So this weekend was the Metropolitan Swimming Conference championships at Rutgers University. The whole team had a great time together. We left Lehman at around 6 and settled into our Comfort Suit room at around 8. The great thing about this trip was that we all got $80 from the college on food expenses. I roomed with my two friends Chip and Chris at the hotel. When we settled in, the first thing we all wanted to do was eat. Since we were on a budget, we had to be smart about where we ate, and what we ate. I looked out the window of our room and noticed that there was a Wawa conveniently across the street from the hotel! If you don’t know what Wawa is, its a convenience store and gas station, think 7 Eleven minus the gas station. If you haven’t heard of Wawa, that’s because they are mostly located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S, and also operate in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, so you won’t find it anywhere in New York. They seriously had everything in there, but nothing was really that healthy. I found it a bit difficult shopping for food, because usually my mom does that, so i couldn’t distinguish between what i needed and what i wanted. I immediately ran towards the sandwich station. At first, i was just standing there, looking around, waiting for someone to take my order. After about 3 minutes or so i had realized that you don’t even have to talk to the people across the counter to get your sandwich. There are touchscreen panels where you place your order. I thought that was pretty ridiculous. Why is Wawa wasting money on this when customers can just call out their order? I actually like talking to the people across the counter, and now i can’t even do that… The first night i purchased a Philly cheese steak, beef jerky, orange juice, lunchables cheese and crackers, two power bars, and a snickers ice cream bar. As my roommate Chip said, we “pigged out”. That night, i fell in love with Wawa. Unfortunately, nothing they sell is very healthy, but when you are at a swim meet for three days, that no longer matters. That same night, one of our teammates came into our room to use our bathroom to throw up. Apparently, the Philly cheese steak he ate got to his stomach pretty bad. Regardless, i continued to eat my philly cheese steak because it just tasted too good! Fortunately, i didn’t have the same problems as our teammate did, although i remember vividly the woman behind the counter taking the meat out for my sandwich. The meat must have been sitting in the pot on the counter all day, but honestly, when you are as desperate and as hungry and i was, you would probably ignore that and continue eating. Here’s what i’m getting at: fast food is bad, but sometimes when you don’t really have a choice, it may be the only option. I am a big fan of “slow food.” I love a nice home cooked meal, but my guilty pleasure is “pigging out” with fast, unhealthy, greasy food, but who care when it tastes good!
This past weekend my Australian friend, Alex, stayed a couple of nights at my place before she continued her trip through great ‘ol America. I met her over a year ago while studying abroad in Sydney and knew I was in for a weekend of reminiscing. Now looking back, I can see that along with laughing about our crazy antics living in Sydney University Village, there were also plenty of events centered around food as a means of getting her acclimated to New York City. Our weekend went as follows:
Saturday: I took her out to Grey Dog’s Coffee near Union Square so we could sit down, eat and talk. I ordered a Mexican hot chocolate and an amazing sandwich (turkey, brie and apple slices) and she opted for a different sandwich with lemonade. As soon as the cashier handed her beverage over, she looked at me and said “I keep forgetting that ‘small’ really means ‘large’ isn’t it too much to drink?” It’s pretty much true, American portions really are, well, out of proportion. Just a quick google search as I write this and I learn that a study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill concluded that portions in the United States have increased over the last two decades in certain food categories such as soft drinks, salty snacks and strangely Mexican food. It’s really no surprise then that people are literally bigger today than before.
Sunday: It was Valentines day which instantly meant that most restaurants would be crowded. Still, I wanted to take her to Pio Pio in Jackson Heights because the food is AMAZING and CHEAP. I assumed it would be fine because I didn’t consider this place to be particularly romantic. I was so wrong. My friend Danny got there a half hour before us and we still had to wait another half hour before we could be seated. Ironically, it was the most crowded I had ever seen it and I have been going since I was a little kid for every occasion from communions to a friend’s mother’s birthday. Nevertheless, the food was very good and we got a free pitcher of sangria to top it off. On top of that, it was definitely funny watching Alex try dishes such as salchipapa and maduros which aren’t readily available in the land down under. She loved it and was glad we showed her this rowdy local mainstay.
