Mini-Ep 435: Sometimes You Gotta Use A Precious Egg

Summary

Forever35 Podcast – Mini-Episode 435: "Sometimes You Gotta Use A Precious Egg"

In this engaging mini-episode of Forever35, co-hosts Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu delve into a variety of personal anecdotes, pop culture discussions, listener interactions, and everyday life hacks—all infused with their signature humor and self-awareness. Released on March 19, 2025, this episode, titled "Sometimes You Gotta Use A Precious Egg," offers a snapshot of the hosts' lives and thoughts, making it both relatable and entertaining for listeners.

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Personal Adventures and Anecdotes

Elise’s K-Pop Concert Experience (02:25 – 04:45)

Elise begins the episode by sharing a spontaneous adventure: attending a NCT127 K-pop concert at what she humorously refers to as "Staples," now known as Crypto.com Arena. The experience was a mix of excitement and unexpected chaos, highlighted by the intense enthusiasm of the K-pop fandom.

Elise Hu (03:57): "The K-pop fandom is so intense. And then Rob calls and he's like, 'where are you?' and I'm like, 'I'm at a random K-pop concert.'"

Elise details how she secured the extra ticket last minute, emphasizing the unpredictability and excitement of such events. Despite the high cost of parking and cocktails, the experience lifted her spirits, showcasing the importance of stepping out of one's routine.

Doree’s Stay-at-Home Reflection (04:59 – 06:15)

Contrasting Elise’s outing, Doree recounts her cozy night in watching White Lotus, influenced by the show's rising popularity on platforms like TikTok. She expresses initial skepticism but reveals her growing interest, particularly intrigued by Walton Goggins' performance.

Doree Shafrir (05:26): "It's like a send-up of a mega church pastor and his family... I think the reason it's getting pushed to me is because Walton Goggins is in it."

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Pop Culture Insights

Deep Dive into "White Lotus" and Walton Goggins (05:56 – 07:32)

The hosts transition into a discussion about White Lotus, praising Walton Goggins for his compelling acting and dedication to his craft. They reference an interview from Esquire featuring Jason Isaacs, which sheds light on Goggins' method acting techniques. This segment highlights the intersection of personal interest and professional appreciation in their conversations.

Elise Hu (06:16): "Walton Goggins is so good in everything he does. He was great in Justified way back when during the Obama administration."

Jeremy Strong and Self-Deprecating Humor (07:39 – 08:05)

Doree brings up Jeremy Strong's commercial for Duncan, admiring how Strong self-deprecates, which she finds unexpected and refreshing.

Doree Shafrir (07:39): "I was like, 'Oh, you like, like you have a sense of humor about this.'"

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Listener Interactions and Community Engagement

AI Usage Tips (15:59 – 17:00)

Listener Laurel contributes to an ongoing discussion about AI by sharing a practical tip to bypass AI-generated summaries in Google searches.

Elise Hu (16:09): "If you run a Google search, you can include Dash AI at the end of the search term and it won't provide the AI summary of results."

The hosts appreciate this insight, encouraging listeners to explore and share their experiences with AI tools.

Fashion Advice for Tweens (17:20 – 18:51)

A heartfelt message from listener Pamela praises Ava, presumably a guest or recurring character, for thoughtful fashion advice tailored for tweens. The hosts discuss the relevance of brands like Hollister and Abercrombie in contemporary fashion, touching on the impact of corporate ethics on brand perception.

Doree Shafrir (17:57): "It's so sweet. And didn't Abercrombie like kind of like revamp?"

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Hair Care and Regrowth Solutions

Addressing Hair Loss and Treatments (18:56 – 22:04)

Doree and Elise engage in an in-depth conversation about hair loss, sharing personal struggles and exploring various treatments. They discuss options like Nutrafol, Hims/Hers, and the benefits of oral minoxidil, highlighting both efficacy and cost considerations.

Doree Shafrir (20:35): "The medication itself is very cheap. It's covered by insurance. It's like a generic. It's like $2 for a month supply."

Elise raises concerns about the affordability of solutions like Ortofo and VegaMore, emphasizing the financial barriers many face when seeking effective treatments.

Elise Hu (19:54): "I'm just really excited. I want to spend $80 on a thing of neutrophil."

