I love Thai food. When I heard that Thai Orchid, a new Thai restaurant had opened in Moorhead, I was first in line to try it. I had high expectations, and when you start out that way, you almost always end up being let down. You set yourself up for disappointment.

I went to Thai Orchid with three friends on a Sunday night. Sunday nights are certainly the slowest at any restaurant but boy, were they slow at Thai Orchid! I was initially pleased with the late closing time of 10 p.m. daily. We went around 8 p.m., thinking that we’d be out of there way before ten, so we could maybe catch a movie after dinner as well. Not only did we close the place half an hour after the official closing time, we missed the movie and left more frustrated, than full and happy. I do have a lot of criticism for this new restaurant, but it is only because I hope they will listen to it and make some improvements.

I should mention that the location of Thai Orchid (900 1st Ave N, Moorhead) is not the most lucrative. The mere fact that the same venue was previously occupied by a Chinese buffet style restaurant (conventionally containing “dragon” in its name) and before that, a pizza buffet (was it Duane’s?), should tell you that the location isn’t the hottest in town. But leave that aside; I was ready to drive for a few miles for some good Thai. The furnishings in the restaurant resembled Thai as much as they probably could, with the exception of a pizza slice-shaped object made out of masking tape that could be still seen on one of the windows (heritage from the pizza buffet days).

When we entered the restaurant, there were two other parties dining. It took them a while to get us seated, even though it wasn’t very busy. There was a hostess and a waitress, but the waitress was in charge of all guests, who were dining at the time. You would have thought that we’d have her full attention once all the other guests left but that was wishful thinking. I am a big fan of exploring different cultures and cuisines but it is hard to communicate with someone who is struggling with their English. You would probably want your serving staff to be a little more fluent. The lady who served us was a really nice, middle-aged Thai, I assume, woman, whose spoken English was much better than what she actually comprehended. It was hard to explain to her what we wanted when it deviated from the items on the rather poorly-designed paper menu.

Maybe I’m crazy but when I go to an Asian restaurant, I expect to see soy sauce on the table, and maybe some hot sauce, as well (thanks for spoiling me, Jade Dragon). When we asked for soy sauce, we got about a teaspoon worth in a small cup for the entire table. As far as I know, soy sauce isn’t that expensive to not put in a small bottle on each table. Anyhow… What about the food? Well, I wish I could tell you all this hassle was worth the excellent, authentic food, but I am not convinced myself. The restaurant claims they offer authentic Thai, the way it would be prepared in Thailand. Maybe I didn’t have real Thai food before, but when I think Thai, I think spices, flavor, and sweetness, countered by strong aroma, which tingles your tongue. We got none of that at Thai Orchid. The food was mediocre, not bad, but mediocre, and rather tasteless. I was expecting a strong-tasting dish, especially after ordering a garlic-packed medley and requesting the spiciest preparation (“spicy, like burn your tongue,” as clarified by our server). What I got was a mild (not even medium-spicy) mix of sautéed vegetables with a slight hint of garlic and maybe some black pepper. Upon me asking if this was indeed the hottest they got, the lady brought some hot sauce on the side that I could add to my dish to make it hotter. The hot sauce was basically sweet chili from a bottle, with some hot pepper seeds added. It just wasn’t the same adding the chili on top of an already cooked meal. It didn’t taste the same as a meal prepared with tons of spices, which had time to cook with the rest of the ingredients, so they could fully absorb their flavor.

My table mates were far from impressed with their selections also. One of my friends picked out the chicken from her plate and left the rest of it untouched. The best thing we had was the soup, which was curiously served in something that looked like a shallow salad or dip bowl. It was hard eating from that piece of china. The spring roll appetizers were decent as well, but they were also served with a rather inappropriate type of dishware – huge, dining size plates, instead of small appetizer saucers. Oh well.

