On the search for cheap but HEALTHY food

I live in San Francisco. In the mission. I am a hipster. I use a powerbook. I barely have anything on my walls of my apartment. I don’t drive a car. I don’t even have a tv. I am cheap.

But despite that, I don’t like burritos. Like the way I don’t like sandwiches. The beans and everything put together with…the worst part melted cheese makes me gag. But what shall a frugal one do in San Francisco?

Read the guide to burrito-free SF street food, of course!

Although now reading that…well, ok I can’t do any better. Maybe the pho and Indian restaurants in the Tenderloin. To be surrounded by the unwanted of society in the clear bright cafeteria lights of a poorly decorated hole in the wall. With good food. Really.

EL AY

It’s a rarity that I would freely choose to head down south. To Los Angeles. I have visited multiple times my entire life for adventures to Disneyland, Universal Studios, other theme parks, college visiting, friends visiting…but well never out of my free will.

Someone is distracted with someone's phone...

So last weekend, I took a short trip to see people who used to be part of an online community I used to be part of several years ago. Back then, most of us were naive and innocent. And now we are…well dollar signs are floating above our heads. At least mine is…

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Food was abundant. And so were the high prices. And so were the many Asians.

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And photos

Things I learned:

  • Always have a plan. Regardless of any potential goals, have a plan.
  • Driving from the South Bay to the LA county line can take 4 hours and 7 minutes
  • If you are struggling with 5+ boxes/bags, someone even the homeless guy will offer to help you down the stairs. Sigh.
  • Meeting Taiwanese mothers is a bit scary, maybe it’s just her…
  • Lawrys is really a great steakhouse—the female servers wear nursing type shoes and when they pour the secret house dressing into the spinning salad, they tiptoe just for show
  • Pinkberry isn’t that great. Seriously.
  • Hotels that are awesome have free breakfast and free internet
  • Also awesome for chupachups. Only if they were at the front desk ALL THE TIME
  • The maintenance guy at the Springhill Suites in Hawthorne will be in your room in less than 5 minutes if you have an issue. Like a toilet problem at 3 am in the morning.
  • No matter what, I’ll get a tan (not a sunburn) when out in the sun
  • Always wear sunscreen
  • Beaches are nice. If sand doesn’t get inside your shirt and pants.
  • Wear flip flops on beaches
  • Don’t sleep next to the AC
  • The Santa Monica Promenade is one of the main must-visit places in LA
  • Celebrities do attend the jr. philharmonic concerts…and do make an appearance onstage
  • Indecision and Decision

    Indecision quite often is worse than the wrong decision.

    Depending on your perspective that is.

    I just got back from LA with some misguided spots of visits, but in the end, as they always say, it’s the people you’re with, not the places you visit. Photos to come of course. Perhaps though for me, indecision creates anxiety because we’re always waiting until someone makes the decision. And I believe the anxiety from indecision is what causes the most distress. Our expectations are flung in the air, told to be frozen and we wait until someone makes the move.

    Negative > Positive

    Strange how after enduring so much negativity, then when there is that single genuine compliment, you’re driven crazy. Suddenly, you’re walking with lighter steps.

    But reality returns, it’s hard not to brood over the negative. Because even when we are praised for our success, we try and try to eliminate failure, focusing on the negativity and getting of that feeling of pain.

    My mom at a younger age

    I visited my parents’ house over the weekend. For assorted things. To pick up things to give to my sister later this week when I am going to SoCal. For laundry. For lunch. And just a moment of childhood nostalgia.

    My mom put up more photos from her wedding, probably to remind her of when she was younger. And how life was like…similar to her empty nest now. Now being older, I stared at her photo. She would only be several years older than me now.

    If I had met her in person at that age, would I judge her? Would I have dismissed her quickly? Or would I have willingly accepted her in my life? I find like everyone else that I choose my friends carefully, but in doing so, I judge people, not trying for some but trying hard for others. In a group of people I just meet, I know I tend to gravitate toward some more than others. But it’s all about noticing.

    As I stood in my parents’ room peering at the wedding photo, I looked again. Well, she looked like my mom and really, truthfully, I can’t picture her at my age. Moreover, she’s simply…my mom.

    Free Panty Coupon

    “I don’t know you now,” I said in embarrassment but with a slight tilt of amusement.

    We went into Macys that afternoon to use a coupon for a free Jockey panty coupon. Personally, I have always been a fan of such coupons at Victoria’s Secret and was intrigued to choose another brand. When we got to the racks, the ones made out of microfiber in my size were all gone. I spotted another rack full of the cotton type and started a search for my size in the right style.

    But he spotted a nearby mannequin wearing a microfiber version in my size. He gave me a “can I?” look.

    “Don’t do it,” I said flatly and proceeded to search the racks. “I don’t want to wear something…a mannequin has touched!”

    And being who he is, he ignored my comment and started strip the mannequin. I stepped away and hissed loudly, “I don’t know you now!”

    He somehow got it down the mannequin’s plastic legs. Unfortunate due to poor planning, he didn’t realize the mannequin was on a post and the post was stapled to the ground. The gray panty was hanging on the plastic legs, looking like a poorly stripped mannequin. As if a drunk kid had decided to deface everything in the lingerie department. He had trouble returning it to the original state. I nearly pulled him away, but thought better and I insisted he put it back. He struggled for several minutes stretching the fabric and finally got it back to the previous state.

    Oddly enough, not a single Macys employee or even customer walked by us. I guess the 7th floor of the women’s Macys isn’t a popular spot.

    Oh and the link to the free Jockey panty coupon valid until June 6.