JANE & MICHAEL STERN, and Stephen Rushmore, appeared LIVE at the MEADOWLANDS STADIUM !!

There they are on the VIDEO SCREEN !!   As much as I love Springsteen, this REALLY rocks!!

....great Roadfood Q & A at the Great American Food & Music Fest at the Meadowlands, NJ!  6-13-10
 
 

Also in attendance:
 

 

Was there a hot dog Q&A or discussion?

Also, also in attendance...

The Broilers from Louis' Lunch!





...and one of Louis' finest. Although this one's appearance was cut short immediately atfer picture was snapped.






Other notable attendee...






It was nice to see you there Ellen, although I never found you again after the rains hit and we came out of hiding. It was a shame the event was hampered by such bad weather. The rain also kept me from taking a lot of pictures as I didn't want to ruin my camera.

As always, it is nice to see Ellen out roadfooding.  Who was that tourist in the second picture?

joerogo


  Who was that tourist in the second picture?

A representative from the Gambino family.

I often wonder what happened to the guys from "American Bandstand" ??  Now I see that at least one of them has survived to retirement age !!

So after the Fest did everyone go to Stephen's high school graduation?
 
Brad

Michael Stern


Also in attendance:
 

It's good to see that they have stopped enforcing that 100 yard rule for you with the kids.

Looks awesome. Wish I could have been there.

GGGEEEZZZZZZ at first glance I thought that was Ellen to. Then I looked at the photo closer and I didn't see any Pastrami, Corned beef, or Jewish Rye bread.  I bet this Ellen look a like thinks she put one over on us. You have to get up pretty early in the morning to sneak that one by us.............Good try.........Chef BillyB

               P.S. Ellen look-a-like, what food item are you holding in that photo ?????? Is it one of your three basic food groups, Meat, More Meat, and Bread ???????

Oh Billy, don't you know Ellen?  That, good sir, is a BEEF RIB!  I knew if there was one present, Ellen would be all over it!

The Travelin Man


It's good to see that they have stopped enforcing that 100 yard rule for you with the kids.

 


They assured me those records had been sealed. Rats.

billyboy


Oh Billy, don't you know Ellen?  That, good sir, is a BEEF RIB!  I knew if there was one present, Ellen would be all over it!

  Ellen,Oh My Lovely Ellen !!!!!!! You and your rib look fantastic-----please all info on your new found friend-------------from whence,etc------------looks somewhat like a Daisy Mae----------------------lookin' good as always--------------------------Russ

Nothing says sexy like a cute girl with a huge beef rib in her hand.

billyboy


Oh Billy, don't you know Ellen?  That, good sir, is a BEEF RIB!  I knew if there was one present, Ellen would be all over it!

You know it, BILLYBOY!!!  You know the REAL Ellen when you see her !!
BTW, I ran into  the NYCfoodguy(.com) , while he was doing his report on Louis Lunch burger...
Right away, he asked  me if I ever met YOU, cuz he said he was very excited to "meat you" sometime soon!!
Of course, I told him you & I had a few meat ups!!
 
BillyB : You've got my 3 basic food groups (almost) CORRECT !! It's actually MEAT, Meat, and MORE meat !!
You don't know what I went thru to snatch that Brontosaurus  Rib from Fred Flintstone
 
JOEROGO: You are definitely staying on my good side, with cute compliments like that! tnx!
 
P.S. To all Roadfooders on this thread ....this has been a very entertaining thread !  I am laughing at many of the comments...
and enjoying the pics!!  
 
PPS. More pics coming ...(this thread may just end up turning Jane & Michael into Rock Stars !!)
 
 
 
 

 

I told my kids that Jane and Michael are rock stars for foodies.  They've heard me talk about them for years.  It was so fun meeting everyone and eating, and talking and eating, and waiting for the rain to stop and eating...You get the picture.  I still have some chocolate from Turtle Alley leftover.  Did anyone try the spicy peanut butter cups? Yum!

