Seized? Seize this, you bastards!

Downstairs, out the backdoor, and across the street — that's my commute to Toscanini's in the morning. A cup of excellent coffee, a wistful survey of the ice cream flavor boards, and then to work on my laptop, courtesy of the free wifi.

Well, yesterday (Thursday) morning, I make my regular commute, only HOLY CRAP!! there are these bold orange signs stuck to the windows:

"SEIZED for nonpayment of taxes and is now in the possession of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts"

Another Tosci's regular was there, and told me that the place had been open earlier that morning for a couple hours when the officials arrived to shut it down.

Apparently Gus wasn't too perturbed; he reassured his staff and worried customers that this wasn't a big deal and he'd probably be able to re-open soon.

Several sites have some information, or at least are repeating each other. Bostonist seems to have got there first, and Wicked Local Cambridge has done some actual reporting, too, including quotes from the revenooers. Boston Magazine's Boston Chowder says they've spoken with Gus, who remains optimistic.

Losing the Someday was a kick in the head. Losing Tosci's would be a kneecapping of the not-even-completed-yet new Lafayette Square.

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Late word: there's now a fund-raising site to help save Tosci's, named, appropriately enough SaveTosci.com. Good luck, Gus!

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Update: Friday, 25-Jan-08 — Tosci's is OPEN again! They re-opened this afternoon. When I stopped by, there was a photographer from The Herald taking pictures of a smiling Gus.

Word is that there will not be a Big Table brunch tomorrow, but those will resume on Sunday. Cornmeal pancakes, creamy egg sandwiches,... mmmmm! More details at: Boston.com.

America's Best Fiend?

The Beast bills itself as "America's Best Fiend". Whether or not it's truly fiendish... well, maybe, but it's certainly an angry source of the best invective I've seen in a long time. These people would make H.L. Mencken drop his cigar into his lap in open-mouthed delight, and then keep reading happily as his trousers smoldered on unnoticed.

Of course it's the mendacious fools, skunks, and bastids — the ones whose pants really should be aflame — who get their deserved roasting here. Want an example? Visit this masterful evisceration of the 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2007. This is Santa's "Naughty" list with Dante Alighieri's eye for the just reward. If these charlatans and shitheads had been co-habitating amongst the wretched scummy villainy of Mos Eisley, old Obi-wan himself would've borrowed the Death Star to slag the whole damn thing. Instead, all they get is a public pillorying at the hands of The Beast. It might not be satisfying as an actual televised flensing and salting, but it ain't bad.

These Beast folk, they're worth reading. Next time one of those boobs on Fox or CNN has you ready to pitch your sabots through your new HD screen, turn to The Beast instead. Somebody out there understands, bubbe. They really do.