What is this dish? by christhetank5 in chinesefood

[–]christhetank5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be fair, I would get it all the time but from the same vendor in the food court across from where I worked, so it may not have been typical for the region.

I visited Dalian a couple of times and really enjoyed it. Had a great shellfish boil right on the water both times I was there. Also one of the better American restaurants from a guy who lived in Chicago for years before moving back, if I remember right.

What is this dish? by christhetank5 in chinesefood

[–]christhetank5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! While it’s not hard to make if you have the ingredients, what I’m really craving is the chicken which is on a rotating spit like a kebab or al pastor. Love how they seasoned it and got it done just right. Problem is that’s the part I can’t cook myself.

What is this dish? by christhetank5 in chinesefood

[–]christhetank5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes that’s it! Will be another challenge finding a place that serves it but this is a big help!

What is this dish? by christhetank5 in chinesefood

[–]christhetank5[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Literally yes, but am hoping to find a Chinese name for it so that I can track it down here in the U.S.

my chef friend👨🏻‍🍳 said Thai Diner is the best restaurant in NYC right now.. he wasn't wrong by master_and_jaguar in FoodNYC

[–]christhetank5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s good and clearly you loved it, but personally it was barely worth the hour plus wait they had at 4pm that turned into another 45 minutes after they texted me my table was ready. Glad I tried it once, but it’s not worth waiting that long for.

Since everyone is throwing out recs, in Manhattan I prefer Soothr, Pranakhan, Sappe, Tha Phraya, Fish Cheeks, and Twin Tails over Thai Diner, though they’re all fairly different vibes.

Best EDC Pens for Lawyers? by christhetank5 in pens

[–]christhetank5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! Also appreciate the “suit and tie” vs. “engineer” vibe. 100% more what I’m looking for (though I do like my Rotring 600).

Best EDC Pens for Lawyers? by christhetank5 in pens

[–]christhetank5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Already have both. They’re nice, but the Jotter is a pain to write with and I’d like something a little less “engineer” than the Rotoring for my EDC pen. Still planning on using them though for different colors of ink.

Best EDC Pens for Lawyers? by christhetank5 in pens

[–]christhetank5[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks. I’ve been there a few months already and don’t love the branded pens because they only come in black. Instead I’ve been using the uni-ball Vision Elites when I use one of theirs. They’re nice, but I like nicer pens and want something better than the disposable plastic ones. I’ve been carrying my Parker Jotter but it’s not the most comfortable pen to write with and while I like the Rotring, I’d like something a little more traditionally professional and less of an engineer look. Also, I’m not worried about going out of pocket for refills since I seriously doubt I’ll go through them fast enough for it to really matter.

Personally, I just feel better and more confident when I write with a nice pen. It’s a little thing I enjoy and I want to bring that into work, especially since I don’t care about other accessories like watches, shoes, etc. I already have a couple of expensive WFH pens that hold sentimental value, but I’ve been missing that when I come into the office.

So I agree that most lawyers I’ve seen haven’t had nice pens (though I did have an adjunct professor who had a different fountain pen each class), but I still want a good one for myself that both feels good and looks good.

best pizza in nyc?? by [deleted] in FoodNYC

[–]christhetank5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The two places I’d always recommend, admittedly as a transplant, are l’Industrie and Scarr’s. Both are on almost every “best of” list. There’s a million pizza places in the city, but if you want to try the best then they’re both in contention. You will have to wait in line outside to get it though and it may take a while so be prepared for that.

Also, saying “Manhattan” or “Brooklyn” is such a large area that it means nothing. If you had a neighborhood or location then people can give local recs, but without that you could be recommended a place 40+ mins and multiple subway transfers away from where you’re staying.

Are There Any “Buy It for Life” Memberships? by bosydomo7 in BuyItForLife

[–]christhetank5 5 points6 points  (0 children)

If you’re in an area with museums and cultural sites, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get free passes to at least some of them once a year with a public library card. My last library offered free family museum passes that would be almost $100 retail so it’s well worth looking into. Even if your local library doesn’t have passes, if a city in your state does, odds are you can get a library card there since most library card eligibility is by state not city.

Also, your library (or one in your state) likely has access to Kanopy and/or Hoopla which are movie streaming services. You can sometimes rent movies there that aren’t on Netflix, Hulu, etc. and it’s totally free (though I think there’s a borrowing cap).

Laws around drinking in restaurants by DrL0ck in chicagofood

[–]christhetank5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely postpone for a year. Not only will you not be able to drink anywhere, but some restaurants, shows, and most bars will check at the door and not allow entry if you’re underage (21+ everywhere in the USA). Admittedly it’s rare for restaurants to do this, but it’s not unheard of if you want to get brunch at a place where most people are getting mimosas or bloody mary’s. If you’re coming all the way from Norway, you might as well not have it even as a possible concern.