Probably the most frustrating part of the whole Thai experience was the fact that we had to go the extra mile to attract he attention of our server who was standing behind this counter, in plain view, but for some reason would just never direct her eyesight to the dining area. Once it took us almost ten minutes to grab her attention. She was constantly moving around the counter area, back and forth to the kitchen, and the rest of the time she was just staring at the wall, almost as if she was purposely avoiding us. Not cool. The refills were about twenty minutes late each time, the plates piled up on the table, as we were getting through the course, and it was hard to get anything extra, once we ordered the main course. Ordering was a whole different ordeal. Once we ordered the soup, our waitress probably assumed that soup was all we were going to consume, so long after we were done wit our soup, she didn’t even care to ask if we were going to order anything else. So, it took about 40 minutes from the time we walked in to the time we actually ordered our food. That’s just not acceptable, according to any customer service standards.

The culprit of the night was when I had the stupidity of ordering a side order of noodles, which is not on the menu by itself. First, I was asked if I wanted instant noodles. I imagined the instant Ramen noodles in a cup I used to have in the poor college days and declined that offer instant-ly. I explained I simply wanted the noodles, as they serve them in their noodle dishes (which occupied an entire section of the menu) – boiled, fried, sautéed, whatever. I just wanted those greasy egg noodles that taste so good. I had to go to great lengths to explain exactly what I wanted, after our server lady declared they didn’t have noodles. I knew they had them – they were on the menu, for God’s sake. So finally, I though I had convinced her, when she brought this huge bowl of hard, raw noodles for us to enjoy. I couldn’t hide my surprise when I saw them, so I just told her to take them away and forget about the side noodles order. And I thought noodles would be one of the safest items to order in a Thai restaurant.

At the end of this super long dinner, upon requesting our check, we were informed that our bill could not be split in two because, “I don’t remember what you had.” After I suggested we tell her what each one of us ordered, she smiled agreeably, but returned with a single bill, which contained no indication of each party’s subtotal. Ugh. Frustrating.

I have to say that I am no expert on Thai food, but I’ve had some really good Thai on trips to Chicago and San Francisco. That is how I got hooked. I can’t swallow the fact that the only Thai restaurant in the area is not up to par. I want Thai, I want it well cooked, and quick. Maybe it’s too much to ask for, but most of my bases for complaint are not areas that cannot be easily perfected. I just hope Thai Orchid’s management becomes aware of these areas before they go out of business, which is what will happen, if you have to wait close to an hour to just order dinner. This simply doesn’t go with the general population. Who’s got that much time on their hands?

To sum up my overall impression of Thai Orchid, I think they have great potential and a lot of room for improvement. It is unfortunate that their food was even more tasteless than Saint Cloud’s Sawatdee, but I would be willing to give them another try. However, if it still takes me two and a half hours to get in and out, I will probably reconsider my affection to Thai food. No food is worth that much of my time, whether it be the rarest cuisine in the world. This is Thai, but this is also America. Chop, chop people!

I know it’s been a while since my last blog but what better way to make a comeback than this burning, yet unreasonably controversial still topic of female equality, or even dominance?

It’s obvious that gender roles have taken a wide turn on the positive side. Metrosexuals, ubersexuals – guys are not afraid of being "feminine" these days. And why should they? If women can take on roles traditionally associated with our "strong" halves, men should be able to as well. Gender equality goes both ways. We cannot frown upon men that are better groomed and dressed than us, just like men should get used to the fact that there are more capable women out there. I think these role reversal would urge both genders to strive for improvement. A woman that is better than a man at those supposedly masculine jobs, deserves admiration, not ridicule, fueled by someone’s inferiority issues. Sad thing is, there are too many folks (men and women) out there, who would rather hate on someone for being better than them, rather than learn and try to become their better selves. That attitude has not, and will not get anyone far. Kudos to guys, who color coordinate, have better table manners, or use more beauty products than us. Some women have a lot to learn from those guys. We’d all become better at being a certain gender if we took pointers from the opposite gender. I would not throw a temper tantrum if my man cooked better than me; instead, I would try to learn from him and become better at it.

