Diet: Day 1

BREAKFAST--1/2 GRAPEFRUIT, 1 SLICE TOAST, 2 TBS. PEANUT BUTTER, COFFEE OR TEA
I usually don't eat breakfast so I'm looking at this meal as something to compensate for the light lunches in the system.  The toast with peanut butter was great, but I'm realizing that I don't actually like grapefruits very much despite their amazing smell.  They have a sour aftertaste, plus how the hell do you actually eat the things?  Fork?  Do you peel them?  Who knows. Conversely, I'm learning that I really do like tea.  Off to a good start for the day.

LUNCH--1/2 CUP TUNA, 1 SLICE TOAST, COFFEE OR TEA
Due to meetings at work, I didn't eat lunch until about 3pm (ideally would have been about 1:30 or 2pm).  I was doing okay with hunger though.  I had absolutely no problem with the assigned foods in this meal, but I had to eat so slowly just to convince myself that I was eating a fulfilling meal.  By the time I left the office three and a half hours later I was struggling.  And then tortured myself by walking past McDonalds, Red Lobster (who currently has Endless Shrimp), and numerous other tempting street food vendors.  At this point I want every food I see, am questioning how I'm going to get through these three days, and cannot wait to get home for dinner.

DINNER--2 SLICES ANY TYPE OF MEAT (ABOUT 3OZ), 1 CUP GREEN BEANS, 1/2 BANANA, 1 SMALL APPLE, 1 CUP VANILLA ICE CREAM
This was definitely a turnaround point.  For my meat, I chose sliced lunch meat turkey.  As I was preparing my meal, I immediately noticed that I was getting a lot more food than at lunch.  And I hadn't even scooped out the ice cream yet!  Dinner was satisfying and tasted great.  I don't eat a lot of fruit in my daily life, but found myself wondering why after thoroughly enjoying the apple and banana. (eeple and baneenee?) I'm not a big dessert person and was full enough to have easily skipped the ice cream, but in the interest of following the plan exactly as prescribed I forced it down my throat.  And it was good.

I then prepared the hard boiled eggs for tomorrow and the rest of the cycle (a new skill I Googled and taught myself), feeling good and confident about this process.

Diet? :/

I've decided to try a new diet, and it's been suggested that I blog about it. Though dieting is less than fabulous, I suppose at this point in the progression of this blog any post is better than no post.  No?

There are many variations of this diet, but it's known as the "3 Day Diet" or "The Military Diet".  You're on for three days, off for four.  Though I'm assuming "off" doesn't mean you're allowed to eat The Baconator.

The version of the plan I'm following is below, and looking it over makes me feel confident that this is a diet I can realistically stick to.  I love food and hate small portions, and it seems like I will still have a decent quantity of food and a fair amount of yummyness.  Hot dogs?  Hell yes!  I went grocery shopping for the week last night and started the diet today.  Stay tuned...

DAY 1: BREAKFAST--1/2 GRAPEFRUIT, 1 SLICE TOAST, 2 TBS. PEANUT BUTTER, COFFEE OR TEA

LUNCH--1/2 CUP TUNA, 1 SLICE TOAST, COFFEE OR TEA

DINNER--2 SLICES ANY TYPE OF MEAT (ABOUT 3OZ), 1 CUP GREEN BEANS, 1/2 BANANA, 1 SMALL APPLE, 1 CUP VANILLA ICE CREAM

DAY 2: BREAKFAST--1 EGG, 1 SLICE TOAST, 1/2 BANANA

LUNCH--1 CUP COTTAGE CHEESE (OR 1 SLICE CHEDDAR CHEESE), 1 HARD BOILED EGG, 5

SALTINE CRACKERS

DINNER--2 HOT DOGS, (no buns), 1 CUP BROCCOLI, 1/2 CUP CARROTS, 1/2 BANANA, 1/2 CUP VANILLA ICE CREAM

DAY 3: BREAKFAST--5 SALTINE CRACKERS, 1 SLICE CHEDDAR CHEESE, 1 SMALL APPLE

LUNCH--1 HARD BOILED EGG, 1 SLICE TOAST

DINNER--1 CUP TUNA, 1/2 BANANA, 1 CUP VANILLA ICE CREAM

DIET WORKS ON CHEMICAL BREAKDOWN AND IS PROVEN. DO NOT VARY OR SUBSTITUTE ANY OF THE ABOVE FOODS. SALT AND PEPPER MAY BE USED, BUT DO NOT USE ANY OTHER SEASONING. DIET IS TO BE USED THREE DAYS AT A TIME.

