Christini’s Ristorante Italiano, is by far the best upscale Italian restaurant in the greater Orlando area. In fact, I am not sure I know of a better Italian restaurant anywhere in the South. If price is no object, Christini’s has to be your first and only choice. The service is the best anywhere. Not just good, but really GREAT! The attention not only to every need, but to every detail is not equaled. The Food: the food preparation is several notches above the others and presented with great visual appeal, served on Christini’s custom made china. Now the Décor: It is very traditional Italian fine dining décor with original Italian art, dark wood, fine upholstery/ tapestry on the chairs and booths, and tastefully, dimly lit. The total experience is first class, FiveStar, from start to finish. Here is a nice touch; every lady receives a fresh red rose as a parting gift. There are also strolling musicians appearing table side throughout the evening and not just your every day musicians, but one who happens to be a professional touring concert pianist as well. We like to think Christini’s is so special we reserve our visits for special occasions. However, I would like to point out we create special occasions just to dine at Christini’s more often.

From what I have just described you may get the idea Christini’s might be too fancy for you, too snotty, too formal. Well, formal it is, but Christini’s could not be more engaging, inviting, and welcoming. I am not just talking about the waiters but everyone from the wine steward to the matre’ d. They treat you like a king, and everyone, regardless of who you are, is made to feel extremely special. No infants or toddlers are invited. It’s not that they don’t love young children; they certainly do, just not in their restaurant for a lovely dining experience. There is a lengthy photo gallery of famous celebrities, dignitaries and captains of industry from all over the world that regularly visit Christini’s. Because these celeb’s frequent Christini’s does not make it a great restaurant: it is Christini’s menu and ambiance that draws them back to continue the wonderful experience.

To complement the total experience, Christini’s has received the Best Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator for one of the finest wine lists in the world. Christini’s not only has a large Italian wine list as many other countries are represented as well.

Christini’s Ristorante Italiano is a one and only since 1984. Chris Christini and his daughters Elli and Caty oversee every facet of the operation seven nights a week from 6 PM until midnight except holidays.
 
Please trust MrFiveStar on this one. If you don’t enjoy Christini’s there must be something wrong with you, because there is nothing wrong with Christini’s whatsoever!  My dining choice was the Osso Bucco, which was an epicurean delight, fork tender, moist, and falling off the bone. The menu features a vast array of Italian delicacies as well as daily featured menu choices based of the freshest of ingredients. Fresh seafood is flown in daily. Please click here to view the current Christini’s outstanding menu.  Click here for reservations.      Pictured here,James Mannn matre'd, MrFiveStar Ron Crider
                                                                                                                                              Chris Christini tells us,

"With more than 45 years of distinctive culinary experience, I am convinced that success comes down to this: One restaurant, in one location, serving the highest quality cuisine, the best service, and a friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy it ..... this is a lesson learned during my career with some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in the world." "My whole purpose is to make Christini’s your favorite dining destination in Central Florida." The experience of opening 19 restaurants and hotels has earned him significant recognition in the restaurant business. In 1984, Mr. Christini created his privately owned venture, Christini's Ristorante Italiano, where he personally oversees all aspects of operation with his daughters Elli and Caty. Christini's impeccable reputation has drawn celebrities and dignitaries from all over the world. "It is my pleasure to present to you the culmination of a lifelong dream."  - Buon Appetito

How is it possible to keep passengers trapped in an aircraft on the tarmac at an airport for numerous hours? Most recently there was the Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Newark, diverted to Hartford's Bradley International Airport due to bad weather at Newark. The passengers were trapped for nearly 4 hours on board the aircraft because no one could figure out how to clear these passengers through Customs since the flight was not expected at Bradley.

Where was the Contingency Plan? What? NO Contingency Plan? Who's in charge here? Don't Airports and Airlines have emergency personnel standing by (perhaps not on duty) that can be called in for events like this? WHY NOT? Suppose passengers became ill as a result of bad food. Would they have to wait 4 hours after landing to find the Customs Agent? No, I am not suggesting additional payrolls for the airports and airlines. Just designate existing personnel to be on call like doctors at hospitals for events like this.

Look folks! This is a no brainer. Unload the passengers, heard them into a secure room where there are rest rooms and water can be brought in until the proper Customs Officers can show up. If this is a Customs issue, let's get it fixed. This is not the first time and it won't be the last time a situation like this will take place.

Should this be a MrFiveStar article? You bet! Who will challenge me that the Gulf of Mexico isn't one of the great FiveStar venues of the world? I hope all of you who are reading this understand the disaster in the Gulf is the worst catastrophe that has ever attacked the ecology of the United States. Just because you live in Colorado don't think you won't be affected by this. As of this date almost 40% of the Gulf is affected and continuing to grow. This oil crisis is killing the marine life, wetlands, and the fishing industry, seriously adversely affecting tourism and associated industries in 5 states and causing the loss of jobs for many hundreds of thousands. This is an event of long lasting, epic proportions. We still have no idea what the totality of this disaster will ultimately be. Come on people get a grip. Let your voices be heard and contact your congressman. If you live near the Gulf coast volunteer your time. Take your family to the Gulf Coast for your summer vacations, spend money and HELP. This is a real WAR. The Gulf Coast and our country need YOU. You can make a difference. Remember those famous words from President John F Kennedy’s Inauguration speech January 20, 1961, “and so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country”. These words were never more true, even today.