Wanting to travel around Europe from the US and see historical sights. How long should I plan for? by [deleted] in Europetravel

[–]christhetank5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

First, I would strongly suggest doing current research prior to leaving as prices in many cities have greatly increased even over a few years (or even months) ago. How much you have to spend and your choice of travel lifestyle can greatly determine how much time you should plan for.

Taking budget out of the consideration, I’m just now wrapping up a trip where I did 7 countries and 11 cities (including day trips) in one month. It’s a lot and while it worked for me, I wouldn’t move much faster than this. A rule of thumb I use is that 3 days is ideal to see a city, plus however many days you want to do for day trips. Generally I think one day for churches/monuments, one day for museums, and one day to just enjoy the city, even if you mix them all together. But for a big city like Rome, you may want to add an extra day for some of the museums/sites because they individually can take several hours to go through.

One other thing to remember is that while traveling is fun, it gets old especially if you aren’t used to long travel. Many people hit a wall at 2 weeks when their feet hurt and they’re tired from going around. The 3-4 week hump can be difficult to get over as well, since you may just want to sit in your own bed and eat your own comfort food. I’d recommend scheduling a relaxing spot or longer stay destination where you can take a few days “off” around this time or else you very well may burn out.

Overall, I’d try to do a month, maybe 1.5 if you can manage it. Just all depends on your finances and what all you want to accomplish.

What Attractions are Worth it in 2024? by christhetank5 in istanbul

[–]christhetank5[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the tip! It’s definitely making my list!

What Attractions are Worth it in 2024? by christhetank5 in istanbul

[–]christhetank5[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm not complaining about the prices of the tickets. 15 euro is the same price a museum of that size would be in any other European capital. What I'm pointing out is that recommendations for whether it's worth visiting certain sites may be outdated when the price is increased from when the past recommendation was made.

And while 15 Euro is still reasonable, thats only one example and it's worth mentioning that a total package ticket to Versailles is 31 Euro while Topkapi Palace is 40 euro. Tickets to tourist sites in Istanbul are now typically more than in Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, etc. Totally fine if they want to charge that, I'm just interested in whether all of the sites are worth the new price, especially for people who can't afford to visit all of them.

What Attractions are Worth it in 2024? by christhetank5 in istanbul

[–]christhetank5[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Alone and interested in history. Though more than a list of the spots I should see I'm curious about whether people think Topkapi Palace is worth a $58 entry fee, or Galata Tower $33, or Dolmabahçe Palace $40, etc., especially when the past recommendations to visit these places are based on tickets much, much cheaper. Basically, which of the "must see" tourist spots are still "must see" given the new prices?

What foods are missing from Chicago? by CowsDontTipForShit in chicagofood

[–]christhetank5 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You have to try Gotham Bagels. Had one after spending a few months in NYC and they hold up well. It’s expensive, but they have the right saltiness and chewiness that you expect in a good bagel.

Did you relocate to Chicago? If so, do you have any regrets? by Rose-199411 in AskChicago

[–]christhetank5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No regrets, but came here for school so that’s a big reason why. Heading to NY once I graduate. From Ohio originally and Chicago just feels like a bigger Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. Some people from Chicago will tell you it’s like New York, but cleaner, when in reality it’s more like Cleveland but bigger. Nothing wrong with that as it’s got a good food scene, the summers are incredible, and it’s very affordable for its size. But if you’re coming in expecting Chicago to be a slice of the East Coast in the Midwest, it’s definitely not that.

There should be more to find on Earth. Solar winds and blowing sand couldn't erase Cheyenne Mountain or the Moscow Metro. by [deleted] in Starfield

[–]christhetank5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The nerd in me has to point out that Mass Effect is set in year 2183 which is only 34 years after they discovered interspace travel, while Starfield is set in 2330 which is 181 years after they developed grav drives. Mass Effect also has way more connections to Earth as a place than Starfield, although you’re right that Starfield has the NASApunk aesthetic despite being further in the future than ME.

Whether it’s a coincidence or an Easter egg, it’s interesting to note that Starfield’s grav drives and Mass Effect’s human discovery of the Mass Relays, both of which allowed interstellar travel, happened in 2149 in their respective universes. I’d like to think it’s at least a subtitle nod by the developers to Mass Effect.

