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

[PRgal]

37 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

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.

It’s palate.  I don’t think southern food is really part of the typical (stereotypical?) New Yorker’s palate.  They prefer more of a mix of international and nouveau cuisines.  Probably not that different from many people here (Toronto).  We’re also seeing second gen cuisine - children of immigrants inspired by foods of their parents’ and grandparents’ homelands mixing it with foods they liked growing up in Canada - as well as diaspora cuisine (such as Chinese food from chefs of Chinese descent who have, say, Caribbean roots).

[SuprSuprElevated]

On 4/21/2023 at 9:04 PM, 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.

Be grateful for the free stuff, and offended that you have to wait 6 months to do it all again.

p.s.:  "Anti-aging" = death 🤔

[theredhead77]

On 4/21/2023 at 5:44 PM, RealHousewife said:

Do you all see teasing as flirting?

No. I also don't see being friendly as flirting nor do I see "flirting" as anything more than someone being friendly. Last week I was out with a friend who was convinced the bartender was hitting on me because he was... really good at his job. He was super friendly and funny but 110% not hitting on me. Being able to tell the difference between someone flirting because they are interested, or just being super friendly and their behavior comes across as flirting because we. as a culture, have determined that being nice = being interested, is a great 'street smart' skill to have.

23 minutes ago, stewedsquash said:

Cracker Barrel is not southern food authentic. It's commercialized southern-ish adjacent with trendy add on's. 

The best thing about Cracker Barrel is the Dr. Pepper cotton candy in their "General Store".

[EtheltoTillie]

6 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

No. I also don't see being friendly as flirting nor do I see "flirting" as anything more than someone being friendly. Last week I was out with a friend who was convinced the bartender was hitting on me because he was... really good at his job. He was super friendly and funny but 110% not hitting on me. Being able to tell the difference between someone flirting because they are interested, or just being super friendly and their behavior comes across as flirting because we. as a culture, have determined that being nice = being interested, is a great 'street smart' skill to have.

The best thing about Cracker Barrel is the Dr. Pepper cotton candy in their "General Store".

That bartender behavior is a means of increasing tips. 

[Bethany]

11 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Be grateful for the free stuff, and offended that you have to wait 6 months to do it all again.

Your comment reminded me of the first time a server offered me the senior discount.  I was not happy.  I was in my late 40s at the time and had had a rough day  but the idea that someone thought I was a senior really stung!  Now if I am offered a discount, whatever the reason,  I don't care, my answer is "yes please" 😄!

**edited to add - has anyone else noticed the definition of senior seems to be getting lower and lower?  I always thought it was 65+ but a lot of places it's 55+ and the other day I saw something being advertised for "those over 45".  Wow.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Elizabeth Anne

[chitowngirl]

On 4/21/2023 at 3:44 PM, chitowngirl said:

I would hate to toss them and the have her say she would like them

Quoting myself because I heard from my friend-she said she has her paper copies around somewhere, so I’m free to recycle them. I’m glad I heard and can dispose of them with a clear conscience!

[theredhead77]

6 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

That bartender behavior is a means of increasing tips. 

As I said, he was really good at his job. IMO he is just a super friendly person and *I* know he was in no way hitting on me. Unfortunately, the friend I was with hasn't developed the skill that friendliness and banter ≠ equal being hit on. I tip more when I'm not being hit on because I know it's fake. I'm more likely to return to the bar and sit with the bartender that is just friendly without manipulating people with flirting.

[PRgal]

2 hours ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

Your comment reminded me of the first time a server offered me the senior discount.  I was not happy.  I was in my late 40s at the time and had had a rough day  but the idea that someone thought I was a senior really stung!  Now if I am offered a discount, whatever the reason,  I don't care, my answer is "yes please" 😄!

**edited to add - has anyone else noticed the definition of senior seems to be getting lower and lower?  I always thought it was 65+ but a lot of places it's 55+ and the other day I saw something being advertised for "those over 45".  Wow.

Over 45?  I've seen 55, but 45...that's like "we offer GenX discounts!"  Well, many GenXers still have young children and kids are EXPENSIVE!!!

