Velocity on BJ's, snobs and skeptics: Very corporate (duh).

Sometimes we ALL need to set back and chill out....

[Robin Garr]

Welcome to the world of journalism, Josh ... you sign your name on an opinion around here (or even sign someone else's name ) and you'll get feedback. That's what discussions are all about.

We usually handle registrations within a few minutes around here, but no big deal. Repeating, we're glad you're here, and Lisa, too. You're welcome to post any time, although if at your leisure you would consider registering under your own name, we'll process that just as quickly as we can.

Please don't liken this locally owned and operated Internet portal to the CJ's or Velocity's "blogs" or, for that matter, to any other, though. We like to think we're "weird" in the best Louisville way, but it seems you get into the deepest water when you assume things (registration delays, argumentative debates) based upon how things work in other places.

We'd be happy to talk about food and drink with you. We might even yap at you about what you write ... you're a bylined reporter, it comes with that territory. There's nothing wrong with that.

OK, I will stick my neck out. After following this thread, I decided to see for myself and had lunch today at BJ's. As local Originals owners and publicans know, I am a very strong supporter. That said, the room at BJ's is large and comfortable. There is no inside connection with the mall. I was told that it is because BJ's is open long after the mall is closed. The food was good with very large portions at reasonable prices. I tried two beers: the Munich style wheat and the strong Irish ale. While both were good, the wheat was better. I would go back but not any time soon. For chains with local outposts in this market space, I would rank BJ's near the top.

On your points:
(Repetitive backquote deleted)

Josh -

Quite valid points.

While i try to purchase and shop as locally as possible, we're all victims of being oftentimes having to shell our money into corporate pockets.
As you mentioned about having to keep a roof over yet head...
i can empathize.

Purchasing locally is oftentimes more pricey than purchasing your macro-meal to feed your loins.

i shop Kroger for food most of the time, and tend to purchase mass, pre-fab food..
i know better, and know i should be cooking from scratch, but it's inconvenient and i do it for a living. (so it's usually the last thing i want to do)

...i wouldn't imagine you or Robin, go home and write because your belly commands it.

I'll try to not bash heads open more than i usually do...
but i think it's entirely fair to suggest that if you don't write for a locally owned-rag your views are suspect and questionable here.
Perhaps its' the anti-Gannett sentiments here (or anything corporate for that matter), or perhaps it hits a deeper personal stride.

It's not my role to judge reasoning or rationale.

Food for thought.

weigh out the prime local food media sources (print or online) in town and you'll find a majority or locally operated/owned ventures.

off the top of my head these come to mind:

Louisville Hot Bytes
LEO
Courier-Journal
Velocity
Voice-Tribune
Louisville Magazine
Food and Dining (Louisville Edition)

Now weigh out the sources who share the same principal food critic and you'll find there are really less than 7 food opinions (not including guest writers) in town.


I have a favorite Louisville food critic, who's not afraid to hold back his punches in their reviews...


ah, f$%& it.


i'm done.

[Robin Garr]

OK, I will stick my neck out. After following this thread, I decided to see for myself and had lunch today at BJ's.

Robert, thanks! There's no substitute (as Matt points out) for actual experience in favor of even the most orotund opinionating.

I wish I had known you guys were going to be over there today ... I could have used both a beer and a good sandwich at lunch time!

Hmmmm ... I wonder how interesting it might be to assemble a group of forumites over there some time for a serious session of fun, frivolity and analysis. I wonder if management would even HAVE us!

Welcome to the world of journalism, Matt ...

...the guys name is Josh.

wrong biblical name.
it's not like they're even close or rhyme.

waaaaay off on citing your references.

[Robin Garr]

Welcome to the world of journalism, Matt ...

...the guys name is Josh.

waaaaay off on citing your references.

Thank you, Ethan. Have another drink, while I go correct my own stupid error.

[Robin Garr]

OK, I will stick my neck out. After following this thread, I decided to see for myself and had lunch today at BJ's.

Robert, thanks! There's no substitute (as Josh points out) for actual experience in favor of even the most orotund opinionating.

I wish I had known you guys were going to be over there today ... I could have used both a beer and a good sandwich at lunch time!

Hmmmm ... I wonder how interesting it might be to assemble a group of forumites over there some time for a serious session of fun, frivolity and analysis. I wonder if management would even HAVE us!

Thank you, Ethan. Have another drink, while I go correct my own stupid error.

It's my day off...
you've pegged me oh too well.

[Robin Garr]

It's my day off..
you've pegged me oh too well.

All is forgiven.

