Starting off on the wrong foot

The weekend didn’t start off on the right foot.

Let’s start with my experience at Gizzi’s Coffee Shop  during my lunch break on Friday.

I passed by this place a few times while working the past week and decided to stop in for a mid day pick me up.  They have a varied selection of coffees and teas and when I saw Vanilla Soy Latte-I knew that’s what I wanted. I ordered it and on the menu it said $3.24. The barista/cashier  continued to charge me $.50 extra for the soy although the price was listed on the menu for a vanilla soy latte.

Me: Why is it $4 even when it says $3.24 on the menu?
Barista: Because of the tax
Me: So you’re trying to tell me that it is $.76 tax on a $3.24 drink? That seems a little ridiculous
Barista: That’s what it’s telling me—– I guess “it” was the cash register and not the creepy clown.

Hmmmmm….something about that seems fishy.
Yeah it may be only $.50 but it’s the principle of it. You all have to understand I am part Polish, I am all about pinching my pennies. I finally got my latte and hunkered down by the fireplace where they have books and magazines to read. I am down for any place in South FL that has a fireplace! They have the most comfy leather chairs I have sat my tush in in a while and after sitting in a hard, cold chair at work, it was most welcomed.

The latte was good-not horrible, not orgasmic, just good. I am still a little annoyed about the $.50 but what can you do? Hopefully this wasn’t a prelude to what my weekend was going to be like.

When I got home from work, I was beat. Beat from sitting at a desk all day and scouring the Internet. Even when I was working full time, I never liked Friday nights. I was always so tired by the end of the week all I wanted to do was cook a nice meal and hang out for the night at home and maybe sneak a gym session in. So I decided that was exactly what I would do on my last day of work.

I bought this Gardein Beefless Tips a couple of weeks ago and have been curious about them but also, a little scared to try them. Beefless tips just sounds dirty and as much as I like a meat-free alternative every now and then, something about fake beef skeeves me out.

I chopped up some red onions, mushrooms and let cook along with some of the beefless tips (I really can’t help saying the phrase beefless tips over and over again) along with some red pepper flakes and minced garlic.

I added in some frozen edamame and soy sauce to the mix and let all cook together so I guess I was going the stir fry route?

I despise cooking rice because I always mess it somehow-under cooked or overcooked and sticking to the pan. I would buy a rice cooker but I’m doing the whole saving money thing and don’t eat enough rice to justify buying it. Steamfresh has been my favorite, lazy way to go with “making” rice as of late, just pop it in the microwave for five minutes and done!

Notice that the beefless tips aren’t in the finished product? Yeah, I took one taste of them and spit it out after a few seconds. I can’t put into words how nasty the beefless tips tasted. I imagine a homeless persons shoe that has been soaked for a few days tasted the same as it. It was spongy and tasted like something that could kill me. When it was done cooked, I picked all of them out of the pan and threw them away along with the package. I’ll be sticking with Morningstar from now on.

Ient to the gym shortly after than made my way to Winn Dixie to stock up on some snacks for the weekend

Chobani was sale for $1 but looks like other people were as excited as I was about it being so cheap. Another sign that the weekend wasn’t going to turn out well.

I managed to get a few in my basket and finally tried the Mango flavor. Which is? Awesomness is in a cup. I think it is my new favorite flavor from Chobani! n another note, look at how gross and dingy Winn Dixie’s dairy shelves are. NASTY.

Saturday things finally started to look up. It started with eggs and Al Fresco chicken sausage

The plan was to make an egg scramble of sorts but while cooking, I saw that it has more potential than that. What once was scramble, soon turned omelet!

I am way too excited and proud about this but omelets aren’t my specialty. So when it happens, I want to tell the world.

Yes sir.

My mom declared it a morning of cleaning and once she started Gettysburg the movie blaring on her mini tv in the kitchen, I knew I had to get out. I made my way over to the beach to go do something…..anything. I thought it would be the perfect time to break in my new shoes and get some exercise in early on. I headed over to Deerfield Beach to walk and get some sun. For 9am in the off-season the beach and boardwalk (really a sidewalk but boardwalk sounds more beach-y) was packed. I love how they have a set place to keep track of your mileage when running and walking and it’s always been a preferred spot for me whether it be going to the beach for the day or hanging out on the boardwalk. I put a good two miles in and as soon as I was done, got out of there since the parking prices at the meters are pretty steep.

Scenes like these make me want to never, ever leave Florida.

Elton John was wrong, Saturday night wasn’t meant for fighting, it was meant for Groupon!

Always a sucker for a deal, I bought this Groupon for Lucille’s Bad to the Bone BBQ. But then I second guessed my purchase, you see, Lucille and I have some history.When I was a teen, I had a bit of an attitude problem (that unfortunately still holds true to this day) I went through a slew of jobs such as working at Walgreens, Papa John’s, Supercuts and our girl, Lucille’s I worked there for a very long two months as a hostess but got canned and I *may* be a little bitter about that still. All I remember is them saying something about how I had an attitude and never smiled therefore, they wanted me out. I guess I didn’t fit the ambience of a bbq joint and haven’t stepped foot in since. However, you give me a 50% off deal and you can bet your butt I’ll be there.

