How To: Shop at an Outlet Mall

We will start with a tragic story...



It is 10:30 pm on Thanksgiving, my family is laying around various sofa's trying to let our digestive system do its thing, while I was looking for some good sales on the famous Black Friday. I came across a Midnight Madness Outlet shopping in NY state, the next semester I was going to be working full time  at an internship which required a category of clothing I had none of, professional suits. What a perfect time to get a deal! They boasted 50%-75% off at hundreds of stores all located in one outdoor mall.



My mother was up for the adventure, ensuring me I would not have to worry about receiving any christmas gifts that year. Oh boy, we did not know what we were getting ourselves into...

Standing in line; to raid stores like Guess and Calvin Klein. Don't get me wrong, we had a blast, and I still use some of the items I purchased that night/morning. We went berserk, suits, sweaters, button down shirts, shoes, for both my mother and myself; presents for family, my sister some new shirts. 

You will never truly understand the term "Shop till you Drop" unless you non-stop shop from midnight until 10am. This was the wrong way to go to am Outlet Mall....

Now for the To Do List:

 - Before you get to the mall, make a list of things you need so you don't get enchanted by the big discounts on something you might wear based on the discounted amount... 75% off of $600 skirt is a good deal but it is still more money than you would normally spend on a skirt.

- Try to fill your list with things that out of season a.k.a. in the summer shop for coats and boots.

- Before you get to the mall leave most of your credit cards at home. You can get shop drunk and not even realize, and once the receipt hangover sets in, you have used your backup credit card as well as your backup-only-emergency credit card too.

- When you do get to the mall, make a game plan.  Put the places where you will spend the most money at the top, maybe after the first sticker shock it might slow down your ambition to pull the trigger on something you don't like as much later on your shopping adventure.

- Come to terms that you are going to spend more than you plan on. It's not like a regular mall that you have set prices, this place is going to make your eyes bounce like a cartoon coyote, where else are you going to find 90% off of Coach bags. There is going to be at least one point that you are going to buy something you know you will regret years later that you did not purchase. Really, I mean haunt your nightmares.

Example of creature in its natural habitat. I went to return a pair of broken pants and left with this. But its ok because I learned these lessons I can pass of to you and I like Rammen.

The making of the HeatBeet... Infusion and all round dazzling but earthy cocktail.

A contest is always something enjoyable to participate in, a cocktail competition is something that made me excited and invigorated, the project was to make an original liqour infusion and then a complimenting cocktail.

I drew my inspiration from a new passion at the time, a cordial called Pimm's #1.

Pimm's #1 is originally from London was first sold as a tonic in 1851 made from herbs and spices meant to aid digestion. It later became part of the official cocktail, Pimm's Cup, during British polo matches as well as the Wimbelton tennis tournament. 

Pimm's is predominantly derived from Gin with Orange peel and spices. My infusion also started with gin but then took a 180 degree turn around from the formality and distinguished part to British history into an American unpretentious trendsetting cocktail.

Ingredients for infusion included:

- roasted beets

- orange peel

- cilantro

- star anise

- lemon basil

- coriander

I scientifically tested at least five different batches between variations between different amounts of spices and herbs, beet preparation, and gin bases. The best outcome I got was a medium juniper flavored gin with home roasted beets.

Not that I want this to turn into a cooking post; canned sliced beets worked for beet infusion. Per herbs, minced beets left too little of the original beet dimensions, earthy and candy quality. The best were beets I rubbed in salt and wrapped in tin foil and baked. Then hand peeled to get the pieces of beet that had different dimensions of flavors.

Bleeding with color and flavor I layered beet, orange peel, spices, beet, orange peel, spices; ect. until I filled the entire jar. Next unloaded a 750ml of gin on my final balanced ingredients.

I left this jar covered in foil for a week, and every couple of days I stirred the mixture (like a Yoo-hoo). After filtering I uncovered a beautiful blood red gin (which I neglected to take a picture of).

The final product was a martini called the Heartbeet (pun-intended):

- 3 ounces beet gin infusion

- large splash of fresh lemon juice

- shake vigorously

- rim martini glass with brown sugar and sea salt

- Pour in gin shaken

- top with splash sprite

Other competitors I remember had Cognac infused with hazelnuts, Gin infused with lychee, Bourbon with brown sugar. The judges were inspired enough to deem my cocktail the winner. And it was requested often at my bar.

Do you Love all Burgers Equally?

This looks like the most juicy burger.. however.. it's made of snake.. Cobra to be exact.

If you are ever in Indonesia you can buy one of these for $1.20; add a little Pepper Jack, to zest the patty, a curry aoli and I would eat 2.

Found in Mexico

Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property.

Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings.

(sand graffiti at the Chruch of the Virgin de Guadalupe)

(plants growing on the side of the building create a texture like graffiti)

(personalized buses use graffiti to distinguish one from another)

marking or painting property without the property owner's consent is considered defacement and vandalism, which is a punishable crime.

