Awkward Wealth

[brett]

Do not understand the hang up with what car(s) someone drives or whether they own it or lease it. Why all the speculation? Seems more than a little pointless.

Who cares what someone else drives or how they obtained it?

 

[JoeWras]

I've seen a Tesla on the street every once in awhile. They seem a bit anonymous and wallflower-ish to me. I think it's because they tend to be low to the ground, and in this day of minivans, SUVs, pickups and crossovers, and even mainstream everyday cars being taller, it sort of gets lost in the crowd. Usually they're a dull color too, like black, charcoal, gray, etc. So they just don't stick out. It's an attractive car, I'll give it that. And once you finally notice it, it has sort of a customized, expensive look about it. But it just doesn't seem to draw a lot of attention to itself.

No worries. Telsa is about to introduce an SUV with gull wing doors. Some say it will put an end to the Cayenne, while, of course, saving the world.

 

[brewer12345]

Do not understand the hang up with what car(s) someone drives or whether they own it or lease it. Why all the speculation? Seems more than a little pointless.

Who cares what someone else drives or how they obtained it?

I tend to agree. Never understood the obsession with cars.

 

[Keim]

I tend to agree. Never understood the obsession with cars.

I enjoy looking at them. Some are quite beautiful. I also enjoy seeing how much pride and passion some folks put into their restorations. Having an old car, I know what that takes. Don't understand the folks that just pay someone else to completely restore a car for them. I don't judge people by the quality of their car.

 

[Keim]

This is the Swiss Army knife of threads. It has a little bit of everything in it.

 

[Andre1969]

No worries. Telsa is about to introduce an SUV with gull wing doors. Some say it will put an end to the Cayenne, while, of course, saving the world.

I remember eating at a place in Georgetown, DC awhile back, and this big 4-door Porsche thing pulled up at the curb. Panamera or something like that? Now it caught my eye...not because it looked all that prestigious, but because it was sort of an odd, unique shape. I think it was the first time I saw one in person. I never thought a large-ish 4-door Porsche would work, but it wasn't that bad.

And, I guess it must have made some kind of subconscious impression on me, if I can actually remember see it, almost a year and a half ago.

 

[eta2020]

Monster Truck Icon: Bigfoot - autoevolution

This is my next car. I hope I will not drive over some grandma on the way to work.

 

[foxfirev5]

I'm feeling awkward about the new set of Michelins we just put on my wife's 10 year old Lexus. I hope the neighbors don't notice.

 

[brewer12345]

This is the Swiss Army knife of threads. It has a little bit of everything in it.

I think I would be more inclined to call it the "junk drawer" of threads.

 

[Ronstar]

I feel awkward because I'm the only one on our street that hired a company to seal the driveway. I better take down the company's advertising ribbon that crosses the end of the driveway before the neighbors see it,

 

[Spudd]

I remember eating at a place in Georgetown, DC awhile back, and this big 4-door Porsche thing pulled up at the curb. Panamera or something like that?

Every time I see a Porsche Panamera, I can't help but sing the name to the tune of Guantanamera. "Porsche Panamera, Guajida Porsche Panamera!"

Guantanamera".

 

[NW-Bound]

No tangent too obscure for the awkward wealth thread. Maybe I'll share a recipe...

Well, you could. But you'd have to introduce it properly. Something like - "even though I have a Sutton Place apartment, here's how I cook collards . . ."

Ah, I forgot to describe how I cooked the Lake Brome duck breasts in my earlier post, but it was fairly standard: pan fry the breast with the skin down (score it first) for browning, then finish it in the oven to a medium rare.

About peasant's food and collard greens, no I do not have a Sutton Place apartment, nor did I stay at Holiday Inn last night - heck, the reason to have an RV for traveling is for me to sleep in it - but I did learn of a new dish recently: mioche or chiard.

Yes, I learned that recently from talking to some Acadians. No, I cannot post a recipe because I do not have one. Not yet anyway. Nor have I tasted this dish, but I will look into making it.

The verbal recipes given to me by different Acadians were conflicting, but it is definitely a peasant's dish, with mostly potatoes and fatty pork or bacon. No caviar here. Yes, definitely plebeian and fattening too, unless you work out everyday in the field to burn off the calories, like these folks.

Who would have thought this thread would go 458 posts?

Yes, it is awkward.

Tangential posts are usually awkward, but hopefully they bring some occasional fun.

 

[unclemick]

Make a roux. Add the holy trinity(bell pepper, onions, celery). Make it New Orleans style - add garlic, chopped tomato, Worstershire with Creole seasoning to taste and thinned with shrimp stock to gravy thickness . Add Gulf shrimp give it ten minutes and serve over Uncle Ben's.

Beats fish eggs on crackers any day.

heh heh heh - this a great thread. Non thread? Whatever!

 

[ChainsBeGone]

I know, , but here goes anyway.

DW and I were driving to the gym today, when a red convertible BMW with a Starbuck's emblem on the trunk and a personalized license plate titled "Dulce" crossed three lanes to speed up and pass us in order to get to the red light first. The Starbucks sticker had "I love guns and coffee", written in a half-moon around the mermaid. I was still focused on the bumper sticker when the driver drove out into the double-lane intersection on the red light and made a left turn. I almost followed the BMW into the intersection, as I was mesmerized by the bumper sticker (DW loves Starbucks and I hate it, and I belong to the NRA), but my wife pointed out that it was still a red light and saved me.

