Legomania

If you have a kid like mine who is crazy for all things Lego, you must check out their company page for free events.  I took my son to a free Lego Star Wars building event at Toys R Us on Saturday and my son got to build a Starfighter that he was allowed to keep.  I assumed the event would be packed with people fighting and clawing their way to the front, trampling small children, all in the name of a few free pieces of plastic, but it was remarkably controlled and calm - we didn't have to wait at all.

That took him all of five minutes (he's a Lego pro) and we then trotted over to Tate's Comics for the Free Comic Book event on May the Fourth be with you.  I've always wanted to take my son there, and many many others had the same idea because the place was packed with lots of sweaty people with remarkable patience.  They were in their element, no doubt.  We got seven free comic books, eventually, and headed home.

The deal I make with my son is that he is not allowed to ask for anything on days we set out to be spend-free days. He's pretty good about it, and even finds events on his own for us to go to.  My little cheapskate mini-me.  He also does sweepstakes with me, but he has yet to fully understand the concept of "many will enter, few will win".

Miami on the Cheap website

Now that I am an officially unemployed, full-time, nursing student, I find myself really looking for ways to save money.  For instance, I waited at Comcast for two hours just to save the $11 to have a digital converter mailed home.  I guess I didn't earn a very high hourly wage during THAT adventure, but hey, it's like...1/4 of a gas tank?  Yes, I boil down most minor monetary gains and losses to how much gas could I get with that money.  Gas is my new currency.

I get a ton of junk email cause I'm a sweepstakes queen, and I tend to just delete delete delete my way through most email...but not the ones from Miami on the Cheap.  I don't know what it is that moves someone to so kindly and graciously compile daily lists of local free and inexpensive events for others to benefit from, but I am very grateful for them.  I have already gotten two great heads up from this website: the Doral Camping Under the Stars event (free!) earlier this month and free (!) flu immunizations for kids at the Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds just yesterday.

You all should immediately head over to their website and sign up for their free daily newletters and "like" them on Facebook.  They also do a daily round up of local coupon deals at their Daily Deals Headquarters, which compiles all those deals in one easy to view location.  Now, go to it and save!  Thanks, Miami on the Cheap!

Upromise

I enrolled in Upromise when my son was born, and started the Florida Prepaid College Plan as well.  Now, that prepaid plan is long paid off and my son is assured four free years of college in Florida.  I, on the other hand, will be starting an accelerated RN program in January which I have been WARNED ABOUT REPEATEDLY.  It is a VERY CHALLENGING PROGRAM and I will have NO LIFE.  No life means I have to quit my job.  Today, actually, is my last day.

This has me exploring avenues for some income, any income.  I checked the Upromise account and they are ridiculously flexible with you.  I was able to switch the Upromise account to myself and sent away for my first disbursement check.  It's not a huge amount of money but every little bit helps, and it's not an insignificant amount either.  They don't require any verification on how you've spent it on education-related expenses.  You can use it to pay down school loans as well. (See? I told you it was flexible!)

The way Upromise works is that, as a member (free enrollment), you earn a percentage from online shopping, eating out, and using their credit card.  You can use all the methods available for earning money or only some.  You start your online shopping adventure through their website and it automatically calculates how much you've earned based on what you spend at the store - you just have to remember to start at the Upromise site!  They have a toolbar you can download to your computer to make it easier.

I really recommend that anyone remotely connected to a person who will attend school someday enroll in Upromise.  It is truly a winning situation for members; I've never seen or experienced problems with it.

Old Navy

I admit, I have a bit of an Old Navy addiction though I've managed to tame it lately - mostly because I don't do much shopping.  Well, I shop a bit less, I still shop way too much!

Anyway, I wanted a few things for my adventures in hiking and snow (more to come on that) so I bought some things during the Black Friday madness that befell me (I have a truly embarassing pile of boxes waiting for me at work - at least MOST of them are gifts).  I looked online today and two things I had purchased were on sale, which gives me an emotion that can only be expressed in cat language: I haz the sadz.

I called on a whim (I never do this kind of thing) and explained my predicament to the nice lady on the phone, and she adjusted the price for me!  I know for old hands at this saving money business this is probably no surprise at all, but I've never asked for a sale price adjustment.  She explained that Old Navy has a policy of adjusting the price once on an item, and that you have 14 days from purchase date to do this.  Even online!  I'm sure most companies have a policy like this but it's always good to ch-ch-check it out!  Of course, I ruined whatever savings I received by buying more stuff oO  It's hard, man...their prices are so gooood....I remember writing them an email, back in the day, explaining I was probably one of their best customers lol.  Yes, I really did do that.  I wrote them an Ode to Old Navy.

I told you I was addicted!  And I will be quitting my shopping addiction cold turkey come January...I wonder if there is a twelve step program for that???

