Joe Biden and Toscana booths

If Joe Biden becomes the vice-president candidate, I don't think I'll ever score a booth at Toscana.

One of the cool things about living in little old Delaware is actually getting to see some of the folks we voted into office (like Biden) around town. I've seen Sen. Joe and company dining at Toscana - and friends have spied him at the BrewHaHa in Trolley Square. Joe is Joe and when he walks through the crowd, it's like an appearance of the pope. Everyone wants to shake his hand. He's always very cool about it.

If Joe becomes VP, he's going to spending a lot of time in D.C. and other parts of the world.

But he always remembers where he comes from, so if he does get the V.P. nod, I'm sure he'll come to Toscana every once and while. But he'll also be traveling with a boatload of Secret Service. And you know they're gonna get the booths before the rest of us, uh, Regular Joes.

The booths go fast at Toscana and when they do, the hostess always seems to try to seat me in the "upper deck" or tiered riser near the open kitchen. I hate those seats. I've listened to hostesses and managers try to explain the merits of those seats, but, sorry, it's Siberia to me. One of the fun things about dining out is looking to see who else is there. Can't do that in Siberia.

I once sat in Siberia after a hostess explained that she couldn't give my party of two one of the open booths because there might be a sudden influx of larger parties....(it was after 8 p.m. on a weekday night). Uh, yeah, well maybe if this was Rome and not Wilmington, Del. But I let it go.

Five minutes later, the booth was given away - to Beau Biden and a companion....

That's life in the little city. And I better get used to Siberia.