Bang and roll

Happy almost Friday all! Not a lot going on over here just getting ready to finish up working my temp gig. It will be actually be somewhat bittersweet since I’ve gotten to know the guys there pretty well (well for being there seven days that is) and yes, all guys. There is no other women in the office which is very refreshing. I love my girls but I hate working with women. There tends to be so much drama and backstabbing that comes along with it and guys may bring drama, 95% of the time if they have a problem with you, they will go ahead and tell you and I can respect that.

When I do see the guys in the office, it’s great but that’s usually only for an hour each day since they go out into the field and sales calls. And the rest of the day is lonely. I would like to thank Youtube for helping me kill hours whether it be watching comedy

cute doggie videos

or listening to music

I love the new Trina song but this will always be my favorite

And that’s about it. I went to Bonefish Grill last night and can confidently say it’s my favorite Wednesday night place thanks to their $5 Bang Bang Shrimp special! They call it Bang Wednesday which I think goes along well with the notion of hump day.

I’ve never had the Bang Bang shrimp before but have been told multiple times how wonderful it was. The masses don’t lie, the shrimp was zesty and tasty. I love the bang bang sauce however next time I will get the sauce on the side since it was doused in it. A bonus is that it’s served over a bed of greens so it’s like a little shrimp salad for $5.

$3 glasses of house wine are equally enticing as well

And since sushi one time this week wasn’t enough, I went again for lunch today to Sushi Rock. This place is right near where I’m working for the week. It’s very unassuming in a tiny strip mall but I read online that they have lunch specials with a decent review so why not?

The first thing I noticed was there wasn’t a single soul in the place. Hmmmmm, it was still early so I didn’t want to judge them too early on. The second thing I noticed was their menu

All of their menu covers are record covers which goes with the name Sushi Rock. I absolutely loved that idea and the chance that I got a menu with the album of one of my favorite cd’s of all time made it even better.

Like Bluefin, they had both Japanese and Thai lunch specials that come with either miso soup or ginger dressing

My dad got his food first and I’ll admit it, I was having a case of food envy with his chicken and steak teriyaki. They didn’t do skimp on pieces of meat and it was loaded with tons of veggies!

He doesn’t like broccoli so I stole a few pieces while waiting for my lunch the #4 Special with sushi, sashimi and shrimp tempura

Holy cannoli—so. much. food. And only for $10, the same price for my lunch on Tuesday but with more sushi with substance. Sushi Rock didn’t have the chic, hip atmosphere like Bluefin but more of a quaint, neighborhood feel to it which I actually dig more. I don’t need to feel sexy when I eat sushi, I need to feel like I’m getting a good deal. I definitely got a good deal at Sushi Rock and can’t wait to visit again!

Do you work with more men, women or is it equal? Do you prefer to work with one more than the other?

Anyone else getting their bang on??

Not my native tongue

The boring days at the office continue. I’m trying to use my time wisely, instead of doing my nails, I’ve been focusing on my trip to Italy.

I’m good with the details on where I want to visit but one thing I’ve been slacking about is learning  the language. I know the basics like ciao and  buon giorno….ok and  chianti. Not wanting to spend a days worth of pay on Rosetta Stone, I logged onto my library’s catalog to see if they had anything to help me out I found this Berlitz Italian Guaranteed when I picked it up at the library, I was taken aback. Had I really requested a VHS?

Turns out it wasn’t a VHS like the case appeared to be, it was a Playaway.  It’s a cool contraption. It’s like an ipod but for this segment only and  all you have to do is plug in your earphones and you’re all set! No charger and no bulkiness-score!

