SATURDAY GUIDE: $1 Flip Flops!

That's right, folks...

Time to stock up for the Summer!

SATURDAY ONLY
(May 23rd)

at

OLD NAVY

FLIP FLOPS
(solid color only)

are ONLY

$1

For that price you can buy red for your mother, blue for your brother and all the colors of the RAINBOW for others!

NOTE: For the best NYC location, I recommend the Old Navy by Manhattan Mall (144-150 W 34th St). Their customer service is the tops and their downstairs dressing room looks like a luau and smells like cupcakes. What could be better?!?

The Philanthropist: The 2-for-1 Review

Sometimes there is a reason something is 2-for-1.

Such was the case with The Philanthropist.

When entering the American Airlines Theatre for a night of Broadway frivolities, my party of four was quite happy to join me as the tickets were cheap to begin with and two-for-one to boot. However, they were more than a bit less joyful when we left. Further, they were even less amused when they found out that my seatmate had been surreptitiously passing me M&Ms and I had been hoarding them to myself. Not only had I made this social faux pas, but when I finally was successful in secretly opening my bottle of Fuel: The 7 Hour Energy Shot (in my pocket for most of the second half of the play; I got skills...) and fake yawned to take a swig, I did not share this either, even though my guests were nodding off around me. Of course, by the time I was able to consume said bottle the play ended five minutes later, hence why I am awake now writing this musing.

But I meander....(kind of like the play).....

The Philanthropist is a play about a British English professor in the Seventies during (I guess?) a few days in his life...when things happen. If you want something deeper than that you should probably ask the playwright (or an English Professor), because that's all I got out of it.

To begin with, the characters spent far too great of time in the discussion of rhetoric, such as hyperboles and anagrams. The only time my ears perked was during a digression regarding cunnilingus and even then the subject was not dissected to my full satisfaction. The highlight of the play was when a gentleman in the audience a few rows ahead of us found something mundanely funny and chuckled so loud and boisterously that we couldn't stop our tittering for a full two minutes.

Further, I think the philanthropic thing would be for the Theatre to hand out free flasks of sherry or scotch for the audience to slowly swirl in their mouths during the play (at least it would entertain most of them). This play, like scotch, is best enjoyed after a full dinner, when one is relaxed and would rather leave the talking (and quite possibly the listening ) to someone else and quite frankly, is a bit in the bag (like the gentleman a few rows ahead of us).

Overall, it was not, how shall we say this...my cup of tea.

However, one thing I've learned from life is that the more disagreeable something is the more likely you are to encounter it. This will be the case when I accompany my tourist guests to what I advertised to them as “Ferris Bueller on Broadway” with non-refundable tickets to this play this coming Saturday. However, this time I won't worry about having that extra glass of wine at dinner and I won't forget my flask (and maybe a few more to share).

NOTE: There is no notice in the theater, but within the first ten minutes something quite violent happens that includes brain/blood splatter on the white wall behind one of the actors (you can let your mind meander). Therefore, anyone who cares not to see this, should turn their head away.

Live Theater for ONLY 10 BUCKS! Tartuffe!

Breadline News:

"All over the City, New Yorkers are being swindled by high theater prices. More and more theater seats are left vacant as New Yorkers stand up and say "We're not gonna take it...Anymore!" and head downtown to the Seaport to see
Tartuffe at the Dog Run Rep."

~

Dear Sassalicious, Cheap (but chic) Readers of mine,

Pockets nearly empty? Need a cheap date idea that doesn't include digging up your old, dirty student I.D. and dawning what you think are "hipsterish" clothes so you get a discount at the movies? Well, don't you fret. Dawn that "top hat, white tie and tails" & show a little class by taking your latest guy or doll to some old-fashioned, high-falutin' theater on the cheap!


Use this CODE: TT410 to get 10 BUCK tickets (Reg. $18) on select performances of this comic romp! Then watch ditzy socialites get duped by a Con-Man in Depression-Era New York City, while you lean back knowing you got the hottest deal in town!

I'll be there in my Sunday best....will you?

Cordially,

Elle* a.k.a. The Cheap Chic

212-868-4444

@ Seaport! 210 Front Street South Street Seaport New York, NY 10038 (30 minutes before curtain)

www.SmartTix.com Click Here

Terms and Limitations: This offer is only valid for March 18th at 8:00pm, March 21st at 2:00pm, March 22nd at 7:00pm and March 25th at 8:00pm. This offer is valid for new purchases only and is subject to availability. This offer may be revoked at any time and may not be combined with other offers. Limit 8 tickets per order and normal service charges apply.

