And aside from the business hustle and bustle, the Raleigh towns remind me a bit of Northern Virginia circa 20 years ago. Friends of mine that I go way way back with, met me for Sunday brunch on my trip over the past July 4th weekend.  Oh, and one of their  little ones joined us (see cute photo).  So, my friend Lisa sent me a text message saying that Ruthie would be joining us but that she’ll be a lady.  I replied back…I don’t know about the lady bit but I’m sure she’ll be sooo darn cute!  …and she was happy with her kids meal and her sippy cup she couldn’t put  down.  Whoever invented a straw was brilliant! 

But anyway…the Willow Creek Farm restaurant we ate at was born in the 2000 era. It’s run by a DC metropolitan area restaurant chain called Clyde’s that started in Georgetown back in the 60’s.

This particular restaurant has several different large rooms and 625 seats. It’s located in an area called Ashburn in the Dulles Corridor. A lot of families live out that way. Ashburn by the way kinda reminds me of Wake Forest a little. Everything is contained within the community and coincidentally there’s even a ice rink in both towns. Where Fairfax used to be in the heart of Northern Virginia, Ashburn could very well be now the new center as Northern Virginia has spread out westward.

Here are some photos…

Does this remind you of any famous Raleigh restaurant? There are high ceilings, lots of dark wood, horse decorations, barn like feel, and vintage country paraphernalia.

…it reminds me of Angus Barn a little.

Oh and here’ s my highschool friend driving around without her kids which is a rare occurence. Notice the car sign. Her husband is a Black Belt jiu jitsu expert and instructor. He’s a bad a$%. They run a Jiu Jitsu school for adults and children in Northern Virginia. 

When I was up in NoVa as we natives call it, I also saw a firework display since it was July 4th weekend. They’re everywhere up there. Unlike the distant pop-pop from the NC State fireworks, anywhere in the DC area they have great fireworks. The DC fireworks are grand and you should definitely see it at least once, but insider wise, it’s not the thing to do if you want to avoid crowds. Driving into the city is a hassle and even taking the metro can be an ordeal.

…And while all the post-Independence Day activities were going on, I got a chance to catch the tail end of the Wimbledon men’s final match that seemed like it could last all day. Great tennis in action! Wished Roddick could’ve had a win, but proud of Federer for his 15th Grand Slam…they’re my two favorites.

Federer wins 15th Grand Slam

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Something to note is that they only take cash, debit cards, and American Express credit cards. No Mastercard or Visa. Strange, huh? Be sure to pay attention to the price and quantity signs for each item… I had to go back and get an additional 12 pack of Blue Moon because they only sell 24 bottles for the price listed and they wouldn’t let me buy a dozen even though they’re packaged that way.  I wonder why they don’t just package it with 24 bottles then? Not a big deal but just an example that you gotta get used to the Costco way.

I had just finished shopping at Costco yesterday and then later in the day went to go do some cardio exercise while watching the Oprah Show. Yes…I’m an Oprah fan.  Anyway, she was shopping in Costco with an 85 year old “rags to riches” billionaire David Murdock.  He was actually on the show to share how he has stayed in good health and why he feels better than when he was in his thirties. And he noted that it’s mainly from healthy eating. So he took Oprah with him to go food shopping at his normal grocery store which incidentally is Costco.  It’s not just for regular folk ya know.  What a kwinky dink that, that show aired on the day I went to Costco!

But anyway, I was able to buy 60 Quaker chewy granola bars for $10.59…that’s about 17 cents per piece. At Lowes Foods it was $2.99 for 10 bars which is about 30 cents each so you save almost half at Costco.

I also bought 24 bottles of Blue Moon beer for $26.99, so that comes to about $1.12 each. At Lowes Foods it’s normally $7.99 for a six bottles, so that’s $1.33 per bottle. When I went in Lowes, it was on sale for $7.49 which is $1.25 per bottle.  Either way, buying Blue Moon beer from Costco in bulk is less.

I’m curious, what can’t you do without at Costco?

