Complaints about living in New Zealand? (2015, buy, price)
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I've never been to NZ, and if I ever go, it will be as a tourist, not a relocation.
But - some of the cultural things (i've been meaning to start a podcast or something about this for a while) are baffling. Not the thing itself - but that anyone finds it baffling. Marisa, I'll just use you as an example, since you're right here in my field of view (er, on CD) - and because you're using issues that are not hot buttons - but:
Re: Tipping. Tipping culture varies all over the world. I don't find the USA system of tipping any more or less complicated than I find any tipping, in any place I've ever been. No one does it the same. Some do, some don't. Some fixed, some not. Some big, some small. Some insulted. Some pleased. And so on. It is hardly an item on which to affix an opinion of the USA, any more than I should use it to fix one of NZ. Or Japan. Or Mexico.
Food? What kind of food are you un-keen on? The USA has a great - vast - variety of food, imported from every nation on earth (literally). Please don't judge USA food on Applebees or Perkins or McDonalds. I am not saying that food elsewhere isn't magnificent - it is - I'm just pointing out that the sheer size of the USA menu is not something most folks have sampled - and if you don't like what you just ate - don't eat it again. seek out something different. Good food - GREAT food - is out there.*
*don't flame me for lacking in some regional delicacy. that's not really the point. all cultures have a game changing food that isn't shared with the others. but to whatever degree it IS shared - it is far more likely to be shared in the USA than just about anywhere. seek it out.
Yes indeed! The USA has a very wide selection of food, from crappy to outstanding. The Australian supermarkets don't have as big as selection, as America has. You can buy all fruit for 12 months a year in America. Now that is bad, and good, because if you buy a fruit that is out of season, it won't be as good. I eat blueberries, cherries, and strawberries practically all year, so there are times I am buying them out of season, and of course they not as good, as in season. It is also good to mention the USA has a strong fresh regional food component.
What a stupid statement, "not overly keen on the food", you have said Americans are ignorant of Australia, which is true to some degree. But now you are showing your ignorance of America. America has such a vast network, you can get any type of quality food you want! America has the largest food distribution network in the world. Some of the best restaurants in the world, are in America. I will put my food available, at my local supermarket, up with anything I saw in Australia. We have far more food choices than you, and its not even close! Even when you include the tip, restaurant meals are still cheaper in America, and they give you much larger portions.
Thanks, I just need to be called stupid after spending three days tutoring grandkids with home learning. Yes, I probably am stupid to do this, but I brought it on myself!
We have spent a total of twenty-six weeks touring in the US so are somewhat familiar with the food. Generally, we find restaurant helpings too large and if we do not want to waste the food, we have to stick with one course. We love the way in Italy, by comparison, you can eat several small courses.,
Also we found a lot of food in the US, especially Italian type food, uses more cheese and has more sauce than we like.
The price comparison depends, of course on the exchange rate. We have been in the US when our dollar bought only 57 cents US and when it was on parity. Our last trip, of 7 weeks, was in 2018, and we would have to double the stated price to account for exchange rate, tax and tips. Which would often result in the cost being similar to home.
When we were last in NZ the food was quite a bit more expensive than here. Especially when we did not find BYO restaurants as we have in Sydney. But the food was very similar to here in most cases. Or at least what we ordered.
Thanks, I just need to be called stupid after spending three days tutoring grandkids with home learning. Yes, I probably am stupid to do this, but I brought it on myself!
We have spent a total of twenty-six weeks touring in the US so are somewhat familiar with the food. Generally, we find restaurant helpings too large and if we do not want to waste the food, we have to stick with one course. We love the way in Italy, by comparison, you can eat several small courses.,
Also we found a lot of food in the US, especially Italian type food, uses more cheese and has more sauce than we like.
The price comparison depends, of course on the exchange rate. We have been in the US when our dollar bought only 57 cents US and when it was on parity. Our last trip, of 7 weeks, was in 2018, and we would have to double the stated price to account for exchange rate, tax and tips. Which would often result in the cost being similar to home.
When we were last in NZ the food was quite a bit more expensive than here. Especially when we did not find BYO restaurants as we have in Sydney. But the food was very similar to here in most cases. Or at least what we ordered.
My touring of Australia is not as extensive as yours is of America. I was only in Melbourne and Sydney for a total of 3 wks. By no means did I find the food superior in Australia to America. Especially when it came to breakfast, I just love American breakfast, and American Italian food for that matter. I love our huge restaurant portions, because I am a big eater and drinker. I also like our happy hour in bars, as Australia was much more expensive for alcohol. I am not obese, as I power walk several miles a day in the California sunshine. Another thing was the coffee, as the flat white was not my thing. I love good old fashion American Dunkin Donuts coffee, and if I go to Starbucks, I always order a Venti Green Tea Soy Latte, which is magnificent!
