Unless you want to do a print-on-demand shirt: Create Custom Clothing - CafePress – No Minimums. I reckon $14.95. Any designers out there?
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How much for fucksakes???
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Still trying to unload my stock of DON’T DUMP TRUMP bumper stickers. After I sell those off in about - NEVER! - I’ll work on the t-shirts.
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I’ll buy one if you cut off “don’t.”
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But if I do this for you, then someone else will want to cut out DUMP, and the next thing you know, everybody will want to drop TRUMP!
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You guys have been having some fucking fun I see.
I wanted to add to the previous discussion of Republique, Bestia and “comparisons”, but worried about going too far off topic. I can see that won’t be a problem.
I happened to happen upon a good comparison - Maccheroni Republic in DTLA. We took a few family members out for a birthday dinner to an improbable location for a homey Italian trattoria. It is delightfully unhip!
One of the best Italian-American meals we’ve had: Bread w/Olive Oils (one infused w/imported peperoncino), Bruschetta di Panzanella, Castelfranco Salad w/dried Ricotta & Avocado, Ciopinno, Bianchi & Neri, Spaghetti aI Quattro Sapori, Lasagna di Carne, Mascarpone Flan, 2 Lg Bottles of Water, Wine Corkage and a dbl Espresso. $160.00 including a 25% tip + $12.00 parking (we were running late and didn’t want to circle the block) = $172.00. I was brought up not to talk about price. But sometimes I think that’s dumb. This warrants it.
Just to add to the glow, which I think makes a huge difference. The owners and staff (mostly Italian) were incredibly welcoming, gracious and so very efficient. The waitress memorized our names!
We decided on a picture-free evening. But will definitely return and do a report w/pictures, descriptions and English translations.
So here’s the comparison. As I mentioned, I have not been to the 2 above referenced restaurants. But one of my dinner companions has… and to Italy twice. She said that although she really enjoys Bestia & Republique (mostly French I know), she much prefers the food and the warmth of Maccheroni Republic.
I love J.Gold and his lists. But this is definitely on our 101.
P.S. As we were leaving we happened upon a stream of young Trump protesters. Vive la Revolution!
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Sounds like you folks had a great meal. How were the crowds? Also, I looked up some yelp pix, and I could swear J Gold is seated in the second photo.
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ha, there’s no mistaking that hair and those suspenders.
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We were worried about that, since they have a no reservations policy. But we got there before 6pm and were seated right away. When we left there was a small line. But a lot of tables were clearing and the wait didn’t seem bad.
That does look like J Gold. He looks like he’s with his lawyers 
.
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Oh well… we love you. That was a nice bit of writing you just did right here.
I am starting to give my books away (decluttering). But couldn’t part with my Vonneguts.
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If I’m not mistaken, early food critics were not. They were generally people who lived off of a small trust fund (or something), didn’t hold a regular job and were able to travel. They were happy just to have a newspaper or magazine pay their food bills and in return they would write a little something.
Did you really write those two words in the same sentence on an L.A. food board? You could could get assaulted for that. I haven’t been, so no opinion. But some on FTC have practically canonized the place.
What? When did pan drippings become a thing on a menu? And if it’s not good maybe it’s because it’s not real pan drippings. You know, that greasy, salty fond at the bottom of a pan, used to enhance a sauce or gravy? 
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Personally, I was just ruined by the pan drippings at Chi Spacca, I doubt anything will ever compare haha.
Republique basically serves a little pot of gravy with bageutte when you order the pan drippings. Doesn’t hold much appeal to me personally, seemed very forgettable.
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You and this thread are making me have to check out Republique. But since we’re on the subject… again, chi Spacca has always held a little more curiosity for me.
I recently read a piece, listing foods restaurants gouge you on the most. Ding ding ding… Oysters!
Maccheroni Republic is a fun little spot, but in terms of food, it does not compare to Bestia or Republique (Republique doesn’t really make sense specifically in this conversation if it is about Italian food either…).
Whether your main criterion for dining is atmosphere instead of food quality is a separate discussion I think.
Personally, if I am paying Republique prices, it’s for food and drinks that are so good they make me not care about the service really.
Naturally, if other people have different prefences then their internal calculus will be different.
On the other hand, you have a friend that thinks the food is better at the place…which I find suspect, some people seem to recall food tasting better when they enjoy themselves more because of good service. I’ve been with these kinds of people before. Maccheroni Republic is not bad food at all, but when a party can eat for less than some of the meals for 1 I’ve had at Republique you are forced to believe that either the quality of ingredients must be higher, or else Republique must indeed be an extraordinary ripoff. Personally, the pastas at the two places are so different (French v Italian) that a comparison seems unfair, but in terms of nuances of flavor, perfection of pasta, quality of ingredients, and pure gustatory experience it seems to my palate that Republique is in a different league altogether. I’ve actually taken bites of pasta at Republique and gotten a “food high”, which I assume is a kind of magical rush of endorphins that light up your body like a blast of MDMA when food is prepared in a way that sets of all of your taste receptors in just the right way.
Of course, if Republique isn’t doing that for you, then paying 2-5x the price of Maccheroni Republic pasta must seem completely insane.
In the end…it’s all a wash I guess; preferences are preferences. In many ways I an envious; if I could enjoy $12 pasta more than $29 pasta, I would be most grateful. Alas, to my taste buds, there is as significant a difference in culinary qualities as there is in price =/
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Chi Spacca is a more unique experience I guess. I can’t think of another place like.
But I don’t really go since Colby’s departure. I probably should go back though, especially since they are doing goat.
I think one must be a fairly large fan of meat to fully enjoy themselves there. But then again I once had a vegetarian there who thought it was incredible.
A lot of posters are miffed about Luv2Eat not being on the list. Maybe J Gold doesn’t like the place. Rather than write a bad review and upset his fans & readers he simply omits. This is random, but I feel that way when I see Time Warner Cable give every Judd Apatow movie 3-4 stars and Ice Cube’s Friday gets 1 star. I’d rather it be one of those occasions when you see a movie has curiously received no star at all (that one just makes you go 
).