PS  We're the lurker family in the pictures above.

enginecapt

joerogo


Who was that tourist in the second picture?

A representative from the Gambino family.

&  I believe he's still under the Federal Witness Protection program, so it should be ok  to say  it's our Roadfood gang member, Tony "Bad" ....

Hey Guys.....I read that NJ was great but no one was there because of the storm that hit in the afternoon.  Can anyone tell me anything about it?  Did a little rain really keep some diehard foodies away?   This is my 1st Roadfood event and in case you haven't noticed I'm very exited! (With major GI problems I can't go on any of the Roadfood travels or eat fests!   But I do love reading the travels.   I really hope to meet Jane and Michael up close and personal as I already feel I know them!  If you see someone at Foxboro pushing a woman in a wheelchair (mom) and a 10 y.o. either complaining or with lucj having fun (and her 30 y.o. mother) that will be me/us!  Please say hello to me,  A part of me feels like an outsider as IO have not been able to go on any of the wonderful food tours!   Altho I look like I eat all the time!   It will be my mother's 78th birthday and for the last month she spent more time in the hospital....not my cooking, I'm pretty good.  So please say hello to us!  It will/should especially make it even more fun for the 10 y.o who I am trying to turn in to a foodie.  She is nuts about Paula and wants Duff to bake her a cake!   See you on the 26th!!!

Jody Thomas


Hey Guys.....I read that NJ was great but no one was there because of the storm that hit in the afternoon.  Can anyone tell me anything about it?  Did a little rain really keep some diehard foodies away?     I really hope to meet Jane and Michael up close and personal .   A part of me feels like an outsider as I have not been able to go on any of the wonderful food tours! 

Hi Jody,
FIRST OFF,  is the fact that once you meet JANE & MICHAEL , you will NEVER ever again feel like an OUTSIDER!!
Cuz, they are both such warm hearted people, the kind that will leave you feeling warm & fuzzy...
(and believe it or not, I don't even get paid for saying that, lol )
 
Ok, here's my own personal MEADOWLANDS Food Fest review....
The first THREE hours I was there, it was actually RAIN FREE, (from 12 noon opening, till 3 pm).... It was  HOT & SUNNY,
with moderate crowds; not crazy busy, though, and usually just a few people on the food lines at any given time...
 
A little rain did not keep THIS diehard foodie away, anyway   .... but it looked like it kept some of the others away..
But, I think, more than anything, it was the $$ pricing structure of minimum $40 in advance (+$15 ticketmaster fees),
or $50 at the door.....
When I ordered my tickets online, the Food Fest said they were limiting sales to 25,000 people...
sounded like potential huge crowds for only about 20 vendors, IMO
 
This LINK from an "Eater" staff member gives good reasonings  on why there was a "shockingly low turnout"..
http://eater.com/archives/2010/06/14/a-report-from-the-great-american-food-and-music-festival.php
( "were  the crowds at the Big Apple BBQ Fest in NYC?"...
and reviewer also felt the fest would be better at a true FAIRGROUND...(my sentiments exactly)
(instead of being held on the asphalt sidewalks outside the concourse...)...
 
The food itself was'nt too crazily priced (brisket/sausage combo was $12, fried chicken platter $12, etc) 

BUT, the $4.75 for a regular sized bottled water was typical stadium price GOUGING...
(I paid $6.00 a few times for a large fountain soda from the inside concourse....)
Perhaps, many of the potential Food Fest guests had previous experiences with large venues like the Meadowlands and chose to avoid it?!?
 
I know I was leery after reading many negative reviews (on seriouseats.com, etc) regarding the first Great American Food Fest last June in the San Francisco area...(3 hour waits for Anchor Bar wings, and/or Katz's Pastrami, and that's even if you were lucky enough to find they had food left when you got to the front... 
 
While I enjoyed some of the food items I had , (espescially the brisket and the chicago style hot dog)...
the ANCHOR BAR chicken wings/Buffalo, NY  were way too SOGGY for my tastes..
I find that some items , like wings, don't do as well when they are mass produced!
(much better when I had them in Buffalo, cuz they were piping HOT, and I could order them extra crispy...
 