My touring of Australia is not as extensive as yours is of America. I was only in Melbourne and Sydney for a total of 3 wks. By no means did I find the food superior in Australia to America. Especially when it came to breakfast, I just love American breakfast, and American Italian food for that matter. I love our huge restaurant portions, because I am a big eater and drinker. I also like our happy hour in bars, as Australia was much more expensive for alcohol. I am not obese, as I power walk several miles a day in the California sunshine. Another thing was the coffee, as the flat white was not my thing. I love good old fashion American Dunkin Donuts coffee, and if I go to Starbucks, I always order a Venti Green Tea Soy Latte, which is magnificent!
Well let’s just agree to disagree in the matter of food. I am not saying Australian food is superior to American, rather that I personally do not see American food as an attraction for me. My husband is of Italian heritage and seems to have inherited a very sweet tooth. He loves American breakfasts too, especially sweet American breakfasts. He and I have entirely different tastes in food but we agree that taste in food is very individual. When in Sicily I never eat the gelato, dolce, cannoli, biscotti. Much too sweet. But I love aranchini, pasta and the seafood. And I long for my vegemite!
We almost always go to BYO restaurants in Sydney, which most are in the suburbs. Most in our area have no corkage so the cost is that of the bottle shop.
We are flat white or Capp drinkers, also expresso. Starbucks has never been much of a success here as people prefer their local small coffee shop. But if you like it, go for it.
I tend to think that you may be similarly unimpressed with the food in NZ, but I would not think the food would attract either tourists or intending immigrants. It is the scenery that attracts tourists. Potential migrants, not so sure. As is pointed out in this long thread, it has its drawbacks as well as attractions.
Well let’s just agree to disagree in the matter of food. I am not saying Australian food is superior to American, rather that I personally do not see American food as an attraction for me. My husband is of Italian heritage and seems to have inherited a very sweet tooth. He loves American breakfasts too, especially sweet American breakfasts. He and I have entirely different tastes in food but we agree that taste in food is very individual. When in Sicily I never eat the gelato, dolce, cannoli, biscotti. Much too sweet. But I love aranchini, pasta and the seafood. And I long for my vegemite!
We almost always go to BYO restaurants in Sydney, which most are in the suburbs. Most in our area have no corkage so the cost is that of the bottle shop.
We are flat white or Capp drinkers, also expresso. Starbucks has never been much of a success here as people prefer their local small coffee shop. But if you like it, go for it.
I tend to think that you may be similarly unimpressed with the food in NZ, but I would not think the food would attract either tourists or intending immigrants. It is the scenery that attracts tourists. Potential migrants, not so sure. As is pointed out in this long thread, it has its drawbacks as well as attractions.
I don’t like vegemite or Starbucks coffee, as I explained I never order coffee at Starbucks, as it is 5:15 am, and I’m at Starbucks right now with my IPad, with a Venti Soy Green Tea Latte.
Also we found a lot of food in the US, especially Italian type food, uses more cheese and has more sauce than we like.
Italian-American food is pretty ordinary. It's average/below average quality ingredients ladled with fat and sugar (because everything in America has sugar added; avoid Thai food in the US if you don't like sugar) to make it edible. That's not to say that there isn't great Italian food in America – I've lived in NYC and LA and both have good Italian in spades. There's a focus in America on portion size and that dictates the quality of the ingredients: A lot of food has a sort of rich, heavy blandness. IMO, food in Australia is a lot better than in America.
Italian-American food is pretty ordinary. It's average/below average quality ingredients ladled with fat and sugar (because everything in America has sugar added; avoid Thai food in the US if you don't like sugar) to make it edible. That's not to say that there isn't great Italian food in America – I've lived in NYC and LA and both have good Italian in spades. There's a focus in America on portion size and that dictates the quality of the ingredients: A lot of food has a sort of rich, heavy blandness. IMO, food in Australia is a lot better than in America.
I didn't find food better in Australia at all, also the portions are to small. When I think of Australia and food, I think lot of money, for a little bit of food. America is a huge diverse country, with every type of quality food available. I would rather eat in America any day than Australia.
I didn't find food better in Australia at all, also the portions are to small. When I think of Australia and food, I think lot of money, for a little bit of food. America is a huge diverse country, with every type of quality food available. I would rather eat in America any day than Australia.
No one is stopping you from doing that. I'm not sure a 3 week visit to Sydney and Melbourne makes you particularly well informed on Australian food.
No one is stopping you from doing that. I'm not sure a 3 week visit to Sydney and Melbourne makes you particularly well informed on Australian food.
You are making ridiculous sweeping general statements about food in America that just isn't true. America is such a large rich diverse country that you can find ANYTHING. To say that American food has to much sugar, is just a ridiculous statement. I eat very little sugar, because anything you want you can find in the USA. Yes but in those 3 weeks I did eat in several restaurants, and shopped in a few supermarkets. I did notice that Australia doesn't have as big of product selection as we have in our supermarkets. America is so much larger than Australia, that just about any food product in the world makes its way here. America is the worlds shopping market place. I am also a big beer drinker, and you can buy just about any beer possible in America. In Australia the beer is far more expensive, and selection is more limited.
Coming from a household that has three enthusiastic cooks all trying to outdo each other, and who happily go to great length to source ingredients, I find myself being a bit ho hum towards dining out.
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