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But normally, I like to really mix and match textures and add colors and accessories. As you get older (and wiser ), you get more bold, and don’t really worry or care too much about what other people think or what ‘clique’ you belong to and those mind consuming activities in your teens and 20’s. That’s how we grow…oh boy, I sound like I’m 80 years old! Anyway, I’m NOT 80…and I hardly ever wear skirts any more. They’re just not very functional and I just the like the look of a tailored boot cut pant (it always so strange saying pant like you’re referring to one leg or half the pants). I like capris too (the modern day highwaters…remember those?). Short pants officiate spring for me. OH, by the way, Happy First Day of Spring! I already got a head start with putting away my heavy sweaters. There were only two of them …but hey, you know it is the warm south here.

Rummaging through my closet, I don’t really have a clothing brand that I die for. I’m very eclectic. I like to find unique pieces at boutiques, local Raleigh shows like Junior League Shopping Spree, …and I love to hear about and find sales! I mean what better than getting what you want for half price!

I wear casual stuff a lot. Back in my hotel management days, we had to wear skirts and pantyhose EVERY DAY. …And no open toed shoes or large non-classic jewelry. I mean C’MON! Can you imagine??? I mean what kinda archaic dress code is that? Spanx are the new pantyhose as far as I’m concerned!  Then, things were a ‘lil better in the software and technology working world except clothing was so bo-rrring…I mean pretty much khaki pants and blue shirts every day (that was for women too)…or matchy matchy cardigans.  That wasn’t dress down, that was dress like a clone. 

So those “professional” days for me are a thing of the past. I still have a closet full of suits and jackets. It’s hard for me to part with some of those ‘cause they’re all ‘one of a kinds’. But I’m gonna do it this year and get all that stuff outta my closet, outta my life. What about you???

More frequently I’m seeing people wearing more casual or business casual in their jobs…I love it! Companies are gettin’ it! I just don’t believe people should be judged on how much they charge on a credit card for a suit. But I’m not about sloppy dressing either. Like the just-got-out-of-bed-look. That just shows laziness.

I wear a lotta colorful and vintage tops, jeans, and comfy pants. Lovely! And…I love my hoodies, yoga pants and my Juicy Couture hot pink activewear! Oh, and my really unique small tees that have something cool written on it. I’m not a brand advertiser but if I go somewhere and see a tee that’ll remind me of a place and experiences, I’ll get it. Like when we went to the Hard Rock Park @ Myrtle Beach on opening weekend – I just had to get a rock band tee. Not the one size fits all T-shirts…nope I’ve had tons of those and they all get donated or become pajama wear.

I’m a scarf and Kate Spade handbag girl… not trying to name drop or anything but I’m just sayin’! Love purses too – but they’re usually too small for my bowling ball…j/k…wanted to see if you were paying attention!  My fav’rite scarf now is my classic pink plaid Burberry scarf but I also love my $5 colorful Old Navy scarves!

Have you watched “What Not to Wear”? I think it’s a fun but TOO sad to watch. Victims on there are just so CLUE-LESS about fashion. I guess that’s why their family and friends nominate them to be on there. …and they’re usually ecstatic about it. Not like I’m some fashionista or take the time to dress up like a runway model every day, but my wardrobe isn’t filled with baggy male shorts either. Sad, but I actually know people who are strickened with this lack of fashion-curse. They’re great people but I think they just never got into fashion and it’s work to them to put together an outfit. I dunno maybe you can shed some light here…

…But really, all they gotta do is ask for a ‘lil help! Oh and boy do they get it on that show where they have to ditch all of their clothes overnight, literally. No, slow and calming purging process like little by little. Nope, the Stacie and Clint duo invade the victim’s closet and have a bonfire-burning-like party with their clothes! I’d be upset if somebody did that to me. One time I moved, and put some clothes in a trash bag. Well guess what? That bag accidentally went out with the trash. I still haven’t gotten over it.

But for the most part the hosts know what they’re doing. Stacie (London) is a jean expert. It’s fun to watch and see how ‘off’ people are in choosing the right jeans for them. I mean girls try to squeeze themselves in these tight tight jeans and are left with jelly roll muffin top.  Did you see my article on the jean swap? Excuse me, but NO food or top should be in your jeans!

