Living up to the hype, is it ever possible, yay or nay?

[Philpug]

This was alluded to in another thread where it pertained to food. We can start with food or a restaurant and expand to a scotch or vodka and even skis...since this is a skiing site. What have you had that did live up to the hype or fell miserably short. Please add your experiences from across the board.

 

[Eleeski]

When something lives up to or exceeds the hype, it's wonderful magic! Happens often enough to keep one from getting too cynical.

Recent example, Angkor Stout beer. Recommended by a shopper in the Asian market. Inexpensive and available. Tasted fantastic. My new favorite beer. Now I've hyped it up for all of you!

Eric

 

[Eleeski]

Praxis Backcountrys. Tried them, had to buy them.

Same with shaped skis when they first came out.

Eric

 

[tch]

Italy -- and especially Italian food.

I moved from the midwest to teach in a post-industrial town in New England where everybody local (it seemed) was of Italian descent. Everyone told me at every opportunity how great Italy was -- and they always talked about the food, how wonderful it was! In the meantime, every restaurant in town had mediocre red-sauce Italian and dead iceberg lettuce-and-pepper antipasto. I got so sick of people telling me about Italy and the food that I decided it was all BS.

Then... I visited Italy. And I ate REAL Italian food. Not cheap North American imitation. INCREDIBLE!!! The whole experience shattered my expectations.

 

[Nancy Hummel]

Backroads Bike trips - a true vacation. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I have done 4 trips. All exceptional.

 

[SBrown]

New Year's Eve. Always a fail. Well, except that one time....

 

[crgildart]

Waited until the summer before the final season to start watching Game of Thrones. Lived up to the hype. Not everyone was happy with the ending, but all in all a pretty fun ride.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Biggest fail ever. Senior prom, 1968.
First daughter's biggest fail as well, 1999. She threw that prized prom dress in the garbage can as she walked in the house.

 

[Uncle-A]

Sorry to say but I have had bad experience with Sony products. Most say they are great but not me. I had two of them that failed one month after the warrant ended. The first was a twin cassette player, it died one month after the warrant ended. The second was a Sony Diskman and the same thing, it died as soon as the warranty was over. That ended it for me and Sony products. Someone gave me another Disk player that worked the last time I used it I think but I don't really use it anymore. No more Sony for me.

 

[Uncle-A]

Now on the plus side, I have owned several pairs of Kastle skis and have NOT been disappointed with any of them. They live up to the hype for both skiing and durability.

 

[Bill Miles]

My first Honda car, 1979 Civic. Good gas mileage, OK to drive (a little slow heading up I70 west of Denver), but really started wearing out and falling apart at 50K miles, very poor dealer service.

 

[SSSdave]

The Nordica 2019 88 skis @165cm I bought last winter mid season with considerably the result of what Tricia and amyPJ both near my own size wrote here on the board plus other web reviews. Unlike some here, I don't have the access to skiing experience testing a range of ski models and tend to be skeptical of much I read as am a small man and long ago found usual reviews by larger men are in another world. But after skiing them just a few runs, I was confident I would eventually be able with these larger tools to ski moguls at a higher level than with my 2011 Dynastar Twisters. And within a few days that came to be true. By March was skiing the full Little Dipper mogul field of sizable weeks matured bumps usually just stopping once.

 

[Bad Bob]

Dicks Drive-In Spokane. Big above and beyond.
Had always heard how it was the best place in town for people watching, homeless people and fur coats lined up for the same greasy Whammy Burger. Ya so. Went one day with our kids in elementary school ages one summer day and it totally over delivered.
Pick-up truck pulls up, and 3 guys get out and order; put their food on a picnic table next our nice little family. They go to the back of the truck and pull out a guy in his skivvies, blindfolded and handcuffed; they sit him at the table and push his face into the food to eat. A police car is there and said police walk over to chat with these guys. Guys tell cops it is a bachelor party; cops laugh and leave. Don't remember if the kids ever did finish their dinner.
If you are passing through Spokane you really should grab a burger at Dicks.

 

[fatbob]

Things that don't often live up to the hype for me :

material stuff
spendy meals*
definitely ticketed social events like NY Eve

Things that do live up to the hype:

natural wonders
any wild animals in their habitat
spending time in nice outdoor places

* I've eaten at Michelin places and they are excellent but a simple Italian family hotel can be better or finding a new casual gastropub

Places like Yellowstone and the Utah parks and the Dolomites and the Western Highlands of Scotland are unbelievable though.

 

[Ken_R]

This was eluded to in another thread where it pertained to food. We can start with food or a restaurant and expand to a scotch or vodka and even skis...since this is a skiing site. What have you had that did live up to the hype or fell miserably short. Please add your experiences from across the board.

Kastles.... Sorta lived to the hype but...

 

[scott43]

New Year's Eve. Always a fail. Well, except that one time....

You know, you just have that little hint of borderline berserker...

 

[RobSN]

Live up to the hype:

Renoun Atlas', they work in after-burner mode at even at >64mph, although the owner doesn't seem to work well above 60mph.

Real genuine Dover Sole, although I've never found it outside Britain (I have found fish labelled as Dover Sole that has been a sorry imitation).

Cantonese food in Hong Kong, as far as I can tell, anywhere in Hong Kong, but perhaps I've been lucky.

 

[crgildart]

Sorry to say but I have had bad experience with Sony products. Most say they are great but not me. I had two of them that failed one month after the warrant ended. The first was a twin cassette player, it died one month after the warrant ended. The second was a Sony Diskman and the same thing, it died as soon as the warranty was over. That ended it for me and Sony products. Someone gave me another Disk player that worked the last time I used it I think but I don't really use it anymore. No more Sony for me.

Sounds like perfectly engineered planned obsolescence to me. They lasted exactly as long as promised, and not a minute longer LOL

 

[crgildart]

Yellowstone a definite yes..

Disney World MEH. Kids were perfect ages and still liked Sea World better. They were done with Disney by 2pm. They pretty much closed Sea World..

 

[chip inderhol]

Plus one for Yellowstone. Could have stayed there forever. In golf, Pebble Beach. It only runs next to the ocean for less than half the holes, But those holes (especially the 7th and 8th) are beyond memorable. I played in '95 and can still remember every club I hit both days. As far as skiing, Whistler did not disappoint.