Fabulous in NYC

Birthday Perks

2011-10-09T21:32:00.008-04:00

Many vendors offer special deals on your birthday. From restaurants to spas... Check with your local businesses, but here are some places in NYC where you can enjoy something special on your birthday:

La Paella

Free meal for your birthday, party of 3 minimum.

Turn your blog into a book?

2011-08-03T21:38:00.002-04:00

Blog2print will turn your blog into a book? What a great idea!

Fried Cabbage with Hot Dogs

2011-08-03T21:20:00.005-04:00

1/2 head shredded cabbage (or 1 bag of coleslaw salad)

1 onion, chopped

Olive oil

Ketchup (or tomato paste)

4-5 hot dogs (or frankfurters)

Fry the onion in some olive oil (I've also used bacon fat if I had any on hand). Add shredded cabbage and fry on high heat until cooked through. Add some ketchup just to add color color the cabbage, but not too much.

Cook some hot dogs either in the broiler or frying pan. Cut them into small pieces and add to the cabbage.

Enjoy!

Carrot Tops Pesto

2011-07-20T21:57:00.003-04:00

The other night I came home with a bunch of carrots from the farmer's market. Not surprisingly, they came with a whole bunch of carrot tops. It would've been such a waste to throw away those beautiful deep-green tops, so I googled for recipes. What caught my eye is that you can actually make pesto from your carrot tops, who knew? So tonight I made it and LOVED IT! I would definitely make it again. In fact, why stop there?

Why not to try to make pesto from kale or even other leafy greens. I always look for recipes to use the greens, so I am happy to add this recipe to my collection.

Here is how I made it:

First, I sorted through the greens, throwing away wilted leaves. Then, I cut the leaves off the stems and washed them, changing the water several times. I then boiled the leaves for 1 minutes and drained them (make sure you drain them well, otherwise you'll get a lot of water in your pesto). Pulsed in a food processor with some raw garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. I didn't have any cheese or nuts, so I didn't add those, but it still came out pretty delicious! Use it as a topping for your vegetables, spread it on the bread or eat it with pasta....

What to do with all those left-over Wine Corks?

2011-07-16T11:34:00.012-04:00

Make beautiful cork place holders for your next dinner party.
Make a trivet/hot plate. You can even use an old picture frame for your project.
Make a cork bulletin board.
Cork castle anyone? Or cork trolls? Great idea if you have kids!
How about cork ornaments with halved paper clips shoved into one end of the cork and attached to ornament hangers? Again, if you have kids, they can even decorate them! See this link for some ideas on decorating.
Or Christmas Decorations - using a needle and fishing line, string your corks together, use dried cranberries or other colorful additions to separate corks.
Use them as Floor Savers - slice the cork into small disks and attach to the bottom of furniture to protect the floors.
Use corks as Pin Holders - placed near your bulletin board for pins and tacks.
Did you know that you can compost natural wine corks (not the synthetic ones!).

Check this link for some great ideas and suggestions.

Any other uses you can think of?

Back to-School Sales

2011-07-09T13:47:00.015-04:00

This is the time of the year when the stores start to advertise their Back-to-School sales. Check my post from last year for more information. Last year, Walgreens came out with the first Back-to-School sale around July 4, this year their sale starts the week of July 10. Watch for lowest prices and stock up for the year!

I am listing the lowest prices below so you know when to stock up:

NOTEBOOKS, PAPER, ETC:
Penway/Wexford 1-subject notebook, 60-70 sheets $.29

Penway 3-subject composition book or notebook, 120 sheets $.99

Penway/Wexford Mini Composition or Memo Book, 50 or 80 sheets $.99

Penway/Wexford Composition Book, 80 sheets $.49

Penway/Wexford Filler Paper, 130 sheets $.50

Penway/Wexford Composition Book, 80 pages $.59

Corner Office Legal Pad, 50 sheets $.39

Penway/Wexford Mini Memo/Composition Book, 50-80 sheets, $.19

Crayola White Posterboard, 22x28 in. $.29

BINDERS, FOLDERS, ETC.

