Chit-Chat: What's On Your Mind Today?

[PRgal]

59 minutes ago, RealHousewife said:

What are everyone’s thoughts on regularly tipping super generously? 

I am a good tipper, whether that’s at a restaurant or a salon. But I have a coworker who will always tip around 50% or more, even if he’s just grabbing coffee or picking up something from a place that’s considered fast food. As much as I’d love to be as generous as him, if I tipped that much to try to support business and their employees, I wouldn’t be able to afford going out to eat nearly as much. I feel like me getting food from them more frequently makes a bigger difference. 

What are your thoughts on this? If you grab a coffee that’s $5, do you also tip $5? Do you ever tip 100%? Do you tip every single time you are prompted or see a tip jar? 

I also have coworkers on the opposite side of the spectrum who don’t believe in tipping for takeout. I don’t tip AS much as when I’m waited on and get their argument, but one thing some people may not realize is when there are employees who work the takeout counter, they rely on tips just like servers do. 

That's over generous!  I don't always tip for coffee - unless I'm ordering in person.  I always order Starbucks ahead of time, and really only go to pick up.  

[Bethany]

I loathe "karma" jars and other prompts for tipping in fast food places and I'm sorry if that makes me a Scrooge but I won't do it.  In recent years I've always tipped 20% and there was a time when that was considered a good tip.  I gather that is not the case any longer and I've noticed that the tip prompts you get now go up to 30%.  But @RealHousewife 50% seems extravagant to me.  The kind of tip I'd expect a Hollywood star to leave not the average person paying for a meal!

[PRgal]

43 minutes ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

I loathe "karma" jars and other prompts for tipping in fast food places and I'm sorry if that makes me a Scrooge but I won't do it.  In recent years I've always tipped 20% and there was a time when that was considered a good tip.  I gather that is not the case any longer and I've noticed that the tip prompts you get now go up to 30%.  But @RealHousewife 50% seems extravagant to me.  The kind of tip I'd expect a Hollywood star to leave not the average person paying for a meal!

The most hilarious tip jar I saw had a Drake reference.  I’m sure most of you can guess what it said…

[Bastet]

In restaurants, my standard is 20 percent, and I go up from that depending on how good the service is -- I think of a 20% tip as my part of supplementing their shitty wage, and then the additional amount as a thanks for doing an above-average job.  I don't think I've ever tipped more than 50 percent.

 

[meep.meep]

I think people started tipping more during the pandemic as a thank you to those restaurant workers who risked their health to keep providing the rest of us with food.  I tip more now because I want the places that I like to eat at to stay in business.  I always tip at Starbucks because my daughter was a barrista once and I know how hard it is to live on those wages.

But I've never tipped 100% on anything.

[oliviabenson]

I only tip in a sit down restaurant:25%. 

[nokat]

Would any of you eat this? I like cheese and pickle sandwiches, so I probably would.

 

 

[kristen111]

On 4/19/2023 at 2:14 PM, annzeepark914 said:

Well, hallelujah! A decent movie has emerged from Hollywood. Ray Romano co-wrote and directed this movie, Somewhere In Queens.  It's filmed in Queens where he grew up. I was just complaining about how there are no movies that I want to see. This looks like it will be fun. He knows how to find the humor in family relationships.

https://qns.com/2023/04/ray-romano-somewhere-in-queens-screening/

Oh goody.  I grew up in Queens, got married then moved to Long Island.   I frequented all the places he mentioned.

Edited April 21, 2023 by kristen111

[BooksRule]

Well, I definitely have proof (I think) that my phone gathers information about me wherever I go.  I was in Walmart earlier this evening and happened to stop at the frozen pizza section (which I haven't done in probably months and I don't think I've ever bought a brand name frozen pizza from Walmart).  I took a California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza out of the case to read the label, but put it back because I saw that is was sprinkled with cilantro and that tastes like soap to me. Oh, well.  Anyway, just now a sponsored ad popped up on my Facebook wall advertising CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza.  Coincidence? I think not.  (I'm aware that my phone gathers information about where I am when shopping and sends it to companies so that they can send me advertising tailored to what they think I might be interested in buying. But, I think this is the first time I ever really noticed such a focused ad.)

