Diners

So Phil Rosenthal (Everybody Loves Raymond, Somebody Feed Phil) is opening a diner called Max and Helens. They were his parents that appeared on his latest show.  Phil would have comedian pals send a "joke for Max." in many episodes.  As all parents do, they died.  I saw a recent interview with him where is was shared that the diner and is concept is a dying tradition.  It's really an eastern convention that serves regular home style meals like you may get for breakfast or dinner.  Coffee that flows like a river of life is served in thick ceramic cups and never is empty.  

In New Jersey there still are many of these places.  Old men gather there in the mornings to meet with their life long friends.  Men in work clothes shuffle in for breakfast before starting their labors.  Discussions over the work ahead and last nights sports event fill the air.  No one is fancy.  Everyone has their favorite waitress looking like your favorite aunt, that recognized them by name.  This was a place that just felt like home away from home.  

When I was out as a salesman,  I would stop to eat at diners always noticing mood of the places and leave quite satisfied full of the spectacular cheesecake.  

Eating together is an important ritual that has fallen off with everyone being so busy, getting thru the day jamming something in the mouth and running out the door..  Family dinners are more of a rarity because all are going in multiple directions at once. Cooking and plating and placing it in front of family members does not occur enough.

So, make soup or spaghetti or blintzes or shawarma sandwiches and eat together.  That is the key word.

thats it