Hey, Y'all!

Non-Resolutions

There are a lot of things I want to do in this life and a lot I just could not care less about.  Over the past few days, I've written about things I want to do, particularly in the coming year, but here are a few things I could go my entire life never doing and still be perfectly happy.

• Sky-diving.  No desire.  Don't like heights, certainly don't need to jump out of a plane and plummet to the earth. I'm sure it's lovely if you're into it, but I can skip it.
• Learn to like brie.  I've tried it multiple ways. I've eaten it hot, cold, warm, baked, with ham on a sandwich, with fruit, and slathered on sourdough. I just don't like it.
• Run a marathon.  Or a 5K.  Or jog around my neighborhood. I don't like to run and I look like a goofball when I do it.  I don't experience a "runner's high" and honestly, it kind of bores me.  I'd much rather walk fast or get a nice bike to ride to stay in shape.
• Experience New Year's Eve in Times Square.  Bet that one surprised those of you who know me.  This seems like something I SHOULD want to do, like something I would love. I guess I was a NYC resident for too long, which means my survival instinct would kick in on December 31 and I'd stay as far away from Times Square as I could get.  I remember trying to hail a cab at 72nd St. one year and it taking almost an hour. Once I got back to my apartment, Marcus , our friends and I ate mini tacos and watched the ball drop on TV.

Anything you could live forever without doing?

Next

I did ok on keeping last year's resolutions.  I tried to get my engagement ring fixed last week, but the jeweler I want to use is not taking new "cases" until after the holidays. (Totally understandable.)  2011 was pretty good to us. This year challenged us by making us consider some things we didn't think we'd be considering, but it also reinforced the fact that we're doing just fine on the path we're on.  Dean started school and has blossomed into this amazing little person with an imagination as big as the sky.  Marcus and I celebrated 5 years of marriage and 13 years (OMG) of knowing each other and dating and stuff.  We counted our blessings, as well as our losses, and most of all, we loved each other. Our home is more comfortable now that we have a kitty of our very own.  Our kitchen, though not always tidy, is never without tasty smells or creative concoctions, and our little boy goes to bed each night with the knowledge that he's warm, safe, loved and cherished.

2012 will be a big year for us no matter what. We'll have a four-year-old (hold me), Marcus will go up for tenure, and I got a KitchenAid stand mixer for Christmas, so there's no telling what's going to come flying out of our kitchen.  On to the next adventure, my  friends.

Here's my list of goals for the year:

• Have the time of my life at Type-A Parent Conference in June.
• Visit NYC with Marcus to see the Broadway revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. 
• See my best friend and spend no less than 4 hours sitting on her couch watching certain episodes of West Wing, Sports Night, and that classic film Coal Miner's Daughter.
• Visit my undergrad alma mater and finally see my brick. (They give each graduate a brick on the Centinneal Plaza. I graduated in 1999, but have never seen my brick.)
• Use every single piece of baking paraphenalia I received for Christmas. There's a LOT, y'all.
• Put down roots, either here or elsewhere. And I mean DEEP roots.
• Talk to my friends on the phone or Skype or Facetime or Google+ Hangout more.  Email and Facebook are great, but nothing compares to hearing your friends' voices.
• Take Dean to a play. Or 3 or 4.
• Play the Kinect with Marcus at least twice a week.  Look as dorky as possible.
• Find some boots to fit my annoyingly tiny feet.
• Eat less salt.
• Continue to volunteer at Dean's school. 
• Push harder for the people who live here to help me keep the house neater.
• Have a real Christmas tree.
• Meet my fellow Food Lushes.
• Celebrate my 35th birthday with a day out with Dean and a night out with Marcus.
• Get my stupid tooth filled. (I haz a cavity.)
• Get my car detailed, then keep it cleaner.
• Go to the outlet mall.
• Send more letters.
• Teach Dean to read, at least a little.
• Cook for and host the holidays. I did Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, now I'm hooked.

Happy New Year, everyone!

2011 in Review

I've done a post like the before, inspired by one of my favorite bloggers (and the editor/owner of Food Lush and Style Lush!) Jennie of She Likes Purple.  I love the format and I think it's a really nice way to sum up your year. I hope 2011 has been kind, educational and full of love for each of you.  Here's to an even better 2012.