The WORST part for me was the unexpected 25 BUCKS to PARK !!! ( I figured $10 or $15, but this was too ridiculous)
One lady I chatted with was really pissed, cuz her family came in 2 cars, so they were out 50 bucks.. 
You will have it better at your BOSTON area Food Fest, as parking is supposed to be INCLUDED !
 
I hope this helps you a bit, JODY !!! (more pics coming!)
I've also posted some on my "Foodography!" group on Facebook.
Here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/ellen.fried#!/group.php?gid=110131965681253&ref=mf
 
P.S.   you heard "no one" was there ........
         well, I was there , and I am SOMEone, lol ....  (just ribbing you, Jody)  
  
   

 

looks like Ellen is doing her Fred Flintstone impersonation with that big beef rib in her hand.

And look who else I got to schmooze with again !!

Great hanging with fellow Roadfood groupies, BRUCE BILMES & SUE BOYLE !
There we were , waiting for Jane & Michael, and Stephen to begin their talk on the big stage!

And of course, I had to get my Photo Op with Jane & Michael !
My last pic of the 3 of us was taken outside the Henpeck Market in Nashville 3 years ago...



Ellen with the Roadfood Rock Stars !

There's Jane on the big screen!
Along with Roadfooder "LYDS" on the right, with sunglasses..
(nice "meating" you, Lyds, and tnx for the compliments on my Trip Reports..!)

and you are teaching your kids to admire good Rock Stars ... Roadfood Rock Stars ..!

Another good one of our Roadfood Rock Stars, live at the Meadowlands !!...

encore, encore!

My buffalo wings from the ANCHOR BAR were soggy !!!
They were much better when I had them in Buffalo ...

This was the mass produced version of those wings...
(in Buffalo, I got to say "well done, extra crispy", plus they were served piping hot...)

Wow!  Those wings look awful.  Hey Ellen, I think Anchor Bar should be ashamed of themselves for putting out a product like that.

Enjoying your pics, thanks for the report.

Any good photos of Tony?(by good I mean funny)

Brad_Olson

So after the Fest did everyone go to Stephen's high school graduation?

Brad, you never cease to crack me up!    Chris

Ellen, thanks for the pictures, Its nice to see pictures of the Roadfood people. I was beginning to think your camera only had a David Sax setting. I would have loved to be at a gathering like this, but its a 3000 mile hike................Thanks again....BillyB

John Fox


Was there a hot dog Q&A or discussion?

YES!  When Jane was asked what her favorite Roadfood region of the country was, she DID pay homage to the state of NJ, and made a brief, but enthusiastic reference to ITALIAN HOT DOGS....

 

I see a "home of Super Bowl..." sign in 1 of the photos so I'm guessing this is the new stadium.  Did anyone tear him or herself away from the food long enough to check the place out?  Looks like a pretty nice venue.

Brad

joerogo


Wow!  Those wings look awful.  Hey Ellen, I think Anchor Bar should be ashamed of themselves for putting out a product like that.

AGREED !!  And I had to pay $13.00 for the privilege of having them!
(I nibbled on a few , and the rest went in the trash...)

ellen4641

joerogo


Wow!  Those wings look awful.  Hey Ellen, I think Anchor Bar should be ashamed of themselves for putting out a product like that.

AGREED !!  And I had to pay $13.00 for the privelege of having them!
(I nibbled on a few , and the rest went in the trash...)

Before I went on the Buffalo-Rochester bus tour last September, I asked my coworker's wife who grew up in Orchard Park (and is also a big fan of Eckle's)  her thoughts on the Anchor Bar. When I mentioned the place the first words out of her mouth were "Tourist Trap". I asked if  it was just "touristy" versus being a flat out "Tourist Trap" she re-affirmed her previous response. She say that the locals go there to drink- and apparently they  do have Italian Food there, however whenever someone comes in and orders wings, it certifies that they're from out of town (mostly unassuming college kids). I wasn't crazy about the wings the last couple of times I went there.

wanderingjew

ellen4641

joerogo


Wow!  Those wings look awful.  Hey Ellen, I think Anchor Bar should be ashamed of themselves for putting out a product like that.