The place looked exactly the same as I remembered it and I was still one of the youngest people in there thanks to the early bird, senior citizens crowd. Some things never change I guess.

I ordered the beef brisket  sandwich, which has sweet relish and chopped onions mixed in and a sweet potato on the side.

 

As you can see, the beef brisket was nothing short of amazing—it was succulent and the relish and onion mixed in gave it a little extra something I wasn’t expecting. I love that you can get a side other than fries there and even though the sweet potato was drenched in butter, I was happy with it. The beach and the bbq were signs that maybe the weekend wasn’t going to be so crappy after all.

Add some free $20 play from Calder Casino in and it turned out to be a pretty swell weekend.

Don’t mock the penny slots, I won $3 off this baby! It’s all slots at this place and I really struggled to find a slot that wasn’t a penny one. I would have killed to have found a nickel slot but they were few and far between. But I did notice a Sex and The City slot machine—when did that happen? I didn’t get a good look at it since the voo doo woman playing it was giving me the stink eye and I didn’t want her to turn me into a chicken. I wonder if the symbols on it are flirtini’s and Jimmy Choo’s?

Have you ever been underwhelmed with a product like I was with Gardein?

Beach or mountains?

What I’ve realized this week

*I don’t like how the price of Dunkin Donuts coffee is increasing. At first, I thought I was going crazy because the iced coffee seemed to more expensive here than in Charlotte. But then I did a little research and turns out the price of their iced coffee and breakfast sandwiches at certain locations has gone up and may still go up. And of course, I think Dunkin has rockin iced coffee but not really a fan of their hot coffee. And vice versa for Starbucks.

*I have an unusual obsession with Mob Week

Mind you, they play movies that I’ve seen a hundred times. However, something about that it’s on for hours on end really excites me. I didn’t want Mob Week to end but of course, all good things must come to an end. Perhaps they should create a mob station? I would totally subscribe!

*I miss Lost. A lot.

‘Nuff said.

*As much as I complain about how hot is it outside and how I can’t wait for winter to be here, I’m going to miss salads come fall and winter. I’ve been chomping down on them a lot lately and eating a salad in the fall or winter just doesn’t do it for me.

*Bonding with mom isn’t so bad. My mom and I are close but not like Gilmore Girls close. I don’t tell her my secrets, indulge her with information about who I’m dating and admit, I can be pretty secretive with her. She is unemployed at the moment and wanted to go shopping to get out of the house and do something with someone instead of sitting at home alone. We  went shopping, had coffee and it was nice to hang out. I think I can definitely do it in small increments like three or four hours. Otherwise, we will likely kill each other.

*Once again, I need to cut myself off from all things Groupon. South Florida not only has one or two Groupon options, they have three! I get the emails for Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach daily and while that’s nice for saving money and trying out new businesses, I need to stop buying. I bought this Groupon awhile back when I lived in Charlotte for my parents to use and my dad insisted on my mom and I going for lunch the other day.

I don’t know how I have the ability to pick out places that are dead but we were the only table in there

It was a bit creepy but way better than being surrounded by noisy people. Our server told us that it picks up at nighttime and I can see why. Hello drink specials! And I noticed that they are all day drink specials so I guess if I have nothing to do and feel like a good day drinking session is in order, I know where to go.

Not only are the lunch items cheap, you get a salad with any lunch item

I got the chicken franchese and the chicken took up half of the plate

That’s what I’m talking about! More bang for my buck!

To top it off,  you get dessert with any lunch entrée!

It’s been too long since I’ve had a decent cannoli. The ones I had in Charlotte were pretty crappy but this here was the real deal.

*I love to spoil my dog

Lincoln isn’t having a dog party anytime soon since A) that’s ridiculous and B) momma has student loans to pay before throwing her non existent money towards a dog party. But that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy a fun treat right? I got him a martini doggie treat and he scarfed it down, like momma like dog.

*I love riding my bike again! I usually scoff when I hear people say that once they find something they truly enjoy, it doesn’t feel like exercise anymore but I kind of know what they mean. I love going out there without a plan and seeing where I’m going to end up. I felt ambitious on Sunday and went for a four mile ride in the afternoon. I felt like I could have kept going but I underestimated how much water I would need. I rested for a bit then went out again that night for another four miles.

And that’s it…..for now at least. I’ve realized a whole lot more but I am just about dead to the world with a headache from hell. My sister has been in town so we have been going around non stop. She is getting married in October and lives three hours away so when she comes to town, she wants to get as much done as possible. Plus, on a happier financial note, I am going to work tomorrow! My friend is a recruiter and hooked me up with a week and a half long gig doing reception work. The girl is going on vacation next week and is going to train me the next three days and then I will be on my own next week. Get out of the house and get some extra cash? Sign me up!

What have you realized lately?

Tell me something fun going on with you! I am so behind with reading blogs, checking Facebook, etc.!

Frugal Friday: Boston and Beyond

Happy Frugal Friday! Hope everyone is ready for the weekend and that it’s starting to cool down wherever you are. The weatherman said that in South Florida the heat index today will be 110 degrees so this girl is all about staying inside in the A/C. My parents said something about going to see a movie this afternoon at one of the $2 theaters so they are embracing Frugal Friday as well!