Oh and have you noticed that teen girls now are into their designer clothing at such a young age? I think it’s a shame they’re spoiled so young. What are they gonna look forward to when they’re an adult? I guess more of the same. There should be a rite of passage to move from mall clothes to designer clothes. Like when women turn 30 (40 for men)…
Shows like MTV’s “The Hills” don’t help this cause… where young twenty somethings like Heidi Montag only wears the latest designer clothing. Remember she’s not the one in couture fashion work like her ex-best friend Lauren Conrad. They’d make good “actresses” in ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ sequel.

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Oh, and you can only swap designer jeans of today…brands like Citizens of Humanity, Rock & Republic, and 7 for all Mankind. No designer jeans from when you were a kid (like Jordache, Gloria Vanderbilt…LOL!)

But if you don’t have designer jeans, you can still play. See me all smiles with my Levi’s. 

You can take two pairs of Levi’s and swap them for a designer jean or get $10 each store credit. Most every girl out there has at least one pair of Levi’s in her closet. I love my Levi’s!

So I went digging in my closet and pulled out 4 pairs of my Levi’s boot cut jeans. One pair I put on and wore.  The pair in the photo here.  I was sad that I had to pick out two pairs ‘cause they still all fit pretty good. And U know how difficult it is to find jeans that fit! Oh and my husband had to make it harder on me. Before leaving for the store, he said to me, “…they better not be ones I like”. I’m thinkin’, um, H-e-l-l-o…since when did you become part of my fashion equation? I had made my decision minutes before consulting him and I was gonna move forward with it. So I just bit my tongue and said “no, they’re not. ” Yeah-right! Who would’ve guessed that jeans would stir such emotion! I dare you to try going in your closet and find some pairs to give up. But…only jeans you really like and can still fit into…oh, and that you weren’t planning to donate anyway…uh huh…that changes everything.

Giving up my Levi's!

Okay so I threw the 2 chosen pairs in the washer and dryer. And then I headed to Main and Taylor’s. When I got there with my jeans in hand one of the salesman took me to the back to where they normally have all their handbags. Alright already, I’ve been there once or twice and they know me by name, but that’s beside the point. I’d never talked to this particular salesman before. But he was really tall. It was good for my neck. He showed me the designer jeans hanging for swap and then a display of a tattered and torn up pair of Levi’s. But no Levi’s today that swappers brought in. He said I couldn’t have the display ones…well that’s okay. I’m not into the rockstar torn look. That’s the big rage now ya know. You see a lot of celebrities photographed wearing them. I mean one minute you wouldn’t be caught dead in jeans with holes, and the next, it’s a fashion statement.

And the other big jeans fashion is super high detailing on jean pockets and all over. That’s a designer-esque jean quality. Stretchy jeans are also in but have been for awhile.
Here’s the designer selection I saw.

The first thing that came to my mind is… gosh, these people are tiny! I mean they got mostly 22-25’s and a few 30-32’s. I think I wear 28 and 29’s. Unlike Kim Kardashian who has a YouTube video on her fitting into size 26 and 27 jeans. I actually like my jeans a little loose so that I look skinnier and not hangin’ out. I mean she’s got a much bigger boo’tay than I do! If she thinks squeezing into tiny jeans looks good with a muffin top, then she needs to spend some time with jean expert, Stacie London.

My Citizens of Humanity Jean Swap

I tried on a few pair of the designer jeans in the restroom/changing room in the back warehouse where they have all the shoes in different sizes. There’s a full size mirror so you can see yourself full length.  But in total, I tried on about 4 pairs and found a Citizens of Humanity Kelly cut pair that fit pretty good.  Yeah, no alterations.

Look at my new jeans here ————————————————->

So I swapped that pair with my 2 pairs of Levi’s. I was glad that there’s now some Levi’s for swap. It was just such a lonely Levi’s shelf before I walked in. Here’s a photo of the salesman who helped me and my 2 pairs of Levi’s on the shelf.

So that was a fun thing to do. I’d encourage you to go do it. Remember how much fun you had when you were a kid and used to trade clothes, stickers, and stuff like that…I do!

And especially if you’ve got some larger jean sizes ‘cause not everyone is a size 26, a-hem, Miss Kardashian. So get on in there and get yourself some new swapped jeans. The Main and Taylor jeans event ends this month so you’ve got about 12 days. OH, and they’re having one of their massive sales right now! So you can kill 2 birds with one stone (what a terrible expression!)…but anyway (as I always say)…why not go jean swappin’ and shoe shappin!

