It’s This-or-That Tuesday!
Continue reading “This or That Potpourri”
This or That Potpourri
It’s This-or-That Tuesday!…
Category: Food & Drink
And now for the bad news
Caffeine may be associated with day-long stress. In the study, the researchers found that caffeine produced stress reactions all day long, all the way to bed time — even when…
Caffeine may be associated with day-long stress.
In the study, the researchers found that caffeine produced stress reactions all day long, all the way to bed time — even when consumers were “cut off” at 1 in the afternoon.
One thing I’m slightly confused about — back when I did some caffeine research a while back, I recalled caffeine’s half-life as being 1.5 hours, not 4 hours. That’s a huge difference.
Twiddle
It’s The Thursday Thumb-Twiddler: 1. One hot summer afternoon, while walking through a parking lot at a large shopping mall, you notice a dog suffering badly from the heat inside…
It’s The Thursday Thumb-Twiddler:
1. One hot summer afternoon, while walking through a parking lot at a large shopping mall, you notice a dog suffering badly from the heat inside a locked car. What would you do?
When I ran across this question, it resonated with me in the context of this story, so I wanted to include it.
At a mall, I’d try to contact security, either to see if they could find the owner, or else if they could open the car at least to get some air in.
If there was no way for that to happen, and I really felt the dog was in imminent danger … I’d like to think I’d break the damned window.
2. You are in a restaurant rest room. You notice an employee leaving without washing his/her hands. Do you bring the matter to the attention of the owner or manager? If so, do you do it publicly or privately?
I would probably not say anything (and would probably try to rationalize not doing so), but Margie probably (rightly) would, though privately.
3. What is one item you own that you really should throw away … but probably never will?
I have all the correspondance I’ve ever had with anyone in various boxes. That includes past romantic (and marital) involvements. I keep them not out of any sense of romance, mind you, nor even of nostalgia per se, but from a sense of History. On the off chance that I should become famous, for example (not that I can think of anything I should be famous for), it’s material that biographers would want access to. Or maybe my grandkids, or theirs, would find it of interest.
Or maybe I’m just a pack rat.
Or maybe my memory is so bad that, if I throw out stuff like that, it’s like throwing out concrete reminders of who I was. Heck, I wouldn’t go back and edit stuff out this blog, would I, if something were to happen to dramatically change any of the relationships I talk about here?
I don’t read those letters. I don’t talk about them, and I really don’t even think about them. But I would be loathe to throw them out.
I guess I’m safe, with margin to spare
More joy for caffeine coffee addicts afficionados: three cups a day keeps dementia at bay. (Via Blather)…
More joy for caffeine coffee addicts afficionados: three cups a day keeps dementia at bay.
(Via Blather)
Last Thursday’s Threesome
Yet another daily Q&A meme, it’s the Thursday Threesome: Onesome Long–Long tall drink. What’s your favorite beverage, alcoholic and/or non-alcoholic? I drink a lot. Which is to say, put something…
Yet another daily Q&A meme, it’s the Thursday Threesome:
Onesome Long–Long tall drink. What’s your favorite beverage, alcoholic and/or non-alcoholic?
I drink a lot. Which is to say, put something liquid in my hands, especially cold, and I’m likely to drink it all, and be thirsty for more, regardless of the proof. This makes handing me cocktails, as you might imagine, fairly dangerous.
In the alcoholic area, I’d probably go for a spicy, chewy Zinfandel (red, of course) as my fave, though if we’re doing mixed drinks, a very dry gin martini with a twist is my poison of choice. If froofy mixed drinks, make mine a mojito.
For non-alcoholic drinks — well, any of an array of sodas right now, with the “Natural Brew” Outrageous Ginger Brew leading the pack. Non-soda, probably a grape/grapefruit juice mix I got from my mom, God bless her.
Twosome Hot–Do you like it hot? Spicy hot food, that is!
Indeed. I’m a wimp compared to Margie, but I tend to prefer it spicier than most I know.
Threesome Summer–Summer makes you think of what food? What’s your favorite summer recipe?