The bottomline is, every gender, when given the opportunity, has the equal potential of learning new tricks and trades. Women may be from Venus, and men – from Mars – but women should be allowed to land on Mars whenever they feel like it, and vice versa. I am working on building a space shuttle between the two :]     

Can you raed tihs?

Olny cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Here we are again, me and the written word. I have so much to rant about right now that I am just not going to. But that’s only because I don’t know where to start. Juuuuuust kidding. No. Recently I started not only to realize (because that happened a long time ago), but actually get it through my head that my often negative attitude is only making ME unhappy. Being the self-centered prick I can be, I don’t know how I ever allowed certain self-destructive thoughts to pass through my head. No more. Instead, I will tunnel my frustration and negativity through a more positive (but not pink, let’s not go too crazy) lens that some of my readers (if I have any) might actually enjoy.

I’ve decided to address the topic of fashion, dear readers. [OK, I might have a total of five readers but it feels good to think that I have a considerable faithful audience]. I dare to say that I may know a thing or two about fashion and will not be just pulling some random stuff out of my behind. Oh, I am so politically correct. Let me just include a quote about my dressing style that will put some weight on my ramblings for those of you who have never seen moi in my fashionable digs and kicks. I’ve been told by a former direct report that I am “the best dressed boss” she’s ever had. God I am a narcissist; I can’t believe I just wrote this in my blog. Not only that but I am going to keep it there instead of striking backspace a few times. I’ve had interest in fashion since I was a little kid. What’s funny is that I was just a little tom boy growing up and would start bawling whenever my parents made an attempt to dress me up as a girl (in a dress or a skirt). I would not have it. These days I still prefer pants and jeans to skirts but that’s more the result of living in freezing Fargo, than anything else. I can say I’ve inherited this fashion sense from my mom. She would always try on different outfits from her several closets before picking out the one for the occasion. She would give me little fashion shows each time, complete with shoes and jewelry. I would watch her and comment on the outfits, what I liked and didn’t like. Then in my last year of high school, I started watching huge amounts of fashion TV, MTV, and collecting Vogue and Elle. I was fascinated with fashion. I even started designing clothes by making colored sketches on 4” x 6” note pads. I had around 200 when I stopped. I dreamed of making these clothes one day. But I never did. I got into different things. It stayed with me through the years, though, and today I am still extremely fascinated by style and well-dressed people.

Of course, to be able to express your own personality and style through your way of dressing, you’d have to have a pretty lenient job and lifestyle, which would not require you to wear khakis or blazers every day. I am not one of the lucky few who do. I still got away with only business casual, so I probably shouldn’t complain.

Anyhow, what is style? It’s something very personal and definitely an accurate reflection of who you are at any given point in time. Unfortunately it takes a lot of coin to be yourself all the time and to feel like you are in your own skin. Compromises need to be frequently made if we want that checkbook to ever balance out. However, with the numerous options we have for clothing today, there is no reason why we shouldn’t at least come close to who we are with the clothes we choose.

Just so we are clear, I do not claim to be an expert or provide some extraordinary fashion advice. Those of you who know how to dress and often get compliments from peers obviously know what they are doing. My goal here is to lay out a few fashion principles and name a few outfits that work for almost everyone in a certain age group. I have less knowledge on men’s fashion but I will try to provide some helpful advice to guys as well.

My knowledge stems mostly from a well-trained gut feeling, coupled with long observations of well-outfitted and not so well-outfitted folks of all ages. I guarantee you my suggestions will not make you look funny, even if they don’t get you noticed from a mile away. Most of the time, that’s not a good thing, anyways, and I promise to tell you why at the end of this blog entry.

A few prerequisites before picking a style are:

- the style works well with your body shape

- the colors work with your skin tone, eye, and hair color

- your look is consistent with the image you want to project

- your look is appropriate for the occasion, place, and crowd

If you are not sure what looks good on you, go shopping with an honest friend of the same gender (the opposite gender will never tell you the truth), try on many different outfits and ask for his/her god-honest opinion. Be prepared for the truth. Yes, certain clothes can make us look chunky, fat, and like we’re trying too hard. Unless you are a runway model, not all of the clothes you find on the racks will make you look like a god/goddess, regardless of their brand names or price tags.  