(nature creates a decorative graffiti, growing moss between sidewalk bricks)

Graffiti may also express underlying social and political messages and a whole genre of artistic expression.

To be a fly in their daiquiri.. The Tropicana

In the 1950's the Hamptons went by the name of Havana, it was also located 1,300 miles south on the beautiful country of Cuba.

There was a club called the Tropicana, it was all the rage in the US. They had a private airline that would take US citizens on a dance and cocktail full flight straight to the clubs back door.

Full bar as well as full bands played on the planes. That's how famous people, like Nat King Cole, would come back and forth from America to the club.

Famous people like, Marlon Brando (pictured above), would come to dance and drink the night away. No dance was too cheeky, no costume to over the top. This is was the hight of the social scene, where there was never enough champange and a celebrity at every table.

The Tropicana attracted socialites of the day as much as celebrities. The energy must have been electric and zintrickty (my word) as lights and libations were flug around the room.

The choreographer, Roderico Neyra, who was known as Rodney, was crazy, and they let him get away with whatever he wanted because he was brilliant and he drew in such huge crowds. For one show, he filled Arcos de Cristal with ice and created an ice-skating rink.

Another show would be live animals, lions and elephants, and a giant goblet of champagne girls would dance in. The Tropicana was the first venue to feature a showgirl entrance by zeppelin.

Above is a picture of the overall club with stage where the zeppelin entered, where he fit the first onstage ice rink is beyond me. The white noise much have been absolutey astounding, I could picture myself is a haltered fitted red velvet dress drinking a crushed ice daiquiri in the at the bar listening to the waves of laughter and banter like waves on a beach, or monkeys and birds calling out in a jungle of beautiful people enjoying the scene of dancing and music making.

Puppies!

I love puppies, lovelovelovelovelovelovelove them.

These puppies were 2 month old mutts on the beaches of Mexico, transported in that box, they could not walk or bark yet, crawling around for shade.

They just don't make things like they used too..

Here in Morristown, NJ, they are home to the Morris Museum. It's not the worlds biggest museum but it has some interesting things.. Here are some photo's of an exhibit of mechanical toys and music boxes from the 1800's..

Cute little piggies.. They still work too.. The craftsmanship is amazing, the hand painting. The materials used are not just molded plastic like most toys are made these days, these museum items are composed of materials like velvet, porcelain, clay, and hand blown beads.

The mechanics, amazing! This alligator almost looks real. I think toys like this would inspire any child (or child-like adult) to play and imagine and create.

Does this toy look familiar? Mechanical Bear built in 1872, and my dog-godson Mowgli built in 1999.

This was one of my favorites; it is a music box with a mechanical doll lounging on a day bed, she could be viewed on either side of the frame, as well as viewed from different angle in the mirror placed above the lounging mechanical doll.

Mexicalways

Coming from one Latin Country to another felt like going from one (party) fiesta to another. Panama is full of people walking from one place to another, large groups standing, passing time talking with no sence of urgency or order. Then hop onto Mexico City; the air sounds of the desil trucks causing traffic jams at 2 AM. As we wait to open the door of the airplane the airport looks like we just pulled up to the titanic, stories of porthole like windows streching further than I can tell on either side. The guards whistle to me, check my bag to make sure it is mine; someone dressed pedestrian clothes is rushing up to check my paperwork is correct. If I didn't know the language I would have been sure they thought I was livestock.




Driving around the Destrico Federal is as chaotic as the airport, even at 2 AM. All of the buisnesses are closed but the streets are filled with cars and trucks taking left and right turns from the middle and side lanes. After a couple of missed exits we make it back to Buenavista to the cement five story apartment building my aunt lives in, to rest and get ready for the next day of adventure.



Before leaving on my trip people asked me; "Why Mexico City?", and in the first couple of hours I asked myself the same question. Getting out of the parking lot we are instantly met with traffic that did not end. At each stop light you could buy a; bubble making saxiphone, fresh sqeezed OJ, calling cards, get your windows washes, maybe a Mani-Pedi. When you park on the street or lot there is someone there to help you into your spot, that is smaller than a new york city apartment, and protect your car, or scratch it, depending if you pay him or not. Then we were also met with protesters, forced to go the wrong way for three turns, you don't have a choice to go to that neighborhood or not. To drive in this city my mother says everyone is in a rush, I say you need endless amounts of pacients and my aunt said courage.

After hours of disconbobulazation we parked and went for some lunch. Mexico is the home of my passion for tacos. At the Restaurant de Rita they have at least three different type of tortilla. With a packed restaurant the kitchen was a parade of smoke with dough needing, frying, plantain smushing, freshness. We got flouta's; rolled into a tortilla is chicken and cheese, they are lightly fried and then place under a guacamole salsa, lettuse, cheese, and sour cream.




