Saturday 30 January 2010

Slow Jan

January 24, 2009
People are pretty much gone these days for school. It’s all been pretty chill with sitting around at my place and stuff. Kenny, Miah, Hasan, and I are around in Great Neck. The Jets are playing today. Things are planned really poorly. I wanted wings today, but end up getting chicken at Wendy’s. We get some soda and beer at Walbaum’s. I’m still working these days and need to get cracking on the LSATs.
Other than that, I’ve been trying to stick to my diet and workout. The workout has been going out pretty well, but it’s been really cold recently and I haven’t really been able to run. I ruined by diet for the past few days with Chinese food, fast food, and drinking. It’s the weekend though and when people are gone, all of that will be a treat once in a while. During the week though, it’s good. Keep the workout going. Keep the protein high, calories and fat low. I’ve stocked the house with proper food so I either don’t have anything to eat or go healthy. That’s the way to do it.
After working out, I go to make some food. Grandma is staying at my aunt’s so I have to cook for myself. There’s fish in the fridge, so I want to cook that. It’s mostly bones with some meat, so that’s perfect for a fish soup. Cook that in water to make a stock, remove the bones and get the meat off for the soup.
Sweat some onions and celery. Add the stock until a boil. Add broccoli, frozen veg (peas, carrots, beans), a can of beans, pasta, and bay leaves for aroma. Badda bing, delicious.
For dinner, blueberry yogurt, ice, skim milk, half an apple, half an orange, a banana, and half a scoop of whey in the blender. Delicious smoothie.
For lunch tomorrow, I have leftover chicken. Only keep the white meat. Cut it up. Add celery. Mustard, pepper, low fat mayo, salt. You got chicken salad that’s healthy. Put it on with protein fortified whole wheat with lettuce and tomato. I guess that’ll be for breakfast. Along with probably some soup that I just made that can be microwaved. Some Special K protein. Some ice coffee without sugar.

January 30, 2010
Jenn’s back from Seoul, though she’s back at school. I tell her that she has a lot of stuff to fill me in on and I tease her with some of the shit that’s been going on here. Come to think of it, there has been quite a few fun stories.
Haven’t really been doing much these days. Chilling with the dudes here and there. Corinne was in the city the past two days so we hung in the city. Tonight is Kenny’s b-day, so I guess we’ll see what happens.
I’m really disappointed that I haven’t hit up restaurant week yet. However, they don’t do Saturdays, which messed things up because I made ressies earlier in the week and didn’t realize. Tomorrow is a meh day because restaurants have to go out of their way to participate on Sundays. Also, it’s the day before so I can’t reservations. Hopefully something will work out soon.

Tuesday 19 January 2010

Winter Break (WOW This has been forever)

December 5, 2009
At night, I get text Avi. We figure plans to go to Bell Blvd bar crawl. What is this shit. Why am I going to Bell like 15 times this week? His friend Perry comes over. He actually lives two blocks away from me. He graduated like 3 years ago and used to take my bus. We hang at my place a little bit to pregame. We head to a bar, but it’s pretty empty. We go to another bar and it’s a bit more bouncing. It has an Al Zaheem smoking area in the back. We try to get into a game of beer pong, but Avi has business to get to. It’s 1-2:00 and he drops us off.
Just saying, there’s something about Beirut and the mood they set. I just can’t take how amazing they are. I just want to listen to them all the time. I don’t actually, but randomly listening to them makes them so amazing.

December 8, 2009
Although I changed my iPod battery yesterday, for some reason, my Menu button doesn’t work. You with the iPod, go try to work it. Then again, I guess I can get by. I get home and try to fix it by opening it up all over again and checking everything. Whatever, I’ll be fine. I’ll put on my 5 hour Howard Stern show, listen to it all the way, and that’s it. I do that already anyway. I’ll live.

December 11, 2009
At night, Bolanos and I end up going to Bell again for a bit. This one place is sorta bouncin’, but he wants to watch the game. After a beer, we decide to go back to his place and watch the game and watch random stuff.