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That’s funny stuff but let’s get back to the real world…ha ha. Today it’s ALL about the 90’s styles. Let’s see, since it wasn’t thaaat long ago it should be easy to recall, right?

…okay, there was Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place that came on TV in the early 90s when Fox TV came around (Pre-Party of Five…remember that one?) I remember taping shows on VHS videos when I was attending college classes or related events . 90210 was like a post-Saved by the Bell soap opera. That’s probably why they hired Tiffani Amber Thiessien to be on both shows (remember her from Tiger Beat or was it Teen magazine or both?)….

Anyway! For some reason, I remember the vest look that came back in. I remember Brenda Walsh (Shannon Doherty’s character) wearing that hobo look with the baggy pants in the beginning when they first moved from the farm or wherever mid-America they came from. Oh, and all those funky hats and plaids and overalls. It was so grungy! Did I get the right show? …Then she got glamified (is that a word?) and lost in the chic Beverly Hills lifestyle. Oh….and the sideburns! Remember Brandon and Dylan who showed theirs off? Steve (played by Ian Ziering) tried to grow some but you couldn’t see it against his blond Albino self. By the way, I’m not trying to impress you but I did recall these character and actual actor’s names without Googling them. Told you it wasn’t that long ago.

I remember actually shopping in the early 90’s on Melrose Ave in L.A. The styles were so hip. I bought my first Betsy Johnson light blue butterfly print dress there that I wore to several weddings including a California one in Northridge (a ‘burb of L.A.). That’s where I got culture shocked that people actually work Black to weddings…oh, and Black Doc Martens! That’ll never be chic in my mind. Hey, but whatever flips your boat… what???

Oh, and then came HBO’s “Sex in the City”. I was well into my adulthood by then. I was probably around 25 when that hit series aired. That took fashion to a whole ‘nother level but it took a few episodes. We weren’t looking at mall shopping like with Beverly Hills 90210. We were looking at designer clothes shopping. And Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags. And a lot of shoe shopping!

Okay here’s where I gotta make note to self. I don’t get the whole Manolo Blahnik’s and Jimmy Choo’s. I mean they’re beautiful shoes. And yes, it’s a fashion statement and ‘Sex in the City’s’ Vogue writer, Carrie Bradshaw bragged about them and made them famous…but really how many times can you wear a $400 pair of shoe and have it looking new or the way you’d want it to if you were showing off a $400 pair of shoe? So if you wear the shoe 4x then that’s $100 per wear. What if you only wear it once or twice…well, uh, you do the math! Plus what if they get stolen when you go to a Bridal Shower at a home where you have to take your shoes off, and one of the other guests take the wrong shoes (e.g. your Manolo’s) by accident…I didn’t make this up…I mean afterall it DID happen to Carrie in an episode!

Btw here’s a photo of me below (and a VERY pregnant friend!) in front of Carrie’s brownstone apartment building… 

Carrie Bradshaw's NYC Apartment (from HBO's 'Sex in the City' show)

Okay let’s put this in perspective for us Raleigh-ans. There’s no outdoor walking in Raleigh you can really show off your shoes without putting a hurtin’ on your feet. I mean most of us aren’t carried around in rickshaws all day! And Glenwood South is not exactly buzzin’ New York City.

They should have stylin’ shoes for the big cities where everyone walks around and chic shoes for the ‘burbs where everyone drives around. What I could see walkin’ around in, in Raleigh is a high fashion great wedge shoe for the summer and a long leather boot for the winter. I think you can wear those two styles, very practically. I like the metallic ballet flat with jeans but I wonder how long that style will last?

Alright movin’ on about clooothes in general…

I went through my Ann Taylor phase just after college. You know when you kinda wanna look the part of a professional out in the ‘real world’. You can’t really go wrong with their styles as they’re very mainstream. Almost too mainstream. Lacking in style expression as you’ll look like everyone else in the Corporate world. But, that’ll make your boss happy that there’s another ‘matchy matchy’ clone in the office with whatever the in style season color or print top is and a neutral slack or skirt.  Been there done that and still do once in a blue moon when I’m tryin’ to look a ‘lil professional.