By the way don't stop buying BP gas and shopping in the BP stores. BP Stores  are locally owned. You are only hurting the local economy. As far as buying gas from BP, consider it a donation to the cleanup.

There simply is not enough being done quickly to bring this monster down. The President says he is moving at warp speed, then what is he doing playing golf and operating in normal business as usual mode up there in DC. There is nothing more important in the world at this time than the Gulf coast. If I were President I would by now have set up a temporary White House on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana and be operating from there expecting several daily updates and broadcast nightly updates to the Nation until this leak is contained. Now that would demonstrate real interest and leadership this crisis really needs.

Here are some facts that we must face. BP does not have a fraction of the amount of money necessary to financially make this right to all the affected people, not to mention attempting to repair the ecology as President Obama has promised. Does the President think we are stupid? Did he just say that because it is a big number? 20 billion is not even a drop in the bucket for a disaster like this. Let's face it, there is NO amount of money that will put things back to the way they were prior to the explosion.

This entire process has been handled all wrong. First, the President put the fox in charge of the hen house. Yes, BP must be involved, but not in charge. Second the government should not be in charge of fixing the leak. The Government should oversee the process and back it, but not be in charge. We should set up a worldwide team of top oil engineers, scientists and oil company executives to form a Gulf Coast Crisis Task Force. That Task Force should be headed by someone like T. Boone Pickens, or someone similar with extensive oil background and a strong business background. “A fool with a plan can outsmart a genius with no plan.” (Always have a plan.) It seems like we have a goal but no real plan! We have been offered assistance from many areas of the world including Holland, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Venezuela and many other nations, some friends and some we don't care for. Right now we need to put differences aside and accept help from anyone who has an idea.

OK you say, it's easy for me to criticize. So what would you do? Until someone comes up with a better idea I suggest we should be drilling the relief wells 24/7. We should also be drilling 4 additional relief wells at the same time. We need to make positively sure at least a few of these relief wells actually do reach their minute target and do the job. What would happen if something went wrong with the relief wells we are drilling now? We need to throw all the money in the world at this leak as quickly as possible. The future of the Gulf Coast requires speed. At the moment speed is everything. We need all hands on deck. All hands on lots of decks including many stand by decks.

We must have a flotilla of ships standing by to collect the oil that is being captured, not just one or two like last week when we had to burn the oil because there was no ship available to collect it. What was that all about? Where was the management to make sure they had everything they needed? Who is really in charge and why are these things happening?

The President needs to ask Congress to declare war on the Gulf Disaster. By doing so Congress can authorize the use of the armed forces including all branches of the services to be deployed to the Gulf Coast to assist in the Coastal cleanup and management.

Since BP is not going to be able to fund the cleanup of 5 states and possibly 2,000 miles of coast line and tributaries, we need to put those hundreds of thousands of people who are going to be unemployed to work cleaning up as well. Many of these people will be filing for unemployment and we will have to pay them anyway, so let's put them to work and earn their compensation.

I was embarrassed the other day when Congress had to have their day with the BP Executives. What was that all about? We criticized Tony Haywood for boating with his son one day but we didn't mind eating up one of his days drilling him. Personally I think the congressmen displayed the typical ugly Americans and very little class. The crisis at hand is either stopping the leak or capturing it. Wouldn't that time have been better spent putting all their collective heads together to explore solutions and options? There will be plenty of time for finger pointing and blame once this disaster is under control. Don't get me wrong I am not sticking up for BP or defending them but I am saying “discretion is definitely the better part of valor”. Unfortunately Congresses Get Tough Day was only a grandstand play to try to show the people at home they were “mad as hell and weren't going to take it anymore”, when in fact they just made fools of themselves and wasted one more precious day, and accomplished nothing. Now my final suggestion; since this well is such a great producer of oil, why kill it? Why not capture it and put it to good use. Would someone please tell me what is the problem with this idea? I would think all those great minds out there could collectively come up with something positive to do with this disaster.

Click here to see map of Crisis area.

For more information you can go to BP's website by clicking here.  What You Can Do to Request volunteer information and register to volunteer: (866)-448-5816 Submit your vessel as a vessel of opportunity skimming system or submit alternative response technology, services or products: (281) 366-5511 Report oiled or injured wildlife: 1-866-557-1401 Report oil on land: 1-866-448-5816 Click here to go the the White House web site.

People have been dreaming about video calling for decades. iPhone 4 makes it a reality. With the tap of a button, you can wave hello to your kids, share a smile from across the globe, or watch your best friend laugh at your stories — iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 over Wi-Fi. No other phone makes staying in touch this much fun.

Thanks to the Retina display, everything you see and do on iPhone 4 looks amazing. Text in books, web pages, and email is crisp at any size. Images in movies and photos are stunning at almost any angle. That’s because the Retina display’s pixel density is so high, your eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels.

Now you can run your favorite third-party apps — and switch between them instantly — without slowing down the performance of the foreground app or draining the battery unnecessarily.* This smarter approach to multitasking is available only on iPhone.

Because your iPhone goes with you everywhere, you’re always ready to capture every moment. And with iPhone 4, you can do it in stunning high definition. Its advanced backside illumination sensor delivers great-looking video in both bright and low-light settings. And in dark environments, you can brighten the scene with the built-in LED light.

By the way for those of us who have the older IPhones remember you can download the new OS4 operating system at no charge. This gives you better battery life as well as faster picture taking and folders for your Apps. Obviously you will want and get the new thinner, larger screen with the IPhone4. Click here to go the the Apple website.