I don't have anything against BMW drivers, I've owned two and think I'm a pretty decent guy. But, my first thought was "wow, I'm living in the 'Awkward Wealth' thread moment," my second thought was "wow, she really is a pretentious jerk", followed a split second later by the thought, "I wonder if she even owns that car?"

 

[pb4uski]

....followed a split second later by the thought, "I wonder if she even owns that car?"

Her and the bank (and the bank probably has a greater share).

 

[calmloki]

This is the Swiss Army knife of threads. It has a little bit of everything in it.

Breads? 1 1/2 cups warm water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp yeast, 3 1/2 cups bread flour, let sit for 10 hours covered, turn out and allow to rise in a pan for an hour, bake at 425 for 45 minutes. Not really everything in it, but.... oh wait - you said threads, not breads. what were we talking about?

 

[Keim]

Squirrel!

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

If I were looking to buy a "luxury" (for this area) coupe or sedan, it would need to be something I don't see so many of driving around, like an Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar F-Type, etc.

If I'm going to drop that kind of $$$ on a car, it would have to be a brand that I don't see 20 of every half mile on the road.

Then you would be buying something in order to impress others. How about buying the car YOU want and not worry about what others think?

 

[rodi]

Breads? 1 1/2 cups warm water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp yeast, 3 1/2 cups bread flour, let sit for 10 hours covered, turn out and allow to rise in a pan for an hour, bake at 425 for 45 minutes. Not really everything in it, but.... oh wait - you said threads, not breads. what were we talking about?

You let it rise that long?

Here's my bread recipe. I think it was from foodnetwork or epicurious - but it's the one I use regularly (as recently as yesterday.)

4.5 tsps yeast (that's 2 packets if you're using the packets).
1 Tbsp + 2 tsps sugar.
2 cups warm water. (no more than 110F or you'll kill the yeast.)
mix that together.
add
1 Tbsp salt
5 cups flour.

Put in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap for 1.5 hours for the first rise.
Roll out onto floured surface and divide into two loaves.

flatten each half into a rectangle then roll it, tucking in the roll so it joins the bread it's rolled onto. Makes 2 french loaves.

Put some corn meal on your cooking sheet - put the loaves on it and cover with a towel to rise another 30-45 minutes.

Bake at 380 for 40 minutes.

Super easy, super yummy. Made some to go with beef stew yesterday.

Is it awkward that I only really make one type of bread?

 

[jon-nyc]

Can we just talk about how unfortunate it is that volume measures are the norm in US baking recipes? Its so much better to use weight. No need to use all those spoons and cups.

 

[jon-nyc]

Although i dont want this to devolve into a discussion about who among us can afford a decent kitchen scale. That would be awkward.

 

[H2ODude]

Although i dont want this to devolve into a discussion about who among us can afford a decent kitchen scale. That would be awkward.

And I might point out, although it would be awkward as it deals with costs and money, that buying one that uses common batteries as opposed to the more expensive lithium ones may be wise! Nice thing about the scale, esp if in metric, is it's very easy to adjust for less than full recipe. I use a pizza dough recipe that's about 1/3 the original ... just right for us 2.

 

[sengsational]

Although i dont want this to devolve into a discussion about who among us can afford a decent kitchen scale. That would be awkward.

Here is a poor-man's kitchen scale...$10.

 

[Maenad]

I'm almost afraid to post on-topic, but here goes. I've stopped feeling awkward about my wealth, for a few reasons:

First, I was talking with my mom about a year ago, and she mentioned how she's stopped herself from feeling awkward about her poverty when talking with her sisters (who both married high-earners). I figure, if Mom doesn't have to feel awkward about her poverty, why should I feel awkward about my wealth? I certainly don't feel "better" than her because I have more money!

Second, my beloved 19-year-old cat died this summer, and my bank balance did not help my grief one bit (not that I expected it to). My money also doesn't magically cure my depression just by diving into it Scrooge McDuck-style, nor have I been able to buy my way out of many of the other trials and tribulations of just being human.

Third, I've known too many awesome people of all income levels, and plenty of jerks at all income levels too. Having more money sure hasn't made me more moral, or a better spouse, sister, or daughter. It hasn't made me kinder or more honest. And those are the important things.

So, for the most part, I don't feel awkward about what I have or don't have, because I know it doesn't reflect any of my value as a human being.

And to continue the tangents, I live in a neighborhood that's become quite tony. We have a neighbor a few houses down with a vintage Model A (quite lovely) and a Tesla Roadster. They just spent $100K on a daughter's wedding, and still live nicely within their means. Other neighbors living similarly extravagantly have had their houses foreclosed on, so I've stopped guessing about who's rich and who's posing. And caring about other people's private matters takes too much energy.

And here's my favorite bread recipe, from Mark Bittman:
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No-Knead Bread


Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1 1/2 hours plus 14 to 20 hours' rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1 1/2-pound loaf.

 

[H2ODude]

From Maenad: We have a neighbor a few houses down with a vintage Model A (quite lovely)

In high school my first car was that. Not a hot rod mind you, a vintage unrestored Model A Coupe. I have the knuckle scars to prove it! (from cranking when the battery died). Finally sold it after about 20 years. Wish I had the garage space to get one like it and restore it. I'd keep it original except for the mechanical brakes. If you've ever driven one with mech brakes you'd know why!