The conversation also touches on the "pink tax," critiquing gender-based pricing disparities in hair care products.

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Etiquette of RSVPs and Event Planning

RSVP Responsibilities and Social Norms (22:04 – 25:11)

The hosts address the dilemma of RSVP etiquette through stories shared by listeners. Doree and Elise discuss the frustrations of last-minute cancellations, especially in high-stakes events like weddings, where per-head costs make commitment crucial.

Doree Shafrir (23:30): "Ten people bailing last minute on a wedding is frankly quite rude. Like, I'm sorry that. That sucks."

They reflect on their own experiences with hosting and the cultural nuances that make RSVPs a sensitive topic, acknowledging that life’s unpredictability can often complicate social commitments.

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Culinary Adventures and Product Recommendations

Trader Joe’s Discoveries (25:37 – 30:59)

Doree and Elise explore their latest culinary finds from Trader Joe’s, including the Calabrian chili tomato dumpling soup and various frozen treats. They discuss the availability and pricing of products like eggs and ice cream, highlighting the complexities of grocery shopping in LA.

Doree Shafrir (28:40): "Sometimes you gotta use a precious egg."

Their conversation underscores the joys and challenges of maintaining a balanced kitchen pantry, especially amidst fluctuating prices and product availability.

Creative Cooking Hacks (28:14 – 29:03)

The hosts share inventive ways to use ingredients creatively, such as using eggs as an egg wash for fried dumplings, illustrating their resourcefulness in the kitchen.

Elise Hu (28:37): "Sometimes you just gotta use a precious egg."

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Community and Feedback

Encouraging Listener Participation (10:44 – 25:29)

Throughout the episode, Doree and Elise emphasize the importance of listener engagement. They encourage fans to send in their questions, feedback, and personal stories via calls, texts, or emails, fostering a strong sense of community.

Doree Shafrir (10:45): "We have links there to everything we mentioned on the show. We are also on Instagram @forever35podcasts."

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Closing Thoughts

In wrapping up the episode, Doree and Elise reflect on the diverse topics covered, reaffirming their commitment to exploring self-care and personal growth topics that resonate with their audience. They sign off with reminders about upcoming content and platforms for deeper engagement, such as their newsletters and Patreon-exclusive episodes.

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Notable Quotes:

• Elise Hu (03:57): "The K-pop fandom is so intense."

• Doree Shafrir (05:26): "It's like a send-up of a mega church pastor and his family."

• Doree Shafrir (20:35): "The medication itself is very cheap. It's covered by insurance."

• Elise Hu (17:20): "It's a family tradition kind of thing."

• Doree Shafrir (28:40): "Sometimes you gotta use a precious egg."

This mini-episode of Forever35 adeptly balances personal storytelling with broader societal discussions, all while maintaining an intimate and conversational tone. Whether tackling the nuances of social etiquette, exploring effective hair care regimes, or discovering new culinary delights, Doree and Elise offer a relatable and insightful listening experience that underscores the essence of self-care and personal well-being.

Transcript

[Dory Shafrir]

You know, a lot of people hear LA or Los Angeles and think only of the celebrities here and the movies that are made here. But there's so much more to love about the city I call home now. From walk up windows and rooftop bars to year round al fresco dining, Los Angeles is a culinary thrill ride sure to leave visitors hungry for more tacos or sushi, Brazilian or Korean food from anywhere in the world can be found right here in la. And when you're done eating, there's shopping or there's hikes all around la. Or just get a taste for fame firsthand by attending a star ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard. Catch a glimpse behind the scenes at a world famous studio tour. Need a breather? Don't forget to stop in your tracks and look up. Soak in our legendary blue sky. That's the light that inspires directors around the world. We love LA. Find more ways to love [e-mail]. catch the new Hulu original comedy Mid Century Modern from the creators of Will and Grace, executive producer Ryan Murphy and director James Burrows. When three best friends move in together, Palm Springs will never be the same. Bunny, Jerry and Arthur are already close friends, but when they decide to live together, it's a new chapter with a new family. And speaking of family, don't forget Bunny's mom Sybil, who is along for the ride. Whether it's a trip to Fire island or local congresswoman with a wild side, these roomies know how to do it with style. They're fun, they're fabulous, and they're turning life's lemons into spiked lemonade. So shake up a batch of cocktails, relax by the pool and get ready for some serious shade. A new comedy with heart, soul and sass. Mid Century Modern stars Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham and Linda Lavin. Mid century modern premieres March 28, streaming on Hulu. Hello and welcome to Forever 30, a podcast about the things we do to take care of ourselves. I'm Dory Shafrir.

