There was validated parking across the street in the garage which was pretty much filled with cars since I had to park on the fourth level. City parking is really limited these days. The normal parking fee was $10 but we only paid $3.50 for the 3 hours parking time. You can see the web site at ….. http://www.exchangestreetbistro.com/
Most everyone showed up at the assigned time of 12 noon and we were seated near the street window at a long table. Although the restaurant is quite busy most of the time, we were the first to arrive. The 10 Romeos present were Joe Pignatiello, Jim Terlizzi, Dave Lyons, Ed DeShuytner, Peter Gabriel, Mark Ryan, Joe Loduca, Joe Lapiana, Paul Girard, and Steve Winter. You can see photos at the link ….
https://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeoLunch42611#
It was nice to see Dave Lyons who has now been retired one year but this was the first time he could join us. He is still keeping quite busy with part-time work in education and one of his jobs is a Science Coach at the Lawrence Academy I believe. He hopes to look for some selective work next year.
Peter Gabriel also joined us since he had a mild heart attack and was in the hospital and also rehabilitation center for a few months. He looks good and is still as cagey as ever with his conversation and meal choices. You know who is ordering when the waiter brings a tall glass of ice water with “two” lemon slices to which Peter adds a pack of Crystal Light.
The waiter soon took our drink orders which were Blue Moon (on tap), martini, non-alcoholic beer, Pepsi, and water. The waiter continued to keep the “Real” water glasses filled. That is apposed to the “Expensive“bottled water we sometimes get like Perrier. Jim Terlizzi said he was out for dinner with the wife recently and was charged $9.00 for the bubbly water. We then toasted each other for a long life and good health.
We then placed out food orders from the lunch menu and selected Open Faced Turkey, Grilled Salmon, Fish’n Chips, Lobster Roll, Bistro Burger, and Grilled Marinated Steak Tips. We also ordered some individual appetizers like soup, salad, calamari and shrimp cocktail.
Although there was a short wait, the food was served hot and in large portions. Most choices were excellent and very delicious. However, I noticed Peter’s Lobster Roll was not what he expected. The Lobster Roll was on Challah bread with petite salad, tomatoes, Muenster cheese and small chunks of lobster. “Bon Appetite”
After dinner we ordered coffee and cappuccino and dessert. I ordered a pumpkin cheese cake to share with ten spoons. I was surprised when it came with a glass of Guinness and a dollop of ice cream??????
As always the conversation was lively and bounced around the table on various subjects from taxes, health insurance, gas prices, electric cars, and a few other items. I was down the end of a “long table” and could only hear what the people were saying right next to me. Maybe next time I will sit in the middle of the table so I can hear the conversation from both ends.
Earlier I had talked with Joe Lapiana and Jim T. about some new APPs on the iPod. Joe said he got the APPs, FAAD (Free App A Day), Floor Planner and Text Fonts. Jim asked if we get Wi-Fi in the restaurant. Although it seemed we could on the Malden Wi-Fi Hub, we must have been too far away from the repeater. I then told the group about the APP I saw in the Boston Globe called “Roman Catholic Confessions”. What next. The article said that the APP only helped keep a list of your sins and didn’t forgive them. Maybe the next APP will be a GPS map with directions for the road to Heaven.
The time past quickly and it was almost 2:30PM. Before leaving we picked a time and place for the next lunch. A few choices were given and we decided on Pedro’s in Billerica on May 25th. Jim Terlizzi will send out the official information shortly.
Comments and Suggestion Always welcomed … markryan82@comcast.net