 

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

Visited Baltimore (to see Alissa!), went to a parent/teacher conference as a parent.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Well, let's look at last year's list.  I'd say I did ok.  A few things fell through the cracks, but for the most part, I'm happy with what I got done. (And no, I did not quit Coke Zero.)  My resolutions for next year will be up tomorrow.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

A few people we know, as well as a dear friend's daughter (who is becoming a dear friend herself!). I go to hold her snuggly baby boy when he was just over 2 weeks old.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Marcus's Uncle Billy passed away this summer.  He was one-of-a-kind and I'm very sad he's no longer with us. Fortunately, we got to spend some time with him during our trip to Florida in May, so we were able to say goodbye.  I missed getting his Christmas card so much this year and I will dearly miss discussing Dairy Queen desserts with him.

5. What countries did you visit?

None but this one.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you didn't have in 2011?

A cleaner house, a sturdy savings account, an herb garden that doesn't die of heat exhaustion.

7. What dates from 2011 will be etched upon your memory, and why?

Dean's first day of preschool and Christmas.  Christmas was really, really good this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?

I was promoted to Production Stage Manager at work. That means I'm the stage management department head.  It's both awesome and sort of terrifying, but is exactly where I should be at this point in my career.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not always speaking my mind.  I need to trust myself in my personal life as much as I do at work.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I broke a tooth, which sucked a great deal. I also got an infection in my finger from a stupid hangnail.  Other than that, just a couple of colds.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My iPhone.  I love it more than I thought I would and it has made life easier and more enjoyable.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Dean's.  He has done great in preschool, meeting the challenges, working through them as they come.  He's been so patient with us, the parents who still feel like newbies sometimes.   He rocked potty training, once he was finally ready to get serious about it, and he's doing such a good job of telling us what he needs.  I'm super proud to be his mom.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

I plead the fifth.

14. Where did most your money go?

Bills. Food. Gas.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I had the time of my life working on DRACULA back in October.  It was so much fun to work on a show where everyone was having a blast producing a great piece of theatre.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

"Someone Like You" by Adele.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier: yes

Thinner: meh

Richer: yes 

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Visited with friends.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Worry

20. How did you spend Christmas?

We hosted my grandma and my parents at our house.  It was great! 

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Yes. With a kitten.  I was determined not to love her as much as my Audrey kitty, who was with us for 11 years, but Chutney has won me over.  She is sitting here with her paw on my lap, purring.  She has truly made our home a happier place.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I really, really enjoyed The Sing-Off this season. We've watched it every year, but this was the best group yet. 

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Truvia.  I know that is a product, not a person, but I hate it. I tried it and it's just gross. Sorry.

24. What was the best book you read?

Our family reads at bedtime each night and I have to tell you--Horton Hatches The Egg is a pretty awesome book.  I read some adult books, too, my favorite being Harlan Coben's Live Wire.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Not really sure. I didn't branch out much, but rather renewed my love of some songs from my past.

26. What did you want and get?

A KITCHENAID STAND MIXER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

27. What did you want and not get?

My engagement ring fixed.  I did try, but it won't happen until the new year.

28. What was your favorite film of 2011?

Was Super 8 this year?  Then yes, that.  (We don't go to the movies much.) 

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 34 in February. I was in tech rehearsals for a new play ALL DAY LONG. However, I received 3 birthday cakes!  Dean and Marcus also treated me like a queen on Valentine's Day, which is the day after my birthday (and was my day off).

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A trip to NYC.  

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2011?

I have discovered scarves, people!  I have also fallen completely in love with one-of-a-kind or very unique jewelry.  A friend made me a gorgeous pair of earrings that I love more than I can tell you. 

32. What kept you sane?

Marcus, Dean, days off, my commute (believe it or not!) , baking, blogging

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

I try never to talk politics on the blog.  Think I'll stick to that. Know that I have issues that make me hot, though.

34. Who did you miss?

I really missed going to BlogHer this year and I still miss my NYC friends.   I also really REALLY miss my friend Tanya, who used to have my job, but left in search of something better. (Which she found--yay, Tanya!)  (But I still miss her.)