December 12, 2009
At night, I’m supposed to go into the city for Stout with Candace and Damien. However, it’s really fucking cold and I don’t want to trek all the way to the city. Instead, Bolanos, his brother, and I get Five Guys for dinner. It’s rough to eat because I was so healthy all day.
I’ve been trying to eat loads of meals a day. I start off with ice coffee and a scoop of protein powder. After that, I go with frozen veggies, chicken breast, and white rice. Then more protein with skim milk. Optimally for dinner I should’ve had more veg and chicken. At least I stick to their smaller burger and ask for them to load it up with the veggie toppings.

December 15, 2009
It’s the last day of classes. I got back a paper yesterday from my Con Class. I ended up getting a B+/A-. The class is wicked hard after realizing the things he expected us to do. We had a hypothetical about Indian reservations and loads of constitutional issues. Our task is to find as many issues as we can. He purposely wrote it with scrutiny over a single last word to get the most out of us. I’m well versed and competent at this stuff and a B+ is the best I can do. Christ.
The rest of the semester shouldn’t be too bad. There’s a Spanish final on Friday that there’s no too much I can study for. There’s Con final on Monday. There’s nothing to study for it because it’s a hypothetical and open book. We’re also allowed to take it out of the room and do it on a computer. That’s a real liberal final.
I have to revise a paper too, but there’s no too much I can do about that. I already got an A- and I should be able to get an A without a lot of revision. I also have a 8-10 paper on Ricci v. DeStefano. I’ve already read 50 pages of district and circuit court decisions for it. I have to write about the legal standing in the case. I’ve also started listening to the oral arguments of the case and writing notes while listening. I’ve obviously only done this so rigorously because I have a commute and there’s nothing else to do on my commute.

December 16, 2009
It’s so weird. The past two nights, I’ve had law dreams. Like one’s where I’m either a judge or lawyer dealing with some case. It’s definitely because my commute involves me reading the Ricci case or listening to the oral arguments on my iPod.

December 23, 2009
Shit man, it’s been forever since I’ve blogged. Last big thing was Bolanos’ birthday. We went into the city for Bar Stuzzichini. I thought it was a bit overpriced for those portions. We then went to Cheap Shots, which has really been fixed up. Classy moments like ordering a pitcher for beer for $6.50 and when the bartender asks how many glasses, you respond, “One.”
I also go to Two Bros. for their $1 slice. Yep, $1, but it’s pretty shitty pizza. I’m also on my awesome diet and rip off all the cheese and sauce then sprinkle it with oregano and the works. People give me weird looks. Avi comes in. We go to McSorely’s while CNF and Kenny leave. We go through loads of beers and end up with like a $49 bill. We leave the guy a $2 tip and apparently he was not happy…
We shmooze around a bit until Avi drives us home. That’s super convenient that he drove into the city.
We’ve just been hanging out otherwise. I don’t think anything much. There’s an awesome lunch today. Evan picks Alon and I pick and we go to Panchos. Erdem is there. I printed out a coupon. It’s better than Baja Fresh that Evan suggested. That place is pretty sucky and really overpriced Taco Bell. Panchos has a $8 lunch special with unlimited chips and salsa and soda. They also have $2 frozen margharitas. I go through two so that our bill hits over $50 and we get $10 off of the bill instead of $5. Hasan bets how much the new bill will be with my drink. Cmon, $2 and tax. How can I mess up? I obviously win the bet. I’m also on a streak from last night going $20+ in our $5 cash poker game at Alon’s.
Classy Erdem orders an $8 shot of Patron Silver with lunch at 1:00PM. I get a buffalo chicken quesadilla. I only finish half and need to bring half back. I had loads of chips. Also, I had a salad from BK at 3:00AM last night. That was a bad idea and it does not sit well in my stomach at all.
The rest of the day is meh. I take a nap. Family is over. Nothing happens at night. Glad to be done at least.