Hmmm. I really don’t have a summer association with any given food. Though mojitos and margaritas are always good on a hot summer day.
Coffee Karma
We have, in my wing of the building, four pots (vacuum caraffes, actually) of coffee — French Roast, Costa Rican, Vanilla, and Decaf. I make, on the average, 3-4 pots…
We have, in my wing of the building, four pots (vacuum caraffes, actually) of coffee — French Roast, Costa Rican, Vanilla, and Decaf.
I make, on the average, 3-4 pots of coffee a day at the office.
I usually start a pot when I come into work. When I go back to the coffee room, I’ll start a new pot while pouring from the one I just made.
Despite having a large cup and a significant caffeine habit, I can guarantee you that I don’t drink that much. I probably don’t drink more than a single pot, over the course of a day.
But each time I go in to pour myself a cup, especially if it’s before lunch, I check to see if any of the pots are empty. And, if so, I start a new one.
I don’t understand why folks leave empty pots of coffee, or pots with just a little bit left in them. Really. It’s not difficult to start a new pot. It’s not even time-consuming. (I timed myself once. Under a thirty seconds.)
Are folks lazy? Are they just unaware? Are they parasites upon the citizenry?
I just don’t understand.
(Any more than I understand why, with all the Good Coffee Pot Filling Karma I must have built up over the years, am still just as likely to find my preferred flavor gone whenever I go into the coffee room.)
Well, it’s Friday somewhere by now …
It’s this week’s Friday Five … 1. Where are you right now? Sitting at my notebook computer, at my breakfast room table, getting ready for bed. 2. What have you…
It’s this week’s Friday Five …
1. Where are you right now?
Sitting at my notebook computer, at my breakfast room table, getting ready for bed.
2. What have you lost recently?
I lost some confidence the other day, but it seems to have wandered back. Hmmmm. I think it was the USB cable for Margie’s printer. Kitten wandered off with it, and it hasn’t been seen since.
3. What was the first CD you ever purchased?
The first one I am pretty certain I purchased was Frente, Labor of Love. John Barry’s Moveola and Eurythmics’ Greatest Hits were right in that first batch, too.
I first got a CD player as a boom box (which still have) whilst on an extended job assignment in Martinez, Calif. I desperately needed some music for the late-night programming stints I was doing.
4. What is your favorite kind of writing pen? Well, I don’t buy good pens, because I lose them. Yup. Can’t keep a given pen, if I’m using it, for love or money.
What I prefer to write with these days are the cheap little UniBall roller-ball pens. Good flow, good construction, reasonably attractive, and an endless supply in the company supply cabinet.
When given a choice, though, I prefer a good fountain pen. I love the feel as I draw it across the paper.
5. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Haagen-Dazs Rum Raisin. Heavenly. Though Reeds Ginger Ice Cream is damn fine. And anything from the Boulder Ice Cream Co. is just tasty as all get-out (their coconut and cinnamon flavors are excellent).
For ordinary run-of-the-mill, I like Pecan Praline, Mint Chip, Oreo, Cookie Dough, or a really strong Vanilla.
I like ice cream.
Dave from A to Z
A – Animals/Pets: Two was-he cats, Mist (grey tabby), Indy (black). B – Best Friend: Margie. C – Cohabitants: A+B+Katherine. D – Desire(s): Lots more well-remunerated free time. E -…
A – Animals/Pets: Two was-he cats, Mist (grey tabby), Indy (black).
B – Best Friend: Margie.
C – Cohabitants: A+B+Katherine.
D – Desire(s): Lots more well-remunerated free time.
E – Eye Color: Hazel, same as Margie, even though it’s different.
F – Favorite Food(s): Rum Raisin ice cream; Margie’s Pepper Steak ‘n’ Fixin’s; Tater Tots.
G – Games: Sundry RPGs; Pictionary.
H – Habit(s): Blogging; playing with my beard.
I – Interests: Writing, Blogging, Gaming, 1st Person Shooters; Comic Books.
