Einstein's: Where Lunch is STILL a Baffling Ordeal

Again, Einstein's Bagels was totally unclear on what their own menu says.  What the fuck is up with that?  I waited a month before going back, hoping that they'd have figured out their own menu by now, but no.

I ordered a bagel sandwich.  The menu states that they serve a bagel sandwich containing hummus, veggie cream cheese, vegetables and onions on the bagel of your choice.  So, I asked for a "Veg-Out" bagel, which is what they call this thing.  I was told "we don't have the veg-out bagel".  I ask which part of it they don't have because usually, they say that when they are out of the hummus or something.  She said "we don't have a bagel like that."  I said, "it's on your menu right there", and she says, "what kind of bagel do you want?"  I say, "Everything", and she proceeds to make my sandwich.  She then asks if I want hummus or cream cheese.  Although their menu says the sandwich contains both, I say "hummus", just to prevent any further confusion.  She proceeds to put both on there.  She packages it all up and leaves it on the counter.  Another counter person does the same with someone else's sandwich.  Now there are two of us standing there with no one to take our money.  We stand their longer, and even though I am in front and my sandwich was put up first, the cashier deals with the other guy first.  He noticed, but we were *both* so confused that we just rolled our eyes and shrugged and went on with our lives.

The plastic thing was not put in a bag, so I had to carry a pile of package, fork and napkins out in the wind...which brings me to my next point...

WHEN IS IT GOING TO FUCKING GET WARM???  I'M SO SICK OF NON-SHORTS WEATHER I COULD SCREAM!!!  You still need a scarf and gloves, for god's sake.  It's windy and 33' right now with a wind-chill of 11'.  Hello!!???  Whoever turns the crank under the capital to change the seasons must have gone to Jamaica or something, entirely missing the vernal equinox.

Goddamnit.

Back to the complaining...

You can say what you want about Starbuck's, but at least everything there is consistent.  Yes, they are the McDonald's of espresso and &diety bless them for that.  I like not getting an 'tude from the barrista or the person taking my money.  I like having my stuff be fresh and the same every time.  I know what's in the food and it's the same every day.  Their system is abundantly clear AND IT NEVER CHANGES.  You get the same dose of caffeine every time.

I like consistency, especially when dealing with my base needs like food and coffee.  I like knowing what to expect and then having my expectations met.

Yeah, it's not interesting, but there's some things where interesting is bad.

It's a shame that there weren't enough people who liked the old style of coffee house to keep those places in business, but there just aren't.  In cities, there are.  If you like that sort of thing, you probably don't like a lot of things about the suburbs.

I used to hate it here, but I can safely say that I'm over it now.  I like owning our home and having a yard and street parking our cars and not having them robbed on an annual basis.  If I want city, I'll go visit New York or Chicago where things are the way I expect them to be when I think of "city."   

I will say that having the place in Front Royal and discovering the Appalachian Trail has made me love Virginia.  On Friday, I drove from VA55 to Route 7.  The easiest route there happens to be very scenic and it's foaling, calving and lambing season, so there's pastures full of mares and frolicking foals and cows and sleepy, disheveled looking calves.  In one spot, there was even a complete scene with a farmer out there mending his fence.

I got goose bumps, it was so beautiful in the morning light.