Lunch Lady: Hot For Teacher

I know your shoes are probably soaked and you almost dropped your phone in a puddle and maybe your $3 bodega umbrella turned inside out AND it's a Monday... but don't worry because I'm about to give you some really good news. Recently, Charlotte, our resident cocktail connoisseur and I had a little lunch date at one of our go-to spots in the neighborhood- The Meatball Shop. Since we were already celebrating lunch time and the end of winter we decided to have a couple cocktails and make some friends. Well, one thing led to another and some secrets started to slip…

Just kidding- I'm insanely nosy and asked a million questions, but either way it turns out that all of the bread they use is from Il Forno Bakery! Right across the Bronx River from where I was born near Castle Hill. Now, I have always always been told that the best bread comes from the Bronx (they say it's something about the water) and while the people sharing this information may be a little biased, I swear once you have some you will totally agree. After hearing this we decided to order some sliders (because sipping Vodka at 12pm can definitely get a little hairy) and found out that all of the beef is also locally sourced from small farms in Pennsylvania.

So much positive information in such a short amount of time- by the end of the meal our casual lunch date had turned into a crash course in ethical eating. How funny to think I've been coming here for years and had no idea they were so environmentally conscious. Pretty fucking rad.

So, here's to good food, great dates and truly amazing neighbors. Cue in our babe Charlotte to tell you more about the much appreciated Moscow Mules they whipped up for us ;-)

<3 Ash

p.s. If sustainable development and responsibly sourced meats are topics that tickle your fancy, The Meatball Shop is currently in the business of slinging books as well as sliders. They've got an entire chapter in The Carnivore's Manifesto and have even partnered up with Heritage Foods USA to get their pork from farmers who vow against growth hormones AND practice fair labor. Just sayin…

P.P.S! Whatever meatballs you get, try them with pesto- it's my favorite.

Matchmaker, matchmaker, I’ve found my match - the Lunch Lady and the Saucer, together forever, in food and drink matrimony. A 1940’s cocktail seemed fitting to celebrate, and Moscow Mules in copper mugs ensued. The reason for the mug is this: copper conducts temperature really well, keeping your drink extra cold (~metal geek knowledge~) and the handle keeps your warm paws away. Here’s how The Meatball Shop does theirs:

11⁄2 oz Brooklyn Republic vodka
1⁄4 oz lime juice
3 oz Regatta ginger beer

Combine vodka and lime juice in copper mug, add ice and top with ginger beer. Squeeze with lime wedge and serve.

Cheers,

Charlotte

Lunch Lady: Because Why Not?

So, as you already know, us Catbirdettes spent last night guzzling Salty Dogs and Bulleit Bourbon like it was our job. Which, I mean, it kind of absolutely was. And because of the free-flowing liquor and endless brain-splitting laughter we are pretty much all hungover. My poor body is moving at a glacial pace and I just saw a video of a cute old man that nearly made me sob. Ugh, such a loser. Anyway! I was trying to decide what my fifth beverage of the morning was going to be (the first four being whatever kind of Iced Tea I could find within five blocks) and then the gods blessed my life with this little gem...

Are you kidding me?! Like I could ever come up with a better reason to stop being lazy and bring back the Lunch Lady posts. People are obsessed with Sriracha for a reason. Because it's amazing and it makes everything better. Like when you feel like crap and put on your favorite lipstick or you have to transfer three times to get to work because the stupid L is down but you miraculously make every train right on time AND there's a seat next to someone cute/ an old lady reading some soft core prairie porn. It does not get better this and I am TOTALLY fine with that. 

The genius coffee shop slinging this deliciousness is Bedford Baking Studio right between South 3rd and Fourth, otherwise known as Portlandia by everyone at Catbird because it is so unbelievably cute and kitschy.  Just look for yourself in this pic MER snapped that shows off their expert craftiness.

And here it is in all it's humble* glory paired with a really amazing croissant sandwich made with olive tapenade, fresh tomato & mozzarella and some kind of green I forget what.