Monday: Recovering from the night before was made a whole lot easier with a homemade greasy breakfast sandwich and a stop to the Colombian bakery by my apartment where we shared a guava and cheese pastry. We headed to the MoMA and though the Tim Burton exhibit was sold out, there was still plenty to see. After walking around the museum for two or three hours we were tired and, of course, ready to eat. Since a hamburger seems to be a pretty basic American staple, I took Alex to Lucky’s Famous Burger for our last meal. The bright orange interior instantly energized us and though we wimped out and got veggie burgers we compensated by ordering an order of chili fries topped with suspiciously too-yellow cheese.
Before we knew it our weekend was over and she was heading to Boston. I recommended my favorite pizza place (Regina’s) and thrift store (Garment District) and then she was off into the cold. It’s funny how I recommended a place to eat instead of telling her to visit the Paul Revere House or something of the sort. I guess food is universal and something I just love to share with others. Food is also one, if not the best way, to get to know a new city or even rediscover a familiar one. Until the day I go back to Sydney to drink a flat white with friends, I can still be thankful that in a city like New York I can find anything from a bottle of Tooheys (really bad Aussie beer) to a box of Tim Tams (really good Aussie cookies) pretty easily.
Today is Valentine’s day, the “hallmark holiday.” I personally like Valentine’s Day. Everyone is much nicer and more considerate to one another. Some people do need a holiday to tell their loved ones how they feel. Since all the restaurants are ridiculously crowded on this day, its much easier and sometimes nicer to enjoy a meal at home with your loved ones.
This year, that is what my boyfriend and I decided to do. We both spent a lot of money on Christmas presents so we decided not to get each other anything big for Valentine’s day and we would have a nice day together just hanging out. I told him I had an idea for a little present for him and he could just do something nice like cook dinner. So he was going to cook dinner and I said I would make dessert.
Last week we were talking about what to make. I asked him he wanted and we decided on an Oreo cheesecake. yumm. So since I told him what I was going to make he decided to run his dinner idea by me. And this wonderful idea was………………………… Potato Skins. I was stunned. That was it. I went off – what was he thinking? Just potato skins? That’s not a meal! The discussion then ensued. He felt it was acceptable because they have a somewhat sentimental meaning for us and the last time we ate them we filled up on them and other appetizers and didn’t eat our meal. I understood, but just potato skins is not enough. When I thought dinner, I thought a meal, and to me a meal consists of a meat, and at least one side dish. There could be a meal consisting of just appetizers, but this was just one piece of bar food.
We then discussed why I didn’t think the meal of potato skins was appropriate for Valentine’s day. I wanted something romantic, something special. I could have bar food any other night of the week. I didn’t want just potato skins. I wanted a thought out meal. He thought it was stupid that I wanted all these things just because it’s Valentine’s Day. “Girls would rather have okay food that is romantic than delicious food.” I made the point that “romantic” food could also be delicious.
This argument just wasn’t worth it, so we wound up going out for breakfast, and I made dinner. That’s what I get for trying to make him do something he didn’t want to do.
I love watching football – American football that is. I think it’s an awesome sport. What makes it even better is our family ritual of going over to my aunt’s house on Sunday afternoons to watch our beloved Jets try to make a better name for themselves (and they succeeded this year! 
) on her big screen tv. Inevitably there is tons of food. A typical Sunday involves chips, pretzels, some form of chocolate, either pizza, pasta, or sandwiches, and of course lots of beer.
This Sunday however, was the Sunday of all Sundays in the football world, and therefore it must be in our own football world (even though our Jets weren’t playing). Usually on Sundays friends and family come in and out. Some do a “pop-in,” others stay all day, but this Sunday, everyone stayed. In addition to the usual appetizers of chips, pretzels, and chocolate, there were mini pizzas, prosciutto balls, and chicken wings. The “main course” was a 6 foot hero, half with chicken cutlet, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, tomato, lettuce and balsamic vinegar, and the other half with various cold cuts. I did not eat the other half, therefore do not know the specifics. Along with the sandwich came multiple salads – macaroni, potato and pasta.
