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You know you’ve done this.

19 Aug

Last night I was being lazy, so instead of making dinner, I simply heated my oven and popped in frozen Tarte d’Alsace from Trader Joe.

(Don’t know what that is? Then keep walking… nothing to see here folks… There is NO way I’m turning you onto these because they already sell out like mad. It’s like referring someone to your dentist, only to NEVER get to book another appointment again. I’m not doing it.)

Anyway…  there I am all craving a Tarte d’Alsace, so I reach into my freezer, pull out one of the TWO boxes I have on hand (due to awesome planning), and…

WHAT? WHAT THE HELL?

There are MUSHROOMS on this box. (Not actually growing on it – just in the picture.)

But still: A Tarte d’Alsace involves three things: cheese, bacony ham, and onions. NOT mushrooms.

I study the box for a second, then check my freezer – same deal.

All of a sudden it becomes clear to me: Trader Joe’s is filming a pedestrian version of Punk’d – in which real consumers grab products from their dedicated place – only to get home and realize they have been PUNK’D.

It’s like going to the milk section, reaching for your usual suspect and getting home to realize you’ve been duped into buying soy milk.

Well, let me tell you: I can’t wait to watch that video. Or punch the jackass that moved my Tarte d’Alsaces on me.

Then we’ll see who’s been punk’d.

(As a side note, the real term for this dish in France is Tarte Flambee. And interestingly, in Germany it is know as “Flammkuchen,” which to me sounds like the translation should be “flaming koochie.” Unfortunate. Perhaps the Germans have been punk’d?)

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Let the Droid v. iPhone battle begin.

17 Aug

Disclaimer: this is pretty funny, but there are a lot of f*bombs:

About a year ago, I converted to the dark side and dropped Verizon so I could get an iPhone. I know there are studies that talk about the “consumer treadmill” and how new gadgets or shopping sprees provide but a fleeting moment of happiness. In general, I agree. But not when it comes to my iPhone. I love it.

I am as happy with – and as excited by – my iPhone today as I was when I first fetched it on that hot day last August. (Same could be said about Alan, with whom I’m celebrating the year anniversary of our first date today, but I didn’t exactly “fetch” him, so…)

I still marvel that one device has allowed me all the functionality of a laptop, iPod, cell phone, day planner, digital camera, flash drive, Nintendo DS… AND I can use it to check-in at the airport instead of printing a ticket. How awesome is that?

I’m thinking about my phone because Alan just got a Droid today. I’m already anticipating a blog entry from him that spews excitement as he claims his new phone can do pretty much everything under the sun, including rub his back and clean his kitchen. At least, that’s how I felt about my phone, and I’m only a fraction as excitable by tech toys as he is. (And honestly, I think I will do a backflip if it CAN rub his back and clean his kitchen.)

As an odd side note while I’m thinking about my  phone: I have only ever taken the cover off it once.

(Have I mentioned that I’m OCD?)

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List: THINGS That Make Me Happy When I Travel

26 May

I’m reading (and loving) “No Impact Man” right now. Between this book and my recent viewing of The History of Stuff, I’m becoming horrifyingly aware of my consumption of THINGS – and the resources that go into making them. So it is with a certain degree of guilt that I write this list of THINGS That Make Me Happy When I Travel.

• My iPhone: How did I ever fully explore a place before I could take a walk with my iPod playlist, switch over to find out what dining options were close to me, check the hours of the museums and take a picture of the best-smelling flower garden I’ve ever walked through?

• Alarm Clocks with iPod Docks: Yes, I seem to be Steve Jobs’ pimp tonight. It’s true that I Apple. But on this one, I’m just saying: there are three things that I know that make a hotel room feel like home and one of them is your own music pumping out a speaker. The second thing is…

• A Travel Candle: Nothing worse than a hotel room that smells like disinfectant (unless it’s a room that smells like it NEEDS disinfectant). And the third thing is…

• My Slippers: Without them, I pace my hotel in flipflops or walk on tip-toe like a ballerina, scared I’ll contract some disease from carpet that may or may not have a certain stickiness to it.

• My Fuzzy Socks: For in-flight comfort. There is nothing that makes people more envious than shucking off my shoes and peeling on my plush, striped “Where’s Waldo” socks. Not only do they keep my otherwise cold feet warm, they just make the plane feel more homey. And let’s face it – no one is going to ask me to handle their soda or peanuts after they see me slide my fingers between my toes.

• A Bag of Candy: Can’t help it. A trip doesn’t feel like a trip if I don’t have some variety of sugar to toss back by the handful. (And I can be polite and offer candy to strangers, but I’ve never had one accept. Wonder why?)

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This blog is brought to you by the Dairy Association, ExLax and the George Foreman Grill…

3 May

It’s funny. Ten years ago, the only cheese I would willingly eat was cheddar. The rest just made me gag when thinking about them.

Then I moved to France, lived in the cheese region (Haute Savoie), reeked of gruyere and grew to love raclette, fondue and any other form of melted cheese I could get my hands on.

(Except for goat cheese, which I still hate. I maintain that goat cheese tastes like barnyards smell. And frankly I’m not into eating manure. Go for it. All you.)

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Addictions & Resolutions

2 Jan

My name is Alison, and I’m addicted to Facebook.

It’s embarrassing, really. I didn’t know the first thing about Facebook, Twitter or any other social media until I joined my company two years ago. Since we support other organizations with their marketing initiatives, it’s a requirement that everyone have a Facebook page and tweet daily. (I know, my friends who are teachers are shaking their heads, thinking, “You get PAID to tweet?”)

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