National Tonkoon's Vacation

[InternetApex]

I'm in for Parsons Saturday.

Saturday Parsons Yes.

RT if you're down with me.

Even if Pex is there, I'd go.  What time were we thinking?  I probably can't go between the hours of 11-2 or so, but after that I'm down to clown for a little bit at least.

We're going to do the boat tour and, I'd guess, lunch with Bill and TJ, so we probably won't be able to get until mid-afternoon.

Went to that Rock Bottom place yesterday, as you suggested.  On a hot day it would have been bliss, but it was actually a little cool up there, especially in the shade.  Food and beer were pretty good, though, and not unreasonably priced.

Wait...somehow I missed this.  Someone suggested you go to Rock Bottom?  You know we have one of those in Denver.  It's not even in Denver.  It's in a fucking suburb of Denver.  Jesus.  What's happened to this board?

There's one in Iowa, too. Way to find some hidden jewels for Tonk to visit, people. Has he ever been to Applebee's?

They also have them in Omaha and Nashville, so maybe Tonk can just tour them all and let us know which locations are best.

I guess you guys missed the episode of House Hunters where TDubbs moved to the suburbs.

Ah, well if Tonk gets homesick then TDubbs can direct him to the nearest Outback Steakhouse I guess.

Look, I've never heard of the dump. I'll go wherever Butthead tells me to go.

Blame TDubbs for the bad Rock Bottom suggestion. I'll take credit for his good Parsons suggestion though.

I was lost. Somebody told him to go to Rock Bottom and I figured it must be something different than what they have in Indy. Nope. Very mediocre but I used to go there to watch basketball games sometimes.

So Parsons is not a chain? And we're going there Saturday at 4 p.m. to listen to TDubbs talk? Ok!

Honestly, it was fine.  Geographically speaking, it was pretty much exactly where I needed to be that lunchtime, and they had ridiculously good value kids' meals.  The beer was genuinely pretty good, too.

I'm missing the point, though, aren't I?

I dunno, I'm conflicted.  While I enjoy TDubbs getting dogpiled, I also feel everyone being so quick to display their sophistication (ugh...a chain restaurant...how gross and uncool!) to be some rather annoyingly heavy-handed hipsterism. 

You're on vacation, go wherever the hell you want, I won't judge.

I don't even know what this place is anymore.

I fucking laughed all the way down this page. I went to Rock Bottom in Indy like last year. It was right where I needed to be that lunchtime. Fuck it. 

[Tonker]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

[flannj]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

[Quality Start Machine]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

This. There's a Market Creations over there that would give you cheap. Provide your own cheerfulness. Or you could hit Mariano's (grocery store) and they can whip up something for you so you can improvise a little picnic.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

Agreed, though I do like being able out on as many pickles and honking onion slices (sorry, TEC) on the burger as I desire. It won't kill you and you can mark it off your bucket list.  If you go, though, you have to at least get a double cheeseburger as a regular party's like 1/10th of a millimeter after being cooked.

[InternetApex]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

Agreed, though I do like being able out on as many pickles and honking onion slices (sorry, TEC) on the burger as I desire. It won't kill you and you can mark it off your bucket list.  If you go, though, you have to at least get a double cheeseburger as a regular party's like 1/10th of a millimeter after being cooked.

I can tell you're able out on a lot of pickles.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Also Tonk--be sure to dress as lightly as possible this weekend. It's going to be as hot as a witch's asshole.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

Agreed, though I do like being able to put on as many pickles and honking onion slices (sorry, TEC) on the burger as I desire. It won't kill you and you can mark it off your bucket list.  If you go, though, you have to at least get a double cheeseburger as a regular party's like 1/10th of a millimeter after being cooked.

I can tell you're able out on a lot of pickles.

Indeed

[Bort]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

Agreed, though I do like being able out on as many pickles and honking onion slices (sorry, TEC) on the burger as I desire. It won't kill you and you can mark it off your bucket list.  If you go, though, you have to at least get a double cheeseburger as a regular party's like 1/10th of a millimeter after being cooked.

