we all arrived and bought our tickets and boarded the train on time. The Romeos present were Jim Terlizzi, Ed Deschuytner, Paul Girard, Joe Pignatiello, Joe Lapiana, Joe Loducca and Mark Ryan.

The train arrived on time and we boarded at 9:23 AM for a 2 hour trip to Portland. We arrived in Portland shortly after 11:30 AM and took the Metro Bus #5 to the downtown district and then walked a few blocks to the restaurant, Gritty McDuffs on Fore St. This is a brew pub which makes its own beer and has a good selection of meal choices on the lunch menu.

We also met John Mason who worked with Ed Deschuytner at NECC. John is also retired and now lives in Portland. Since he lives here, he gave us some suggestions on what to do after lunch.

The waitress seated us at a long table in the back and gave us menus and quickly brought us our beer choices. She also brought sample glasses of ale, larger and stout for those wanting to try something new. After getting our beer choices, most of the group ordered lobster roll with fries, haddock, meat loaf and a bowl of chowder. The food was served quickly and was just delicious and the conversation was lively.

After lunch we walked down to the wharf and bought some tickets for the trolley tour. The tour was about one and a half hours and took us through the old port city, across Casco Bay to Cape Elizabeth and the light house. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and told us some of the history of Portland over 400 years and showed us many historic houses and buildings.

After the tour we walked around the historic district and found a little coffee shop (Morning in Paris) and had some espresso, soda or gelato and pastry for a late afternoon treat. After an hour we walked back to the Main Square to catch the #5 Bus back to the train station for our return trip back to Woburn. The PTC (Portland Transportation Center) or Amtrak Train Station is a couple miles outside the downtown area.

We got to the train station at about 6:30PM and planned to take the train back to Woburn at 7:55 PM. However, the hot 90 degree weather affected the speed that the trains could run on tracks that expanded in hot weather. Consequently, our train was delayed about an hour and had to run at reduced speed all the way back to Woburn. We finally boarded the train at about 8:20 PM and arrived in Woburn at 11:00 PM. Since the train also had a Café Car, we ate a late night snack on the way back.

Although there were some glitches and delays, we had a fun time and enjoyed the restaurant, and the trolley tour, and the train ride as we shared the adventure with our Romeo friends.

You can see some photos of the entire trip and will hopefully relate the pictures to the above story. Click the link below to see the photos……..

http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeoLunch52610#

Comments Welcome : email markrya82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 4-28-10

The Romeo Gang met for lunch this month on 4-28-10 at the Taipei-Tokyo Restaurant in Woburn. It is right in Woburn Sq. and there is plenty of street parking. You can see the web site at the link … http://www.taipeitokyocafe.com/

Everyone arrived in time and we were all seated at a table for eight. The Romeos in attendance were Joe Lapiana, Steve Winter, Joe Loducca, Paul Girard, John Tweedie, Jim Terlizzi, Ed DeSchytner and Mark Ryan.

We decided to have the buffet (all you can eat) for $9.95. There was a wide assortment of cooked chicken shrimp, pork and beef dishes as well as some cooked sushi rolls in two inch slices. You could order soft drinks and tea but needed to bring your own alcohol beverages (wine or beer).

As Joe Lapiana explained to me the sushi is cooked fish wrapped or rolled in seaweed with rice and other vegetables. The raw fish is called sashimi.

The food was delicious and most went back for seconds and more. The waitress frequently came back to the table checking are needs and removing used dishes.

The conversation was lively as always and went around the table with each contributing some info. We talked about the latest legislation to base new teacher retire on the average salary over the whole career rather than the last three years,

Another conversation was about getting Medicare with GIC Health insurance that make the co pays less. Many towns in Massachusetts are now thinking about joining GIC. It would make their health cost less and would be less for everyone with more participants.

Next we talked about Comcast vs. Fios and the benefits of both. You also need to get a HD TV like Sony Bravia if you are going to have HD Cable reception.

Joe Lapiana announced that he is doing well in his new art studio-gallery in Lowell and recently sold one of his paintings for $300. There is an Open House at his Art Gallery Complex this Sunday. Call Joe for directions.

