Have been watching a lot of Anthony Bourdain re-runs on Travel Channel. Three reasons I guess, one being I am on summer vacation and I can do whatever the hell I feel like. Other than that, his show, "No Reservations," is just great television, and also, his 100th episode is coming up on Monday, so Travel Channel is overdoing in celebratory, or perhaps brainwashing, fashion. Whatever it is, I have been fine with the audio visual gluttony.

Today, at the end of his Spain episode, after watching a man make hand crafted chocolate eggs, and another man grill things like caviar, and local artisan sausage, and delicate eel, with his own, hand made charcoal, I caught the best quote.

"It's a beautiful thing when the reality lives up to your hopes and expectations, when everything, everything, is as good as anything could be."

Instantly I had to pause and rewind, multiple times, in order to take that in. Anthony is nothing if not, at times, blunt, to the point, and caustic. He is hard to impress, but still, he was GUSHING at the end of this episode, being kissed on the cheek by the chef who had cooked for him, and looking like he could even shed a tear. He is a man who has see it ALL in the culinary world, and probably a lot in the regular world as well, but it was good to hear that, even at that point, you can still be impressed, when something is done with sincerity, and heart. You can still have wonder. Expectations can be a dangerous thing, and sometimes lowering them is a good tactic for the maintenance of ones personal sanity, but sometimes, every now and then, expectations are exceeded, and yes, it IS a beautiful thing. Thanks for the reminder, Anthony, and thanks for 99 great episodes, with many more to come.