LBC Me

Well I thought the same thing about Covid, @dleighg, but I honest to god tested positive for Covid TODAY, 03/29/2025. I know you wrote ^^^ about a year ago, but it was still bizarre reading your post, and lying here feeling like CRAP right now. This is my 2nd go-round with this shite and I’ve always been fully vaccinated. I’m from the upper Midwest and it was always called kielbasa in my house. I hated it because it was so fatty. Well really, I hate all sausages.

Forgive me but I'm kind of on board with @AriAu here regarding Kristen's tats being a little much, but then again I'm old. And I had a completely different reaction when people were commenting on her needing sleeves. In the tattoo world, sleeves means completely covering both arms with (usually colored) tattoos. Please correct me if that's wrong. Jeez, three posts in a row. I guess I have a lot to say! 😉

Those folks who follow astrology as some type of real science, I guess. Could we also say it's based on the random date they were conceived? That would explain all of us Scorpios conceived in freezing winter (January) in the upper Midwest! 🤔 But I'm mixed up here. For some reason, I thought it was the Dungeons & Dragons player who was into astrology? Who asked about Frank Lloyd Wright's birthday? God, I'm so confused.

And this is so true to life, @Irlandesa. Every time I fly into my home state, it's the first thing that always strikes me. It's so green! That and the sun reflecting off all of the lakes and rivers. Gosh, Rasika is fantastic, isn't she? I really hope she's not eliminated for something stupid.

Yes, that wasn't clear to me either @Red Bridey, other than Wihan's lack of leadership in preparing a work schedule, in writing, for his team. Harry seemed to be pulling double duty, covering Wihan's ass for the entire episode. I can hardly wait for the episode where Wihan gets fired. I'll be dancing a jig! I agree with what some have hinted at, that Lara should switch up Marina and Bri's assignments, giving Marina an opportunity on service. Chief Stews that play favorites are not good Chief Stews.

So then Wihan is NOT lazy and gross, chasing after THREE of the women on the boat like a horny toad? Because the show I'M watching has literally shown, on more than one occassion, that Wihan is guilty of every offense you accuse "Marine" / "Mariny" of doing. (Her name is Marina, BTW.) I guess you and I are watching two different shows, because defending poor little Wihan is absolutely the last thing I would ever do. He gets worse every week. I should know better than to engage with trolls, but Wihan is just disgusting. And you and I are done.

Cheese featured in Top Chef Wisconsin. Color me surprised (not). It is the land of the cheeseheads. And they have those wedge-of-cheese hats that are hilarious. Someone upthread mentioned this, but growing corn DOES give off humidity, and there's also this distinctive scratching, scraping sound of the dry leaves on the stalks rubbing against one another. It all feeds into my crippling fear of going into corn fields. The humidity combined with the heat would have made those chefs really miserable.

OK @oldCJ, the way people speak makes you uncomfortable. Heard. Seriously though, I'm from Minnesota and it IS a very unique accent. Actors also say it's a very difficult accent to learn.

Agreed. It's one thing to say that "these things were hushed up back then," but really? Evidence was also hushed up?

Not only that, but he kept dropping F bombs in every single sentence he said. What the hell is that about? I swear myself. A lot. But this douche took it to another level. But claiming that another contestant "stole" "his" fish really put me over the edge. I was so happy the other chef corrected that outright LIE, twice. So David, Please Pack Your Knives and Fuck Off. Well then I'm also easily amused. I thought it was hilarious.

Always and forever, the Rolling Stones. Always and forever, Oasis. Much watch for those of us of a certain age. Made me f**king cry.

And now, let's all jump into the Way Back Machine for this tune from my misspent youth. The year was 1973, and @LBC Me was rocking it in high school. The video is a bit cheesy, but I still love guys with long hair.

On another note, I've yet again changed my mind about what I'm going to read. I've started A Death In White Bear Lake, by Barry Siegel. This is a re-read for me, as I read it shortly after publication in 1990 and it's still in print. This book has a very special connection to me as I was born and raised not far from White Bear. I checked on Goodreads and was stunned to learn that 645 other people are currently reading this 35 year old book! Gosh, my reading is so all over the place. For that I can only say, "Leave me alone. I'm old!" 🙃

In the early years of their marriage, my mom made liver and onions for my dad. She gave us kids liver only once ("You need to give it an honest try") and one of us threw up and my dad got pissed and decided we didn't have to eat it. Mom had old school, cast iron frying pans and she complained that she couldn't get the disgusting smell of liver out of those pans no matter how much she tried scrubbing, seasoning, and re-heating them. From then on, dad got his liver and onions from a restaurant he passed by on his way home from work; when they were on special, we got to eat at a restaurant, which NEVER happened. @sATL this was in the upper Mid-west.

