Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Date Night with the Wife.

My favorite restaurant is Haab's in Ypsilanti, MI.

I know the owner from having eaten there for 30 years.

Mike told me about this event coming up and made a reservation for Scherie and I for last night.




An evening of this and dinner.

I love big band.
They did some Glenn Miller, some Ellington, Art Blakey.

They are the Depot Town Big Band.

We'll be back.

Hopefully the chatterboxes who seemed to come for some other purpose than listening to good music will be somewhere else.

17 comments:

  1. I'm a big fan of Big Band too. Mostly listen to Classic these days. Calms the savage beast. *giggle* Hope your evening was special and memorable. ~:)

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    1. It was fun. Some youngsters in the office want to go next.

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  2. Sounds like a great place and a wonderful evening, Ed.

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  3. Awesome. I do see from my FB feed that you and the Mrs check into this place every other week. Now i see why. I kinda like the ambient noise of the diners. The small talk and clinking of silver... Very cool mood.

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  4. Love the music, Ed. No surprise that Henry Mancini began his career with Glenn Miller's reformed orchestra under Tex Beneke.

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    1. It was a magical evening.
      We also had a Groupon and ate like royalty.
      I grew up listening to Big Band records with my dad explaining who's who.

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  5. Honestly, if people don't want to enjoy the music while eating they should go somewhere else that night.
    They're like cell phones bleeting at an Opera.

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    1. My mom was a nightclub singer in the 40's and she used to tell me, when I was a child, how rude she thought it was that people who had come to hear the band (and singer) were distracted by the talkers.

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    1. Yep. I don't think I'll get into the next performance if all the people I've described it to go as they say they will.
      Shoulda kept my mouth shut.

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  7. I've sung in clubs for years...not anymore, but it's not out of the question. And singing with a Forties-style band is THE most rewarding, next to a good jazz pianist, that is.
    Glad you had such a good time! And yes, it's tough when you're performing in a place with drinking and eating, but noise DOES happen. Talking should NOT, of course...at least not loud.. I never minded it, but other singers used to complain that smokers seemed to blow smoke right down the singers' throats...!

    Got to brag a bit because it's such a happy memory: One night, a very very old Black man was escorted with his party to a table quite near the microphone/piano...I sang a lot that night and was leaving the piano when a man came to ask me to join his table...I walked over and they introduced one of the INK SPOTS, who complimented me on my voice....that was a great feeling!

    Ed...you made a mistake on this blog: You know ME AND FOOD: you neglected to say WHAT YOU ATE :-)

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    1. No brag, just fact. An Inkspot. That's something to be proud of. I'm glad you shared it.
      Well. We had a Groupon.
      $25 and we each got anything on the menu and an appetizer.
      So I got the Filet Mignon.
      Haab's is rated one of the best steakhouses in Southeast Michigan, but I usually get Ramake or their famous fried chicken.
      Once a year, on our anniversary I get the filet, like I did on our wedding night when Scherie got Lamb Chops.
      So this was a treat.
      Scherie got the french onion soup and we got onion rings as an appetizer, but for a meal, she ordered the Salmon Caesar Salad like she always does, which I felt was a waste of the Groupon.
      Savoring that steak, munching on the crispy shoestring fries, listening to the music and watching the musicians....
      Heavenly. Savored every moment, every taste.
      Funny story.
      Wherever we eat, most waitstaff knows Scherie wants her soup scaldingly boiling hot.
      One night at Haab's, the waitress came out all apologetic before we ordered and said that the chef would not serve her soup over 180 degrees.
      The soup came out hot, but not hot enough. It went back once and when it came back, it was not hot enough.
      I got up and went back to the kitchen, and there was a new chef.
      I asked if he was the chef and he asked if I was the guy who wanted his soup hot. I asked where I had to sign a waiver. He said he'd take care of it and later came out to see how it was.
      He then gave us free dessert.
      I love that place.

      The band leader came over and talked after they were done and it turns out we know some of the same people being from the same town about an hour away.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  8. That's a great story, thanks, Ed...and the food sounds FABULOUS!
    GREAT story about the hot soup; someone knew about the McDonald's law suit, right!?
    Ya, good food, good music, and "where everybody knows your name"...and your dear wife alongside....what a night! Thanks!

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