IN THREE DAYS, YOU SHOULD LOSE 10 POUNDS. AFTER THREE DAYS OF DIETING, YOU CAN EAT YOUR NORMAL FOODS, BUT DO NOT OVER DO IT. AFTER YOUR 4 DAYS OF NORMAL EATING, START BACK ON THE 3 DAY DIET. YOU CAN LOSE UP TO 40 POUNDS IN A MONTH IF YOU STICK TO THIS DIET. IT IS A SAFE DIET.

REMEMBER: DO NOT EAT BETWEEN MEALS!

NOTE: COFFEE OR TEA THE FIRST TWO MEALS OF DAY ONE ONLY. WATER ONLY FROM THEN ON.

My tummy is excited

At least two Potbellys (-ies?) are set to open in Manhattan in the coming months. Or "soon-ish" as the window of the soon-to-be Rockefeller Center concourse location boasts. The other location I've spotted is on Maiden Lane in the 2 Gold building retail strip, making it perfect for me to have one Potbelly by my office and one by my home. Clearly Potbelly's corporate offices have no consideration for my own growing potbelly.

Admittedly I've never actually had a Potbelly sandwich, but my friends in Washington D.C. and Chicago rave about them so much that I can almost vicariously taste the deliciousness through their descriptions. And I cannot wait to have another option for yummy carb-filled comfort lunches.

Things I like...free wine!

Fashion Week is winding down, so I wanted to give thanks to something that made it just a little more enjoyable: Kim Crawford Wines. Kim Crawford is a New Zealand based wine company who sponsored this season's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and provided the best gift ever of free wine in the lobby of the Lincoln Center tents. They had a chic booth set up which felt like as much like a real bar or lounge as could be possible within the tents...complete with people pushing their way to the front to get a drink. Normally I'm more of a red wine fan, but it was hot so I tried the Sauvignon Blanc which was refreshing and fruity. It was the perfect drink after the chaos and exhaustion of Fashion Week, so thanks KC!

Restaurant Week: Part 1

New York Restaurant Week is a two week event that occurs twice a year during which over 250 of the city's top restaurants offer 3 course prix-fixe meals at a highly discounted rate. This is obvi an amazing way for people who may not have otherwise been able to afford these restaurants to experience some of the city's amazing upscale culinary cuisine. Perfect for broke-ass wannabe-cultured entertainment professionals like myself. Prices for the prix-fixe meals are $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner.

Megan's personal Restaurant Week tip: Many restaurants have identical menus for lunch and dinner, so go for lunch to get an even better value.

I took my own advice to heart and took myself on a lunch date to Smith & Wollensky (49th Street and 3rd Avenue). I've been wanting to eat here ever since Andi threw Miranda Priestly's unwanted steak from S&W in the sink in The Devil Wears Prada movie. It looked so delicious, what a waste. I would have kept it for myself and savored every bite of that magnificent steak that I special ordered and picked up at 10:30am before the restaurant even opened, silently telling my job and my boss to go eff themselves... But oh yah, the real life food.

