Hello. My name is Writer, and I just ate at the Olive Garden.

[Writer]

I have never seen so many old folks sitting about tables eating salad, bread sticks, and pasta fazoule soup. The Olive Garden is the Country Kitchen Buffet of Italian dining. ;)

[terrya]

1. Is the Country Kitchen Buffet anything like the Old Country Buffet?

I've been to the Old Country Buffet in Decatur, Illinois. I know I was the youngest there...and I'm 50...

[Writer]

3. I have never been to the Country Kitchen Buffet, but I do know one thing..

I think octogenarial rioting would break out in this city if they ever shut the place down.

[Critters2]

31. We have Country Kitchen here, but it's not a buffet nt

[Critters2]

34. Maybe I'm old, but I like any buffet

I'm vegetarian, and I like having a lot of choices.

[Katina]

2. I just had lunch from Panera

soup..and it's still too salty.

[Writer]

4. There's a Panera Bread here, too...

and when I last went there it was the stay-at-home yuppy church-going mom haven. So many lunches "out with the girls."

((I think I'm starting to stereotype eating spots. Help!)) :o

[nosillies]

5. That's OK, the sterotype fits

My friend and I always want to go there for lunch, but we get take-out becuase of all the stay-at-home yuppy church-going moms. Funny thing is, we sort of ARE stay-at-home yuppy church-going moms.

We just have bad attitudes.:mad:

[Writer]

7. Were you wearing a tennis shirt and capri pants?

;)

[nosillies]

16. Oh not just no but HELL NO

Actually, last time we went I was wearing a t-shirt with a picture of Iggy Pop on the front that actually said "bad attitude" on the back. A maternity shirt, at that. All part of my "trying to be a rebel in central Florida" image. I'm a poser.

[Writer]

19. I suddenly get this image...

of an entire restaurant of preppy capri pant-wearing mom's suddenly falling silent, staring with horror at amybhole's rebellious dress. Don't you know you're only supposed to wear pastels??? HUH?!?? :shrug:

[progmom]

6. meh

I would love to be able to be a stay at home church-going mom. ;) But that's just me. :D

[nosillies]

18. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that it happens one day, then

I could go either way -- I just happen to have a job that can really only be done from home.

[Benfea]

9. Buzz off, I love Panera Bread Co.!

:P

[Radio_Lady]

13. I've never heard of the Panera Bread Company!

What's up with that? Are they out west???

[Writer]

15. It's because you're not a...

stay-at-home yuppy church-going mom type! ;) ;) ;)

[Benfea]

23. Uhm, neither am I. :P

[Radio_Lady]

26. That's a pretty cool link, Benfea.

http://www.helsinki.fi/~ssyreeni/atheist/no-ghost-c-06

[Benfea]

41. Thanks.

I happen to agree with the author's conclusions. It is a far more appropriate symbol than others I've seen used.

[Radio_Lady]

24. Excuse me? I don't know about Panera Bread Company simply

because there isn't one within 50 miles of here -- suburban Portland, Oregon.

http://www.panera.com/

Search at: http://www.panera.com/locations.aspx

"We're sorry, there aren't any Panera Bread locations within 50 miles of your search criteria. If you wish, you can try your search again."

For the record, I'm a stay-at-home, retired TV and radio broadcaster, also wife, mother, grandmother and stepgrandmother with a volunteer job. For spirituality, I occasionally attend Unitarian services here but do not consider myself a churchgoer.



I might visit Panera Bread Company if I lived near one! I used to go to Au Bon Pain all the time -- in Boston. Looks as if they bought them out!

In peace,

Radio_Lady

[Writer]

27. Forgive me for my sarcasm...

I'm a outplaced television researcher, stay-at-home not-so-mom who is attempting to reformat her life in the Rocky Mountains. I'm really sort of astereotypical. I'm a blend of The Rainbow Room, TGI Fridays, and your local Ethiopean place. I'm also 31 years-old, so that places me in the 25-34 age group which is fairly universal with restaurant choices.

[Katina]

47. then you shouldn't be so quick with

the stereotypical insults (oh, I mean sarcasm) :sarcasm:

[Writer]

48. Wow, Katina. Apparently I hit your bitter button tonight.

Sorry about that.

[Katina]

50. bitter? no way

It would take more than a trashing of Panera to make me bitter. I was just pointing out that your preconcieved notions may apply to where you live..but not where everyone else lives...and those notions of yours can be stereotypically insulting. You should keep that in mind.

[Writer]

51. Uh, Katina? I think you really need to get a grip.

And take this in the light - very light - nature that it was intended. Why are you so bent out of shape over something not about you? And I'm an adult and well aware of the effects of my words. I don't need to be lectured by someone who doesn't know me or my intentions, thank you very much. Go find someone else to feed off of, because apparently you are angry at something not even directly related to you.