I’ve done a few lessons and my main complaint originally was that it’s all over the place but now it’s actually coming together. It starts with greetings, how to say your name, ask others theirs and discuss where you’re from. Then it goes on to discuss what you do for a living, how many children you have and if you’re married. I definitely paid attention to the latter so I can ask men this in Italy what they do work wise and if they are involved. I can now count up to 30 , 20-29 is easy because they all start with venti so I can relate that to Starbucks biggest drink!! I can also spell my name out in Italian and tell you my name and where I’m from. The other problem is that I don’t know how to write anything or know how its spelled. Whenever I write down what I’m listening to (because that’s the main way I learn), I spell it out the way it sounds which I know is wrong but works for now while learning it. I’ve never learned a language from tapes before so the process has been interesting and I intend to keep practicing up until I go.

 
When I was in DC last month, I found this Dorling Kindersley Travel Guide for Italy at a thrift store for $.50.

I love it because I’m a visual person and they are all about the illustrations and pictures. Who needs words when you can look at pictures right? This book has given me great insight on where to go when in Italy but now I fear I have too many places I want to visit, oi vey.

Other that that, I’ve been online reading different blogs about Italy.
Amanda and Andy recently when back to Italy after going for their honeymoon a couple of years ago. I keep going to their blog and not only marveling at the Italian scenery but the food as well. Blueberry ricotta cheesecake, gnocchi, pizza and red wine? Sign me up! Be sure to check out their adventures in Verona and Venice! 

But like college, I had to give myself a break from studying and researching. I met up with Natalie for lunch at Bluefin Sushi 

I am always down for sushi but even more so when there is a lunch special. Plus I’m kind of over either eating lunch in my car just to get away from the desk or driving around for an hour. Natalie has been before and told me this place gets really busy since it’s located right off I95 near a ton of businesses so we went at noon. That was a smart move on our part since there were only a few tables and parking spaces galore. We went in and sat down and our server came right over to us. I can’t stand when servers take their time at lunch when you have to get back to work so that was appreciated. Bluefin has bento box specials for lunch that come with either soup or salad. Since it feels 100+ degrees outside with the humidity, I got the salad with ginger dressing.

Followed by the Hosomaki lunch special. Both food was out soon after we ordered so no lollygagging at Bluefin-quick service is what I’m talking about!

Hello beautiful bento box full of sushi! This was only $10—not a bad deal at all. My only gripe with Bluefin was that our waiter was a little too attentive with filling up my water. I love my H2O but cmon, give me a chance to just down one full glass of water!

And with that, my brain is fried from all the knowledge it’s taking in. I haven’t sat down and done any kind of studying in god knows how long. But I dig it. It’s nice to give my brain a little workout every now and then, something tells me the normal workout I have of reading TMZ isn’t a beneficial workout for my noggin.

What other languages do you speak? 
Have you ever learned a language from a cd or tape?

 

The house always wins

Yesterday, it was time to take on this beast.

Cleaning out a garage in August in South Florida is not good times. Especially after I couldn’t find out an outlet to plug in a fan orthe  boombox my parents have from the 80’s. Another reason I wasn’t excited was purely for vanity reasons.

I suck at time management sometimes. I dyed my hair and showered right before so I wasn’t stoked to get to cleaning but I was bored out of my mind and I’ve been intending on cleaning the garage ever since I got here. But before we get into that let’s talked Garnier HerbaShine.

This was my first time using this brand and I wasn’t completely impressed with it. I liked that it only took 10 minutes to set but when I saw the conditioner I was put off a bit.  I’ve dyed my hair a lot and the conditioner has always been in a tube with a cap not in a packet like this.

 

 

I got the hair dye for $4 so all in all it was a good deal except for the conditioner (yes I am that cheap and use the conditioner afterwards when I travel). I won’t let my ADD take over this post,  so let’s get back to the garage. I found all types of stuff. Memorabilia, crap, art. And when I say art I use that term very loosely. Mostly due to this gem

How effin creepy is he? When I saw this I immediately jumped then starting laughing nervously then I turned away because I couldn’t look at him anymore. But then I turned back around since I feared he would jump out and kill me ala Chucky in Childs Play

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I took the “art” out onto our patio and asked me dad what creepy Buttons was doing in our house. He said that it has been with our family for awhile and could actually be worth something. Let the research begin! I wonder if we can photoshop Buttons into family photos since he “has been with our family for awhile” In no time, I had the garage more organized that before. There is still work to be done but now there is actually a walk way without rusty nails on the ground.