Once you’ve considered all these factors, consider who you are, how you want your clothes to make you feel, and last but not least, what budget you’re on. Consider the following looks and sources of clothes. They are all very age-specific, so pay attention to that. Even if you have the greatest thighs, in your 50s it’s just wrong to wear a mini or three-inch acrylic nails. Trust me on this one.

13 – 18 year olds

The cute, colorful, and casual look works best for school, the mall, study groups, or slumber parties. Jeans, a cute shirt, a sweater, and tennis shoes in a fun color make up your surest everyday bet. But please girls, no bare midriffs, low risers revealing neon g-strings, or deep décolletages. They will only make you look older, cheap and slutty. You will have plenty of time to play the sex kitten when you grow up. Guys, you’re better off with the prep school look rather than the scruffy, torn jeans. They are out of style anyways.

Where to shop: The Limited Too, Aeropostale, Vanity, American Eagle, Tommy Hilfiger, Old Navy. Don’t even think about Abercrombie; it’s simply not worth your money. It’s an extremely over-priced version of Aeropostale – you are basically paying for the fragrance they use to spray the air in the store.

18 – 24 year olds

Prep school still works for these boys – a checked sweater with a nice collar shirt underneath can look very put together. Jeans or cords go well with that look. Pair that with a nice leather-strap watch and you’re golden.

Girls, this is the time to be sexy and show that you’re a female. Cut off tops, corsettes, lingerie tops, and tight jeans are totally fine. If you have it, flaunt it. It ain’t getting any better with the years. Enjoy your youth and be flirtatious with your clothes. You can pull almost anything off. Minis, knee-high boots, you name it.

Guys, this is the time to wear those hot muscle tees, especially if you are in sports or like to spend a few hours with those weights every week. Basically, this is the time to use your clothes to attract. You can’t help that your hormones are going boing boing boing.

Where to shop: Aeropostale is still okay but you should start looking at stores like Express, Gap, and the Limited. The Buckle has nice, edgier clothes. As far as department stores, they all carry this line so you’ll be good, whether you go to Macy’s or Herberger’s. Just don’t go to Penny’s, they rarely get it, and when they do it still looks really cheap. I bet even Walmart’s clothes are better.

24 – 35 year olds

I’m sorry but flip flops are no longer okay, except for the beach. A pair of great real leather shoes is an absolute must for both girls and boys within this group. You’re past the college age when it was okay if you just wore your pajamas everywhere and you need to pull your weight somehow. Throw away your worn Doctor Marten’s and invest in a pair of Steve Madden’s, Aldo’s, Kenneth Cole’s, Liz Claiborne’s, or Nine West’s. They are not that pricy.

Where to shop: All department stores will work for you but you would no longer be looking in junior’s, unless you are shopping for weekend clothes. You need to familiarize yourself with young men’s/young women’s. I know, I know. American Eagle’s sweaters ARE so comfy. But you need to start working on achieving a more serious and professional look, especially at your first or second job out of college. You need to show them you’ve grown and can dress accordingly.

For affordable, yet dressier numbers, visit your local Marshall’s, T.J. Maxx or Gordman’s. I usually have luck finding good deals on last season brand name outfits. If you disregard the marker lines across the tags, their clothes are not inferior to those currently on the racks. Fashions rarely get outdated THAT quickly. Trends usually stay pretty related over several consecutive seasons.

35 – 45 year olds

This is a big age group and there may be some differences in the way a 35 and a 45-year old would dress but I believe that you should stay youthful throughout your 30s and 40s and still have fun with the way you dress.