It looks like a regular latte, tastes like a mocha mexican hot chocolate, which is probably a thing somewhere, and for atleast 20 minutes my synapses were firing all over the place and I came up with some really good ideas for some really important things. Syke- I thought about my lifelong crush, where I put my 2nd favorite pen and what to listen to next. But I was really enthusiastic. And that's always a treat on an otherwise ordinary afternoon.

<3 Ash

*thanks to Leigh for helping me find a word better than unassuming because my brain went back to being broken

p.s. who has a fantasy football league I can join? I will absolutely ruin it for everyone involved, hope that's cool.

Lunch Lady: Sooie!

Oh haaayyy Kitty-Babes! So, Rony totally lit a fire under my ass for being the most neglectful Lunch Lady ever! And thankfully I have the perfect place in mind to start this romance up again...

Since we've got a new studio on the South Side I've been walking past a bunch of awesome places I've never seen before and one of them is Brisket Town! It's pretty great. And when I just told my dad about it the first thing he said was "Shit, I wanna live there." Which is basically how I feel whenever I make a trip over for one of their delicious Brisket Breakfast Tacos. It has pickled onions, brisket, cilantro, egg, some kind of bbq sauce (I think) and it's on a flour tortilla. I personally wish they could toast the tortilla a little but either way it's phenomenal. 

They're on Bedford and South 5th and you should all start joining me for breakfast there- which is normally my least favorite meal of the day but since I've found a way to incorporate Brisket into my morning schedule it's really upped my quality of life. Emotionally anyway ;-) So... yeah they serve Breakfast Tacos from 9am to 12pm and they have Blue Bottle Coffee and Orange Juice and a really nice waitstaff. It looks kind of like a barn inside and they always play awesome music as well. I'm even convincing the vegetarian Catbirds to give it a shot because, well it's just a good place. And they have veggie tacos that sound really delicious. Those have roasted brussel sprouts, eggs, cheese, potato hash, caramelized onions, peppers, cabbage slaw and homemade ketchup! :-) And I don't know where else you can get breakfast tacos around here, so they definitely filled an enormous void. As far as myself and a few other Birdettes are concerned anyway.

<3 Ash

p.s.

Here is a video for your viewing pleasure... Only Dale Hawkins can make calling your love interest a Little Pig sound even remotely cute.

Lunch Lady: Surf's Up on Metropolitan!

Hey babe, it's Wednesday! Here's what I ate! The Balmy at Saltie is hands down the best take on a Bánh Mì that I have ever had. I paired it with the Lavender Shortbread Cookie (because it's shaped like a cute whale... duh) and the Turmeric Tonic (because I had no idea what that was) and everything was perfect :-) Last summer I took a little trip to Nantucket and have been pining for that weekend to repeat itself. Today, being at Saltie definitely brought me back...for the 10.5 seconds it took my sister and I to devour this delicious beast. This place is a foolproof lunch spot for summer!

p.s. if you're a native New Yorker don't try to pull off any surf lingo no matter how much you're enjoying your bitchin' lunch- you'll just sound like a Ninja Turtle and your co-workers will laugh at with you.

<3 Ash

Lunch Lady: Date!

I'm not sure what it is about this place but every time I come here it's full of people on dates. This time I spotted two Man Dates (if you don't know what this is then you should watch I Love You Man) and I was on a date with Correy <3 our resident PR Catbird and Lipstick enthusiast :-)

Maybe it's the way it's set up- small tables lining the walls and front window, maybe it's the amazing artwork or their awesome backyard (some of the seats are colorful milk crates with wooden slats screwed onto the top- a really good idea if you need inexpensive seating for your own outdoor space) or maybe it's the super friendly staff... I have no idea, but I always have a really really great time at Caracas.

Something about it is always really fun even when it's only you and five other people in the entire place. Anyway enough about our love affair, here's what I ate...