Penway/Wexford 2-pocket folder $.09

Penway/Wexford 2-pocket folder with prongs $.11

Penway/Wexford Poly Binder, 1 inch, $.39

Penway/Corner Office Sheet Protectors, 10 pack $.39

Penway/Corner Office Tab Dividers, 5 pack $.39

PENS, PENCILS, ETC.:

Splash Mini Highlighter $.09
Penway Highlighter $.09

Designer Pencils $.09

Paper Mate Highlighters, 6 pack $.39

Penway No. 2 pencils, 10-pack $.19

Penway Colored Pencils, 12 pack $.59

Paper Mate Mechanical Pencils, 5-pack $.19

Paper Mate Mechanical Pencils, 5-pack $.39

Paper Mate Grip Pens, 8 count $ FREE AFTER ECB (Extra Care Bucks)

Paper Mate 1.2 Stick Pens, 10 pack, $.29

Crayons, 24-pack $.39 or FREE AFTER RR (Register Rewards)

Dixon Variety Pack, 25-pack $.99
Ticonderoga Yellow pencils, 10 pack $.99

Sharpie Marker, $.39

Sharpie Markers, 2 pack $.69

OTHER SUPPLIES:

School Box $.59

Penway/Wexford Carry-All, 7x10 in $.59

Penway/Wexford Index Card Holder or Slider Pencil Case, $.39

Penway Wooden Ruler 12 in. Paper Mate Highlighters, 6 pack $.19

It's Academic Scissors, $.29

Penway/RoseArt School Glue, 4 oz $.49

Elmer's School Glue, 4 oz $.29

Elmer's Glue Sticks, $.29

Penway/RoseArt Single Jumbo Glue Sticks $.49

Penway/RoseArt 3-pack glue sticks $.49

Corner Office index cards, 70 pack $.39

Wexford index cards, 100 pack $.39
Work Essentials Mini Stapler $.69

Penway/Wexford Dome or Twin Hole Pencil Sharpener, $.39

Penway/Wexford 15 pack Cap or 2 pack Pink Erasers, $.39

Make Your Own...

2011-06-11T15:25:00.005-04:00

Hair Styling Spray: put a few squirts of conditioner in a spray bottle, fill it with water, shake, then spritz. It adds shine and makes unruly hair behave for pennies.
Furniture Polish: Mix juice from 2 lemons, 2 tsp of olive oil and 2 tsp of water. Rub a think layer of mixture onto wood furniture, and buff it off for added shine.

Buying Seafood

2011-05-30T18:27:00.005-04:00

Did you know that you can purchase Alaskan wild salmon directly from sustainable and family-owned businesses in Alaska. Check out these sites for more info --

AleutiaSeafood.org

Sells salmon fillets for $13.20 per pound in 25 pound boxes.

Redsalmon.com
12-lb share is sold for $198 to be picked up.

MORE INFORMATION:

AVOID FARMED FISH. Generally, when farmed, the fish often becomes infected with bacteria and parasitic sea lice. The fish is not raised in environmentally sound tanks and farms use antibiotics and other chemicals. Further, farmed salmon contains more PCBs, dioxins and industrial pollutants than the wild salmon. Finally, farmed salmon gets its color from chemical additives whereas wild salmon get their red color from krill.
AVOID IMPORTED SHRIMP AND IMPORTED TILAPIA. Imported shrimp and imported tilapia are farmed. Instead, go with US-farmed shrimp and US-farmed tilapia - which are a little better.
Buy Pacific Cod that is caught in Alaskan waters using gear certified by the Marine Stewardship Council
Do not buy fish sticks or imitation crab - those are made using dead fish such as pollack
There is a difference between Atlantic salmon and Pacific salmon. Atlantic salmon is endangered in the wild - therefore, if you are eating it, it came from a farm in Canada or Norway. Therefore, try to buy Pacific salmon caught in Alaska.
Smaller fishes (such as sardines, anchovies, mussels) have lower contaminant levels than larger fish (such as tuna, swordfish, salmon, eel)
DO NOT EAT fish with highest concentration of mercury:

White albacore tuna, canned
Swordfish
Tilefish
King Mackerel
Tuna steaks
Shark
Orange Roughy
Spanish Mackerel
Marlin
Grouper

You can eat 2 entries per week (6 ounce each) of low-mercury fish such as:

Light tuna, canned
Shrimp
Salmon
Catfish

Shopping for Grass-Fed Meats

2011-05-29T17:38:00.004-04:00

When shopping for meat, here are some suggestions where you can buy hormone-free, antibiotic-free and grass-fed meats:

1. Try your local supermarket for some natural and organic options.

2. FreshDirect (if they deliver in your area) occasionally offers good sales on chicken and other meats.

3. 8 O'clock Ranch sells meats and chicken as well.