[Katina]

53. whoa. major chip

you get challenged and now I'm the boogy man? whatever..
everyone who goes to panera is a yuppy, polo shirt wearing, capri pant stay at home mom. I get it. have at the stereotype. It's so enlightening.

[Writer]

54. I think it's quite obvious now that you don't have a sense of humor. n/t

[Katina]

55. If you say so.

[Critters2]

32. Geez, I thought they were everywhere! nt

[Katina]

46. major stereotype

because the one by me is in the middle of a corporate business area with all business people eating or picking up lunch...no "yuppy stay at home mom" would be caught dead there.

[Debi]

8. Okay, I'll bite

How many screaming kids were there running around?
How many women were breast-feeding their children?
How many people were smoking?
Any drunk women making too much noise?
Do they bread anything w/Corn Flakes???

:shrug:

[Writer]

10. Screaming kids in view = 0

Women breast-feeding their children = didn't ask my hot date, who would more likely notice such things
Smoking = we don't do that here in Colorado ;)
Drunk women = I'll have to swing by later and check it out - it was still mimosa time
Corn flake breading = even the salad and bread sticks :D

Elderly farts slamming their faces into troughs of soup and salad = at least 20, and I'm not exaggerating ;)

[Debi]

11. Have we had a flame war about the Elderly at all-you-can-eat

places? :shrug:

[Writer]

14. You know, no we haven't. Okay, let me start...

name elderly eating troughs that pose as "restaurants." Quick!

1. Country Kitchen Buffet

[Debi]

20. Bonanza!

http://www.desmoinesnightlife.com/bonanza_restaurant.htm

(special Senior discount!)

[Radio_Lady]

21. I represent the elderly very well. I've been to a Country Kitchen Buffet

once. We had a two-for-one coupon for that meal. It was OK.

We frequently eat at Denney's when we have the grandkids. We also go to IHOP (International House of Pancakes) although at least one of their restaurants went belly up. Of course, they love Chuck-E-Cheese, but I won't go there. Grandpa takes them -- he can handle the noise.

Is the Village Inn or Elmer's a chain elsewhere? We're in the Portland, Oregon suburbs. We also go to Chili's, Applebees, and Red Robin, but only infrequently.

On the other hand, I NEVER eat at a bunch of young folks' restaurants -- you know, the ones with the Playscapes and lots of children?

1. McDonald's
2. Burger King
3. Carls Jr.
4. Taco Bell
5. Popeye's
6. Cracker Barrel
5. Red Lobster


Remember, I'm a proud member of the Over-the-Hill gang! Don't mess with Grandma!

On edit: I remember Bonanza as a TV show, not a restaurant. What's the location?

[Debi]

22. Ha Ha!

:rofl:

With my husband's senior discount we get:

Into movies cheaper/into sporting events cheaper/our meals cheaper

Maybe a flame war isn't a good idea - w/o the senior discount our social life would be non-existent b/c of expense!!!

:hug: for Grandma

[Radio_Lady]

30. Hi Debi! We do everything we can on senior discounts,

entertainment coupons, "two-fer" dinners and happy hours!

Our kids are grown, so it's just the two of us. We both go to preview movies a couple times each week so I can review them on my show. For more information about me, I've posted it to the right column of my journal.

See my journal here.

I really hate flame wars. Between countries, they are unacceptable, as they are between people.

In peace,

Radio_Lady

[Debi]

33. We have a 17-year-old

so we need to save every penny we can!

I'm sorry if I offended w/my flippant suggestion of a flame war.

It truly was a joke - I'm sure you can see that now - since I have an 'official' elderly person in my home :P

[Radio_Lady]

60. No problem here, Debi. Thanks for your messages.

So, you're in the sandwich generation? Taking care of a teenager and an elderly person at the same time?

I got off easy. The kids had all moved on in 1980, my father was in the care of my mother until he died in 1988 (we lived 2,000 miles away but saw him a few months before he died). My mother seemed OK by herself, but she suddenly passed away in 1991. My small family is all gone as I was an only child -- although I have several first cousins.


With Mommy and Daddy in the 1940s



In London, in love -- May 2006

[Bunny]

25. Did you know that Bonanza restaurant was started by Dan Blocker,

aka Hoss Cartwright? He started the Ponderosa chain, too, IIRC.

Bunny - loyal Dan Blocker fan here.

[Debi]

35. OMG!

I did not know that! :wow:

[Radio_Lady]

39. I didn't know that. I was interning in the TV Department of WCKT

a Miami television station, in 1960, and answering the fan mail for that show.