I opted to upgrade my lunch to include Smith & Wollensky's own Restaurant Week wine offering: $30 for the regular prix-fixe plus a glass of wine from a limited list. My chosen meal consisted of a glass of cabernet sauvignon, a caesar salad, filet mignon, and a slice of cheesecake. The wine portion was generous and with the Restaurant Week price significantly cheaper than normal at $6 (compared to S&W's cheapest wine by the glass at $11). The salad was refreshing with a delicious caesar dressing, and the bread basket included a variety of different breads and a flavorful whipped butter. The filet mignon was just as perfect as the steak in my daydreams. The 10 oz fillet was tender and cooked to a perfect medium-rare. I don't typically use steak sauce, but Smith & Wollensky's own sauce was a perfect compliment to the filet providing a subtle smokiness and great flavor. I'm also not much of a dessert person but do love a good cheesecake, and S&W's delivered with it's almost mousse-like creaminess. The waitstaff was extremely attentive and conversational without being overwhelming, and I left Smith & Wollensky feeling relaxed and gluttonously happy, the perfect sophisticated break from the workday.

Genius marketing

Check out the newest Quiznos commercial...loves it! Those Toasty Torpedoes are damn tasty. But bring back the Sponge Monkeys!




http://perezhilton.com/2010-07-18-one-of-the-oddest-commercials-weve-ever-seen

Sadly, I'd actually eat this...

Behold: the Candwich. The sandwich in a can. It took me quite awhile to figure out whether this was a food or a drink, but I'm pretty sure it is a solid sandwich that is packaged in a can so that it stays...fresh? Although a drink that tasted like peanut butter and jelly wouldn't be such a bad thing either. There's 3 varieties of Candwich: PB&J Grape, PB&J Strawberry, and BBQ Chicken. I don't know exactly where to buy the Candwich, but my guess is either the dollar store or Big Lots. Ya know, places that have little regard for expiration dates or oldness of their food products, and the Candwich "has a long shelf life that is perfect for emergency food storage needs in the event of natural disasters." Practical.

Sadly there's some legal dramz involving the investors and creators of the Candwich, but without this shadiness we probably would have never been introduced to this fine food product.

Free foods part 2

Rudy's Bar & Grill
Hell's Kitchen
627 9th Avenue (b/w 44th and 45th Streets)
New York, NY 10036
212-974-9169
www.rudysbarnyc.com

I was always pretty pleased at the price and quality of hot dogs from NYC street carts (which may say something about my dubious culinary taste), but there's one thing that can beat $1.50 dogs: free ones that aren't served to you out of a bucket of questionable water. Rudy's brings New Yorkers that and so much more in an authentic, gritty dive bar. There's no "rules" for the free dogs, but it's obviously polite to be partaking in alcoholic beverages as well and not over-do it on the food. I came with some hungry friends and they never cut us off though, and the bartender was great about making sure we had our choice of toppings. Along with getting fed for free, Rudy's lets you get drunk for really cheap as a large portion of their beer pitchers are under $10. I liked the Rudy's Blonde at a delicious and economical $7 pitcher, and also because blondes are always better than anything or anyone else. Rudy's motley, lively, and sociable crowd combined with a killer jukebox guarantees loud singing and the perfect dive bar experience. Still not convinced? Get drunk and take pictures with the giant pig, what could be more fun than that?
Rating: 4 stars

My new boyfriend

I'm pretty sure the guy in the new commercials for 5 Hour Energy shot is my future husband. (the one about the 2:30pm crash) It's really not a big deal that I don't know his name or anything like that. He's cute and pushing debatably healthy energy drinks on us so that pretty much makes him perfect for me.



Anyone know who he is? Share the love! Or keep him all for yourself...that's probably what I'd do.

Free foods

Crocodile Lounge
East Village
325 East 14th Street (b/w 1st and 2nd Avenues)
New York, NY 10003
212-477-7747

This place is legendary for their too good to be true (but totally true!) gimmick of free pizza with a drink purchase. No catch, you are given a ticket to redeem on site for a free personal cheese pizza with literally every drink you purchase. The pizza's pretty yums too! I forced myself to stop redeeming the tickets after my second pizza (the drinks obvi kept flowing). Free stuff is always great, but that's not the only reason to go to Crocodile Lounge. The drinks are cheap, happy hour is even cheaper, and they have naked photo hunt AND skee ball! The main room is basement-ish but friendly with a cool couch nook and over-sized plush pillows. Venture alllll the way to the back for the games and Croc's hidden gem of a surprisingly sexy outdoor patio. They even have trivia nights and other events that encourage activities along with your boozing. I have nothing bad to say, Crocodile Lounge pretty much equals guaranteed happiness.
Rating: 5 stars

Last call...for cookies

This is a very important announcement. You only have about two hours left to get Girl Scout Cookies until spring 2011. This is serious.