I ordered Hurache; a thick masa dough hardened on a smokey street grill, topped with re-fried beans, cheese and two thin pork chops. As I took a bite of my friends steak that had been pounded thin, grilled quickly, melted in my mouth, the anger and frustration of driving melt away as well. To respect the chaos that is everything around you it allows you to enjoy all the hard work the people put into everything they do. They make easy things very difficult, but also make it taste amazing.




Ask any business owner who is the hardest workers and they will say either single moms or Mexicans. Mexico is a country of competors, they understand hard work, and they want the best/cheapest for themselves. If you put all those factors into any equation you get Mexico, when you put food into that equation that means fresh homemade food for cheap. Day one out of forty five complete and exhausted.

I made you a little card..

Boston to Westport on a Bike

I cannot pinpoint where the idea sprung, however, I became captivated by the idea of biking to far away places people normally travel to in cars. While living in Boston I used my bicycle to get around town, I would bike from school to work to anywhere else, I began to wear my biking shoes more than any other pair I owned. I love the idea of not only enjoying the destination but also the journey. When I have taken road trips in the past I was frustrated at the interesting sights I would pass by at 80 mph, too fast to take a picture, and traveling too fast to stop every mile or two. More over, the combination of not owning a car to go outside the city, and biking 20 miles or more a day I began to research bike touring with serious intentions.

One of my favorite trips was from Boston to Westport MA. The trip's distance was 60 miles, at a pace of 10 miles and hour plus stops, it took about six hours. I was lucky enough to have a friend that owned a house right on the beautiful Westport River and it had a view of our destination, Westport Rivers Vineyard.

Westport is a beautiful coastal town at the very bottom tip of Massachusetts South of Boston. The town has a river running through it and leads straight to its pretty beach and harbor.

We started somewhat early in the morning, getting together at around seven am, after adjusting and warming up, we hit the road at around eight. This leg of the trip was a challenge. The first part of the trip took us thought heavy morning commuter traffic, at that time of the day we were in a game of leapfrog with the morning busses going through Rt.138 and Rt.27 through Stoughton. Some miles down we got onto Summer Street where there are a paved bike/walking path makes the trek much easier and pleasant. Most of the terrain is level with peaks every 5 miles.

About 2 hours into the trip, the type of road changes, Rt.106, traffic on a 2-lane route with “Mega stores” on either side dusted by woods. Traffic went at a steady 50- 60 miles per hour with sporadic traffic lights. I have traveled on these routes, cars are generally polite and travel around you without making you feel unsafe. The first couple minutes are going to be nerve racking, but as you petal along you get more comfortable and adjust, I like to go at my own pace, take my time at lights letting the rush traffic go first if it feels safer.

We got off Rt. 106 and onto Rt. 138/ Broadway we were still on a 2-lane Route but with less intersections and “Mega stores” and getting closer to Tauton. As you get closer to a town the architecture changes to smaller buildings, within Tauton we got a little lost about Weir Street, going though the picturesque downtown and around the town green the fast paced traffic we were not able to check our location until we passed the downtown shuffle. This is where I stress the importance I find traveling with an Iphone, or GPS unit, can be. I would love to travel with nothing but a compass and a map but you can save a lot of time if you have an Iphone. We printed out bits of our pre-planned directions, detailed maps around certain turns and general Route map. After our trip downtown we made our way towards Fall Rivers State Forest.

Four hours into the tour we were on our way to Fall Rivers State Forest. We maneuvered our way though residential patches, some without sidewalks. While in quite areas of homes and hills it is nice to travel double breasted, while riding we were able to talk my riding buddy told me it was hard for her to navigate her gears; this is a great excuse to take a break.

Bike tools are also very important to travel with. A simple multi-tool is light weight and very useful, a travel pump, spare tube, and two tire levers, that and needle nose pliers is all that one needs on a short bike tour. If not, you are at the mercy of what is around you, cars passing by, how close you are to a helpful friend or your distance from a mechanic, walking.

My favorite, and most disconnected, part of the trip was through the State Forrest. We saw three cars the entire time we were there, nothing but gravel and dirt roads, beautiful vistas, and trees as far as you can tell. We bounced along the rocky road keeping our balance going downhill. Managing the dirt and rocks was a challenge for me, unlike my travel buddy, she had no problem breezing along the treacherous paths.

The final stretch Westport, a long way of homes, hills, and farms, we stopped at some grazing lamas. We passed by a scented chicken farm, and then up over and along the coast of the river. The north side of the river is a high rising road that provides as much aerobic exercise as pretty views. Although after 50 miles of riding, the uphill road was the last thing we wanted to do. It took us about an hour to get up to my friends home. But when we did we were greeted at the door with some cold miller high lifes’ and hot showers! Next onto the Westport Rivers Winery, we could see the rows of vines across the river.