In praise of Olive Garden and Hampton Inn; praise YOUR lowbrow favorites!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totino's pizza (not the pizza rolls- never had those)- I could house one in just a few minutes. I also swear it was called Tostino's and was stunned to find out as an adult there's only one S in the name.

Also another huge fan of Olive Garden salad and breadsticks.

There's a gas station/mini mart where my parents live in Charleston that is amazing- Refuel. The whole family runs there to get junk food/slurpees.

IKEA vegetarian meatball platter is worth the trip down 95 to Woodbridge.

Cranberry sauce from the can- my husband makes an amazing homemade cranberrry sauce with whole berries and Grand Marnier- but I like the stuff straight out of the can.

I love this too. Totino’s party pizza. I have had trouble finding it in recent years. I prefer it over all other frozen pizza.

Totinos is the best pizza invented. I love it. I wish I could find the Canadian bacon one somewhere. The other flavors are in every store in NOVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me:
Hampton Inn
Hilton Garden Inn
Cracker Barrel
Aldi
Lidl
Samuel Adams/Boston Beer Co
Quiktrip
Ikea
Bustelos
Nescafe instant coffee-sure, it's instant but that's a pricey instant coffee
Tim Hortons
Panera Bread
Atlanta Bread Co (too bad most of them closed)
Carrefour--unfortunately not in the US/Canada
Amazon

I question the low brow factor on a couple of these

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once or twice a year, I make a sodium-bomb "church cookbook" style casserole involving some kind of canned soup. It's always delicious.

Yes! Yum yum sodium! So comforting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is lowbrow about Ann Taylor clothing?
I am genuinely confused

Ask in the fashion forum.

My hot take is that some women wore too much of it in their early career and now they have more money and it reminds them of being relatively poor. These people are buying pieces that are 100s of dollars per piece now. Less famous brands that are upscale and often foreign.

OP here. I used to work at Ann Taylor in the early 2000s as a side gig. I loved it. The cashmere, the lined pants, the Merino wool, the suits. We used to open boxes in the back and want EVERYTHING.

Now, the materials are cheap, the “fit” is boxy, there are no sleeves are darts, the quality is abhorrent. I forgot myself and bought some things on sale last year online, but when I got them home in my hands, I realized how cheap the fabric was and how poor the quality was. Never again. It’s a shame, but Ann Taylor is terrible quality and far too overpriced for what it is. It’s junk fashion. It’s the junk food of fashion. You know it’s bad, but you consume it anyway. And I say this as a former employee and brand fan!

PP. You are correct that quality has dropped but it's also true that's pretty much true across the board until you start spending $300+ per garment piece. So no reason to single Ann Taylor out if you have to criticize mass mall brands. The people who dump on it seem to prefer indie/European brands.

OK, you’re taking it very personally. I also think Banana Republic and similar mall brands have declined in quality, but not as much—not such a steep drop-off. You can still find pieces at Banana. You cannot find anything at AT, and it’s because both the fabrics AND the fit are so awful now. There is nothing good in there. I still get birthday rewards via email and literally have gone in to get something basically for free or a steep discount, and walked out because nothing was worthwhile, nothing. You can disagree. And I would ask if you were the great-granddaughter of Ann Taylor or something, but I know from working there that there is no Ann Taylor!

This is really depressing. I was thrilled after college when I could finally afford it.

+1

When I was in law school I bought the perfect interview suit there. Wore it to court for years.

Yes, and back in the day it was amazing, desirable and covet-able. Now it sucks. I wish it were back to what it was in the late 90s/early 2000s, too. But it’s not, and acting all offended about it isn’t going to suddenly make the quality and style of the past come back.

Y’all, I literally said sing the praises of AT if you love it. If you love it, SING THE PRAISES, that’s the point! I wish I could, too, but it’s crap now. That’s my opinion. -OP

[Anonymous]

Tuna noodle casserole (made with cream of mushroom soup of course) covered in raisin bran and then cheddar cheese on top of that melted. The raisin bran plus cheese is KEY

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about onion dip made with sour cream and a packet of dried onion soup, served with a bag of chips.

Heaven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totino's pizza (not the pizza rolls- never had those)- I could house one in just a few minutes. I also swear it was called Tostino's and was stunned to find out as an adult there's only one S in the name.

Also another huge fan of Olive Garden salad and breadsticks.

There's a gas station/mini mart where my parents live in Charleston that is amazing- Refuel. The whole family runs there to get junk food/slurpees.

IKEA vegetarian meatball platter is worth the trip down 95 to Woodbridge.

Cranberry sauce from the can- my husband makes an amazing homemade cranberrry sauce with whole berries and Grand Marnier- but I like the stuff straight out of the can.

I love this too. Totino’s party pizza. I have had trouble finding it in recent years. I prefer it over all other frozen pizza.

