Author Topic: General Discussion Thread  (Read 2672852 times)

Piney

  • Admiral of a Sunken Ship
  • ******
    • Tumblr
    • DeviantArt
  • friendly neighborhood conifer
  • Preferred pronouns: she/her
  • Posts: 4073
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2085 on: December 04, 2014, 07:14:47 PM »
Out of curiosity, what is a block? Is it a standard unit of measurement in the US? Here in Europe the unit would't make sense since cities are too messy for the concept of blocks to be useful.

It's a section of land that's between two streets. (Or I guess it would be four streets.) So like, every time you cross a street you'd be on a different block. Addresses also change with each block, like there would be a "200 block", then after that the "300 block", etc. Don't know if it's considered an official unit of measurement, but I'm pretty sure the term is commonly used everywhere in the country.


Vote for me on Top Webcomics!

Twitter | Reynir blog | Native: :usa:   Rudimentary: :spain:   A few words: :iceland: | Reader since 10/21/14 | :chap5: - :chap13:

Sunflower

  • Saraswati
  • Admiral of a Sunken Ship
  • *
  • Preferred pronouns: She/her
  • Posts: 4158
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2086 on: December 04, 2014, 07:17:15 PM »
You definitely don't want Taco Bell.  O___O
It only causes pain... pain and suffering.
I've never been to chipotle or Panera, though.

No, trust Eich, you don't want Taco Bell.  It is the lowest common denominator of imitation "Mexican" food.  (shudders)

Chipotle is pretty darn good, for a chain.  It is pricey (though to be honest, they aren't competing head-to-head against cheapo vendors like McD's and Taco Bell), and the industrial-concrete store decor has all the charm of Communist high-rises circa 1970.  But it's delicious, it's sustainable, and they treat their workforce fairly (for fast-food workers).  (Plus, their burritos are huge, so at least you're getting good value for money.)

Likewise, Rubio's Fish Tacos are yummy (originally a San Diego specialty -- there's even a Rubio's at the airport). 

Even better, though, visit any cheap little Mexican or Guatemalan (or Hispanic, generally) hole-in-the-wall burrito joint in California.  For example, Pancho Villa's, where I eat sometimes.  That's not even counting the high-brow, totally auténtico restaurants in places like Berkeley and San Francisco, where you can get Yucatan-style cochinita pibil or huitlacoche tacos.  (It's a black fungus better known as "corn smut," and I think it's awful -- but it sure is authentic.)
If you want to stir up an argument, just ask whether the Bay Area or L.A. has better Mexican food. 

Sorry if I tormented anyone with these gloating descriptions.  If any of you are ever in Northern California, I'm happy to take you burrito-hunting!
"The music of what happens," said great Fionn, "that is the finest music in the world."
:chap3:  :chap4:  :chap5:  :book2:  :chap12:  :chap13:  :chap14:   :chap15:  :chap16:

Speak some:  :france:  :mexico:  :vaticancity:  Ein bisschen: :germany:

curiosity

  • Scout
  • ***
  • I fought the law, and the law won
  • Posts: 347
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2087 on: December 04, 2014, 07:30:16 PM »
Sorry if I tormented anyone with these gloating descriptions.  If any of you are ever in Northern California, I'm happy to take you burrito-hunting!

Is Mexican food so popular over entire USA or is it regional? I've always thought your fast food is mostly about burgers, hot dogs, corn dogs and so. Sorry, just crawled out of my cozy stone age cave last Sunday, have no idea.  ;D
The proverb lies, I've never killed a cat.
Perfectly fluent: :russia: :ukraine:          Desperately need to revise: :france:
Decently fluent: :uk:                Forgot everything: :germany:

Oskutin

  • Scout
  • ***
  • Half man, half machine
  • Posts: 283
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2088 on: December 04, 2014, 07:38:46 PM »
Out of curiosity, what is a block? Is it a standard unit of measurement in the US? Here in Europe the unit would't make sense since cities are too messy for the concept of blocks to be useful.
This is block  ;D

Piney

  • Admiral of a Sunken Ship
  • ******
    • Tumblr
    • DeviantArt
  • friendly neighborhood conifer
  • Preferred pronouns: she/her
  • Posts: 4073
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2089 on: December 04, 2014, 07:41:19 PM »
Is Mexican food so popular over entire USA or is it regional? I've always thought your fast food is mostly about burgers, hot dogs, corn dogs and so. Sorry, just crawled out of my cozy stone age cave last Sunday, have no idea.  ;D

It seems to be at least relatively popular everywhere I've been. But I do think it's significantly popular in California (coming from the perception of someone who has never been to California). So no, not so popular. There are a lot of fast food "Mexican" chains that people consider to be American staples, though. (Like Taco Bell, for instance.)


Vote for me on Top Webcomics!

Twitter | Reynir blog | Native: :usa:   Rudimentary: :spain:   A few words: :iceland: | Reader since 10/21/14 | :chap5: - :chap13:

Fimbulvarg

  • Admiral of a Sunken Ship
  • ******
  • Craigslist Samurai
  • Posts: 3555
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2090 on: December 04, 2014, 07:42:19 PM »
Is Mexican food so popular over entire USA or is it regional? I've always thought your fast food is mostly about burgers, hot dogs, corn dogs and so. Sorry, just crawled out of my cozy stone age cave last Sunday, have no idea.  ;D

Probably because the only fast food chains we get here in Europe are burger joints (Except Subway), the bad fast food joints. I don't know about Ukraine but homemade burritos are pretty popular as a weekend dish here, though we don't have any mexican cuisine restaurants.