4. Organic Prairie

Inexpensive Furniture Finds

2011-01-25T22:17:00.002-05:00

I am always amazed at how others are able to find some good and inexpensive or even free furniture pieces by looking for deals at sites such as Craigslist or Freecycle, or even visiting a local thrift store or Goodwill. Not only you're saving money by doing so, but you're also recycling old furniture - i.e. being "green" which is a huge plus in my book - these are the pieces that someone may have just thrown away but instead they find a new home. With a little sanding, painting, replacement of hardware, etc., these pieces become beautiful gems and look like new. If you don't believe me, check out these finds:

a nightstand that Kristen (from The Frugal Girl) found on Freecycle for free
a dresser that Sherry and John (from Young House Love) found on Graigslist for only $20
an old chair re-upholstered by Brittany at Pretty Handy Girl
or another chair Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl found on the curb for free
how about this totally fab mirror (a Craigslist buy for $25) and the bench (another Craigslist purchase for $20) at Refinish-It-All
and even more furniture finds at DIY by Design: Trash to Treasure

I can't wait until we get a new place so that I can do some shopping of my own!

How to save money while shopping online

2011-01-09T22:48:00.006-05:00

1. Shop through Corporate Perks if your employer offers the membership. For example, you can get a 15% discount card for Brooks Brothers if you sign up through Corporate Perks.

2. Shop through Fatwallet and Ebates to earn cash back and search for coupon codes.

3. Always google the promo codes or find one at Coupon Cabin before finalizing your order. Even if you get a free shipping code, it's still better than nothing.

4. Find a good deal through Brad's Deals where you can find some excellent shopping offers.

5. Use gift cards purchased at a discount from websites such as GiftCardGranny.com, ABCgiftcards.com, or PlasticJungle.com.

Create your own Floor Plans

2011-01-08T18:06:00.001-05:00

Now that we are married, we have been looking at some "for sale" properties. Ideally, we would like to get something along the lines of a "fixer-upper" and make it into something we both would love. I have been following Young House Love Blog for a while now and love what Sherry and John did with their 1st house (and how they are now re-modeling their 2nd house). If you are thinking about re-modeling, check out John's post on how to create your very own easy floor plans. Who knew?

Flu Shot Rebate

2010-11-13T13:48:00.001-05:00

Get $5.00 from Lysol when you protect your family with the flu shot. Visit this link for details.

How to pay off your Debt?

2010-10-31T21:13:00.000-04:00

If anyone thought it's impossible to pay off $70K of debt, take a look at this article. It talks about people cutting their everyday expenses to pay down their debt. If you have any debt, you have to get creative to find different ways to save - can you bring lunch to work? do you really need every cable channel? do your kids really need all the latest toys? can you make your own pizza rather than ordering one? Think of different ways how you can save and start SMALL. Start with the budget - budgets are important as you need to know what comes in and what comes out. And, don't forget to write down what you are spending every day. You may not notice it, but a cup of coffee every morning for a month does add up quickly. If you are in financial trouble, I would also highly recommend start watching Suze Orman show and "Til Debt Do Us Part" for general ideas on budgeting and reducing expenses. Suze Orman's books are also very helpful - you can borrow them for free from your local public library rather than buying.

Pumpkins

2010-10-25T00:15:00.001-04:00

During our last trip to the farmer's market, we bought 2 small sugar pumpkins to roast and freeze. Not only it's very easy to make your own pumpkin puree, it's also healthier than the canned variety since these are locally grown pumpkins and there is no BPA to worry about. Do-it-yourself pumpkin puree would also make a great baby food if you have children.

The cost of making your own vs. canned is essentially the same. We paid $5.00 for 2 small pumpkins which yielded 8 cups of roasted pumpkin. 1 can of pumpkin puree contains 1.5 cups. So, 2 small pumpkins equaled to approximately 5 cans - i.e. the cost is about the same. However, you can save a lot by making your own Pumpkin Butter - we saw a small jar of Pumpkin Butter going for $8.00 at the farmer's market when you can make your own only for a couple of bucks.

How to make your own Pumpkin Puree:

Use sugar pumpkin only (or any other cooking variety). DO NOT use the Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins as they are flavorless and watery - these should only be used for decorating.
Wash the pumpkins
Cut them in half and clean out the guts and fibers - save seeds for roasting
Place face down in a baking pan with a little water
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes
Cool, take the skin off and cut into chunks
Scoop into cheesecloth-lined colander and let drain for few hours
Puree in food processor in batches
Place in Ziploc bags in 1-2 cup portions and freeze.
Use it in any recipe that calls for pureed pumpkin - pies, breads, muffins, waffles, pancakes, etc.