Where to shop: Try to avoid Talbot’s, Casual Corner, Petite Sophisticate, Eddie Bauer, and Christopher & Banks, unless you are a busy exec who just needs to look as trustworthy and tedious as possible. It seems like in the banking & financial services industry, the duller and plainer your outfit is, the more successful you are bound to be at your job. I feel for you. Just make sure you have a bunch of crazy, sequined, embroidered, or painted scruffy jeans and red cowboy boots to unwind in on evenings and weekends.

Laurie’s and Maurice’s get close to the desired look but for a sophisticated, yet youthful and sporty look, try Banana Republic. You are never too old to wear their clothes. They are timeless and ageless, a true classic. The Gap is another store that consistently produces trendy classics, which can be worn by folks over a very wide age range.

I’m sure you could also find a few pieces that are not too fashionably crazy over at the Limited or Express, especially if you wanted something current, yet low key. Please, do not step foot in Wet Seal, that’s for your daughter.

Men, try Herberger’s, Marshall Field’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, or Saks Fifth Avenue (if you can afford it and have one around). Be careful with the jeans; we don’t want any carpenter’s, mechanic’s, or painter’s styles. Now, that definitely does not mean you should get into a pair of super tight around the ankles Wrangler’s. Pair that with brand new white New Balance tennis shoes and you’re a very promising candidate for “What Not to Wear – Redneck Edition.” Boot-cut, straight-leg is what you should look for.

45-year olds and above

Again, stay youthful but tame down colors, cuts, and fabrics. Neutral pastels work well in making a person look younger. Dark colors will make you look scrawny and give you a ghost-like appearance so stay away from those. Jeans in the right color and cut can still work, no matter how old you are. They make everyone look sporty and relaxed. Definitely stay away from too many colors combined in one piece – deuce is better for your age.

Where to shop: I know it’s tempting, but try to avoid Christopher & Banks at all costs. They make everyone who wears their clothes look the same way. Keep your style; just be more selective in terms of colors and fits. I assume your figure is not the same as it was in your twenties. And even if it is (for which I congratulate you), no skirts above the knee are appropriate. It just doesn’t look right. Heels that are too high don’t either. You want to pick shoes with a thicker tank heel and round tips. No pointy-toe stilettos or kitten heels! Those are for your daughters and granddaughters.

Sorry for stereotyping but there are some boundaries that just should not be broken. It’s not a matter of looking young or old; it’s a matter of being a certain age and embracing the changes that come with it. No one can defy time – not Madonna, not Brigitte Bardot, not Liz Tailor, and not even Nicolette Sheridan, even though she refuses to give up. I’ve seen some quite ridiculous attempts at hiding one’s age. It’s not fun to know you’re in your 50s, I am sure, but with this age come some wonderful fashion and non-fashion benefits that you just couldn’t enjoy before, such as the ability to crack sarcastic, inappropriate, and quite obscene jokes without really offending anyone. There are also those famous beige trench coats, which I consider absolutely elegant, but that just don’t look right on anyone below the age of 50. I wouldn’t say people in this age have limited options – rather, they have different options. Think of it that way: even though the clothes you wore in your twenties are no longer an option, a whole new closet opens up in front of you – one containing clothes you were never able to wear when you were young. It’s all a matter of perspective, as usual.

Guys, you finally have permission to shop at Eddie Bauer. They just don’t want to understand that their clothes do not appeal to a younger audience. Maybe once they realize this fact and position their marketing correctly, their sales would actually go up.

With your newfound knowledge on selecting outfits, shopping should be an enjoyable experience next time around.

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As promised, here is a fresh example of how picking out clothes that REALLY make you stand out in a crowd can go terribly wrong. A gentleman wearing a suit, shoes, top hat, and tie ALL in bright red, has been noticed around a few beverage establishments in Fargo. As far as I know, he ain’t kidding. The bottom line? Wearing clothes and accessories in a matching color (especially when that color is bright red), is never, ever a good idea. Come on, you gotta check in with reality once in a while.