[RealHousewife]

22 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

No. I also don't see being friendly as flirting nor do I see "flirting" as anything more than someone being friendly. Last week I was out with a friend who was convinced the bartender was hitting on me because he was... really good at his job. He was super friendly and funny but 110% not hitting on me. Being able to tell the difference between someone flirting because they are interested, or just being super friendly and their behavior comes across as flirting because we. as a culture, have determined that being nice = being interested, is a great 'street smart' skill to have.

I dial back my own friendliness sometimes it's true some people see just a smile, a hello, and chatting as interest.

I don't see teasing as necessarily flirty myself. For example, siblings tease one another, and it's just joking around. But this particular individual makes a point to tease me and only me in the office. It's not to the point it makes me uncomfortable. It's just that one man who ended up harassing me at a previous job also said he "loved to tease" me. 

People also have very different ideas of what's flirty. By definition, it's "suggesting or expressing a playful sexual attraction." 

Some people don't see flirting it as remotely sexual, they just see it as being friendly. Some may see it as somewhat sexual but still harmless. Some see it as a major no-no unless you are interested in someone. I'm not someone who's bothered if someone is what I consider flirtatious towards me, but I'm not flirtatious myself because people can already read too much into being a nice, a kind word, etc. 

For me hitting on someone is they ask you out on a date, as you for your number, something like that. A lot of us are just nice people trying to do our jobs. And when it comes to flirts, a lot of people will flirt with everyone and have no agenda. However, the story of my life with guy friends has been "don't read too much into it" and then they end up hitting on me. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by RealHousewife

[theredhead77]

PSA: Bed Bath & Beyond is going out of business. Coupons will be accepted until Wednesday. As someone who loves BB&B, I am super bummed about this.

Liquidation "sales" suck. Prices get jacked up before going on "sale". 

[peacheslatour]

Quote

People also have very different ideas of what's flirty. By definition, it's "suggesting or expressing a playful sexual attraction." 

Or as the French say, it's when the thingamajig is in the hand and the hand is in the thingamajig, but the thingamajig is never in the thingamajig.

[GHScorpiosRule]

56 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

PSA: Bed Bath & Beyond is going out of business. Coupons will be accepted until Wednesday. As someone who loves BB&B, I am super bummed about this.

Liquidation "sales" suck. Prices get jacked up before going on "sale". 

According to CNN, it filed Chapter 11, but not all stores will necessarily close.

it’s upsetting as I’ve gotten a LOT of my food storage and cookware from them.

[Bastet]

19 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

According to CNN, it filed Chapter 11, but not all stores will necessarily close.

Yeah, they recently got a big loan to get merchandise back on the shelves in some stores.  I don't know who was dumb enough to give them money, because there's no way they stay in business much longer (other than possibly as an online-only retailer), but there you go.  The one near me closed last year. 

I'm bummed because I love one of their brands of sheets -- they came in the exact shades of brown and green I want -- but they quit making them.  I've seen a very similar shade of brown (although for a lot more money), but all the green I've come across are more pastel than what I have.  I'm probably years away from needing replacements, though, so I'm sure when the time comes and I do a proper search, I'll find what I like.  It was just nice to grab a coupon and pop over to BB&B.

[PRgal]

46 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

According to CNN, it filed Chapter 11, but not all stores will necessarily close.

it’s upsetting as I’ve gotten a LOT of my food storage and cookware from them.

They've already started clearing out Canadian stores.  Some have already closed (one near me is now IKEA's urban concept.  Haven't been there yet).  

[EtheltoTillie]

3 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

PSA: Bed Bath & Beyond is going out of business. Coupons will be accepted until Wednesday. As someone who loves BB&B, I am super bummed about this.

Liquidation "sales" suck. Prices get jacked up before going on "sale". 

This is such a sad business.  I know someone who works there, and he will be losing his job.  He's told me that it's been a real mess in the store for weeks. 

Edited April 23, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[Browncoat]

Our BB&B closed several months ago.

[BlueSkies]

Since you're talking about malls there's one I want to visit next weekend for childhood nostalgia.  I remember going with my parents in the mid 90s when I was in grade school but haven't been back since.  Not so much for the shopping itself but for hoping it will bring back memories.

 

Oh I also think its kind of cool the mall still has a Sears still in existence 

[RealHousewife]

17 minutes ago, BlueSkies said:

Since you're talking about malls there's one I want to visit next weekend for childhood nostalgia.  I remember going with my parents in the mid 90s when I was in grade school but haven't been back since.  Not so much for the shopping itself but for hoping it will bring back memories.