Pinch a nickel til it slaps a restraining order on you

I am going to be making the transition from broke county employee to UNEMPLOYED nursing student shortly, so I'm hoping I'll have a lot more to say.  About being broke, that is.  Not that I'll have time to say anything if the dire warnings from everyone are true.  I personally can't imagine that being a full time nursing student will be harder than working full time and going to school part time, but we will see!

There is a certain skill set associated with poverty.  I see the undomiciled at work and, man!  Are they connected!  Their networking skills are truly enviable.  They know of every handout, every government source of income, and of every community resource available for them.  I am a total newbie, and certainly have a place to sleep (the less said about THAT the better), but I'm hoping I will learn more about living cheaply and can pass on information to you.  Yes, ALL of you ;)

I'm currently trying to get all the basics in place.  Current crisis: getting my kid to school.  I have some days with very early classes and prefer to ask Mom to take the wee one to school as little as possible because believe me, I know I'll be hearing about it over.  And over.  Again.  There's no help for it on the days I have 7am class; Mom has to take him.  But on the days I have 8am class...I checked at his school's office to see if they have a before school care I could pay for, just one day a week.  The kind school marm informed me that I can bring the kid to breakfast that starts at 7:30am.

Great!  So, I can just pay for one day of breakfast a week?

No, it's free.

Free to EVERYONE?

Yes, absolutely free.

FREEEEEEE....my hands clasped at my heart, my eyes grew heart-shaped, I trilled sweetly, FREEEEEEE...(I have a whole host of inner Looney Tunes voices-try it, there's a voice for anything in that line up)

How terrific is that?  My tax dollars at work!  I think.  So that solves THAT crisis.  I have other crisises looming, like, health insurance, student loans, and, you know, eating, but that's for another day.

The Color Run & The Glow Run

I've done a race or two in my time.  I'm not, and never will be, a badass, hardcore, or (insert any compound word of your choice here) athlete, but I do enjoy a little friendly competition and working up a sweat.  It seems that nowadays you can't open up Facebook or check your email without discovering another 5K.  Mud races, benefits, corporate runs-you could easily sign up for a 5K almost every weekend of the year and accumulate a huge quantity of practically unwearable commemorative shirts (I feel like it's false advertising wearing my ING shirt when my time was beat by many sixty year olds).  It can be a bit much, but I personally think-whatever it takes to get someone off their butt.  Really.  Whatever it takes to motivate or inspire or guilt (guilt works great!) someone into finally deciding to play an active role in their own health, I'm all for.

This is why I love the new proliferation of fun runs, as I call them.  I just made that up right now.  I'm signed up for The Color Run and The Glow Run happening later this year.  For The Color Run we already have a team of 15 (!) signed up.  (Team Colorin Colorado!)  These are NOT serious, timed, competitive races-these are all about having fun with like-minded people who don't mind going outside in daylight hours, getting a little sweaty, and getting a lot silly.  I'm sure for some people going it is their first race, and that's a beautiful thing, seriously.  No doubt some people scoff at these races, but I'm sure a lot of people will be sleeping in that day and not doing anything more strenuous than lifting the remote and ordering a pizza.  Like that meme going around says, "You are lapping everyone on the couch".

Boost Mobile

I remember when I first saw the iPhone.  Frankly, it was beautiful.  Sleek, smooth, modern, polished...I coveted it.  And OMG - in white!  That's a sexy beast. 

My dear brother handed me down his old iPhone two years ago and I switched over to AT&T.  I loved everything about it, even though it was often fickle, temperamental, and undependable.  I am using the second iPhone hand-me-down from my brother and this one has an issue of just...turning off.  Like, all the time.  I was figuring I'd wait until the new one comes out in September, cough up the 200 bucks and extent my contract another two years.  But...but!

I really don't use my phone that much.  I mean, I use it all the time but I don't really USE it.  I don't even talk on the phone; even with my 450 minute plan I have rollover minutes every month.  I just use my phone to text, take pictures, for driving directions, to check email, and to go on Facebook.  I'm being completely honest here.  So, why am I paying so much for that?

I started to comparison shop between all the mainstream cellular companies but it's pointless - you really can't save any money with them...a couple dollars here and there, but they all really cost about the same.  I started randomly googling things and found this review that rated prepaid plans.  I learned about Boost Mobile - they are well reviewed online and have great prices.  There is even a good deal of customer love expressed for them on their Facebook page, and you know how people love to gripe on Facebook pages!  They have a deal where every 6 months you pay your bill on time, your payment goes down $5, for a maximum of $15 in savings.  Their unlimited text/talk/web plan for Android phones starts at $55 and can go down to $40 a month if you pay on time (and I ALWAYS do).  Now, THAT is a savings.  If I end up at $40, that is less than half of what I pay now.

