May 28, 2009
No Deli Labs May 1, 2009
Galicjanka Naturalna Woda Mineralna – “Galicjankę pijez, długo w zdrowiu źyjesz”
Galicjanka – a mineral water bottled in this neighborhood. The stuff is sufficiently enriched as to leave alluvia in your glassware (and kidneys).
Galicjanka Woda was called to my attention for one reason only. Though I’m skeptical of the suggested ‘medicinal’ applications, I bought a couple of extra bottles anyway – for a rainy day.
Also, no teapots.
May 14, 2008
Aquadeco – “Take it with you wherever you go!”
The once-novel, now-ubiquitous Fiji Water is bad enough – having pioneered a stupid, inconvenient, rectangular bottle shape the likes of which will not fit into conventional cup holders, coasters, carriers, etc.
Now introducing more stupider:
“Aquadeco”. Yeah.
“Aquadeco”. “Aquadeco”.
Originally, this artesian water came from Mt. Ararat… but the quality wasn’t up to par (according to fairly lax FDA importation standards) so now they fill these ridiculous bottles from a pristine spigot in exotic Southern Ontario.
Though it’s annoying to discuss the blindingly obvious – I guess we’re already on the subject: The environmental ruination caused by the “bottled water boom” of this past decade is really near-incalculable, and the fact that this particularly stupid water travels a little less far than it might’ve still doesn’t apologize for its profound negative impact.
And certainly nothing can apologize for the ‘novelty’ concept and its crowbarred-in name.
“Aquadeco”.
January 17, 2008
Tuborg Club Soda – “get some fresh look” (sic)
Is the municipal water in Athens actually safe? Probably not.
Relatedly – I made the mistake of calling soda pop ’soda’ the other day. I was corrected: “Greeks only say ’soda’ to mean ‘club soda’.“. Then Adonis hands me a Tuborg Club Soda. Like a commercial.
Tuborg is just about the only soda water I see around town now. Just like Amstel is the dominant beer, Red Bull is the dominant energy drink, and PepsiCo.-ηβη owns everything else. So to speak.
You really have to comb the shops in order to find third-tier (i.e. local) brands such as ξυνο νερο… which is bottled in the mountain village of the same name. I used to think this stuff was fluoridated, but it turns out that it’s just produced in the province of Φλώρινας (Florinas). Haha. Fooled by Greek roots again.
N.B. – The village has an Angelfire fansite!
August 18, 2007
A difficult decision:
E. coli vs. typhoid
Courtyard of the National Library of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Batumi.
July 17, 2007
Fake!
Relevant to the previous entry on counterfeit bottled water, here is a friendly clerk in Ukraine going DIY with her stock… right in the store:
April 26, 2007
Carbonated tap water = the most boringest stuff.
Prof. Keith M. Thornton contemplates seltzer water, and the very nature of ironic living.
Dr. Brown gets a mention.
April 2, 2007
Music Mountain Arkansas Spring Water – “The Reliable Source”
Does the idea of “reliable” water appeal to you? Well, if you happen to live within the bounds of their vast service area, I recommend you pick up some Music Mountain brand bottled water.
MAILBAG:
I really appreciate some of the random email I get re: this LJ.
For example, someone wants me to try this alleged aphrodisiac, called “FEVER”.
…But I think I can live without it.
—
Thanks to lola_joan for pointing out this… uh… atrocity:
The first wine (or maybe “wine”) with a well-known cartoon mascot and affiliated with a theme park.
Or so I’m guessing.
—
Someone else emailed me, saying that they were trying to score me some Bionade:
I’ve never heard of the stuff – but it sounds interesting. An all-organic, Euro concoction of some kind – responsible for these notable illusional adverts:
Who doesn’t get thirsty looking at that?
—
March 12, 2007
Ice pics
One thing I noticed while driving Gulf Coast backroads is that, since hurricane Rita, the ‘general store’ has not risen again from the wreckage. I miss those dingy, run down shops where you could buy fishing tackle, fireworks, and weird sodas all from the same cooler. Usually the proprietor had only one leg, an ancient dog of indeterminate breed behind the counter, and several prominently displayed firearms.
Out front of a store such as this was the iconic ice machine.
Just like this one – but upright. And plugged in.
Since general stores have not been replaced, and a reasonable demand for ice remains, free-standing ice vending machines have appeared…
I was cruising up the road, blasting the radio when this classic number came on:
- a song that could almost be the current anthem of the southern part of the state; all about getting out of Louisiana.
Alas, my all-American cup holder will not be graced by some bizarre creme soda from Houma or a ginger ale from Metairie but, rather, a plain cup of ice. All those grimy little stores full of special drinks were just blown away.
[as usual, photos by me - taken yesterday]
March 6, 2007
taste
Over the course of one priceless glass of water, I was pleased to have a conversation with this guy before I left town. I nearly swam in that cup of water – always pretending to be busy sipping because I have nothing to say.
Speaking of ‘nothing to say’, I have absolutely nothing good to say about this:
…Especially since it’s the first goddamn thing I see along one of my favorite stretches of U.S. highway, ol’ Route 90. I notice they don’t offer those sickeningly unsanitary coffee/cocoa/chicken soup vending machines at the rest stops anymore. Too bad. I guess the ‘tastes’ of Louisiana changed while I wasn’t paying attention.
