Since I can’t figure out how to buy this from the apparently amazing Anna Louise Mould, I’m thinking if I can replicate this amazing banjo-head painting for my Sweetheart in time for Valentine’s day. Since he’s the sweetest kind of karmically-transplanted-mountain-man-reborn-in-the-body-of-a-native-New-Yorker, this would be just his kind of “Pimp my Ride”. Swoon.
props to the stunning Woodsmaiden, for capturing my heart as always.
We went and saw Richard III last night at BAM and it was every bit as incredibly, brutally, bloodily, hilariously, terrifyingly relevantly awesome as we could have hoped. Lots of people have said this very same thing but: Kevin Spacey is frightfully wonderful and awefully magnetic, and, 10 things I hate about You not withstanding, like so many productions of Shakespeare, eerie parallels between now and then are as unsettling as watching the Republican primaries. The best part? The show runs through March 4, 2012. Run, don’t walk (with a limp).
Whew! Thank you for all of the posts and comments on the matter of the $100 dinner (if you missed the initial argument, check it out here). From the responses, it appears as though the entire 1% is forcing everyone I know to drop a cool hundo on boozy Manhattan dinners against their will, and it also seems, regardless of tax bracket, that pretty much everyone feels a certain ambivalence at check time. I am not alone. The problem with the $100 dinner boils down to this: at best, it is easier just to split up a bill evenly, at worst it’s a microcosm of judgment over the life choices of the broke (musician, writer, yoga teacher, butcher, baker, occupier etc.) vs. those of the well heeled (people who chose to be a “banker” on the Oregon Trail). As Hilty so perfectly put it: I didn’t want to bring it up at the table that I was the only one without a well-paying job. So. What to do when the check drops? A collective of like minded souls gave me some great suggestions:
– Always order the most expensive and delicious thing on the menu at a group dinner, that way at least you will have enjoyed the meal you’re paying for.
– Let them know you’re no longer subsidizing their Kobe steak or Caspian Sea caviar.
– Eat absolutely nothing and have one glass of wine. That way you can simply say, “I only had one glass of wine”. No spending, no paying. You could even (sadly) leave early and leave cash for your drink just to be on the safe side.
– Go back to the bathroom and make a break for it?
– And the most popular: Don’t be afraid to grab that thing and do the arithmetic!
Last week I decided to test the waters, put all this talk into action. A group of us went to The Fat Radish, the exact little studied and purposefully casual kind of hole in the wall where these things always seem to go down. Subway tiles, distressed brick, old mirrors, expansive expensive cocktail list with funny names, reclaimed wood tables, bartender with an accent, edison lightbulbs… you know the drill. It was a great crew of girls… ladies…uh… women. And not a bunch of stuffy banker types either- all of us work in one creative field or another- a gallerist, a yogi, an artist- all incredibly lovely, the exact right mix of gorgeous and profane you always hope will fill your table when you first move to New York City. We were kindred spirits. But when the oysters started coming and the cocktails kept raining down, I knew I was going to have to step it up in the stink making department. If a stink was required, a stink I would make.
I had a big delicious kale salad, two yummy beers, and when the bill came I snatched it right up, grabbed a pen out of my purse, did my math (I forgot: I am slooow at math), wrote my name and $33 on the back of the bill (yes, that’s how much a kale salad and two beers costs you in lower Manhattan), put my card down and handed it to the person next to me.
She said “I’m so glad you just did that”.
The girl who ordered the oysters and the vodkas said “Aww, Look at that”, referring to my writing my name on the back of the check, “That’s so cute”, and plunked down $90 cash.
The girl across from her said “Thanks for figuring the check out”.
The waiter came and everyone lived happily ever after.
So, I guess the moral of the story is: Only a jerk would be a jerk about splitting the check, and there’s no shame in divvying it up. If someone has a problem with that, then I guess you’ve just paid $100 to know that you don’t have to be friends with that person anymore. A bargain.
Love,
Broke Ass Emily Post
Thanks to Rav, Hilty, Todd, Brittany, Janelle, Mels, Carrie, Andrew, Sara, Irina, and Sally for the advice and moral support. Let’s all go out to a big dinner together sometime soon.
Fat Radish images from here.
O behold the bounty of Fritos! After my recent discovery that Fritos aren’t, in fact, the devil, Meags sent me this totally amazing comprehensive history of Fritos. JUST in time to see sweet, half-dumb lookin’ Eli take on the evil juggernaut that is the Pats in this weekend’s Superbowl XLVI. Now- if Peyton goes to the Redskins, then that’ll be something. In the meantime, here’s a recipe for Frito pie:
-Take bag of Frito’s, cut the side open
-Pour in hot chili
-Grate cheese, apply sour cream
-Eat with spork, revel in being American
To do this week:
1) Get self organized/sidestep dark pits of despair
2) Try not to freak out the incredible Anne Emond with how awesome I think she is-as manifested by stalking her on twitter.
After all of the discussion over the dreaded $100 dinner that so many of us have found ourselves forced into at one time or another (more on that tomorrow), how refreshing it was to find this series of $5 dinners from the ever-lovely Sarah over at Pink of Perfection. These sweet and simple recipes are culled from pantry staples and feature hearty wintry vegetables- but, like all good things, each has an ingredient or two that makes it zing, pow, sparkle and mmmm. Humble lentil, meet dashing caramelized onion, tomato soup, go ahead bring along your friend poached egg. Seeing as this is essentially my current life motto: live well, but simply, and add a bit zing-pow-sparkle when you need it, these recipes couldn’t come at a better time. Substitute “spending a quiet night with a crossword puzzle and a glass of wine” for “Lentils” and “wear a sparkly jacket and a party hat and go dancing” for “caramelized onions” and this recipe might as well be my g-cal. Life’s good.
Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Caramelized Onions
Serves 2
3/4 cup red lentils
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water
pinch cayenne
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sugar
To caramelize the onions, melt the butter over moderate heat. Throw in the onion and cook until beginning to brown. Sprinkle sugar evenly over onions and continue to cook until onions are brown, sweet, and sticky.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine lentils with water, stock, cayenne, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft and beginning to break down. Turn off heat, and stir in chopped parsley and lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and serve with caramelized onions.
as mentioned, recipes and images from the truly wonderful Pink of Perfection.
Feather By Feather 