35. Who was the best new person you met?

My new buddy Jen B.  She was in DRACULA and will be back for another show at our theatre in the spring.  She's one of the most down-to-earth, hilarious, talented people I've ever met and I felt an instant connection with her.  The more time we spend together, the more I love her. (She made the earrings I mentioned up there.)  She's also a puppeteer, which is maybe the coolest thing in the whole world.  Jen is an absolute ray of sunshine and I'm so happy she's in my life.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Planning things out is really, really cute. Admirable, even.  Then life laughs at you and turns you on your ear and you go "OH" and take it from there.  (I've learned this lesson before...)

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"God only knows what I'd be without you."

I don't know what in the world I'd do without my husband. He's my rock and I'm his.  How lucky that we have each other.

 

What's your year been like?

NaBloPoMo 2011: Creature Comforts

Every year during NaNaBloPop, I like to give a little info about myself for new readers.  You can certainly dig through my archives to get a sense of me, but for new and seasoned readers alike (see how I avoided calling anyone old?), I thought I'd tell you what's making me smile right now.

*Knee-high socks. With mah boots.

*Chili simmering in my crockpot.

*Lying in a pile of leaves with Dean finding pictures in the clouds.

*My iPhone. And Angry Birds, which may be the death of me.

*Real Simple magazine in my mailbox.

*Pepperjack cheese.

*This shirt, which I now own in both burgundy and teal.

*Pumpkin-flavored things, including Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses which I tried for the first time this weekend. OMG.

*The excited "hello's" from Dean's friends when he arrives at school each morning.

*Flannel PJs.

What's making you tick right now?

Ultimate Blog Party 2011

I've been enjoying the Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom for several years.  I discovered several folks on my blogroll through this party. It's such a fun way to visit a lot of new blogs and rediscover some old favorites.

If you're new, you can read all about me in my last UBP post.  Wow. I just read that post. A lot's changed since then.  Dean was a tiny 14 month old then. He's a strapping 3 year old now.  He's also sickly with a cough/fever thing today that we could all do without.  

I decided an updated "100 Things" post might be in order, but there are a lot of blogs to visit and really, I only have time/energy to write 50 things so here we go!

1.  My son is the funniest person I know, especially when he's singing everything to the tune of the Veggie Tales theme song.

2.  I absolutely hate the smell of scrambled eggs. We eat them all the time, but the smell of them hitting the pan makes me gag a bit. Perhaps I should use this method instead.

3.  Did you hit that link?? It's to Food Lush, a fantastic blog I'm lucky enough to write for once a week.

4.  I run a weekly feature here called Comfort Food Saturday. I'm just coming back off a loooooong hiatus, so exciting new recipes are afoot!

5.  I like to use the words "afoot" and "abreast" as often as possible.

6.  I'm a stage manager at this place. It's a pretty cool job if I do say so myself.

7.  I have worked on nothing but world premiers of brand-spankin'-new plays for the past 3 years.

8.  I consider a Nutella Burrito (Nutella and strawberries or bananas on a tortilla) a well-balanced breakfast.

9.  I'm potty training my son. It sort of stinks. (Literally and figuratively.)

10.  My husband and I are hopelessly addicted to Criminal Minds.  Good thing it's on 12 times a day.

11.  I love to go to museums and I plan on spending more time in them now that my son's old enough to enjoy them, too.

12.  My son calls me Sugar.  It's my favorite nickname EVER.

13.  I love to bake and I'm pretty good at it.  I made an excellent  German Chocolate Cake recently, complete with homemade frosting.

14.  I chat with one of my favorite online friends on Skype nearly every day. 

15.  I recently gave up Coke Zero and Splenda for my mother.  I now pour Truvia in my coffee, then make icky faces when I drink it. The things we do for love, huh?

16.  Nearly three years after moving away, I still think about and miss NYC every day.

17.  If the HOT NOW sign is flashing as I pass a Krispy Kreme, I WILL stop.

18.  I prefer Dunkin Donuts coffee, though.

19.  I have a little vegetable patch on the side of my house where I like to plant peppers and herbs in the spring.  My son usually eats all the peppers straight off the plant before we can get them inside.