[oliviabenson]

1 hour ago, nokat said:

Would any of you eat this? I like cheese and pickle sandwiches, so I probably would.

 

 

YES I would eat that pizza. 

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, kristen111 said:

Oh goody.  I grew up in Queens, got married then moved to Long Island.   I frequented all the places he mentioned.

I have a few friends who grew up in that area & they're looking forward to seeing it. The only problem with watching a movie filmed in one's hometown is that you're paying too much attention to all the old places you remember so it's hard to follow the story (at least that was my experience with Nobody's Fool, the one starring Paul Newman). I'm looking forward to seeing this movie.

Edited April 21, 2023 by annzeepark914

[Bastet]

Huh.  Apparently, pickle pizza is a thing.  I've never seen one, but, sure, I'd try it -- I'll try anything that I don't already know I'd hate (based on the ingredients, how it's cooked, etc.).  I like a lot of unconventional pizzas.

Edited April 21, 2023 by Bastet

[Annber03]

I would definitely not eat a pickle pizza. The very idea just sounds...blech.

But hey, that just means more for those of you who would, so knock yourselves out :D. 

[nokat]

21 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Huh.  Apparently, pickle pizza is a thing.  I've never seen one, but, sure, I'd try it.  I like quite a few unconventional pizzas.

I'd be happy with one slice, but that's for the best for me. Darn covid and menopause pounds.

[Bastet]

Just now, nokat said:

I'd be happy with one slice,

Yeah, if I liked it, my guess is it's not something I'd want to eat a lot of, but I'd definitely try it.  As I edited my original response to say, I will try anything I don't know for sure I'd hate.  There's no ingredient on there I won't eat, so I'd taste it if I came across it.  Especially now that I've read about its recent popularity, with a lot of people surprised by how much they enjoyed it.  But a cursory search for any pizza joints in L.A. offering pickle pizzas didn't turn anything up, and it's not something I'd hunt down.

[nokat]

10 minutes ago, Bastet said:

it's not something I'd hunt down

I wouldn't look for it either, but I'd try it. The same with ham & pineapple, I wouldn't order it for myself, but I'll eat a slice as I don't hate it.

[theredhead77]

3 hours ago, Bastet said:

In restaurants, my standard is 20 percent, and I go up from that depending on how good the service is -- I think of a 20% tip as my part of supplementing their shitty wage, and then the additional amount as a thanks for doing an above-average job.  I don't think I've ever tipped more than 50 percent.

I also start at 20% with a mental minimum of $5. On a $15 bill, I'll leave $20. I can certainly afford to leave the extra few dollars. Service has to be "talk to the manager abysmal" and obviously the server's fault for me to leave any less. I've worked food service and my bar for that level of "bad" is so high I literally can't recall the last time somewhere was that bad. 

I tip 20% on take-out from a sit-down restaurant. Someone, usually a server, is prepping that meal to go and my meal ends up counting towards their shitty server wages and the assumption they received a tip for it.

I don't tip at fast food places like McDonald's or Del Taco. I'll throw a buck into the tip jar at Chipotle and other 'fast casual' places like my favorite poke place. I always tip when I find myself in a Baskin Robbins as a way to pay it forward for all those who tipped when I was working at a Baskin Robbins back in the 90s and 00s.

I always ask the cashiers or line people if they get to keep their tips or if management ends up keeping them. It's unfortunate but a pretty big problem where the service workers never see the tips left on a credit card. It's less common that cash tips are kept but it's worth asking before tipping.

[Gramto6]

54 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

YES I would eat that pizza. 

I would at least try one piece and then if I liked it maybe another. I do like pickles and cheese so there isn't anything that would turn me off about it.

Edited April 21, 2023 by Gramto6
typo

[SuprSuprElevated]

On 4/18/2023 at 10:40 AM, Elizabeth Anne said:

We had a situation in the neighbourhood last night and I am wondering if anyone has some insight.  Early evening we noticed an ambulance and police cars in front of a house, the garage door was open and we wondered if they were performing CPR or something like that on one of the residents. 