December 24, 2009
I plan on sending out gifts today, but it turns out that even on Christmas Eve, post offices are open, but until 12… Thanks…
My aunt’s side of the fam is over from VA and I decide to cook tonight. I go to Stop and Shop to get ingredients. I get back and start cooking by 4:30.
I do sweet potato. Cut, put in a roast pan and drizzle with olive oil, honey, and lemon juice and then salt. Bake.
Mac n’ cheese. Make a roux and melt two types of sharp cheddar. Cook macaroni and put in the sauce. Then cover in a baking pan with shredded cheese and a mixture of crushed croutons and butter. This makes the crust. I like using croutons because they are pre-seasoned and really add a kick to the dish.
I make a spicy sausage and kale soup with potato. Also chicken stock. A really easy soup. A dollop of sour cream when it’s done.
Oatmeal, peanut butter, and apple cookie.
A toasted ciabatta too, but I wish I made that. It was bought.
Aunt makes the ham, which is pretty simply. Pre-cooked, you have to bake it and baste with honey, orange juice, brown sugar, etc.
After dinner, the plans shmooze around forever. Finally by almost 12:00, we play poker over at Josh’s place with Bolanos, Alon, Scott, and Matt.

December 25, 2009
Fuck yea bitches.
http://www.howlifeworks.com/health_beauty/sensa_paused/?cid=8088oz_news_rm
People that do not have taste and smell end up eating more. I’ve always been saying this. That’s why I always “over” season by foods. You end up eating less and enjoy your food more. I don’t know if it’s the mental thing that triggers for me, but I do like eating. Therefore, I find myself eating more when something is bland.
Lesson: Season your food well. You’ll eat less and it will taste better.

December 26, 2009
At night, we figure to go to Alon’s because it’s the only open house around. CNF and Atron go to a party in the city. I have an urge to go, but I don’t feel really well and I missed the 950 train, so I don’t feel like going in too late.
At Alon’s, we play poker. I’m in for $15. I’m lowstacked and don’t get anything going. For our next game, I’m in again for $15, but I get an all-in with AA and mitigate my losses to $5. That’s $20 for the night. A cheap night considering I’ve spent $50 on some nights out at the bars. Also, I got more entertainment this way. We should play poker more. Come to think of it, it’s also like a “cycle” of money. The money isn’t going down a drain for booze or something. It’s money exchanged between the group. I don’t think there are any solid winners in our game, so it’s almost like passing money around without much net loss.
We end up staying there pretty late until 4:00.

December 28, 2009
CNF pulls through and gets plans for us to go to Williamsburg. It’s a bunch of us that go and it’s this awesome cheap bar. $4 for a whiskey and beer. $5 for Jager and Bud called the Fratboy. That’s what I’m about.
We then go to another bar, but the other part of the group already left. We go to the pizza bar. You get a small personal pizza with your order of beer. It’s hilarious noticing that the demand for pizza is higher than beer. No one wants to drink more beer, but people definitely want to get more pizza.

December 30, 2009
New Years coming up bitches. I get a bottle of SoCo 100 proof for Bolanos and I to share. We’re going to the city tonight. He comes over to pregame. CNF also comes over and we take a 8:50 train. The plans get messed up and we shmooze around a lot. Bolanod does the classy move of flashing that we brought a water bottle of liquor with us. We get kicked out of the bar.
We then spent loads of time waiting around for his friend. Bolanos’ friend Shaq and his girlfriend and friends leave. The place we go to seems like a bar. However, people live there and there’s a fridge and 40-50 year old serving food. It’s a really weird situation and I would associate it with a frat house. There’s an awesome live funk band jamming out like James Brown awesomeness. There’s even free liquor.
CNF leaves for the 12:19 train. I want him to stay because we just got there. I’d take the 1:19 with him. We literally just got there and he just wants to leave. After hanging for a bit, I want to take the 1:19 with Bolanos. However, he wants to stay. We end up hanging at Ace Bar for a little bit. We take the train back and Spamps gives me a ride back coming from Scotts.

January 2, 2009
I go with Kerri, Candace, Kim, and their friend Toni Ann to Roosevelt. I go to Forever 21, which has a men’s section apparently. I get a colorful plaid shirt and a long cardigan. At H&M, I get two purple button ups, a gray one, a gray V-neck, gray pants, and sweater. They accidently don’t charge me for a $30 shirt. Awesomeee.
At night, I go to Scott’s. I have the rest of my SoCo and some of Jonah’s yummy beer. Good times.

