The Cheap Chic's Guide to Travel: NOLA MARDI GRAS 2009

After a languid weekend trying not contract the VD blues, I now embark on a trip where the streets are amuck with streetcars, floats, drag queens, girls gone wicked and did you say....beads?


That's right folks. The Cheap Chic is headed to NOLA Mardi Gras 2009, albeit cheap chic style of course. This means if I ever get out of the perpetual Big Easy debauchery long enough, I will send you some notes on how you can live it up. From cheap drinks, free stuff and delicious food all with out having to flash your credit card or your other moneymakers. ;)

Art, Love and Tourists....

One of the City's most romantic institutions will probably be packed to the gills this weekend, not only because of the tourists, but because of VD. However, if you want to woo your lover (15th century style) then take them to the Met for the last weekend of the exhibition entitled:

Art and Love in Renaissance Italy

Click on this link for more information on visiting the Museum.

SATURDAY GUIDE: 'REJECTED' VALENTINE'S DAY HEARTBREAK HAVEN

Celebrating National Singles Awareness Day and want to laugh hysterically whilst getting pissed off of FREE BEER?


Well....then head over to the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre with all the rest of the rejects for Rejected Valentine's Day Heartbreak Haven, a night of comedy, live music, and FREE Beer (after the price of admission- $10). Its the cheapest date you could take yourself on in the City. And really, who needs Cupid when you have your beer goggles on!

Send some VD love!

Feel like sharing some VD love with your love ones but after browsing for hours in Hallmark you can't decide what ridiculously overpriced, musical, nonbiodegratable cards will express your sentiments in a way that will show your undying love and devotion (for Obama that is)?

Well then skip the lines and send an e-card. In fact, send a someecard.

Someecards.com pair vintage images with sentiments of all types and unlike Hallmark, browsing these cards can become quite addicting. Plus, you can find that e-card for any type of relationship from your galpal to your coworker to your "FB."

Slightly untoward and shockingly straightforward, these cheeky cards are not for the faint of heart. But for those who believe life is best served with sarcasm, wit and a bit of truth, you've hit the jackpot.

Gettin' in the VD mood....for romantic films

Looking to watch some romantic movies to get you in the mood for Valentine's Day?

Well, then log on to Hulu.com (FREE Streaming Feature Length Movies & Full Television Episodes) to watch some flicks and during the "limited commercial interruptions" maybe steal a kiss. ;)

Looking for a romantic comedy? Check out:

• Picture Perfect
• Someone Like You
  

In love with sports? Check out:

• For Love of the Game
• Wimbledon

I HEART the 80's (Big hair & all?)? Check out:

• St. Elmo's Fire
  

Want to "Snap out of it!" & fall in love with New York all over again? Check out:

• Moonstruck

Are you in love with man's best friend (of all forms)? Check out:

• Dragonheart
• Beethoven's 2nd
  

Do you lust after classic Britsh literature (and the accents, of course)? Check out:

• Nicholas Nickleby

Celebrating National Singles Awareness Day? Well don't you fret. I pulled out some classics that showcase the love between friends, guns and Mr. Miyagi.

• A League of Their Own
• Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
• The Karate Kid
  

Valentine's Day in the Park!

Hopefully Valentine's Day will be lovely for all you sweethearts, lovebirds, pookies, sugarbuns, etc...

If so, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation may have some activities in parks all over NYC which are sure to make the grow fonder and stronger with some exercise (either for your hunnybuns or the Big Apple)! Plus, what's more sexy than breakin' a sweat with your sweetie? (On a hike that is!!!)

From Valentine's Day hikes to Bird and Eagle Watching to walking tours of Central Park and Union Square to Poetry Reading. Best off all, ALL of these events are FREE! Click on this link for more information.

However, if really your just looking for a romantic spot to get close to your cutie then visit The Parks Department's webpage of Romantic Spots all over the five boroughs. My top picks are Battery Park looking out at the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge at night.

SUNDAY GUIDE: The Frick Collection

This is the place to see and be seen on Sunday midday. The Uppercrust of the Upper East Side loves a deal, especially on some of the best European Art in the World. And you can take part in this deal as well, with PAY-WHAT-YOU-WISH Sundays at The Frick Collection from 11AM-1PM, Every Sunday.

