Posted on October 16, 2007
Last weekend we spent some time in a Fairfield Inn, a motel chain which seems to be owned by Marriott Corporation. Now I’m not picking on Marriott; it’s just that our recent experience reminded me of my attitude toward hotel/motel chains in general.
As a rule, I find motels to be adequate as long as your expectations are relatively low. You’re not going to get fine dining in an on-the-premises restaurant; you’re not going to get chocolate mints and a turned-down bed. But you’re not going to pay a fortune either.
Yet, even when my expectations are lowered, I still want a modicum of service. For instance, I want all lights in my room to work; I want the waste basket to be clean. And I want the toilet to flush effectively.
The Fairfield Inn we stayed at this past weekend met two out of three of my expectations. The lights worked; the waste basket was clean. I leave it to the imagination to determine what the problem was. In addition, the wake-up call we asked for didn’t come at the wake-up time we’d asked for.
These are minor things in the grand scheme. But they remind me of my quest to let hoteliers know of their shortcomings. So when we checked out I mentioned that the plumbing in Suite 322 wasn’t up to my par. The wake-up system too. The clerk acknowledged my concern and encouraged me to return. Maybe I will; maybe not.
I will, however, continue to take an active role in critiquing the hotels where I stay, regardless of whether they are in southern Illinois, southern Florida, or southern California.
See more 10 Minutes in category Annoyances, Travel
|
Posted on October 15, 2007
This past weekend Earl and I visited Springfield, Illinois. Most Midwesterners probably know that Springfield is the state capital and that it is home to a collection of historic sites related to Abraham Lincoln who lived there for twenty-five years prior to becoming President of the United States.
We toured his family home, his law offices, the Old Court House where he argued cases, as well as a spectacular museum dedicated to his life. There we found likenesses of the Lincoln family greeting people in the main hall, and Earl thought it would be fun to take my picture with them. Being up for most silliness, I agreed. Here is the result.
I publish it here, because by the time we got home Earl had decided it should be the front cover of our 2007 holiday greeting. Honestly (no reference to Abe intended), I didn’t want to be THAT silly.
See more 10 Minutes in category Travel
|
Posted on October 10, 2007
I’ve been home from New York for forty-eight hours. My bag is unpacked, my mail is read, I’m back in my own groove; but the memories of the fun I had linger. Keith, Chris and I managed to squeeze a trip to the MOMA, a stroll down Park Avenue, drinks at Grand Central Station, a Broadway show, and three excellent dinners into our time together.
What I liked best was our conversations. Given that the weekend was about being together without working together, I was struck by how little time we actually spent talking about fredflare.com. This was in contrast to our usual get-togethers, where fred is the center of attention.
With the focus on fun, we had time to talk about TV shows we like, politics, art, and “Spring Awakening,” the Tony Award winning musical we saw that all three of us thought was over-rated. In fact, on my return home I found the various theater critics’ original reviews online and read every one to learn what they saw that we didn’t. It did give me a different perspective on the show, but didn’t change my original opinion.
Finally, one added benefit of this weekend trip is that the next time I go to New York for work, I’ll be completely ready. I won’t complain about the long work day. Which is what a vacation should accomplish. Rested and relaxed, the vacationer returns to work with a will.
See more 10 Minutes in category Travel
|
Posted on October 4, 2007
I head for New York City tomorrow morning, early. I’ve been heading for NYC early the past ten years, mostly to work. But this time it’s all about play. I’m visiting my son, Keith, and his partner, Chris; and fredflare.com, the company they own together, isn’t invited. At least not obviously.
Oh, we’ll talk about their efforts and their visions, but this trip is mostly about being together. About hanging out. Eating. Laughing. Cementing family ties where elbow grease is usually the coagulant of choice.
I think we’ll all enjoy it, and we’ll all benefit. A full report might follow.
See more 10 Minutes in category Me/Family
|
Posted on October 3, 2007
Accidentally — I hope — I received an email from AOL about re-gifting, the act of giving a gift to someone that you’ve received as a gift from someone else. I’ve also seen a television program about this subject recently, and I’m not sure what the hoopla is all about. Yet, re-gifting seems to be etiquette’s current object of affection.