Some people complained online about the phone selection being limited but, to be honest, I hate having too many choices.  I checked out the Android phones and used the reviews at PC Magazine to help me decide...the second best choice was on sale and had a coupon code, so it was $100 less than the top choice...$199 instead of $299.  That was my choice!  Supposedly they will be introducing the iPhone in a while at Boost Mobile but they don't discount their phones.  I'd never be able to justify buying it at full price.  Besides, what did Apple ever do for me?

I already called AT&T to cancel my plan at the end of the month (to avoid early termination fees, ya know).  My phone gets here in a few days and closer to the end of the month, I'll activate it.  I'll have to get a new number but I'm ok with that...I kind of like being able to avoid people from my past by wiping away my trail every once in a while ;)  I'll have to report back once I get the whole thing up and running...how exciting!

Red Robin

I'm always excited to try a new burger place, especially one I've heard about but that was unavailable locally.  When I went to California a lifetime ago, my friends and I made a point of trying all the local fast food hamburger joints: Carl's Jr. (Captain Crunch milkshake, what???), Jack in the Box, and of course, my true love, In-N-Out Burger.  There we ate like, 3 times.  When Shake Shack opened up in South Beach I was eager to try them - and I was not disappointed.  So, when I heard that Red Robin had opened up by the Falls, I couldn't wait to see what the fuss was about.  A $10 giftcard for $5 offered by one of the coupon sites and I was set.

Part of the problem was my expectations.  I was expecting a burger place, like Shake Shack or Steak n' Shake (which I also heart greatly) but Red Robin is a sit down restaurant.  Right there you know you are going to be spending more than you anticipated.  The server was really great, and the place was crowded.  Unfortunately, the food left a LOT to be desired.  It was cold, all of it.  The flavor was only ok.  I've had better burgers just about anywhere, except perhaps the fastest of the fast foods - and at least when I go to BK or McDonald's I know what to expect.  I wasn't happy about spending over $30 for a family meal that left me disgruntled.  I didn't finish my meal or even my beer, and that's saying a lot.  Wasted beer is like a sin.  It might be that the restaurant was so busy that the kitchen was just uneven, but I really don't see that the food is worth it at all.  At least I know now I needn't venture into the depths of Kendall to eat there again.  I'll leave it to the locals.

Earth Balance

If you're an avid recipe reader like me (I find it completely normal to spend a night hanging out, reading a cookbook, and I have a binder full of recipes to try...not to mention my overly pinned Pinterest boards!) and are trying to eat healthy, you've probably noticed something.  By FAR, hands down, the most popular "buttery spread" out there among vegans and vegetarians is Earth Balance.  I go through tubs of it making this awesome Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe alone (I highly recommend the recipe and the whole blog, Oh She Glows).  I don't know what magic they use for it, but it is deliciously like real butter - much more than those "other" spreads - and without scary ingredients.  I use the regular spread for cooking and adore the whipped spread for toast.  I think it's completely OK to have, as I did this morning, a buttery spread sandwich.  Just bread and spread, that's it.  YUM!

Liberte Yogurt

Eating is such a chore.  I honestly wish I didn't have to do it at all.  Of course, that pesky, intrusive sensation of hunger besides the life-sustaining properties of nourishment don't leave me any choice - eat I must.  I try to eat healthy with varying levels of success.  Because we're SUPPOSED to, blah blah blah.  Menu planning, shopping, food preparation, cooking - all this takes a lot of time and honestly...I'm not the greatest cook.  I'm also ambitious.  I start clipping recipes for making my own cheese and fermenting my own kombucha and such, when I should be planning something simple and nutritious for that night's dinner.  It's just that regular food isn't FUN.

Anyway, in my quest to eat healthy and to save some time I have tried pretty much all the yogurts out there, from the generic store brands, to the mainstream brands, to the "healthy" brands.  Liberte yogurt is far, far better than any other brand I've tried.  I love this yogurt so much I should buy stock - I'm constantly recommending it to people.  I've gone to their Facebook page to say how much I love it.  I should be embarrassed to admit that, but I'm not.  I just happen to be a great cheerleader :)  They have a great variety of flavors and styles: Greek, Mediterranee (this word is chock full of accent marks but darned if I know how to do those), and plain.  I honestly don't look at that as much as I just pick out every single flavor the market carries, 10 for $10 if I'm lucky.

This yogurt is my dessert.  It's my treat to look forward to after a plate of vegetables for lunch.  I throw some almonds in there and I'm happy.  Well, I feel like a Hollywood starlet, dishing out diet tips to some weekly tabloid mag.  Oh!  And the yogurt separates a bit to form this creamy film on the lid of the container which is so good I scrape it off and eat it as my dessert's dessert.  Yeah, I need to get out more.  So.  Try this yogurt and you'll see what I mean.

