Maybe I need to get out more, or Nora Ephron needs to stay in more, but either way her piece in today's Guardian made me want to give her a slap. I think it was the complaint that 'tall glasses are not necessarily the best glasses for Pellegrino' that first got my palms itching. Pellegrino, if I'm not mistaken, is water. Quite posh water admittedly, but still pretty much H2O. No sane person could possibly think that it matters what sodding glass you drink water from, could they? But, as it turns out, Ephron is not sane. It is not only glasses that raise her ire, but salt, pepper, being asked if her food is alright, and finally, dessert spoons. Apparently restaurants that give you a dessert spoon with your dessert are being incredibly dense. Everyone, obviously, wants a TEASPOON to eat their dessert, so that it lasts longer. Oh no wait, it's not everyone after all, it's just her.

Nearly as good was Matthew Norman on Saturday, who awarded 3 out of 10 and about 700 sarcastic and arrogant words to a poor restaurant that dared to close their kitchen at the advertised time. Clearly, they were supposed to stay open for him, because he had been driving for four hours. They did in fact serve him food despite his arrival after closing time, and he seems to have quite liked it, but obviously the staff can't be forgiven for um, serving him quickly.

I just hope I always remain poor enough not to take eating out as horrifically for granted as these two.

Tags: food

16:54

. . .

I was reading the other day that contrary to popular belief, pregnant women do not become mentally vague but quite the opposite - they are just super FOCUSED on their task as giver of life to a new human being. And therefore may seem vague because they are not making multi-tasking look as effortless as they used to. In other words, they are being a bit more like men.

However, to the casual observer I am doing a very good impression of a classic pregnant ditz right now. I am dimly aware that it's freshers week next week, and slightly more sharply aware that this usually involves me doing something. Quite a lot, in fact. But I can't remember WHAT I do. I literally can't picture this time last year or indeed the previous 3 years, can't conjure up an image of what needs to be done, how I usually prepare, what will happen when the first fresher turns up at my desk on Monday morning looking lost. This year, it looks like I'm going to be about as lost as they are.

14:37

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