 

 

Tiffany1 House 0

After some shopping and a nap, we made our way to Benihana.

I’ve never been to the bar area at Benihaba before so this was a treat. We used to go there when I was a kid at get the hibachi cooked at our table and it was always a big deal. So when my dad told me we weren’t going for hibachi, we were going for happy hour sushi, I was on it like white on rice.

They have an awesome happy hour special including specialty sushi rolls, nigiri, appetizers and drinks in the lounge and bar area. We walked in and there was only one other party sitting in the entire restaurant so we made our way to the bar and grabbed a seat.

$4 Cabernet, don’t mind if I do!

I started off with seaweed salad

I was enjoying it until I got the bottom and hit some frozen seaweed. There was ice right on them. ick. But then again, it was only two bones so it wasn’t a huge loss. Then the rolls came out. I was so stoked not only for the happy hour special on sushi but also because I was reunited with one of my loves—the Las Vegas Roll!

I used to order the Las Vegas roll all the time when I lived in Phoenix and was disappointed when I didn’t see it on the menu anywhere in Charlotte. Plus, I never really knew what was in it so I couldn’t request for them to make it. All I knew was that it was spicy, fried and tasty, just how I like my men.

I also got the Caterpillar roll which was amazingly fresh

But still, the Vegas roll won my heart with it’s rich and tangy flavor (not to mention it’s neat presentation)

Since I already won against one house, I decided to try my luck out at the Isle Casino

You know because I can total the take casino for all that it’s worth at the $.02 slots. Hey, I’m a frugalista and I’m not going to sit around blowing my money when chances are I’m not going to win but it doesn’t hurt to try. In a perfect world, I would like to just sit there and wait for a guy to approach me who then gives me some of his money to play with and then win thousands which he will then tell me to keep since I did a good job. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to happen with outside of Vegas…..or at the $.02 slots Apparently, I really need to lower my standards.

Guess what????

I didn’t win. Not one cent, it was worse than my last visit to a casino at the Horseshoe in Hammond, Indiana. At least they checked my ID when I walked into the Isle so that made me feel better about myself and skin regime.

House 1 Tiffany 0

But I won at something else. I went on a great five mile bikeride once I got home (and had some coffee beforehand since I don’t need to be pedaling under the influence).  I could barely sleep last night because my legs felt like cement and the booty is ahurtin today!

Does your state have happy hour specials?  We didn’t have them in North Carolina and my next location must have happy hour specials. This is non negotiable!

If you gamble, what’s the most you’ve ever won? I used to frequent Vegas a few times a year when I lived in Arizona and I believe the most I won was $600.

Coastin

Yesterday was spent in Whiteville, NC and beyond. I slept in until 1030am….again. Around noon we walked over to Sophie’s, which is located in an old pharmacy and serves sandwiches, wraps, salads and coffee.

I got the Lenie sandwich-turkey, cranberries, cheese and sprouts with a side of pasta salad.

The sandwich was good but I would have appreciated more than 12 penne pasta noodles as a side dish. Oh well, you can’t win at everything.

I was feeling a bit dead still so I went back to my friends place and knocked out a little workout with my kettlebell (20 lbs)

*Tricep extensions (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Upright Row (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Chest Press (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Side Bends (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Squats (13 reps, 3 sets)

*One Legged Deadlifts (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Deadlifts (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Halos (13 reps, 3 sets)

Resistance bands

*Bicep Curls (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Reverse Fly (13 reps, 3 sets)

*Front Lateral Lift (13 reps, 3 sets)

Definitely not the calorie burn I was hoping for but at least I did something and ache quite a bit today so it’s a win.

After my friend got back, we were on our way to Myrtle Beach. I’ve only been to Myrtle once and that was in the wintertime to see The Killers at House of Blues so I haven’t had the whole summertime experience. I went to my bff, Yelp to find a sushi place in Myrtle Beach and soon found Soho.