Try to be nice, though. You're too young a guy - and from all I hear, too decent a guy - to have the kind of reputation you're giving yourself over here. You're not going to turn into Tony Bourdain for a really really long time, no matter how much you might wish it would happen.

I'm still getting over a recent close encounter with the medical system, myself. I'm doing pretty good, but my vision is about one-third what it should be, and that does make it kind of hard for me to tell a guy named Josh from a guy named Matt, especially when he is logging in as "Lisa."

Now give me a little glass of whatever you're having ...

Sometimes we ALL need to set back and chill out....

Can we PLEASE open one of those other forums i suggested where we can all just bitch and punch each other in the face and groin and make fun of each other and sucker punch and spit and get heated and angry and started a damn riot already?!?!?


and and and and and...


sorry about the "and" spree.

[Robin Garr]

Sometimes we ALL need to set back and chill out....

Yeah, and what fun would this forum be THEN?

Talking about food and drink ... even arguing about food and drink ... is what a forum community is all about, Robert. Most of us do it because we are intrigued and energized by food and drink and thinking about it at a somewhat advanced level. This is not something that life requires, but by and large, people come together in communities because we share common interests and passions.

I wouldn't be much of a participant on a weather forecasters' forum. I might have opinions, and I might even express them noisily, but the experts would out me pretty fast when I started yapping about zonal flow and short wave troffing. I'm sure I would be welcome to lurk, and as long as I wasn't obnoxious, I'd probably even be tolerated as a poster. I'm not sure why I would want to do that, though.

Just some stuff to think about.

It's my day off..
you've pegged me oh too well.

All is forgiven.

Try to be nice, though. You're too young a guy - and from all I hear, too decent a guy - to have the kind of reputation you're giving yourself over here. You're not going to turn into Tony Bourdain for a really really long time, no matter how much you might wish it would happen.

I'm still getting over a recent close encounter with the medical system, myself. I'm doing pretty good, but my vision is about one-third what it should be, and that does make it kind of hard for me to tell a guy named Josh from a guy named Matt, especially when he is logging in as "Lisa."

Now give me a little glass of whatever you're having ...

Bourbon good for you Robin?
I'll send a glass your way...

I'd like to think i'm a decent guy, and i'd like to think my "reputation" isn't tarnished from speaking my mind, even if it's contrary to the general consensus.
It's not like i'm a politician or something.




I'll say this.

Robin... by all means; say your mind and speak what you want.
"Forumites" (damn, i hate that term... it makes people sound like peons and serfs knelling to a master)... give your opinion.


and those who work in the business...
Open you mouths.

my throat is dry.


and please, let's not bash the other critics in town just because you may not agree with their opinion.
Like it or not, we all know a good or bad review affects business regardless of the source.

people still have bills and pay and livelihoods to make regardless of there source/choice of income...
whether or not they are naive to how nice of a place they work at or not.

Just some stuff to think about.

i concur.

[Robin Garr]

Bourbon good for you Robin?
I'll send a glass your way...

You dang betcha! (holding out glass)

i'd like to think my "reputation" isn't tarnished from speaking my mind, even if it's contrary to the general consensus.

No way! You seem to be mistaking yourself for Roger. Honestly, Ethan, your opinions on food and stuff aren't all that far out.

Robin... by all means; say your mind and speak what you want.

Why, I believe maybe I will!

"Forumites" (damn, i hate that term... it makes people sound like peons and serfs knelling to a master)... give your opinion.

Does ANYONE out there who actually participates here believe that this image has the slightest degree of connection with reality?

and those who work in the business...
Open you mouths.

I think you'll find that an awful lot of people around here do that, too. Ethan, my man ... you really are a good guy. But I think you somehow got the idea that you're leading a big parade. Those marchers are actually following the 76 trombones way up there in the front ... let's go catch 'em now ...

my throat is dry.

Drink up, then!

and please, let's not bash the other critics in town just because you may not agree with their opinion.
Like it or not, we all know a good or bad review affects business regardless of the source.

There is a fine line between "bashing" and indulging in at least halfway serious criticism. LouisvilleHotBytes.com happens to be a publication and community that indulges in legitimate criticism of the Louisville and regional food, drink and dining scene, and it is well within that franchise to discuss both restaurants and the people who review them (including me). "Bashing" is rarely in good taste, but it was certainly appropriate to point out the many problems with the CJ's dining coverage for many years ... and to mark the distinct improvement when Marty came in ... and to observe the continued issues of priorities and costs that come with corporate control. This stuff is not "bashing," but those who find criticism uncomfortable may not find it their particular cup of tea.