Mark gave out some copies of his new short story and others commented that they enjoyed holding a real book to read rather than trying to read off the computer screen.

Jim asked where we might want to go for lunch next month and some suggested we take the Downeaster Train to Portland, ME for the day. Jim is looking into it.

You can see photos of the group at the link below……
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeoLunchPhotos42810#

Comments Welcome : email markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 3-24-10

The Romeos met again for lunch today at Fiore’s Restaurant on Hanover St. in the Boston North End. You can see info about the restaurant on its web site at the link …… http://www.ristorantefiore.com/

I took the train in from Wilmington and met Joe Loducca and Joe Lapiana on the train. They had already boarded in Lowell. It’s so much easier to take the train and not have to worry about parking. From Wilmington the fare for one way is only $2.60 for seniors and $5.20 regular. I have my Senior Citizen’s Charlie Card which allows me to get the senior rates. In Wilmington I get the train ticket at a local convenient store. You can also buy them on board the train or at the train station.

The ride from Wilmington to North Station was only 28 minutes. We quickly left the station and walked out on to Causeway St. It was quite windy out in the open. The weather stations had predicted the temperature to be in the 40s and the wind to gust up to 50 mph. I had to hold on to my hat and was glad I had a pair of gloves.

The walk over to Hanover St. took about ten minutes and it is always interesting to look at all the city traffic and the city skyline. I took some photos along the way and you can see them at the web link ….. http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeoLunch32410#

You could see the Lenny Zakum Bridge, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the Boston Garden and some of the tall buildings in Boston.

On Hanover St. the wind died down as we had some protection from the buildings. The street was busy as usual with cars parked along both sides, cars traveling down the street and a lot of pedestrian traffic. As we walked toward Fiore’s you could see some of the other well known restaurants and other stores.

Since we were early we waited outside for others to arrive and then after a while went in side. Jim had called ahead and made reservations and we were all seated at a long table near the window on the street side. The others started to arrive and eventually we had ten Romeos in attendance. They were Joe Lapiana, Paul Girard, Jim Terlizzi, Joe Loducca, Nick Zimopoulus, Jim Kearns, Joe Pignatiello, Steve Winter, Ed Deschuytner and Mark Ryan.

The waiter asked for drink orders and we ordered some bottles of house wine to share. He then took our meal orders and most made a choice from the Restaurant Week menu. This was a three course meal with either soup or brochette first. Then the entrée or second course was either a chicken stuffed with goat cheese and potatoes or a spinach mixed with calamari and mussels. The last course was a dessert of cannoli or tiramisu.

The meals came quickly and although the portions were small they were delicious. We then finished off the meal with dessert and coffee.

During and after the meal the conversation was lively as people talked in groups across the long table. It was hard hearing everything said at the far end of the table. Nick T. joined the group invited by Joe P. Nick use to be Science Director at Lexington then moved to New York and is now involved with some program in Europe. His wife still teaches at Lexington. Joe P. asked about Joe Balsama. Jim T. said that Joe B. would like to attend the lunches but his wife had a medical appointment o Wednesdays.

Mark Ryan showed his new published book called “Adventures of the Romeo Gang – Vol. One”. It is a collection of ten different short stories involving the fictitious Romeos and their mis-adventures. You can order it at http://www.lulu.com/ . Select “buy” and then type in “Mark Ryan”. You will see three books by me. One is a single story and the other two are compilations of ten stories. One is in magazine format (8.5”x11”) and the other is in pocket book format (4”x6”).

The conversation then dealt with MTRS retirement and people getting credit for work in government related projects or than teaching to add to your years of service. Ed D. explained some of the legalities of years of service.

Joe Lapiana talked about attending a concert in Melrose to hear the Melrose Philharmonic. He said the tickets were only $28 and the program was excellent. The conductor explained each musical piece and it was very entertaining. He also said there are several excellent restaurants in downtown Melrose to choose from.

Jim T. then said he belongs to Restuarants.com where he gets 20% discount on selected restaurants. Joe Lap. said there are some magazines that do the same. Mark R. said that they use to sell booklets in school that would give you coupons for dinner with second meal free.