When I went to Boston, Stephanie took me to this awesome used bookstore she frequents. I love used bookstores but this one also had cd’s, dvd’s, magazines, records and other goodies. I soon got the lay of the land and found that they had racks in the front featuring best sellers, chick lit, cookbooks, etc. Along with that are rows upon rows of books, all organized  by genre. It was very easy to navigate through with very reasonable prices.

Not only did I get a couple of books (Devil in the Junior League was read on the way back to DC and a fun, quick read), I also snagged some books on cd, which I still call books on tape. I like to think people know what I’m talking about when I saw books on tape so hopefully that’s the case.

I listened to Something Blue on the way down to Florida and it really did help time go by quickly. I read the book years ago and knew the premise of it but forgot certain parts of it. Plus, after seeing Something Borrowed a couple of months ago, it was fun to continue the story from Darcy’s point of view plus now I can totally see Kate Hudson as Darcy. Every though I prefer the books to movies, I am hoping that they come out with Something Blue as a movie. I am waiting to listen to the Lovely Bones on another long trip. I read the book and it was a little too depressing for me but given the way the book reads, I think the book on tape will be really interesting. I got both of these for under $8. If anyone of you book on tape people would like “Something Blue” let me know and I will be happy to pay it forward and send to you!

While at the Lululemon store in Boston, I went up to the cash register to ask how much their red bags are. I’ve never bought anything there before but I see their bags everywhere and dig them because they are a) red, my favorite color b) I love the quotes on them, just looking at them makes me smile. Besides me Coach purses, I don’t think I can say that about any bags I own. The sales associate told me that they don’t sell them, that they are the bags they put purchases in. I must have looked pretty down while saying “Oh” because the sales associate took one then slid me it on the DL and that definitely turned my frown upside down!

I got to the train station a bit early on Monday and was bored after a half hour, the people watching gods were not being good to me. I found out where the closest CVS was and took a walk over there to stock up on snacks, drinks and more. Stephanie gave me this coupon for $3 off HerbaShine hair color and it must have been in the stars for me to buy it because it was on sale for $7 at CVS.

Pair that up with a $.50 extrabucks coupon and I got hair coloring, swedish fish, Gatorade and a sandwich for $11, not too shabby. But then I thought about my purchase and how sketchy I looked buying hair dye when about to get on a train. That’s like straight out of a movie when a chick kills someone then moves somewhere random like South Dakota to start anew. No worries though, Stephanie is still alive and I am too afraid of prison to do that anyways. I’ve never seen a CVS carry sandwiches like that and they had a pretty decent variety like a club, chicken caesar and buffalo chicken, which I got.

 

I later enjoyed on the train along with some pita chips that I bought at Trader Joe’s that weekend. A great, portable meal for about $5.50 as opposed to just a sandwich on the train for $7 or $8. The buffalo chicken was surprisingly tasty, a lot better than I expected from a drug store.

When I stopped in Charlotte for a night, my friend and I went to Target to look for dresses. Naturally, this meant that I would buy a crap ton more than a dress, including three pairs of shoes for under $30 (one of them not pictured because I have too much stuff and can’t find them at the moment)

While making my way down to South Florida, I saw this sign for free coffee if the restroom wasn’t spotless at Dunkin Donuts. I thought I was going to walk away with a free coffee since it was a DD located within a gas station but no dice, the restroom was completely spotless

I stopped at a friends house the first night I was back in FL and she has an avocado tree in her backyard that is growing avocados left and right. But they aren’t the avocados that I’m used to, like the Haas ones from California, they are Florida avocados and I’ve never heard of that even after growing up in Florida.She gave me a bag of them to take home but said I would have to wait awhile for them to be ready to eat.

As you can see, they are much bigger than the Haas ones and the skin is smoother as well. I sliced one open yesterday but it still wasn’t ready-boo.

I have been doing excellent with not eating out that much. I only ate twice this week and one of them was with a Groupon I had for Wings n Ale in Coral Springs

When I bought the Groupon, I thought the name sounded very familiar and when we pulled up, I realized that I had been there before. I was surprised to see it still in business because it’s in a random strip mall in the corner and if you blinked, you would probably miss it. The inside was very small with about eight or nine tables and you seat yourself. They have a small bar area and only two servers working that night. It was packed and our server mentioned that everyone who has been there in there was because of Groupon. One of the many reasons I love Groupon is because it helps support local businesses so I was happy to see that it was hopping!

Since I tried their wings before, I ordered the blackened mahi sandwich and it was superb. The fish was freah and blackened perfectly with a hint of spice. Plus I kinda dig that the mahi filet is square and served on a round bun-just like Wendy’s hamburgers!

 

Do you do a lot of shopping while traveling or try to save your money on other things?

Have you ever had a Florida avocado?

Do you have a good avocado recipe? I’m looking to do something besides guacamole!

 

 

What gives?

I’m staying with one of my friends until tomorrow and I am in love her house. Houses like these make me want to settle down someone and buy something that I can call my own but we all know that’s not happening any time soon. My old place was right outside the city and her place is the opposite-in the country. Ok, not really, but country to me. It’s in civilization but there is tons of land, trees and nature all around me. And you know what, I kinda dig it!