REMINDER: Almost 50 Celebration TONIGHT!

For ONE night only....

Place: Chelsea Clearview Cinemas, 260 W 23rd St.
Time: Show starts at 7pm, Meet Elle* a.k.a. the Cheap Chic in the lobby by 6:45pm
What: Learning "How to Marry a Millionaire" with Monroe, Bacall and Grable
Why: Drag Queens, Millionaires, Classic Films, Vixens and of course, Cheap Events, OH MY!
Cost: $7.50



Not only will you leave the cinema knowing how to nab your own Millionaire (Sugar Daddy, Forbes Lover, or (even better) F$!king Billionaire), but as an added bonus, Hedda Lettuce will be hosting the 7pm show!

SEE YOU THERE!

Seamless Lunch

Last Monday, I had a dentist appointment. I loathe the dentist to the point that I have to consciously restrain myself from not biting the hygienist's fingers off by very politely gripping my hands on my lap and mantra-ing "I will not bite the hygienist. I will not bite the hygienist. I will not bite the hygienist even a little bit..."

Well, I ended up not biting the hygienist and with my "goodie" bag of flosses, toothbrushes and a gum stimulator (Kid you not! There is actually a product called a "gum stimulator" on the market.) in hand, I trudged to work.

As I was walking down Lex, I thought about a pick-me-up lunch that would sooth my battered mouth. The problem always is that in the Midtown Manhattan area, lunch averages around $8-10. That, of course, is way too much for the Cheap Chic.

And that's when I had an idea! After seeing adverts all over the City for the website, I went back to my office and logged on to Seamlessweb.com.

Seamlessweb.com is a website where one can order sustenance for delivery or pick-up from a variety of restaurants & delis in 14 metro areas across the US and the UK ONLINE! That's right, folks. I didn't have to leave my desk to order lunch. Also I chose what time I wanted to pick up my lunch, showed up to the restaurant & there was my lunch, waiting just for me. Quick signature (I paid for my lunch online with my Bank card & since I picked it up there was no delivery tip) and I was eating lunch within 5 minutes.

"Seamless, eh?"


BEST OF ALL, after some Cheap Chic internet searching, I found a COUPON CODE that offered me $5 OFF my order on Seamlessweb. Therefore, my original $8.13 lunch (hot, fully cooked & non poisonous lunch, a vast departure from my usual lunch) ended up being only $3.13, which is even cheaper than the food cart!!!!!

"What a deal!!"

Now I want to share this deal with you, gentle reader:

Just sign up for Seamlessweb.com, make an order and in the

Promo Code box at the Checkout type in:
SEAMLESS123456.

Other cheap peeps claim that this COUPON CODE:

SEAMLESS1234

will get you 30% off of your order

all the time, anytime (unless the restaurant already offers a discount). I'm going to try it soon and I'll let ya'll know how it works!

So, if one day you forget your brown bag, don't fret. Just head to Seamlessweb for a Cheap Chic type of lunch deal. And, of course, share your comments on the blog!

NOTE: Pick-up is only available in Murray Hill, Midtown Manhattan, and the Financial District. Therefore, most ordering on Seamless is for delivery, so make sure you factor in the cost of the delivery tip.

Belly Up to the Cheap Bar!

Economic woes got you down? Want to go to a place "where everybody knows your name and their always glad you came"? Well, this ain't Boston- Buddy, but there is one think New Yorkers have perfected: Happy Hour with Strangers.

That's right. At the end of a long workday, nothing is better than bellying up to the bar and kickin' back a few (or four or more) with the drunk and drunker of New York's working masses. However, also with these economic times may come the urge to save, save, save (even on drinking!)!

Well have I got the site for you.

Drink Deal is the real deal.

Separated by Neighborhood in Manhattan and including Brooklyn (sadly there are no drink deals for Queenies at this time), not only do they showcase Happy Hour deals, but also other Specials such as: All-You-Can-Drink/Open Bar Specials, Wine/Margaritas/Mojitos/Fancy Drink Specials, Entertainment Specials (can anyone say Karaoke?), and Food Specials (to vom up later). The site also directs you to Gay Bars, Hooka Bars, Ladies Night Bars, and Smoking Bars to name a few...