Anyway eventually the ambulance left, empty.  The police cars remained and a coroner's car arrived.  It seems pretty clear what this must mean.  And eventually no doubt what happened will come out. 

But I can't help wondering - does a coroner attend every time a death occurs in a private home or only when there is something unusual or suspicious about the death?

We had a neighbor who went into full cardiac arrest (and died). There was an ambulance, the rescue engine, and two or three police cars. I was told that when a full arrest is dispatched, anyone who is available responds. The chest compressions can be quite taxing, and they wish for as much help as possible. I believe the police officers were the first on scene.

[kristen111]

7 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

I have a few friends who grew up in that area & they're looking forward to seeing it. The only problem with watching a movie filmed in one's hometown is that you're paying too much attention to all the old places you remember so it's hard to follow the story (at least that was my experience with Nobody's Fool, the one starring Paul Newman). I'm looking forward to seeing this movie.

I hope it will wind up on tv eventually.

[PRgal]

11 hours ago, nokat said:

Would any of you eat this? I like cheese and pickle sandwiches, so I probably would.

 

 

No. 🤮

[oliviabenson]

I can eat maybe 2 slices of pizza in 1 sitting. Usually 1 is enough. And I eat pizza maybe 1 a month. 
 

 

[PRgal]

46 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

I can eat maybe 2 slices of pizza in 1 sitting. Usually 1 is enough. And I eat pizza maybe 1 a month. 
 

 

For me, it would depend on the size of the pie and the type of crust.  If I'm hungry, I can do an entire 10" Neapolitan style crust!  I like it more or less fully loaded with vegetables.  A local chain, Pi Co has a wide variety to choose from!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Oy!

Reading all these comments about food and some of these images is making me...ill. Just returned from my verrrrrryyyyyy relaxing though hectic (I know, that's an oxymoron) vacation in India. Jet Lag this time around has been a killer.

I was fine on Sunday (when I returned in late afternoon), and most of Monday, but then I was sick to my stomach Monday evening.

Anyhoo, I think it's my stomach readjusting to food cooked at home here.

But Holy Schmoly! I lost like 8 pounds in those two and a half weeks! And that's all I'll say here, as I know all health-related talk should go in the Health-Sub Forum. It was the heat, I tell you! And the fact that all the food I had wasn't processed and I drank fresh coconut water--from the green coconut! And the heat just killed a lot of my appetite, so I ate less, I guess? But still ate breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Not sure if I can post the pictures here or if they should go in the vacation thread? @festivus or @JTMacc99can you provide guidance? If I need to move this post elsewhere, will do so.

So I think my sleeping schedule should be back to normal tonight. I hope. I've been falling asleep at 7:30...then waking up at 10:00, to fall immediately asleep and waking up at 6 this past week. Today I got up at 7:00. So, yay?

At least it's the weekend. Can put away all the goodie outfits I got! Three lehengas--one that is a cream skirt with an emerald choli and a sapphire blue choli (both sleeveless) and cream dupatta. Mum got the miserly merchant to come down in price. But dude HATED to alter any of the items, and they did need to be altered! My mum has an amazing tailor who can do magic. He took in two inches on the cream skirt and an inch and a half on the cholis, because the point of the outfits is for them to be fitted--not hanging loose! Got one in a sunny yellow that goes well with my skin tone (medium tan) and one in purple.

But the salons in Udaipur and Jaipur? OH.MY.GOD. America has NOTHING on India when it comes to India's high end salons and the services they provide! Not to mention the customer services they provide in terms of pampering. It's a whole other level. And since the Rupee is so very weak, the cost was negligible, and I had the local currency to pay and it was worth every rupee. The owner took very good care of me and my sister, as our sister-in-law recommended him, and she was so right about him. He gave me some good tips about hair care, what with me still being self-conscious about my "chemo" hair (growing back thin and crown still looking like someone took a buzz saw to it), and showed me videos of his work with other cancer patients. He (Sanjeev) is AWESOME. His Salons are called Styles and Scissors (Jaipur). The one in Udaipur is Amrits Hair N Beauty. 