Bonus points because I get to play with her cute pup (Lincoln’s girlfriend Monet)

I met up with some of my sorority sisters for dinner on Friday night. We went to Chili’s and I honestly can’t tell you the last time I’ve been to a Chili’s since I’m not a huge chain food person. However, while perusing their menu ahead of time, I saw they have a 2 for $20 deal where you can get an appetizer and two entrees for only $20. Works for me! We got the guacamole and I ordered the Grilled Margarita Chicken with beans and rice

After a few bites, I was done. I had a margarita (house margaritas only $3.49—wha what???!) and was full from the chips, salsa and guacamole.

 

I’m gonna miss my friends but I know this isn’t goodbye.

This morning I woke up semi early and found the nearest YMCA to go to. I did 35 minutes of HIIT on the Precor Crossramp. I went in not wanting to do a damn thing but I hadn’t been to the gym in a few days and wanted to do something to up my heart rate. The ones where I plan on doing nothing usually turn out to be the best ones for me. This time after 20 minutes on the elliptical, I didn’t want to stop. Then the 30 minute mark hit which gave me a five minute cool down and then I had to stop since there’s a 30 minutes time limit when people are waiting.

The Y facility I went to was really nice but I wasn’t quite sure about the whole wiping of the machine system there. A few of the machines had a spray bottle on them but with no towels. The Y I normally go to has machines and towels on all the machines so you know that’s what you’re supposed to wipe with. I tried to watch people as I was working out to see what I was supposed to do but some of them wiped with a paper towel while others with their own towels-what gives?

After reading Stephanie’s post on Dunkin Donuts coffee  (which you should totally go over to her site a wish her an early happy birthday!), I was in the mood for an iced coffee from the DD.

I went to a DD location I’ve never been to before and it was pretty gross inside. It was early but crawling with unruly ankle biters. When I got to the cashier to order, the girl looked at me like I was an alien. I looked at her for a few seconds then I said “Hi” and again, she just looked at me. I followed up “How are you??” and then she finally caught on to the whole let’s have a conversation and get my order concept.  To quote Principal Rooney in Ferris Buellers Day Off “I weep for the future” What gives?

Once I was clean and looking like a lady again, my friend and I went out to run errands and go to lunch. Of course I had a Groupon because that’s how I roll. I am not leaving this town without going through every single one I can! It was for Topz , dubbed “The Healthier Burger Grill”

My pet peeve with going to new places is if I don’t know the deal is. Meaning, is it sit down, waiter service, do you get a number or just wait around for your food? What gives?  At Topz you order but my friend and I didn’t know if we should just stand there or what so we sat and hoped that someone would bring us out our food. Our magic worked and we soon got our food. I got their turkey burger with a side salad.

Nothing like a burger hot off the grill! This was so juicy and the grilled onions added even more flavor to it. They offer all of their burgers with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions and 1000 Island dressing but I went without the the dressing because that just sounded nasty. Plus, on their condiment bar they had garlic ketchup—I’ve never heard of such thing! So I grabbed a mini cup of that and topped my burger with that and it was delicious. I love how they offer turkey burgers, veggie burgers and a few salad options in addition to angus burgers, hot dogs and fries.

We some errands afterwards and I finally picked up a reusable cup for my cold bevvies I enjoy in the summertime

We all know a Saturday afternoon isn’t complete without a trip to Target!

Um, when did these books come out??? I MUST FIND!!

As I’m a firm believer in “no coupon left behind”, we had one last stop to make

Free cupcake? Why the hell not?? SAS Cupcakes is right across the street from Target and absolutely adorable inside

It was like a magical. sugar laced candy land full of cupcakes and other goodies! I was torn between the Cookies N Cream and Chocolate S’more cupcake but once the employee told me that the S’more was filled with marshmallow crème, game was on!

Well, until they made a major cupcake faux pas….a cupcake to go served in a bag? Really SAS-what gives?

I handled the cupcake with extra care on the right home so it would be almost pristine condition when I got to enjoy it but one side was a little smushed.

The frosting was a graham cracker crust frosting and absolutely delightful. The actual cupcake, even though filled with marshmallow crème, fell flat. It was dry with not a lot of taste to it. After eating one half of it, I gave up for someone else to enjoy it.

Sigh, at least it was free.

Have you had any “What gives?” lately?

Hello gypsy!

Wednesday was a day to go play and run errands. I had a Groupon to get my eyebrows threaded and let me tell you, it was much needed. The caterpillars above my eyes were back with a vengeance!

Ah sweet relief. The girl who did my brows was so quick, it took less than two minutes. That’s what I’m talking about! Then my friend and I went to my beloved Three Amigos for lunch.

Pretty sad that this will be my last trip there since it’s become my favorite Mexican restaurant in Charlotte. I mean come on, with guacamole like this, what’s not to love?

We ordered the lunch portion of the enchiladas verdes and soon were greeted with this

Yeah, that’s the lunch portion.

Good thing we split it because there was no way in hell I could have killed it. Plus since I am now homeless, I don’t have anywhere to keep it.