Searching the site itself is *intoxicating*. Imagine what will happen when you actually gallivant to one of these fine establishments.....

The Cheap Chic's Guide to Travel: Megabus

A British 'transportation on the cheap' import, Megabus is one of newest carriers to offer bus service from NYC to smAlbany, NY. While Megabus has limited service to Albany (4 departures & 4 arrivals per day) it beats out its competitors in many arenas.


First, Megabus has the fabled $1 fare on each bus. That means you could be the lucky individual who gets round trip transportation for only $2.50 (50c for a service fee). That's cheaper than a latte at Starbucks! Other fares start on a sliding scale from $5 all the way up to $30 (one way). Still with Amtrak's service to Albany averaging around $100 roundtrip, the $60 roundtrip Megabus fare ain't to shabby.

Second, Megabus has FREE WiFi on some of their buses, although on my trip, the WiFi was inconsistent at best (but it's the thought that counts). About an hour into my first leg of my roundtrip Albany ride, the WiFi vanished and on the way back to NYC, even though everyone on the bus could pick up the WiFi signal, no one could connect to it. However, some routes have no problem at all with connectability.

Third, in the Northeastern region, Megabus also services Boston, D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Niagara Falls, ON & Toronto. For the more traveled (or longer) routes you may be lucky enough to get one of their new double-decker buses which have electric plugs on the backs of the seats for electronics (such as your laptop).

Overall, its transportation and its cheap.

My recommendation is stay out of the bathroom (unless you want blue toilet water splashed on your bum and unsanitized hands from the empty Hand Sanitizer bottle, if it's even there) and you'll get there in one piece.

I mean, what do you want for nothing? A rubber biscuit?

WEEKEND GUIDE: Fountain Art Fair!

This weekend by the NYC Hudson River Piers is the annual Armory Show: International Fair of New Art. This art extravaganza showcases the best in contemporary art from all over the world. Of course, to view this high end art there comes a price. A single day ticket is $30 ($10 for students, how I wish I still were one) and a 4 day pass is $60! That's a pretty hefty price.

However, for those of you who still want to get their "art" on, but Cheap Chic style, check out The Fountain Art Fair. This fair "is a guerrilla-style art event – under the radar, independent and highly influential – where young, Brooklyn-based galleries showcase fresh work without official booth spaces or selection committee juries. Launched in New York March 2006, Fountain is designed to create leverage and support for independent galleries overlooked by the larger, corporate-sponsored art fairs." It sounds exactly like the sort of event a rabble-rouser like me would enjoy (that is if I am not overrun by Hipsters! Eek!). Best of all an ALL WEEKEND PASS is only a $5 suggested donation!

Also tonight you can party to your heart's content and meet the artists from 7pm-11pm. MC Chris will be performing at 11pm.

Fountain NY 2009
Pier 66 at 26th St in Hudson River Park NY, NY 10011
Telephone: 917.650.3760
Dates: March 5-8; 11am–7pm
Reception for public to meet the artists: Friday, March 6; 7pm–midnight
Cost: Suggested donation of $5 at the door for all weekend access

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. ;)

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!

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!

Ode to RAMEN (recipe included)!

Yesterday morning as I was commuting, I picked up my daily AM New York (I like it better than the Metro. It's more pop-culturie- and yes, "pop-culturie" is a word. I just made it one.) and happened upon an article about the economy and ramen. It is the ultimate cheap meal ranging from 10c to 70c for a basic package. ("Gourmet" ramen can get as high as $4.50. At least that I've seen.)



Since, I am very, very impressionable, throughout my day, all I could think about was how I wanted Ramen. Hence, on the way home I picked up some Ramen. The article I read that morning gave recipes (I kid you not) on how to make gourmet Ramen with non-dehydrated ingredients. However, I just didn't have the energy to make the actual recipes, so instead I've complied a list for you of things that I like to add to my Ramen (and they're cheap!).

• Bac-Os- faux bacon bits: Just what you need added to your Ramen- more salt, but these yummy little pieces of faux bacon made of soy are just soy delicious! (Okay, so maybe not as great as real bacon, but come on, I'm a vegetarian. I like to pretend.)
• Scallions- they add mild onion-like flavor and some light greenery to your dish (Thus, making it seem good for you.) and are cheap! (I bought a bunch for 25c, tax included.)
• Carrots- add some orange, get better vision (or night vision).
• Plain Yogurt- to give your broth a little more depth. (And calicum-duh!)
• Hot Sauce- to give it a little kick. Again tons of salt, tons of spice. (just how I like it!)
  