[Elise Hu]

And I'm Elise Hu. And we're just two friends who like to talk a lot about serums.

[Dory Shafrir]

And this is a mini episode where we hear from you, we share your comments and your thoughts, and we answer your questions to the best of our ability. But please remember, we are not experts. We're podcast hosts. We always encourage you to seek support first and foremost from a medical and or mental health professional as needed.

[Elise Hu]

And we also check in with each other. So we do. Yeah. And on Monday, we went on this long. I went on this long reverie about COVID and the COVID anniversary. So let me just give you an update on more inane things.

[Dory Shafrir]

Great.

[Elise Hu]

And less philosophical existential questions, even though they are always burning on my mind. And I am in a constant state of existential dread these days. I wound up at a random K pop concert last night.

[Dory Shafrir]

What?

[Elise Hu]

Yep. Yep. And so funny because Rob called me at like 10:30 while the concert was really going. And it's at Staples. I still call it Staples. I guess it's technically crypto.com arena and like, you have so many screaming girls because it was NCT127, which is one of these big K pop boy band groups with interchangeable members. That allows for some of the boy band members to go on their compulsory military service, which is why BTS kind of had to break up for a while. And anyway, you have just these screaming girls because of the fandom. The K pop fandom is so intense. And then Rob calls and he's like, where are you? And I'm like, I'm at a random K pop concert. He's like, you know what? They should play a game. We should do like a game for you. Like a game show called Can Elise Stay Home Tonight?

[Dory Shafrir]

Wow.

[Elise Hu]

Because it was so. I think I got a text at like 5:40 in the afternoon or 5:40 in the early evening going, hey, do you want to go see NCT 127 at 8pm and I have an extra ticket, like an extra ticket beyond mind. And so then I asked my friend, I like put a call out to the mom group Crickets. Nobody replied. And then I started reaching out to people individually and my friend Liz, shout out to Liz was like, okay, I mean, I'm gonna have to shower, but all right, like, great. Small price to pay. And I mean, it was. It was one of my friends companies, like they. They have a suite at Crypto, like for the year, you know, and then sometimes for Lakers games, it's always full. But for random K pop concert on a Wednesday night, there's extra tickets.

[Dory Shafrir]

Great.

[Elise Hu]

So that was actually fun. It like, gave me a little pep in my step.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

As you know, I've been having kind of a hard time. I mean, obviously parking cost $40 and my cocktail cost almost just as much, but still.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, yeah, such a.

[Elise Hu]

Such is the case with like leaving the house.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, yes, yes. I did not leave the house last night. I watched White Lotus. I was. I started. You know, it's getting like really pushed to me on TikTok and just I feel like on billboards and everywhere is what the Righteous Gemstones. Have you ever watched?

[Elise Hu]

Oh yes, I haven't watched the show. It's on hbo. But it takes place in like South Carolina.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

Which is where I used to live.

[Dory Shafrir]

It's. It's like a, like a send up of a mega church pastor and his family. But I think the reason it's getting pushed to me is because Walton Goggins is in it and he's also in White Lotus. And so I've been getting these tick tocks of clips from the show of him and I'm like, oh, okay. I never. It hadn't really been on my radar. So.

[Elise Hu]

He's a great actor.

[Dory Shafrir]

He's great. I started watching a bit of it last night and then I was like, oh, it's an hour long. Like I got. I gotta go to bed. But I think I might watch it. There's. This is the. I think the fourth season just came out. I think it's the last season. I'm not sure, but it seems fun. So.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, no, it's like that quite critically acclaimed. It's just one of those ones that came out and got a bunch of attention. And then I'm like, it's not really for me. I kind of grew up in that mega church world in Texas. But, But Walton Goggins is so good. He's so good in everything he does. He was great and justified way back when during the Obama administration. And there's this great interview in Esquire that came out recently with the dad of White Lotus family, Jason Isaacs. The guy who was also in Harry Potter.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

And he talks about how his best friends in the cast were actually his fake kids who were like 21 and 26 because he had gotten a room or they had given him a bungalow with Walton Goggins. But Walton Goggins was semi method in the way that famously Jeremy what's his name is from Succession Strong. And so Walton Goggins got to Thailand and then went off to the guest house or his other, you know, bungalow on the same property or in the same shared area and then just went and chain smoked and didn't shower and like to get into character and so he wasn't really like chatting with the other cast.