Global Liquors

Due to reaching a new level of hunger and brokeness (thanks for the pay cuts!) I haven't been out and about much.  You need some amount of discretionary income to gad about, drinking and eating, when you have not yet met your sugar daddy.

I don't drink much anymore but the holidays, parties and birthdays do require the purchase of gifts.  I like giving liquor as a gift - as my friend Wendy once stated: If I can't eat it, drink it, smoke it, or wear it, I don't want it.  We all want less clutter and stuff in our lives, and the best kind of gift-giving takes that into account.  So, enter the liquor store.

In the past I typically frequented Gulf Discount Liquors and Wine which is close to my house.  It's a sort of clean, utilitarian place with good prices, if not the most convenient hours.  It's all right but it's not sexy, to be honest.  It's very brightly lit, you know?

I needed a gift so I decided to check out some other local liquor stores.  First I went to Old Vines Wine & Spirits.  Definitely a pretty, classy little jewel of a joint but I must have picked the wrong time to go.  There was a wine tasting going on - everyone in this hole-in-the-wall was pretty boozy - and I couldn't find anyone to acknowledge me or help me.  I mean, this place is smaller than my apartment, yet I couldn't get anyone to look me in the eye.  It felt like I was a bumpkin in overalls who had crashed a private party at the country club.  The selection is quite dismal unless you want wine.  I mean, this place is tiny.  I left the place and, already late to a party, headed over to Global Liquors just down the street.  What a find!  Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Though you wouldn't guess from the outside, Global Liquors is spacious, elegant, has a large selection, and has great prices.  No fluorescent lighting, no Walmart atmosphere.  They have a good amount of parking and are very convenient - for me, at least!  I easily found someone to help me and they even had a check-in deal for a discount, score!  They have a fancy little delicatessen in the store as well.  I definitely recommend them - I've been there three times in the last month and I always get treated well.  I only worry they don't get enough customers - they can't close, I need them.  I mean, they are only a little over a mile from my house so you know what that means, yep - walking distance.  Though, I've been hearing about the perils of drunk walking lately.  Don't drink and walk!

Choices Vegan Cafe

South American women are like harem women-highly ornamental, they spend enormous time on their personal appearance and rarely leave their homes. When they do venture forth, it's with flawless makeup, cleavage baring outfits and high heels-even if it's to drop off the kids at school. Of course, if it's the only time they venture forth from home, they want to look their best, despite that looking like you're going out on a hot date at 8am is hardly maternal. Despite this obsession with appearance, Miami has among the most unhealthy people in the US. Like Fernando says, it's more important to look good than to feel good, pretty much the Miami mantra.  There are very few vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Miami, so I feel it's VERY important to support those that do exist.  Like Choices Vegan Cafe.

The meal was just great-even GS thought so, and he's someone that normally just exists on occasional mists of water and steamed broccoli.  A meal like that brings out my fantasy of saving a small foreign woman from the international sex trade and bringing her to live with me. Together we'd share a life, shunning men, and she'd walk on my back with her tiny feet and cook me delicious meals. I wish I could bring the staff of Choices home with me to cook ummy vegan foods, or else I can camp out in the kitchen and take all my meals there. The sweet potato fries were the best I've had-I don't even like sweet potatoes-but now I realize I was cooking them all wrong. It's in the preparation, darling. The lovely chef at Choices wouldn't tell me her sweet potato secret, which I fully respect-they were crispy and light-I'd call them fluffy. They melted in your mouth.  I had a Mexican wrap and GS had the portabella sandwich-both were great but I could tell GS really dug my wrap.  The sweet plantain was a nice foil for the spicy vegan "chorizo".  I took home a piece of Banana Walnut cake that was delicious-I'd love to try her coconut or banana cake.  You see, now I'm making demands!

Really, please eat here.  The good is great and you'll be a doing a good thing, not just for yourself but by supporting small, local businesses.

Hy Vong Vietnamese Cuisine

Never let me choose anything.  Not a movie, not a restaurant-not anything.  I will always make a poor choice.  Whatever I order at a restaurant will never be as good as what my companion ordered.  I'm sure I've said this before.  I know this, but it seems I need the lesson driven home repeatedly.

So, GS and I decide to go out for dinner, and he suggests Thai.  I can't think of a nearby Thai place, but I do remember a Vietnamese restaurant that I've been wanting to go to for a while, Hy Vong.  I last ate there about 15 years ago and had a wonderful meal, and I had no reason to think it would be any different this time.

How can I describe it?  GS said it was "a Hispanic version of Monty Python that's set within a Vietnamese restaurant or an intergalactic portal to the fifth dimension".  Either way it was a strange and surreal meal, yet, at least, entertaining as hell.