20.  I love to go to Farmer's Markets, especially if there are samples.

21.  Regardless of the fact that I'm a born and bred southerner, I often have trouble understanding one of my neighbors because his accent's so thick.

22.  I want to start vlogging more this year and I will thanks to the amazing little video camera Marcus got me for my birthday.

23.  I went to BlogHer last year in NYC. It was amazing.

24.  We'll be visiting my in-laws for three weeks at the end of the summer and I want to organize a blogger meetup with some D.C. area bloggers while I'm there.

25.  I believe the secret to world peace is warm chocolate souffle.

26.  I hide from people who come knocking at my door sometimes, particularly if they are selling something or telling me about their religion.  I learned this skill from my grandmother.

27.  If I don't regularly wax my eyebrows, I look like Bert from Sesame Street.  Don't believe me? Ask my son, who pointed to a picture of Bert in a book the other day and said, "Look! Mama's eyebrow!"

28.  I have a minor in French. I'd like to go back and take some refresher courses to brush up my conversational French.

29.  My favorite phrase to say in French is "Je voudrais un sandwich aved du jambon et de la moutarde a l'autobus." (I would like a sandwich with ham and mustard on the bus.) (It's just fun to say "l'autobus.")

30.  Someone who actually speaks French is about to leave me a comment telling me everything that's wrong with that sentence.

31.  I often subsidize the cost of babysitters by feeding them dinner and allowing them to use our washer/dryer.  They'll work for less cash if there's a hot meal, snacks and a front-loader in which to wash their linens.

32.  Good grief, why did I say 50 things?

33.  I had to go to the grocery store at 7:40 this morning because we were out of apple juice and eggs.  I also purchased donuts.

34.  I hate chocolate and peanut butter together, except in cake form.

35.  I only eat purple jelly on my PB and J's.

36.  My meatloaf contains an entire day's worth of veggies.  It's magically delicious and is my son's favorite food. He likes to identify the things he finds inside. "Look, a carrot!"

37.  I absolutely cannot stand having wet socks.  The ice dispenser on our freezer sometimes shoots out random cubes, which melt on the floor, which I step on, thus receiving a wet sock. Boo.

38.   I'm addicted to Yes To Carrots products. My mom gave me an entire gift basket of their stuff for Christmas.

39.  As much as I would have liked to have had another baby, I'm ok to be done with things like colic and (almost) diapers and teething.  I do, however, miss onesies, teeny tiny socks and swaddling.

40.  If my neighbor rides through my yard on his four-wheeler one more time, I'm going to throw eggs at him.

41.  If my entire house was as organized as my linen closet, I'd be one happy camper.

42. There are no pictures in this post because I just got a brand new laptop and haven't transferred anything over to it yet.

43.  It freaks people out when they discover I know how to use power tools. (2 degrees in theatre, folks. Those sets have to get built somehow!)

44.  I want to get a piano so I can start playing again. I'd also like to try teaching Dean to play.

45.  A lot of people have sought refuge around my kitchen table.  This makes me very, very happy.

46.  During sandal season, I keep my toes painted a color Marcus calls "highlighter pink."

47.  Fake southern accents upset my stomach.  However, I can take an antacid and live with it for episodes of True Blood.

48.  I enjoyed the Grey's Anatomy Musical Event in spite of myself.

49.   I make mix CDs all the time so I can listen to them in the car.

50.  I'm going to make a Nutella Burrito now!

Gratitude

First of all, OMG, I'm posting on two consecutive days! Over the shock? Fantastic.

Molly had a great post today about finding happiness. It reminded me of something I've done over the years, on and off, called a Gratitude Journal.  There have been times in my life when I've sworn by gratitude journals and I've even been known to give them as gifts.  Whenever I'm having trouble seeing the silver lining on a particular set of clouds, I buy myself a blank journal and start writing down five things each day that I'm grateful for right at that moment.  They can be big things like my health, my family, my job, or small things like seeing a pretty flower in the park, filling up at the cheapest gas station in town or eating a Hershey's Special Dark.  Coffee also frequently appears on my lists.  I prefer to write my entries at the end of the day so that I go to bed with a smile on my face. I find that no matter how crummy my day has been, I can always find five things to be grateful for an that those things have the power to change my perspective drastically.

