La Cuenta Por Favor!

Someone recently said (when we were talking about chicken rice) "I bet you don't eat the skin."

On the contrary, I often have the urge to devour ONLY the skin. The key... is portion control... well, I am so used to small portions by now that it's no longer an issue of 'control'.. it's a norm.

Anyway... had some GOOOOOD foie gras last week.

At Bistro Du Vin. It's part of The Les Amis Group. I love French food... petite portions but with emphasis on flavour .. is how I like my food. (Though I am also craving my rude messy paella and gambas pil pil...but I no longer have my earthen ware pot that I wrapped gingerly in my laundry and brought back from Spain. It's in my old kitchen, now Mark's .  I must get new earthenware... I miss tapas!)

This is what a lonely girl does when trying to take a picture of herself. (wow.. damn sad poignant moment.. yet I find it funny, so I just had to include this bad pic in this post. lol)

As far as pieces of foie gras go, this was a huge piece. As usual, I only have starter and then a dessert. No main, and no alcohol, just still water. Portion Control! And no carbs of course!

Creme Bruleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

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Today I thought of discussing the status quo when it comes to footing bills on dates. What is the standard operating procedure?

I was speaking to my old friend Dr D in Perth, over the weekend, and he said whoever did the asking/inviting should do the paying. I didn't know that!!! ?

There was a time (sit down for this) when women were totally financially dependent on men. [By the way, I like this concept... I really would not mind donning an apron and taking care of the kids, running the household and entertaining dinner guests ... ). Maybe if the world were still like that, there wouldn't be so many obese kids, or rude kids or broken homes out there. I digress.

Well, anyway, fast forward to present day... women are now major moneymakers. We and men are equal participants in the working world, so shouldn't we also be equal participants in financing the dating world as well? Why is it then that men are generally expected to pay for dates?

I don't know if some women out there will find this next piece of news irksome or insulting... but I learnt on the Discovery Channel that as the (potential) child-bearers, women have a subconscious/natural need to be protected. They look to men for this protection, and in the modern society today, this protection is financial.

I've had some guys who insist on picking up the bill most of the time, and I would sometimes feel guilty. But I think that women shouldn't feel guilty; if the guy is offering to pay (and sounds sincere), it may just be his way of showing that he can and wants to take care of you. Overly insiting he not pay is kind of like a guy giving you a present, and then you giving it back.

I would reciprocate by buying him little surprises, doing something sweet or preactical (like booking the Gold Class Movie tickets) or cooking for them.

I have had one guy (years ago), let's call him Mr Ancient history, who asked to split the bill (wasn't an expensive meal), which i found very off putting, so I paid for the whole meal (instead of splitting like a $28.39 dollar bill!!). Now, I don't even remember his face.

More recently, lets call him Mr Recent history, who earns at least 5 times more than me (not exaggerating), after dinner at a restaurant... Cafe Cartel standard... I'm not talking Les Amis here....(and even if it were.. I would hardly send one to the poor house! I generally don't eat a main and I don't drink alcohol etc!) when the bill came, he gestured the waitress towards me. And then jokingly said that it was my turn.

[P/S- that was the evening I had just come from the doctor who found the lump in my left breast and told me to get a scan! So... talk about icing on the cake of Suckiness! By the way u can read about the scan here)

Of course, as I reached for the bill, (looking appalled, no doubt) he said that he was only joking. But I kind of felt that he wasn't really joking, and was just embarrassed by his cheap gesture. So I insisted on paying for it.

But what a major turn off. Is it just me being hard to please? Or is there some truth to what I picked up from the Discovery Channel?? Do I gauge a man's attractiveness based on how he can provide for me?

I do find it an attractive trait when guys pay for dates and seem happy to do so. It makes it seem like they are serious about me. That said, if I don't like a guy much or am unsure about the future relationship potential, I try to never let him pay for me because I don't want to be indebted or feel like I am using him. It's kind of a relationship status check for me I guess.

What about you? Who do you think should foot the bill on a date?


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Update: I am feeling better, not so sick.
And if there's ever a woman who has more outfits than she does days in her life to wear them... that might be me! This is what came for me today alone.

But I'm not complaning I love being a clothes horse! :0) This loot was from ClubCouture , PaperPolly & Urbanalised. Will show you my fav outfits when I get a chance to wear them.