I've been here a million times and this time I realized there was only one Arepa I hadn't tried- the Sureña. It has grilled chicken, chorizo, avocado and their special Chimi Churri sauce that they even sell bottled at the restaurant because it's that good. It was early enough for the lunch special so it came with a fresh delicious salad that had Hearts of Palm in it (true to form, I had no idea what they were but ate them anyway and asked the waitress later). We also got the Tequeños- fried cheese sticks wrapped in slightly sweet dough that obviously ^ went very fast ;-)


All in all it was a really filling, really cheap lunch and I think I just might have it again today!


<3 Ash

Lunch Lady: BUSY BIRD!

It's absolutely gorgeous outside and I've already had a handful of people ask me what I have planned for today (initially I thought about asking Ryan Gosling to make me a peanut butter sundae and answer all of my emails) BUUUUUUT sometimes a Bird's just gotta eat at her desk. And since my to-do list was/is longer than my arm- today was definitely one of those days.

So I turned to an old CB favorite and called up the babes over at M Shanghai for some Cucumber Salad (basically just a bunch of chopped up pickles floating in some kind of magical garlic vinegar something), Spicy Wontons that come in an amazing peanut sauce & Sesame Oil and Scallion Noodles. You could say that my lunch was pretty much a no-brainer since I've had it 3,000,000 times but having one less thing to think about was exactly what I needed today!

Last summer all Allison (our resident Graphic Design Sandpiper) would order was the Wonton Soup and to this day M Shanghai remains our #1 go-to lunch spot. 

I would recommend you go there, close your eyes, point at the menu and feel at ease knowing that EVERYTHING is awesome.

Oh and they have a Vegan menu too ;-)

<3 Ash

Lunch Lady: A New Weekly Food Blog from Catbird!

Hello world! Welcome to my first entry about what I eat for lunch sometimes! Or more specifically what I eat for lunch on Wednesdays. What's up for today... A delicious #7 (fresh basil, tomato, olive oil, vinegar and mozzarella with prosciutto for an extra $2) from Depanneur. You'll probably be hearing a lot about their pastries in future entries. AND my version of a fruit salad from our cheeky neighbor Handsome Dan's Snocone & Candy Stand. Join a bunch of Birdettes at their grand opening this Friday from 8-10 for a little sugar rush ;-) p.s.- Don't forget your dance card, Supercute is playing! See you next week

<3 Ash

Brooklyn Tumbler by Love and Victory $22- available in store

Lunch Lady: POWER LUNCH à la Gordon Gekko

You would never guess in a million years that a place with a cutesy name like Roebling Tea Room would serve an amazing Steak Tartare... but they do! It comes with fried chickpeas, Kewpie* and capers. And there's so much of it I had to ask for more bread.

Now, you obviously don't HAVE to eat it with bread but something about chowing down on raw meat with just a fork felt a little uncivilized (not that tearing through italian bread made me look any better). But hey, if you're feeling particularly ravenous just dig in- it's really good on it's own. And in my simple brain this dish (sans bread, duh) is the perfect cure to that Gluten Intolerance thing all of my friends are currently suffering from. BUT don't leave out the lemon! It makes everything ten times better.

*....so about that Kewpie thing- Kewpie is apparently a very popular brand of mayonnaise in Japan. It's made with egg yolks and all that and features a tiny red Kewpie Doll on the front- wings and all. Why?! Who knows. I did not know of this beloved product when I ordered my lunch so once the food arrived I sat there for a minute or two and tried to figure out what the hell on my plate was supposed to be a Kewpie. So, yeah. Turns out it's just mayo :)

Enjoy!!

<3 Ash

Lunch Lady: Fashionably Late?!?

Between Fashion's Night Out (thanks to everyone who came and drank champagne with me!) and getting THE FLUUUUUU (I could only eat tea and broth for a whole week! Something I wouldn't even dream of wishing on my worst ex-boyfriend) I have really fallen behind on my posts :-( Sorry guys!! But I'm back! And like any classy lady recovering from a serious illness and an overdose of Netflix (mainly just Buffy and Breaking Bad) I'm vegging out on biscuits and fried chicken at Pies N' Thighs.