AGREED !!  And I had to pay $13.00 for the privelege of having them!
(I nibbled on a few , and the rest went in the trash...)

Before I went on the Buffalo-Rochester bus tour last September, I asked my coworker's wife who grew up in Orchard Park (and is also a big fan of Eckle's)  her thoughts on the Anchor Bar. When I mentioned the place the first words out of her mouth were "Tourist Trap". I asked if  it was just "touristy" versus being a flat out "Tourist Trap" she re-affirmed her previous response. She say that the locals go there to drink- and apparently they  do have Italian Food there, however whenever someone comes in and orders wings, it certifies that they're from out of town (mostly unassuming college kids). I wasn't crazy about the wings the last couple of times I went there.

I took a fun "wing trip" to Buffalo , about 5 years or so ago... I made one of my 1st posts on Roadfood to ask about good Buffalo eats, and got such a warm response (I was hooked after that!)
I really enjoyed my wings at Anchor Bar, (as well as Duff's.. ) JMO........
But, of course, I would'nt be surprised if they've got downhill since then...
 
The wings I received at the Food Fest looked like the kind that linger all afternoon at the Hot Foods bar in the supermarket!!!
 
And like I said, I threw most of them in the TRASH......which was EASY cuz the trash can was right there! 
EATING MY WINGS OVER THE TRASH CAN  due to lack of tables and chairs inside the concourse.. ( all of us were ordered inside cuz of lightning for 1/2 hour or so)

[/img]
 
ANCHOR BAR WINGS $13.00....(ouch)
This is how the Fest scene looked for the first 3 hours, before the rains came!

....
 

Brad_Olson
 
I'm guessing this is the new stadium.  Did anyone tear him or herself away from the food long enough to check the place out?  Looks like a pretty nice venue.
Brad

Hi BRAD,
Here's a shot of the new stadium on the left, and the remnants of the old stadium on the right...which they are in the middle of
tearing down...
 
This pic was taken during the first 3 hours of the Fest, BEFORE the RAINS came..

 
As far as "exploring" the new stadium goes, I'd been curious just where that green football field was; perhaps behind the Jane & Michael big stage?!?   I still could'nt figure it out ....
 
Most of the food booths were set up on the outside sidewalk asphalt circle, just inside the stadium entrance gates...
(like a small half moon....
of course, it would've been prettier if it was on the green football field...) 

Here's the WILLIE MAE'S SCOTCH HOUSE Fried Chicken...
(all the way from New Orleans...)
as you can see, picnic tables were sporadic ...

$12.00 for a Breast & 2 wings, along with beans & rice, and cornbread...
I considered it fairly priced, (espescially compared to those SOGGY Anchor Bar Buffalo Wings!)
This chicken was HOT & CRISPY..........nothing "wrong" with it, at all, but it just was'nt MY type of batter...

Their  chicken was not even ready for a few good hours or so, though, due to a "problem with the oil"....
Grateful when the first batch finally came out !! ( I was concerned it might never be ready!)
I finally got to enjoy it around 3 pm, right before the light drizzle got worst...

ellen4641

As far as "exploring" the new stadium goes, I'd been curious just where that green football field was; perhaps behind the Jane & Michael big stage?!?   I still could'nt figure it out .... 
 

 


It was behind the stage. My daughter asked me to take this shot to rub in her brother's face.

Tony Bad

ellen4641

As far as "exploring" the new stadium goes, I'd been curious just where that green football field was; perhaps behind the Jane & Michael big stage?!?   I still could'nt figure it out .... 

 


It was behind the stage. My daughter asked me to take this shot to rub in her brother's face.