We drove by the restaurant twice, it was so hard to find.   We were first seated at the worst table in the place- a tiny table right by the kitchen so crammed against the wall that only two sides were free for chairs.  Well, it was busy when we first came in so I can accept that.  The waiter was so nice that he moved us as soon as there was another free table.  They had a nice beer selection and a manageable menu: I ordered the duck with black currant sauce and GS had the curried chicken with mushrooms.  My salad was all right, GS's soup was better-a chicken soup with spinach, with a curiously strong tasting broth-almost beefy.

The runner brought a plate of spring rolls to our table and said, "they were from Kathy".  I replied I don't know Kathy, I'm not Kathy, and that we didn't order that, but he insisted we take them.  Compliments of the chef?  Are we THAT cute of a couple?  Or were they made for someone else erroneously?  Whatever, I won't say no to free food.

The food came and it was "meh" at best-the curry was watery and bland, and my duck was dry and tough.  The runner, who had a charming but unintelligible accent, kept trying to take away my plate.  The food was in front of me, I had the fork in my hand, I was merely breathing between bites, and he asked me if I was done.  He wasn't trying to hurry me; the restaurant was half full by then and it was only like 8:30pm.  I think he was just bored.  Finally I told him to take it away since he seemed so eager to and I wasn't really into it, and he seemed inordinately hurt that I didn't want to take the leftovers.  After he asked me three times about it I explained that we were going somewhere else after and I was worried they would spoil-only THEN was he satisfied enough to take the damn duck away.

The couple behind us asked what was in the beet salad.  The two waiters were trying to even understand what "beets" were, and once they finally understood, they had to confer on what was in the salad and how to translate the ingredients into English.  "Beets in orange sauce" is what they came up with, after a good seven minutes of discussion where the word "beet" came up dozens of time.  I honestly wanted to intercede since I have customer service in my genetic makeup but GS stopped me.  I later heard them joking in the kitchen (which we were close to) about beets but I couldn't even figure out the joke-I think they thought the word just sounded funny.

I was still hungry so we ordered dessert, which I rarely do since I'm a cheapskate.  I ordered key lime cake.  How can you go wrong?  It should have been listed as arroz con mango instead.  Picture this: key lime bundt cake, with a rum sauce, whipped cream, walnuts, and cookies & cream ice cream.  WTF?  Were they cleaning out their fridge?  Were they stoned when they put it together?  It was purely awful.  I HATE rum sauce, I learned.

"Come thirsty", joked GS.  The bored runner kept refilling our water and must have done so about 8 times.  I swear he would refill it everytime I took a sip.  I wanted GS to scream at him, "I don't want anymore f***ing water" but he said that would be rude.  Funny, but rude.  All right, ruin my fun lol

I can't in good conscience recommend the place.  I would like other people to have such potentially hilarious dining experiences but I won't trick anyone into it.  I don't know.  It may have been an off night, but I can't have too much faith in a Vietnamese restaurant that doesn't even have Asian people working in it.  Just saying.

Rapids Water Park

So the kidlet turned eight this past week and to avoid the planning and expense of a birthday party I offered to take him to Rapids Water Park.  It's the least I could do.  I knew as the day got closer I would regret my decision, because I am chronically lazy and hate sun, but once you promise something to your kid, there is no getting out of it.  Unless, of course, you are comfortable being branded as the worst parent in the WORLD who doesn't KEEP THEIR PROMISES.  If I bowed out of this excursion, for sure my son would grow up to be a sociopath and get life in prison for a series of heinous crimes.

We left at a reasonable hour but the wait in West Palm Beach stretched out as we waited for successive generations of the family to show up (four in total!).  My mom and her sisters, who I refer to in my own head as the Fates, all had to go...to just wait in the shade and hold all our stuff for three hours.  Because there is nothing that feels as good to a grandma as being a martyr for the sake of their ingrate children and precious grandchildren.

Well, thank God they did go because they paid.  Weekend admission is $38.95 plus tax.  Regardless of age.  Newborns?  $38.95.  Senior citizens?  $38.95.  That is BOGUS.  We did get a free pass to return within a month but still, this is incredibly overpriced.  The cheapest parking we saw is $10 and you are NOT allowed to bring in outside food and drink.  Eh.

Honestly, though, I had fun.  Despite the whining and waiting in line and walking on red-hot concrete in bare feet, I liked it.  I love water slides.  My second cousin and I left our kids in the kiddie area under the watchful gaze of the Fates and went on all the awesome adult rides we couldn't convince our yellow-bellied spawn to ride.  I did all the shaming techniques I could think of: look, that kid is smaller than you...look, a GIRL is riding it, AND she's smaller than you...but no dice.  Funny, because shaming like this always works on me.  My son is extremely cautious, though...at least I don't have to worry about him climbing onto the roof pretending to be Superman and breaking his arm.