Our good friend and Honorary Bird* Dez works there and said I should get the Fried Chicken Box with a salad as the side soooo that's what I got! And that's what I ate! And it was delicious! The End. 

Just kidding! The salad had a lot of radish in it which I was really happy about and the chicken was just really really good fried chicken. Better than some other places that claim to have the best fried chicken in Brooklyn so, yeah I'd recommend getting it as soon as humanly possible.

And as for my little asterisk* upstairs... Keep an eye out for Coco's new post on Honorary Birds- the talented memory ring-clad people we love and where to find them!!!

See you next week, I promise!

<3 Ash

P.s. Here's something to remember me by ;-)

Lunch Lady: Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Whenever it's this warm out (one million degrees) I tend to gravitate to spicier foods to try and balance myself out. I don't know if it actually works or if it's just because that's something my family has always done but in my head it totally makes sense.

Anyway! Earlier this afternoon I came across Juniper- a place I must've walked by at least 20 times without a second glance, and decided to try it. The food here is so incredible that I actually feel stupid for never giving it a shot. I picked the Jambalaya from their specials menu and the chef, who was hanging out watching the Yankees game <3, warned me that it "had some kick" so I added a bottle of Virgil's Cream Soda to my tab. Being that I've never had Jambalaya before I was definitely not prepared for how spicy it was but it tasted so good I nearly scarfed up the entire plate in 30 minutes anyhow. As with most traditional Jambalaya (thank you Google) my lunch had chicken, Andouille sausage, baby shrimp and fresh mussels- which were by far my favorite part.

Now, if you've been in NY long enough to see even one summer you know everyone goes crazy and everyone gets irritable- myself included- and recently I've been getting really annoyed with the fact that EVERY restaurant in this neighborhood is constantly packed. So, since the last thing I want to do is rub elbows with a sweaty stranger at 3pm I was glad to find Juniper sitting patiently on Berry and N7th just waiting for me to nix my blinders.

I definitely suggest you do the same...and maybe try the Truffle Burger when you go because the guy at the bar could not shut up about it.

<3 Ash

!!!! Before I go here's a little treat. It got stuck in my head the second I saw the word Juniper. Don't ask and you're welcome :)

Lunch Lady: Girl Crush

<3 <3 <3

So by this point it's pretty obvious that our obsession with Dina's taco truck (La Troca Del Sabor on N4th btwn Bedford and Berry) has gotten a liiiiiittle out of hand. At first it was maybe just a few of us waiting in line once or twice a week and now it's come to the point where if you even mention the word taco you will have a lunch list as long as Melissa's arm within seconds. Veggie Burrito- no rice, Pork Burrito- no cheese & extra sour cream, 2 Veggie Tacos- no peppers, Chicken Taco- extra onion & no cilantro, a million Coca Cola Classics, extra hot sauce, extra cream, etcetera etcetera. I have to say the orders get pretty wild sometimes and she never messes up.

Soooo Lizzie came up with the awesome idea of giving her a Christmas gift! Actually she's been talking about giving Dina a gift since like July or something, that's how far the obsession goes. So all of us Catbirdettes decided a cute pair of our SS Heart Studs were the perfect way to go. And as you can see she was beyond thrilled!!

So here's to Catbird's Woman Of The Year- Dina <3

We love you. Unconditionally. Forever and Ever. Until the end of time.

XoXo

<3 Ash, Rony, Leigh, Lizzie, Steph N, Steph G, Melissa, Lauren, Jules, Ilana, Elana, Courtnay, Anna, Emmy, Allison, Correy, Candice, Claire, RayRay, Rachel, Rosie, Meaghan, Maddy, Laila, Carolyn,  Maureen, Kristina, Joey, Julia, Liz & Genne!

Lunch Lady: Alright Already!

I am so over this. 

I don't want snow or hats or coats or boots or cold kitchen floors anymore. I want sun and good music and good friends and fun and long long days on rooftops with ice cold beer.