There were other conversations that we all enjoyed and before you knew it, two hours passed and it was time to pay the bill. As always Ed D. figured everyone’s share and we all said are goodbyes until next time.

As we left the restaurant a few of us went over to Mike’s Pastry Shop and bought some dessert to take home. You can’t beet the delicious sweets from this shop. Latter we stopped at the oldest grocery store in the North End and Joe Lod. wanted to buy some salted chick peas that he enjoyed as a young boy.

It was still quite windy and we walked over to North Station to get the 3:10 train. We got there 20 minutes early and set in the waiting area. Joe Lap. talked about his art work and the studio he rents with some other men in Lowell. He said he really enjoys the camaraderie and also all the painting tips he picks up from the other artists. Joe Lod. said that he also use to paint and did mostly pencil drawings. Mark R. said he paints also in acrylics and does mostly tole painting on mailboxes, glass and furniture.

At 3:10 we boarded the train north and set in the front car. As we passed different stations you could see a lot of graffiti and a lot of trash on the tracks. Joe Lod. said it’s the same even in Europe (Rome and Athens). We also talked about salmon fishing in Alaska and the old DDE money we use to get in school to help pay for teacher workshops. Later we talked about swimming as young child in Medford, Cambridge and Chelsea.

In a short time we arrived in Wilmington and I got off. The others went on to Lowell. We all said bye until next time. It certainly is great sharing stories with people from your own generation who can appreciate all the good and bad times and know that we survived it all. You often wonder, is the world better today or is it just easier to think about the “good old days”?

Comments Welcome email : markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 2-24-10

The Romeo gang met again for lunch this month at Grassfields Restaurant in Danvers on Rte 114. The restaurant used to be called Nick & Tony’s Salt Water Grill and is still run by the same guys but all newly redecorated inside and serving both Italian and American food. The lunch prices are reasonable and average $7.95 for an entrée.

It was raining pretty heavy but at least it wasn’t snow on the coast. However, there was snow more inland and the weather did prevent some Romeos from attending. Those in attendance were Jim Kearns, Jack Tweedie, Jim Terlizzi, Ed DeShuytner, Joe Pignatiello, Joe Lapiana, Mark Ryan, and Paul Girard.

We all got there about noon and the waiter who was a past student of Jim T. took orders for drinks which were mostly beer, martinis, wine and soda. We then placed out food orders and in a short time they arrived. Some ordered Steak Tips, Chicken Teriyaki, and some combos of Steak Tips and Scallops and some salads. The food was very good and cooked just right.

The conversation as usual was lively and spanned a variety of topics. I talked with Joe L. about the Periodic Table website he sent out by email. It was quite interesting and you could use a sliding ruler to see which elements changed to solid, liquid or gas at different temperatures. Jack T. got his JP license and has booked his first clients to marry next month at a very simple ceremony.

Mark talked about his Short Stories Blog and the Brink’s Robbery. The money was never found although the thieves were all arrested and sent to jail for other crimes they had committed. Mark also talked about spending some time in Mississippi in the 1980s at the University of Southern Mississippi teaching chemistry to elementary teachers. The people there were very hospitable and I visited some of their homes on weekends. The homes were beautiful, made of brick mostly and cost about a third of the price of homes around Boston.

Joe P. is still skiing this winter and helps at the ski school at Watchusetts Mt. Jim T. also talked about doing some skiing out west. The NSSSA group planning meeting was mentioned and most said they would probably only attend the April Dinner meeting.

Joe L. talked about watching the TV show “Two and a Half Men” with Charlie Sheen and Charlie going into rehab again. The conversation then switched to Tiger Woods and his dilemma.

We then talked about the Senate Election of Scott Brown and how the Democrats are having a difficult time passing any legislation where the Republicans continue to veto everything not theirs. The new credit card charges were then discussed regards how they can charge you for not having sufficient activity on your card. Jim K. then said that a lot of things on the Internet aren’t true especially political info and that people making these statements should check out their validity first. Especially those taken out of context or part of emails circulated months ago. You can check whether statements are true at the web site FactCheck.org .