J – Job: IT Manager for Advanced Technology & Standards for a Great Metropolitan Engineering Company.
K – Kitchen (Wonder or Blunder?): Give me a recipe and I can do anything. As long as I don’t get my teaspons and tablespoons mixed up.
L – Languages: English, a smattering of Spanish, a grunt of German, a lisp of Latin.
M – Most Valued Possession(s) (an item, not people/pets): My back-up disks.
N – Name (Named after?): “David” wasn’t after anyone in particular (I think it was popular about that time because of Eisenhower); “Christopher” after the saint, before he was rendered mythical.
O – Outfit You Love: Shorts, oversized T, bare feet.
P – Pizza Toppings: Pepperoni & Mushrooms.
Q – Question Asked To You the Most: “Dadddeeeee?”
R – Relationship/Partner: Wife, Margie.
S – Sport: (Playing) Golf; (Watching) Hockey, Football, Golf.
T – Television Show(s): B5, ST:TOS, FarScape.
U – Unsavory characteristic(s): Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony, Pride.
V – Video (Favorites): Undercover Blues; Sneakers; Princess Bride; Judgment at Nuremberg; Dogma; Manchurian Candidate.
W – Webpage (Favorite–not your own): The Bleat.
X – Xylophone (or other Instrument?): Viola, once up a time.
Y – Year Born: Year of the Rat.
Z – Zodiac Sign: Capricorn.
(Via CrazyTracy)
Today’s Words of Wisdom
Oil of Bergamot, though wonderful with black tea (Earl Grey), is far less pleasing with coffee. Wash your mug in the morning….
Oil of Bergamot, though wonderful with black tea (Earl Grey), is far less pleasing with coffee.
Wash your mug in the morning.
Suing our own fat asses off
When tobacco companies were first beginning to worry about suits filed against them, they claimed that the next step was law suits against makers of sugary, fatty food. Dismissed as…
When tobacco companies were first beginning to worry about suits filed against them, they claimed that the next step was law suits against makers of sugary, fatty food. Dismissed as hyperbole at the time, that future may not be all that far off, as some activists, seeing the societal harm in our national obesity, look for ways to sue or legislate against junk food.
Interesting, if worrisome, reading. I mean, I know I eat too many fries, too much ice cream, too much fat, sugar, and salt.
But it’s my choice. If we start legally coddling the citizenry over what they choose to eat (and, let’s face it, nobody goes into eating junk food thinking it’s good for them), then when do we start coddling them (us) over what they (we) choose to believe, enjoy, or participate in?
If the public is a bunch of children, sooner or later they are going to be treated that way.
The Case for Cocktails
Here’s a nice article about cocktails, a fine, civilized tradition that is sadly going the way of home cooking. If we don’t cultivate the demand for complex drinks – cocktails…
Here’s a nice article about cocktails, a fine, civilized tradition that is sadly going the way of home cooking.
If we don’t cultivate the demand for complex drinks – cocktails that require a commitment to acquiring certain tastes – we must prepare to relinquish gambling, prostitution, and perhaps even sex.
When we cast aside even our vices, how can we hope to preserve the very fiber of our society? Without morals, we are still a decadent and exuberant people. Without vices, we are troglogdytic hunches, scraping at the earth and mewling at the sky.
Growing up, my folks regularly had cocktails each evening when my Dad got home. Gin martinis, usually, though occasionally a Manhattan. They’ve migrated by and large to wine over the years, but I still have a fondness, myself, for a very dry (Tom Lehrer proportions) gin martini, with a twist.
Margie’s folks will also partake of mixed drinks, though they are more likely just to go for Scotch on the rocks. My brother-in-law provided me with a Mr. Boston’s at my bachelor party. Margie, carrying on with the theme, enjoys my making her a Scotch Old Fashioned after a particularly hard day, and her drink of choice at a bar is a Rusty Nail (both of which are mentioned in the article).
And, of course, there are the infamous Hill Thanksgiving Margaritas, though those are being threatened as a tradition by Mojitos.