I also want good food! The kind of food that reminds you that right now someone somewhere is getting tan on a beach with the bluest water you've ever seen. And maybe in a week or two it could be your turn... Don't forget to send me a postcard!

But yes back to the food. Delicious food. Here's where Cafe Mogador comes in- They have THE most amazing Mediterranean food I've ever had in Williamsburg. It's so incredibly perfect. And their backyard is amazing! 

I snagged this picture my friend Linda took so you can see what I'm talking about. I wish my living room looked like this but every time I try to keep a plant the poor thing bites the dust in a week or two. C'est la vie. 

I went one unseasonably sunny afternoon and had the Hummus Platter and Vegetarian Cous Cous. I might get it again for lunch today because I'm reminding myself how insanely delicious it was. They put raisins on top of my food. Raisins. And it was amazing. 

Also the coffee is good and it's just a nice beautiful place to sit and relax and chat with a friend. Or maybe a date. Or brunch! I went for brunch once and it was nice even though I was really in no shape to enjoy anything. Yeah, I want to go back there. Happy Spring, everyone!

<3 Ash

p.s. Here's this amazing song that reminds me of warmer weather ;-)

You're welcome.

Lunch Lady: Personal Space

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. I will totally look through your bathroom cabinets every time I'm in there. If you are on your phone- I am asking who you're talking to. If you order a drink- I am taking a sip. It's bad, I know! I try so hard and sometimes I just have to save my friends the stress and eat alone.

Since constantly harassing the people I love can be pretty tiring, when I went to Cafe Colette for a little solo lunch I definitely enjoyed myself. I had the poached salmon salad...or maybe it was tuna, some fries and a much needed coffee. The salad had pickled veggies, potatos and some fried capers on top which were really delicious and kind of took the place of crutons except they were much saltier. And the french fries were amazing as always :-)

Sitting on their little patio and people watching was very relaxing. The staff is really nice too and pretty laid back. I'd have to say the only downside to my date was making eye contact with a stranger while I spilled coffee all over the table. Other than that it was much needed and something I'd recommend everyone do before the holidays hit and we're all forced to move at warp speed.

Oh and then there's this gem that I haven't seen until just now for some reason. Enjoy!

<3 Ash

Lunch Lady: Alright Alright Alright!

Even the Cookie Monster is eating vegetables - so I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet and stop having French Fries with every meal. Consider this my Day 1 of trying to eat like a semi-adult, kind of.

I absolutely had leftover mac n' cheese for breakfast BUT for lunch I did a 180 and downed the most amazing smoothie I've ever had in my entire life. For Real. It's the #11 at a magical little place called Tiny Empire and I think they are my favorite new neighbors <3

The smoothie I ordered is made of this stuff --> Kale, Coconut Water, Coconut Meat, Spirulina, Raw Cacao & Dates. It tasted like I was eating a salad and drinking a milkshake at the same time- something I just realized I'm very into. Their Kale Chips I purchased and tried to share were pretty amazing but I kind of ate them all in a heartbeat so they missed out on picture day. Also- alongside they're pre-made juices are containers of Blue Bottle Coffee so you can be healthy and hopped up aaaaall at the same time.

in conclusion-

Dear Tiny Empire,

Thanks for the wake-up call

 ;-*

AAAAAND

While we're on the subject of letting mother nature take the lead- a few of our Honorary Catbirdettes (and the hottest sister babes you'll ever lay your little eyes on) decided to impress the shit out of everyone and open up a Raw Juice Company of their own. The DROUGHT storefront is located in Plymouth, MI- a little suburb of Detroit and filled to the brim with delicious stuff to battle your bad habits. You can order their raw cold-pressed juice via their website for delivery within the Metro-Detroit area or swing by during store hours.

So if you find yourself in Motor City, go see our best ladies juicing in their Twisted Stackers and First Knuckle Rings! 

P.S. James Sisters, if you're reading this- NY can't wait to take you in its lovin' arms.

<3 Ash

Bonus. Because I feel like it.

