See, my watch is a Vostok Russian Navy watch, with a 17-jewel movement. It has a red star and a submarine on it. The watch keeps great time. Best of all, the movement is an exact copy of a Rolex. I get precision Swiss timekeeping for 30 bucks.
Interesting. Some good points, but some woefully wide of the mark. Before you become arbiter of bourgeois taste, you need to refine your manifesto slightly.
There’s nothing wrong with tap water, but if you mean these people were quite literally walking around, what choice did they have? I’m happy with tap water, but when I’m out, thirsty, and don’t want a soda or iced tea, you’ll find me with bottle water as well.
If you truly don’t want an import [and I’m not convinced your reasoning is sound] there are far better options than that awful pisswater. Sam Adams, Pete’s Wicked, or even the modestly priced Saranac are domestic and good. Tell me, who is the poseur: and unassuming craft brew, or a marketing behemoth with a Teutonic sounding name and half billion dollar advertising budget?
Of the three, Appleby’s is the only one I can tolerate, but I can see the point. Still, wouldn’t your down to earth values be better served by finding some local restaurants and eschewing chains where your dining experiences has been diagramed to the letter on some marketing exec’s white board? Make no mistake, unless you live in the middle of nowhere, there are locally owned eateries with better food and reasonable prices that go towards keeping an entrepreneur living near you in business.
Great watch, but that price is awful. I’ve seen them for $1200 to $1600, though admittedly the former price is likely through an unauthorized reseller (what Omega would call grey-market.) The Speedmaster (Nasa’s moon watch) is arguably just as good and usually under $1000.
[hijack] I have the KGB model Vostok. I get some weird looks when I tell people what it is, or they read the Cyrillic. I’ll probably get some wierder looks when I start my US Foreign Service Officer training next month. [/hijack]
And look up my bourbon thread in IMHO for how I feel on the subject at hand.
Hopefully you’re not talking about the Black Orchid here, or we’re gonna hav’ta rumble. They make an ostrich steak that makes my brain melt it’s so good. Yes, it’s expensive, but well worth it. If it’s not the Black Orchid, you’re probably right. There are a lot of really bad pseudo-French restaurants down here that serve crap.
And to third or fourth, good sushi is worth every penny. I have been fortunate to find an place that serves unusually good sushi for a lower price than anybody else around.
Interesting rant.
I’ll rubber-stamp most of it, particularly the bit about Yeungling beer. A few things, though…
Foie gras: as mentioned, when served up with a nice Sauterne, it’s a thin slice of heaven. Of course, it also helps if when you have this experience, it is on a restaurant terrace in a small, pretty French beach town with someone you are going to have mad sex with later, and gypsy music just audible in the background.
Omega Seabastard, or whatever expensive watch: personally, I’ve never spent more than 100 bucks on a wristwatch, and I never will. Why would anyone want to wear the same damn watch their whole life anyway?
Jack Daniel’s is indeed good, but to my tastes, Famous Grouse is better.
Otherwise, carry on.
Amen to the beer comments.
The best beer I’ve had in my life was about three years ago. My father and I drove to the cabin (deathtrap of a shack, if you will) on Memorial Day weekend to prep it for the summer. My mother and sisters were arriving later that day.
We left at 4 am, arrived at 6 am, and the manual labor began. At 10:30 am, we sat on a log in front of the cabin. He looked at me, I looked at him. We both said, “Oh yeah,” at the same time, and got two Budweisers out of the cooler in the back of the truck.
In no other circumstances have I been able to enjoy a Bud, but I stopped disparaging it after that day.
I have tried, and failed, to enjoy:
Cigars
Reggae
Tea (hot AND iced)
Wuthering Heights
Dark imported beer
Chianti
Whiskey
Pate (I don’t know my high ASCII codes)
Calamari
And the beat goes on.
I’ve been criticized for liking:
Britney Spears songs
Budweiser/Icehouse
Olive Garden
Stephen King
Anne McCaffrey
Rap (old-school, yo)
“Entertainment Weekly”
And many more!
When I want a good, tender, rare steak, that’s what I want. When I want a piece of sweet bubble-gum, that’s what I want. If I want bubble-gum and you try to feed me steak, it doesn’t matter how good the steak is; it’s still not bubble-gum.
Lemme have my bubble-gum, you bastards, and don’t call me a Philistine just because I’m not in the mood for steak.
reprise, lobster is only cheap in certain parts of the US, typically those near lobster-fishing areas, like where Scylla is. Where I live (Chicago), seafood is expensive but beef is cheap, since we’re not far from major beef producers.
JavaMaven1 - if I’m not mistaken, I believe that Chilean sea bass is already on many restaurants’ lists for fish that are in danger of becoming overfished and thus need a rest. (Unless your other listings were chosen to make that very point, in which case please excuse my missing it.)