In case it sounds like we do nothing but guzzle booze, these are more special occasion imbibements than regular occurances in our house. But it feels nice to know that we’re carrying on a long tradition, in moderation, and with pleasure.
(Hmmmm. One post on caffeine, another on booze. Maybe I do have a problem …)
A third explanation?
Researchers claim that people are unable to taste the difference between caffeinated and uncaffeinated soft drinks. This means, they conclude, that soft drink manufacturers are intentionally trying to addict their…
Researchers claim that people are unable to taste the difference between caffeinated and uncaffeinated soft drinks. This means, they conclude, that soft drink manufacturers are intentionally trying to addict their customers.
Nonsense, huffs and puffs the National Soft Drink Association. It’s all about flavor. Besides, a bunch of people in the test were smokers, and we know how addiction-prone poor they are at tasting things.
As a dedicated caffeinated soft drink drinker (Coke, Pepsi, and Barqs, primarily), the assertion by the manufacturers is just goofy. It’s not a detectable taste.
On the other hand, I’m not a big conspiracy theorist. And caffeine, while mildly addictive, is not addictive enough to make me think that’s wht’s going on here.
No, the bottom line here is that people like to drink caffeinated drinks because they enjoy the caffeine buzz. It is, if you will, America’s dirty little mood-altering secret. Caffeine gives you a buzz. It perks you up.
What, you think folks drink coffee because it tastes good? You think people really like the taste of black tea that much more than green tea? Same diff.
But the manufacturers can admit that, because it makes them sound like drug pushers. They are, of course, but I, for one, am eagerly lining up for my fix.
“Manly, yes, but I get pepped up by it, too!”
Tired and listless in the morning? Can’t even wash yourself right until you’ve had that first cup or three of coffee? Help is on the way, in the form of…
Tired and listless in the morning? Can’t even wash yourself right until you’ve had that first cup or three of coffee? Help is on the way, in the form of Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap.
(Via Boing Boing)
Man with a Monday Mission
Because I don’t have enough else to do (just kidding), it’s the Monday Mission 2.20: 1. When was the last time you went out with a true love of yours?…
Because I don’t have enough else to do (just kidding), it’s the Monday Mission 2.20:
1. When was the last time you went out with a true love of yours? What did you two do that made it so special?
Not counting going out to Spider-Man or Star Wars in the past week, it would be for our anniversary, I think. We went to Le Central and had a wonderful, romantic dinner, just the two of us. That’s all it takes to make it special.
2. Which far-away friend would you most like to see again?
Bunker, Miller, Kurt & Marina, all “live” friends from the past I’d like to see again. A handful of folks from high school that I lost touch with.
Heck, I can even see seeing my ex, Cheryl, some time — talk about old times and new times. I still consider her my friend, despite the, ah, strain in a relationship that divorce can entail. I have, needless to say, no romantic interest in her, and I don’t see making a habit of reunions or anything like that. But since I spent about fifteen years knowing, going with, or married to her, it’s not like I can just excise the whole relationship. And she seems to be doing a lot better, lately …
3. Any high or low points about this past weekend? What went on?
Actually, the weekend went quite in line with plans. The high points were probably seeing AotC, going to the church picnic, and getting plants planted in the yard. Low point was probably the stresses and strain of doing the Star Wars game where I was the only pre-AotC person who cared about staying “unspoiled.”
4. I’ve been thinking about getting a buzz-cut for the summer, a big change for me. Have you ever made any drastic changes to your appearance?
Probably the most drastic was getting my hair cut quite short last year. Haven’t regretted it since.
5. How long do you think a couple should date before they get married? Or if you are married, do you think you should have waited longer to get hitched?
Margie and I knew each other 15 years, and dated for a few before we married. I don’t think we rushed into anything.
My opinion? Anything under a two year courtship is rushing things.
6. I just found out my long-time friend does not like Star Wars (!) and has only seen the original 1977 movie! Have you ever discovered anything new or shocking about a long-time friend you thought you knew everything about?
