Scranton Insider on “Casino Night”
As always, Dave gives us the view as a Scranton Insider:
It’s the super-sized finale this week, and with it the super-sized mistakes abound! First, let’s start with the good news.
Ok, Kevin’s band is called “Scrantonicity.” That’s easily the greatest thing I’ve ever heard. Seriously, folks. “Scrantonicity” was inspired. My hats off to the Office writers.
Next: Vance Refrigeration. I have it under good authority (Ok, John Webster from Rock 107 told me) that Vance Refrigeration is in fact fictitious. That’s ok, there’s nothing wrong with inventing businesses. Speaking of invention…
Here comes the bad news. There is no Chili’s in Scranton! Nor is there a Hooters (much to the chagrin of many teenage boys). We’ve got just about
every other chain restaurant you can think of (including my beloved Denny’s. Oh, Moons Over My Hammy,how I love you), but Office favorites Chili’s and Hooters just aren’t in town. Oh, well.
I’m not disappointed, though. This was such a well thought-out episode with really a top notch, cliffhanger ending that I’m willing to let it slide. How
funny was it to watch Dwight struggle in vain to manipulate his bobble head with his mind? I would have watched just that for 40 minutes.
Now that the season is over, you may begin to feel a little sad. “No more Scranton Insider,” I hear you wail. Well buck up, little soldier, for I’ll be here all summer long. You may know that I started posting here at the great LITO midway through season 2. So, I’ll spend the summer reviewing all of the episodes I still haven’t dissected for you, starting with season 1, episode 1. Plus, I’ll be keeping a careful eye on the special web episodes that NBC will be posting, and offering reviews of those as well. The schedule will be the same, one “Insider” post per week. Why? Because I’d miss you guys.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you around the office.
This site updates often with fun Office news. If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to updates by email. Also, check out the forum. Thanks for visiting!
May 12th, 2006 19:52
Dave, since you mentioned Scranton and food. Do they have a plate or dish that they are known for in the area? (e.g., Philly is know for the cheese steak.)
May 12th, 2006 19:57
Thanks for always being there for us man! (even though I’m from Scranton I still like to hear about my town from other people). Keep up the great work, Thanks
May 13th, 2006 08:36
why not write about the webisodes?
May 14th, 2006 02:50
There is a Chili’s in Wilkes-Barre, which is about 15 South of Scranton. This wouldn’t be too far for Michael to look for good food, after all he sent Ryan to Stoudsburg (45 Mi) and Carbondale (10 Mi) for his favorite foods.
May 14th, 2006 15:31
I noticed when Dwight was asking Jan where she was staying in town, he asked if she was staying at the Hyatt in Wilkes-Barre. There is no Hyatt in Wilkes-Barre. Let’s just say Wilkes-Barre isn’t exactly the type of town where Hyatt Hotels are typically located.
Also - Creed stole a Gertrude Hawk Candy bar out of the vending machine! I couldn’t tell why type it was though.
When are they going to get some Revello’s pizza up in that show???
May 14th, 2006 18:30
Brian,
Scranton has a couple foods they are known for - Coney Island Texas Weiners downtown and Windsor Wings (in Jermyn and Dickson City but close enough). Chili’s and Hooters were mentioned before in previous episodes. I have no issue with this little mistake, perhaps Scranton will get its own Chili’s as a result.
What cheesesteak place do you prefer? I go with Jim’s.
May 15th, 2006 06:27
sjb, thanks for the info. When I get out to Scranton, I”ll be sure to try those out.
May 16th, 2006 06:15
What about Creed’s description of the soup kitchen in downtown Scranton. (He said “downtown”!, unlike Jim the previous week) St. Francis, right? Is that still there?
May 16th, 2006 09:51
Foods from the area….gotta be either the pizza fritta served at the church picnics in summer, or the homemade pierogi from Barret’s in Archbald.
OBTW…when in Philly, gotta go with Geno’s Cheesesteak.
May 16th, 2006 18:06
…in Scranton a cheasesteak is known as a “Steak & Cheese Hoagie”, and they’re pretty tasty. The meat is usally chopped up much finer (minced) than the original. They’re also usually less greasy.
I would like to see some references to Old Forge Pizza… everyone eats it, and outsiders love it, and they think it’s odd that its rectangular (not sicilian!).
I also concur with Coney Island.
St. Francis Soup Kitchen is still in service…not far from Penn Paper Bldg (seen in opening credits).
May 20th, 2006 17:19
Hey, Dave.
Glad to cyber-run in to you. It’s been a long time. Hope things are going well.
Super site, both here and your blog. Cracks me up as always.
How about a feature article on the “Stupid Onion”?
Take care, and I look forward to your future posts.
Also, I wanted to shout out some love for Chicks and Glider Diners. Best drunk food on the planet.
May 21st, 2006 07:09
PAUL, DAMN! That’s my buddy Paul, everyone. We worked together at a Scranton grocery store when I was a lad.
Good to see (kind of) you, man! How are things?
May 21st, 2006 08:08
Married with kid, still living in South Side (we have no catchy rhymes–don’t need ‘em). Working for a company on the ever changing Montage Mountain. My web presence consists of a Yahoo! Pictures photo album showing off the beer miser that I built in the basement.
Boomah’s pitching a rehab start vs. the Red Baron’s today. I’m kind of hoping he wrenches his knee on his warm-up tosses.