I couldn't recommend this as a cost effective family activity but I'd keep on eye on their website for coupons or discounts-since Six Flags closed down so many years ago, this is the closest water park you'll get-can't wait to plan a weekend Orlando trip someday with Wet 'n Wild and Blizzard Beach.  That would be awesome!

Days Inn - Jonesville/Elkin, West Virginia

It's not the best Days Inn I've stayed in, but I expect that in a more competitive city like Orlando or Chicago they have to provide a better quality experience. This Days Inn is pretty much just a place to crash when you've hit your driving limit and just get off at the next exit and stop at the first hotel you see.


The room felt damp, probably due to the A/C being turned off. We ate at the pizza place right next door (don't recall the name) and I can recommend it - it was pretty good. We settled in and turned off the lights and...

for some inexplicable, magical reason, the entire ceiling was painted glow-in-the-dark night sky - stars, planets, etc. If I had been at all in an "altered state" I would have freaked out. As it was, I had to rave about it for way too long. What did it MEAN? It was so random, so out of place - that someone had chosen to paint the ceiling of this hotel room in the middle of nowhere in such an amazing way. What impulse had driven this person? What artistical, mystical, wistful impulse?

I asked the very professional young woman at the desk about it, and she replied in her clipped, lovely British accent that, yes, some of the rooms were painted that way. I got the vibe that she couldn't understand why someone had given in to such fanciful and impractical desires. I think it struck her as a bit silly, excessive, even embarrassing. Me, I found it to be purely wonderful. It was like a glimpse into someone's most secret self.

Some sort of breakfast was provided the next day but I couldn't touch it-not at all appetizing. And I'm not picky, AND I was trying to not appear high maintenance in front of the boyfriend. The milk was a day away from being buttermilk and everything else looked stale and sad.

I wouldn't chose to stay here again but it WAS inexpensive and we just needed a place to lay our heads...but again, that ceiling! Room 120!

Paquito's & P.F. Chang's & La Bonne Crepe & ...

I had dinner with the girls at Paquito's on Friday, sort of a mixed belated birthday party and county FAIL commiseration fest.  I got there early so I sat drinking my margarita alone, with each passing moment feeling less and less bleak.  I am not fond of mixed drinks but margaritas are really a little bit of all right - I really dislike sweet alcoholic drinks so I love salt rim and lime, yep.  The complimentary nachos and salsa are my favorite item at Paquito's and by the time my friends arrived I really didn't need to order...but I do like built in leftovers.  I had my leftover shredded beef burrito today for lunch and it was mighty fine.  Lucky me, the day before Groupon had a deal for this place which I redeemed - fastest use of a deal EVER.

Dealt with the horrendous parking situation at the Galleria Mall in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday to eat dinner at P.F. Chang's.  Can you believe I've never eaten there before?  I'm not much of one for noisy, weekend dinner crowds and GS definitely isn't but after a few wash-rinse-repeat cycles of that age old refrain, "What do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, what do YOU want for dinner?" we didn't want to overthink it.  The place was packed and dinner was adequate - definitely tasty - but just not...interesting at all.  I had the Mongolian Beef and GS had the Broccoli Beef.  Both dishes tasted just fine (like I said, tasty) but really, all you taste is sodium.  Whereas with Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese food you taste ingredients, freshness, complexity...the Chinese food I've had is simple and uninteresting.  I would guess authentic Chinese food is not glazed with heavy, thick, sweet and/or salty sauces but what do I know?

The next morning we had breakfast at La Bonne Crepe - a cute little place on Las Olas.  MUCH better choice.  It's a small restaurant with good servers and an open kitchen - I do like being able to see what the cook is up to ;)  I love me some carbs in the morning - and it's hard to mess up breakfast.  I had French Toast (perfect portion size) doused with maple syrup and a cappuccino that came in a fancy little glass with a rock sugar stirrer - oh yeah, God IS in the details.  We went to the beach for a while, then caught Captain America with a gift card I had...great movie!  I loved all the little fifties details like the flip clocks and the dials.  And the Vita-Ray!  We saw it in 3D and it seemed super muddy...when I took off my glasses the real movie had much nicer color.  They should do something about that :/

I really hadn't satisfied my weekend craving for cool, crispy vegetables yet so we got subs at Big C's Downtown Pizzeria and that was IT - just what I had wanted.  I take forever to eat so I finished up alone while GS went to Bob's News and Book Store down the block.  What a great place!  Whoever buys for the place is a reader, no doubt about it.  A really great book and magazine selection with a lot of range - from porn to erotica to foreign magazines to art books to classics to bestsellers and everything in between.  The place looks kind of skeevy but that's part of the charm - and I was never so sincerely wished "good luck" when I bought my lotto ticket.  The short shorts and wedges may have played a part in that.

