A few weeks ago, after I purchased my tickets from my new lovely travel agent [yes, they still exist people], I realized that I cannot be broke and go on vacation for a month. Sooo I decided to try my hand at this thing they call: budgeting. I mean I certainly understand the concept of it, but the actual practice is something that just goes right over my head. Anyways, my new plan is to spend downwards of $50 per week. Of course the first thing to go b/c of the budget is SHOPPING. [sad, i know] I figure, it’s okay, I’ll shop when I get to HK and China! So weaning myself from shopping wasn’t that hard. But dropping one habit naturally gives way to another to compensate for the lack of the former. For me, that’s food. I naturally spend money on food, but it seems like I’ve spent so much time eating and thinking about food now that my mind needs to steer clear of shopping. It’s the only thing that keeps from from thinking, “me wants a new Gucci!”
So where has my foodie self landed me in the last couple weeks?
Eleni’s for cupcakes .. twice
Magnolia’s Bakery for more cupcakes
Hip Hop Chow [supposedly soul food w/a chinese twist]
You’d think that I’d already broke my budget with $14 dollar Fried Chicken and $1.75 cupcakes.. but nooo… I also decided this was a good time for martinis and sushi [yes, sometimes they do go together]
Corinne and I have taken to frequent 
: our new happy place [cuz they have nicely priced happy hour drinks, of course] and the gang and i are forever hitting up the sushi places on St. Marks =]
Not to mention, fries at Pomme Frites
and Brazilian at Boca Chica
So in Ander’s words, I’ve managed to eat New York. Hey, what better way is there to know your city than to eat through it, right?
Sadly, these few places don’t even begin to outline the amount food outings I’ve been on since I’ve started the budget at the beginning of March. If there was less food, I’d say the budget was in good shape. My conclusion is that the only way to keep away from the temptations is to just sit in front of your tv all day, lose the internet connection [online shopping is dangerous], and keep yourself immersed in work. Here at the office, we have our own caf, and that’s dangerous within itself. Cake for $1.75? Who can resist?!