If you passed by Soho, you would never know it’s a sushi place given it’s outdoor patio with beach décor and that it’s nestled in between two beach food restaurants. But once you step inside, it’s dark, intimate.

One thing I love about South Carolina? Happy hour specials! We got there at 6:30pm, just enough time to partake in some $2 domestic beers.

I got a salad to start out with.’

It was good but would have been even better if it weren’t swimming in ginger dressing

We got a few rolls-Philly Roll, Kono Crunch Roll, Double Crunch Tempura Roll and Spring Breeze Roll

Double Crunch Tempura Roll and Spring Breeze Roll

The sushi was absolutely amazing. The Spring Breeze Roll was cold on the outside and hot and crunch on the inside, it just melted in my mouth. If you’re ever in Myrtle Beach and want some sushi, check this place out! It’s a two blocks away from the beach and a few blocks away from Broadway at The Beach, which was out next stop.

This place was out of control busy but I guess that’s what you get where you go to Myrtle Beach huh? People watching was absolutely amazing. I’m talking about guys wearing the shocker shirt, tweens dressed like hoochies and redneck children running amuck-something for everyone I tell you.

I was in some desperate need of coffee from the situation earlier that day so we made a stop at Kiss Coffeehouse.

When my friend told me about it, I lit up a little….even if I am a Starbucks girl. I absolutely love KISS and love to rock and roll all night! Ok, not really seeing I like to be in bed by midnight but give me some Detroit Rock City any day!

Heeeeeeeeeey-o!

I got an iced coffee, the only thing that didn’t rock was the $5 price tag that came along with it.

Third day of going au natural with my face. I am not diggin this no makeup look but refused to be that girl who wore makeup on the lake and didn’t find my makeup until late last night. That $26 Benefit Erase Paste is worth every single dollar because those bags under my eyes need to go bye bye.

Afterwards we met up with one of my friends friends who was celebrating his birthday at the bar at Logan’s. I was going to have a beer but my friend ordered some long island iced tea esque drink served in a mason jar. They had a ton of flavors to choose from-orange, mango, watermelon, cherry, etc. That sounded much better than a beer so I went with the cherry because who doesn’t love the sugar rush you get from grenadine?

It was funny that she ordered that because on the way to Logan’s I was thinking about long islands and the last time I had one. I used to down those baby’s in college and like to think that and my discovery of ranch dressing led to weight gain but soon stopped because I got absolutely trashed off of them. Then I thought the last time I had one couldn’t have been college could it? But then it came back to me. The last time I had one was a few years ago on a first date. Note: Don’t drink long island iced tea’s on a first date with a guy.

Second note: Don’t drink long island’ iced teas on a first date with a guy then challenge him to see how many you can drink in one night.

Third note: Don’t drink long island’ iced teas on a first date with a guy then challenge him to see how many you can drink in one night…..on a Tuesday night when you have a real job to go to the next day.

Fourth note: When you do this and he pulls up to your apartment complex, instead of stepping out of the car, you just slide right out…..of an SUV. Don’t do this.

Final note: If you do all of the above you will go into work still drunk the next day and wondering why your butt is completely bruised the next morning.

Do you have a vacation spot you go to in the summer?

Long Island Iced Teas-love em or hate em?

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.

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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?

Rolling with my homies

I tried a new to me Japanese place on Friday night thanks to Living Social

I am so team Groupon by the way. Living Social is alright but they never seem to have as good of deals as Groupon plus I feel like it’s more expensive. I may be a little bitter that I recently had a Living Social deal expire and they didn’t even send me an email letting me know. Groupon always has my back and gives me advance notice that I better use my Groupons or they will expire soon.

Shiki isn’t in my neighborhood so I haven’t heard anything about it. When I looked online, I couldn’t even find a website for them  and there were minimal reviews on the Yelp so I was a wee bit skeptical going there.