How to make Pumpkin Butter:
1½ cups of pumpkin puree
honey to taste
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ cup water or apple juice/cider
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Let mixture simmer for approximately 30 minutes to an hour or until it thickens. Stir frequently. Chill and refrigerate in a glass jar.

How to roast Pumpkin Seeds:
Rinse the seeds and pat dry. Add a little bit of olive oil and sea salt and bake at 400° for 10-20 minutes. Let them cool and enjoy!

If you never made your own pumpkin puree before, try it. Also, check out these pumpkin posts from Money Saving Mom, or The Simple Mom, or Healthy Food For Living, or Mommy's Kitchen. Now that you have all that pumpkin, visit 100 pumpkin recipes.

2010-07-15T20:32:00.003-04:00

KALE FRITTATA

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups boiled Kale, chopped
4 eggs
freshly grated Parmesan

Wash and cut kale leaves. Boil for 3 minutes. Strain to get rid of excess water and cut into small pieces. Preheat broiler. In a cast iron (or ovenproof) skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, cook about 1 minute being careful so it doesn’t burn. Add kale to the pan and mix with garlic. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture is too thick, add a little milk. Pour eggs into the pan and stir lightly to make sure kale is evenly distributed. Let cook without stirring about 2 minutes. Transfer to the oven and broil another minute, until eggs are cooked on top. Cut into pizza-like wedges.

20% off Organic Eden Pasta from Eden Foods

2010-07-14T22:45:00.003-04:00

Eden Foods is running a promotion of 20% OFF Eden Pasta. EDEN Pastas include 60% and 100% whole grain varieties, fun shapes and colors, organic vegetables and herbs. All are made with the finest organic ingredients for better nourishment, flavor, and value.

Simply enter the coupon code "GARDEN" when prompted during checkout to receive 20% OFF any Eden Organic Pasta Company pasta. Offer expires October 31, 2010.

Also, check out Eden Pasta for some delicious pasta recipes such as Spinach Ribbon Mushroom Stroganoff below:

SPINACH RIBBON MUSHROOM STROGANOFF:

1/2 cup Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms
1/2 cup Maitake Mushrooms
1 pound organic extra firm tofu, drained
2 1/2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 TBSP Brown Rice Vinegar
2 cups Edensoy® Unsweetened
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 package Eden Organic Spinach Ribbons
1 cup onion, diced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
2 TBSP green onions or parsley, chopped

Soak shiitake and maitake mushrooms ten minutes in 2 cups hot water. Remove mushrooms from soaking liquid, reserve liquid and slice. Bring soaking liquid to a boil, add mushroom slices, reduce flame to medium-low and cook 20 minutes until mushrooms are soft. Drain and set aside. Place tofu, olive oil, brown rice vinegar, salt and Edensoy in a blender. Blend until smooth. Cook pasta according to directions, rinse and drain. Wash button mushrooms, discard stems and slice tops. In a skillet sauté onions and all mushrooms until soft. Lower the heat, add tofu mixture and heat thoroughly. Serve sauce over pasta. Garnish with green onions or parsley.

How to get the best seats on the airplane

2010-07-14T22:30:00.003-04:00

Check out SeatGuru.com and SeatExpert.com to virtually check out your plane and seats in advance. You can find tips on seats that don't recline, have blocked storage, blocked windows, and find out which seats are next to lavatories. Get the most for your money by becoming familiar with your aircraft's configuration and seat locations before requesting a certain seat from the airline.

Another tip is try to get to the airport early and ask for emergency seat. Those are always assigned in person and cannot be requested if you are selecting your seats online.

Basics: Salad Dressings

2010-07-14T22:25:00.003-04:00

Simple Vinaigrette Dressing:
Mix 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic and 1 chopped shallot in a small bowl. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Mix in 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard. Whisk 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 1.5 cups.