Today I'm thankful for:
1.  My friend Tanya. We had lunch then went shopping this afternoon. We also had frozen yogurt. I like Tanya a lot.

2.  A 2-show day at a job I love doing a play I enjoy watching over and over again.

3.  My grey pants. My mercy, they are comfy.

4.  Inside jokes.  They are just such fun sometimes.

5.  Blog comments on yesterday's post. I've missed you lovely people.

What are you grateful for today?

Round Here

I'm always fascinated by blog posts that tell how people REALLY live. I like to hear other people's menu plans, cleaning tips, family schedules and the like.  A lot of times, I'll get a great idea or two, or at least see that YES! there are other people out there like me! Or different from me, which is really what makes life interesting, right?  So in the interest of keeping it real, allow me to give you a little peek into some seemingly ordinary parts of my household.  Then you share something with me in the comments section so I don't feel like a weirdo, ok?  Great!

*I use generic dish washing detergent, usually Up and Up brand. (Target)  I tried every single product Cascade manufactures, both with and without rinse agent, and it left my dishes so gunky that I often had to run another cycle just to get the detergent off.  One day I had a coupon for the Target brand, so I figured why not? I guess I can afford to lose a couple of bucks if I hate it.  I do not hate it.  It is lemony fresh and rinses off very well.  This is all because we have a genuinely crappy dishwasher.  It broke about a month after we moved into the house, then miraculously resurrected itself 4 months later.  But it still leaves spots on my glasses.  Boo.

*I am a complete and utter toilet paper snob.  So is my husband. I even turned a roommate into a TP snob once upon a time.  My preferred brand is Quilted Northern, but Charmin Basic is also acceptable.  I will use Cottonelle only if it is on major sale and I have a coupon or if I can't find my first and second choice.

*We make coffee at least twice a day and Marcus has started drinking decaf at night. This means I have started drinking decaf at night. In fact, we even have a separate little container of decaf, complete with its own special scoop.  I used to think decaf was for wimps and senior citizens, but now I kind of get it.

*I once won a year's worth of free Dreft Detergent.  I know, you hate me now.  So I guess this is a bad time to mention they also gave me a year's worth of Huggies, huh?  It's true.  File under "One of the Top Ten Blessings I've Ever Received."  Anywho, since I spent over a year not paying for Dreft, I now get annoyed when I do have to pay for it.  I've tried other baby detergents, but they don't smell like Dreft.  And, let's be honest, Dean's skin could erupt in angry eczema patches with the slightest change in products, so why tempt fate and switch at this point? But, oh, how I wish I had some more of those FREE coupons.  Every time we're almost out of Dreft, I sit with my sale papers, seeing who can save me the most pennies. And I NEVER have even a 50 cents off coupon, so I'm paying full price.  It makes me sad.

*I don't wash my hair every day. If I do, it gets oily on top and dry on the bottom.  I have to blow-dry or else I have a frizzy mess to contend with, and we can't have that.

*I absolutely could not live without my Dust Buster handi-vac.  Mine's a wet/dry variety, perfect for sucking up Cheerios that Dean leaves trailing behind him as he passes through the house, or soggy coffee grounds when Marcus misses the trash can when he's throwing out the coffee filter. (I can't really get mad at him for this because it means he's making the coffee.) 

*I do menu plans, but only for dinner.  This inevitably leads to Dean being in charge of choosing what we have for lunch, which means we eat a lot of cheese tortellini, peas and fruit.

*Between the two of us, Marcus and I own about 13 pairs of tweezers, but we only use 2 of them.  He has a very pointy pair that's like 20 years old and I have a pair that lights up.  These are very important when you have a house full of unibrows.

*I'm the only one allowed to fold towels in our family because no one else does it right.

*I'm pretty sure Dean just ate an apple seed. Do you think a tree will grow out of his ear?  That would be sort of cool.

*We like to drink OJ from wine glasses.

*There is not a single wall clock in our house. This is due to my utter hatred of ticking.  Ticking clocks cause a gag reflex in me similar to the one that happens if I try to swallow oatmeal.