The reason for this word splurge is my recent used car purchase and all the research and preparatory activities leading up to it. Let’s just say buying an import in Fargo can turn out to be a daunting task.

Imagine that you see a picture of a German or Japanese car that you really, really dig. You’d probably want to test drive it to see if it’s even worth your still platonic affection. Well, if you are after a Honda Accord or Nissan Maxima, you can sure drive around the 42nd St SW area and you’ll be sure to find one in, like, five minutes. It probably won’t be in your dream color but silver isn’t that bad, is it? That is, if you choose to disregard the fact that every third car in Fargo is in the impersonal silver color, from the subcompact to the SUV, and even some pick-up trucks.

If you are looking for something more exotic, however, like a certain type of hybrid, Mercedes, Porshe, BMW, Audi, Lambo, an older Celica or Prelude, you are pretty much an SOL with no options. You can’t even find the make and model that you are considering test driving/buying, let alone finding it in a desirable/decent color. No way, Jose!

So what is one to do in such a desperate situation? Be prepared to drive to at least to Minneapolis, or if you want to have more choices, Chicago, to get a vehicle that gets even close to your expectations. My best advice, when buying an import from Fargo is to first check out the Forum’s CarsHQ website (www.carshq.net) for private sellers in the area, and maybe you’d luck out and find exactly what you are looking for, out of the blue. Since you wouldn’t have much choice and basis for comparison, you wouldn’t have much bargaining power either. The simple laws of supply and demand come into play more than ever when it comes to negotiating the price of a fairly rare import. They know you want it, you know you want it, and you both know you probably won’t be able to get it anywhere close. So you end up paying way more than you should or than the car really costs. In a way, you pay for the convenience of not having to drive down to Chicago or Minneapolis, and you save on shipping, even if do you eventually cash out more.  

The next step in the thrifty buyer’s plan should be getting used to the idea that you WILL have to drive, probably far out of your comfort zone to get your dream vehicle. Don’t even bother checking out the local dealerships, unless you are looking for a car, of which you see at least two a day on the streets of Fargo. First of all, it is unlikely that you will find a car in the year, engine size, condition, or with the extras you would like, at one of the four or five import dealer lots in town. Second, if you do decide to settle for something remotely similar, it will be at several thousand dollars more than it would be in a better buyer’s market. If you wish, give it a try but be aware that the dealer’s likely not going to negotiate with you much.

Luckily for all of us, used car buyers in Fargo Moorhead, there is the Internet. The first thing that came to my mind was eBay Motors. I have a number of friends who found great deals on eBay and drove for hundreds, and in some cases thousands of miles to get them. There have also been a couple who found lemons on eBay, even though Carfax.com didn’t report them as such. In one case, the guy couldn’t even get home with the car as it broke down on the way back from the dealer. That is definitely an unpleasant experience and that is where all of our fears related to eBay come from. However, this can happen to anyone who purchases a used vehicle. Don’t think of eBay as a website that sells bogus vehicles, which you can only see in a picture. eBay is simply a way of connecting buyers and sellers – just like the private sellers and the dealers in your local paper. The biggest advantage of selling cars on eBay for those who do it is that their buyer market automatically expands to anyone with an Internet connection, and mo’ buyers = mo’ money. eBay gives you options, and sometimes great deals, so don’t rule it out completely. Even if you choose not to bid on any vehicles out of skepticism, it is still a good resource for research on the car you want. I used eBay in such way when I was looking to buy. I even bid on a couple of beautiful imports but both auctions ended without a winner. The reserve was not met on either one, and the final bid was not much lower than the Buy-It-Now price. This makes me think that eBay sellers are getting greedy. They want to sell their cars at the highest possible price with the click of a button. But, a smart buyer is a smart buyer, on eBay or not. Just because it’s eBay, doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. Selling on eBay is really easy and doesn’t cost much so people can put any Buy-It-Now or reserve price they please. Many cars do not get sold the first time around, so they go through a few auctions. If you happen to be bidding in the first auction, the price will likely be waaay too high, just because the seller is probing to see what the maximum price they can get is. So don’t fall for the Buy-It-Now price; do your homework. And even if you think your bid is never gonna make it because it’s too low, do bid. Many times the seller would lower the reserve or buy-it-now price right before the auction ends because they just want to get rid of the vehicle, and many times the price is just right. So you might end up getting exactly what you want for an acceptable price.