[Dory Shafrir]

That's so funny.

[Elise Hu]

It all makes sense.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, it all makes sense. Did you see the, the Duncan commercial with Jeremy Strong?

[Elise Hu]

Yes. It was so good. It was so good because he actually poked fun of himself.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, exactly. I was like, oh, you like, like you have a sense of humor about, about this. Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

Which I was not necessarily expecting.

[Elise Hu]

But we will talk more pop culture on the Patreon pop culture episode, which is out every month. We do a fresh one and we have chats about it on the Patreon too, which is a great plug for the Patreon at this moment.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. Which is patreon.com Forever35. We also, we got a text, remember last week or the week before, someone just wrote in about my friend Allison Livingston who was a guest on the show but like a long time ago, like six or seven years ago, saying that she like doesn't drink water essentially, or like doesn't see the point of drinking water. And we got a follow up text from that listener who said follow up to the quote from Alison Livingston. I just needed more joy in my podcast feed. So I called out a bunch of daily news podcasts and then had like no episodes. I'm now working my way through the back episodes of my favorite shows.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, how fun. That's a good idea.

[Dory Shafrir]

Is that fun? Yeah, I love that. I love that.

[Elise Hu]

That's similar to what I was doing with Conan O'Brien needs a friend. Because Conan O'Brien needs a friend. If y'all don't listen to it. He's very charming and also I think he's a interviewer and gets more out of people in the podcast format. And I wanted to go back in time to pre inauguration and pre election results even. So I went back to listen like to summer 2024 episodes of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. So if you are doing archive listens, some of those are great. There's one with Nikki Glaser that I liked a lot.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, cool. Great idea. Okay, well, Elise, I just also, before we take a break, I want to remind they can call or text us at 781-591-0390. Email us at forever35podcastmail.com these episodes, you know, are for your feedback, your questions, so please send them to us. Our website is forever35podcast.com. We have links there to everything we mentioned on the show. We are also on Instagram @forever35podcasts. We have a newsletter that comes out twice a month. Forever 35 podcast.com newsletter. And you can shop our favorite products at Shopmy US Forever 35 before we take a break, I meant to mention this on the last episode and I forgot but I have a new newsletter and it's called Court Date and it is all about my tennis journey and just about picking up new things in middle age and loving something you're like not that good at but want to get better at and learning from winning and losing and finding community and like all that good stuff. So check it out. Court date.substack.com and we will link to it in the show notes also.

[Elise Hu]

I'm excited.

[Dory Shafrir]

Thank you. All right. We're going to take a short break.

[Elise Hu]

Okay.

[Dory Shafrir]

And we will be right back.

[Elise Hu]

We'll be right back.

[Dory Shafrir]

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[Elise Hu]

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[Dory Shafrir]

I always felt limited by off the shelf hair care. It was like one or the other like color protection or volume repair or clarify. You know what I mean? Like you got one thing. I know it was always one thing but never like everything I needed. And Pros changed that. I love my Prose because I could tell it like, hey, I have color treated hair. It's a little dry. I'm getting older. I live in Los Angeles. We have really hard water.

[Elise Hu]

Right.

[Dory Shafrir]

You know, all of these different factors. And then they put it in their algorithm and they're and they spit out a personalized formula just for you. It's a unique blend of naturally powerful and proven effective clean ingredients carefully picked just for you from over 185 options. That means a shampoo that works for your hair density, your porosity, where you work out. Even the pollution where you live. Like they ask for your zip code so they can be like does she live in the middle of Los Angeles where there's a lot of pollution?

[Elise Hu]

Right.