The AOL notice shunned the practice, saying how gauche it was, how fraught with problems if the original gift-giver found out, if the subsequent gift-receiver found out too. But I noticed the article was endorsed by a variety of retail operations that stood to lose money in the process. It seems they were criticizing because of the bottom line. They didn’t want people to re-gift when they “should” be buying new.
Hmmmm.
I think there are situations where re-gifting is acceptable, regardless of what 1-800-FLOWERS and Target say. Say, for example, I receive two beautiful afghans. I have only one couch and don’t need two throws, but there are no gift return receipts in either box. I would try to determine if either afghan were handmade by the gift giver, because that would certain hold sway with me. But if neither was, then I would certainly consider re-gifting one of the afghans; that is, after I wrote thank you notes for both.
Would I tell anyone? No. In fact, I believe this is where re-gifters get into trouble. Somewhere along the line they are motivated to share what they’ve done, when it’s probably a good idea to keep it a secret. One doesn’t normal brag about gifts one gives, so why should one want to share that he/she passed on a re-gift?
There are other obvious factors. It’s important to make sure the gift — such as a book — isn’t personally inscribed; it’s important too to rewrap the re-gift appropriately. And, finally, I think it’s important that people take a different view of re-gifting. After all, a gift should be something that has no strings attached. So maybe the original gifter could have the mindset to be pleased that someone passed on something of value. If that doesn’t sit well, then the gift should come with a return sticker.
I suspect somewhere down the line I’ll get an email from AOL about the rudeness of returning a gift for the money too.
See more 10 Minutes in category Changing Scene, Things to Ponder
|
Posted on October 1, 2007
I have never been a devotee of the microwave, even though I took cooking lessons when I purchased my first one years ago. I went to this free class and watched the presenter prepare an entire meal from scratch. It included soup, bread, entrйe, and dessert; and, since the attendees got to eat the final production, it was most impressive.
But I have never been able to duplicate this effort. About the best I can do is steam fish. Other than that, I use the microwave for heating things, not for actually cooking them. I heat Starbuck’s coffee that’s gone cold, as I don’t intend to waste three bucks. I heat leftovers, as I don’t want to fire up the oven just to warm them. As I speak, Earl is eating heated pulled chicken and seems content.
For real cooking, however, I prefer an oven. Or pots and pans on the stove. It’s seems so much more authentic. It takes knowledge of one’s stovetop and how it works; it takes timing; and it takes patience.
My culinary skills are not particularly stellar; I’m more a designated diner than a designated chef. But when I do cook, I try to do more than warm the contents of a frozen box or zap the innards of a pop-top can or bring a frozen pizza back to life. I mean, when I cook, I really try to cook. Heating doesn’t qualify.
See more 10 Minutes in category Dining/Food
|
Posted on September 30, 2007
In our family and beyond, Earl is known for his funeral potatoes, a dish guaranteed to hasten a heart attack but also guaranteed to be the first to disappear. Who can resist cheddar cheese, diced potatoes, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup all baked together until golden?
But now Earl has a new dish. It’s one he learned about as a child, and he calls it “coocootza.” I spell it phonetically, as I have searched the Internet to see if such a word exists. Sorry, Earl, but it doesn’t. Nevertheless, Earl’s new dish must be authentic, as it comes with a story about how his grandfather used to make coocootza while others sat around and ate it hot off the stove. In another life, I’d compare it to potato pancakes.
Basically, coocootza is breaded and fried eggplant.
I”ve always enjoyed eggplant either roasted or as a parmesan. Recently, however, we were gifted with some absolutely spectacular specimens of the vegetable from a gardener friend of ours; and Earl went into action. Bought the requisite bread crumbs and cheese, did the necessary prep, fired up the skillet with extra virgin olive oil, and fried away. The result was crispy slices of battered eggplant that melted in your mouth.
This isn’t to say coocootza will replace funeral potatoes, as eggplant is season specific, and potatoes are not. I would venture to note, however, that Earl’s expanding repertoire continues to be heart-attack friendly. For the recipe, write me at anne@annebrandt.com.