Later that night, we went to Solstice Tavern in NoDa for my going away party.

(source)

NoDa is my favorite neighborhood in Charlotte due to it’s funky eclectic vibe. Add a decent mix of people including hipsters, hippies, urban dwellers, preps and more, it’s my favorite place to be. While walking down Davidson Street, you will see all kinds of art.

 

Solstice has a great, spacious patio that’s perfect for summer time drinking. On almost every wall outside there is a mural and I just adored the one we were sitting next to.

Woof woof indeed!

Beers were flowing and we started off with the mini corn dogs

These should be illegal. I’ve never heard of mini corndogs before but I will be keeping an eye out at restaurants for these. I wonder if they will make a hit like fried pickles are doing lately?

I got some kind of sandwich with roast beef and turkey, it was pretty unmemorable.

It was great to hang outside, drink some beers and be with friends before I leave

Hmmmmm, where will life take me? Screw that, I wasn’t pondering life, I was pondering what my next drink would be!

 

 

 

Add that plus a late night run to 24 hour  Amelie’s for some sweets, it was a fabulous evening!

And today? Today I feel n to the asty. I only had five beers last night, what the hell is going on? Maybe it’s because I haven’t had beer in a couple of weeks? How am I hungover still at 6pm at night? This getting older thing just sucks. But I think I need to keep it at a two to three drink limit whenever I go out drinking because nothing good ever comes out of five drinks. On the other hands, four drinks is when things start to get difficult. Ugh, priorities…..

And you know what you shouldn’t do when you’re hungover?

Move.

Never ever am I moving again in the summer, I am so over it. Luckily, a lot of my things were out of the house but I still had some random stuff laying around and had to do a final cleanup. I better get my $800 deposit back because I busted my hump cleaning today. Clorox and a hangover are not an ideal combination by the way.

Goodbye home.

Hello gypsy!

So now I sit here at my friends place catching up on Real Housewives of New York. Oh how I’ve missed the shrillness that Ramona brings to the table! Her voice doesn’t help me in the state I’m in and neither does her drama. I swear every time I watch RH of NY, I want to confront one of my friends or talk about pecking order. For dinner, I grabbed some sushi at Harris Teeter

Do you have an art district where you live?

Do you have a lot of restaurants/coffee shops that are open 24 hours?

I ride solo

Today started out well despite it being 100% humidity outside. Don’t hold me to that though, I don’t know if that is a fact but it sure as hell feels like it. Scratch that, it just feels like hell but with humidity. Living in Phoenix was bad enough since in the summertime it felt like you were stepping into an oven anytime you walked outside. But at least there you didn’t sweat it out like you do in Charlotte. I give up doing my hair in the summer months and have been skimping on the makeup as well. I figure what’s the point? I’m going to sweat it off and I’m looking to meet a man in the next four days (because with my luck right when I’m moving I will meet the love of my life) so why not let my natural beauty glow? Or why don’t I just glow? Another thing that was great about Arizona with it’s lack of humidity was how my hair looked. And yes, vanity reasons are valid reasons when choosing a place to live. I grew up in Florida most of my youth so the frizzy mess that was my hair was the only way I knew it could be…..until Arizona. No frizzy, hot, wild mess. My curls would hold and wouldn’t fall flat after five minutes of being outside. Sigh, those were the days.

Oh yeah, back to today.

I ran a bunch of errands and hit up DD for breakfast.

Still not diggin the new flatbread and still haven’t wrote a letter stating my opinion. Maybe one of these days I will get to it.

When I got home, I went to town on my kitchen. I cleaned the oven as well as I could but there is still some grit showing in it and on the burners. I cleaned it yesterday as well and thought I would try again but didn’t make much progress. I cleaned my fridge and bathroom as well. I picked up some Mr. Clean Magic Erase things at Target this morning and got some scuffs off the walls. I wish Mr. Clean were a babe, he is hot and he is a man of his word—the magic erase worked!

I had a Groupon for Luna’s Living Kitchen to burn through. I’ve only been there once before and that was for breakfast so I was interested to see if their lunch would be better.

Since the Groupon was for $10, I looked at their menu ahead of time and had the game plan of getting the hummus plate and a smoothie. They have an awesome, unique selection of raw, organic and locally grown food that you won’t find at many other establishments in Charlotte. I love that. What I don’t love is the pricetag it comes with. Some of their lunch items are $11 or $12 and that just doesn’t work for a girl on a budget. Thank you Groupon for making it happen.

I sat outside and the server asked if I had been there since they changed their menu. I don’t know when that was so I told her no and she mentioned they added some quinoa burgers to the menu. Hmmm, I like quinoa. I like burgers. And god knows a hummus plate probably wouldn’t hold me over until dinner. I ordered the Fire & Brimstone Quinoa Burger topped with chipotle hummus, salsa verde, veggies and hot sauce.

Not gonna lie, I didn’t want to bite into it because it was so beautiful. A+ for presentation. I love pretty foods and appreciate when restaurants take time to work on presentation but taste is definitely more important. The burger didn’t’;t hold too well together and the salsa verde didn’t appear or taste to be salsa verde at all, it was more guacamole like. Nothing wrong with that!