I grew up either selling Girl Scout Cookies myself or buying them from the lil tots in my neighborhood, but since the children of NYC are clearly too corrupt to join the Girl Scouts other measures had to be taken. The Girl Scouts of New York City have set up four Cookie Cupboards throughout the boroughs so New Yorkers can still get our fill of minty and shortbread and coconut goodness. Cookies are sold at these locations in any quantity with no need for advance order...and for only $3.50 per box! In Manhattan that's seriously cheaper than you can get a small box of Oreos. I visited the Cookie Cupboard on 23rd Street today and stocked up on Thin Mints for the next year, so now I can stuff my face on lonely nights while supporting a good cause. Thank goodness I did because today is the LAST DAY the Cookie Cupboards are open, and in Manhattan only until 4:30pm. So get there you gluttons!

Cervezas y peliculas y tacos...si por favor!

Cabrito
West Village
50 Carmine Street (b/w Bleecker & Bedford Streets)
New York, NY 10014
212-929-5050
www.cabritonyc.com

I know I rarely write about legitimate restaurants, but Cabrito has a bar, a really fun atmosphere, and stocks more varieties of tequila than my liver can even handle reading about. So it qualifies as a bar for this blog fo-sho. Plus I'm not much of a foodie, so what I really want to spotlight is the social atmosphere of Cabrito which is festive and kick ass. A group of girlfriends and I recently visited this Mexican restaurant for their Monday movie night special which is probs one of the best deals in Manhattan: $25 buys all you can drink Dos Equis beer, all you can eat tacos, and the viewing of a "classic" movie. (Def go for the special, Cabrito's regular menu is a bit pricey for Mexican, though I'm sure tasty). At Cabrito they're thankfully not partaking in film snobbery, we spent an enjoyable evening watching The Sandlot while making friends with other customers (by yelling across the bar), playing drinking games related to the movie and stuffing our face with tacos. Cabrito offers 7 varieties of gourmet tacos with the special, and my favorites were the Ensenada-style Fish, Al Pastor (pork with a pineapple flavoring), and Tinga de Pollo (chicken). Feeling adventurous? Try the Lengua y Tomatillo taco. That's a tongue-taco for the español challenged, although maybe I shouldn't have told you... To top it all off, there's a large pink goat over the entrance. What could be more fun than that?
Rating: 4.5 stars

Best drunk food EVER

A fine food establishment has taken two of the greatest cuisines ever and combined them into the perfect drunk food. I stumbled into Philly's Original Cheesesteak (191 East Houston Street, near Orchard) on Saturday night after having passed it by a million times and ordered their Egg Roll Cheesesteak. Spoiler alert: it's exactly what it sounds like. This treat of juicy perfectly cooked chopped steak and cheese encased in thin crispy fried dough is so simple, yet a creatively genius creation, especially for Philly's prime location in LES drunk country. Philly's also serves all the traditional sandwiches and apps that a drunk 20-something could want at very reasonable prices, but the eggroll has pretty much changed my life. Calorie wise though, maybe not for the best...

Downgrade

Think it doesn't get any more D-List than competing on I Love New York? Wrong bitches!



Buddah from I Love NY season 2 (real people name Ezra Masters) appears in classy fast food chain McDonald's newest commercial. And he didn't even get the starring role. If I remember correctly, homeboy was a new agey life coach or a yoga instructor or something like that, so shouldn't he be morally opposed to stuffing your body with toxins? Nah, money talks...even in what I'm sure was very small amounts.

Watch for this in the +8's sippy cups

Today I saw a truck painted with a huge logo for Ed Hardy Celebrity Energy Drinks. Upon a little further research I discovered that these have been around since 2007 and come in 4 flavors: orange, apple, pomegranate, and sugar free. How have I never heard of these, and why the hell do they exist in the first place?