I never watched it myself.

RIP, dear Dan! You left us at a mighty young age!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0088779/

Thanks for sharing!

[Critters2]

37. I thought Village Inns were only in Iowa,

that's the only place I've seen 'em. Ya gotta love any restaurant that serves Boca Burgers.

[Radio_Lady]

12. Oh -- oh! I'm not going to the Olive Garden anymore...after what some

DUers did to me this spring.

Or perhaps I'll go and won't tell you. Ha-ha!



Old fogies never die, they just chomp away!

Playfully,

Radio_Lady in Oregon (Age: 67)

[Writer]

17. What did I do to you last spring?

I was hardly around. Had a thesis to write and a Master's to complete.

67? Bah. You're young. You have no idea what it's like here. These octogenerians get around. They smoke you on the bike lanes and on mountain hikes then graze on all of the salad and bread sticks at The Olive Garden. Then they nearly run you off the road driving home. :cry:

[Radio_Lady]

28. Sorry, Writer -- I meant "you" in the plural sense. I altered my post.

I don't smoke. I don't bike. I don't hike, and I'm not an octogenerian. I consider myself a good driver and recently completed the "55 and Alive" driver's training course through AARP (American Association of Retired People).

"But I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night."

What was your thesis about? Congratulations on the Master's Degree! You must be one smart cookie!

On edit: I have no idea where you live so can't comment... are you in California or Florida? I have one octogenarian aunt (age 83) in Marin Country.

Warm regards,

Radio_Lady in Oregon

[Writer]

29. I'm going to be general...

the collision of politics and journalism. Media studies. Hope to get into the PhD program next fall.

I'm not intelligent. I'm just an obsessive thinker. :)

[Radio_Lady]

36. "I'm not intelligent. I'm just an obsessive thinker." -- and you're modest

as well. I wish you much good fortune with your burgeoning career.



Did you ever take the Mensa test? I got a qualifying score, but never attended the meetings. Too busy raising five children in a stepfamily...

http://www.mensa.org/index0.php?PHPSESSID=33053f353cb065db7143e84e68f5eb14

[Writer]

40. I can tell you now that I cannot qualify for Mensa.

Even if I could, I would not want to know. My area of expertise is in media, and that's where I concentrate my efforts. Otherwise, I am degenerate in aptitude.

[Critters2]

38. People here want an Olive Garden

I live in a town of 18,500 90 miles sw of Chicago. Lots of suburban assholes are moving here "to get away from the hassles of the suburbs". So, our (also asshole) mayor sends out a survey to find out what kinds of businesses people would like the city to try to attract. First on the list--with like 500 votes--Olive Garden! Best Buy was number two. Then a whole list of chain stores and restaurants that will make these ex-suburbanites feel at home...by turning this into the suburbs they left. Did I mention they're assholes?

We have two really good Italian restaurants owned and run by two real, live, Italian American families. But what we really need is an Oilve Garden. :eyes:


:banghead:

[Writer]

42. We're in a landlocked state... not much of an Italian community...

it's sad that many here likely associate Italian cuisine with prepackaged stuffed mushrooms and rubbery calamari. :(

[Critters2]

43. Apparently people here do, too--

in spite of the fact that they can get good quality Italian food.

Pretty soon, every town will look like every other town.

[Writer]

44. Cultural homogeneity leads to cultural stagnation.

Guaranteed.

[Critters2]

45. Try and tell that to the suburbanites

Better yet, tell 'em to stay in their icky suburbs, rather than bringing that schlock here!

[LibraLiz1973]

49. ROFLMAO n/t

[Fox Mulder]

52. I like the Olive Garden.

I don't care what anyone says.

[Writer]

56. Prototypical, righteously indignant response:

Wait - what are you saying? Are you saying that I think I'm too good for the Olive Garden? Huh. Looks like I ruffled your feathers! ((Nasty, peevish smirk)) I'm going to use this valuable time in my life to knock you for something completely innocuous like your choice in restaurants. ((Insert mindless insult here.)) So you can just go slam your face into an all you can eat salad bowl, you poser!

I have no life!

So there!

;) ;) ;)

Writer.

[Redstone]

57. Say ten Our Fathers and five Hail Marys, and all will be forgiven.

Go, and sin no more.

Redstone

[Writer]

58. Oh, Redstone, you have no idea... I could sure use a little

"healing" myself right now.

I feel funny. I think it was the breadsticks I ate today.

[Redstone]

59. Have a drink (a small one) and go to bed. That heals everything.

Or does the healing you need go beyond that everyday prescription? If so, there's PM available to you. I'm hitting the rack soon, but if you need to talk, I'll be around tomorrow.

Redstone