But what about the hip online companies like Amazon.com and Zappos.com?…they’re the opposite of corporate America Ann Taylor. They embrace free expression. If you wonder what I mean, take a visit to Seattle and you’ll think you’ve stepped on soil in another country (or planet). Alrighty…I think that’s enough for today. …gee, I wonder what free expression I’ll have tomorrow.

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But, while I didn’t grow up in Raleigh, I did grow up at the malls. So I share that in common with a lot of you.  I sure did shop a lot. Gosh, I can’t believe it all started with the 80’s…what happy, fun times!  By the way, that’s me in the photo just a few years ago.

When I was a teen in the ‘burbs (of DC) in the 80’s, there were a handful of places to shop. But the BIG BRAND names were ESPRIT, Benetton, Guess and the Limited. Oh and you wouldn’t be caught without a brand name. That would be so un-cool!

Stylish clothing in the 80’s were so colorful. The mall stores were bright and they had models dressed up in layered looks that was such a hit. Remember the Madonna looks, legwarmers, stirrup pants, paisley, neon bracelets, Risky Business sunglasses, Jams, untucked button down shirts with the collars up, rolled up sleeves??? I also wore a lot of mini skirts. Here’s a trip down memory lane photo. Me and a couple girls at the beach in the late 80’s.

Late 80's photo!

I didn’t look too dated, did I?…well, okay maybe the big plastic pink hoop earrings were an 80’s dead giveaway but you can’t really see them!  Most my photos back then were blurry for some reason.   This is one of the few photos where there’s not just one eye or our heads chopped off in photos.  I know how hard those disposable  idiot boxes can be to operate  And, this was post-BIG Hair that we all had. If you wanna re-live those days, go rent the movie “Rockstar”. Remember Guns n Roses, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. Love that riff. I was Sweet 16. Okay just gave away my age. Gosh so many great 80’s songs!

But anyway, mind outta the gutter…getting back to fashion. If you think about it, styles haven’t really changed all that much. And they do come back in cycles.

Remember the big Jackie O’ type sunglasses that were popular?… well they ARE still big and have been for years. And the jean skirt that never really went out of style when paired with the right top. And hoop earrings as fallback fashion accessory.

But these good ‘ol standbys are exceptions.  For most fashion pieces, they go in and out like yesterday’s news. But, when you buy a piece of clothing, it may be ‘in’ then, out next year, but back ‘in’ years down the road. The question is, do you wanna hang onto it for that long?

I think it depends. If you never really cared for it, then why have it taking up closet or storage space? But if it’s an item that you loved when you bought it and wore all the time for the first year, then maybe you’ll like it and wanna wear it again decades later. I mean I still have a Banana Republic purse that I bought when I was 16 and wore on one shoulder and across my chest. Remember that style! Then moms back then starting doing it and it became uncool…sorry!

But I must say I was always stylin’ with my getups! And I had this cropped black and white checkered snowflake sweater that I just loved that I bought at the hip mall store Contempo Casual. I finally donated that sweater, but I could see myself wearing it today. Back in the day, Contempo Casual was the cool store for teens kinda like what Bebe is today.

And remember the 80’s preppy looks like argyle sweaters and polos. Definitely not ME either. I like the more modern contemporary stuff that’s form fitting but not tight! I like having some style. It’s a part of who I am.

Just fyi, Banana Republic and the Gap had just come into the scene. Boy, I feel lucky in many ways that I grew up with the fashion and stores of today. I really couldn’t imagine growing up any other time although my generation has been called “The Lost Generation”. We weren’t lost, we were just trying to find what best fits us.

One thing that hasn’t changed that I’ve noticed in my closet is PINK! It’s timeless. I can always find a reason to wear pink. Pink is what black is to most people’s closet. I’ve got a lot of it! My favorite is a pink cardigan that I can wear with almost anything.  What’s your favorite color and piece of clothing?

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Well…you don’t have to go that far. There’s a Salon Bar right here in Raleigh called Primp. You can get your hair services done, pedicure, manicure, nail tatoos…you know, the gamut of salon works.

Oh, and just fyi…for you single people out there… us married folks have dates too. That’s how we keep the love alive! So this ISN’T just for you! But I think you’ll be in good company if you make a visit to Primp.