All the food was out all day and as we watched the game, caught up with one another, and relaxed, we pigged out. Everything was delicious and I remember eating more than my body wanted, but I couldn’t stop because it tasted so good. I definitely felt my “hoarding” gene taking over. While in some circles such over eating would not be accepted, it seems to be allowed on SuperBowl Sunday. It’s always allowed in my family but even this was a bit much.
The night ended with the football shaped cake from Carvel – which was delicious and covered with my favorite topping – chocolate crunchies. Everyone was happy with the outcome of the game. We were all rooting for New Orleans after we watched all the specials on their team and their personal struggles all day on CBS. They now have a soft spot in all of our hearts. Congratulations Saints! Who DAT?!
Fresh from Argentina, with great memories yet broke, I decided to save some money by cooking as many of my meals at home. So, I go to the supermarket and buy vegetables, fruits, quinoa, cans of soup and beans, tofu, spices and other staples. Somehow the total comes up to $76! Normally I wouldn’t mind or even notice but suddenly I’m made starkly aware that something isn’t right (I’m only cooking for one afterall). I scan the receipt and notice that a bag of granola was $7 and a box of chewy granola bars was $6. Then it hits me, I have an expensive habit: granola.
Once I go home, I promise myself I won’t buy granola anymore but then I convince myself that it is too versatile (can be sprinkled on yogurt, cereal substitute, snack, etc.) to give up. Torn between my granola and money, I suddenly come up with what seems like the only feasible solution. I, Priscilla, will set up my own granola mini-factory at home. A glance at the ingredients listed on the back of the banana-nut granola bag I bought, a couple of minutes searching for recipes online and an inspired run to the natural foods store and I have everything needed to make my own stash. The following is a recipe I created by combining instructions from random websites and incorporating my own favorite ingredients:
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup banana chips
1/3 cup coconut shavings
Lazy Student Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Mix the first six ingredients in a bowl (I made the mistake of baking the raisins and had to pick them out afterwards)
3. Spray cookie sheet with oil and then evenly spread mixture on top
4. Bake for 45 min or until golden brown, stirring every 15 minutes
5. That’s it! Let it cool and then mix in the last three ingredients
The best part is you can’t go wrong with the choice of ingredients you use, switch the almonds for walnuts, the banana chips for dried blueberries, (almost) anything goes. I would have shown the world how great my granola masterpiece looked, perhaps in an upclose, angled shot, but sadly, my camera along with my savings was left back in Buenos Aires…
Fresh from Argentina, with great memories yet broke, I decided to save some money by cooking as many of my meals at home. So, I go to the supermarket and buy vegetables, fruits, quinoa, cans of soup and beans, tofu, spices and other staples. Somehow the total comes up to $76! Normally I wouldn’t mind or even notice but suddenly I’m made starkly aware that something isn’t right (I’m only cooking for one afterall). I scan the receipt and notice that a bag of granola was $7 and a box of chewy granola bars was $6. Then it hits me, I have an expensive habit: granola.
Once I go home, I promise myself I won’t buy granola anymore but then I convince myself that it is too versatile (can be sprinkled on yogurt, cereal substitute, snack, etc.) to give up. Torn between my granola and money, I suddenly come up with what seems like the only feasible solution. I, Priscilla, will set up my own granola mini-factory at home. A glance at the ingredients listed on the back of the banana-nut granola bag I bought, a couple of minutes searching for recipes online and an inspired run to the natural foods store and I have everything needed to make my own stash. The following is a recipe I created by combining instructions from random websites and incorporating my own favorite ingredients:
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup banana chips
1/3 cup coconut shavings
Lazy Student Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Mix the first six ingredients in a bowl (I made the mistake of baking the raisins and had to pick them out afterwards)
3. Spray cookie sheet with oil and then evenly spread mixture on top
4. Bake for 45 min or until golden brown, stirring every 15 minutes
5. That’s it! Let it cool and then mix in the last three ingredients
The best part is you can’t go wrong with the choice of ingredients you use, switch the almonds for walnuts, the banana chips for dried blueberries, (almost) anything goes. I would have shown the world how great my granola masterpiece looked, perhaps in an upclose, angled shot, but sadly, my camera along with my savings was left back in Buenos Aires…