I agree with a previous poster’s comment about bottled water not necessarily being an ‘image statement’. Chicago water is pretty good but the water in my workplace is horrible due to the pipes in this old building. If I want something to drink I often buy bottled water, whatever brand happens to be readily available.
Bottled water brings me around to another point. Sometimes I seek out San Pellegrino brand water because it reminds me of my trips to Italy, which I had such a wonderful time on. They were my first times outside of the country besides a trip to Canada when I was a kid, and were surprisingly cheap. So the San Pellegrino water puts a smile on my face and brings back good memories. If I pick that bottle versus the Aquafina, etc., you might think I’m trying to put on airs but I like the stuff. I don’t eat at Outback, Sizzler, etc. because I’m a vegetarian and usually have a hell of a time finding anything good to eat at places like that. (Don’t mention the “bloomin’ onion” 
- onions happen to be one of those foods I got sick on once and now can’t stomach.)
Obviously, someone who criticizes your taste and tells you what you should be doing differently does not fall into this category. Just be careful to not simply assume that most people make certain ‘snobby’ choices for image’s sake.
Really? What’s in it?
(I know you’ll be busy here, but I’m intrigued. Really good chicken salad is rare.)
I saw a TV show that mentioned this, years ago. NYC water beat several brands of bottled water in a blind taste test.
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Preach it, brother. Spread the gospel of Yuengling. To anyone reading this: if you visit Pennsylvania, you must try the Yuengling.
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I agree entirely with Fenris’ Outback-bashing post, and I would recommend Lone Star Steakhouse instead. But hey, this whole thread’s about having your own taste, so that’s just me.
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You’re near Philadelphia, right? How can your neighbors not appreciate those wonderful pretzels?
Oh, and how about those Tastykakes?
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Damn straight.
“Jack Daniel’s is indeed good, but to my tastes, Famous Grouse is better” If you like Tennessee whiskey, you owe it to yourself to try George Dickel. I find it a lot smoother than Jack. There are several varieties, try them and see if one suits you.
I love Czech, German, Belgian and other European pilsner beers, as well as many other styles. I usually drink our regular old American stuff though. However I am fortunate that where I live you can now get Shiner beer. Not Shiner Bock, but Shiner. Shiner makes their beer using only barley, yeast, water the way they made it when the brewery was just a co-op started by German immigrants.
And so far I have not seen anyone mention that style of food that people will drive hundreds of miles for…barbecue. I mean real barbecue, cooked low and slow over wood coals for many hours. Ribs, brisket, even chicken with that nice pink ring of smoke flavor, a slab of onion, beans, jalapenos, bread, and a cold Shiner and I’m in heaven.
::clutching head to stop the spinning::
Well, hear, hear, Scylla! As a person who’d like to think that I’ve finally made the discovery that it’s OK just to like what I like (whether it be in the way of food, reading material, or what have you), I have to say that I make people twitch sometimes, by including sushi and Taco Bell in my gastronomical repertoire…
This is quite a radical concept you’re presenting here, man. I’m not sure people are ready.
I actually introduced a friend to sushi last year, and she thanked me for it a few weeks later (after she’d taken a couple of other people to eat at the sushi place), saying, “It makes me feel really CHIC, and I’ve never really felt that way before.”
Oh. :rolleyes:
I didn’t dare tell her that, according to a recent issue of American Demographics magazine (sort of a People magazine for statistics junkies), sushi is officially “out” (I can’t remember what’s “in” instead, but could look it up if you’re really interested… ).
Having “conventionally” fine tastes is not the mark of a poseur, I don’t think, but having to be consistent about them at all times is.
I drink yuppie bourbon. I’m sorry, it’s the truth. I like to go out and spend $30+ dollars on a bottle of Blantons because I think it tastes good.
I like expensive gourmet meals. And sushi. And fine wine.
But I do not think I like them because they are haute couture. I was just exposed to them at some point, liked them, and now I pursue them with some interest. I try not to make a status symbol of it. It would be difficult for me to do so, considering that my income tells me that I am basically NYC white trash.
At any rate, I am completely inconsistent in my tastes and am happy to keep it that way. I try to be as honest with myself as possible with what I like.
And nothing beats a Corona after a hot day of hard labor. Bud is good, Rolling Rock is better, but damn, no one brews a refreshing beer like Corona…
Damn. Seven more hours until I go home.
It’s gonna be a long day.
And regarding the NYC water comment…that was slightly out of line. Half the time I get thirsty on the street, so I just buy a bottle of water from a street vendor. It is easier and cleaner than carrying around an empty bottle and filling it up in a public restroom sink.