Great shot, TONY !! There was a whole another world behind that stage!  GREENERY!
 
p.s. Your daughter should team up with my 11 year old nephew , lol, who is a master of the "walking handstand"!
pps.... It was neat seeing you again!  And YES, we seemed to lost track of each other after the rainstorms...
 
I wonder if Jane & Michael got to sign a decent amount of Roadfood books at their booth after the show..?
Cuz, by the time I checked back by their little "Roadfood.com" booth, (around 3 pm or so), there was no more Jane & Michael...
HOWEVER, they would be happy to know that their table was now being utilized  by patrons to eat at !
(since it was  the ONLY table I noticed inside, away from the RAIN & lightning!)
For all the rest of us, it was either stand around , sit on the floor, or sit on the concourse stairs...

Tony Bad

ellen4641

As far as "exploring" the new stadium goes, I'd been curious just where that green football field was; perhaps behind the Jane & Michael big stage?!?   I still could'nt figure it out .... 

 


It was behind the stage. My daughter asked me to take this shot to rub in her brother's face.

 Hey Tony, Thats the most talent we have seen on that field for some time.............BillyB

Gotta ask. Did something happen with the Stern's/Roadfood and the food festival? Seems to me like fairly abruptly the Roadfood logo is off the festival website, and just got the newsletter which very perfunctoraily mentions that the Sterns won't be in Foxboro. Anything I need to know as a probably visitor to the Foxboro festival?

Stephen Rushmore Jr.


Unfortunately, the Sterns and I will not be going to the Boston event.  More details on that later...

to help the previous poster, DOCTORRICK, & all other applicable Roadfooders ...
 

sorry, missed that post. Still waiting to hear what the story is. As i posted above the "Roadfood" logo is no longer on the festival webpage.

joerogo

Any good photos of Tony?(by good I mean funny)

I'll show you the one pic I got...
Since Tony Bad keeps getting even better looking and younger, he's able to hang out with these young  STAFF members!

That's Sue Boyle on the right,  of the "Bruce Bilmes & Sue Boyle" fame.... (Bruce served as my camera man for this pic)
I last saw them 3 years ago on the Nashville tour, and they write so many good reviews for Roadfood...
(c'mon Bruce & Sue, you're overdue for another Harold's Deli review, lol ...)
 
I last saw Tony Bad 4 years or so ago, during a pizza tour of NYC....when Mario Batali joined in with us !!
 

 

ellen4641

joerogo

Any good photos of Tony?(by good I mean funny)

I'll show you the one pic I got...
Since Tony Bad keeps getting even better looking and younger, he's able to hang out with these young  STAFF members!

That's Sue Boyle on the right,  of the "Bruce Bilmes & Sue Boyle" fame.... (Bruce served as my camera man for this pic)
I last saw them 3 years ago on the Nashville tour, and they write so many good reviews for Roadfood...
(c'mon Bruce & Sue, you're overdue for another Harold's Deli review, lol ...)
 
I last saw Tony Bad 4 years or so ago, during a pizza tour of NYC....when Mario Batali joined in with us !!
 

 


Somebody sent me a PM with a picture of Tony, without the glasses.

BillyB
 
  I was beginning to think your camera only had a David Sax setting.

Move over, DAVID SAX  !! In recent months I've spun off my own "HOMEMADE PASTRAMI" site on the web ! (via Facebook)
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=218422636707&ref=ts
Hope you'll join in on the salivating!  (succulent pastrami pics!)
 
I've also been very active on my "FOODOGRAPHY!" site on Facebook...
My foodie gal pal, MICHELLE created the site, and named me as an "administrator"... 
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=110131965681253
Lots of fun pics and foodie discussions !!!
 
Of course, nothing beats Roadfood.com !
 

 

Here's where I ate  first, at about 1230 pm
SOUTHSIDE MARKET, Elgin, TX, near Austin..

I realized I'd been to the Elgin location, as one of our Austin Roadfood Tour stops in 2007.
There was one plate offered here at the Meadowlands, the "BRISKET & SAUSAGE combo", for $12.00
 
It's a shame, cuz I'm not a SAUSAGE eater, and I could'nt even give it away!! (and I did TRY!..)
 