Primp also does waxing…of brows, and anywhere else on your body you can imagine. And men who don’t want to admit they have hairy gorilla hair backs can get their backs waxed, discreetly. I mean that in the sense you’ll probably not see your neighbor or anyone at your office you know there.

But I never say never, so if you happen to, they’re probably out doing the same thing…LOL. That particular waxing service is called the Manzilla…get it!? I know…they shouldn’t be joking about something that’s probably devastating to guys who have to deal with that. But I think us women have to deal with shaving parts that men don’t, like our legs and down there.  So as I like to say, ‘it all works out in the wash’ (if you’ve never heard that before, basically I’m just sayin’ we all have our issues). 

There’s a “Primp my ride” bikini wax on the Primp menu. I’ve never had a Brazillian wax before…but I don’t really think I’m missing much! They look very painful. But hey if you can drink a few martinis beforehand, I’m sure it’s not soooo bad. And the results are probably great.

Curious to see what Primp inside looks like?

Raleigh's Primp Salon and Martini Bar

It kinda reminds me of a high-tech gym when you walk in. You don’t see anything except the reception desk and THE BAR. When I went in there, there was no one tending the desk but there was A lot of shaking and stirring action at the bar. The bar is straight ahead on your right so you don’t have to look or go far for a drink.  See it in the photo.  Hey look – there’s one adventurous guy sitting there.  Maybe, that’s his fav’rite daytime during the work week bar!

Primp Salon Bar is I think the type of place that is perfect for the right occasion and the right person. Who can I imagine going there? Let’s see…it’s a place that I can imagine PR Specialist Samantha Jones from ‘Sex in the City’ (Kim Cattrall’s character) going to. …and she’d probably be a ‘regular’ there …and I can imagine a couple friends meeting up at the salon and catching up on their latest gossip and happenings. …oh, and for men I can imagine a single guy drivin’ up in a red ‘pimp my ride’ sports cars (who probably has commitment issues…okay, that’s probably reading way too much into it!).  Let’s see, then who can’t I see going there? Not a place you’d commonly see dad pulling up with his truck or minivan. …but correct me if I’m misled…  I like to get down to the bottom of things! 

So where is Primp? It’s right off West Street in downtown Raleigh.

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Let me start by telling you that I wrote an email a few weeks ago to this store called Just Salads in New York City where they make fresh salads. I wanted to encourage them to come to Raleigh. ‘Cause ONE thing I really like going out for, are fresh salads. I will pay someone to make one for me ‘cause there are so many little ingredients to chop up. Guess you could say I’d rather be spending my time doing something else. Also, I like the restaurant quality greens better than the salad they sell in bags at the grocery store. I really can’t tell you why…it’s just different. So nowadays bagged salad comes pre-washed. Thank goodness for modern convenience! But remember years ago when you had to wash the salad from the bag before eating? OH great!… one more salad prep thing. …You had to air dry the greens on paper towels or buy the Infomercial spinning salad dryer. Remember that? I never owned one of those but I got close. I’ve got every other kitchen gadget that gets used as often as my Thanksgiving baster and gravy boats. Anyway, I’m glad I don’t have one of those spinners taking up space and collecting dust on the shelves.

Oh, and do you have one of those microplaners for grating and zesting (…I think that’s the right word)? Can you tell I’m not much of a cook? Well…I take that back. There are certain things I make that I’m comfortable with like paella, fajitas,…oh, and Shepherd’s Pie. Don’t ask how that last one got thrown in there?  …those are some of our fav’rites that I’ve become proficient at, but still I don’t cook often and I can’t say I love it. I do love to eat though! But any-way, I have one of those microplaners ‘cause every food channel Chef in America swears by it and lists it as one of the kitchen tool must-haves in your kitchen drawers. I’ve used that tool once and then looked around a couple times and wondered who would clean it? It’s a real pain in the butt with all those ‘lil tiny crevices. It’s like you need a tool that’s better than a knife to clean the tool. If you got an easy way to clean the microplaner…please share here! … Those chefs are spoiled and don’t have to do that sorta thing so they never point out the pitfalls like cleaning up.