I ate every last bite of it and even though I am a frugal girl, I would go back here again for this burger alone. If you are in Charlotte or ever in Charlotte, I definitely suggest this place. And the patio is dog friendly as well!

I had to get back home soon after since Salvation Army was coming over to pick up the last of my things. I went from this

to this

It’s very depressing and the only piece of furniture in my house is my mattress. I tried to donate it but they won’t take used mattresses. I tried to plea with them that it hasn’t sewen a lot of action and is in great shape but no dice. I guess it’s against the law to sell used beds in North Carolina?

Once they were gone, I packed my packs and went to the Y. I really wasn’t in the mood to workout. My legs were still a little sore from yesterday and just felt blah and icky from the heat. I did 8 minutes on the elliptical then got restless. I found a recumbent bike with a working tv and what do you know, Sex and The City was just starting so that’s how I killed 30 minutes of cardio.

Knocking that out plus watching a great episode, the one where Carrie and Aidan meet, left me in a good mood.

(source)

I just love them together. I wish SATC could be on forever and ever! Which reminds me, I need to backup my computer!

I brought my bathing suit with me and went into the whirlpool. And that’s when the weird stuff happened. I was the only one in there but it felt so good to stretch out and soak, I was moaning and may have screamed out “dirty bitches”  a few times because I was in seventh heaven. Mind you, I don’t have a bathtub just a standup shower so now when I get into a tub or whirlpool, it feels crazy good. I wasn’t being dirty or anything but 31 years is starting to take a toll on my muscles and it felt wonderful to ease the pain away. I was totally that girl in the whirlpool.

I showered, changed and then plopped down with a diet coke and some crackers and enjoyed the free wifi the YMCA offers to members.

Seriously, check out this lounge area, it reminds me of a cruise ship All they need is Isaac in the corner to make some umbrella clad drinks! I miss you, Love Boat.

I stayed there for a couple of hours then I went to Just Fresh since I had a coupon for a free sandwich or salad.

I definitely wanted to use this up before I left since it’s free. The best part is I didn’t even have to purchase the sandwiches or salads to get this car—my old neighbor left it in my mailbox when she was moving out!

I ordered the Mozzabella Salad-mixed greens, fresh mozzarella cheese, roasted portabellas, red peppers, tomatoes, pecans and balsamic vinegar dressing. The salad hit the spot-my only complaint was that it was drenched in dressing. I would order on the side next time.

Since I’m officially a country song-I have no job, no dog and no furniture, I may as well spent the rest of the night at the YMCA hanging out and maybe working out again, yes?

Do you do things solo? As you can see I have no issue going to eat by myself, go to bars by myself and have traveled to Vegas by myself among other cities. Last night when I was complaining to my friend about how bored I was, she suggested going to a movie. I’ve never been to a movie by myself before and it just seems weird to go alone, even though you won’t be talking to anyone. Who knows.

 

PS-And thanks to everyone for dealing with my incessant I-miss-Lincoln ramblings, I haven’t been myself the past few days and it’s all because of his absence. I can’t wait to see him next month!

Almost a free day

I’ve been getting into my normal routine of running around with entering crisis mode from moving.

On Thursday I went to Dilworth Coffee since I had a $15 Groupon to blow through. However, there was a catch, the Dilworth Coffee location was in Concord whereas I thought it was the one a few blocks away from me. Since Concord is about a 20 minute drive, I decided to make a day trip out of it (can you tell I don’t like to travel too far when I am in Charlotte?)

I started there and ordered 12 oz of their cinnamon hazelnut coffee. I Usually get their Morehead Estate ground coffee but wanted to try something different since it would be super cheap to. The barista there was awesome and took the time to ask me what I like and what the difference is between the different roasts they have. Since I was mixing it up already, I followed with my drink. I got an iced skim chai latte and it was delish and dare I say, the best I’ve ever had?

I brought my laptop so I could work on some internship stuff and parked it for about two hours. It was just the right level of volume since it was mid morning and no kids or hipsters were there, yay.

What I liked about this location was that it had a true coffeehouse feel to it. What is a true coffeehouse you ask? I’m not sure but if I were to think of one in my mind, it would be spacious with comfy seats, eclectic décor, local artwork, chill music with a variety of brews. And that was indeed Dilworth Coffee in Concord.

I saw some interesting sights on the road shortly after while heading to the next stop of the day:

What the hell is this, the Bob Marley Express?

And I love that the Charlotte Fire Department digs Shrek but what about Donkey?

The next stop was The Last Word, a used book/cd/dvd store that’s opened this past year. I have a bunch of books that I am giving away to the thrift stores but I thought I would check with them first to see if they would buy any back.

If someone could tell me why there is a Christmas tree in the bathroom,I  would love to know the story.

After what seemed like forever, my name finally appeared on the monitor. They put it on the screen when your order is ready instead of the traditional calling your name over the loudspeaker. I was about to reach my boiling point because the guy told me it would be about 30 minutes and when mine was finally ready it was over an hour. I’m very impatient, it’s one of my “flaws” (who are we kidding, it’s the only flaw I have!) however if you give me a realistic time frame, I can schedule accordingly and go somewhere else or go grab lunch. I went back to the counter and they only bought a few dvd’s and books from me which came to $19 in store credit or $9 cash. I found a couple of cd’s and a book so I took the credit and I still had some leftover for my next visit.