And as an added bonus, I decided to include my own Ramen Recipe....

Okra Chaat Masala Ramen

1. Start boiling water in a small sauce pan.
   
2. In a frying pan, lightly saute 1/4 of the bag of Okra in a little oil.
   
3. Boil the noodles in the sauce pan.
4. Add Chaat Masala Spice to the Okra and stir till fully coated and you can smell the ingredients mixing together.
   
5. Strain and place the ramen in a big bowl.
   
6. Add the Okra Chaat Masala on top the Ramen.
   
7. Add Scallions or Plain Yogurt to garnish.
   
8. Eat.
9. Repeat if you find it delicious and a bit sassalicious.

So basically my point is (did I have one to begin with) is that Ramen used as directed is for college. Ramen with a little somethin' extra is the grown-up version of something cheap and easy! As Mary says in 3 Men and a Little Lady (one of my fav movies from childhood), "Try it. You'll like it."

Thrift Store Shopping, Name Brands, Cheap Price!

A few weeks ago my coworker told me about the thrift stores on 23rd St (Thanks, Kirtley!). I was in desperate need for some new clothing, but I am on quite a tight budget. Thus, this weekend, I ventured to 23rd St (btwn Lexington and 1st Ave) to go find some treasures.

Boy, did I hit the jackpot!!!

First, I stopped by the Salvation Army.
212 E 23rd St, New York, NY‎ (btwn 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave)
(212) 532-8115
‎

In terms of thrift stores, it's not the cleanest or the most organized (except for the clothing). Also, if you walk in and are wondering where all the clothes are, they are 1 floor below in the dimly lit basement (and yes the only mode of transportation is a rickety elevator. Looking for the perfect location for a Horror film in NYC?). If you are willing to dig you might come up with some treasures (They did have a great selection of cowboy boots. However at $30 it was still out of my price range.). I did find this gorgeous, gray, GAP shift for work and at $6.99 (tax included) it is a great addition to my work wardrobe. The only major issue I had with the place, was the lack of dressing room. I wanted to try on more things, but I didn't really feel like showing the other shoppers my bright, red Super girl boyshorts.

The next stop was Goodwill Industries.
220 E 23rd Street, New York, NY (btwn 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave)
(212) 447-7270‎


This store is like the Mecca of thrift stores in NYC. First, the store is bright (like fluorescent, Wal-mart lighting bright), big and well organized. Clothing is separated by color and type. I went straight to the sweaters. One of my first picks was a chic, black, Banana Republic sweater. Perfect for work or a first date: classic, but slightly salacious. At $9.99, it made the cut.

Next I headed over to the jeans. I think the final count for the number of jeans I tried on was 40 pairs. However, with over 100 jeans on the rack, it wasn't hard to pick a few out. Another great thing about this store- it HAS A DRESSING ROOM! And on a busy Saturday afternoon, there was never more than a 4 minute wait. I finally settled on 3 pairs, in excellent condition and all name brand: Gap, Express and Guess. At $7.99 a pair, you can't beat it!

Final total:

3 pairs of jeans, 1 sweater and 1 shift = $40.95
(which doesn't even cover the cost for one pair of jeans at the mall).

New Year, New Hair (on the cheap) PART 4- THE REVEAL

Ta-Dah!

One part Becca Moody and one part Lady Gaga, with a little sass mixed in. I guess that's who I've been my whole life, so why would a hair cut change it?

99c PIZZA! Oh My!

I work in Midtown East. When I forget my lunch there aren't that many cheap lunch options. Most lunches around this area average in the $7-10 range, which racks up to about $35-50/week on lunch alone! Just not something I can afford (or really would want to spend my money on)!

However, there is a cheap food gem not to far from my office.......


Well, not exactly 99c (because of tax), but its still some damn cheap pizza.

1 Cheese Slice- $1.07
2 Cheese Slices- $2.15
3 Cheese Slices- $3.25

On the counter, they supply free garlic powder, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes and hot sauce. They also have pick-up only specials such as One 18" Pie for $8, One Med. 16" Pie for $7 and 14" Pie$5 and 2 Slices and 1 can of Soda for $2.75.

There are 2 locations:

569 9th Ave (corner of 41st & 9th Ave)
and
151 E. 43rd St. (btwn Lexington & 3rd Ave).