Stuck in the Middle

This afternoon, after church, I had the single best glass of Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla I have ever had. I have no idea why today's drink was so special, but it was. I am in the middle of my fridge pack, the middle of my ice-cube tray (note to self: I need to fill the tray), and I am in the middle of my dixie cup supply. Simply put, I can find no scientific reason why this drink was sooooo good.

Sometimes the taste of a drink can be explained by looking at the mood of the drinker as opposed to the taste of the drink itself. Either way, today's drink was a hall-of-famer.

Ding, Dong, The Ants Are Gone

I am pleased to report that the ants have officially left the minivan! I employed a two-prong approach to win this war. First and foremost, I removed the donut. I think that once their food was gone, the ants decided to leave. Second, I put out ant traps; the kind that have a yummy but deadly liquid that (supposedly) they take back to their hive. I really don't believe that the ants take the bait back to the queen and pull a heaven's gate on everybody, but the ants are gone from the van!

My Own Private Ant Farm

Our driveway used to be home to a very large and very aggressive black ant colony. "But DDW why do you say used to be home?" Well, this wonderful colony of ants has moved into my minivan. That's right, DDW's fabulous minivan is now a giant, travelling ANT FARM! AHHHHHHHHHH!

It turns out there was a small donut particle in the back seat that brought the ants like bees to the honey. I said they were aggressive didn't I? I once dropped a burrito on the driveway, and in the time it took me to go in the house and grab some napkins to clean it up I had a full-blown swarm goin' on.

The only good news: ants are definitely not attracted to diet coke.

Sweatin' Like a Dixie Cup

The past few days in SoCal have actually been a bit cool (at least in the mornings), and the temperature change has really highlighted the fact that our house has the insulation of a dixie cup. Now I have nothing against dixie cups for my diet coke, but living inside a dixie cup is another matter.

In the summer we sweat like pigs served up in a dixie cup, and in the winter we freeze like otter pups served up in a dixie cup; DDW's mother even plans her trips to coincide with the weather to minimize the dixie cup factor. I even had to put DDW baby in a snowsuit just because the temperature dipped below 95 degrees!

However, a dixie cup is my favorite container for Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla. Uummmmmmmmmmm, that is one fine drink. Lots of ice, filled to the top, just the right size to hold one cap of Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla. Yowwzzzers! I might be sweatin' like a dixie cup, but at least my cup is full of my fav drink.

RR: Wal-Mart

I know what you are thinking, "DDW why are you classifying all these stores as restaurants when they are clearly not?" Sorry diet drink world readers, but this is the best I can come up with. I do not love Wal-Mart as much as Target; I don't have anything against Wal-Mart politically, but I do have some memories that only DDW's former co-workers can relate to. Be that as it may, they still have diet drinkts there and the public needs to be informed.

Wal-Mart's soda bar resides under the golden arches. Most Wal-Mart's (including the one by me) have a McDonald's in the store; I can get a double cheeseburger with my stretch pants! Since McDonald's and diet drinks are ubiquitous, I don't think much more needs to be said - even a casual diet drinker knows what the arches offer. Later posts will discuss why McDonald's diet coke tastes a bit like rat poison.

Nevertheless, I absolutely enjoy shopping with a diet coke! It makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable, and DDW baby loves trying to grab my straw. He knows that mommy drinks from the straw, but he hasn't figured out how to suck from a straw yet. The real lesson for me is that I need to get two straws whenever I order a diet drink: one for me and one for me later when DDW breaks my straw. There is nothing worse than having a great diet coke in front of you with a broken straw!.

RR: Chipotle

DDW, DDW baby and DDW husband all went to Chipotle today; it has been almost a year since we last went to Chipotle (we got a bit sick of it). Anywhoo, let's get to what matters -- the diet drinks!

Drinks: Coke products. Also of note, their soda bar has two Coke dispensers and two Diet Coke dispensers on opposite sides of the bar. This allows for two people to fill their Diet Cokes at the same time.

Lime: None

Ice: They have the flat, half-moon, half-smile shaped ice.

Cups: The large cup comes in very-nicely at 32 ounces; it is a standard paper-coated cup.

Restaurant Review: Target

Oh Target, how do I love thee? I love thee so much that I will classify you as a restaurant even though you are clearly not. For DDW and DDW baby, Target is a must. It is also what some would call a target-rich environment. There really is nothing in there that I can't buy - very dangerous! Anywhoo, let's get to what really matters: diet drinks.

Target has a soda bar that contains Coke products and Pepsi products, and there really is no need to say more. Babies R Us is great, but they don't have a soda bar!

Target = Coke Products + Pepsi Products

The Mini Fridge

Are you totally dedicated to your diet drink? If you have a mini fridge in your office (especially if the mini fridge is against office code), then you are a true diet drinker. Both DDW husband and DDW BFF have mini fridges in their offices. Most people would think you would need a mini fridge because your office doesn't have a fridge or to save money on the outrageous vending machine/snack shop prices; however, the true diet drinker knows that the mini fridge really all about security.

