La Forchetta

I keep getting Zogby polls about flatware. It's very frustrating, because there aren't any write-in comments where I can complain about the Bush administration. No, I don't know what company makes those forks you're showing me and until I have the opportunity to stick the tines in a neo-con's hand, I won't need to know where to send my letter of appreciation.

Tonight I went to Cinelli's for dinner and had linguine with clam sauce, substituting rigatoni for the linguine. Unfortunately, the pasta way more al dente than I like, which is better than the alternative, but a little too chewy. Otherwise it was good. We also shared garlic bread, which was great.

Afterwards, we went to see the Ciompi Quartet in the Nelson Music Room. While I'd seen the quartet perform a couple of times in the Levine Science Research Center, I'd never been to a concert there. When I was a student, the second floor of the East Duke building was completely inaccessible and that actually became quite controversial, leading them to cancel all concerts there for a time. Not too long after I graduated, they completed the Richard White Building, next door, which provides access via a catwalk. In any case, it's a very nice venue for music. There was a reception downstairs after the performance, which is apparently traditional for the last Ciompi Quartet concert of the season.