 

Oh I also think its kind of cool the mall still has a Sears still in existence 

I’m all about the nostalgia. It would be cool to step inside a Sears too. 

Sad news about BB&B. I’m also a fan.

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, BlueSkies said:

Since you're talking about malls there's one I want to visit next weekend for childhood nostalgia.  I remember going with my parents in the mid 90s when I was in grade school but haven't been back since.  Not so much for the shopping itself but for hoping it will bring back memories.

 

Oh I also think its kind of cool the mall still has a Sears still in existence 

I think all the Sears stores left Canada years ago and Nordstrom moved in.  Now Nordstrom is closing all its Canadian stores (they never knew how to properly market here anyway.  We aren't all the same, so they shouldn't have treated Vancouver the same as, say, Toronto).  As for my childhood mall, it was this place.  It was DEFINITELY not super-upscale when I was a kid.  It still has its independent/small chain character (many of the stores are local businesses) but it was definitely more middle-middle class in the 80s and 90s.  Things didn't really change until my late teens, into my 20s when upscale shops moved in.  I also went to a more "normal" mall with bigger names and that mall is changing as well.  A big, well-known supermarket catering mostly to Chinese clientele is opening a location in a few weeks!  In both cases, it's about changing demographics.

ETA:  OMG!  The hair salon where I had my first professional cut at the age of 9 (we're talking early 1989) is STILL THERE!  It was the place my mom went to weekly for blow outs when she was pregnant with me.  So that place has been around for at least 44 years.

Edited April 24, 2023 by PRgal

[Bethany]

We were living overseas when Eaton's closed down.  It was such a Canadian institution I never thought it could go under!  We still have Hudson's Bay but it's not the same.   

Edited April 24, 2023 by Elizabeth Anne

[EtheltoTillie]

I went to the Kmart in the Hamptons recently.  Yes there is one. It’s a real shell of its former self with little merchandise and maybe one cashier on duty.  My husband needed underwear,and they didn’t even have that!  I asked the manager about it, and he said it was one of about four Kmart stores left in the US. I did not fact check that, though. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[PRgal]

6 minutes ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

We were living overseas when Eaton's closed down.  It was such a Canadian institution I never thought it could go under!  We still have Hudson's Bay but it's not the same.   

You never know what might be revived.  Think Zellers.  It's doubtful since it's been so long.  Even longer for Simpson's.  

[luv2lurk]

Ironically it is a company called Hudson Bay Capital that tried to bail out BB&B earlier this year. Don't think it is related to the department store.

I think traditional department stores have been replaced by Walmart, Amazon, etc.

The last time I was in a Hudson's Bay store was in July 2020 - I needed a new watch battery. The store was empty - except in the watch repair, huge line. As someone told me when I asked about the line - well we haven't had anywhere to go for months!

Several months (or maybe a year) later, I placed an order at thebay.com. I placed it at 5pm, it was shipped at 8pm the same day and I received it the next day. Best online shopping experience ever. So online might be the future of this store.

As has been mentioned, liquidation sales have been going on in Canadian BB&B stores for a few months, but the discounts have been minimal.

[BlueSkies]

2 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I went to the Kmart in the Hamptons recently.  Yes there is one. It’s a real shell of its former self with little merchandise and maybe one cashier on duty.  My husband needed underwear,and they didn’t even have that!  I asked the manager about it, and he said it was one of about four Kmart stores left in the US. I did not fact check that, though. 

Is your husband Raymond Babbitt?  😅😂.

 

Jokes aside The Hamptons would be one of the last places in the country I’d expect to still see a Kmart 

[EtheltoTillie]

8 minutes ago, BlueSkies said:

Is your husband Raymond Babbitt?  😅😂.

 

Jokes aside The Hamptons would be one of the last places in the country I’d expect to still see a Kmart 

You’d think that but it would be a mistaken stereotype. There are all levels of wealth here, and even the celebs would be seen at Kmart buying staples in the past. I’m not sure what is keeping this store going at this point, however. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[BlueSkies]

8 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

You’d think that but it would be a mistaken stereotype. There are all levels of wealth here, and even the celebs would be seen at Kmart buying staples in the past. I’m not sure what is keeping this store going at this point, however. 