An underappreciated online source of deals on imports are car comparison websites and websites of dealers outside the Fargo area. Here are some of the ones I used:

www.cars.com

www.carsearch.com

http://autos.yahoo.com

www.dealtime.com

www.autobuyguide.com

Auto guide and review sites that you may find helpful:

www.nextag.com

www.carsurvey.com

www.edmunds.con

www.carreview.com

www.epinions.com

Checking out all the options this way can be time-consuming and overwhelming, because unlike your local dealership, you will find hundreds of vehicles that meet at least half of your requirements. You might end up having too many options, but that is never a bad thing when it comes to buying. You will need a good way of narrowing out the best options once you have gathered all the information, but you’ll be surprised as to how many you can find. There is no way of avoiding the drive to and from the seller’s location when buying a car this way, but we already established that you pretty much have to do that, in order to pay a fair price.

If you are still a bit leery about driving hundreds of miles to get a car you have never seen, then go ahead, give the local dealerships a try. If you are taken aback by how much their prices have been inflated, however, it may be time to pack up the bags and fly/drive to the nearest dealership that offers your car at a more reasonable price. Nearest here might very well mean 600-700 miles away but a sleek import is definitely worth the trip.

The bottom line? Don’t be a chicken; get out there and buy your dream car finally. Life’s too short not to.

Let’s talk about coffee now. Or, let me talk about it and you’ll listen (read). Since I have been rather uninspired lately (the reason being that, for survival reasons, I have had to write copy on some rather mundane, and sometimes plain ridiculous subjects, that any respectful member of my profession would not be proudly credited with), so I decided to just write about the first thing that comes to mind.

It is Saturday and I happen to be sitting with my laptop in a WiFi coffee shop, here in Fargo and I was thinking about coffee shops and why they exist. In Europe, where I am from, they exist mostly for the purpose of socializing, meeting people, and staying off the streets. In America, though, it seems like most coffee shops are utilized for a very utilitarian and obvious reason – coffee. The reason why I say this stems from pure, non-empirical observation over the years (and over this gloomy September afternoon). Most folks who come in just grab their coffee, or drive by on their way to some place. Not many sit down and enjoy their warm caffeinated beverages in the wonderful atmosphere provided by the café. Why they do that baffles me but I suspect it has something to do with the infamous all-American tendency to constantly run, from one task to another, from one place to the next. Even on weekends! I’d like to ask these busy bees, where are you going, my friends? To the mall perhaps, or Walmart? Slow down, my head starts spinning when I see you backing up with 20mph in an overcrowded parking lot. Seriously, what can be sooo damn important on a Saturday afternoon? Surely, laundry can wait. It only starts stinking really bad after a few months (don’t ask how I know this, but sometimes quarters seem really hard to get a hold of).

Anyhow, to me there’s no better way of passing time than having a relaxing, meaningful conversation with a friend or acquaintance over a steaming cup of extra dry cappuccino, after a long stressful week. Or better yet, some quality time with yourself, the computer (Internet’s a must), or one of those almost-obsolete creations called books. Coffee shops are meant to be so much more than just sources of caffeine, and their full potential should be utilized for sanity reasons, if not for copying the often coveted European lifestyle. I know we will all come closer to doing so when it gets a little chillier outside he he he. That is, if anyone dares to get out in the blizzard and fight the forces of nature for the magic beverage.

