Where the f is the bread?

Hi Ragers,

I know. We've been gone for a long time.

I don't know what to say about that.  The publishing industry and agents and their drama has totally burnt me out of writing and resulted in a very strong block. And Heather, well, you know her, she's been vacationing A LOT.

However, recently, while in DC lunching with my girlfriends, I noticed a new phenomenon occurring in U.S. restaurants which set me into a rage.

While at lunch at an overpriced quasi-trendy place in DC known as Founding Farmers, my girlfriend, Ilyse, who by the way ordered a "meal" not an appetizer, asked for some bread.  She was starving, and of course, in America and most other civilized countries, bread usually precedes a meal.  In response to this fairly benign request, the server flatly stated "we don't provide bread anymore."  My friend was shocked and dismayed, and then she started to get rage-y.  She kept pushing him for an explanation, and he just said they stopped providing bread about two years ago because they have soooo many customers now.  He did, however, offer to provide her bread IF she paid $6 for bread as an appetizer on the menu.  WTF?  We are paying over $30 for lunch, and now we have to pay for bread.  Needless to say, this set us into a rage.

I initially thought this was just a problem in DC because DC is weird and conservative and overpriced and laden with expense accounts.  I noted at my favorite Italian restaurant that they also do not give you bread --- however, they did provide it upon request.  We wondered if this was a problem that crossed state lines implicating the Commerce Clause.  Ilyse contended it was a conspiracy in DC and possibly an antitrust violation.  I will say though that later that night, upon ordering a mere bowl of soup in Virginia, bread was served.  I do still think it is safe to go to Virginia if you want free bread.

Although I did think this was a problem only in snobby DC, it isn't. Ohio is no different.  I have been to at least two restaurants as of late whereby meals were ordered, and bread was not provided.  Recently, I took my two nieces to an expensive Italian restaurant for dinner, and they flat out refused to provide bread to my 8-year old niece who was starving.  As such, I was forced to buy a $12 cheese plate to tied them over until their dinner came. Such a racket.  I really think these restaurants are refusing bread, a cheap and customary staple, just to get us to buy appetizers and MORE food.

Given I am always on a diet of some sort or variation, it's not like I eat the bread anyway.  But my thinner friends do, and they always order meals. And my nieces do, and they are always starving as soon as we sit down at the table at a restaurant.

I would like to holler out to all restaurant owners -- lighten up -- let George breathe a little, and give us some fucking bread.  For free.

Christine

Our FAST and favorite new work out:

Hello again Ragers,

If you are like me and Heather, you likely ate and drank way too much over the holiday season.  While I am not a big fan of the bird, I can admit to eating a lot of mashed potatoes as well as fried cheese sticks AND beer the day after the holiday after skiing. Ugh. The holidays -- it never ends.
Well.. now we are back on the wagon!  And we're going to show you how to work out fast and effectively.

Heather and I are gym rats.  Admittedly,  I'm worse than her, but we are always at the gym or trying new workouts and new classes. In fact, I don't have time for all this working out anymore.  It takes too long, and then you just burn out.  So Heather (always the online reader) found this great workout from The New York Times which only takes 7 minutes.  AND you can do it at home because you use your own body weight, a wall, a chair and you don't even need weights.  Over the summer, I worked out with a trainer, and she said this type of circuit training where you move rapidly from exercise to exercise is the most effective way to lose fat and shape up.  Typically though, they want you do the sequence 2-3 times.  I did it 3 times at the gym last week, and I can tell you it's exhausting. You are physically spent when it's done.  But think about how fast and efficient it is? You are done with the gym in 30 minutes!  Check it out!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/

P.S. Over the holidays, we also both got sucked into yet another Dr. Oz endorsed weight loss supplement, Garcinia Cambogia, and we will report on our results with this alleged miracle pill soon.
Don't buy it. Let us be the guinea pigs.  None of my other pilot projects thus far have worked (e.g., CLA, Raspberry Keytones, Thermogenics, Green Coffee Bean Extract), but we're going to give this one a final try. More soon!

Bailey 44: A new Hot Line

Hello Ragers,

Well, as you know, Heather and I, being shopaholics (we are scaling back these days though), are always on the hunt for a hot new line.  We always want to find something no one else has yet.

 I found this one -- Bailey 44 -- at a boutique I frequent.  Note: It's on Zappos. Go there! More affordable. You can also find this line at Nordstrom's, Saks and Bloomingdale's if you like to go out and shop.

Leather is very in this year especially when mixed with fabrics such as a t-shirt or sweater. And the pieces I have found in this line are pretty much classic -- they are not going to go out of style anytime soon.  Here is the top I bought for $140.  However, it's $100 on Zappos.  It looks great with a pair of dark blue jeans and black boots. And leather is always great for the holiday season!
Send us your comments or any of your favorite finds our blog.

Bailey 44 Touch Screen Top

LOVE this product: Laura Mercier "Universal" Invisible Loose Setting Powder

Ok Ragers,

We're all looking for something to make our skin look better, right? Think about lucid clear skin.
The first time I wore this loose powder, everyone asked me if I did something different or had aged 10 years. I'm not kidding you.  I already told you in an earlier post that I love love Laura Mercier anything now.  Interestingly enough, this powder is actually white in that it is supposed to be  invisible.  It's good for any tone or hue, and it just gives your skin a nice light coverage and a translucent look. Love it.  Check it out...

