288950 Fri Apr 12 15:32:07 -0700 2002 10 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1561918 Another one from today's WSJ, (OK, I admit I am addicted to the conservative rag and read it cover to cover, every day....but generally rage at their editorial idiocy), Weekend Edition. They did a big Room Service face off between a bunch of 5 star type hotels here in the US, and then broke it all down in a chart showing how much each meal cost and how well the hotel did in terms of service, getting a fairly complex order right, (or not so right in some of the cases), and finally taste and presentation of the food. My own great room service meals of all time. 1. The "old" Raffles in Singapore in 1981 for a Malay dinner. 2. A club sandwich and fries at the SF Hyatt Regency on the Embarcadero. 3. A lobster dinner at the SF Fairmont, (which you don't even see on that many room service menu's). Anyone else love, and have great room service meals to recount? Fri Apr 12 15:32:07 -0700 2002 0 WLA 1 1561960 Well, my most memorable one was at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok. We came back to our room on our honeymoon and there were beautiful shrimps under glass domes. Eight hours later at about 4 AM my husband started screaming with the worst food poisoning cramps ever. I followed exactly 20 minutes later--we had to have injections of muscle relaxants just to be able to get to the bathroom. At least there was an on-site hotel doctor! Pretty ironic since our normal haunts were street food stalls, but this was our honeymoon... Fri Apr 12 23:41:07 -0700 2002 1561918 0 Wendy Leonard 2 1561969 Being sick away from home has to be the worst. And the Oriental is such a great Hotel. At least it was a Honeymoon you both will never forget. (g) Speaking of Bangkok, I had one of the hottest meals I have ever had in my life in the coffee shop at the Grace Hotel. I thought maybe I would order something to "cool" down and tried a bowl of soup. That must have had 15 chili's per sq. centimeter in it. I almost launched out of the booth like a rocket out of a silo. Sat Apr 13 09:52:45 -0700 2002 1561960 0 WLA 1 1561961 Who cares what you think about the newspaper. As some wise person once said "Cut to the Chow!" Sat Apr 13 00:04:04 -0700 2002 1561918 0 Edward Aretz 2 1561971 Sorry for the editorial comment, Ed. I really enjoy the WSJ and I find that their Weekend Journal does a very nice job with these types of stories. Did you see this one? They really covered the US, from West to East and North to South. Only two hotels got full marks for good food, order done right and brought up to the room in a timely fashion. I did notice that the Watergate got one of the lowest scores for bad food, order not done correctly and as an added problem a bug in the fruit salad, (and not one of the G. Gordon Liddy types). Sat Apr 13 10:13:41 -0700 2002 1561961 0 WLA 3 1562000 As a long-time subscriber, I did read it and found it interesting. Except for guilty pleasures, if you happen to read a newspaper or magazine, you should not be defensive about it (and you clearly were). As you now admit that you enjoy the WSJ, I am happy that I could assist you in a psychological breakthrough! By admitting to yourself and the world that you enjoy reading the Wall Street Journal, I now hold you in much higher esteem. Congratulations for no longer being defensive about reading a quality newspaper. P.S. I read several journals that I do not always agree with, but admire different points of view without any shame. If I only read things that I always agreed with, I would not enjoy the discussions that take place on Chowhound so much. Sun Apr 14 00:25:52 -0700 2002 1561971 0 Edward Aretz 4 1562012 More my sense of humor getting me in hot water yet again. I do find that the WSJ has some of the most interesting writers, and cover an amazing range of subjects. They always have struck me as somewhat schizoid between their news reporters slant on things, and their editorial page. I also like their regular Friday wine write up comparing a different class of grapes/wines with reasonable prices and recommendations. The room service story struck a chord with me because I like room service. When I go somewhere on a business trip and the hotel has good, efficient and interesting room service, that will bring me back to their hotel. In fact the wonderful meal I recall from the Raffles was balanced by a terrible one from the same hotel, but it was my fault for deciding to order a breakfast of kippered herring, etc. for a "proper" British breakfast. I left for the airport that morning still very hungry. Sun Apr 14 09:52:28 -0700 2002 1562000 0 WLA 5 1562063 You may initially disagree with the Editorial policy of the WSJ, but you must admit that it is different than what we were taught at school. After fighting it for a long time, I have come around. They may not win your hearts, but they win you minds. Lower taxes, a rule of law, a strong national defense, tough policing, and anti-polical correctness in any form are all correct forms of public policy. During the Carter Administration, there was actually a discussion on whether the Presidency was too big a job for any one person. Then Ronald Reagan was elected and this type of talk went away. Similarly, before Rudy Giuliani, there was even wider talk about whether NYC was governable. Long before 9/11 this talk had long disappeared. Post-9/11 the government has proven that NYC is both governable and that dedicated public service men and women make are lives safer and can handle almost any type of emergency. The WSJ editorial pages was right on this and about Clinton all along. You may not like it and they may even sometimes be wrong, but history will show that they have a much better record on big issues than the NYT. I say this even though I unassamedly learn things from the NYT. Sun Apr 14 23:56:45 -0700 2002 1562012 0 A changed Man 6 1562080 My main issue with them is that they are just as prone to stick their heads in the sand on conservative transgressions, as they are ready to howl from the rooftop about any liberal missteps. The sale of the US Government to Corporate America is one that they pay no heed to at all. But, as I noted, their news reporters are excellent for the most part and do a terrific job in covering, and uncovering the events of the day. No paper has a monopoly on truth, justice and the American Way. But if you read a variety of them, like I try to do daily, you get a pretty balanced and nuanced read on things. Mon Apr 15 09:34:29 -0700 2002 1562063 0 WLA 7 1562085 This thread has drifted off topic for the General board, which is for food talk that isn't specific to any of the regional boards. When this happens, it happens QUICKLY, and in no time there can be a long thread that really belongs on another board. If there are subsequent replies, please move them to Not About Food (with a quick pointer on this board that the thread is moving). Thanks for reading and back to the chow. Mon Apr 15 10:25:10 -0700 2002 1562080 2 The Chowhound Team 4 1562044 During the Vietnam years, some people violently opposed to the war read the Journal, claiming it was the best mainstream souce of information. The theory was that people who needed the news to make money needed to hear what really was going on. Sun Apr 14 17:30:47 -0700 2002 1562000 0 saucyknave