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Alpana Singh Feigns Ignorance; We Are Skeptical

Alpana.JPGLet it be on the record that we really really like Alpana Singh's new blog. (How could we not? We have so much in common!)

But let is also be on the record that we are sort of cocking our head and emanating confused whimpers at this post, in which she claims to be unaware of — yet happily surprised by — the affordability of wine at Foodlife:

We made our way to Water Tower last night to check out some of their newly remodeled kiosks - including one featuring wine. I was really surprised by how many wines were offered at reasonable prices as low as $4.95 per glass. This is so awesome! How many times have you been out holiday shopping and then begin to feel frazzled by shopping anxiety or if you can't bare the thought of dealing with panicked crowds and have wished for a glass of Pinot Grigio to calm your nerves? Well, now you can! Just pop into Foodlife, pick up something to eat and get your glass. And, if you like the wine you can pick up a bottle from the Foodlife Market to take home.

Or when she just so happens to notice signage for FoodLife's "First Friday Wine Downs," a monthly tasting event which she then heavy-handedly pitches:

On my way in, I also noticed a sign for their Monthly First Friday Wine Downs which is coming up next week. For $15 you get to try 20 different wines from all over the world - that's less than $1 per wine! Some wine tastings can be boring and clinical as they are frequented by wine snobs going on and on about the bouquet and aroma but the Foodlife tastings are different. The first time I attended one, I was immediately impressed with the young, professional and attractive crowd sipping and flirting with one another as they discussed the merits and attributes of each selection - I'm talking about wine here. [She goes on in this fashion for another 150 or so words.]

Why are we making all these confuzzled noises? Because FoodLife is owned by LEYE. And Alpana? Is the director of wine and spirits for LEYE. And as such presumably has a hand in selecting these $4.95-per-glass wines and signing off on the signs for the singles-friendly wine tastings.

Don't get us wrong — we know that when a restaurant employee blogs about his or her professional life, the blog serves as an extension of the restaurant brand. No one expects, say, Philip Foss to go on a screed against hotel dining, f'rinstance. But this kind of wide-eyed who-me advertorial gets our undies in a bunch.

So...what are you doing next Friday? [What Would Alpana Drink?]
Foodlife [MenuPages]
Foodlife [Official Site]

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5 Comments - Add yours

  • I think its the opposite... I think its naive to think that she "signs off" of ALL wines at every LEYE location. Thats crazy! However I do thinks its lame to promote a place she works for...with so many other places in Chicago.

    By Helene on 12/06/2008 at 6:49 PM

  • Why should Alpana have to apologize for wanting to eat at one of her company's restaurants? Do you people who work for successful organizations not take pride in the work the organization does? If you worked for a restaurant, wouldn't you want to support it by eating there if you liked the food and happened to be nearby? I manufacture light bulbs for a living, and let me tell you, it fills my heart with pride whenever I see someone reading beneath my glowing light. I'm not going to pretend I'm so blase that I can't appreciate that. And I also hate to break it to you, but as omniscient as we all like to think she is, she can't possibly know about every single promotion going on in each of Lettuce's 55 plus stores across the country, nor has she likely eaten recently--or ever--in all of them. So I'm thinking it is possible that she was trying to get her husband the burger he desired at a place she knew had a better burger to offer than that golden arches place, and discovered what she said she discovered when she got there. Unfathomable? Maybe just impossible for Helen and her two sycophants to comprehend.

    By ted on 12/01/2008 at 1:33 PM

  • From: Ray's McBlog Posted: June 12, 1967 at 2:13 pm Saw another set of golden arches outside Philly, so I decided to stop in. They were offering a sandwich called a "Big Mac." Well, I'm a big guy so it was just the choice for me! When I opened the styrofoam clamshell, though, I thought-- cut off my legs and call me Shorty, what's this? I was expecting ketchup, mustard, pickle and onions, along with a slice of delectable bright orange 100% American cheese, but what was this? It looked like two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun! Well, scramble my retro-rockets, I was flummoxed, but I had to dig right into that baby. And you know what? It was....

    By Mike Gebert on 11/26/2008 at 2:02 PM

  • Helen - Are you trying to get me worked up before Thanksgiving? Everyone knows there is nothing finer than dining inside of a hotel! Have a great holiday, Phillip

    By phillip foss on 11/26/2008 at 1:46 PM

  • Oh, crap. Now I feel like I have to take a bath. The worst part is the wide-eyed, naive, faux-earnestness with which she writes about it, like "Oh...look at this wonderful gem that I stumbled upon and never really knew existed." Just a mild disclaimer would have done it. But I'm tryin' Ringo. I tryin' reeeaalll hard not to feel dirty here. Has a bit of a used car salesman feel. Ugh.

    By Christo P. Ney on 11/26/2008 at 11:18 AM

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