I was in Scotland a few years ago when there was talk of Walmart opening local chains. That's all anyone could ever talk to me about - the concept of discount chain stores and how their lives would change as a result.

Interesting thread.

I have a shorthand way of making sense of the difference between Europe and the U.S. which goes like this: In Europe, the organizing principle is that space and resources are the limiting factors. In the U.S., there's plenty of space and resources, but time is the limiting factor. That's why Europeans enjoy 2-3 hour dinners and take the time to go to 4 different shops to buy dinner fixings. And why Americans have convenience stores and get their dinner from a drive-through fast-food place. So maybe Europeans like experiencing life with nearly unlimited space and resources for a change.

As an American, I am aware there are a lot of great things about our country. But I can't believe that many Europeans feel that our cities are so clean?!!! To those people I reccomend a trip to Canada. If they feel American cities are clean they'll be shellshocked to see Toronto or Vancouver.

KAVEY!<BR><BR>Just saw your photo on Dina's website. You don't look anything like I imagined (no, that's a good thing).<BR><BR>So, have you had a chance to visit Target yet for bra shopping? I have the same problem you have, so I understand.<BR><BR>My friend, Kristin, also calls Target Tar-jhay, as it's more upscale than say, K-Mart or Wal-Mart. She attends Xavier University here in Cincinnati and because they are so pretentious we refer to them as Javier Universidad. Just to poke fun!<BR><BR>Just wanted to say Hi, Kavey!<BR><BR>Ciao,<BR>Mary :)

TTT

TTT

Don't know why you're topping all these old threads, but this one is quite interesting.

- I'm trying to avoid all the big cities where possible. They are so boringly identical.
- I'm renting a (200+hp chrysler) in Texas. The cars are crap, their engines are great!
- Driving to central Canada and back.
- Making a few stops, Camping in remote places,
- looking out for Wal-Marts and McDonalds

All this is great and inexpensive fun! Wouldn't wan't to live there, though.

Ti_stahw_eht_piz

Hi, are you the new TTT official?

zip the whats it?

why?

Conveniences, 24 hour openings and drive through many things (nice touch when little children are sleeping suddenly in the car and things have to be done).
Such a large mix of people from everywhere. The friendliness we have experienced everywhere we have gone.
Each State has such diversity and wonderful people/places of their very own to admire from special scenery to special foods.
Highways in comparison to some roads in Europe that seem to have been paid by the mile to build as opposed to from A to B.
Much easier to get a good deal with such a large competition, always find a 'good buy' especially on clothing.
I may never see it all but there's a list as long as my arm so far and when we get back there I will realize some of those dreams.

Ann Taylor and Banana republic - GREAT cheap shopping , turkey sandwiches, eggrolls, empty highways, lovely nature, big houses with carpets on all floors,little rooms used as wardrobe,smell of cinnamon in shopping malls......ahhhhh brings back memories I WANT TO GO THERE RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!

It's particularly interesting to me to stumble across this old-but-renewed thread, since I only yesterday initiated a sort of mirror-image thread on generally the same topic.

I notice most of the responses are from 2001-ish. I'm curious as to whether they'd be any different, given events since then.

But that's not why I'm posting. I have a question for UK visitors. I've seen a couple references to 'ranch dressing' as a favorite US taste. I'll be serving dinner at home for a couple of visitors (friends of a friend) from the UK at dinner tomorrow, and the menu includes a salad. I had planned on doing an oh-so-sophisticated oil-and-vinegar dressing, but if 'ranch' is all the rage, I could be persuaded to change my mind.

So, my question: O-&amp;-V, or Ranch on the salad?

Fritzrl

Hi F,

Set a bottle of each on the table and let your guests choose.

((I))

&quot;Bottle&quot;!?!? *Bottled* dressing!?!?!

Perish the thought.

Besides, I spent 300 bucks last year on a cooking course that permanently programmed me to make my own salad dressings, then to lovingly (one could almost say, tenderly) toss the greens in the dressing prior to presenting them (with great ceremony, of course) on decorative plates as a first course.

So very &Uuml;ber-Euro, perhaps. However, it does taste better, and it's not all that difficult.

If Ranch is the thing, I'll go buy the buttermilk, which I regard as icky stuff I wouldn't have around otherwise. Its only conceivable purpose in my book is as an ingredient for ranch dressing.

Fritzrl

Oooooooo, cold, salted buttermilk on a hot day. Almost as good as beer.

Buttermilk biscuits :)

Homemade salad dressings? People do this? Impressive.

Buy a bottle, put it in a jar and call it semi-homemade. Add a sprig of parsley if you feel you're cheating by calling it homemade when it was poured from a jar.

By the way thats:

Buy a bottle, pour it into a presentation bowl and . . .

but a bottle on table works fine for most of us.

Last February I met several Brits in Mexico as part of a Girl Guide adventure. They mentioned that they were always impressed with American's great show of patriotism.

And back to the ranch dressing, my son who is attending his 2nd year of college in London, called me one day to tell me he had found ranch dressing and now he could face eating salads again.

gailscout: too funny about the ranch dressing. My neice was living in London a few years ago and when her parents and I went to visit, she requested we bring ranch dressing. LOL She's in Copenhagen now and her parent have already sent a care package that included peanut butter..LOL She can buy it there but VERY expensive.