[oliviabenson]

I found tapioca Pearl tea! OMG I can’t wait to try it! It comes in prepackaged cups too. 
 

 

 

[jennifer6973]

19 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

What are everyone’s thoughts on regularly tipping super generously? 

I am a good tipper, whether that’s at a restaurant or a salon. But I have a coworker who will always tip around 50% or more, even if he’s just grabbing coffee or picking up something from a place that’s considered fast food. As much as I’d love to be as generous as him, if I tipped that much to try to support business and their employees, I wouldn’t be able to afford going out to eat nearly as much. I feel like me getting food from them more frequently makes a bigger difference. 

What are your thoughts on this? If you grab a coffee that’s $5, do you also tip $5? Do you ever tip 100%? Do you tip every single time you are prompted or see a tip jar? 

I also have coworkers on the opposite side of the spectrum who don’t believe in tipping for takeout. I don’t tip AS much as when I’m waited on and get their argument, but one thing some people may not realize is when there are employees who work the takeout counter, they rely on tips just like servers do. 

I tip my favorite waitress $10 all the time.  I started doing that in 2020 when we were able to start eating in restaurants to make up for the time the restaurants were shut down to eating in.

[oliviabenson]

Ok I decided to join some book clubs.

Problems? Yes! Library is no use. I’d have to buy the books. Then meet up to discuss the books are in 

breweries, bars, restaurants…

I can’t afford $50 a book club meeting! Sigh. 

[Bethany]

4 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

Library is no use. I’d have to buy the books.

The only book club I ever belonged to was held in a meeting room at the public library.  I guess it depends on the books chosen but I recall the library being involved in getting extra copies through ILL for library members.  

[partofme]

44 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

Ok I decided to join some book clubs.

Problems? Yes! Library is no use. I’d have to buy the books. Then meet up to discuss the books are in 

breweries, bars, restaurants…

I can’t afford $50 a book club meeting! Sigh. 

Yeah this seems to be what all nyc book clubs are like.  I tried going to a few of them for a while since I read a lot, but ultimately I found I didn't enjoy them because the discussions reminded me of reading in English classes where the discussion revolves around symbolism, stuff I know nothing about.

[PRgal]

It's always interesting to hear people like @GHScorpiosRule talk about visiting their ancestral homeland/old country and having a lot of fun.  I'm pretty neutral about visiting Hong Kong.  Sometimes not even liking it.  The last time I went was in 2011, a year after I got married.  It was okay, but my husband and I had to go to a mall and have food we preferred because we were tired of Cantonese each and every day.  I don't eat "land meat" before 5 pm or so, so dim sum was a problem (since the only seafood I like is fish...and MAYE, just MAYBE scallop.  It really depends on how it's done).  As we had dim sum nearly every day we were there, I had to specially order fish or plain congee and blanched greens (usually choy sum or gai lan...those are the standard) and I could tell my relatives - even those my age - were giving me weird looks.  It felt really awkward.  I was certainly uncomfortable!  At least they weren't hounding us about having children at that time!

[chitowngirl]

I was doing a closet clean out and I have some local genealogy newsletters that are over 15 years old. I glanced through them all (chuckled at the outdated technology tips-be sure to bring a camera and a portable scanner!). Someone I went to college and worked with many, many years ago wrote articles. I messengered her on Facebook to ask if she wants the paper copies. How long do I wait for an answer? I sent the message 3 days ago and I see she was on FB a few hours ago…. I would hate to toss them and the have her say she would like them

[Bethany]

4 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

I sent the message 3 days ago and I see she was on FB a few hours ago…. I would hate to toss them and the have her say she would like them

I learned my lesson about this kind of thing the hard way a few years ago.  Now when I am writing to ask if someone wants something I word it something along the lines of "paper recycling is on Friday so if I haven't heard from you by then I'll assume you're fine with me tossing whatever".  It's helped get responses and gives me an out if they wait until Saturday to get back to me!