[Dory Shafrir]

All to determine exactly what your hair needs to thrive. And it's all backed by clinical studies. I will say my hair has never looked healthier. Like I'm getting. I'm getting comments about it. And I also think it's because they have given me the perfect conditioner formula that actually conditions. Yeah. But doesn't weigh my hair down and doesn't make it look greasy. Which is like a holy grail essentially. Pros also has 500,000-star product reviews and they have the Prose promise. If you don't love your first order, it's Prose is so confident that you'll love your results that they're offering an exclusive trial offer. 50% off your first hair care subscription order at Prose.com Forever35 that's P R-O-S-E.com Forever35 for your free consultation and 50% off your custom routine. Prose.com Forever35.

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[Dory Shafrir]

Okay, we are back. Elise, do you want to read this email?

[Elise Hu]

Sure will. Hi Dorian, Elise, longtime listener, first time emailer, just weighing in on the AI discussion on the POD a few weeks ago. I know that use of AI is controversial with a lot of tricky ethical considerations. While I personally identify as AI curious, I wanted to share a tip that other listeners who are less excited about it might find helpful. If you run a Google search, you can include Dash AI at the end of the search term and it won't provide the AI summary of results. Hope this is helpful for folks who do want to avoid it in day to day interactions. Best Laurel that's a great tip and I didn't know about it and thanks to whoever posted about that in our Patreon chat too. This Dash AI appendage or how you can append Dash AI to the end of your searches. I've already tried it out and it's great and it makes me feel like I have one upped in a tiny, tiny way. Google every once in a while.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, okay. Yeah. Thanks for. Thanks everyone for your feedback about AI. We got another text from the listener who had asked for fashion advice from Ava.

[Elise Hu]

Oh yeah, for tween clothes.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. And they, I remember they said like, Elise, your daughter seems cool.

[Elise Hu]

And Ava was like, oh, thank you for the compliment.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. And like actually like recorded a really sweet voice memo for this listener. So I, I thought that was very nice. Anyway, this listener wrote, just wanted to say thank you to Ava for her sweet and thoughtful response to this question. I've already put some of her suggestions into action and they've definitely been super helpful. As a funny aside, my husband worked at Hollister back in the day while I worked at Abercrombie. Wow. But neither of us have really thought about shopping in either store since. However, Ava mentioned Hollister, so maybe both are worth another look. It can be a family tradition kind of thing. Anyway, thank you all again so much. Didn't Abercrombie. That's so sweet. And didn't Abercrombie like kind of like revamp?

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, they had to. They had to because of the controversy with the CEO, Mike, what's his name? Who was a bad dude.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. So they've had to totally revamp and be inclusive and stop it with those like, model shoots that they did on the outsides of their shopping bags back in the 90s and then. But it owns Hollister too, and Hollister is cool again.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. So funny how, like, these things come back around.

[Elise Hu]

Totally.

[Dory Shafrir]

All right. We also got a voicemail.

[Elise Hu]

Love a voicemail.

[D]

Hey, Elise and Dori. Last year was apparently super stressful because I lost all of my hair, which, side note, is a very strange experience in this whole hair loss and hair regrowth journey. And I do have some regrowth. Finally. One of the first things that my derm recommended to me was Nutrafol. It does have clinical trials backing it to show efficacy, and it's a great OTC before you go into, like, prescription minoxidil or something along those lines. So good luck.

[Elise Hu]

Thank you, ladies.

[D]

Love you. Love the pod and yeah, bye.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, a lot of folks have recommended neutrophil to me because I feel like I have four hairs left after January. And I looked it up. It's just expensive. It is the only thing. I'm just really excited. I want to spend $80 on a thing of neutrophil. And then I know Kate really liked Vega more.

[Dory Shafrir]

The serum Vega more.

[Elise Hu]

Vegamore. Okay. I haven't tried either of them, but I'm also getting, like, all these ads for hers because I've been complaining about my hair falling out. Hers, I guess, is the companion to hims, the very. The brand that is repackaging Viagra as Hims. So hers will make special formulas for hair regrowth, according to my Instagram ads for it, because it's always listening. And so I just haven't really pulled the trigger on anything because I. It really depends on budget and, like, budgetary concerns. Though now that I'm talking about this out loud, maybe if I did go to my dermatologist and got a prescription, then insurance would pay for whatever I get on.

[Dory Shafrir]

So here's what I learned, because I started taking oral minoxidil, which I recommend. The medication itself is very cheap. It's covered by insurance. It's like. It's a generic. It's like $2 for a month supply.

