The Shack Shake Up

While her husband was out telling America it's time to eat their peas, First Lady and anti-obesity crusader, Michelle Obama, was spotted at a Washington area Shake Shack slurping up a burger, fries, and shake, a meal that amounted to diet-injuring 1700 calories.

I only have one thing to say about this: Mrs. Obama, I can't believe you went to Shake Shack and you didn't invite me! Rude. I'm totally crossing you off my Christmas card list.

Seriously, I move to Utah and Maryland finally gets a Cafe Rio, and now I find out there's a Shake Shack sitting right in DuPont Circle? Come on, Washington, where's the love? There is only one way to equalize this great cosmic injustice, and that is to build a Wegmans three feet from my front door. It is the only thing I will settle for.

That and a burger from Shake Shack.

Sigh.

David and I developed a great love for Shake Shack when we could wander up to Madison Square Park in NYC and share a delicious fatty meal while Michael ran in circles around the nearby fountain.

Besides, I kind of feel like I owe David on the whole Shake Shack thing since I developed a severe aversion to it when I got pregnant with the twins and couldn't bear to eat there anymore. Even now I think about it and I get a little queasy. Not queasy enough to refuse an order of french fries if the First Lady were willing to share, mind you.

I'm just annoyed that her lunch outing made the news. Oh, I know, people are trying to point out the irony that she is indulging in a pile of grease while telling others they should eat a pile of leafy green vegetables for their afternoon meal ("Gotcha" reporting rears its ugly head again). But it's not like she is eating a hamburger and fries for every meal, nor is she telling everyone that they should never have a sundae or a big piece of chocolate cake.

I have no problem with Mrs. Obama scarfing down a burger and fries even if she decides to do it in the middle of a speech about the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables. The fact is that I should be eating more fruits and vegetables. But, what bothers me (and I presume what bothers many of the people who are crying "hypocrite") is that I do have a problem with the government spreading their interfering little tentacles all over my dinner table, yanking away things like trans-fats and high-fructose corn syrup as if I'm not capable of making food choices for myself and my family.

The government has no business telling me what I can and cannot eat. That doesn't mean I won't take suggestions. But keep your greedy government paws off my fried chicken.

And, Mrs. Obama, if you want to make another trip to Shake Shack, I'm open.