[oliviabenson]

2 hours ago, partofme said:

Yeah this seems to be what all nyc book clubs are like.  I tried going to a few of them for a while since I read a lot, but ultimately I found I didn't enjoy them because the discussions reminded me of reading in English classes where the discussion revolves around symbolism, stuff I know nothing about.

I didn’t even go to one. Im sorry you didn’t have fun on yours.

[oliviabenson]

3 hours ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

The only book club I ever belonged to was held in a meeting room at the public library.  I guess it depends on the books chosen but I recall the library being involved in getting extra copies through ILL for library members.  

The book clubs I looked into were not from the library!

[roseha]

30 minutes ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

I learned my lesson about this kind of thing the hard way a few years ago.  Now when I am writing to ask if someone wants something I word it something along the lines of "paper recycling is on Friday so if I haven't heard from you by then I'll assume you're fine with me tossing whatever".  It's helped get responses and gives me an out if they wait until Saturday to get back to me!

I feel like I'm having a similar issue.  Decluttering is tough for me, especially living in a NY apartment where there isn't a lot of space and you pretty much have to mail donations to get anyone to take them.  It occurred to me this week though that maybe I could give away some of my unopened photo chemicals.  What with my vasculitis and also some recent pulmonary issues I don't think I should expose myself to them again for the foreseeable future.

I did email two places in town to see if they or their students might want them for their darkrooms.  One was kind enough to send me a polite no.  If I don't hear from the other, I guess I will have to haul this stuff to the next Safe Disposal Event in June.

[oliviabenson]

17 hours ago, nokat said:

I wouldn't look for it either, but I'd try it. The same with ham & pineapple, I wouldn't order it for myself, but I'll eat a slice as I don't hate it.

I love pineapple on pizza lol

[Bethany]

7 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

The book clubs I looked into were not from the library!

I just looked up some in the city nearest us and not one was connected with a library either.  They all had titles like "Books and Beer and Banter" or else were virtual ones.  Definitely not your mother's book club!

[oliviabenson]

Okay! Local libraries are doing book clubs! Might join! 

[chitowngirl]

There’s an indie bookstore near me that has book clubs as well as our libraries

[Leeds]

22 hours ago, nokat said:

Would any of you eat this? I like cheese and pickle sandwiches, so I probably would.

 

 

 

I doubt I'd try it because the thought of hot pickles does not interest me.  I'd have no trouble with a bite of cheese slice together with a bite of cold pickle.

6 hours ago, partofme said:

Yeah this seems to be what all nyc book clubs are like.  I tried going to a few of them for a while since I read a lot, but ultimately I found I didn't enjoy them because the discussions reminded me of reading in English classes where the discussion revolves around symbolism, stuff I know nothing about.

I've belonged to a couple of book clubs, both made up of friends/acquaintances.  So they were free, but I didn't last in either because:

I wasn't interested in the books they wanted to read, in that I wanted to read "real" literature not beach reading.  Or,

Half the time I was the only one who had read the book and the discussion was never about it for more than a couple of minutes, and then it was just gossip/chat/wine.

Edited April 21, 2023 by Leeds

[RealHousewife]

Do you all see teasing as flirting?

[Leeds]

Occasionally, when they have their gift promotion, I will go to the Clinique counter at Nordstrom, get a (free) makeover, buy a product and get the gift (some product samples in a handy little bag usually).

I did that this week and the nice guy who did the makeover mumbled something about "an extra" when he went to get the gift.  I just opened the bag up -- it's a second little tub of the "wrinkle correcting cream"!  I don't know whether to be grateful or offended.

[RealHousewife]

12 minutes ago, Leeds said:

Occasionally, when they have their gift promotion, I will go to the Clinique counter at Nordstrom, get a (free) makeover, buy a product and get the gift (some product samples in a handy little bag usually).