Yes, if it seems that all we do is eat and play vacation when GS and I hang out (far too infrequently), you are correct.  It's the bright bubble of unreality in the crappiest of current conditions we are experiencing in the county.  It's hard to think that some - no, many - people I sincerely care about will have their lives disrupted  and that so many may/will be laid off.  Or demoted.  And that includes me, possibly.  I NEED these staycation type moments.   In a couple weeks we are going camping in West Virginia and then GS continues on to Colorado while I hunker down for a few months of school, work, exercising, child rearing, all in a climate of fear and uncertainty.  Alone.  But, really, can be there be enough emotional support for the times we are facing?  At least we county employees have each other...best of luck!

El Gran Inka

My sister and I met up with my sister's friend at El Gran Inka after biking with our brother in Key Biscayne - no, I did NOT try the bridge!  My sister and her friend are both in the field I am seriously considering venturing into so I tagged along as a networking opportunity.  How very adult of me.

This place is far as hell.  On the way there we drove by a Japanese restaurant I've heard great things about, Hiro's Yakko-San, so I made a mental note for my eventual trek back out to the sticks.  I had the fish ceviche, my sister had the Lomo Saltado, and her friend had the mixed seafood ceviche.  My ceviche was pretty good, but my sister's Lomo Saltado was aMAZing.  The beef was so tender and the sauce was perfect.  My sister's not used to eating at restaurants with me but I broke her in quickly - both I and her friend ending up tasting her dish.  Her friend's mixed seafood ceviche I was happy to avoid - I just can't stand looking at tentacles, sorry :/  She ordered maduros that were very sweet, considering how pale they were - I tend to like them cooked (ahem, burnt) until they carmelize.  We had some cocktails that had Chicha Morada in them that were very tasty and effective, and flan for dessert (they called it something else) that was pure silk in the mouth.  I was rude, I took the last bite.  Well, someone's got to!

The place was very fancy pants and romantic - pefect for a date, if that's your kind of thing.  We ate outside but that was a mistake.  The weather was fine but we attracted quite a bit of wildlife and by the end of the meal the flan plate was covered in ants.  Dunno.  I feel that in most Hispanic cooking the cheap places are just as good as the expensive places, but I can recommend El Gran Inka - if it happens to be in your neck of the woods.

I've already mentioned Moonchine (I think I've eaten there more than anywhere else - fantastic atmosphere!) but I'd like to note that if you check in there using social media you get a free shot - and it's good!  The Moonchine shot tastes strongly of ginger and danged if it doesn't seem like a health drink cause of it.  I'd order it even if it wasn't free, so there!  Also, went to Lemongrass again with GS last night.  Lemongrass, for my money, is the best, most consistent, Thai/Japanese restaurant I go to.  You never, ever have a meal there that is anything less than stellar.  Recommend so much!  Note to self: must look for Thai tea at an Asian mart!

Duffy's Tavern

Some places just hold a special place in your heart, and it's got nothing to do with the quality of the food and drink, the ambiance, the value for your dollar, or anything else you look for in a restaurant or bar.  It's something far more intangible.  It's made up of memories that are like a crazy quilt of impressions and half forgotten moments.  Duffy's Tavern is one of those places.

I went back there after many many moons away with GS, just as an excuse to use up a coupon deal and to score a cheap-ish lunch.  I like bar burgers more than any other burgers.  Usually.  But more on that later.

Duffy's was just as it always is, and always will be - a real BAR bar with a bunch of drunk regulars arguing about every subject under the sun - all the more vehemently for the less actual knowledge they had of said subject.  The same servers as always though, the service seemed a lot better.  The servers were very attentive and friendly but it may have been due to the hour and emptiness of the bar.  Or maybe they were always that nice and I just don't remember.  When we used to go to Duffy's I admit, we used to all get pretty damn wasted.

GS and I  sat at the table that my friends and I used to use when Duffy's was a weekly meet up for us.  I remember arguing my point in any given conversation and pounding my fist on the heavy wooden table for emphasis, often to the point of bruising my hand.  Awwww, just like a regular, *sniff*.

