Lissla, it’s probably Niagara Falls, NY you’re thinking of. I spent a couple of nights in a youth hostel there about a million years ago, meeting up with some friends. We had fun, although we didn’t get to go over to the Canadian side of the falls because my non-U.S.-citizen friend had brought his passport, but not some vital piece of bureaucracy that would have let him back into the U.S. Buffalo is nearby and probably has more transportation opportunities to Philly… (Could you fly cheaply from Buffalo to Philly?)
I had a couple of Chicago Cutlery (although I think they were bottom of the line) knives before I bought REAL KNIVES. Cut myself once with the Chicago ones - badly. Never with the real ones. Yet.
A friend of a friend used to sell Cutco knives and I bought some from him. EXPENSIVE, but they cut everything properly and easily. I’ve had them for about 4 years now and don’t ever plan to buy another set. The handles fit my hands nicely and they’re actually sharp, which is a good thing. Also, they stay sharp a long time. Saw a knife-rating article at some point and they compared well to all the frou-frou brands. I think knives are a matter of taste, though, not brand. (No, you should not try to taste your knives!) If they feel right in your hand, then they’re good… It drives me nuts when I go to long-distance best friend’s house because she has the crappiest knives ever. Short, dull, thin blades. There: I think those are all of my thoughts on the important subject of knives.
gotti, will you be in Ohio any time soon? Because I really want to tear up my carpet and put hardwood in. Thought I could maybe schedule you in to help. 
Today’s food section has a cover article on “superfoods” such as dark chocolate. Since they recommend it (although they recommend limiting intake to 1 oz. per day), I felt justified in eating 1/4 of a dark chocolate with hazelnuts bar (just less than 1 oz.). Also, nuts are good for you too.
Sorry work is frustrating, Taters. Amazing how people think they can snap their fingers and get the numbers they want, isn’t it?
Drae, have fun painting! I’d say start with the room you care least about so that you’ve got some practice and skills by the time you get to the rooms you think most people will notice. I’m about ready to start planning the next round of painting (we took down wallpaper and painted just about everywhere before we moved in) and general re-decorating/re-finishing. There’s lots of wood molding that really needs to be refinished (won’t that be fun!). We’ll see when I actually get to it.
Hope the shots are really helping FCD, FCM.
Cool news, rifty! I’m envious. Hope everything with Amsterdam works out. (I spent a year in Berlin when I was in grad school and it was wonderful.)
Hi to anyone else I missed… I’m ready for it to be Friday too!
GT