the-bargainista

[the-bargainista]

Eat well at Dine Out Boston

I may be moving to LA soon, but that won’t stop me from sharing deals during my short time in my hometown of Boston before the move. The biannual Dine Out Boston is upon us until August 28 (with Saturday excluded). Restaurants are offering prix-fixe lunch menus for $15, $20, or $25 and dinner menus for $28, $33, or $38. This is your chance to try the restaurants that were previously a splurge.

Eating out isn’t the same as it used to be, but restaurants need our support more than ever before. If you’re not ready to dine in or outside a restaurant yet, many are offering delivery or take-out. I find the unofficial restaurantweekboston.com (the former name of the event) to be the most useful for scoping out restaurants, menus, reservations, prices, and whether they offer takeout or outdoor dining.

For $15, you can start your three-course lunch at 730 Tavern, Kitchen & Patio in Cambridge with maple chicken salad or house salad. A $38 three-course dinner at 80 Thoreau in Concord will get you entrees like grilled pork loin or pan-roasted hake. For dessert, you can get deconstructed tiramisu from the $33 three-course dinner menu at Aqua Pazza in the North End.

If you’re wary of taking public transportation to the restaurant of your choice, Lyft is offering 25% off rides to or from participating restaurants with a code that you can get from the Dine Out Boston website. Through September 2, you can also bid on dozens of $100 restaurant gift cards in the Dine Out Boston Auction to benefit the Museum of African American History and Revolutionary Spaces.

[the-bargainista]

California love

Almost exactly four years ago, I wrote about leaving Boston to pursue my dream of living in New York City. What I didn’t mention is that I had started dating someone in Boston four months before my move. I hadn’t expected to meet someone that I would want to date long-term, and we hadn’t planned to stay together after I moved. But four years of long-distance later, we are moving in together...in Los Angeles!

Everything changed this year. In mid-March, thanks to coronavirus, New York started shutting down, I was furloughed from my job, and M started working from home. I went to Boston to quarantine with him and ended up staying there for three months. He started interviewing for and eventually landed his dream job in LA.

I came back to New York as soon as the city started reopening in order to wrap up my time here. Of course, with coronavirus still a lingering threat and the city still partially shut down, I can’t fully enjoy New York. One can never finish experiencing everything that New York has to offer, anyway.

I plan to visit when everything finally goes back to “normal” and I’m able to see all of the things and people that I love. Rather than making a bucket list, I am recounting some of my fondest, craziest memories in the city that never sleeps. I know that I am so lucky and privileged to have had these experiences. Let me know if I’m missing anything!

Also, come visit me on this new adventure in LA! (And let me know if you have any job leads or advice about the city!)

My Favorite New York Memories

Accompanying L to press outings like Museum Hack

Amazing food, from New York bagels to omakase to Restaurant Week

Attending the “Rachael Ray” show and lugging all of the gifts 17 blocks to M’s hotel

Beaches (Coney Island, Rockaway, Brighton Beach, Orchard Beach/City Island , Long Beach, Fire Island)

Broadway shows ranging from “HAMILTON” to “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” to navigating the confusing rush process for “Boys in the Band” and meeting Matt Bomer after

Celebrity sightings like meeting Lamorne Morris at Magic Hour and running into his “manager” at Slate the next night

Community Health Fair

Food scrap and clothing drop-off (sadly, the city’s program is currently suspended, but normally, you can reduce your waste by dropping off your food scraps and unwanted clothing at locations around the city for composting and recycling. Check out these alternative options for food scrap drop-off. You can save the environment without having to do the work of composting yourself and ending up with compost you don’t need in your tiny apartment!)

Free Salon Apprentice haircuts and makeup

Free Shape Up NYC exercise classes (hidden gem!)

Geek Girl Brunch and Fangirl Health Club nerdy pole classes through Geek Girl Strong

Getting caught in an unexpected downpour right after renting a tandem bicycle at Governor’s Island

Halloweens with M

Holiday markets

IDNYC memberships to the Met, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, the New York City Ballet, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, which led to me visiting three zoos and the New York Aquarium in the final month of my membership (if you’re an NYC resident, definitely sign up for IDNYC!)

Interviewing at Marvel (yes, this is a highlight even though I didn’t get the job and they were moving offices the following day so almost everything was packed up)

Loading up on swag at pop-ups like Sweet ReTREAT

Pop-up maid café

Private ice-skating at Rockefeller with M, followed by meeting Melsy and celebrating M’s birthday at Ugly Baby in Carroll Gardens (see below)

Revel-ing at ridiculous times (5 a.m.) or temperatures (30 degrees) to far off places like Carroll Gardens, where M and I waited 6.5 hours for Lucali

Sparkler-filled birthday celebrations at restaurants, rooftop bars, and raves

Testing hair products for the L’Oreal New York Test Salon (if you sign up, select “Other” for ���How did you find out about our program?” and enter “Melissa Lee”)

Visiting unique places like Sims Municipal Recycling - Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility through Open House New York

Volunteering at Animal Care Centers of NYC and realizing that everything I thought I had known about rabbits was wrong

Waiting in absurd lines for hyped exhibits--one hour for the “America” gold toilet and 4.5 hours for the “Festival of Life” Infinity Mirror Rooms.