*We subscribe tothe Birmingham newspaper on Sundays and Wednesday only, mostly for the coupons and the food section.

*We bought a new truck (well, new to us) yesterady, OMGGGaaaah. More on that later.

Ok, tell me some quirks of your household!

Countdown to BlogHer '10: My restaurant picks

Julie recently asked that I do a post listing my top 10 favorite NYC restaurants for those going to BlogHer. Of course, the foodie and former New Yorker in me is MORE than happy to write this post!  A couple of my favorite places have closed since we moved (sad, sad day), but NYC has plenty of tasty spots to satisfy any and every palate...and budget. 

I should admit that I'm not hugely familiar with the area immediately around the convention hotel, but it's just a quick walk or ride from there to many of these places.  Also, keep in mind that New York City restaurants are machines--they are equipped to and used to churning food out quickly for greater turnover.  It also doesn't take nearly as long as you might think to get from one place to another in that city (most of the time, anyway), so don't feel as though you're restricted to a 2-block radius on lunch breaks.

Also note that if you ask other New Yorkers to do this exact task, you will get completely different answers and they will probably heartily disagree with at least one thing on my list (as I will with theirs).  New Yorkers are ferociously loyal to their favorite places, especially if they are in the neighborhoods where we live (or lived in my case).  I have a deep love for the Upper West Side, as I worked there most of the time I lived in the city. I ate as many meals in UWS restaurants as I did in the restaurants around my apartment in Astoria Queens.  These are just places I enjoy for one reason or another and that I think would satisfy a tourist or a local.

Here are my picks for where and how to eat in NYC (Manhattan only), in no particular order:

1.  Diners.  I'm not naming one specifically because really?  They are more or less all alike to some extent.  They consistently have good burgers and salads and GREAT breakfast. Which leads me to Jen's #1 tip for visiting NYC:  EAT A BIG BREAKFAST. In a diner, you can generally get a very filling, tasty breakfast for around 6 bucks. They have a great selection--waffles, pancakes, French toast, pastries, eggs and omelets of all sorts, bacon and sausage.  Fill your belly in the morning to give you stamina and eat cheaper and lighter at lunch.  If I had to pick my favorite Manhattan diner, it would be Applejack Diner, 55th St. and Broadway.  They make a great reuben and the world's best cheese fries and they have tons of good breakfast specials.

2. 44SW  I love this place.  Here's their site.  I've never had a bad morsel of food there.  When I worked at a theatre on 42nd Street, this was where I'd go with friends for a late-night bite after a show.  The cuisine is excellent, the atmosphere is cozy and it's not insanely loud.  If you want a nice Italian dinner, you can't beat 44SW.

3.  VYNL DINER.  I mentionVYNL separately from other diners because it's so unique.  If you're a music lover, you've got to eat here.  Your menu comes to you in a record sleeve. All the drinks have catchy names like the Pearis Hilton.  The best part, though, is the bathroom.  Bathrooms, actually--there are 4.  Each is themed around a music superstar.  They rotate sometimes, but last time I ate there, they had Elvis, Cher, Nelly and Dolly Parton.  There's a tile mosaic on the wall depicting the star, plus a shadow box with that star's doll. The star's music blasts while you do your business.  VYNL is usually pretty crowded and loud, so you may want to go early or expect a wait.

4.  PIZZA.  Ok. Pizza is a controversial topic.  Here's the thing:  DO NOT eat at Sbarro. I know it's convenient and flashy right there on Times Square, but DON'T DO IT. If you do, I will be forced to disown you and you'll be very disappointed.  There are some NYC based chains, like my favorite, Ray Bari, that are good, but a lot of times you'll find the best slices in random little Mom and Pop shops. If you're walking by a pizzeria that smells amazing, it probably IS amazing.  Give it a try. You can usually score a slice of pizza and a coke for about $4 (or less).  My all-time favorite pizzeria is in Astoria, where I used to live.  I may have the cab take me straight there from the airport.  For BlogHer lunch breaks, I'd probably hit the original Ray's on Broadway at 54th St.