Lunch Lady: I Try...

to not eat French Fries aaaall the time but it's just too hard. ESPECIALLY at Miller's Tavern. Best fries ever. Plus Mercury is in retrograde and my friend Steph has informed me that the next 3 weeks are going to suck- so, whatever I'm having fries... Anyway! I had barely taken three bites before I heard thunder outside so I packed everything up and guess who ate all of my fries... EVERYONE! Hahahah. They're just that good. I also ordered the Beet Salad which normally comes with fried Brussel Sprouts but they were out & the waitress/ bartender assured me that it would be just as delicious with green beans. She was absolutely right. It also has Goat Cheese and Pickled Onions in it. The perfect thing to order if you're in the mood for something a little briny and not too heavy.

Plus another great thing about this place is they have an amazing Brunch menu AND they have $1 Oysters every day!!

Two things everyone and their mother likes. Eat here.

And buy a decent umbrella- it will make you a very happy person later.

<3 Ash

P.s. Here's a good Rainy Day song with an even better video ;-)

Lunch Lady: In Memoriam Theodore Donald Karabotsos

As Leigh so eloquently put it..."Catbird is hungover."

After a night of whiskey on the rocks with lime, SIXTEEN of the hottest babes I know, waaayyy too many gutterballs and this! My body is not very happy with me. So to make it up to myself I decided to take the advice of our lovely friends at When Babies Blog and place my first order with Champs over on Ainslie St.

I got the Oven-Roasted Chili Cheese Fries and the Mexican Raw Kale Salad. The fries (of course) went first. They're steak cut and covered in their "award-winning" chili and cheese. We devoured them.

I've been wanting to learn how to make vegan chili (by the way everything here is Vegan :-) for the longest and now I think it's time to see if I can bribe someone at Champs to atleast point me in the right direction, because these were STUPID delicious!!!!! I have never ever had such amazing vegan chili before. Just way way too good. And you don't have to feel that bad ordering them because they're oven-roasted ;-) Still fries though, but whatever, you already know my thoughts on the subject.

Onto the salad... It had cherry tomatos, sweet corn, black beans, avocado, raw kale, quinoa and a chipotle vinaigrette dressing. Now, unfortunately I am kind of an idiot when it comes to healthy food. Aside from vegetables, fruit and water I have no idea what I'm supposed to be ingesting to keep my brain from turning to mush in 60 years. And today I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I absolutely love Quinoa! I've never seen it in a salad before and the last time I tried it it was godawful and tasted like soap- which I hear can happen if you don't rinse the seeds properly. So, thanks to the ladies and gentlemen of Champs for knowing what they're doing. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.

ALSO, the people that work there are pretty dope and let us try one of their awesome Peanut Butter Bars! They must have known I was up until midnight sucking down drinks with the rest of the birds because this was exactly what I needed. That and the two coffees pictured above. One iced, one hot, just to keep me alive.

Happy Wednesday, Sugarbabies

<3 Ash

What We're Listening To: Courtney Barnett

I can't take credit for discovering this Aussie babe. I overheard our very own lunch lady, Ash, playing Courtney Barnett in the shop and I swooped in demanding (politely of course) to know who it was. Her playful lyrics and chill vibes make me feel like I should be drinking beers in the sunshine with friends while laying in a hammock. Very specific, I know. But take a listen, you'll have visions of sunny buzzy days in no time.

Here's a video for my favorite track, Avant Gardener, where she talks about gardening, asthma attacks, and smoking bongs:

Listen to her full album, The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas here:


(image via pitchfork.com) Love and lounging, Stephanie

Lunch Lady: How you doin?

Guess what! Today is St. Joseph's Day! The name or feast day of San Giuseppe, the sorta-father of the most famous surprise baby in history. Legend has it that he saved Sicily from famine using the magical fava bean and now every March 19th people get together and eat the foods and wines and things.

Also, this holiday is vegetarian friendly because, technically, you're not supposed to eat meat. I will most likely eat a burger or something but WHTVR. "To each his own" or "sauzeech calzone," as my sister likes to joke.