May 21st, 2006 13:20
Just a tip for anyone that moves out of the Scranton area. Don’t try to order a TRAY of pizza, it will start all kinds of confussion. Well I did grow up on Maroni’s Pizza (from the original, then the second owners and now the Original Lou Maroni opened up another palce). By the way, is the Donkey Cafe still serving those great wings? But I still go out of my way to visit Kelly’s Pub & Eatery on Cedar Avenue in Scranton( I get all legs, extra Crispy). If you have never tried them, They are by far the BEST.
May 22nd, 2006 05:30
Paul: Insane. How things change, eh? You may find this amusing, but I still go into the IGA when I visit Scranton, just for old time’s sake. I’m nuts.
Greg: Lou Maroni opened a 2nd place? Where is it? I had no idea. I always swore by the wings at Uncle Mike’s, which was out by Marywood. As far as I know, it doesn’t exist anymore.
All: Greg’s right about the “tray” thing. To us, pizza is rectangular and comes in trays. I’m a huge fan of Revello’s myself.
May 22nd, 2006 06:17
Wasn’t Uncle Mike’s in North Scranton, by Holy Rosary? I don’t know if it’s open anymore. It had gone through a few name changes, but it looks pretty closed. Or at least buisiness sucks lately. Anyway, I don’t remember having their wings, so I have no opinion on them.
Are you thinking of Mickey Gannon’s wings, maybe? They’re closer to Marywood and are pretty good.
Gavin’s wings, especially from around ‘96-’99, were pretty damn good too.
My current favorites are the garlic wings from Old Town Tavern in Duryea.
Hey, lookie there, 10:17…time to call in a lunch order…
May 22nd, 2006 11:45
hanks hoagies in green ridge good roast beef hoagies….micky gannons is across from brunetti’s pizza …mentioned in a previous episode….uncle mikes was by
“The Hall” in north scranton ( North Scranton people never say “Holy Rosary Hall”
Uncle Mikes is now called “east street tavern”
good place!
May 22nd, 2006 15:11
Paul:
Yes, I was thinking of Uncle Mike’s in North Scranton. I had it misplaced in my head. Sorry to hear it’s no longer “Uncle Mike’s.” They used to have seven-and-a-half cents wings back in the day. In fact, I went to Uncle Mike’s for my 21st birthday.
Ann: Hank’s, yes!!! When I attended Marywood, I nearly lived in that place. Man, I’d kill for one of those hoagies now (who wants to send me one?).
Gannons, Gavins and Heil’s were my hangouts, as they’re “Marywood bars.”
May 22nd, 2006 15:42
ok
hanks roast beef is the best!
where do you want it…
Marywood….I lived a several blocks from Gavins
friend of mine played the piano there…and just about everywhere else in scranton
phil hinton
….i love heils …last of the bars where you can see a decent band…i miss the wine cellar
May 27th, 2006 12:42
Hey Dave -
I’m on the West Coast now, but I grew up in Wilkes-Barre (you know, that OTHER city…down da line, where we had da Flood).
Anyway, on the subject of food (a subject very important to the heart and soul of any true NEPA, whether of the Luzerne or Lackawanna variety), I have to throw in a vote for the haddags…er, hotdogs at Ferris Barney St. Lunch in South Wilkes-Barre. Don’t know if they’re still around, but they were when I was last in town. “Two with everything” and a Tastykake (I’m partial to the butterscotch krimpets myself) from Ferris’ is a lunch that will make your nutritionist throw conniption fits, but at least ONE of you will be happy.
I lived and worked in the Electric City for a while, so I got to try the wings at the Donkey (again, if they’re still there, well worth it). I never made it to the Windsor Inn, but I heard good things.
Incidentally, the Windsor Inn, I am told, has the following menu item: pierogies with wing sauce. That has to be the NEPA version of the old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups commercial: “Hey, you got wing sauce on my pierogies!” “You got pierogies in my wing sauce!”
Who ever thought I would live in a city where I would have to explain to people what pierogies ARE? Unenlightened.
Anyway, keep up the good work, keep watching The Office and supporting the hometown cause, and don’t forget about that jewel on the Susquehanna just 20 miles from Scranton, with its own River Common and Kirby Park…
Later,
Mike
May 27th, 2006 13:40
::Wanders in to a discussion about Hanks, Uncle Mikes, and Heils::
This is like a blast from the past. Not only did I visit Han’s religiously (being a Marywood grad is there any other way to visit Hanks?) but used to play at Uncle Mikes AND Heils.
Gotta love Hank’s hoagies.
~Lace~
May 31st, 2006 05:48
Hank’s!!!! Oh, my god! It’s been years since I thought of it & w/in 2 weeks, not only is it mentioned, but I got some. –genuflect here. (My best friend’s daughter graduated from MW & since they hold me responsible for her choice, I had to attend. On the way from the hooding on Sat. I stopped w/ a cooler & some blue things–to keep them cool. YUM!)
I’m probably older than some of you, so I remember when there was an actual “Hank” (& Myra) running the place. The relish is Myra’s secret recipe.
Hank & Myra used to come to every graduation & were always in the yearbook.
August 1st, 2006 09:57
Mike:
Ferris’ Hot Dogs in South Wilkes-Barre still exists, but I’m a fan of Abe’s. I like how there’s seven different Abe’s and they all taste different, yet all are “the one and only.”
September 22nd, 2006 21:35
Hellooooooooooo anybody homeeeeeee? The fall season of Office is back, will there be any more Scranton Insider????
PS Caught the first show and howled. I loved it.
~Lace~
October 25th, 2006 08:57
OMG, Hank’s Hoagies! Once, on my way to pick up a Hank’s Hoagie my car broke down in front of Bob Casey’s house (we thought we were cool, we had a governor in town). I really hope The Office films a show centered around the best even in town…The St Patty’s Day Parade!