This stately mansion, built exclusively for Henry Clay Frick, is a true testament to the Gilded Age and all of its grandeur. If you would like, I would suggest dressing for the occasion as wandering through the galleries makes one feel quite stately and lends to the splendor of your visit. And don't forget your FREE Artphone that explains many of the paintings, sculptures and rooms of the mansion.

And for those of you looking for a great Valentine's Weekend activity, this is the romantic of all the Museums in NYC. It is also located right across the street from Central Park, so afterwards why not go on an afternoon stroll or a picnic with your sweetheart. I guarentee you, you will be in the mood for love.

For more information please visit http://www.frick.org/.

(Note: There are only two American artists featured in the whole Frick Collection. The first is Gilbert Stewart, whose portrait of George Washington was most likely acquired for patriotic reasons. However, it seemed as if Mr. Frick thought Whistler was esteemed enough to hang with the Old Masters and bought many of his works).

Want to celebrate VD instead of NSA Day?

Strike your arrow here!

Traditionally, I celebrate National Singles Awareness Day by going to a pub with a bunch of other single people, getting royally pissed, singing bawdy songs and eating falafel. It's a rip roarin' good time.

However, if this year you want to trade your NSA Day for some candy, flowers and romantic moments, albeit your budget doesn't want to spring for $34.99/month to get "matched" up, then let Cupid's arrow guide you to this FREE dating site.

OkCupid.com

Now, you only have 7 days to find your VD date, so join NOW!

And speaking of VD, remember this?

If you want to have some fun...JUST WEAR IT, so you don't end up like Mario.

SATURDAY GUIDE: Get Squared!

If you're like me you've just spent your week trapped behind a desk workin' for the proverbial "Man" and clockwatchin'. On Wednesday, when you heard it was going to be a beautiful weekend in the Big Apple and warm to boot (45F!), you were even more eager to stretch those stems and traverse this City when you weren't afraid of becoming a popsicle. If this is so, then have I got the perfect activity for you!

Get some FREE exercise and learn more about our fine City through a FREE walking tour of Union Square. Since Union Square is the third largest transportation hub in the City chances are after this tour you will have the chance to swing by The Square and dazzle your friends, lovers, significant others with an intelligent quip about how it got its name and much, much more.

Union Square: Crossroads of New York

Saturday February 7th, 2009

2:00pm-3:30pm

All ya have to do is be ON TIME
and
find the person holding the
"Union Square: Crossroads of New York" sign
by the Lincoln Statue by the 16th Street transverse

For more information click on this link.

WEEKEND GUIDE: Winter Jam 2009!

Miss the Red Bull Snowscrapers Snowboarding Invitational tonight

and still feelin' that outdoorsy, adventurous, Winter spirit?

Then stop by East River Park in the heart of Manhattan for
WINTER JAM 2009

Saturday February 7th, 2009
11:00AM-4:00PM

You can cross-country ski, snowshoe,
go ice climbing and sled down a 70 foot snow flume!

Feelin' like you need to warm up a bit, grab some viddles
and listen to some tunes?

Then head into the Pride of NY Warming Tent, browse the Winter Market
and hear some great snowtunes from Apollo Run, Dujeous and more!

Best of all this event is FREE!

For more information: Winter Jam's website

35c Movie! (Exact change-No Pennies from Heaven)

We are living in the neuvo Depression, so why not pretend it's 1933?

You can with Film Forum's
Breadlines and Champagne Depression Movie Series!

Starting with....

For one night only Friday February 6th, 2009
YOU can see
the Scandalous, the Salacious, the Sassalcious Pre-code Romp....
I'm No Angel
Starring Mae West and Cary Grant
For only 35c!!!

Now may have been the Winter of your discontent, but no more!
After Opening Night, all films in the series are
2 or 3 films for the price of ONE $11 admission.