5.  Arte' Cafe.  This place is a subway or cab ride away from where BlogHer will be held, but it's worth it, especially if you go for the early bird dinner special.  Located on W. 73rd Street, this place was a favorite dinner spot for my friends and me when I worked at Lincoln Center.  The service is friendlly and fast and you cannot beat the early bird dinner--15 meals under $15 between 4-6pm daily, which INCLUDES dessert, salad and drink.  Their lunch specials are also fantastic and they have a good amount of outdoor seating. BONUS:  They are next door to Alice's Tea Cup, a famous NYC tea shop.  They also serve food, but you need to have a while to spare if you're going to eat there. I believe they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more.  But you can do what I like to do:  Eat dinner (or lunch) at Arte Cafe, then go to Alice's and grab a cup of tea and a scone to go!

6.  Hale and Hearty.  I have no idea whether or not they are a NYC chain, but this place has awesome soups and sandwiches for a pretty good price. They are scattered throughout the city.  The closest one to the Hilton is on 56th St. between 5th/6th Ave.

7.  Carmine's.  I know.  New Yorkers reading this are banging their heads.  But if you're a NYC tourist or you're eating with a big group, Carmine's is great.  (I like their food, actually.)  It's right in the heart of Times Square on 44th St. and serves big Italian dishes family style.  For four people, I'd recommend a salad and 2 entrees to share.  You'll be satisfied, I promise, and you'll get out of there for under $20 per person.

8.  Chat N Chew.  If you venture down to Union Square, which you should, pop into Chat N Chew on 16th St. between Union Square West and 5th Ave.  They serve up comfort food and awesome desserts.  My favorites are the turkey burger (oh, my word, it's delicious, I wish I had one now) with a teeny ween mac and cheese (a small version of their usually enormous favorite dish), followed by a big piece of Coca-Cola cake. 

Edited to add:  I just talked to a friend in NYC and she told me Cafe Mozart closed! SAD DAY.

9.  Cafe Mozart.  I assume a lot of folks will want to do brunch on Sunday.  My favorite brunch place of all time, Candella, closed and became a TGI Fridays. (It physically hurt me to type that.)  For those with a late flight out on Sunday or those sticking around through the weekend, venture up to Cafe Mozart. (It's on West 70th Street)  They have outdoor seating, but also have a pianist inside if you choose to sit indoors.  Everything I've ever had there has been awesome. I like their weekday lunch menu, too, but brunch is my favorite.  They used to have green eggs and ham on the menu, which were pesto-infused scrambled eggs, served with perfectly cooked Canadian bacon. This is likely where you'll find me on Sunday morning.

10.  Angus McIndoe.    If you are a theatre fan and/or want to see some celebrities, go to Angus around 10 or 10:30pm on any given night (except Monday--most theatres are dark that night).  It's THE place to go after shows.  They have incredible calamari.  Ask to sit upstairs.  If you want to splurge on a nice steak, this is the place to do it.

A few other thoughts...

*Don't fear food from carts!  You haven't really visited NYC if you don't eat a hot dog from a vendor!  I like mine with mustard and sauerkraut. OH, and FYI, you can't really get yellow mustard anywhere in NYC. They all use deli mustard. It's good. Try at least one hot dog while you're there. I would, however, avoid the pretzels. They tend to be overpriced and dry.  Meats on sticks are also tasty. (My friend Kitty, the world's pickiest eater, eats them weekly and calls it "Street Meat.")

*The same goes for those kinda sketchy looking delis that double as quickie marts.  They usually make sandwiches behind the counter, they usually use Boar's Head meats and cheeses, and they are usually awesome.  Don't wast $25 at Carnegie Deli on 2 pounds of dry turkey when you can get a fully dressed sandwich on a fresh roll for about $2 at a small deli.  Deli breakfast is almost always good, too, if you're in the mood for a bagel or breakfast sandwich.

*Avoid chain restaurants! Do not go to Applebee's, TGIFriday's or even McDonald's.  You're in NYC and you're going to pay NYC prices! An entree that's $10 where you live will be at least $15 in Manhattan.  You're in New York, home of some of the best restaurants in the world.  Try them instead of chains!

