“I met a guy. I made a sandwich. I started a blog. And I enraged feminists everywhere,” the New York Post editor and 300 Sandwiches blog founder, Stephanie Smith admitted after sharing her story of making 300 sandwiches for her boyfriend, bringing her closer to getting a ring on it.
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Stephanie started dating Eric Schultze and wanted to bond with him over something he loved…food. The first sandwich she made, made him say, “Honey, you’re 300 sandwiches away from an engagement ring!” So when Stephanie started her now-infamous blog, she was only chronicling her journey to getting a ring–aka her relationship.
I thought their story was adorable. Many critics on Twitter blasted Stephanie, claiming she’s setting women back or that Eric is sexist. But to let Stephanie tell it, none of that is true. “This project is not about me promoting myself as some gourmet chef, nor a desperate plot to win Eric’s love — or a movie deal or Internet fame,” she wrote in the New York Post.
Stephanie continues:
Since I’ve launched the blog, E and I have learned a lot about each other besides whether or not he likes tomatoes. We’ve laughed at our mistakes, become more patient with each other’s faults and I’ve learned to not be afraid of our stove.
For those who think I’m sacrificing myself for Eric, know that he does most of the cooking, often having dinner ready when I come home late from work. He also suffers through many episodes of “House Hunters” on HGTV. He does things I like, just as I make sandwiches he likes, because that’s what a couple does. These aren’t sacrifices. They are what you do when you enjoy seeing the person you love happy.
Eric also thinks the public missed the mark, criticizing Stephanie’s blog and his desire to eat her sandwiches. “I’m reminded of my favorite quote by Andy Warhol: ‘Don’t read your reviews. Weigh them,’ ” Eric admitted. He then went on to say that no sandwiches are required for him to love Stephanie. “I already love you and always will,” Eric tells Stephanie.
So there you have it critics. You’re doing too much. When a woman loves a man, she does things for him that he likes and vice versa. That’s usually never a problem when it comes to love, until that is, we dig way too deep into the scenario, pulling up over-critical gems like these from The Frisky:
1) I hate the perpetuation of the idea that women in their 30s should be desperate or hustling for engagement/marriage/babies. Knowing that it took Smith 176 sandwiches to realize this was a misguided approach to her love life bothers me. We need to read about that for 176 sandwiches … why? And for the record, I still do think it’s weird that Eric made a “joke” about her being 300 sandwiches away from an engagement ring. Any joke that references “earning marriage” just doesn’t make me LOL. But maybe that’s just me.
2) This whole project reeks of a gimmick to get a book deal. Blog to book adaptations al a “40 Days Of Dating” are hot with publishers and producers and I’d be willing to place a healthy wager on the fact that this is Smith’s goal, even though she claims it is not in the follow up piece she published in the NY Post today.
Stephanie is not responsible for single-handedly perpetuating a stigma that many women chase a ring or babies in their 30s. Many women definitely do that, but that is a choice. Just like Stephanie’s blog. She chose to take her boyfriend up on something that started as a mere joke. This is personal. Her blog is personal. It is not a declaration of how women should behave in order to “get the ring.”
Personally, I get the joke and I think it’s adorable. Good for Stephanie for enjoying something with the man she hopes to marry. Even though she claims she’s not after a book deal or anything more from her controversial blog, who cares if she actually gets one?! More power to her! It’s an interesting and quirky idea and it’s clearly got many of us talking.
Stephanie decided to do this 300 sandwiches project as a hobby and made this one portion of her life public. We have no idea what else goes on in this relationship. Eric could be the most amazing man on the planet, giving Stephanie daily gifts and appreciation. It’s absolutely unfair to judge Stephanie and her boyfriend, based on one project that stemmed from a joke.
Do you agree? Let’s chat! @Rhapsodani
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