January 3, 2009
Skins is an awesome show. Fucking watch it! SOOO good. Shit restaurant that Erdem chose. I need to write more on Yelp, but the review of Bairrada is up at least.
Single Darwin has to go on a run. Fuck this shit.

January 7, 2009
Incompetence as its high. People can barely get night plans going without me. I can’t take my time working out while people figure shit out. They know I’m down for hanging for the night, but I still have the be the nexus of information and end up having to make the moves and calls.
Possible plans of a nice lounge for cocktails or PDT. Out the window. I’m sure it would’ve happened, but I’m at work. How I supposed to organize this shit?
Geek plans with Erdem, Miah, and Spamps. No coordination. Again, I’m at work all day, why am I to make all these calls?
Yes I’m bitching, but when I’m fed up, I’ll do the job myself.
Then, we actually get plans to go into the city. CNF takes the 920. I’m supposed to take that, but I wait for Bolanos. We miss the next train, which gets me fired up, but it’s fine because Bolanos drives in. Man, that cuts the trip to under 30 minutes. Holler yeah.
We go to a bar first and Bolanos and I get a shot and a beer. I speak to Atron to give him directions. Stefan sees me outside speaking to him and jokes about my pants. They’re not tight, they’re fitting. I looked fuckin’ awesome with the new threads, hells yeah. We go to the next place dba, a bar. Loads of people are out tonight. Stefan, Bolanos, Brandon, Evan, CNF, Josh, Dough, Evan.
Aaron shows up, but the lady won’t let him in. He’s 21 in 20 minutes. He throws a hissy fit, but he’s gotta calm down. We try to go to Death and Co. for a good cocktail, but they also won’t let Atron in. We go to a random bar and we have to wait 5 minutes until Atron can be served.
People come and most people depart. CNF starts talking to some girl and we go to Sophie’s. Brandon says that some girls are coming, but they don’t. Apparently one of them is Governor Patterson’s daughter? Wtf?
CNF gets a number, but she drops the boyfriend bomb a few times. Sucks. Brandon drives back in Bolanos’ car because we drank. We stop by at Wendy’s. Nom nom.

January 9, 2009
It’s Jon’s last day and we run to the mall to return some stuff. We go to his house to figure out plans. People are bitching out and don’t want to hang out for our boy’s last night. We go to my place so I can change and take the 850 into the city. We meet with Jonah to get soba noodles. Review with be up on Yelp.
Scott meets up with us and we go to the place with 5 shots for $10. That’s pretty hot. Josh joins us and we go over to Hop Devil. Candace and Kim text me that I should come out, but people don’t want to go there. We then go to Death and Co, which is awesome. Then off to Cheap Shot where we order a pitcher of Patriot Ale, but we also get a free one because people are leaving the bar. Kim and Candace show to say Hi. We all take the 3:19 to get back. The 5 shots I took start hitting me a bit and I get McDonald’s at Penn. Nom nom. I see the dudes at the pizza place and I decide to smother my McChicken and double cheeseburger with pizza toppings, red pepper flakes, parmesean cheese, and oregano. Don’t ask why, it tasted delicious.

January 12, 2009
I really do not have time for this. I work and have to take naps so I keep my eyes open during the day. There are some nerd plans and I hope that people would do something about it. Hasan said that he might be free tonight. I tell Miah this. Nothing is done about it. Basically, in the end, not only do I have no time, but I have to go out of my way to delegate things for people to do in order for us to hang out. If people want the solution to be no one hanging out, then that’s fine.
Whatever, ranting off. Just not in the mood after a long day of work.