But, back to the salad. If you’re like me and would love a fresh salad every now and again, and don’t want to have to travel to New York, then you’d be just as happy as I was to hear there are a couple of Raleigh options….

… Just Salads that I mentioned, didn’t make it to Raleigh, but Tossed did. It’s the same concept. You can order one of their specialty salads and add protein ontop, or you can design your own salad from scratch. I thought it would be fun to design my own. So that’s what I chose to do. Here’s how it works…

First, you pick either a salad or a whole wheat crepe. I ordered a salad. Then you first pick your salad greens and 4 toss-in items. It’s $5.95 for just that. The toss in items are what you expect like carrots, eggs, chopped tomatoes, onions, croutons etc.. (yeah…you gotta pay for croutons!) And there are fruits too. Some interesting choices are plaintain chips, sugar snap peas, and black bean corn salsa. You can add additional toss-ins (above the 4 “included”) for 50 cents each.

I chose Baby Field Greens with chick peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries. Then you add on your protein if you want to be filled. I chose smoked turkey. They have a lot of chicken choices but I’d been eating chicken all week so I needed a change. They also have tofu as an option.
And then last, you get to pick your dressing. I chose the Tossed vinaigrette which was a light oil based vinaigrette. It was an okay dressing, but nothing to write home about. No super memorable flavor. I like Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar better. …ooooh, and Angus Barn’s warm honey poppy seed dressing in the mushroom salad…you know that one?

Honestly, I think the “Tossed” salad concept is great. As I mentioned, I love fresh salads! But I think they missed the boat on value. I ended up spending close to $10 without a drink. I mean can’t they throw in the croutons? Especially in this economy where everyone is looking for VALUE! I realize salads aren’t as filling as say a burger, but C’MON, can’t you add just a little more…of everything???

I just can’t imagine spending $10 a day every day on a salad lunch that doesn’t fill you up for the rest of the day or that you can’t split into a second meal. The salads aren’t huge or anything you’d brag about …and that’s really what people are looking for. We want to stretch our buck in these ‘tight’ times.  Here’s my completed salad…

Make my own Tossed salad

For the same price, I’d recommend going to Red Robin and ordering a salad. It’s one place that you might not think of for salads. They’ve got phenomenally tasty and BIG salads there believe it or not. But you wouldn’t necessarily know it ‘cause you mostly see the servers carrying burgers and shakes around. ‘Cause it’s the place you take kids to, right? Sure, there are a lot of families with little ones, but I’ll tell you, they sure know how to make large, delicious salads for AH-DULTS. Who knew???? I can never finish their salads in one sitting and I’m always munchin’ on it ‘til the last bite. We went to Red Robin last weekend and for under $40 we each had a meal and a beer. That’s value… and it’s no wonder why the joint was packed!

Another fresh salad place I like is Brueggers. Of course, they’re known for their bagel sandwiches. But I also really like their salads. They come in this cool to-go plastic tub instead of a plate. Salad bowls and tubs just make so much more sense than a salad plate. I think I might be the only one who always seems to accidentally drop a piece of lettuce off of my salad plates.
One more salad place I wanted to mention opened up at Crabtree Valley Mall called Crisp Salads. I haven’t tried it yet, but if YOU do, let me what you think…okay?

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Get a $10 Gift Certifcate to Soloman’s for $3. I love Soloman’s! They have great Middle Eastern food with an American flare. They serve french fries with their platters which I really like (please, don’t tell my husband! . …But they also have the healthy kabobs, rice, and pita bread with hummus which is always a fav’rite for us. Great place to take kids and introduce them to a new kinda healthy cuisine.

Ted’s Montana Grill is hard to miss.  It’s Ted Turner’s restaurant that’s popped up everywhere including the Triangle.  …at Triangle Town Center and Streets of Southpoint.   If you’ve never tried Bison and wanted to feel like you’re in Texas or somewhere in the Southwest US, Ted’s is the place to go!  You can get a $10 gift certificate for $3 or $25 gift certificate for $15!   Just click on
the Ted’s Montana Grill logo/graphic.