Yes.
But I’m not going to discuss it here …
7. Well we had a nice picnic and saw the sunset, but now it’s dark and I think we should liven things up. Let’s call some of your friends and go out. Who do you want to invite and where should we all go?
Hey, I’d love to see Lord of the Rings again. Let’s call Jackie and Doyce. Maybe Randy and Rey & Jules, too. Then we can go to Red Robin and eat fries and drink vanilla cokes. Woo-hoo! Live it up! What a party animal!
BONUS: Why can’t ya be good to me?
Because you’ve been bad. Very, very bad. And now I must spank you …
New! Improved!
It’s the fresh, vibrant, new, improved Friday Five! 1. What shampoo do you use? Whatever’s on sale that doesn’t cause Margie to break out in a rash. That means it’s…
It’s the fresh, vibrant, new, improved Friday Five!
1. What shampoo do you use?
Whatever’s on sale that doesn’t cause Margie to break out in a rash. That means it’s likely to be bulk, it’s likely to be lightly, if at all, scented, it’s likely to last us for a while, and it’s likely to be something different next time.
2. Do you use conditioner? What kind?
Yes, I do, though my hair is not exactly unmanageable at this point. As to what kind, see #1.
3. When was the last time you got your hair cut?
Probably four or five weeks ago, at Margie’s hands. I need to do it this weekend, since my folks are coming to visit next.
4. What styling products do you use?
Um … shampoo, conditioner, and hair cuts? Not much left to style after that … which is one reason I have it cut this short.
5. What’s your worst hair-related experience?
Its long, gradual, thinning-out on top?
Having to chop off my pony tail when I got married (Margie had some silly but irrefutable reasoning about “photographs” and “timeless appeal” and “you really don’t want folks laughing at our wedding snapshots in years to come)?
My hair has never been terribly easy to manage, and it’s not something I’ve been willing to dedicate my life to keeping under control, so back when I wore it longer it was prone to looking pretty shaggy. I do have a recollection of having to get a picture taken (driver’s license?) after it had been through a minor wind storm and was looking like I belonged down at the Mission …
6. BONUS UNSOLICITED QUESTION: What are you doing this weekend?
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Ten smells I love
Oil of Bergamot Fresh nutmeg Garlic and onions sauteeing. In bacon fat. Bacon Apple Crisp Lilacs in bloom Mimeograph machines Fine port Ginger A clean Katherine…
Other joys
While Rum Raisin still rules the roost so far as I’m concerned, I cannot recommend highly enough Reed’s Ginger Ice Cream. Reed’s does some very tasty ginger beers, and their…
While Rum Raisin still rules the roost so far as I’m concerned, I cannot recommend highly enough Reed’s Ginger Ice Cream. Reed’s does some very tasty ginger beers, and their ice cream carries that strong flavor over magnificently, complete with little chunks of candied ginger. It is to die for.
(They also make a Ginger Chocolate ice cream and a Ginger Green Tea ice cream, but I’m a purist when it comes to these sorts of things. I feel the same way about cheese cake, too.)
On the cookie front, snickerdoodles rock. I love ’em. Favorite cookie going. Sure, your chocolate chip cookies are pretty tasty, and Thin Mints and the like are great, and Mother’s Taffy cookies remain my Stress Binge choice, but …
Snickerdoodles rock.
This has been your calorie-free-but-somehow-fattening post of the day.
It’s time for the Tuesday, er, Two-Score and Ten Or So …
Actually this was one of those Q&A chain letters that my mom passed on, but since e-mail is so Last Millennium, I thought I’d do it here (abridged) … 1….
Actually this was one of those Q&A chain letters that my mom passed on, but since e-mail is so Last Millennium, I thought I’d do it here (abridged) …
1. What time is it? 8:39AM MDT (GMT-6)
2. Name as it appears on your birth certificate: David Christopher Hill
3. Nickname(s): “Dave,” “***Dave,” “Three-Star Dave.”
4. Parents names: Hal & Gloria
5. Number of candles that appeared on your last birthday cake: Now, see, here’s a tough one, not out of vanity, but because age and birth date is one of those Significant Things that folks use in Identity Theft (birthplace, favorite pet, mother’s maiden name are others). Somebody who really wanted to sift through things could probably figure it out, but there are a few intentionally misleading bits I’ve used in the past, too. So … somewhere between forty and forty-five.
