For those of you have have traveled to conferences or eaten at banquets, you know something about what to expect in terms of hotel food.  Whether it’s a buffet or a plated dinner, you can almost guarantee that there will be chicken on the menu.  I guess they assume it’s a safe choice – everyone likes chicken, right?  It’s amazing to me how many different sauces they can use to cover the same chicken.  First lunch on day one we were offered chicken marsala or salmon AND caesar salad.  Now, this particular lunch had an Italian sort of theme, so this worked for me.  And I’m not a big seafood eater – check out my blog about square fish and you’ll understand. That evening we were served – you guessed it – chicken with some kind tomato topping.  And caesar salad.  On day two, I hoped for some variety, but again it was chicken with some kind of white wine sauce or salmon and… you guessed it, caesar salad.  Pretty sure it made us all grateful for the great steak and garden salad served for dinner tonight!

The other big thing on the menu for every meal has been potatoes.  We’ve had them homestyle, in wedges, mashed and in the form of hash browns.  Bread of some sort is served EVERY meal.  Oh, and I did I mention that they bring in goodies about an hour after lunch?  While there is also fresh fruit, who in their right mind is going to have an apple when you could have a chocolate chip cookie?  Oh, and that’s after you’ve had a choice of desserts WITH lunch.  And after dinner.  Is there any doubt as to why I can’t wear my clothes by the end of the week?

Mind you, I’m not complaining here.  The food is good, there’s plenty of it, I don’t have to cook, serve or clean up after it.  Someone else has taken the time to choose the menus and it’s being given to us.  It’s a wonderful thing.  I’m sure it’s a little like going on a cruise ship.  Except instead of playing shuffleboard or taking in a show, we’re brainstorming and wordsmithing.  Maybe not the best of analogies, but you get the point.

I really had the best of intentions when I came this year.  Less diet coke, more water.  More fruit and veggies and less bread and potatoes.  Only dessert at dinner, not both lunch AND dinner.  Well, that lasted about a day.  The second diet coke was needed to get through the afternoon and seriously, when did sprouts become a vegetable?  And I’m sorry, it’s just awkward to be crunching on an apple sitting in a meeting all dressed up while people are talking.  Totally justified my quiet cookie instead.

Tomorrow we look forward to a 6:00 a.m. continental breakfast and the opportunity to choose what I’m going to eat in the Senate cafeteria.  Then we’ll see if there’s chicken and caesar salad on the buffet line for dinner again tomorrow.