OrigamiOwl

  • Ruler of a Derelict Airport
  • *****
  • Posts: 1849
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2091 on: December 04, 2014, 07:42:42 PM »
This is block  ;D

Yeeeeeeaaaaahhhhh, that's a type of block. Not necessarily a land-y-street block though: it's a block ON a block! :D

These are what I personally call blocks:



If it was all one building or all flats I would say "apartment block", "block of flats", "building block" but that's just me, and I'm prone to weird language things :(
« Last Edit: December 04, 2014, 07:51:20 PM by OrigamiOwl »
:artd: :book1+: :book2:
:chap11::chap12::chap13::chap14::chap15::chap16:

Oskutin

  • Scout
  • ***
  • Half man, half machine
  • Posts: 283
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2092 on: December 04, 2014, 07:52:20 PM »
Another block:



How about block^3?

Tenement block made from concrete blocks covering a city block.

OrigamiOwl

  • Ruler of a Derelict Airport
  • *****
  • Posts: 1849
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2093 on: December 04, 2014, 07:53:57 PM »
Another block:



How about block^3?

Tenement block made from concrete blocks covering a city block.
Hehe X'D
So many blocks...
:artd: :book1+: :book2:
:chap11::chap12::chap13::chap14::chap15::chap16:

mithrysc

  • Ranger
  • ****
  • indefinite hiatus
  • Posts: 806
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2094 on: December 04, 2014, 07:54:11 PM »
Soooo, I've recently heard that Finnish passport has a nice design, which includes a moose on every second page, each time drawn slightly different, so that when you flip pages fast enough, it looks as if the moose is walking. Any Finnish citizens to confirm it?
Also, do other countries have any interesting perks in their passports and/or other identity documents?

The proposed (going to be adopted?) design for Norway is supposed to have some fancy black-light pictures. Given, though, this is just a studio concept, pre-added-security features and whatnot.

Likewise, Rubio's Fish Tacos are yummy (originally a San Diego specialty -- there's even a Rubio's at the airport).

I went to California a while back, and we ate here. The fish tacos are delicious, which is somewhat depressing considering I'll probably never get to eat them again unless I visit the southeastern US again.

Panera is also delicious, if pricey. Never been to a Chipotle. (I think those types of dining are called fast-casual or something like that, or whatever tier is slightly above generic fast food.)

Eich

  • Thor
  • Ruler of a Derelict Airport
  • *
  • Retired Forum Admin
  • Posts: 1468
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2095 on: December 04, 2014, 07:55:17 PM »
Probably because the only fast food chains we get here in Europe are burger joints (Except Subway), the bad fast food joints. I don't know about Ukraine but homemade burritos are pretty popular as a weekend dish here, though we don't have any mexican cuisine restaurants.
There are a couple of good burger joints out there.  Five Guys is amazingly good.  A bit pricey, like Chipotle, but you get more than your money's worth.  Ordering a side of fries will net you a freaking potato and a half of peanut-oil fries, and the burgers can come with pretty much any of the standard things, plus some weird stuff like barbeque sauce.

Another block:



How about block^3?

Tenement block made from concrete blocks covering a city block.
This is escalating rather quickly.
Feel free to PM.

Fenris

  • Guest
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2096 on: December 04, 2014, 07:55:48 PM »
Probably because the only fast food chains we get here in Europe are burger joints (Except Subway), the bad fast food joints. I don't know about Ukraine but homemade burritos are pretty popular as a weekend dish here, though we don't have any mexican cuisine restaurants.
There's the pizza chains (Dolly Dimple's in particular is quite good), not to mention Egon and Big Horn Steak House (don't know much about fast food in the rest of Europe), although those three are all very expensive while still being fast food. Although, I am more fond of the local grills and fast food joints than any of the chains.

Oskutin

  • Scout
  • ***
  • Half man, half machine
  • Posts: 283
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2097 on: December 04, 2014, 07:58:14 PM »
There are a couple of good burger joints out there.  Five Guys is amazingly good.  A bit pricey, like Chipotle, but you get more than your money's worth.  Ordering a side of fries will net you a freaking potato and a half of peanut-oil fries, and the burgers can come with pretty much any of the standard things, plus some weird stuff like barbeque sauce.
This is escalating rather quickly.
Go for block^5

mithrysc

  • Ranger
  • ****
  • indefinite hiatus
  • Posts: 806
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2098 on: December 04, 2014, 08:01:56 PM »
There are a couple of good burger joints out there.  Five Guys is amazingly good.  A bit pricey, like Chipotle, but you get more than your money's worth.  Ordering a side of fries will net you a freaking potato and a half of peanut-oil fries, and the burgers can come with pretty much any of the standard things, plus some weird stuff like barbeque sauce.

Yeah... We went there all unsuspecting once...we ended up with almost an entire bag of fries. It's like the holder-cup-things are just for scooping.

Go for block^5
Can't find a picture, but a block (quantity/ amount) of text blocks (the sewn pages of a book sans cover) each containing a dissertation on blocks in a store made of concrete blocks on a city block.

OrigamiOwl

  • Ruler of a Derelict Airport
  • *****
  • Posts: 1849
Re: General Discussion Thread
« Reply #2099 on: December 04, 2014, 08:04:31 PM »
Tenement block made from concrete blocks covering a city block.

On a block of laaaaand! With blocked plumping and surrounded by traffic obstructing roadworks causing creatives to lose inspiration for their Lego diorama of the scene:O
:artd: :book1+: :book2:
:chap11::chap12::chap13::chap14::chap15::chap16: