Saint-Emilion. Again. Kind of.

My son, Stephen, went to Saint-Emilion for his anniversary a couple nights ago. I asked him to write a review of it.

He did.

Here it is:

"Saint Emilion: best restaurant I have ever been to in my life."

Maybe I should have more specific about how long the review should be. High praise, nevertheless.
.

Big Taste of Fort Worth for Big Brothers

Big Brothers & Big Sisters is the beneficiary of the upcoming, 30th Annual Big Taste of Forth Worth event and competition. Date: April 26 at the Hilton, downtown.

Local restaurants submit dishes to be tasted, you get to try them all, and a panel of judges picks the winners in category. You get great food, wine, a Grey Goose martini bar, dancing, and the knowledge that you are supporting one of the good guys in the world of non-profits, that is, the Big Brothers organization. What a deal.

Go. It's a good cause and is a lot of fun.

If you can't swing the $85 ($150 for 2), maybe your company will sponsor you, give to the cause, and let you enjoy the festivities. Here is an excerpt from their press release and then a link to the event website.

"The 30th Annual Big Taste of Fort Worth promises foodies a culinary experience well worth the price of admission. With the newest hot spots backed by some of the biggest names joining this tasting event’s restaurant roster, attendees can count on a fierce battle for “Best of Fort Worth” bragging rights. Fort Worth newcomers such as Buttons, Grace and Eddie V’s are joining the lineup of the city’s finest dining establishments such as Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, Reata and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for the event on Sunday, April 26, at the Hilton Fort Worth Hotel at 815 Main Street in Fort Worth. The event benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters’ youth mentoring programs."

Some of the participating restaurants:

• Bonnell's Restaurant
  
• Buttons
• Cabot Creamery
• Cantina Laredo
• City Kitchen
• Daddy Jack's Lobster & Chowder House
• Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
• Eddie V's Prime Seafood
• Fred's Cafe
• Grace
• Hilton Fort Worth Hotel
• It's a Cinch Chocolate Fountains
• Lambert's
• Piranha's Killer Sushi
• RJ Rivera Catering
• Reata
• Ridglea Country Club
• Ruth's Chris Steak House
• The Bull Ring
• The Covey Restaurant & Brewery
• Tokyo Cafe
• Ultimate Cuisine and Events
• Wildcatter Steakhouse
  

I wouldn't mention this unless I liked the organization, which I do. Thanks.

Their website: http://www.bbbs.org/site

Prometheus and the Invisible.

Fire has come a long way since the day of the Promethean gift. I am reading in today's New York Times of a recent experiment to bend light waves around an object so that the object, a beach ball say, disappears -- at least to one's sight.

It was the Titan god, Prometheus, who started man on this quest to conquer his domain, when he, Prometheus, stole fire from the lightning bolt of Zeus and gave it as a gift to mankind. Zeus punished Prometheus because he feared it would make man like gods.

But equipped with fire, we began our first steps to conquer the world around us. Now thousands of years later Zeus' lightning has been harnessed, wired, transmitted, and even re-directed.

We can be not only warm in winter, but cool in summer, well-lit in the day and night, transported without the effort of walking, and entertained without the effort of thinking. All good things but things which give us a false sense of mastery over the natural order.

The grand and insignificant can easily humble us -- a hurricane cuts off the electricity in subfreezing weather, or a couple of birds fly into a jet engine -- either way, and the unforgiving natural laws conquer us. The separation between life and death is literally inches, seconds, degrees, or molecules away. The fragility of our existence is staggering.

The more we conquer this world the more we separate ourselves from its grim reality and the Olympians who can swallow us and leave no trace.

So I am conflicted about science and progress. The good I enjoy, the evil troubles me. And its effect on the mind and soul is "to be announced" many years from now.

Maybe Zeus was right.

Houston Street Bar. Great for a Party.

Brinton and I went to Houston Street Bar and Patio after our evening at Zambrano's and found a great place to hang out, watch a game, or meet up with friends.

Houston Street Bar is tucked between Zambrano's and Bar 9, across the street from Bent. It offers a beautiful rooftop patio, an abundance of flat screen televisions showing any game imaginable, and the owners said they would be happy to change the channel if there was a particular game we wanted to watch. Upstairs, there are two projectors showing games on the side of the building -- very cool. (Editors note:Can you say Final Four?)

One thing sets Houston Street Bar apart from the other bar/pubs -- they do not serve food -- but they let you bring food in or have it delivered. I love this idea. Order a pizza or appetizers from Cef next door, or have Pizza Hut deliver wings, while you sit on the patio and enjoy your beer, game, and friends in a cool urban setting. We asked them about having parties on the rooftop and they were very accommodating -- you provide the food and order the alcohol from them.

We really liked this place and will definitely go back.

Houston Street Bar & Patio
902 Houston Street
Fort Worth, TX
(817) 877-4727

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation.

A Byzantine icon of the Annunciation from Ohrid, early 14th century



In Christianity, the Annunciation is the revelation to Mary, the mother of Jesus, by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive a child to be born the Son of God. Some Christian churches celebrate this with the Feast of Annunciation on March 25, which as the Incarnation is nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Jesus, or Christmas.

From Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annunciation