Ooooh. I'm not on Instagram. Which chef did this?

He also needs to stop relying on Sara when one of his ingredients is burning, which seems to happen Every Time. I hope that when it happens in the finale, Sara says nothing to Gabri. It's weird writing a post that no one will ever read. 🙃

Well, I just checked and it's not at my library in physical form, which I vastly prefer to others (no shade intended and JMO). They don't have it, which is quite irritating since I live in a city of ~500,000. I'm off to check the used book websites now.

Forgive me, @JustHereForFood for not answering your questions. Yes, it's all in one book. Je ne regrette rien. But seriously, I have used your technique of having a running cheat sheet of characters and their relationships before. I need it for every Jo Nesbø book I've ever read. Good grief, those are a mess to keep track of.

Wow, Murder of a Medici Princess sounds so good, and I'm not one that's put off by nonfiction. I'm fascinated with the Italian Renaissance in general, and the Medici rule of Florence specifically. Confession: I'm NOT reading The Count of Monte Cristo at this time. I'm overwhelmed with all of my unread books, and I think I'll be more comfortable plowing through those instead. I've finished One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and geez -- shivers. I've forgotten how bleak Russian literature really is. For a short book, this really packed a punch. I'm starting Sipsworth next, I think. I'm so much a mood reader that I can never really plan what's on deck.

I agree with @snarktini 100%. Why are we calling Buddha's anxiety about losing and going home "false humility?" Why is he not allowed to show concern about being knocked out of the competition, something the other competitors do in every episode. There's nothing "false" about what the cameras show for Buddha. He's incredibly driven and knows he's got a great, big target on his back. That's a lot of pressure. And if the man wants to show off and be a dick about his talents, he should be allowed to do that, too. Like my Dad used to say, "You can brag about yourself all you want, as long as you have the goods to back it up." And I think Buddha has the goods. Oh well. I'm still unspoiled about the S20 winner so time will tell.

I'm currently watching Season 20 of TC and I wanted to say, was this the episode where Gabri was explaining the social issue he wanted to highlight with his dish, and he kept going on and on and on about corn until Victoire (?) had had enough and said "Oh my god, shut up!" I thought it was hilarious. Gabri was left speechless.

I'm finally getting around to this season of Top Chef in early 2025! Anyway, the first thought I had when they mentioned Fortnam & Mason were suppliers to the queen was Hyacinth Bouquet being so impressed with foods with the Royal Warrant on them. Would love to go there but ... that whole money thing. As others have mentioned, for me the bloom has definitely gone off the rose for contestant Tom. I love the warm German salty/sweet/vinegar dressing drizzled over greens with bacon mentioned by @snarktini. OMG! My grandmother made the best. I remember searching for fresh chives along the creek near the abandoned railroad ties one beautiful, sunny summer day. Food is so evocative; this was probably 60 years ago.

Late to the party, but credit where credit is due. I can't imagine breast pumping in a strange land (she'd never been to London), and all of the logistics to get her breast milk -- FROZEN -- back to Kentucky successfully. I'm sure many accommodations were made to make this happen, but I had a new-found appreciation of Sarah when she mentioned she was doing this. And being separated from her [newborn/infant?] must have been brutal. Don't know that I could have risen to that kind of challenge.

God yes. And it looks like Bravo is trying to turn back the hands of time on their website. Look at Shep is this "picture" that has been heavily photo shopped / air brushed, whatever. https://www.bravotv.com/southern-charm He looks unrecognizable and ridiculous and cartoonish.

$15K is an incredibly low tip. The norm seems to be about $20K and upwards, right? But the crew seemed happy about it. Wihan is a disgusting sh*t-heel. He simultaneously breaks up with Marina and Tzarina, and then at the end of the episode, he's kissing Tzarina for several minutes. ??? I hope he gets sent on his way because he's also a crap bosun. I think I like the new sous chef so far. Seems as though she has a good head on her shoulders.