Afraid of becoming depressed watching these films? Be more afraid of ruckus laughter, tears of joy and of course, woos of love towards some of Hollywood's finest (albeit, dead) leading ladies and gents! Sample a delightful assortment of films like My Man Godfrey, Platinum Blonde, Scarface, It Happened One Night, Bombshell, 42nd St, Gold Diggers of 1933 and much, much more! This is the ultimate escape from reality from the people who knew how to do it best!

The Film Forum is located at 209 West Houston Street, (btwn 6&7Ave)
(Go to filmforum.org for more information)

Liquid Dinner Party!

The Cheap Chic's Guide to your very own

Liquid Dinner Party

I love, love, love to socialize with my friends and entertain. However, a five course Dinner at Eight every/other week can be a little taxing on the budget. Thus, I came up with the idea of the Liquid Dinner Party.

To start, it is BYOW, B or L, 3 Buck Chuck is usually the drink of choice.

Second, appetizers (if you thus choose) should be anything that is on sale (usually stuffed grape leaves in my area- $6 for 4lbs!) or inexpensive to make (hummus with pita or feta mixed with freshly chopped basil and a dash of balsamic vinegar on top of Triskets) and don't go overboard! Think of your appets as an amuse-bouche just to show your guests that you aren't going to poison them with your cooking.

Next, the main course. After years of missing out on dinner parties, because I was stuck in the kitchen preparing the next course, I learned an important lesson (actually, it comes from the Boy Scouts)- BE PREPARED! Thus, I can have a dinner party at 6:30pm, when I get home at 6pm on a Friday. "How Cheap Chic?" you inquire. You make...SOUP! It can be prepared ahead of time, freezes easily and comes to a boil in less than 15 min, even when frozen. Thus, freeing you up from a hot stove and letting you enjoy being the HOST(ESS) with the MOST(ESS)!

Now, there are many soup recipes in cookbooks at the library, on the internet, or maybe that you have. From a basic Chicken Noodle to a New Orleans Gumbo to an Armenian Apricot Soup the variations are endless. However, I have two standbys that I swear by. The first is a Mexican Tomato Lime Soup from the Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home Cookbook (you can also find this recipe online, but I'm a big fan of cookbooks, so I'm linking you to the actual book). If you want to cheat or tomatoes are out of season, I've also made this recipe with 2 cups of canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones. The second one is a much heartier soup, actually a stew, perfect for winter. This one is a Groundnut Stew, which has many variations depending on the location in West Africa. Below is the Cheap Chic version which is a mixture of my friend Sam's version (Thanks Sam!) and of tried and true testing on unsuspecting guests.

Groundnut Stew
(Cheap Chic Style)

Ingredients:

• oil (peanut or vegetable)
  
• couscous
• pressed garlic cloves (I like at least 4)
• 1/2 tbsp pressed fresh ginger (optional)
  
• 2-cups chopped onion
• 2-16oz cans chopped tomatoes, undrained
  
• 2-16oz cans of black beans
• 2 cups hard veggie (carrots, okra, yams or all)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• cayenne pepper to taste
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Heat oil in a soup pot. Saute garlic (and ginger if chosen). Add onions and saute till slightly browned. Add both cans of chopped tomatoes, black beans and veggies. Once everything becomes hot and mixes together, add peanut butter and cayenne to taste. Soup is done. Cover and let cool. Put pot in fridge if serving within a day or in freezable tupperware if freezing. 15 minutes before entertaining: Cook couscous as directed. Put soup on to de-thaw or bring to warmth. Simmer. In a bowl, put the couscous in and top with the stew. Add salt and pepper to taste. The aroma of this stew is great and sure to bring your guests back for seconds. And really this soup is all about the personal touch so feel free to play around with the ingredients.

~o~o~o~

You always have that one friend that insists on bring something to help with the cooking. If you need no last minute "Oops, I forgot that" ingredient ask them to bring 1 or 2 loaves of French bread. It's cheap (maybe 3 bucks max and they've felt like they've done their part).

"What's the bread for?" you may ask. For making Homemade Garlic Bread (you have to have something to soak up all the liquid)! "But Cheap Chic, I usually buy Pre-made Garlic Bread." This is a big "Hell's No!" Making your own Garlic Bread is cheap and easy (just how I like it). Also you can make it as good (little butter) or as bad (lots of garlic-no kissing for you!) as you like.