A true diet drinker will want to safeguard their diet drink from any office scavengers at all times (This is especially true if you are drinking something exotic and/or not sold in your office vending machine). Every office has a communal fridge, but you don't have to be Stephen Hawking to find the Black Hole in your department. Stuff goes in but it never comes out, and if the diet actually makes it out of the fridge it probably smells like Old Mother Hubbard's tuna fish sandwich (and no Lime can compensate for that). The only other problem you might encounter is Old Mother Hubbard raiding your mini fridge when you aren't there (next month we will discuss jujitsu).

Office + Exotic Diet Drink - Old Mother Hubbard = Mini Fridge

Corporate News: Pepsi

Kid Nation (a very controversial new show) is airing this fall, but Pepsi will not be a sponser for the show. For more information on this issue check out Deadline Hollywood Daily.

Restaurant Review: La Salsa

So where was DDW known for always keeping a diet drink on her desk - DDW's old office. It is important to keep in touch with your roots (unless, of course, they're grey), so I went to downtown Los Angeles and had lunch with the peeps. I took the DDW baby with me, and we had a great time. At lunch, DDW baby showed an unnatural obsession with my diet drink - perhaps he remembers it from the womb. When I was pregnant, I thought there was a real chance the DDW baby was going to pop out holding a Diet Coke - thank goodness all those pregnancy books were wrong.

Today, he kept reaching for my drink and jamming the straw into his mouth. The only problem is that he doesn't know how to slurp through a straw yet. I really think that slurping your first diet drink should be one of those developmental milestones that doctors track. Based on the DDW development chart, DDW baby is definitely ahead of schedule and a total genius.

Anywhooooo, I figured this would be a good time to let you know the best place to get Diet Coke in Downtown LA: La Salsa on Grand.

First, La Salsa features Diet Coke products. Second, they have Limes; as you all know by now, the Lime is very important to the overall enjoyment of any diet drink. You won't find the Limes at the drink fountain (like Baja Fresh), because they are stored at the salsa bar. Finally, La Salsa has a giant cup; it is so big that when you order a large drink the cashier will actually hold up the cup to make sure that it is the size you really want. La Salsa's medium size cup is what most places would call a large cup. I will report back later with actual drink sizes in ounces. Let's just say that the cup is so large even DDW has a hard time needing a refill.

La Salsa = Coke Products + the Lime + Large Cup.

Restaurant Review: Baja Fresh

Today, Diet Drink World & DDW baby had lunch with DDW husband at Baja Fresh, so I thought this would be a good time to give you my views on the place. I have personally been to various Baja Fresh locations in Washington DC, Salt Lake City, Utah and SoCal, I will assume that there is one close to you.

The most important news: Baja Fresh recently switched from Pepsi products to Coke products. Love it or hate it, but this is big news. I would be interested to know what goes into a corporation changing their drink products; if you know, feel free to comment on it.

Second, they still have LIMES! If you are not a Diet Coke person, I recommend using a Lime to appease your taste buds. Baja Fresh is one of the few semi-fast food places to offer Limes, and I have to commend them for that. **Applause**

My only problem with Baja Fresh is that if you want a large drink you have to buy that ridiculous plastic cup with the ridiculous lid that barely fits. I get the idea of keeping the cup and reusing it (which saves you and the environment), but it is just not practical for many reasons.

First, you must have access to the ridiculous cup to get any value from it. If you usually get your diet drink from Baja on your lunch break at work, you can probably keep the cup handy; thus, it makes sense for you. But, if you are the kind of person who goes to Baja when you are running around, you won't be able to use the cup. Unless, of course, you just happen to to keep a stash of Baja Fresh cups in the back of your minivan with all the other crap you have for the kids. Hmmmmm, not likely.

So, when it is 110 degrees and all you really want is a giant drink, you are stuck with a ridiculous cup (that isn't even that big) with a ridiculous lid. BTW, the lid really should come with a warning that when you try to put it on you are in danger of spilling the entire diet drink! Baja needs to offer a LARGE disposable cup along with the refillable ridiculous one.

Baja Fresh = Coke Products + Lime – Ridiculous Cup.

Ice

Another key ingredient to any diet drink is Ice. I prefer to fill the cup almost completely with ice and then add in my diet drink. I think the amount of ice really adds to the taste of any diet drink. As the ice melts, you get the perfect blend of diet drink and water. Even if your drink is already cold (either from the fountain or the fridge), your drink will still benefit from ice-cold ice. While I love ice (and lots of it), it has been the subject of much controversy at the DDW home.

First, after I am done with my diet drink, there is always some ice left in the bottom of the cup. The leftover ice is also covered in a bit of whatever diet drink I was enjoying. I am guilty of leaving this ice-filled cup around the house. I think it stems from a hope that later, when all the ice melts, there might just be one more sip of delectable diet drink, but this is not the case. The only thinn left in the cup is just the ice water with a teeeeeny bit of diet. So where is the problem you might ask? DDW Husband cannot stand this! He even accuses me of leaving enough diet in my drink that I could still drink it, but as you and I know it is just ice water. This truly drives him crazy, so he dumps any drink he sees sitting around the house. Again you might ask, "What is the problem with that DDW?" Well, DDW Husband does not check the drink before he dumps it out. He has (more than once) dumped out a drink that I literally just made; it almost brought tears to my eyes to see the fresh ice cubes covered in Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla rolling around the bottom of the sink. That brings us to the second controversy in DDW home.