Back To School Sales

2010-07-13T21:10:00.007-04:00

Every year, around this time, many stores start to have their Back To School Sales. Check out these wonderful deals and stock up:

JULY 4, 2010 WEEK:

Walgreens:
$.19 10 pack Penway Yellow Pencils (limit 3)
$.19 5 pack Paper Mate Mechanical Pencils or 10 pack pens (limit 3)

JULY 11, 2010 WEEK:

CVS:
FREE: Buy Paper Mate 1.2 pens 10 ct. for $.99 get $.99 back (limit 1, 7/11-7/13 only)
FREE: Buy Caliber 5" soft-handle scissors for $.99 get $.99 back (limit 1, 7/11-7/13)
$.10 2 pocket portfolio (limit 10)
Walgreens:
$.09 Novelty Pencil or Splash Mini Highlighter (limit 10, with WG coupon)
$.13 Penway 2 pocket folder with prongs (8 for $1.00, limit 16, with WG coupon)
$.29 Corner Office Legal Pad, 50 sheets, 5x8 or 8.5x11.75 (limit 4, with WG coupon)
$.39 Paper Mate Write Bros. Mechanical Pencils 10 pack (limit 6, with WG coupon)
Staples:
These deals are valid Monday through Wednesday only:
$.01 2 pocket folder with or without fasteners (limit 10, with $5.00 purchase)
$.01 #2 yellow pencils, 8/pack (limit 2, with $5.00 purchase)
$.01 Staples multipurpose paper, 500-sheet ream, 96 bright, 20 lb (after rebate)

Suze Orman and Money Minded Moms

2010-06-06T10:47:00.004-04:00

Check out this new site Money Minded Moms. The site offers practical advice and suggestions on saving money:

"Suze Orman is on a mission to help moms manage their money with confidence—freeing them to focus on what really matters. From advice on smart saving and investing to valuable coupons that help you stretch every dollar, MoneyMindedMoms is an everyday resource for moms with financial questions and stories to share.

About Suze Orman:
Suze Orman is undeniably America’s most recognized expert on personal finance. She is a two-time Emmy Award-winning television host, New York Times mega bestselling author, magazine and online columnist, writer/producer, and one of the top motivational speakers in the world today.

Orman is a contributing editor to “O” The Oprah Magazine, the Costco Connection Magazine and for the last eight years host of the award winning Suze Orman Show, which airs every Saturday night on CNBC. Not only is she the single most successful fundraiser in the history of Public Television, but she has also garnered an unprecedented six Gracie awards, more than anyone in the 34-year history of this prestigious award. The Gracies recognize the nation's best radio, television, and cable programming for, by, and about women.

In May 2009 and May 2008 Time Magazine named Orman as one of the TIME 100, The World’s Most Influential People. In July 2009 Forbes named Orman 18th on their list of The Most Influential Women In Media. In May 2009 Orman was presented with an honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Illinois. In May 2010 she received an honorary doctor of commercial science degree from Bentley University.

Orman who grew up on the South Side of Chicago earned a bachelor’s degree in social work at the University of Illinois and at the age of 30 was a waitress making $400 a month."

Sign up for the newsletter and download her "5 Simple Ways to Save $500" newsletter.

Also, if you haven't see her show yet, check it out - it's on CNBC every Saturday and is awesome!

Discounted Gift Cards

2010-05-22T15:04:00.004-04:00

Verizon Perks is a great way to save up to 20% on many retailer and restaurant gift cards.

Currently, the site offers free shipping and discounts on cards from Staples, Bath & Body Works, 1-800-Flowers, Men's Warehouse, SpaFinder, Land's End, Express, Red Lobster, Sears, Kmart, Regal Entertainment Group, CVS, Kohl's, Barnes & Noble and many others.

You must be Verizon customer to enjoy the savings.

"Green" Rebates and Incentives

2010-05-02T19:12:00.002-04:00

For hybrid vehicles rebates, visit FuelEconomy.gov.

For Federal Energy Star Program, visit EnergyStar.gov.

For more rebates and incentives, visit Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE), or National Grid.

If you qualify, check out New York Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program.

Free Wedding Templates and Monograms

2010-05-02T17:51:00.005-04:00

There are so many websites where you can get invitation templates, monograms and other wedding goodies. And the best part is that all of them are FREE! Yes, I said it, FREE! Check out these sites for fabulous freebies:

Free Monograms, Custom Goodies and Templates from Wedding Chicks. Also, check out their free butterfly wedding invitation here.

Free Downloads from Wedding Style Guide.

More freebies and downloads from Inspired Bride, such as Traditional Monogram Borders, and many more...

Indoor Plants Clean Air

2010-04-18T20:15:00.005-04:00

You can get a cleaner air in your home or office by simply getting a couple of houseplants. Some plants such as lady palm, areca palm, English ivy, golden pothos and rubber plant are very good at reducing indoor air pollutants. Aim for at least 2 plants per 100 square feet.