For being in a Wal-Mart shopping center, this place was hopping for a Friday night! It looked like it hasn’t been there too long, was clean, had high ceilings and lots of comfy booths. The host sat us and got our drink order at the same time. That’s what I like to see, use of time management skills. I hate when they seat you and you have to wait forever just to get a water so getting everything out of the way is welcome. We each got a glass of wine which was $3.95 each. Talk about cheap! Plus they were very generous with their pours.

We started off with edamame, it was piping hot and my friend asked how to do you eat it. I simply replied “Just bite and suck” which then led me to think of one of my favorite movies of all time: Clueless

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RIP Brittany

When I said “Just bite and suck” it reminded me of the scene at the party where they start playing Suck & Blow and Cher goes off on Elton “God Elton, don’t you know how to suck??” which led me to start humming “Rolling With My Homies”

I would keep going on and on about Clueless since it’s one of the best movies ever.

And anyone who wants to argue with me can go suck it. All I needed to know in life I learned from the movie Clueless.

Plus, it introduced me to Jeremy Sisto. 15 years later and I still love this man.

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Oh yeah, so back to the Shiki, right?

At Shiki, I figured with the hooch being cheap they would mark up the price of their sushi but oh no, this was cheap sushi haven! None of the rolls are over $10 and a majority of them are $5 or $6. They also have traditional Japanese hibachi dishes but I really didn’t even look too much into that since when there is sushi, I’m a girl on a mission.

We had $25 to spend on food so we ordered four rolls. And of course, I don’t remember the names because that would be too easy. But I remember the spicy tuna roll (second from left) and crunchy California roll (second from right)

Why can’t I remember the names?? Argh. The one on the far left was bomb, I think it may have been the Volcano roll?

All of the sushi was wonderful and we walked out of there only having to pay $12 due to the two glasses of wine which wasn’t included. Shiki was a great value! I thought it was going to take longer to get there from the Uptown Charlotte area since I’m spoiled and think anything that’s further than six miles is a long trip.  Also, they have awesome mints-just strong enough to wipe out the taste of wasabi. I would much rather go to Shiki and pay for sushi than go somewhere that’s overpriced where you’re paying more for the atmosphere than the sush. It’s nice being able to hear the person you’re with talking when you’re out for sushi rather than having to yell at them in a clubby atmosphere.

On Saturday, I felt like my day was shot since I had the Salvation Army thrift store coming over to do a large pick up of stuff. And they pulled the whole cable company act like we-will-be-there-between eight and four so I was just sitting around waiting for them. I was paranoid about going anywhere for long because with my luck they would decide to drop by when I left. What also sucked was I got an invite early Saturday morning to go to a restaurants soft opening on Saturday afternoon but couldn’t go because of the pick up.

My friend came over and she had a Groupon to use for Pisces Sushi. I love the sushi but my last experience at Pisces was less than desirable. I was with a big party, the service was horrible, food took forever to get out and when it did, the portions were so little. I swore I wouldn’t go back but when someone has a deal, I am game. Apparently, Saturday afternoon is the time to go to Pisces since there were only four other tables seated.

So stoked I got hygienic chopsticks this time! Now what was I using last time?

We started with the Vegetable Spring Rolls, the dipping sauce that came with it reminded me of Chick Fil A’s Polynesian Sauce but with a kick. I’m totally ok with that.

Xoxo roll on top and Bobcats Roll on the bottom. Both of the rolls were fantastic however the Xoxo roll was out of this world! It’s topped with  grilled scallop and a honey eel mayo sauce. The scallop was grilled to perfection and I don’t even want to know with hot much butter because it literally melted in my mouth.

Filet M roll on top crab crunch roll on the bottom. I’ve never had sushi topped with steak before so this was something new to me. the horseradish on the Filet M roll gave it a little extra zing. I liked it but don’t think I would get it again, the concept of filet on top of sushi was just weird to me (this coming from a hardcore carnivore)

Nothing like some sushi on a Saturday afternoon!

