Mark and Lynn gush about the North Fork Table and Inn in Jamesport, NY

Mark and Lynn have long loved The North Fork Table and Inn. The owners Mike and Mary Mraz are both warm and gracious hosts and visit the tables of the patrons as part of the process of making a memorable dining experience.

M & L decided to have lunch there on Valentine's and as usual we were swept up in the minimal, but sensual nature of the place; crisp, perfect linens pared with simple, but intense red roses; creaky floors pared with a great soundtrack from the Grand Ole Opry.



Lynn had nicely crusted monkfish and I had tuna. Both functioned as much as a thing of artistic beauty besides being perfectly and thoughtfully prepared. I had one of the best drinks of my life there the "Kit Carson" (see post underneath).

The waitstaff is instinctive and efficient without being mechanical. The only problem were other diners present that day. The couple next to us spent the entire meal texting (sepearately) and fretting about their kids. This kind of over-parenting and OCD behavior is a real problem in not only restaraunts but the public in general. That is why Mark and Lynn don't text...

Mark and Lynn's Favorite New Drink: The Kit Carson at North Fork Table and Inn...

A great drink that Mark and Lynn discovered at the North Fork Table and Inn in Southold, NY (Long Island) -The Kit Carson consisting of Stranahan' Colorado Whisky, Sweet Vermouth and Angostura Bitters. A great, warming and relxing drink and a great tribute to the mythical western scout, trapper and soldier.

Wilmington Trip-ABC stores and what they mean...

As readers of this site know, M & L frequently venture to North Carolina to see our ever-expanding family. During our trips there, a stop at the ABC store is essential. What is an ABC store you might ask?

According to the North Carolina ABC website: "North Carolina is one of 19 control states and a member of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association . As an agency under the Department of Commerce, it is our overall objective to provide uniform control over the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages in the state."

ABC stores are as much a part of the landscape of North Carolina as shotgun racks, basketball courts and pickups. The stores themselves are kind of fascinating and are an interesting aspect of the Bible Belt culture in that they are extremely concerned with being discreet. These places have no windows and often have the parking tucked away behind the building. Nobody strides normally into these places; there is a sense of going into someplace illicit and unsavory. This feeling connects to the shame that southerners feel about the partaking of spirits (in a public way). It is almost a pornographic enterprise to buy vodka, bourbon, etc in the south.

But, for what it is worth, what a place! You can get great buys on liquor there (especially bourbon). There is basically moon-shine for sale there (cough, cough, I mean corn liquor). The cashiers are inevitably good old boys who ask you where you are from and mention that you hope that "We'll push through today" (meaning that the UNC-Tar Heels of which Mark is an alummn will beat the sub-par and/or despicable Wolfpack, Blue Devils, etc).

www.ncabc.com