I did that this week and the nice guy who did the makeover mumbled something about "an extra" when he went to get the gift.  I just opened the bag up -- it's a second little tub of the "wrinkle correcting cream"!  I don't know whether to be grateful or offended.

I understand how that can leave you feeling some type of way, but try not to take it to heart. As you may know, they often give the exact same bonus to everyone. A lot of very young women use anti-aging creams as prevention, and a lot of people get excited over any freebie. 

[Leeds]

8 minutes ago, RealHousewife said:

I understand how that can leave you feeling some type of way, but try not to take it to heart. As you may know, they often give the exact same bonus to everyone. A lot of very young women use anti-aging creams as prevention, and a lot of people get excited over any freebie. 

Thanks.  I'm not really feeling bad and it's not as if I don't need it!  Really, it was nice of him to throw in the extra one.  Now I just have to use the stuff!

[kristen111]

22 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

I also start at 20% with a mental minimum of $5. On a $15 bill, I'll leave $20. I can certainly afford to leave the extra few dollars. Service has to be "talk to the manager abysmal" and obviously the server's fault for me to leave any less. I've worked food service and my bar for that level of "bad" is so high I literally can't recall the last time somewhere was that bad. 

I tip 20% on take-out from a sit-down restaurant. Someone, usually a server, is prepping that meal to go and my meal ends up counting towards their shitty server wages and the assumption they received a tip for it.

I don't tip at fast food places like McDonald's or Del Taco. I'll throw a buck into the tip jar at Chipotle and other 'fast casual' places like my favorite poke place. I always tip when I find myself in a Baskin Robbins as a way to pay it forward for all those who tipped when I was working at a Baskin Robbins back in the 90s and 00s.

I always ask the cashiers or line people if they get to keep their tips or if management ends up keeping them. It's unfortunate but a pretty big problem where the service workers never see the tips left on a credit card. It's less common that cash tips are kept but it's worth asking before tipping.

My two girls waitressed at a Country Club while in college during summer break.  One of them did a wedding and one smart ass drunk guy asked her “wheres the milk” MILK.   She answered, “On the table” TABLE.  Everyone at the table were hysterical at the guy, and he was embarrassed, so gave her a $100 tip.  

[BlueSkies]

I think people that are "well read" meaning they have extra amounts of intelligence because they read a lot of books is overrated.

 

 

A lot of intelligence is required dealing or communicating with people in daily life imo.  You have to practice that cant really pick it up in a book 

[ginger90]

1 hour ago, BlueSkies said:

A lot of intelligence is required dealing or communicating with people in daily life imo.  You have to practice that cant really pick it up in a book 

This applies to so many things. One I’ve seen many times are healthcare workers. Book smart doesn’t get the job done properly, in my opinion. You can memorize until you’re bleary eyed, pass every test, and still do a crap job.

[kristen111]

Here in New York, it’s always the same things on every block.  Pizza, Chinese food and the fast foods, besides the more expensive restaurants. I wish they would have Southern restaurants.  My daughter was in South Carolina and ate in Paula Deans restaurant.  She said it was delicious.  They should bring the South up to New York.  The closest southern food here is Cracker Barrel, and not in every state.  Not that great, but a nice country store.

[kristen111]

On 4/21/2023 at 8:44 PM, RealHousewife said:

Do you all see teasing as flirting?

No.  Sometimes teasing could be mean.  Then again, it could be flirting too.  Either / or.

[stewedsquash]

Cracker Barrel is not southern food authentic. It's commercialized southern-ish adjacent with trendy add on's. I eat there and it's good but it's not southern kitchen table from the garden made from scratch good. Tell them to find an old gas station that doesn't have gas anymore or cinder block bbq building both of which will be serving the same menu since forever at the grill inside, breakfast and at lunch sandwiches and  meat and three's if they want authentic. Or any of the places that are along the roads leading to Myrtle Beach. My son/wife/kid/inlaws are down there now since yesterday for a quick weekend and they ate at a breakfast place this morning that's been there since the sixties. Better yet, they should find some friends  down south and invite themselves over for meals. Ha. 

Edited April 23, 2023 by stewedsquash