Do you like the movie Clueless? Please don’t answer if you haven’t seen it because I really don’t need help feeling older than I already do.

When dining out-what would you rather pay for, ambience or good food?

 

Flop it like it’s hot

I packed up on Wednesday to go to the west coast of Florida. Even though we moved to Florida when I was seven years old, the west coast is pretty foreign to me. We vacationed there a few times and I remember it being more mellow than the southeast coast of Florida with not as many NY/NJ people and not as much to do. My sister recently moved to the west coast of Florida and I wanted to see her before I trekked back up to Charlotte so on my way I went. While I was making multiple trips back and forth between the house and car (with a lot more stuff than I remembered bringing), I saw this huge turtle sitting up my car.

And when I came back he was gone. At least I have visual evidence he was there and that I’m not losing my mind. I had to make sure I had all of Lincoln’s stuff packed up and treats ready to go.

I had to say my good bye to this guy

Oi vey, that face. Mickey is going to be 13 this summer and I don’t know how many more times I will see him since he his health isn’t what it once was. This is one of the saddest good byes I’ve ever had to say. I know he is a dog but in my family, dogs are family. He has been there with me through college, mini, breakups, happy times, sad times, etc. I held him in my arms, rubbed his belly and said good bye. It was so emotional that I had to put Lincoln in the car beforehand so I could have some time with my Mick.

After that heartbreaking scene, we were on our way ready to go west side. It only seemed appropriate that we jam to Tupac not Biggie

 Like his momma, Lincoln is all about the east coast and not west,. RIP Biggie Smalls. Mental note to self: Must download Get Money by Junior Mafia, that used to be my job!

I got to my sisters place is no time then we took a drive over to Punta Gorda

 

 

Yes, I most definitely think I need to move to a city near the water. I miss it so much! What I don’t miss? The sketchy creepers that come with the beach. As my sis and I were walking onto the pier our dresses were flying everywhere with the wind and this creeper in daisy dukes walked past us andleaned over and whispered “Beautiful dresses” then walked to the end of the pier. We were in the middle of the pier at that time and we stopped there to take pictures because we didn’t want to become a CSI episode.

We stopped by a few stores and shopping centers, tried samples of fudge and perused shops

We stopped for a drink at the Wyvern Hotel roof top bar, which had an amazing view of the water. Give me a nice view, cold drink and cushioned seats and I really don’t need much else in life!

We had a great bartender who was quick with a pour (or twist of a cap) and gave us the 411 on the Punta Gorda area with solid restaurants and spots to check out and others to stay away from.

One of his recommendations was Asuka Japanese Steakhouse in Port Charlotte.

We sat at the sushi bar and when we came in there were two people making sushi then it dropped down to one right as the dinner crowd was coming in. Sushi chef was helpful but seemed a bit in the weeds cranking out the sushi. I don’t like when you go to a sushi place and there is a roll on the menu with no description—especially if it’s an obscure name that doesn’t give you any clue as to what it is such as the Snow White roll. WTF is a Snow White roll? Could it be white and black or full of seven dwarfy things? The sushi chef seemed a little irritated when we would ask him what something was then he finally got one of the waitresses to bring a menu. Annoying people is one of my strong points so push me to and I will. They had your traditional rolls along with special rolls for the evening. Most of their specialty rolls feature avocado which makes me shimmy since I heart omega three’s! I got the Chili Roll and Port Charlotte Roll—I love seeing both made right in front of me and both were on point with freshness and spiciness!

My sister go the Dynamite roll and a salad

I don’t know what’s up with Florida but the main thing that irked me was watching the sushi chef make all the rolls…..without gloves. Do food prep workers not have to wear gloves in Florida? I should know this but I have no clue. I saw him wash his hands a few times but it still skeeved me out.

How many siblings do you have? I have two older sisters but always wished I had an older brother.