When that was settled, I went to Thai House for lunch. They have lunch specials for $7-$10 and I am always down for some chicken pad thai.

It was a huge portion for only $7 and with that you get a spring roll and soup. However it helps when the server greets you on their own free will and remembers the soup. Definitely not the best pad thai I’ve had in Charlotte but it did the job.

Do you go to used bookstores to sell or buy books? Do you have a Kindle/Nook or prefer old school books? 

I like to go to used bookstores to sell my books (and cd’s and dvds if they buy them) because most of the time they are locally owned businesses. I am old school all the way, I don’t think I could do the whole electronic book thing…or could I?

Frugal Friday: It’s June?

Happy Frugal Friday! Um, I don’t even want to start the conversation on how it’s June already so we just won’t. I just need to ask-seriously- where has this year gone??

A couple of months ago, I was perusing Groupon for the deal of the day. I started to look around at other cities to see what they were offering as well. Indianapolis’ sounded interesting—$8 worth of Mexican food for $4 at Bajio Mexican Grill . I am all about the Mexican food but cheap Mexican food, si papi!

 

I had some free time last weekend so drove over and ordered the Pineapple Shrimp Salad.

Bajio was just like Qdoba or anything other Mexican fast food restaurant. I loved the number of add ins and when it came out, it was gorgeous. Looks tasty right? Wrong. There was too much juice from the black beans and the salsa so what should’ve been a salad turned into cold Mexican soup. No bueno. It would have been fine if there wasn’t so much juice, add to the fact that the lettuce was shredded lettuce as opposed to bigger pieces, I wasn’t a huge fan.

Tip: If you know you’re traveling to another city and  know what part of town you will be staying in or have a card with you, check out Groupon or other discount sites in advance. It’s a great, cheap way to check out local cuisine!

My sister told me about a Sparkling Ice Water they sell at Kroger for $.99/bottle. She said it tastes better than Crystal Light all while being calorie free. I went to the local Kroger and stocked up, they had a number of flavors and even though I didn’t have a Kroger savings card because we don’t have Kroger here, found out that I could use my Bi-Lo supermarket card since they are affiliates.

I also bought some snacks for the road since I wanted to get back on track with getting my fruits, veggies and produce in my life.

Tip: If you’re in need of food or drink while on vacation, go to the grocery store instead of the convenience store or eating out every meal. You will save tons of money and possibly discover new products like I did!

 

On Memorial Day, we went to the local Salvation Army thrift store. They were having a huge sale with all of their clothes half off! I found some wonderful tops and skirts for super cheap.

All of this? $7 and some change. Can we say holla?  Where else can you find Nike and Adidas tops for under $.80? On another note, I don’t think I’ve ever had donuts for dinner but wouldn’t be opposed to the idea.

Tip: Retail stores have huge sales on holiday weekends but don’t forget your local thrift stores! They are usually packed to the gills with clothes and other items and have sales as well!

When I got back to Charlotte, I was looking through the circulars to see what was on sale. I saw Voskos Greek Yogurt on sale for $1. I’ve never tried that brand before but if I’m going to try something, it’s going to be when it’s on sale as opposed to regular price.

A possibility of winning a trip to Greece? Don’t mind if I do.

Tip: Some times you may not like the product you get on sale. I tried the honey flavor and wasn’t a fan at all. However, I refuse to let the other three go to waste. I like to throw greek yogurt in smoothies as a replacement for milk and for a little kick of protein.

Also while looking through the mail, I found this advertisement (with coupons!) for Einsteins’ Brothers

I don’t need a fresh baked treat but it’s good to know if I’m jonesing for one, I can get one for free at Einsteins in the afternoon with a drink purchase.

Tip: Don’t just throw out your mail, check out the advertisements. Often they are full of sales, discounts and coupons!

I went to Logan’s Roadhouse with my aunt and uncle last weekend in Indianapolis. When we sat down the server did their normal schpeal asking us if we’ve ever been there. I told them I’ve heard of Logan’s but never been to a Logan’s before. Before we were about to leave the manager came over and gave me this card for a free appetizer since it was my first visit since they hoped I would return. The best part is I can use it at any Logan’s location!

 

Tip: Sorry, I don’t have one this was total luck right here!

Do you shop for groceries while you’re out of town? Do you buy Groupons/ Living Social/ etc deals for cities you will be visiting?

Frugal Friday Guest Post: Food Snob

Happy Frugal Friday! I have an extra special guest post today from Miss Monique from Food Snob.  I love Monique and I had the priviledge to hang out with her not once but twice last year when I visited NYC.  I am so happy I met her via the blogs since she is just all around fabulous and one of the blogs I have to check out every day! She is going to tell you all about her crafty ways to save money in the Big Apple!

I can’t exactly recall the moment when I discovered Ms. Shaka’s blog, but I know I became hooked immediately. I love her wit and cheery outlook on life. And who could resist a blog that has daily doses of cuteness with the adorable Lincoln? Seriously, who?