6. Date that you regularly blow them out? See #5. I blow them out in early January, but the exact date varies, depending on when Margie takes me out or makes me a cake.
7. Pets: Two cats, one toddler. Squirrels in the back yard, grackles in the bird feeder. No errant raccoons at the moment.
8. Eye color: Hazel
9. Hair color: Brown-grey
10. Piercing: (Shudders.) No.
11. Tattoos: (Shudders some more.) No.
12. How much do you love your job: It has its days. I’m kind of struggling at the moment managing a remote group — “out of sight, out of mind.”
13. Favorite color: Cobalt Blue
14. Hometown: See #5. I was born up in the San Francisco ‘burbs. However, I was raised almost entirely in Southern California, in the east San Gabriel Valley.
15. Current Residence: Centennial, Colo.
16. Favorite food: Rum Raisin Ice Cream.
17. Been to Africa? Nope. There are some areas I’d like to visit — safari stuff, Egypt, Morocco. But it doesn’t look likely any time soon, for a variety of financial and security reasons.
18. Been toilet papering? Nope. Ol’ Stick-in-the-mud Me.
19. Loved somebody so much it made you cry? Yes.
20. Been in a car accident? Yup. No serious injuries, but way more thrills and excitement than I’m really looking for in my life.
21. Croutons or bacon bits? Yes, please, thanks!
22. Sprite or 7 UP? When pressed, Sprite. 7Up is too sweet. On the other hand, I’d much prefer a ginger beer, a Barq’s root beer, or a Coke.
23. Favorite Movie(s): Sorry, that exceeds my bandwidth here. Though at the moment, I’d have to rank LotR up there pretty damned high.
24. Favorite Holiday: Christmas. Family, friends, gifts given, gifts received, and Lots of Spiritual Stuff to boot.
25. Favorite day of the week: Friday. Half day off, the weekend is coming, and either I have a bachelor night at home (if Margie’s gaming), or I have a game I’m going to (and get to sleep in on Saturday!).
26. Favorite word or phrases? “No problem” and “Howdy,” I suspect.
27. Favorite Toothpaste: Aim. Or Crest. Actually, I’ve stopped having a real favorite.
28. Favorite Restaurant: Hey, this question sounds vaguely familiar … Probably the knee-jerk reaction would be Le Central.
29. Favorite Flowers: Irises.
30. Favorite Drink: Gin martini, very dry (6:1), with a twist.
31. Favorite sports to watch: Probably golf. This is not something I spend a lot of time watching.
32. Preferred type of ice cream: See #16.
33. Favorite Sesame Street Character: I was a bit too old for Sesame Street growing up, and Katherine is not really into it as of yet. So I really couldn’t say. They mostly seem kinda goofy.
35. Favorite Fast Food Restaurant: Tokyo Joe’s.
36. When was your last hospital visit? Wow. Many, many years. Inguinal hernias when I was in the 3rd and 4th Grades. Unless you count visiting someone else in the hospital. In which case it would be when Doyce was in. Somewhere in-between those would be when we stayed over at the hospital after Katherine was born.
37. What color is your bedroom carpet? Beige.
38. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? None. Woo-hoo!
39. Who is the last person you got email from before this? Kelley.
40. Have you ever been convicted of a crime? Never convicted, no … heh heh heh …
41. Which single store would you choose to max out your credit card? Restoration Hardware. Retro-geeky joy.
42. What do you do most often when you are bored? Work on my blog …
43. Name the person that you are friends with that lives the farthest: A wide variety of friends are scattered across the US, and even some we’ve subsequently visited in London. Margie’s godfather lives in Thailand.