The only routine with me is no routine at all

Even though I’m on vacation, I feel like I’ve been getting a routine of my own while down in Florida. I know, I shouldn’t have a routine when I’m supposed to be relaxing and enjoying my time but it’s been working out well and not a stressful one at all. It seems like each day I’ve been meeting up with one of my friends for a meal, coffee or get together. I went to a bbq the other night and made a creamy Greek pasta salad as opposed to a Tysonlicious pasta salad.

The star of the pasta salad was gorgonzola cheese. I rarely buy the gorg because I love it so much and can make a container disappear within 12 hours. Yeah, I don’t even say 24 hours because it really doesn’t last that long in my house. So when I saw it on sale, I bought it as a perfect add in to the pasta salad along with artichokes, black olives, zucchini, parsley, red pepper and Light Greek dressing.

This turned out awesome! I don’t like to make creamy pasta salads too often because hello, creamy isn’t too good for you but it was a perfect dish to bring to a bbq for all to share!

I met up with my friend for breakfast on Monday morning. She is a writer so she tends to be busy at night and on the weekends so when she suggested breakfast, I immediately jumped since you know, the most important meal of the day thing. Plus hello, I love seeing my friends! We went to First Watch, a breakfast and lunch spot in Boca.

I ordered coffee as I waited for her and when they brought out a vat of it, I couldn’t have been happier. Well until I saw these beautiful babies that is

Don’t think I didn’t swipe a few for the road!

I liked how they had traditional breakfast and lunch fare and also a good selection of healthy options.

I should have gotten something off that menu but the meal was going to be both breakfast and lunch for me so I went with something hearty and savory to fill my belly-Key West Crepegg-A thin, sweet crepe combined with fluffy whipped eggs filled with Turkey, avocado, bacon, tomatoes and Monterey Jack cheese with a side of potatoes and an english muffin

A delicious meal (as is anything that involves avocado!) add that to catching up with an old friend and that is priceless.

I’ve been getting some good gym time in also. There are a number of gyms to go to here so I don’t think a lot of people patron the YMCA which is fine with me—more machines for me! On the downside, most of the machines are older versions of ellipticals and treadmills. They don’t even have my beloved Precor there, it’s a brand called Star Trac which I’ve never heard of.

Of course, I’ve been hanging out with a couple of handsome fellas as well.

Mickey and Lincoln are getting along terrifically! Lincoln is still a little protective of me but he has to realize that Mickey is the OB (Original Baby) I have a feeling I’m going to end up with two pups soon.

I’ve been spending my afternoon’s laying by the pool reading and swimming.

Thanks to all who recommended this book—I can’t put it down! It’s such a page turner and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

Lincoln has done some swimming too and was all too happy to get out of the pool and sun bathe with me.

The parentals have been providing dinner and entertainment we went to see Bridesmaids on Monday afternoon. This movie? Holy effballs of fire, it was hilarious! However, I really wish I could skip over the sex scene parts when I’m sitting right next to my parents. It’s a bit awkward. But on the other side, I don’t want to live in a world where I don’t get to see Jon Hamm naked. Seriously, how is he so handsome?  We  went to dinner at Kyojin Sushi Buffet in Fort Lauderdale right after. I was starving by the time I got there since I really only had the big breakfast and a few snacks.

The first plate of sushi was fantastic. However right after eating it, I didn’t feel right. I felt like there was a brick in my stomach so I switched over to soup while my dad helped me with the rest of the sushi. I’ve never had a bad sushi experience at a restaurant but I felt like I was going to throw up on the way home. We’ve been going to Kyojin for the past three years and it just seems like the quality of their sushi is going down the drain.

For the first time ever, South Florida is growing on me. I was born in Indiana then we moved here when I was seven. I resented my parents that we would move somewhere that’s a completely 180 from Indiana and just wanted out. And you know what?  The first chance I got to leave here, I did. I picked out WVU on a map and moved 18 hours away. Now that I have lived there, Phoenix and Charlotte, I’m not so much if I like it up north of not. I always thought I was a cold weather girl but I am quite enjoying the warm weather for the past week and a half. I know a lot of people down here and my friends have already told me I could them my resume so a move to Florida may be in the future.     

