Gianni’s Restaurant, Aruba

After umpteen number of visits to Aruba, I finally dined at Gianni’s, which is located in the high-rise hotel area. This is a big restaurant with seating both inside and out, as well as a short length of bar to prime the pump if you’re in need. There have been many reviews of this place, talking about the good and the bad. My visit was quite satisfactory. Service was reliable, food decent, and the ambiance enjoyable. Let’s get to the food. As regular readers of The Bent Page know, I like my greens. Thus, a salad began the meal for me as seen here.

The salad was crisp and the right size. My companions enjoyed the caprese salad. See below:

Now that was a different presentation from what I’m used to seeing, but was reported to be delicious. On to the entrees. Let’s begin with the old reliable, fusilli bolognese.

The sauce was a bit more dense than what I’ve had at many other places. The flavor was good, but subdued. Then there was a rigatoni with artichokes as you’ll see next.

You can’t miss the glass of cabernet in the lower right. Much was had along with a couple of mojitos to keep things humming. Then there was the osso buco. Take a look.

That plate was wiped clean, right down to the marrow in the bone. So the rating was “delicious” on whole concoction. Desert was limited due to the large quantity of food consumed to the point. Still, room was created for a brownie with ice-cream.

I enjoyed my visit to Gianni’s and was glad to have finally made it there after all these years going to Aruba. We had a reservation for 7PM, which is probably a good idea. With all the nearby hotels, the place fills up quickly including large groups.

Enjoy the feast!

Rockefeller Rink

Ice-skating at Rockefeller Center is a favorite among New York City natives and visitors alike. The rink is set up below the central plaza, surrounded by flags of all nations above. Here’s a recent look at the space.

This winter has been mild (so far), and I’m sure it’s difficult to find a frozen pond to enjoy some skating. You can always stop in to the city, have some time on the ice here, then enjoy a great meal nearby. It’s a fun day with plenty to see and do. Enjoy it all.

Published in: on January 30, 2012 at 10:53 am  Leave a Comment  
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Waverly Restaurant (NYC)

The Waverly is really a diner, a real New York City diner, not a theme park styled imitation. I first visited this place in 1986 and it’s been cranking out the breakfast hits for me ever since. Lately, my visits are fewer and farther between, but enjoyable when they occur. If you’re looking for a breakfast served quick and hot, this is the place. Here’s a view of the outside.

The above photo shows how the place looks at about 6:30 in the morning. Can’t miss the retro neon. The most recent interior renovations have rendered the counter a bit shorter, but there are more booths and it is a little easier to move through the joint when it gets crowded, which it does. Scrambled eggs and bacon, French toast, all the breakfast favorites can be had here in less than five minutes. Stop in and find out for yourself.

Published in: on January 29, 2012 at 2:59 pm  Comments (1)  
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Kerstboom, Aruba

You’re in the Caribbean, palm trees waving in the breeze, clear water gleaming in the sun, and along comes… evergreens? That’s right, of all the zany things you’ll see in Aruba are fresh Christmas trees, known as kerstboom locally, for sale to celebrate the holiday. Here’s a photo:

Having come from a part of the world where these trees are grown, I was impressed at the selection. Many high quality trees were for sale. They arrive via refrigerated containers, which is a tremendous effort considering how far they have to travel to arrive in Aruba. Well, Christmas is a big deal here on the island. Stay tuned for photos and videos of the light displays. Increible!

Published in: on November 28, 2011 at 3:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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