More importantly, where can I get some? I love energy drinks, and based on the genius name and marketing, these drinks will certainly automatically turn me into a D-List celebrity. Or perhaps just a 32-year-old douche trying to be young and...a celebrity. Jon Gosselin is chugging this stuff as we speak.

I kid, I actually love the Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier fashion line but have never been able to pull it off without looking like I'm trying way too hard. I have these kick ass purple Ed Hardy knee socks with little roses that are one of my favorite accessories that I've never worn because what does one wear with Ed Hardy knee socks, really now? If anyone can help me out with this dilemma please let me know.

And seriously dude, where can I get these energy drinks?

If heaven were a bar...

123 Burger Shot Beer
Hell's Kitchen
738 10th Avenue (b/w 50th and 51st Streets)
New York, NY 10019
646-833-0575
www.123burgershotbeer.com/

First let's just lay out the obvious: the name translates to $1 burger sliders, $2 shots, and $3 beers. And there's no catch. Awesome! Put all of that into what can best be described as a "trendy sportsbar" atmosphere with fun music and I have died and gone to bar heaven. Of course there are restrictions, but for the most part the gimmick rings true and makes for one hella fun (and cheap!) night. Even at a peak time on Saturday night we were able to get a table at which to enjoy our treats. But far from deserted, 123 was still brimming with a lively but breathable crowd. Our waitress was helpful and friendly, and I'm confident enough in my sexuality to admit that she looked damn good in her uniform booty shorts. Yah, 123 has a slight Hooters thing going on in that area, but think more sporty-hot girls next door than blonde silicone bimbos. Come with friends and indulge in glorious $30 beer towers and $45 burger platters to maximize your glutton buck. Or go at them alone, I don't judge.
Rating: 4.5 stars

Attempt at Foodie-ism

Now let it be known that I'm not a foodie. I love food...a lot...but my pallet is very unrefined as I consider street-meat and Wendy's Baconators to be delicacies. But a co-worker jokingly suggested I write about this and I have nothing better to write about today, so I figured I'd try to expand my horizons and become a food blogger for a day:

Gristedes boxes "Macaroni and Cheese Dinner" is far superior to Kraft. Where else can you get an entire "dinner" (their words, not mine) for 79 cents? Nothing is priced in cents anymore, there's not even a key for it on my computer keyboard! The Kraft version of the exact same product sells for almost $2. All you gots ta do is boil the macaronis, and mix in powdered cheese, butter, and milk. Though admittedly, finding the perfect amounts of ingredients is tricky and if you use the measurements on the box you will become a fatass. Find the right balance and you have a damn good meal, way better than Kraft. Let's be real though, we're comparing to the basic Kraft blue box. Nothing can hold a candle to Kraft spirals or the Blues Clues shaped ones.

Hope that helped to fight your recession-orexia.

Blast from the Past: Sponge Monkeys

It's the Monday Blast from the Past, because you need something fun to get through your week! Lord knows I do this week...

Today we pay remembrance to:
The Sponge Monkeys!

You may remember the Sponge Monkeys from circa 2003 in one of Quizno's first major add campaigns. As I sat in a Quizno's yesterday enjoying a tasty chicken carbonara sub, I thought about how much character the Sponge Monkeys gave this restaurant establishment, and how America reacted to these delightful little creatures. Many thought they were ugly, disgusting, and annoying, but I feel that they were just misunderstood. When in my freshman year of college I downloaded a Sponge Monkeys screen saver to my dorm room computer that even included sound and singing, my roommate went off the deep end and threatened permanent damage to the computer. But I know she secretly liked the Sponge Monkeys. I mean, who couldn't! I know I want my food being peddled to me by deformed singing rodents that one would swat with a broom or try to poison if found in a kitchen. Don't you?

For more Sponge Monkey goodness, youtube clips of them singing about such topics as toasted subs, coupons and the moon!