See more 10 Minutes in category Dining/Food
|
Posted on September 29, 2007
I recently heard a commercial that encouraged senior citizens to log onto to a website and take a test that would determine their driving skills for their age. I think it is a good idea, although I’m not sure how many seniors today are computer-literate and can reach the website.
I am sure, however, that many seniors might benefit from it. I say this on the basis of my driving experience around the community where I live. More often than not, when I find myself behind a pokey automobile, there’s an older person at the wheel.
I’m sure I qualify for the category of older person too, but I believe I still drive as if I know what I’m doing. I check four-way stops to see who goes first; I respect others’ rights of way; I drive the speed limit. Others in my age group tend to drive slowly, careen into stop sign situations, and commandeer the right of way, assuming they
are entitled to go first. Even when they’re not.
It’s a tough thing. Senior citizens have driven for years and probably assume they have the right. Who is strong enough to tell them otherwise? Yet, we read of seniors careening into storefronts, losing control, and even killing someone. It’s scary at best.
I don’t have the answer; I’ve only noted the issue. But I hope that when I come to the point in my life when I’m a turtle driver, my sons will help me transition from a five-speed to a no-speed with graciousness. And, quite possibly, they’ll help me navigate the website where we can all determine whether I should quit driving or not. That way, nobody will bear the burden of taking my car keys away.
See more 10 Minutes in category Things to Ponder
|
Posted on September 27, 2007
This is how the entrance to our home looks in the bright sun of early September. I took this photo, because I plan to take a companion shot when autumn is in full regalia. The colors are breathtaking. I already have a photo of this entrance in winter with snow piled high and one in spring with the tulips taking center stage.
One of the pleasures of living where we do is that the change in seasons is so watchable. When I lived in a big city, I didn’t actually notice how trees and plants reacted to the different times of year. All of a sudden it was spring, and it was noticeable because cafes began putting their tables and chairs outside. Then it was summer, and smog arrived. Fall and winter had similar characteristics, but they weren’t really the natural kind. Here it’s all about nature.
I know fall is near because leaves are beginning to fall into the river that is behind our house and float away. The squirrels are fighting each other for the nuts from our walnut trees. The bird feeders are lonely. Spiders are trying to come inside. The grass isn’t growing so quickly. The days are shorter, and even when the thermometer reads 80 degrees, it isn’t so hot any more.
It’s a gradual thing. My next door neighbor’s son says the peak of the colors is always around October 23, and as long as we’ve lived here he’s been right. Which means there are almost four more weeks to go before I can take the next picture. I plan to revel in every single day.
See more 10 Minutes in category Changing Scene, Flora/Fauna
|
Posted on September 26, 2007
It’s an annual ritual.
Every autumn I comment on the number of catalogs that clog our mailbox. I know it’s due to the upcoming holidays and retailers wanting to claim whatever we plan to spend on gifts. But this year, the catalogs began to multiply the beginning of September, and I found myself wondering if we honestly have to think about Christmas before school starts? I think the real answer is “No.”
At the same time, the world is a busier place than it was when tradition dictated that Christmas decorations went up at Thanksgiving. (There are probably people out there who won’t believe the holiday season started that late, but I assure them this was once the case.) Life is more complicated now; everyone has more balls in the air. So maybe receiving catalogs early isn’t such a bad thing. That said, I guess I’m becoming a convert to early holiday buying.
This year we’re spending Thanksgiving in Denver, Colorado, and then vacationing in the Caribbean the early part of December. So it seems reasonable to get the holiday shopping and wrapping out of the way now.
In fact, Earl and I have already purchased most of our gifts, thanks to the early catalog onslaught. Today the gifts began arriving. This is certainly a milestone for me, who once bought gifts, wrapped them, and saw them unwrapped inside a week.
The only question is: Is shopping in September less festive? Is it more calculated? And the answer is I don’t know. I only know that this year it suits our situation. I’m glad to take advantage, but I’m equally saddened that Christmas has become so commercial that it’s about to overshadow Labor Day instead of Thanksgiving.
See more 10 Minutes in category Special Events
|