[Elise Hu]

Great.

[Dory Shafrir]

However, the derm. My. I believe my derm appointment to discuss hair loss, I think was not covered. Or there was, like, some. Some aspect of it that wasn't covered. Like, I forget there was something. There's something about that appointment that wasn't covered. And so it ended up being, like, a little bit expensive to actually, like, get the prescription, but the prescription itself is not expensive. So I don't know what hims and hers charge, but, like.

[Elise Hu]

Right.

[Dory Shafrir]

I. I bet you could get it for cheaper. Yeah. And then the foam minoxidil, the generic, is available. At Costco for about half the price as it is.

[Elise Hu]

Like, and that's a topical.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, that goes like on. It's a foam that goes like on your head. And also they sell a women's formulation that my dermatologist was like, it's bullshit. Like, you can just get the men's. So just FYI.

[Elise Hu]

Pink tax. Pink tax. She's trying to hit us with the pink tax.

[Dory Shafrir]

Major pink tax.

[Elise Hu]

Thanks, caller.

[Dory Shafrir]

So, yeah, okay, so we recently also talked on the show about Jackie Johnson's viral tick tock about the number of people who either did an RSVP or didn't show up to or bailed at the last minute to her and her husband's joint 40th birthday party.

[Elise Hu]

But it was a giant party.

[Dory Shafrir]

They invited over 300 people and they still had more than like 100 show up. But she was just like, what the hell? So you got. You got a text from a friend of yours. Do you want to read this?

[Elise Hu]

Yes. She says I need to weigh in on the RSVP stuff that's discussed in the recent Forever 35. The issue is money. I mean, for us. And she's talking about her and her husband. 10 people bailed last minute. This is for her wedding. Not because they were sick, but with lame excuses. I mean, in wedding cost world, for booze and food that's like a thousand dollars, the venue usually charges you per head and has a lock in date. And so she is making the very legitimate point that you do need really firm RSVPs, especially if the per head cost is like a hundred dollars per person. That makes sense. I guess I was just kind of dismissive of this being a big deal because she invited 300 people and it was a birthday party and you're probably just gonna do some so, like, buffet type situation anyway where the food's there or the food's not there.

[Dory Shafrir]

I do feel like it's different for weddings because you are typically paying per plate. Ten people bailing last minute on a wedding is frankly quite rude. Like, I'm sorry that. That sucks. I mean, yeah, it's so. That's. That's really not cool.

[Elise Hu]

It was a really good wedding too, with really good food.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, you missed out.

[Elise Hu]

I know.

[Dory Shafrir]

I mean, really. I don't know. I just. I remember one time, this was years ago, I got roped into a book club and I was hosting and I, like, put together this whole spread and, like, had all this food and like, everyone except one person bailed, like, last minute. Super last minute. And I was just like, oh, my God. Like, this is so rude. And it's. I. I do really try not to bail last minute on things because.

[Elise Hu]

Because of that.

[Dory Shafrir]

I just. Yeah, because of that. Like, it's just. It's, like, so uncool and. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, people say that people in LA are, like, especially flaky, and I guess I do kind of see that. I mean, this did take place in la. It also could just be, like, the season of life that I'm in, you know? Like, I know a lot of people with, like, kids and stuff comes up. Like, I get that. I totally get that. But I don't know. It's tricky. It's very tricky.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, I do think so. This is nuance. It's like a wedding is one thing. A giant birthday party is another thing.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

And then, like, the RSVPs. And whether you RSVP or not is separate from just, like, RSVPing. Yes. And then bailing, you know? So, anyway, we have to tease these things apart, but I appreciate the text, so thank you, friend Pamela.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. All right, well, we're gonna take another short break and we will be right back.

[Elise Hu]

We'll be right back.

[Dory Shafrir]

All right, we are back. And once again, we have a Trader Joe's wreck for something that I have never heard of, let alone seen in my Trader Joe's. So I'm wondering if you have heard of this. Elise, Pray tell. We had a listener write in to say that they recommend the Calabrian chili tomato dumpling soup, very creamy and comforting. Tomato soup and perfect with grilled cheese.

[Elise Hu]

I have not seen that.