I also don’t give a shit what brand of water I buy.
Furthermore, NYC is currently experiencing something of a drought, so I am trying to pull on local resources as gently as possible.
As the fastest growing city in Canada (and possibly all of North America), Calgary is becoming a haven of poseurs. Speaking of bottled water, you know how they all brag about being glacier-fresh, and all that? Guess where Calgary’s water system comes from - that’s right - THE FREAKIN’ ROCKY MOUNTAINS! We have premium bottled water coming out of our taps, and the Poseur set in Calgary can’t be bothered to drink it.
Let’s not limit this concept just to food and luxury items; examine everything in your life, and decide if it’s really what you want, or what you want because everyone else has it or you were raised to think you should have it. Who was it that said an unexamined life isn’t worth living?
(Reprise, if you want good, cheap seafood AND a good exchange rate on your dollar, come to The Maritimes in Canada. I think any of our Maritimers here can tell you about their great food traditions there. And Canadians like Aussies. You talk funny in a good way. :D)
My Russian watch commemorates the end of the Great Patriotic War. It’s a wind-up and when it starts acting up I lube it with WD40. I wouldn’t recommend that with a Rolex.
There was a woman on NPR yesterday who is the Head Wine Bitch at the Culinary Institute of America. Something she said stuck in my craw.
“Just because you LIKE a wine doesn’t mean it’s a GOOD wine.”
What the fuck? I’m supposed to drink something I DON’T like because it’s uplifting? What sort of Papist self-flagellation is that? Sorry, lady, but I read for edification. If I drank wine it would be for enjoyment. I am not going to drink something I don’t like because it “broadens my palate.”
Pretentious twat.
While New York does have excellent tap water, you quite often get screwed by the pipes that bring it to you. Many of us New Yorker’s live in old refurnished buildings. While they can put in a brand new shiny floor and some modern appliances, they seldom rip the walls and floors up to replace the old pipes.
Many, many times I have seen someone pour a glass of water that is at first as white as milk. Whatever causes this white look settles down and the water becomes clear within a few minutes. While the water may settle, I’ll not drink anything that is supposed to be clear and started out milky white.
I find that using a Brita pitcher to filter the water takes care of the problem quite well. I only drink booze & water for the most part - so I need to keep alot of water handy. I will never drink plain tap water if I can have filtered tap water. I only buy bottled water if I’m out, thirsty, and it is convienient. It has nothing to do with status - it’s about what I can reach within 5 seconds.
Oh, and chains suck. Screw their pre-packaged happiness in a bottle bullshit. If you’ve ever worked at one of those places and saw what goes on in the kitchen (at least here in New York) you would swear those places off too. Especially since the food is at best average quality.
It’s all about the indepenent owner and the down low vibe. This city has so much wonderful food it’s almost a crime to eat that garbage. I will admit that I hit the Taco Bell up from time to time, other than that, I hit cool little places in fun neighborhoods. Cafe Orlin is where I’ll have dinner this evening. They make a great hummus and their raspberry lemonaide is to die for.
DaLovin’ Dj
Preach it, brother. My apartment was fully renovated, but almost all of my water comes out oily and brown, at least for the first few moments that the tap is open.
From what I understand, the whiteness of newly poured water is caused by the dispersion of a lot of air bubbles, and it is completely harmless.
And as for chains, bah. You want consistency? Read some restaurant reviews, if you must.
Evian is naive spelled backwards. 
On the Subject of Outback Steakhouse:
My brother used to cook for Outback on weekends. During the week, he cooked for Ground Round (a lower-class of chain restaurant). At bth places he got the exact same food from the exacte same distributer. In most cases, the same truck and the same driver. This difference between the two places? Different recipies and about a 50% price differential.
On the subject of Olive Garden:
There’s an Olive Garden nearby my current client that serves superior food, at standard Olive Garden prices. This same place has a very good wine selection and a highly knowledgable wine stewardess. She’s been at the same restaurant for 12 years, and is immensely friendly and helpful. That place has earned my business. That said, my experience with Olive Garden restaurants is spotty… Some good, most mediocre, some bad.
On the subject of beer:
Good beer is where you find it. Local microbrew, imported, or nation-wide, as long as it’s consistant, and you like it, who cares?
On watches:
Jenn collects watches. She watches from 12 nations around the world. She gives watches as gifts for major occasions (If you get a timepiece from my wife, you’re on a very short, very select list of important people!). If it keeps accurate time, stands-up to punishment, it’s a good watch. Period. Cost be damned. I’m wearing a $125 watch that she got me for our anniversery, and it’s as good a watch as I’ve ever owned. Accurate to a few seconds a month, I doubt I’ll ever need to replace it.