I met Tiffany last year in person and again a few months ago. We are two peas in the same pod. What’s not to love about this girl? When she asked me to guest blog, I was honored. Like, extremely and I sought out an opportunity to put a little bit of me and a little bit of her into one amazingly awesome blog post.

Her latest addition: Frugal Fridays, is turning into my favorite segment. I am, in no way, a bargainista. In the city that never sleeps (good ol’ NY, NY) saving isn’t as easy. But I have found ways of coping with the price tag that comes with dining out and having fun all while maintaining a breathable budget.

One thing that I have been doing as of late (and this is helpful to you single folk) is that prepare two new recipes per week and grocery shop ONLY for what I need to make those dishes. Sometimes, I purposely seek out recipes with 5 ingredients or fewer.

For instance, these skinny chimichangas (http://www.iarethefoodsnob.com/2010/09/skinny-chimichangas.html) I made last year were healthy, cheap, and freezable! Don’t want to eat the same thing all week? Portion the meals into single servings in separate containers and freeze them. On those days you can’t find the energy to cook, pop one of those babies in the micro for a homemade meal. (this comes in handy after happy hours!)

Another source which Tiffany is familiar with: Groupon! Deal Sites! I find many deals on great places to eat! I set a certain dollar amount in my mind and will not spend over that amount. When the deal comes along for that great hummus place I have been eyeing and is under my target I go for it. I recruit my best eater and we hit the restaurant together. And usually, as is the understanding my friends and I have, if I purchase the deal, the guest pays the difference. But this is not a recommended method with people you have just met or people that you aren’t very close to.

Lastly, I have discovered an amazing resource to feed my restaurant addiction. Restaurants.com. It’s a website that sells discount gift cards to restaurants. More times than not, the restaurants offering these gift cards are likely to be a little less than successful and use the gift certificates to reel in more patrons.

I found my local sushi joint on restaurants.com offering a $25 gift card for a mere $10. The catch is you have to spend $35 to get the deal and if done right, you can have a huge dinner for less than $20. On some days, I find promo codes that bring the price for the gift cards down to $1. ONE DOLLAR for $25 worth of sushi??? Yes please.

I called my friend Bunz and told her about my deal and the next thing I knew, we were sitting in the quaint sushi joint and presenting our gift card. One word of advice: call ahead to ask if they still honor the gift cards.

Since we were getting a great deal we decided to order the sushi love boat. It’s a $30 platter of sushi meant to be shared and even when I have Japanese I never order the boat because it’s a bit pricey. But there was no time like the present to try something new.

Everything was amazing. And it was nice to try sushi that wasn’t salmon or tuna. The fish was fresh. Bunz, who only just recently started loving sushi, was equally impressed.

We rubbed our bellies and asked for the check. After the deduction our of $25 ($1) gift card, our total was a whopping $20 (we ordered an appetizer).

And if you break it down, split it in two, that’s $10 each for a sushi boat.

Not a bad deal! Not a bad deal at all.

I hope I haven’t bored any of you to death and hope that if you took anything away from this, that you know you CAN enjoy dining out on a dime!

Frugal Friday Guest Post: Two Boos Who Eat

Hi everyone—happy Frugal Friday! As many of you know, today is my last day of work for God knows how long. So my eye is on the prize and will be going to happy hour to celebrate my freedom from corporate America after the work day. But have no fear because I have a wonderful guest post for you all today from Amanda of Two Boos Who Eat. I love reading the adventures of Amanda and Andy in Southern California and am envious of what a solid and supportive marriage they have. Reading their blog always brings a smile to my face!

Hi Simply Shaka readers! My name is Amanda and I blog over at Two Boos Who Eat with my husband Andy.

Right now, I’m working on my teaching credential and don’t have a paying job. It’s hard but I’ve learned to be super creative when it comes to saving money!

· Groupon& Livingsocial aren’t super present in the suburbs but they DO offer good deals in L.A. so I try to follow the e-mails and save them for a rainy day. I recently purchased an hour massage on Livingsocial for $40. I wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise.

· Local community supported agriculture! My husband and I signed up for a weekly organic produce pick-up. It’s $20 a week and it’s ALL organic. We can’t pick our produce since it’s seasonal, but we always get a nice variety of delicious fruit, greens and veggies. I highly suggest researching “CSAs” or “Produce Pick-ups” in your area.

· Couponing! I subscribe to several coupon blogs on google reader. I put all of the coupon blogs in a separate folder so it’s easier for me to check it. My favorites:

o Organic Deals

o Mambo Sprouts

o The Krazy Coupon Lady

· Target Clearance I’m frugal when it comes to buying clothes while not having a full-time job. I’ve found cardigans, yoga pants, socks and pajamas for super cheap.

· Travel I’m all about Travel Zoo.  They have AWESOME deals.

Anywho, there are a few of the ways I’ve made things work during a tight time. I’m always looking for more ways! Let me know if you have any!

Do you belong to a CSA?
Where do you get your coupons from-online or the newspaper?

 

Want to guest post and school others on how you save money?  Shoot me an email! simplyshaka@gmail.com