Yeah I get that.  The mall I mentioned is in Jersey City across the Hudson.  While many still have the perception of the downtown area as very sort of working/lower middle class….  that area and city is becoming more and more gentrified 

[kristen111]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:37 PM, stewedsquash said:

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. 

You’re right .. it’s not authentic southern food.  The only thing I like there are the grits.  That’s it.  I do like to browse in the country store tho.  It’s cute.  I buy the grandkids toys of yesteryear and some Christmas things you don’t see anywhere else.  There was talk of a Crackerbarrel on Long Island, but it was voted down.  My daughter and family just came back from Myrtle Beach after a week.  Said they are building housing developments there like crazy.

[kristen111]

On 4/23/2023 at 5:22 AM, EtheltoTillie said:

The best thing about Cracker Barrel is the Dr. Pepper cotton candy in their "General Store".

Or, the Pecan roll.

[EtheltoTillie]

4 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

Or, the Pecan roll.

Here's another example of the quote mechanism going awry.  I did not write anything about Cracker Barrel LOL. 

[stewedsquash]

@kristen111 Is Myrtle Beach a place that they like for the touristy stuff?

[annzeepark914]

When I went to Myrtle Beach years ago (from Raleigh) I loved dining at Captain Juels on the inland waterway, a bit north. Good food, the salad bar was in a rowboat, and the place was in what looked like a fish camp. You really felt like you were off the beaten track. I think it's still in business ☺️.

[kristen111]

2 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

@kristen111 Is Myrtle Beach a place that they like for the touristy stuff?

Actually, a friend of theirs has a condo there and offered it to them for a getaway week as their kids were off from school.  It’s mainly a golf place, but they are putting more touristy and kids stuff there.  Their choice for vacations are Disney and Lake George.

[Bethany]

3 hours ago, kristen111 said:

Or, the Pecan roll.

One of our relatives always used to bring these back from their jaunts down south.  I was a little sad to find them in our local store a few years ago!  Took away some of the magic 😃!

Edited April 24, 2023 by Elizabeth Anne

[kristen111]

3 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Here's another example of the quote mechanism going awry.  I did not write anything about Cracker Barrel LOL. 

I don’t get what you mean.

[EtheltoTillie]

10 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

I don’t get what you mean.

Sometimes when someone quotes someone else, the second quote ends up being attributed to the wrong person.  So you quoted something supposedly written by me (e.g., it said "Ethel to Tillie said," when it was actually previously said by someone else.    No harm done. 

[kristen111]

3 hours ago, kristen111 said:

  On 4/22/2023 at 10:37 PM, stewedsquash said:

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.

I said somewhere that my daughter and family ate at Paula Deans restaurant down there somewhere, and it was fabulous.  The food was excellent and they had a lovely gift shop.

4 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Sometimes when someone quotes someone else, the second quote ends up being attributed to the wrong person.  So you quoted something supposedly written by me (e.g., it said "Ethel to Tillie said," when it was actually previously said by someone else.    No harm done. 

Right.  It happens often, then I have to explain myself.  Gotcha.

[oliviabenson]

I miss the giant Kmart in Herald Square/NYC. There used to be one in Ceasars Bay Brooklyn too. I liked shopping in Kmart. I’m so sad they are not around anymore.

[RealHousewife]

I don't enjoy shopping as much the older I get, but I still love going into cute shops and trying on clothes to make sure they fit me well. I am not a fan of online shopping for everything and so sad all these stores I grew up with are going out of business one by one. Even though I'm older than their demographics in 2023, if I could, I'd bring back Bebe, Rampage, Wet Seal, Charlotte Russe, Cache, The Limited, Betsey Johnson, etc. 

[PRgal]

Since the pandemic, I've done a lot of online shopping from more local/domestic/indie/sustainable brands that a lot of people have never heard of (an old favourite, Miik, is okay...I love their older pieces from the before times since those fit me better.  They've been sizing a bit more generously lately, so it's been a hit or miss)  My son's wardrobe still comes from bigger/mass brands, mostly because he grows out of things so quickly and indie brands tend to be pricier.