Shift your attention to the picture on the left for a second. I emailed this picture (found on the awesome site http://www.sxc.hu) to a bunch of friends the other day, with the subject line “This is how we, Europeans live.” I got a few “hell yeah” replies, but one of my dear, career-focused, overworked friends didn’t get it. She asked what I meant by that. Can I blame her? Not really; she has never experienced that lifestyle. She is a big coffee addict but I believe she only gets coffee to go on her way to work and almost never sits down in the establishment, which faithfully supports her habit. I would encourage her and everyone else who hasn’t had a sit-down café experience to give it a shot. It’s really not bad but I warn you: you might end up enjoying it quite a bit and then we wouldn’t be able to get you out of that damn coffee place! The thing is, with today’s busy lifestyles, it seems like we have to make it a point to actually do the simplest little things, like have coffee with a friend. Seems pathetic but if it’s not in our PDAs, we probably won’t really get around to doing it. But I’d rather have it in my Palm and do it, then not.

Not sure what to order when you get to the coffee brewing establishment? Check out this Seattle Lexicon for some coffee lingo: http://www.callihan.com/seattle/coffee.htm. So next time you pass a coffee shop when driving around Fargo, do go in and ask for a grande/medium/16 oz whipless 1%, sugar free Irish cream mocha. Only if you’re into that kind of stuff, of course.

Here’s a list of area coffee shops (add a comment if I am missing anything):

• Atomic Coffee: 15 4th St S(Moorhead)
• Atomic Coffee: 805 30th Ave S (Moorhead)
• Babb’s Coffee House: 315 Broadway
• Barnes & Noble (serving Starbucks): 1201 42nd St SW
• Borna’s Bagel Bakery: 1404 33rd St S
• Café Muse at the Plains Art Museum: 704 1st Ave N
• Cafe Perk: 403 8th St S (Moorhead)
• Caribou: 1450 25th St S
• Cedar Lodge Coffee House: Archie’s West Gallery – 1716 Center Ave
• Dakota Soda: 420 Broadway
• Farmer Brothers Coffee Company: 710 38th St N
• Gloria Jean’s Coffee: 1020 19th Ave N
• Knitty Gritty Café: 924 Main Ave (Moorhead)
• Lighthouse Coffee: West Acres Shopping Center
• Luna Coffee: 1545 University Drive S
• Moxie Java: 108 7th St S (Moorhead)
• Moxie Java: 1619 32nd Ave S
• Moxie Java: 3902 13th Ave S
• Nichole’s Fine Pastry: 13 8th St
• Northstar Coffee: 2412 2nd Ave S
• Northstar Coffee: 2700 University Drive S
• Planet 19 Espresso Bar & Café: 1101 19th Ave N
• Ristreto: 5050 13th Ave S
• Selah House of Coffee: 420 8th St S (Moorhead)
• Starbucks: 1601 University Drive S
• Starbucks: 2511 Kirsten Lane S
• Starbucks in Target: 4202 13th Ave SW
• Starbucks: 4900 13th Ave S
• Zandbroz Variety: 420 Broadway

Why a semi-informative blog, you may ask? Well, it’s simple. I write for a living and I am not getting paid to blog, so naturally, most of the time I will want to write about whatever I feel like writing, as a way of relaxation and reflection on things that have happened to me, intrigued me, or affected me in some way. So, I cannot promise you an accurate account of past week’s news or events. I don’t think that is what blogs are for in the first place. I hope all blog readers are well aware of this fact by now.

Why a partial blog? For all the reasons listed above. Because I love writing but by the weekend (which is when I will usually be working on my blog), I just don’t feel like writing on a certain topic (which to me would equate the dreaded word “job”). Truth be told, anything can be dreaded, when perceived as something that you HAVE TO do, rather than something you do because you ENJOY IT. Same goes for writing or anything else. I’m sure fashion models get tired of trying on clothes, putting on makeup, and having their hair done because to them it has turned into obligation, rather than a leisure activity.

Therefore, because this blog is part of the category “Leisure” I shall perceive writing it as a rather leisure activity. I believe this will result in better writing and more interesting topics for those of you who are following it. Everyone’s happy. Yay!

So let’s get it started…