I see you avoided typos by turning on AutoPANK.

[R-V]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

This. There's a Market Creations over there that would give you cheap. Provide your own cheerfulness. Or you could hit Mariano's (grocery store) and they can whip up something for you so you can improvise a little picnic.

Yeah if you're looking for something that's (a) cheap and (b) easily walkable from Maggie Daley, hit up Mariano's. They've got a ton of prepared foods - sandwiches, pizza, even sushi and chicken fingers & mac & cheese for the kids. Also a huge salad bar if you haven't had your first proper shit yet. They also sell individual beers on the lower level and have plenty of indoor/outdoor seating, or like Fork said you can head back over to the park for a picnic.

Or if you're looking to sit down somewhere - Wildberry Cafe is about as cheap as you're going to get a sit down meal in this part of town. Plentiful portions for a large adult Aussie such as yourself and a huge breakfast & lunch menu. Only catch here is I don't think they serve alcohol.

Final option if you're into fish and your definition of cheap is different than mine is Brown Bag Seafood. Pricey but very good. I do believe they have booze here but not 100% sure on that.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Okay, guys: today we're going to the Maggie Daley.  Where are we having lunch?  Cheap and cheerful is good.

I was thinking of taking the kids down to the Billy Goat because it's an experience down there, but honestly, as I recall, the burgers were not great.  Am I misremembering?

the food sucks

Agreed, though I do like being able out on as many pickles and honking onion slices (sorry, TEC) on the burger as I desire. It won't kill you and you can mark it off your bucket list.  If you go, though, you have to at least get a double cheeseburger as a regular party's like 1/10th of a millimeter after being cooked.

I see you avoided typos by turning on AutoPANK.

Yes, autocorrect, which is why it doesn't seem as flagrantly retarded as my usual PANKISMS

[Tonker]

Mariano's sounds perfect: we can have a bit of a pique-nique, as the French say.  Cheers, boys: see you tomorrow, those of you who are coming to Parsons at 1600.

[InternetApex]

Mariano's sounds perfect: we can have a bit of a pique-nique, as the French say.  Cheers, boys: see you tomorrow, those of you who are coming to Parsons at 1600.

GONNA CHICKENEN!!!

[Tonker]

So, Maggie Daley park was way, way, WAY too fucking hot: lots of concrete underfoot and nowhere near enough shade made it hotter than Huey's rage down there.  We checked out Millennium park on the way there, though, and there was all sorts of stuff going on, including an orchestra rehearsing on the stage there so we sat and listened to them for a while, which was très civilised.  After that we walked over to the lake and ate snow cones under a tree, tried to walk to the Pier but gave up in the heat and just headed back to Mariano's which was fucking fantastic by the way.  What a great place.  Their terrace is lovely but the garden on the lower level is a blissful oasis in the heart of downtown, just gorgeous.  Then back to Humboldt Park for HTonk and ATonk to play with all the little brown children at the splash pad.  Lovely job.

[Bort]

So, Maggie Daley park was way, way, WAY too fucking hot: lots of concrete underfoot and nowhere near enough shade made it hotter than Huey's rage down there.  We checked out Millennium park on the way there, though, and there was all sorts of stuff going on, including an orchestra rehearsing on the stage there so we sat and listened to them for a while, which was très civilised.  After that we walked over to the lake and ate snow cones under a tree, tried to walk to the Pier but gave up in the heat and just headed back to Mariano's which was fucking fantastic by the way.  What a great place.  Their terrace is lovely but the garden on the lower level is a blissful oasis in the heart of downtown, just gorgeous.  Then back to Humboldt Park for HTonk and ATonk to play with all the little brown children at the splash pad.  Lovely job.

I used to eat lunch there all the time when I was gainfully employed. Which feels like a fever dream now.