[Bethany]

I've got to get my husband to stop watching some of these cooking/travel shows.  I asked if he had any ideas for a dinner we're planning for some friends later this week and his response was that he wants me to try Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for stuffed squid.  Not on my watch, bud, not on my watch!

[stewedsquash]

@kristen111 Sorry for the confusion. My Cracker Barrel response was to your Cracker Barrel Hampton area comment/Paula Deene/ Myrtle Beach post. I didn’t comment about Paula Deene because I haven’t been there yet. My sons have all been there, MB and TN locations and they love it. 
If they are friend condo trips your family takes then my reason for asking about touristy things is a moot point. I was going to suggest other beach towns in SC and also in NC -Wilmington(Wrightsville Beach)/New Bern/Nags Head. Those are more for laid back and history moments at the beach towns. 
@peacheslatour I get the allure, since I was bummed when I found Stuckey’s pecan logs at the little IGA grocery last summer. I didn’t even buy one just in solidarity with my memories of childhood trips up and down 95 between Silver Spring MD and NC. Those and as soon as we crossed the line getting a Big Twin from Hardee’s are some fun food memories.I also remember my mom and dad loading the cooler with bags of  Bright Leaf hotdogs and tubs of  Old Hickory BBQ to take to the northern side of my family. Good times.

@oliviabenson I share your KMart love and miss that store. I wrote about it in the chitchat thread that is poofed away.

@annzeepark914 Was it Hurricane Juel’s? Up in the Little River area?

 

[annzeepark914]

@stewedsquash Well, back in the day when I went there (& also a few years later when they donated dinners for a Bachelor/ Bachelorette auction package) it was Captain Juels or I always thought it was Jules. I looked it up recently and saw the word Hurricane attached to the name. So it's a bit confusing to me. But it looks like the same place, on the waterway, Spanish moss dripping from trees, real fish camp-y looking.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

@peacheslatour I get the allure, since I was bummed when I found Stuckey’s pecan logs at the little IGA grocery last summer. I didn’t even buy one just in solidarity with my memories of childhood trips up and down 95 between Silver Spring MD and NC. Those and as soon as we crossed the line getting a Big Twin from Hardee’s are some fun food memories.I also remember my mom and dad loading the cooler with bags of  Bright Leaf hotdogs and tubs of  Old Hickory BBQ to take to the northern side of my family. Good times.

Oh man, the quote function is acting up again. I was not in that discussion. But thanks anyway!

[stewedsquash]

Lol @peacheslatour that was totally my fault, not the quote’s fault! Since I get Canada and the PNW posters twisted up in my head a lot (sorry all!) I visualized you when I read @Elizabeth Anne ‘s post. 
 

[oliviabenson]

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-libraries-reportedly-lose-weekend-service-in-mayors-latest-budget-cut-proposal/4267617/?amp=1
 

a proposal to close nyc libraries on weekends…

im so sad. I love the library!

[Bethany]

36 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

a proposal to close nyc libraries on weekends…

im so sad. I love the library!

I am so glad I am heading in to retirement.  I love being a librarian but I am so fed up with the eternal fight to prove that libraries are important.

[peacheslatour]

1 minute ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

I am so glad I am heading in to retirement.  I love being a librarian but I am so fed up with the eternal fight to prove that libraries are important.

I got into an argument about library closures with some idiot on Reddit. Their claim was if libraries are so important, why do they keep closing them? SMDH.

[kristen111]

3 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

asking about touristy things is a moot point. I was going to suggest other beach towns in SC and also in NC -Wilmington(Wrightsville Beach)/New Bern/Nags Head. Those are more for laid back and history moments at the beach towns. 

No biggie.  Their trip was a one time thing.  They were surprised there were things for their two boys to do, and lots of building going on there.  They are Disney people and have a Timeshare there.  Husband and I have been going to Orlando every year forever by car.  Never passed a Paula Dean Restaurant near I-95 yet.  We haven’t been on that trip yet since the pandemic.  Maybe there will be one next time we go. . hopefully.  😀
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kristen111]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

I got into an argument about library closures with some idiot on Reddit. Their claim was if libraries are so important, why do they keep closing them? SMDH.

I’m disgusted.

[PRgal]

Closing libraries on weekends means people who need access the most won't be able to do so.  What a dumb move.