We have made it home from the beach! And despite our rocky beginning, we actually had a great time. It never ceases to amaze me that as I am in the water jumping in the waves, my mind is totally clear...totally free of stress, worry, idle fretting, planning.
We had a nice hour and half drive from the coast back to the interstate. It was slow and quirky, filled with funny little businesses in varying stages of productivity, prosperity, and rot. I was actually somewhat sad when we reached the efficiency of the interstate. Enter the boooooring part of the trip.
We were a couple of hours from home, starving with achy backs, and JBB kept saying, "Mommy, let's eat in a restaurant." So we stopped at Ruby Tuesday. I mean, how bad could it be? We wanted cold drinks, a kids menu....not really high demands. From the "artwork" (non-paintings on canvas with subjects as varied as three chefs and collections of apples) to the pseudo-chic square plates to the most generic menu ever conceived (hamburgers, shrimp, quesadillas, and some concoction called Thai Phoon), it was the embodiment of the generic-ization of everything in America. Have you ever noticed that any town of a certain size has a requisite number of chains (restaurants, gas stations, anything retail) and therefore has an eerie sameness about it? That thought and the food-as-interesting-as-cardboard just made me nauseous. I have to also mention that the bill was $50 (waste), and the place was packed including a couple on their prom date. I don't know what made me more melancholy...the bill or the thought that someone was there on a prom date.
It wasn't a complete failure-Pretty Girl ate really well (further confirmation of the blandness of the food-it was most thoroughly enjoyed by a 14 month old), I immediately felt a desire to be more frugal, and I vowed to avoid the mass markets as much as I could. Of course, I have a feeling this is probaby as feasible as avoiding "made in China." Oh well, at least there are no billboards in the middle of the ocean.
6 comments:
I felt the same you did after leaving Ruby Tuesday's when I paid the bill at Rainforest Cafe. It was so damn overpriced, the food was terrible, and my glass was all STICKY on the outside. So gross...I can't stand wasting money like that.
Did you understand what I meant? I hit send before I read my post...let's try again...
Bottom line, my experience at Rainforest Cafe was very similiar to yours at Ruby Tueday's...
Thanks for your comment, Caffeine Court! And I appreciate the warning re the Rainforest. There is one about 30 minutes from here. I've never been and will continue to avoid it like the plague!
Hmmm, I feel the same way about many brooklyn restaurants. Of course I'm usually with my "closet chef" (husband) who eschews most restaurant cooking!
Ruby Tuesday for prom!?! Oh Lord...
I am not a fan of Ruby Tuesdays, nor Applebees, nor TGIFridays. Overpriced and generic food.
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