But for decently close friends whom I have actually met in person, off the top of my head I’d say it would be Kelley, in Chicago.
44. Most annoying thing people ask me: “Say, that must be a good book, eh?”
45. Bedtime: Usually sometime between 9 and 10 (!), usually driven by Margie. (Which is not a bad thing, since (a) I get up at 5 a.m., and (b) without her restraint, I’d usually stay up until midnight ….)
46. Who will respond the quickest to this e-mail [blog]? Actually commenting? Probably Jenn, who, bless ‘er, seems to hit this page multiple times a day. Actually writing a blogged version themselves? Probably Doyce.
47. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond? Margie is probably the reader most likely not to write her own answers to the questions, though she may likely comment on mine.
48. Favorite all time TV shows: As defined by my willingness to tape the darned things: Babylon 5. The Outer Limits (TOS). The recent WB Batman/Superman/Justice League cartoons.
49. Last person(s) you went out to dinner with: Margie, just the other evening.
50. Last Movie you saw? See previous post. 🙂
51. What CD is playing right now? None. But Out of the Box is on TV, entertaining Kitten.
52. What is your favorite fragrance? Sauteeing onions and garlic.
53. What are your favorite Hobbies? Blogging, RPGing, Reading.
54. Personal habit I would most like to change: Procrastination.
“What time is it, kids?”
“It’s time for the Friday Five!” 1. What is your favorite restaurant and why? Favorite Romantic Dinner Out With the Wife: Le Central Favorite Special Dinner Out With Business Guests:…
“It’s time for the Friday Five!”
1. What is your favorite restaurant and why?
- Favorite Romantic Dinner Out With the Wife: Le Central
- Favorite Special Dinner Out With Business Guests: 240 Union
- Favorite Decent Dinner Out With Visiting Family: Macaroni Grill
2. What fast food restaurant are you partial to?
- Standard Place to Eat Lunch: Tokyo Joe’s
- Special Fast Food Place: Carl’s Jr.
- Place to Stop When I Feel Like Clogging My Arteries Further: McDonalds
- Honorable Mention Until They Come to Colorado: In-n-Out
3. What are your standards and rules for tipping?
- Fabulous service: 20%
- Good, solid service: 15%
- Minimal Service: 10%
- Want to Make a Point about the Service or Lack Thereof: 0%
4. Do you usually order an appetizer and/or dessert?
I usually don’t order “starters.” I’d rather wait for dessert, if I’m going to splurge. Most starters are over-priced and under-quantitied (though the Cajun Shrimp at 240 Union are to-die-for, esp. if you sop up the spicy butter with some of their great bread).
I’m usually not that wildly enthusiastic about restaurant desserts. Too fancy, too much drizzly raspberry stuff, too little huge mounts of ice cream stuff. Though the apple crisp at the Buffalo Exchange (warm, with cinnamon ice cream and caramel sauce) is nigh-orgasmic.
I’ve been known to get a glass of port instead of dessert.
5. What do you usually order to drink at a restaurant?
- Fast food: Usually cola, sometimes Barq’s root beer if they have it.
- Business lunch: Ice Tea (not-sweet)
- Mexican: Margarita’s, sometimes beer
- Other: Red wine, usually a Zin, failing that a Cab. I’ve managed to get tapped in many circles as The Guy to Order Wine, which I’m usually more than willing to do, save for wondering about the right price level.
Special Bonus Question #6. What are you doing this weekend?
The Tax Man Cometh. ‘Nuff said.
Coffee, tea, or vacuum?
An article on airline food service, and some more (unpublicized) ways it’s being cut back. Is the airline meal an endangered species? Should it be? For myself, I usually have…
An article on airline food service, and some more (unpublicized) ways it’s being cut back. Is the airline meal an endangered species? Should it be?
For myself, I usually have time after getting through security to grab something to eat at the airport — and airport food has generally improved quite a bit in the last decade. That’s usually enough to tide me over during a flight. Just give me some mineral water and a slice of lime and I’m a happy camper.
(Via NextDraft)