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Undertones of dim sum flavor in ice cream. WOW. That is, um, a new one. o_O*

*bitter Mets fan -> where are our flavors...

I'm going to try to avoid the ones people have already mentioned... how about Not Exactly Bento (which is bento-geared but also so much more, and has a really approachable style and gorgeous photos)... and... hmm. Oh, Midtown Lunch... even though I don't work in Midtown... lol

Hey, I have to disagree, I've made a pretty quick 'vodka' sauce (I didn't use vodka) in the past... the longest part was cooking the bacon.
http://feistyfoodie.blogspot.com/2008/07/farfalle-alla-not-vodka.html

And it was all those things you describe - thick, hearty, spoonfuls of tomatoes (the link states to use crushed tomatoes but if you want chunks of tomatoes, use a can of diced tomatoes, should be even better... mmm). :)

Speaking of toast, there's 2 stacks there, so at least two people at the table ordered it... why not just split it? I think 4 normal sized people could eat happily on that.

Darn.

Portobello Parmesan, portobello quesadillas, both delicious and hearty enough to be standalone meals :)
http://feistyfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/03/recipe-fridays-portobello-pandemonium.html

I think my favorite from my own temporary vegetarianism was the soba salad though. Easy to tweak to whatever's currently in season and really, tons of umami, very healthy... mmm, I kind of want some right now:
http://feistyfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/02/recipe-fridays-soy-glazed-salmon-with.html (Ignore the salmon part of the meal; the salad can be eaten alone for a full, complete and filling vegetarian main dish.)

Noooooo, why did you have to tell people about Park Side when you haven't even eaten there yet? :( It's a secrettttttt.

Nikki - thanks so much! I'm already in the packing-lunch-mode (bento-style of a sorts), and that thing is HUGE! I think I'll have to pass but I LOVE the concept and am pretty sure one day I'll buy something similar for my future-not-yet-born kids. I think the large size also makes it easier for kids to handle; the smaller containers sometimes are fussy/hard to open.

@syannelevovna - I don't know the answer to your first question, but the latter part, a statement really - I would stuff it with leftovers the kid had liked from the night before, instead of making a ton of new stuff every morning. There's this great website if you're interested, lunchinabox.net that has tons of lunch packing ideas for kids (with photos and recipes and all!), though I do think the GoodByn is too big for most kids, if you stick fruit in the side, that could serve as snack time for the kid as well. Or if you stick "fluffy" high-volume, low cal foods like a salad on the side, that would be ok, but not sure how many kids eat salad as a matter of course.
(and I have a bento site as well, though I don't know how helpful it is, since I bento for myself - http://feistybento.blogspot.com )

I was hoping this chart told me how much caffeine I need to ingest to simulate the effects of 30 minutes of vigorous activity but upon closer inspection I misunderstood the blurb. Darn!

I'm not sure why a small latte versus an iced latte has such varying caffeine content, though the calories are about the same.

Uhhh, that didn't express how I felt. Cuz I don't have the words for that.

Oh man, Ed, I want to extend my deepest, heartfelt condolences. My dog has been in and out of the vet lately and though she appears to be doing better, I just... don't want to even think about that.

But he'll live on in our hearts.

I really want to read through all the comments. Here are my thoughts though (and this goes for "Would I say yes to a proposal when I hate the ring" as well - the answer is no) - especially at this stage in my life, I am very vocal and it is very obvious how much food means to me, how important it is. If a guy hopes to have a shot with me, he should have talked to me enough before asking me on a date that he would realize this. There are two options here: he defers the decision to me (which is actually a negative but that's because of something else, and is better than suggesting PF Chang's), or he goes out of his way to research something interesting for us to do/eat. A guy who suggests TGI Friday's knowing that I am very into food seems like he just has no regard for my taste whatsoever - like suggesting a steakhouse if I am a vegetarian.

Having said that, I do note that I was not as vocal about my love of food just 6 years ago, and yet, on my first date with my boyfriend, he chose a place that he said, "I bet you've never heard of it/never been there, but the food is excellent, I'd be really surprised if you didn't like it." This, despite his being a picky eater who, at the time, ate to live, while I lived to eat. And I appreciated the gesture, the thought, and yes, the restaurant lived up to the standards (and we've been back a fair amount in the past 6 years). Kind of makes you think, right?

Of course, a few dates later, he told me he knew where to get really good Japanese food, then took me to a hibachi place in his neighborhood owned by a Chinese man (in fact, "Szechuan" appears in the name of the restaurant!), and then was flabbergasted when I got sick and didn't like the food... But it's a fun memory now. :)

Honestly, though, I think if I really liked a guy, it probably wouldn't matter. I do hope that I wouldn't go on a date with a guy who didn't even take the time to find out what kind of food I like, though.