[Dory Shafrir]

I have not either. You know what else I was thinking about, though, with regards to soup and Trader Joe's? Recently at my Trader Joe's, they were giving out samples of the. I think they're the little, like, steamed dumplings. I think it was the shumai. And they had them in their chicken broth with some of their chili crisp on top. And they were. They were giving out samples of this, like, a soup, and I was like, oh, that's interesting. I would not have thought to like to do that.

[Elise Hu]

It's like a Trader Joe's wonton soup.

[Dory Shafrir]

Exactly. Now I have eaten their chicken cilantro wontons in broth.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. What do you think?

[Dory Shafrir]

I like it, like, in a pinch. Sure. You know what I mean? Like, is it the best wonton soup I've ever had? No, but, like, if I'm, like, craving wonton soup and I have a thing of those in the freezer, I will 100%. Throw them in some broth.

[Elise Hu]

Mm. I have recently been from my frozen lunch game. I have had to find some other options besides my chicken shawarma bowl, my trusty chicken shawarma bowl, because I've been having so many of them. And you know what I returned to were the Amy's bowls, just from any grocery store, not from Trader Joe's. And they make really good enchiladas. They haven't. They haven't a cheese enchilada. That's excellent. And I was like, why don't I get this more? They also have, like, a Mexican casserole bowl that I had for lunch today. And I'm like, I need to just switch up my whole repertoire. Plus, Trader Joe's has been out of scallion pancakes lately. And I like to do egg. Yeah. I like to do, you know, an egg scallion pancake where you kind of flatten a scrambled egg on top onto it. It's like an egg crepe with a scallion pancake. And eggs are very expensive. And the scallion pancakes are gone. So, yeah, I'm out. I'm out. Some of my go to snack options.

[Dory Shafrir]

That is rough. I had kimbap for lunch because I'm boring and, like, that's all I eat. But I did, I did use a precious egg. You did as an egg wash. I like, I dipped each one and, like, you know, in egg and put it in the frying pan because, like, they're really delicious that way.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes you just gotta use a precious egg.

[Dory Shafrir]

Sometimes you gotta use a precious egg. We actually have quite a few eggs right now because. I don't know, Trader Joe's also has not marked up their eggs, so they're still charging, like, regular price, whereas, like, Ralph's and everywhere else, they're charging like 10 or $12 for a dozen eggs. I'm like, are you insane?

[Elise Hu]

Like, oh, girl, no. Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

Not having.

[Elise Hu]

I like to buy them. 18 count due to all the members in my household that must be fed, plus an 80 pound dog and who also likes to snack. And. And these 18 packs at Ralph's or some of the, you know, traditional grocery store chains are 18.99.

[Dory Shafrir]

What?

[Elise Hu]

So that's like more than a dollar an egg.

[Dory Shafrir]

What?

[Elise Hu]

I know, I know. But yeah, the. The frozen meals seem to be locked in the same price range for now.

[Dory Shafrir]

I did see people. I did see people on Reddit noting that they raised the price of their chocolate at Trader Joe's. Yes.

[Elise Hu]

Is it because we need it more during this time. Stress eating.

[Dory Shafrir]

I need to go there. I'm out of, I'm out of their vanilla ice cream. Their vanilla ice cream is really good and I buy it by the tub. So I need to go get some more. I'm like, oh yeah, we need other like real food. But most importantly, I need my ice cream confections.

[Elise Hu]

Really?

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, mainly I, I have a bowl of ice cream every night and like I, I, I need it. I need it.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, we like, we do the macaroons, we have those, those frozen macaroons that they have in the dessert section. And I have a lot of those like mini mouthfuls, the mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches. Yes, those are very good. Luna loves those. So. Yeah, my freezer is also full of Trader Joe's dessert frozen desserts. It's never a bad time to stock up.

[Dory Shafrir]

That's true. That's true. All right, everyone, thank you so much for listening. We appreciate you and we will talk to you soon. Don't forget to send us your Covid reflections. We will be putting those together for a upcoming, upcoming episode. We mentioned this on the full length episode on Monday. All right, we will talk to you soon. Bye.

[Elise Hu]

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[Elise Hu]

Sounds good.

[Dory Shafrir]

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[Elise Hu]

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[Dory Shafrir]

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