*Pick up a copy of TIME OUT NEW YORK as soon as you get into town and read their restaurant section.  They'll have reviews of new places and tried-and-true gems.

New Yorkers--tell us your favorites that aren't on mylist!

Any type of cuisine you feel is under-represented here?  Ask me!  This is just my top 10 list.  Remember, I spent 7 years eating in this city. 

This was fun.  Now I'm hungry.

Comfort Food Saturday: 33

Today's my 33rd birthday, so I thought I'd do something a little different.  Here are 33 foods I love, some with hyperlinks to the recipes. Some are just things we make at our house and others are things everyone eats.  I wish I could indulge in each of these today, but my hips wouldn't fit through my doorways if I did that, so I shall refrain.  I will, however, be enjoying a special birthday dinner with my family at our favorite local restaurant and you better believe there will be cake.

Tune in later this week when it hits me that GOOD LORD, I AM 33!

THIRTY-THREE FOODS JEN LUVS (in random order)

1.  Marcus's tacos. He makes the best tacos ever. E-VER. The only downside is that he fries his own tortillas which, while awesomely delicious, smells up the house for a week.

2.  Flank steak. My favorite is made by my mother-in-law, but Marcus's is a close second.

3.  My mom's round steak and gravy.  I could take a bath in her gravy.

4.  My dad's hamburgers on the grill.  Bonus points for melted cheese.

5.  Red velvet cake.  This week, I made Bakerella's red velvet cake balls. Oh. My. Word.

6.  Shrimp Creole.

7.  Andouille sausage.

8.  Krispy Kreme doughnuts. (HOT NOW!)

9.  Veggie pizza. Or meaty pizza. Or cheese pizza.

10.  Extra-sharp cheddar cheese.  We go through at least a block a week in our house. (Why is my cholesterol high again?)

11.  Vanilla Almond French Toast

12.  Any and all pasta.

13.  Burritos.

14.  Sweet potato casserole.

15.  Really good macaroni and cheese.

16.  Honey mustard dressing.

17. Mushrooms.

18.  Chocolate souffle.

19.  Red bell peppers.

20.  Onions.  (My child has inherited this love.)

21.  Cinnamon Rolls, but not if they have cream cheese icing. Am purist. Like regular icing.

22.  Croissants. (Chocolate, butter and almond varieties all hold an equally special place in my heart.)

23.  Sauerkraut on mah hot dawg.

24.  BBQ Nachos.  So wrong, yet so right.

25.  Turnips. The roots and the greens. LOVE them.

26.  Yellow squash.  These days, I have to fight Dean to get any.

27.  All fried potatoes.  I've never met a tater tot, french fry or hashbrown I didn't like at least a little bit.

28.  M & M's.  It's Casey's fault for posting this story.  I've been craving them like mad ever since I read it.

29.  Spinach dip, preferably with artichokes.

30.  Fondue. I love fondue, especially the cheese kind. Anything that requires a special utensil with a color-coded dot is for me.

31.  Bread. The crustier and fresher, the better.

32.  Fresh raspberries.

33. COFFEE!  (That's a food, right?)

Why I haven't blogged since NaNaBloPop ended

• I figured you were all sick of me. The fact that I'm still getting hits proves otherwise. Thanks for that!
• I am writing my final exam for the 96 person class.  It has to cover pretty much everything that ever happened in the theatre in about 25 questions.
• I had to grade 200 papers. Am moron. Gave 2 large writing assignments back to back. Silly Jen.
• Dean and I are doing a craft project. It's true. There may be pictures when we're done.
• I finally started Christmas shopping!
• Keeping Dean out of the Christmas tree is a full-time job.
• Dean has learned to clear his throat. Every time he does it, I think he's choking and do the finger swipe.  He is very tired of me.
• There are Dreamsicles in my freezer.  It's hard to type when you've got a Dreamsicle in your hand.
• Everyone I know has lost their minds.  I think maybe it's just the holiday craziness, but seriously. Everyone is nuts this week.  And guess who everyone calls when everyone goes nuts??? Yup. They'd better not push me over my cell phone minutes.
• I've been eating French bread.  Lots and lots of French bread. Don't ask.

How's YOUR week been?