Cheap Chic's Garlic Bread

Ingredients

• 2 loaves of French bread
• 1-2 sticks of Butter
• pressed garlic cloves (the more the better)
• oregano (optional)
  

Half the loaves of bread. Soften the butter. Add the pressed garlic to the soften butter and mix. Slather the spread onto the French bread loaves. Sprinkle as much oregano on as desired. Broil in the oven till browned (about 5-7 minutes, but make sure to check it frequently! Broiling can lead to blackening quite quickly!).

~o~o~o~

Now you have a full 4-Course Liquid dinner: appetizers, soup, garlic bread and of course, alcoholic liquid.

And for dessert? Well, I always keep a box of cake or brownie mix (when it goes on sale for 99c) in the house (just in case). Just make sure you have enough eggs and oil handy. It even is a great party activity. Who doesn't love licking the spatula clean or spilt wine flavored brownies?

One final thought- Make sure you have enough toilet paper for when everyone breaks the seal. After all, this is a liquid dinner party!

Enjoy!

Do Your Own Damn Laundry!

I'm not passing judgment on any New Yorker who supports the laundries and local economy of our fine City. However, stop whining about how much it costs to have someone else do your laundry (It's a typical New Yorker trait). It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it right? Well, let's talk economics.

On the one hand your time is money. However, your free time is suppose to be free, but if you work 16 hour days, then maybe your free time is for slipping all-night Diner food down your throat and sleeping off the vodka tonics, Mad Men style. But then you best be gettin' paid to have your laundry lifestyle where someone else toils over it.




For those of us who aren't as dashing as Don Draper and have a fair amount of free time, then doing our own laundry could save a bundle. For instance, top loading medium capacity washers can usually hold 7-8lbs of laundry. That's usually a little less or more than half of a standard laundry basket. Add a full basket and you have between 15-20lbs of laundry. At a dollar a lb (which is usually the standard in NYC, give or take 25c) that's around $20 a basket with detergent & folding included. The typical washer at a laundry mat (or in your own building) costs $2 and you supply your own detergent, dryer sheets and intuitive. Best of all, if anything comes out shrunk or covered in bleach, you have no one to blame, but yourself. For me to do a laundry basket costs $5.25 w/ detergent (which I recommend Arm & Hammer Dye & Perfume Free, $1 coupon at site). That's 75% off the price of having someone else do it and I burn calories walking up and down the stairs and folding. It's a win/win situation for me!

Now a lot of people have many excuses for not doing their own laundry, besides the time issue, I understand that (i.e. it's gross, it's boring, I'm lazy, etc...). But for those of you who want to venture out and need some encouragement, watch this clip from FRIENDS- The One with the East German Laundry Detergent.

List of Top Ten Things To Do at the Laundry Mat

1. Catch up with Mom, your bff, your ex, or your proctologist on your cell phone.
2. Start writing the great American Novel.
3. People watch.
4. Read one of the many great novels of British Literature.
5. Work on Monday's New York Times Crossword Puzzle or better yet, the TV Guide crossword.
6. Hit on someone or at least try to (I recommend Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog for guidance- Act 1)
7. Meditate
8. Read the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest (I once read an issue of People from 1972...it was 2005 at the time).
9. Knit or crochet.
10. Dream you're rich enough to have someone else do your damn laundry!

Bibliophiles Beware!

Ever have one of those days when you know you want to read that classic like The Hound of the Baskervilles, have a hankering to dive into an old issue of New York Magazine or when you promised your book club that you read The Da Vinci Code when in fact you didn't and you can't get a hold of a copy from the library in time?

Have no fear! Google Book Search is here. Now you can read full books and magazines from the Internet!


There are Fiction and Non-Fiction headings with categories or if you just want to read about a random subject like Fads or Courtship, you can browse their Random Subjects Categories as well! I will admit that I whiled away a few minutes reading the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists; Rules, Britannia: An Insider's Guide to Life in the United Kingdom, Blogging for Dummies and my personal favorite allegory on quantum physics which I haven't read since I was 17, Alice in Quantumland.