Spoon #50: El Centro

Here we are with a milestone swap - the big five-oh!  At this point, we have swapped fifty spoons over the course of three years! 

Swap number Fifty took place at El Centro, in midtown.  Ms. Dish and I were in the neighborhood to see the hit Broadway musical Cabaret! 

I always have apprehensions about eating in the Times Square / Broadway area, but El Centro was a great cozy Tex-Mex joint! 

Swapping spoons at Mexican restaurants can be tricky business as there's usually not a lot on the menu that would come with a spoon.  Even the old standby of ordering a coffee can seem out of place.  Fortunately we were able to make Swap 50 happen with a bowl of Tortilla Soup. I'd never had Tortilla Soup before, but I am now a fan! 

And now with out further ado, here I present, Spoon NVMBER L!

A true classic, #50 sports the markings "Winco Stainless 18-10", of course with the mysterious "8 in a circle".  A quick look at our records identifies this spoon as a Winco Continental.  I will have to wait until we receive the official numbers from the archivists at SpoonSwapper HQ, but I believe with this swap the Winco Continental may have regained the title of "Most Swapped Spoon". 

Hurry archivists!  This highly contested title hangs in the balance! 

UPDATE!  After careful review, it appears that the Winco Continental is now TIED for Most Swapped Spoon with the ubiquitous Qualite Dominion!  

Spoon #49: China Chef

On our way back from the wilds of Maine, Ms. Dish and I made one more stop in Conway, New Hampshire.  Conway is a touristy little town nestled at the foothills of Mount Washington.

It was a long day.  First we piloted the Spoon Mobile up Mt. Washington, after which of course we were obliged to apply the following bumper-sticker:

Then after fitting in time for some water slides and a rousing game of mini-golf, Ms. Dish and I were famished, and that's where the China Chef comes in: 

I am no expert in the category of Chinese Food, but as the saying goes, "I know what I like!".  China Chef was hands down some of the best Chinese Food I've ever had, and what a relief to find it amongst the otherwise touristy fare in town. 

At China Chef, we had our encounter with Spoon Number 49:

Spoon 49 is marked "Qualite Barclay TM".  As you may recall, we have historically found very little information on the Qualite mark.  A quick search of the Spoon Swapper archives, however, showed Spoon Number 41 was also tagged as a Barclay, but as a Walco product.  This furthers our speculation that there seem to be a number of spoonmaking brands out there making nearly identical spoons, some with even the same names!  Are they all in cahoots?  Is this some sort of spoon conspiracy?  How far does it go?  Until we find answers, we will put Spoon 49 in the L file.  Oh yes, we have a genuine Loeffelganger on our hands! 

Well, this concludes our series, "How I Swapped My Summer Vacation".  I hope you enjoyed it and perhaps you can see past the slight delay in its submission.

Spoon #48: Dick's

We continue our belated series "How I Swapped My Summer Vacation" as, returning from our rural retreat in Western Maine, Ms. Dish, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Ursa Minor and I stopped in at Dick's Restaurant in Mexico, Maine:

Dick's seems to be hit with the local crowd and served up some great grub for the weary traveler! 

It was at Dick's that we encountered Spoon #48:

Spoon Forty-Eight is marked "UPDATE 15 CHROME STAINLESS CHINA", and looks like a dead ringer for Spoon Thirty-Two, though the markings are slightly different.  Spoon 32 had a "21" marking to contrast Spoon 48's "15".  Otherwise it would appear to be identical, part of Update's Claridge series. 

Spoon #47: Bald Mountain Camps

Gee, have you ever had this dream?  It's the end of the semester... The weight of finals is bearing down on you... class projects... trying to get that grade up... and then, what's this?  You forgot to go to English class!  Not just today... not just this week... but all semester!  Maybe you went that first day... who knows?!  But now the semester is over and you're in deep trouble because you forgot all about it!  
Well, this isn't too far from the scenario that I'm in these days...  Here it is nearly the end of the year, and I never turned in my first assignment!  Well, on the off chance you'll still accept it for grade, please let me present, "How I Swapped My Summer Vacation", a three part series.

This Summer, Ms. Dish and I retreated to the woods of Western Maine to join Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Ursa Minor for some Rest & Relaxation:

Of course, R&R doesn't mean you can't swap a spoon or two!  This latest swap took place at public dining room of the Bald Mountain Camps in Oquossoc, Maine. 

The Bald Mountain Camps are located on the shores of the Mooselookmeguntic Lake, and date back to their origin as a sporting lodge founded in the 1800s. While Ms. Dish and I usually don't dig eating in a room full of taxidermied critters, we did have a great meal that provided us plenty of energy for the next morning when we, along with Ursa Minor, summited the famed Bald Mountain!   

So what type of spoon should we come to expect in the wilds of Maine?

Ah, Spoon #47 appears with the words "WALCO?".  Isn't that strange?  A little research indicates that Spoon 47 is part of Walco's Balance series:

But what of this mysterious question mark?  What could it mean??  Will Runcible and Ms. Dish ever solve this mystery???

Spoon #46: The Barge Inn

Well, after a seven month hiatus, we're back!  This swap actually took place way back in the year 2013, when Ms. Dish and I joined our friends Salt and Bean for Salt's birthday.  Our destination:  the Barge Inn in Jersey City, New Jersey. 
  

The Barge Inn sure looks like a bar from the outside, but looks can be deceiving.  Inside, you will find a very cozy Italian restaurant!  The other patrons seem like family and may very well all know each other;  The older patrons have probably been coming here for years!  The menu is traditional Italian fare.  Recently I heard word of an apparent "FBI Raid" at the Barge Inn, so you can't ask for a more authentic Hudson County experience! 

Here we go now with Spoon number 46: 

A Qualite Windsor! 

Let me tell you, a lot can happen in seven months... I am almost ashamed to say it, but part of the reason for the hiatus was that Spoon 46 was LOST for some time.  As spoon-swapping rules clearly state, spoon-swapping could not continue until it was located.  Luckily after search parties were dispatched, Number 46 was located in the pocket of a winter coat!

Things to Do with a Spoon: Play a Guitar with It!

Happy New Year Spoon-Swappers!  

Hey, if 2014 finds you with a spoon, a guitar, and a lot of time to practice:

Spoon #45: Sullivan Bistro

Swap number 45 went down at the Sullivan Bistro, just north of Houston:

Ever since REI moved into the neighborhood, Ms. Dish and I find ourselves swapping in this area more and more often.  The Sullivan Bistro was the perfect place to relax after purchasing recreational equipment from our fellow cooperative members.

Marked, "Winco Stainless 18-0", spoon number 45 looks like it's from Winco's "Dots" collection.  Another interesting note, spoon 45 is also missing the "8 in circle" just like we saw with Spoon 38!