January 15, 2009
Hasan drives into city with Bolanos, Miah, Spamps, and I. Atron takes the train in. It’s Food Tour! For the restaurants, we can read the reviews on Yelp. Yelp.com/dweez
We first go to Caracas, delicious, the best. We then go to Currywurst. Then we go to Zaragoza for tacos. For some reason, Miah and Hasan don’t want to come. After tacos, we go over to Superdive because Miah and Erdem are supposed to be there. It’s such a funny sight. The place is usually packed with college kids, but it’s before 8. It’s literally just them two sitting at the bar. There’s some random guy at the bar too. It’s is SO freaking awkward that I am not even willing to walk into the bar. Why the fuck are they there?
We go to Hi Fi for the happy hour. Two yummy pints for $6, that’s a deal. We then get some ice cream. We then move onto Cheap Shots to get some beer. Then to cheap shots for some shots. Atron takes the train back. Then to Baoguette. Then to artichoke and zeppoles. We then drive back. Nom nom. Loads of foods.

January 16, 2009
Not many people from GN go to Atron’s b-day shindig in the city. I take the 9:50 and go to Gingerman. Scott, Josh, and Evan from GN are around. Aaron rented the back room for his party. There are 30+ people in our section. The rest of the bar is pretty crowded as well. I have a cider and a beer. The place has a big selection. I’m also dressed bitches. Express had an awesome sale. The $60 wool sweaters are on sale for $20 and I get 3. I go with Atron. I also get a dark red dress shirt that goes for $60 for $20. That’s how we do. Enjoying the wardrobe additions.
At one point, Atron and I are outside getting a cigarette. A random guy walks over with his friend and wants one. Aaron says he doesn’t have one. He makes a comment about his friend’s weird headband. He really did not antagonize the guy at all. For no reason, he just wants to get into a confrontation. Out of nowhere, he punches Atron in the face. I follow the two and call 911. They can’t do anything because the two kids are moving and the cops have nowhere to go. What a fuckin’ waste.
I run back to Atron and he’s bleeding from his nose. His lip is bruised up. I meet some of Atron’s people from Bing. It’s nice chatting around. Chillin’ with sisters Elyse and Lauren, cool ladies. Stefan gets a girl from JDate to come. I remember chatting up a girl because I thought she was a friend of the gal. Turns out it wasn’t a friend, but actually the gal that Stefan asked to come from JDate. Lols. No biggie though because she split after 10 minutes.
We take the 3:15 back. I’m getting some water outside of Penn and I see Atron wrestling with someone. I’m confused. I thought that Atron was getting into it with someone because he was pissed about being punched and his lip. It turns out that he ran into the same two guys, but the fight is broken up.

January 17, 2009
I wake up way late and Hasan and I go to H Mart for food shopping. Pick up Miah and we go to Atron’s. We cook dinner while the Jets beat the Chargers. Being a competitive dick, I want cook up against Hasan. I make creamed spinach. I make a spice rubbed thinly sliced pork loin. Hasan does his Italian style. For dessert, he does a baked apple. I do it caramelized in a pan.
It all turns out pretty well. At night, Josh and Scott come over to play poker. Hasan runs it well and turns out to be the winner of the night. With many buy ins, one of the biggest winners we’ve had with $52+.

January 18, 2009
Atron has the smart idea of going to Rick’s Cabaret in the city for a $18 lunch and cocktail. It’s a strip club. Hasan decides to drive in with Atron and I. However, there is no parking in the midtown area. We have to park 15 minutes away walking and things are messed up because the parking is only hourly. Someone has to run all the way out there to put in quarters. Murray is there. Atron’s friend and a friend I had when I was at Bing. We instead drive downtown. We go to Prosperity Dumpling. Nom nom. We look for Doughnut Planet, but only get some banh mi at Saigon.
There’s traffic and stuff and I get back by 6:00. I spend the way writing Yelp reviews. People come over for poker. I’m only down $2.50. Bolanos is the only person up for the night. Scott, Kenny, Alon Elian, Avi, and I play.
More on the rant later I guess, but single Darwin is single. He’s gotta put himself out there more these days. Even all the time that I’m working, I should get this shit down. Life’s gotta go. I’m graduated bitches. We learned from experiences in the past and will continue life with new lessons, perspectives, and less mistakes. A new year!