The Amberbock was delicious, sweet nectar - so much better from draft than from the bottle.  Man, we used to put gallons of that stuff away!  This day we just had a pint each, like respectable people.  The food was...meh.  I had sliders that were bland and sweet - sweet not being a flavor I look for in burgers.  Sweet onions, sweet bun - just not very flavorful at all.  GS's burger was not thoroughly cooked and unfortunately he got really freaking sick that night - at one point he was wondering if he was going to have to ask me to take him to the hospital.  I lucked out that the sliders were so thin that they were cooked well done all the way through, not the way I normally like my burgers but a good thing in this instance.  GS survived but was, let's say, clean as a whistle after all was said and done.  Hey, some people pay a lot of money for that very service ;)

They say you can never go back and in many ways this is a good thing.  I had some great times at Duffy's back in the day but it was also the beginning of the end for my marriage.  Getting trashed with your friends while your husband is at home is not a healthy sign for a relationship.  Driving home in that condition was not the brightest decision either.  Still, I remember things - smoking Black and Milds outside the bar, leaning against the brick facade (holding up the building as my former boss used to say), the jukebox that only seemed to play the best bar music EVER, and for the first time in over ten years being with friends rather than my ex.  It was good while it lasted and I'm glad we all survived it.

Sooo in August I'm going camping a couple weeks in West Virginia with GS, before he leaves for another one of his months long adventures.  Real camping, that is, with bears, foxes, bears, and ticks!  And as I mentioned in my previous post I'm actually "training" (I'm nooo athlete) to do a very short duathlon with my amazingly athletic brother in September.  I found this which looks amazing and I hope to convince my friends (and myself) to do it.  Just dooooo it!  And I'm back in school, too!  Wow.  Goals.  I haz thems.

The Big Cheese of Miami

Do you know that The Big Cheese used to be a funeral parlor?  It's true.  I know, because I confirmed with the staff after I heard the rumor, many years ago.  They also obliged with good natured jokes about how the pizza ovens used to be the crematoriums.  Cause that's how they roll.  The Big Cheese is the least pretentious place to eat that is NOT fast food.  The staff is easy going and casual.  A place you can feel comfy taking kids and where your portions will be so large it will supply leftovers for 2 or 3 more meals, easily.

My brother took me, my mom, and his family to The Big Cheese for lunch on Sunday, sort of a post birthday celebration on a budget.  I had the baked ziti with ricotta but I wasn't too crazy about their meat sauce-I should have stuck with my normal choice, spaghetti with pink sauce and shrimp.  I LOVE their pink sauce!  Oh, well.  I was a good girl and didn't stuff myself, because I'm in training.

That's right, as old as I am, I finally feel up to trying to do a race.  My brother is the most athetic guy EVA and he told me about an easy race that is a one mile run, 10 mile bike run, and three mile run.  It's held monthly by Mack Cycle (a bike store I quite recommend for having very friendly and helpful staff) and my brother is planning to do it with his son.  I would be so proud of myself if I did this!  I tried jogging and managed two miles-did feel very close to puking afterwards-but I have a few months to get into shape.  I need a lolcat for feline inspiration...

Pizza Rustica across from FIU (Main Campus)

Though it's unusual to have a meal at Pizza Rustica devoid of the special sazón an advanced state of ravenous inebriation brings (the kind that comes at 2am), the pizza doesn't need it.  It's awesome, even in broad daylight and completely sober.  I've heard that the location across from Sunset Place is not up to par, but the new location across from the FIU Main campus certainly is.

I had the Con 3 Funghi pizza for lunch while waiting for my turn in the queue at Happy Hour Nails.  It was everything I love about the pizza from the South Beach locations: Crispy crust, fresh and flavorable, good size, and a terrific selection of toppings to choose from.   It had big, fat cloves of roasted garlic as well as the shrooms...UM!  The young lady at the counter was natural, friendly and attentive - I liked her quite a bit.  She must be a model of patience to deal with the type of crowd I imagine wanders over from FIU. 

It was slow when I went - luckily - and I hardly had to wait at all.  There was one annoying customer that wanted his pizza "crispy" and not only had the girl put his pizza in the oven twice before he even tasted it, after sitting with it and taking one bite he sent it back again for further crisping.  I'd have burnt it black for him, but that's because I'm a bitch.  So I've been told.  I imagine a crowd of drunk college kids are less annoying that this guy who was quite old enough to know better.  He looked to me as if seeking my support for his peevish whining but he looked to the wrong person - no one who works with the public will sympathize with anyone but the counter girl.  I told her, "I would like to request that you heat my pizza as you would normally.  Thank you."

 I should also mention how pointless it is for the homeless to panhandle me; I've zero tolerance for the homeless - work has cured me of whatever I may have had originally.  I remember snapping at a homeless dude who panhandled me at Burger King on my lunch break - and he was one of my customers! - like I needed to open THAT can of worms and have them leeching off of me every time I take out my wallet.  They've already sucked my soul dry at work!  I gave at the office was never more true.  But I digress!

Anyway, this strip mall is culinary paradise as far as I'm concerned - Pizza Rustica AND El Rey de las Fritas???   Not to mention that Sarussi is only a couple blocks a way.  Absolute heaven.  Luckily it's not situated all that conveniently for me because with a diet like that, I'd be getting to heaven WAY faster.