Jim K. then talked about getting unlimited online movies from Netflix and playing them directly to your TV if you have a Blue Ray DVD Player. Paul G. compared the HD TV to the regular stations and said the quality of regular is quite poor on the new flat screen TVs compared to the old TV sets he had. Then there was a discussion of getting Verizon Fios, Comcast of Dish TV. Jim K. said that he is stuck with Comcast because Boston won’t let Verizon into that city. Other towns also only have one cable provider.

Joe L. offered a new Japanese Restaurant in Woburn for next month’s lunch and Paul G. asked Jim K. if it was restaurant week in Boston. Jim T. is going to check it all out and let us know by email. Before you knew it, the time past quickly and it was now 2:30 PM and time to go.

You can see photos of the group at the link ......

http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Romeo22410#

Comments … send email to markryan82@comcast.net

Romeo Lunch 1-20-10

The Romeo gang met again for lunch today at the Mt. Vernon at the Ship Restaurant in Lynnfield. I arrived a little early and went to the Christmas Tree Shop next door to walk around. After a few minutes of roaming through the store several times, I decided to walk over to the restaurant. Since I was still early, I decided to wait at the bar. I ordered a beer and talked with the bar tender for 20 minutes before several others arrived.

When most had arrived at about 12 noon we were all seated in a special area with a long table on the far wall. The room was nicely decorated for a small party and you could see out into the parking lot. From the outside we were now located at the stern of the ship ready for our culinary voyage. The ship mates in attendance were Peter Gabriel, Steve Winter, Joe Pignatiello, Joe Lapiano, Bob Simmons, Jim Kearns, Jim Terlizzi, Ed Deschuytner, Mark Ryan and Joe Balsama.

After ordering drinks and looking at the menu we all made our selections and gave the order to the waitress. Although twin lobsters were advertised at $9.99 and then $11.99, today’s price was now $18.99. There was also an extra charge for baked stuffed at $3.00 more each. Needless to say we all order other items from the menu which included a clam plate, meatloaf, lobster pie, stuffed shrimp and seafood paella. In a short time the meal was served and it was excellent and in large portions. The restaurant does not have a web site but you can reviews at Google.

Although we all enjoy a good meal, it is the conversation and the jokes and the camaraderie that we enjoyed more. The conversation bounced around from health insurance, to medications, to the Senate Elections, to skiing, to vacation trips and movies.

Peter talked about getting medical prescription by mail through Express Script and the rise in GIC insurance co pays and premiums mid year. Ed said that those on Medicare and GIC won’t get an increase since can’t raise federal rates (Medicare) mid year. He also said that those on Medicare will get a $250 federal stimulus check in March and those over 65 and not on SS can take a $250 tax deduction.

Jim Terlizzi said the skiing was good this year. I asked Ed if he skis and he said no since his knee injuries. However, his son just went to Killington and the prices for lifts, rental and helmet for one day were over $300. But Joe Pig and Joe Lap still go to Wachusetts which is much cheaper.

We talked a little about the Senate Election and possible reasons for the upset and Brown win. Most believed that it had to do with the national Health Care Plan, economy, bail outs for Wall Street and no jobs for the regular folks.

Ed talked about getting vinyl siding put on his house and got a cheaper price if it was done during winter months. No maintenance vinyl siding increases the resale value of a home. Jim T. said he use to do a lot of work himself on his home but now would rather pay a contractor. The older you get the less energetic.

Joe P. talked about a friend who had diabetes had to have a leg amputated and was having a real rough time now. I mentioned that the Haiti earthquake victims with simple broken bones in arms and legs were getting severe infections resulting in amputations.

We talked about taking online courses with Ed D. and he confirmed that they now cost the same at most colleges. However, taking tests online was still a problem since you really didn’t know who was really taking the test. Eventually it all catches up with the person.

After having coffee and sharing dessert it was nearing 2:00 PM and the time just went by so quickly. We then chose a date and place for next time which Jim T. will be emailing to you shortly.

You can see photos of the group at the web link below …
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Romeo12010#

Comments … send email to markryan82@comcast.net