For some reason, no one (including DDW) wants to fill the ice cube trays. I would love to lay this blame completely at DDW Husband's feet, but I am guilty too. Even when you think the ice cube tray on the bottom will surely have ice in it, you are wrong. Here is the scene: I have my diet can in my hand; I have a cup ready on the counter; I open the freezer see the top tray is empty and pull back the tray with longing. It is at this moment that I realize the second tray is empty as well. FOR THE LOVE WILL SOMEONE PLEASE FILL THE ICE CUBE TRAYS!!!

Is there a ten-second rule for ice rolling around the bottom of the sink?

DDW & Costco

Today, DDW went to Costco to stock up on diapers, frozen food, and various giant-sized products I never dreamed I would need. Costco is a daunting experience when you have the DDW baby in tow. I made the tactical decision that DDW baby would have to sit in the cart instead of shopping in his car seat. He is almost too big for the car seat; the last time I was at Costco with DDW baby I actually ran into someone with the cart because I couldn't see over his car seat. It turns out DDW baby loves the shopping cart! He got to chew on my shopping list while holding a 5-pack of Tide Pens. Overall a great experience, but here is my 2-pack beef with Costco: SMALL DRINKS!

How is it that a store known as a "big box store" that specializes in giant-sized products has the smallest fountain drinks? I shared this concern with DDW's sister-in-law, and she informed me that if you asked for a large drink you could get one. I will admit that I didn't have time to get a drink after the cart was full of my giant items, but if they have large drinks why wouldn't they advertise them? Even more importantly, they do not have large-sized lids at the fountain area (only small lids), so I am not sure the Costco by me actually has large fountain drinks. I have to give Sam's Club the edge on this one as they have much larger fountain drinks available.

Big Store. Small Drinks. Bummer

Diet Drinks & Church

So here at Diet Drink World, Sunday is basically just a day for church and it got me to thinking. Is there anywhere that you can't take a diet coke or other diet drink? Hmm, after much thought I have come up with a few places that you should not take a diet drink --- please!

1. Church. Although, I did once hear of a girl brining a giant diet drink to her Sunday service meeting, but this was summarily dismissed as low class. There is just something about the sound of wrlop on a straw that does NOT say reverence and devotion; there is also something about the sweat from giant said soda slipping and dripping onto the hymnal that does not produce a hormonius sound.

2. Funeral. See above (unless your great grandma Braithwaite loved diet drinks as much as diet drink world, but the rest of your family may not share your shared devotion, and your display of devotion might jeopardize your share of great grandma Braithwaite's diet drink collection, so best to leave the diet in the car).

3. Wedding. See 1 & 2. However, a diet drink is totally appropriate for the reception just not the ceremony itself. Unless, of course, the ceremony is performed at Dodger Stadium during halftime.

Thoughts or your own faux pas to share - then leave a comment!

DDW & Football

DDW is off to a football game. In order to prepare myself for today's festivities, I have already consumed two very large diet drinks. I plan to use the restroom at home one last time before we leave for the game. I also have cash in my pocket for the inevitable diet drink purchase at the game. There is just something great about a football game that requires sunglasses, a sweatshirt and a diet drink. You know you need a giant diet drink, sweat dripping down the side, super-tall It makes me a little nostalgic for a time I never had.

DDW baby is staying at Grandma's and Pompa's house for the game, and Grandma has quite the store of diet drinks. At any given point, her magic fridge in the garage has about 5 different types of diet drinks. DDW Grandma loves to send us home with diet drinks, so we love to come visit.

12-Hour Diet Drink Fast

Diet Drink World had to go on a 12-hour fast for some blood work. I figured that if I did most of the fasting during the middle of the night that it would not hurt so much. I was wrong. I started my fast with a can of Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla ("DDPCV") (this is my current diet obsession for the minute), and more than 12 hours later I was ready for another drink. I was desperate for some diet the minute they took my blood, so I rewarded myself with a ginormous fountain Diet Coke ("DC") the minute I left the lab. I haven't found a place that has DDPCV on tap so I had to settle for DC.

Diet drink world baby took a short but needed nap this afternoon, thus allowing me to make this historic post.

The Lime

The key ingredient to any diet cola drink is: The Lime. Whether you are drinking diet Pepsi or diet coke, you need The Lime. There is just something about The Lime that counteracts the diet nature of the drink. I have also found that if you are completely committed to coke or Pepsi (and refuse to drink the other one) The Lime can get you by in a pinch. Next week I will discuss the difference between lime-flavored drinks and The Lime.

I must be off; I have to finish my diet drink before diet drink world baby wakes up.