I don't know what's worse at breakfast time, bad manners or ugly sweaters. I can't look at bright colours before I've had at least three cups of tea.

I'm so happy that you had a fun getaway. I can't agree more about the need for manners. I always say "be nice or I'll blog you". Thank you for sharing!

I enjoyed the Embassy too, but missed the buffet. However, not to put too fine a point on it, someone who "has no shame" about appearing in public in slippers and a sweatshirt over pajama pants sounds a bit odd complaining about someone else's ugly sweater. There is always, as you point out, room service when it's too much trouble to get dressed, and at least some fellow diners would appreciate the consideration.

Gald to hear you enjoyed yourself down here in our fine city. I am hoping you got more than one story out of it though? :)

Before I retired, I worked for a local city where the civic center is next door to an Embassy Suites. Another co-worker was notorious for walking through the hotel en route to work and helping herself to the buffet :)

I have lots of wonderful stories - and wonderful food, Sean. I've always loved Portland.

And Marsha, you're right. That's one of those uncharming things about my personality.

My pj pants are good old sweats! don't know about anybody else!!

I love people watching stories as well

My boyfriend and I made our way down to West Palm Beach last year to visit with his family - and one of the requists of a hotel stay was free breakfast. We hit the jackpot at one of the places - but totally missed the mark at another. (Their idea of a continental breakfast was...granola bars!!!) For someone who is *not* a morning person, that was quite a kick in the pants.

When I try to right-click your link to the Embassy Suites, I get a little notice that it's copyrighted by you. Did I do something wrong?

: D

Tana,

You didn't do anything wrong, the page is just coded to prevent copying of content. Just hold down your shift key and then click the link to open it in a new window. :)

I love reading your blog. You're so dead on. If you lived in town, we'd have to get together over a glass of wine. I was just reading an article - I think it was in the NY Times - about the "waiter/waiteress factor" - how you can tell everything you need to know about a person's character based on how s/he treats the wait staff. So true.

oh dear! Those were the days.. in my uni student times I was a waitress and it can be pretty unbelievable at times. Now i spend weekends working at a record store and unfortunately we still get many rude ppl there too.

I get so astounded when people just come up and throw a cd at you - am I a mind reader? do you want to buy it? or listen? Ugh!

OH well, their time will come. and why oh why don't ppl realise that the nicer you are, the more attentive, special service you will undoubtedly get?

Ugly manners, ugly clothes. It seems to go hand in hand :)

Jelinka,

Chill out, my dear. If you don't care for the Food Whore's writing style, please don't read her blog. There are many others out in the blogosphere you may prefer to read instead.

FW,

Please continue, "dahling". I, for one, very much enjoy your blog.

Robin in Ohio

I think Jelinka has a language issue and misses the nuances, so sarcasm seems to her like negativity. It's an issue I deal with in Italian.

Dude, what the fuck? You rag on the FW for being too bitter and critical, and then you write "She should have ordered room service but I think she was too cheap to do it."
Because that's not bitter and critical?
Seriously, does it not occur to you that you are doing exactly what you are accusing her of doing? Except that she's doing it on her own blog, where she isn't bothering anyone who hasn't made a point to come read her.
Tell me, do you make a habit of going to all websites that bother you and telling them about it? Or just websites where you can criticize their english skill to feel superior? (Which, again, is totally different than her criticism of people's social skills. Yup. Totally different.)

Good Grief, Charlie Brown. Oh, I mean Jelinka. Do you write the producers of "America's Funniest Home Videos" and chew them out for exploiting video clips of people falling down or acting stupid? If FW does stick her finger in food to taste it, it most likely happens in her own kitchen where her own germs know and like her. She doesn't do it on the job or out in public where other people would come in contact with her germs. Also, if she had to criticize others to feel better, she'd probably be naming names when she talked about this or that occasion. I have a wonderful idea: Start your own blog and complain about all the other blogs out there with grammatical errors and seemingly negative stories and comments. Who knows, you may gain your own little following of people who think you are not a very nice person for criticizing other blogs . . . And won't that be a cause for celebration??

Jelinka, does the title of the blog not already set the tone? If you don't like it - sail on by. I, for one, think the writing style, tales of cookery and sarcasm is simply hilarious! Carry on Food Whore....carry on.

the B in Blog stands for 'biased'. FoodWhore is perfectly justified when she complains about things she's been guilty of herself. I've been known to complain about my whiny co-workers in every mail I write, when more often than not I'm that whiny co-worker myself. Getting annoyed about other people's behaviour is everybody's favourite pastime, and in Foodwhore's case, it sure makes for funny stories.
Foodwhore, I love your blog, and it serves as a constant reminder that being a software engineer may not, after all, be the worst job in the world.

FW - Please don't change. I love your style. As a native Portland Oregonian, I sort of want to apologize for the rude - bad sweatered you encountered here - but lets not forget - they too were probably travelers and not from HERE! ya think?
So, when in Portland - what are your favorite places to eat and hang out? I have lived here all of my 45 years - would love to compare notes

well, I live portland and work dowtown, and I must say I've never stayed there. but you may have convinced me otherwise. I hate rude people and people who obviously think others are there to serve only them. love the entry!

A girl gets busy with work and it all goes to pot... LOL

I take criticism of my blog with a grain of salt. If you don't enjoy it, please find one that you do. There are some amazing blogs out there, many of which I read myself.

My criticism of people comes from a place of frustration, disbelief and disappointment of the human condition. Anyone who's served the public in any way knows of what I speak.

I've never claimed to be perfect, just the opposite, actually. I am one of the most flawed people on the planet.

And also one of the klutziest.

And for the record Jelinka, I am a compulsive hand washer. Be critical of my words and of me, it's of no matter. But don't ever accuse me of being repulsive. Although there is the issue of my constant nose picking...

How is pointing out the obvious being critical? If FW was trashing everyone's outfit and any food product that she didn't prepare I could understand the tongue-lashing Jelinka gave. I think FW is merely saying what 99% of the population is thinking but doesn't have the balls to say out loud. Plus, this blog is probably cathartic for her as The Husband has most likely heard it all before and she can't bitch to friends because they might know the offender...or might be the offender!

Blog on, FW, Blog on.

And of course, we never hear about the events that go off without a hitch, or where there isn't a juicy story. Nor do we hear about the guests that behave perfectly well (which is probably 90% or more). Or the clients that make the FW's job easy.

We hear about the "others." That's the *whole point* of the blog -- and in adition to whatever therapy and fun the FW gets out of it, I've learned a thing or two (or twelve) about dealing with vendors.

And c'mon. Who doesn't notice peoples' behaviors, and tell stories about them?