I love Cuban food.  I got addicted after visiting Miami where they serve it just about in every restaurant.  Good news!  There’s actually a hidden secret place in Raleigh that we discovered a few years ago. Who says there’s no international foods here in the Triangle!?  Carmen’s Cuban Cafe and Lounge is right behind the RDU Airport in Morrisville.  We’ve been there a handful of times.  It’s just a small restaurant with a few tables but they have the real Cuban food.  The servers make the place seem authentic too with their Cuban/Hispanic accents.  The restaurant is right behind the lounge bar when you enter.  I love all their dishes but most memorable is their plaintains, yuca, and moros (white rice with black beans).  I’m telling you, it’s the real deal!  Churrasco con Chimichurri  is a good Cuban 101 dish they serve in case you get overwhelmedwith the menu.  And it’s not a hot dish, in case you’re worried.  You can always add some hot sauce. …and Eric loves the Seafood Paella.  Anyway…you should try it out. Get your $25 Gift Certificate for $10…just click on the ‘Carmen’s’ graphic/logo.

Take 50% Off with every order of Dinner of the Month Club purchase. Use the code CHEF thru 3/9/09.

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The best example I know of beating the system is my dog Apollo. He knows exactly how to get the best reaction from me and my husband. He’s learned that for my husband to react to take him for an extra walk or a pet, he has to whine loudly and quickly. For me, he knows he has to test the waters a bit. He starts with a soft half whine, and then progresses to a loud one if he isn’t given a “ssh!”, which by the way does work. He’s a good guy. He just has needs like all of us.

But pets and children are the most astute at working the system…I.E. their parents. That’s ‘cause their entire quality of life is dependent on how well they work that system. And not only do they want to work the system, their sole focus can be on beating the system. That is, making mom and dad give in. You see, they are conditioned just like us adults to act a certain way when there is a reward. As Dr. Phil has implied, ‘people do things when there’s some kinds of payoff’. And it might be a reason no one else understands.

If kids get what they want, then they keep asking. If they keep getting told ‘no’…well, they usually keep trying until they’re tired …some parents know this never usually happens. We, adults aren’t as persistent. We just move on ‘cause we have so many complicated things to juggle every day. We learn to prioritize. And, we just get tired more easily. We’re worn out.

But then why is it that we have this extra energy for shopping? What do I mean? Well…are you happy going shopping and not buying anything? For most of us, NO way! If you’re “GOING shopping” it’d almost be WRONG to not buy anything and come home empty handed. Kinded like a wasted mission or something. So we condition ourselves to buy, buy, buy…

And sometimes we really do need things. But sometimes we’re just in the buying mood. It’s just like an emotion that makes us feel good. And an outlet that makes us happy… ‘IF I buy one thing, well, then I want something else’. But if you focus your energies on something else like learning how to do something constructive (other than shop , then that’s hopefully less dangerous!

Besides, buying nice things says something about you…like you want to present well to others, and you enjoy buying others’ gifts. These are good things. So, shopping is not a bad thing at all (otherwise I’d be in big trouble . And shopping benefits our economy in a much needed way right now. Spending money is the only way to prevent businesses from going out of business. And just look around, sadly these days you see all kinds of Raleigh businesses that have ‘gone out of business’. The only real way to prevent some of our favorites from ‘going under’, is we have to buy and consume their products and services.

On the other side, when we spend more than we can afford just because we CAN at the moment…I.E. credit cards, then this puts us in deeper holes (not just deeper holes in our pockets). So I guess the lesson here, that everyone should already know is…buy ONLY within your means. And you KNOW what that is! And you should know ‘cause you should have a spreadsheet of income minus expenses. Doesn’t have to be anything fancy. And once you determine all your expenses, you should stick to it. And if you still don’t know, well then just ask yourself this…if I put this item on a credit card, can I pay it off in my next statement? If the answer is no, then you have your answer. This isn’t the time or economy to be wreck-less. And that’s really what that would be.

We have a budget in my household. We never had one before, but in this economy everyone needs to have ‘checks and balances’ and a ‘safety net’ ‘cause you just never know what might happen next. Is that pessimistic? Nope. That’s realistic. Everyone should have a budget. The few people who may not need one but still should have one are people like Oprah and independently wealthy folks. These people still should spend within their means…which is much higher than most. We need to stimulate our economy now as Suze Ormon and other financial gurus have pointed out. It’s a shift in thinking that most our society isn’t used to.

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