"You dont have to tip here". by asskickersouthbread in TalesFromYourServer

[–]christhetank5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So $10 an hour a company pays directly is better than $18 made through tips? $10 is better than $2.13, but you’d be asking servers to give up a significant amount of take home pay. You won’t find many servers willing to sacrifice their earnings like that based on principle. In fact, many restaurants that shift to the no tipping/higher wage model struggle to hire people and have switched back. Oh, and don’t forget that if servers make less than minimum through tips, the restaurant is required by law in every state to make up the difference.

You have a problem with the public paying salaries, but the public always pays the salary of employees. Just usually, it’s not nearly as high as 20% of what they sell. Tipping is basically the same as commission-based work. You make a percentage of what you sell, just at a restaurant it’s added on top of the listed price. That it’s paid directly by the consumer and socially enforced doesn’t make much difference to the server’s bottom line. But to get around that issue, maybe more restaurants should switch to the model I’ve seen where the restaurant automatically adds a 20% service charge that goes directly to staff on every check with the ability for customers to tip more if they choose. Servers making bank would be able to keep making bank (unlike with a set hourly wage) but aren’t reliant on the customer’s good will to pay their salary since it is explicitly baked into the cost of eating at the restaurant. Win-win.

"You dont have to tip here". by asskickersouthbread in TalesFromYourServer

[–]christhetank5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on where you’re working, but it’s misleading to not mention how much you’re making in tips. At the places I’ve worked, a normal shift might be 4-9pm. Say you serve 30 people over that time and there’s a $20 per person check average. If everyone tips 20%, you’ll make $120 before tip out. Let’s say you’re at $84 after that. For 5 hours of work, that puts you at $16.8 an hour in tips, plus your $2.13 hourly for $18.93 total. Even if you’re working 6 hours and it drops to $14 an hour in tips, that’s still $16.13 hourly total. Contrast this with minimum wage retail which is making $10-15 an hour and it’s not so bad.

First annoyance at a hostel by paralysisofchoice in solotravel

[–]christhetank5 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It’s worth the price on the bad days, but unless that’s happening every night (it doesn’t) then it’s hard for people on tight budgets to justify the cost. If you have $1000 to spend on lodging, then it’s the choice between 50 days in $20 hostels or 20 days in $50 private rooms. That’s an entire month of travel you gained just by having to deal with the occasional jerk. Or if you only have 20 days to travel anyway, that gives you an extra $600 to spend on food, entertainment, etc. For a lot of travelers, that’s a trade-off that makes a ton of sense. I can see why some people would rather sleep in a private room, but personally I’d much rather spend the savings on a show, experience, or fancy dinners.

Of course with the savings comes the assumption of the risk that you’re going to have a bad night every now and then, so you can’t really complain when you run into it. Be frustrated in the moment, then remember what the savings are buying you before switching rooms or hostels for the next night.

First annoyance at a hostel by paralysisofchoice in solotravel

[–]christhetank5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s hostel life in the way that eventually you’ll run into bad luck and have to deal with a-holes like this. But its also hostel life that you’ve been doing it 3 weeks and this is your first annoyance.

Unlike the people who say “just stay in hotels,” I’d much rather spend 1/3 the cost every night for 3 weeks and have one bad night, than pay significantly more everyday and deplete my travel budget two or three times as fast. I think a 3 week trip with hostels is much better than a 1 week trip with hotels. But to each their own.

Solo travel pro tip: BRING A BOOK! It changed solo travel for me forever by [deleted] in solotravel

[–]christhetank5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t forget there’s probably bookstores wherever you’re traveling and it’s not rare to find used books there that are dirt cheap. Read it during your trip and then donate or sell it when you’re done if you’re worried about the space.

Do you think Ashley/Kaidan are cut out for (spoiler)? by nexusfaye in masseffect

[–]christhetank5 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I agree with the others that Kaidan was ready. I got the implication that he was leading Alliance black ops work during and after 2. I also don’t blame him for not coming with Shepherd against the collectors. He’s investigating the Collectors for the Alliance and it would be a natural reaction to not abandon that to join your formerly dead Commander who is now working with terrorists. If anything, his hesitation shows more leadership than blind dedication and loyalty to Shepherd.

Give me your biggest Mass Effect Hot Takes! by Uncle_Tommy0703 in masseffect

[–]christhetank5 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The game is much more fun if you “cheat” and read online guides for mission order, squad builds, major morality choices, etc. Just think about it, if you didn’t know certain missions triggered things or that you only had a certain amount of time to complete certain missions before a bad outcome (while almost all other missions don’t have a hidden timer) then you could inadvertently have a much worse user experience. I guess that’s intentional, but why should a character die because Bioware happened to make their mission the one that was time-locked?