As the next pic shows, looks like it was the REAL THING!! A  SMOKER !

My brisket was very good !  (I prefer a bit more MOIST, but it was still tasty and tender)
 

and for all you seafood lovers out there:
 
Most of you know I'm a "BEEF" gal,
but this SCALLOP PO POY seemed real popular !! 

Looked like little falafel balls to me , lol

Have enjoyed all the pictures and the updates. thanks ellen and others.

Ellen, If I was sitting next to you I would have loved the sausage, I am surprised you didn't schmooze a bit for something different on the BBQ plate  I just had my feeder pig processed on the farm is morning. We are going to the butcher this afternoon for a sausage tasting, and see how his smoke/spice mix taste.
 I looked at your Pastrami/Facebook site and love the passion you show in your food, you are a great example of what this site is all about. ..........BillyB

BillyB
 


 I looked at your Pastrami/Facebook site and love the passion you show in your food

tnx so much, Billy !!
I can get a little TOO obsessive about it at times, but everybody's gotta have a HOBBY, right?!?!
 
p.s. I just bought my tickets online for the AUSTIN, TX BBQ Fest; it's on Sun. Sept. 19th..
the "Texas Monthly" magazine's BEST OF TEXAS ....
we're talking a beef rib & brisket "food orgy" here ...... I'm IN!!
pps  Maybe we'll see YOU there, BillyB!  And who else might be going out there????
 
ppps:  THANKS to Roadfooder  SIGNMAN for the email alert on this Austin BBQ FEST!!!

looks like you had to empty out the bank account just to eat there and bring your own table.
was there an admission charge also besides getting ripped off on the food?

sk bob


looks like you had to empty out the bank account just to eat there and bring your own table.
was there an admission charge also besides getting ripped off on the food?

You better believe it, sk bob !!
It was $40 in advance online (plus $15 in Ticketmaster fees)
or $50 at the door !
 
PLUS, $25 to PARK...
 
I found a 10 dollar off CODE to use online, so ticket cost me $30, + $15 in fees...plus $25 to park...so it was SEVENTY BUCKS before I got to eat a morsel of food ...
 
Spent another $80 on food...(which was'nt hard to do, as a small bottle of soda was $4.75)...
and another $80 on souvenirs ($20 T-shirts, some BBQ sauce, etc)
 
($100 tickets were also available, that included wine & beer tastings, but still NO food..
or $600 "all access" passes, which included everything (food , wine)... ( they better paint my house for that, too)
 

 

mr chips


Have enjoyed all the pictures and the updates. thanks ellen and others.

well, tnx so much, Mr. Chips !! 
And don't go away, cuz there's more coming !

Great report, Ellen! 

<<BUT, the $4.75 for a regular sized bottled water was typical stadium price GOUGING...
(I paid $6.00 a few times for a large fountain soda from the inside concourse....)
Perhaps, many of the potential Food Fest guests had previous experiences with large venues like the Meadowlands and chose to avoid it?!? >>

That pretty much sums up why I stayed away. I had read somewhere that the beverage concessions were not part of the fest but rather run by the Meadowlands so I knew a) it was going to be a ripoff and b) there was not much choice of beer/soda.

Reminds me of the Crawfish fests in NJ we went to for a couple of years  a while back. The food & music was good, but the beer choice (provided by a concessionaire, not the festival) was Budweiser or Budweiser.

Plus I hate the Meadowlands, that's no place to hold a food festival. It's New Jersey at its worst IMHO.

ken8038

Plus I hate the Meadowlands, that's no place to hold a food festival. It's New Jersey at its worst IMHO.

Yup, I knew I was asking for trouble, when I heard it was at the Meadowlands, lol

and expensive place to be a wino !

I hate to say "I told you so" but... I am disapointed that the stern's would be part of such a blatant ripoff.How was Al's italian beef? Any pictures?