 Random question–Who the hell names a business Hair on Fire?

As someone who has had their hair caught on fire, this disturbs me. I won’t get into the story but it involves freshman year in college, a cigarette, Bon Jovi and Natty Light.

How many places have you lived?

Anyone else have any fun, hair catching on fire stories?? Crickets, crickets….

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!

Proud Tiffany

For the past week I’ve been humming or singing the line “Left a good job in the city” from Proud Mary (The Tina Turner one of course, not the CCR one. Speaking of which, whats Tina Turner been up to these days?)  I would say it’s an appropriate song to have in my head since I did have a good job in the city and as you know, I left it.  I threw deuces at corporate America and just left…..and it feels good.

My last day at work was actually a good day. I didn’t get any going away cakes or lunch from my co-workers but I did get three free drinks from Starbucks.

I had to say goodbye to my Starbucks crew since I won’t be going Uptown anymore. Pay for parking? Hell no. I will just learn to love the Starbucks crew at the one near my house. It took me awhile to get in good with the baristas at the one in my building so now I am going to have to work double time to establish report in two months. Time to bring out the witty remarks and quips!

I stopped by my hippies to say goodbye to them and collect some produce for the weekend.

But turns out they set up at different farmers markets in the area so I will get to see them again! That’s what I call winning!

I got some free samples from the Trident girls working the corner at the intersection my office is located

I came back to find a note from one of my coworkers on my whiteboard

Teardrop. I’m really going to miss my co-workers.

Then I was instantly inspired on where to go for lunch—sushi of course! I went by myself since everyone seemed to be really busy (I guess with me not having work to do, forgot what that was like?) I went to RuSan’s for their $9.99 sushi buffet. RuSan’s is questionable, so much that one of my friends calls their sushi McSushi since it all seems to be fried and all the sushi chefs are from south of the border. When I walked in, the place was bumping for lunch time and knew I made the right selection of where to go. For $9.99, I could get a couple of plates and have a sushi food baby sitting in my tummy.

And sit in my belly it did. And now in a “I think I have food poisoning” kind of way but more so in a satisfied way. It’s a great place to stop by if you’re looking for a quick fix.  I sat around the rest of the afternoon going for walks and reading at my desk. My manager was in a meeting so I couldn’t just scoot. I had to set up my voicemail and give him my badge so I wouldn’t have access to my building further. Because if I could go anywhere in the world, it would be work, not Europe.

Sigh, look at that 25-year-old girl with such hope and aspiration.

Then the fun began! And by that I mean happy hour! Well, after work drinks since happy hour in North Carolina is illegal. Instead of limiting it to a few hours in the afternoon, NC is baller and allows all day drink specials. So I say blame the government if people are drunk all day! 

I need some crackers with my cheese

I declined on the car bombs

PBR ring

 Good times had by all! I can’t believe it’s over though. I keep wondering what’s going to happen on Monday–am I going to wake up early like I always do and get ready for work until I realize that there is no work? Then when we were out last night, it dawned on me I’m employed–eeks! I haven’t been unemployed since I was 25 so this is going to be a major adjustment for me and have to brush up on my interviewing skills. It was difficult saying good-bye to people though and some even snuck out without saying bye–what’s up with that?? It’s my party and you will say good-bye when I tell you to, thank you. I started to get teary eyed when telling people how much I would miss them and how I wasn’t going to see them again at the office. Every emotion was coming out, it was ridiculous. I just hope this leap of faith I’m taking works out in my favor because even though I know this is what’s best for me right now, I go back and forth when it comes to confidence in myself. It has to work out, right?

After all those drinks last night, I’m feeling quite ripe. I got home went to bed and then woke up at 3A and been up ever since. I don’t know why I didn’t get a nap in this afternoon but I just wasn’t tired so I’m waiting to fall asleep as I’m typing.

Do you socialize with your co-workers outside of work or do you keep things professional?