Where Are The Hybrids?

All summer I dated a player.  Creative, charming, hot and unavailable.  I'm sure he is on to the next one already.  But he sure was interesting and a lot of fun.

Last week, I went out with a really nice normal guy.  He confirmed our plans in advance. He doesn't text (a hallmark characteristic of the players who are just too busy to even pick up the phone and call you), and he is a perfect gentlemen.  This is the kind of guy I should be dating. Everyone says it.

However, these guys... they're just so boring.  I kept trying to talk about things other than his kids or work, but we never go that far. I wanted to talk about my favorite shows on ShowTime on Demand (although as aforementioned, I am not ShowTime On Demand, I do like ShowTime on Demand) or cool restaurants or good vacation spots.  But we didn't get that far.  My eyes kind of glazed over after a bit, and I nodded and winked like a blow up doll.

Saturday night, by pure random chance, while raging with my college bestie, I met a fairly handsome but clearly fun loving guy.  He bought our drinks and our dinner, offered us cigarettes, more Vodka and begged me to go out with him.  But I just knew this guy was bad news.  Too charming, too much booze, you know the type.  I later found out from some friends of friends that he has a drinking problem and is, you guessed it, a player.

So, I want to know (and many of my girlfriends want to know), where are the hybrids?  Where are the guys with good values and decent manners who also like to drink and travel and listen to edgy music or read Italian poetry?  They exist. I know they do.  I've dated them, but they all appear to have vanished.  You get either total boredom or total fun because of the anxiety produced by knowing this guy is a player and going to leave you at anytime.  I think I'm a hybrid -- although I may border on the more unstable vs stable side of the equation. I have some very cool girlfriends who are hybrids -- but I feel we are caught in this trap of boring Bills or Loose Louie's.  At this point, I think I may prefer the  latter.  At least you can get about 3 to 3.5 months of good restaurants,  good wine, hot sex and some laughs.  Jury is still out though.....

My New Favorite Find AND I'm NOT a Blow up Doll.

Hi again Middle Ragers,

Well, we're back on again for hopefully a more productive autumn season than our debacle of a summer. With my work and Heather's kids, we've been totally remiss and apologize for our failure to deliver fresh and informative content.  Let's try again!

First, as my friend Margaret said to me tonight, over a great glass of Sauvignon Blanc at our sexy, sophisticated friend's Isabel's house,  "I love wine. I love it in San Francisco or Argentina or Hudson, Ohio. I love the way it tastes. I love the way it makes me feel."

Tru dat, Margaret. We agree.

So I want to recommend a new favorite find.  Actually, I've been into this for months but have failed to disclose it because I never write anymore due to some inexplicable block.  It's this great Podcast -- Wine For Normal People.

This great young lady (now a sommelier)  takes you through all different types of wines from Bordeaux to Malbecs to Champagne each and every week in a unique podcast -- Wine For Normal People. She teaches you how to learn about wine, the region, the tastes, the experience, AND she dumbs it down for normal people.  She also gives you great recommendations about affordable wines that you can buy and share with you friends and family.  It's awesome. Download it NOW.  It's great to listen to while you cook and DRINK WINE!

My second piece to discuss today is: I will not be a blow up doll is about dating (another one of my favorite topics).  I had a date last week with this great guy who is smart and sophisticated and charming and not a player, to boot (imaging that).  BUT (and there is always a but clause), all he did really was talk about himself -- a lot (and I mean a lot) about his kids, then more about the kids, then the job and then the puppy that was coming this weekend.  I find that on these dates (and this one by the way lasted FOUR hours), I suddenly, somehow, become a blow up doll.  I have a cord that can easily be pulled with 4-5 stock responses:  "Wow, that's great your kid is doing so well! Sounds like you have a great kid."
Or "Wow, sounds like you have a great job and are doing really well at it! Good for you!
Or "Wow, sounds like you had a rough day. I can see why you are so stressed out!"

I mean, really. Really? Is that all you guys want -- some blow up doll to just sit there and listen and nod her head up and down? Pull her cord and few (and similar) stock answers come up? I have also (by the way) noticed this same pattern in men I do work with professionally.  They also just want to talk and have a blow up doll next to them.  They also ALL want to show you there iPhone Photos of everything that is of interest to them and of zero interest to you -- their kids, their dogs, their travels. I mean WTF? Do you think I whip open my iPhone and make people look at my nieces, my recent furniture purchases, my vacations, my friends? Especially when they never even asked to look at the same.
Men, come on, if you want a doll, get a doll. There actually very inexpensive, pretty and durable.
Not a bad investment. However, if you want to be a real person (not a doll), engage with a real persons.
If you want to go on a date with me, ask me SOMETHING about me.  Try maybe just a little bit to get to know me instead of showing me pictures about your life.  I'm kind of  done with the blow up doll thing.  You're going to have to get a real one next time.  And maybe that will actually suffice.  I think you can have sex with them too??

More soon ragers.... C.