Now onto the good stuff... you can also celebrate this holy day by getting a special zeppole!  There are a few different kinds, but the only ones you need to worry about are these two…

They are delicious. They look like boobs. And they're as big as falafel sandwiches. So even if you're not religious, even if your family doesn't talk with their hands- just grab your favorite Joe,  JoAnn or Josephine and stuff your faces with cannoli cream, custard, cherries, pastry & powdered sugar.

Plus, he was a carpenter and since I know yous guys are all obsessed with woodworkers, grab one of these treats for them as a 'thank you' for being so babely and useful.

I got my pretty ladies at Fortunato Brothers on Manhattan just off the Graham L stop. Definitely one of the best Italian bakeries around. They were $3.75 a pop and absolutely worth it. And good news! They stocked up this morning so I think you should be able to grab one or ten if you really haul ass.

<3 Ash

Lunch Lady: Wishful Thinking

I've definitely enjoyed the snow days and the hot toddies and the hundreds of videos of my friends cats exploring (and ultimately detesting) the aftermath of the Polar Vortex but, at this point, I was so incredibly relieved to find a little getaway in Summers.  I'm just not into wading through riverpuddles every time I cross the street to get a bialy, or having my glasses fog up whenever I step inside. It's been a very long and unpredictable winter so far and finding a place to remind me that warmer weather is in my future... very very far in my future, was just what I needed.

I overheard our buyer, Leigh placing her order on the phone and I immediately asked who she had called. 20 minutes later I was drinking coconut water out of a goddamn coconut (!!!!!!!!!!) and having the time of my life. I just wish I had a tiny umbrella to put in it, but it was like 10:30am afterall and I'm still months away from Summer Fridays.

I also made it a point to try the Egg Sandwich because that's the first thing everyone recommended to me. It's made with one cage free fried egg, sliced avocado, Cabot cheddar and Sriracha (because... of course) on a Parkerhouse roll. Don't get me wrong, it was fun to slip around in the snow clinging to a stamped coconut, but I'm glad they had something a little more suitable for my winter cravings. And the beet juice I got because I absolutely refuse to get sick. I have made it this far and hopefully the ginger, grapefruit and lemon I put in there will have some pity on me. AND Whoever made it did a great job because my throat wasn't on fire from too much ginger like it would normally be. Also look at how pretty it is! #nofilter hahahah

So, after my little trip down memory lane it was actually nice to get back to reality and appreciate the weather today. It really wasn't that bad and afterall it is temporary. Even though some of my friends would swear we were stuck in this hell forever. Spring will be here soon. And then Summer in all of it's humid, sweaty, sunburned glory. In no time at all you'll be burning your cheeks on a scalding roof because your host doesn't have enough chairs, wishing your drinks were colder or the beach was closer and I'll be bribing my best friend with some leftover whiskey so he can put the AC in my window again. Plus, every other word out of my mouth this past month has been "ITSFUCKINGFREEZING" and I think everyone is getting just a little sick and tired of the all cussing around here.

<3 Ash

Lunch Lady: Eat Me

Best decision of the day: Crif Dogs on Driggs Ave! I had a Crif Dog with mustard, avocado, sauteed onions and diced tomato. Right after I ordered I realized I had no idea what it was going to taste like since I picked things at random BUT I happen to be a genius and it was great :) Being there kind of reminded me of camp when I was little and we would all pool our lunches together to make the weirdest sandwiches possible- I don't think I'll ever want a peanut butter & bologna sandwich again but it was fun at the time. I can definitely see someone getting carried away here though (they've got 20+ toppings including pineapple and egg) and I know I probably will a handful of times this summer just to see what I can come up with.

Did I mention this place is perfect for hungry nerds to geek out over Star Wars action figures??? Plus the people working there are awesome and you get to stuff your face on top of a Ms. Pac-Man game.

Next time I'll make sure to go there hungry- it was absolutely no coincidence that once I decided to give up on my chili cheese tots (better than great) I noticed GAME OVER flashing under my paper plate. Guess I'll just have to learn how to pick my battles!

<3 Ash