‘Goddess Went Down to Reno’
Apparently knowing the city in which you are driving is an optional skill for cab drivers.
Also, apparently knowing the hotel layout when you are a hotel employee is also a “nice to have” skill.
*bonk*
Dinner tonight was at Charlie Palmer’s, which was absolutely lovely. I will rave till the end of time about my French onion soup. And I hate onions. But it was filled with delicious beef brisket and it was covered in a piping-hot puff pastry shell and a layer o’ cheese. Dear God. Yum.
Anyway, it was a centralized meeting place for our airport arrivals and those of us who were already nestled in our hotel rooms. The address is Second Avenue. Fine — I went to Jack in the Box on Fourth Avenue today — how hard would it be to get there?
So I ask the cab driver to take us to Charlie Palmer’s. He said, “Where’s that?”
I’m like, “The steak place. Charlie Palmer’s. East Second Avenue.”
He said, “I’ve been driving cabs here for 11 years. Doesn’t exist.”
“It has to exist. It’s also known as CP’s. Does that ring a bell? They have a sister restaurant called Fin Fish — it’s in the same building.”
“Doesn’t ring a bell.”
So much for making it on time for the reservation. I said, “Go downtown,” because I had seen — gee, I don’t know — Second Avenue down there.
This is where I *~*heart*~* my iPhone even more than usual, as I called up the Web site and said, “Grand Sierra Resort.”
He looked blank. “You mean the Hilton?”
*bonk*
“No, not the Hilton. The Grand Sierra.”
“You mean the Resort? The Grand Sierra?”
*bonk*
“Yes, please.”
“Well, that’s not downtown!”
Blah. Anyway, we get to the Grand Sierra, whereupon we get lost inside.
So, I stopped a hotel employee. “Can you point me toward Charlie Palmer’s?”
She was incredulous. “CHARLIE DANIELS IS PLAYING A CONCERT HERE TONIGHT?!?!”
*smack*
No, not Charlie Daniels, you oaf. And don’t worry — I said it silently.
I’ve never had such a challenging time trying to find a freaking restaurant. But I did have to laugh when I got “Devil Went Down to Georgia” in my head — although in my mind, it was “Goddess went down to Reno, she was looking for a steak to eat.” 🙂