Totinos is the best pizza invented. I love it. I wish I could find the Canadian bacon one somewhere. The other flavors are in every store in NOVA.

I can’t find them! I have checked Giant in Falls Church and Vienna and Harris Teeter in Falls Church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is lowbrow about Ann Taylor clothing?
I am genuinely confused

Ask in the fashion forum.

My hot take is that some women wore too much of it in their early career and now they have more money and it reminds them of being relatively poor. These people are buying pieces that are 100s of dollars per piece now. Less famous brands that are upscale and often foreign.

OP here. I used to work at Ann Taylor in the early 2000s as a side gig. I loved it. The cashmere, the lined pants, the Merino wool, the suits. We used to open boxes in the back and want EVERYTHING.

Now, the materials are cheap, the “fit” is boxy, there are no sleeves are darts, the quality is abhorrent. I forgot myself and bought some things on sale last year online, but when I got them home in my hands, I realized how cheap the fabric was and how poor the quality was. Never again. It’s a shame, but Ann Taylor is terrible quality and far too overpriced for what it is. It’s junk fashion. It’s the junk food of fashion. You know it’s bad, but you consume it anyway. And I say this as a former employee and brand fan!

PP. You are correct that quality has dropped but it's also true that's pretty much true across the board until you start spending $300+ per garment piece. So no reason to single Ann Taylor out if you have to criticize mass mall brands. The people who dump on it seem to prefer indie/European brands.

OK, you’re taking it very personally. I also think Banana Republic and similar mall brands have declined in quality, but not as much—not such a steep drop-off. You can still find pieces at Banana. You cannot find anything at AT, and it’s because both the fabrics AND the fit are so awful now. There is nothing good in there. I still get birthday rewards via email and literally have gone in to get something basically for free or a steep discount, and walked out because nothing was worthwhile, nothing. You can disagree. And I would ask if you were the great-granddaughter of Ann Taylor or something, but I know from working there that there is no Ann Taylor!

This is really depressing. I was thrilled after college when I could finally afford it.

+1

When I was in law school I bought the perfect interview suit there. Wore it to court for years.

Yes, and back in the day it was amazing, desirable and covet-able. Now it sucks. I wish it were back to what it was in the late 90s/early 2000s, too. But it’s not, and acting all offended about it isn’t going to suddenly make the quality and style of the past come back.

Y’all, I literally said sing the praises of AT if you love it. If you love it, SING THE PRAISES, that’s the point! I wish I could, too, but it’s crap now. That’s my opinion. -OP

Yeah, I bought that perfect suit in 2000.

[Anonymous]

I have not had them in forever but I used to love the TGI Friday's frozen jalapeno poppers. Now I am craving them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have not had them in forever but I used to love the TGI Friday's frozen jalapeno poppers. Now I am craving them.

Costco has some damn fine frozen jalapeño poppers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Waffle House pecan waffles.

Virginia Beach north end when I was a kid (80s and 90s)

Wendy's breakfast French toast sticks eaten at a table with the fake newspaper covering

+1 we usually go to my ILs in Norfolk for Thanksgiving and have waffle House on Friday morning. We didn't go this year and I'm missing my Waffle House fix.

We were in Tampa and told my brother in law we had never been and he couldn’t believe it, now I want to try but the ones here are far away - Frederick and above Baltimore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about onion dip made with sour cream and a packet of dried onion soup, served with a bag of chips.

Ruffles only, please!

[Anonymous]

Some of these (Southwest?) don’t feel low-brow to me but to each their own.

For us, Popeyes is on regular rotation. The kids love their m&c and chicken fingers.

I like Kraft mac and cheese, and live for a can of chili served over Fritos with shredded cheese on top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Olive Garden. Love it. I think the food is really good.

I'm an expat and have lived in London, Berlin, Vienna, Singapore, and Dubai, and I've eaten at many "good" restaurants around the world. I still love Olive Garden, and I still think the food is good. Whenever I visit family in the US, I always go to Olive Garden with my sister, more than once in a visit, because I love it so much.

I also like that powdered salad dressing mix that you mix in its cruet with oil and vinegar. I can't remember what it's called, but when I go home for Christmas, I'm stocking up on that too.

And Big Red gum. I love that stuff and will take back many packs with me.

Good Seasons! I like it too.

Yes, Good Seasons Italian. My mom would make some to take to grandma's for the holidays so I could have it with my salad!

MR. HERO

Arby's roast beef sandwich and curly fries

Dairy Queen

Homemade Rootbeer float

Deviled Eggs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have not had them in forever but I used to love the TGI Friday's frozen jalapeno poppers. Now I am craving them.

Oooh, I like these too.

I grew up in a homemade or maybe Annie's white cheddar macaroni and cheese house but as an adult always have a box of the Kraft around. To be extra low brow and unhealthy, I make one box of the pasta and use 2 packets of the "cheese."