[the-bargainista]

Composting in COVID: Rocky the Pug

As I mentioned in my last post, composting is a great way to help the environment and reduce your waste. New York City’s food scrap collection programs are currently suspended, but New Yorkers across the city have stepped up to provide alternatives. One such composting hero is Rocky the Pug. I talked to the dog (okay, fine, his human dad) about his efforts to collect people’s food scraps in Astoria, Queens.

What should people know about getting started with composting? I think there are a lot of myths behind composting. We want to dispel as many, if not all, of them.

There’s the whole myth of “if you compost, you’re going to attract rats and roaches.” “It takes up too much space.” We’re breaking all that down.

We’re even going to show people how we preserve our food scraps in our apartment before we take them out to the drop-off sites because you have no idea how many times we get asked that in the course of one week. “Is it okay if I bring my food scraps frozen, or should I keep them in a little cylinder by the fire escape?”

People keep them in so many ways. Some people keep them right by the fire escape in those orange buckets you get from Home Depot.

Other people keep a one of those composting metal or hard plastic bins on their kitchen counter. Others freeze everything. We’re going to go over the advantages and the disadvantages of each.

We just had someone bring in four months of food scraps. Someone else brought us three months of food scraps. His food scraps were sitting on his fire escape for three months. That’s commitment.

When did you start collecting people’s food scraps? We started 16 weeks ago. We just wrapped up the 16th week, so we’re actually on our 17th week.

Why did you decide to do this? It all happened because I was heading out to drop off our weekly food scraps and realized that all the drop-off sites were shut off. So I started looking for local farms, community gardens, any place that could take our food scraps. 

My girlfriend and I found a place and decided to advertise in Astoria to see if anyone else wanted to add their food scraps to our batch that we were going to be taking to the drop-off site. So I added a couple people. It was super small the first day. It was about 60 pounds, two people plus us. So that was really easy.

And the following week, we posted the composting thing under Rocky’s Instagram page, and that just went crazy. We went from 60 pounds to more than 500 pounds in just one week.

We kept it all under Rocky’s Instagram page. We hijacked his page, and he became, in a way, the mascot, the face of the “save our compost” movement. He is pretty recognized by a lot of organizations that are working toward saving our compost.

What has been involved in running this operation? When we started, my girlfriend and I spent around $250 out of our own pockets to get started with bins, shovels, scrapers, all that stuff. And then, as we got bigger, you got to put in context, now we’re collecting a little bit more than 2,000 pounds a week, we are getting a U-Haul every weekend. We just got an electrical machine that compresses all the food scraps. So it’s done with the intent of being able to handle big loads.

Where do you bring the food scraps? That changes a lot, so what I tell you now may be very different in, let’s say, two weeks. In the past month, we have been taking 300 pounds to Randall’s Island, and we’ve been taking a bunch to Two Coves Community Garden. Any overflow that Two Coves cannot take, we take it either to Nature Based in Gowanus, Brooklyn, or to our commercial hauler.

Both Nature Based and our commercial hauler take the food scraps to McEnroe Organic Farm in McEnroe, NY. That’s about 100 miles outside New York.

For us, though, it’s very, very important that the food scraps stay as close to Astoria as possible. That way, the compost, once it’s done and processed, can actually be used here in the city, not somewhere beyond that. But I’d much rather it go to a farm outside the city than for it to end up in landfills.

What would you like to see for the future of composting in NYC? The most important thing is, I would like for the city to reinstate all its composting drop-off sites. They’re a crucial part of the city, and it only costs $7 million to run the basic composting operation in New York City.

Because we’re getting such a large volume now, we also have followers that are outside the city. We want to be able to accommodate more people in the sense of also teaching people how to compost from home.

We’re teaming up with master composters, farmers, and people who have a background in composting from home. We’re going to team up with them so that they can give virtual workshops on how to do that. We want to do about two of those a month. Anything from worm composting to a cylinder in your backyard if you have one, all the different types of composting from home.

We have a whole lineup set up for that. We’re going to post it on Instagram in our stories. We’re still trying to figure out if we’re going to do an Instagram Live or if we’re going to pre-record it and post it on our website, which is launching pretty soon.

How can people support your operation? Doing something like this, we want to make it free. We do take donations because we do this pro bono. We don’t want to twist anyone’s arm and impose a fee on something that we know is essential but that they might not be able to fully cover on a regular basis or even at all. We’d much rather people drop off their food scraps, and if we’re short, we’ll look for a sponsor, or we’ll even support if for the time being until other people step up.

So far, the donations that we get have put us in a very good place to the point that we can even get a machine that can do a big part of the labor-intensive work. It’s very, very important that people know this is free and donation-based only. When I say donation-based, we don’t expect you to give a donation. You give what you can and what you want.

It’s so scary when you see a truck full of food scraps. This could end up in landfills. We want to make our composting program as centralized as possible and make it really easy for people.

For the weekly composting schedule and ways to donate or volunteer, sign up for the newsletter and follow Rocky the Pug on Instagram at @astoriapug.

Drop-off Schedule for Saturday, August 8

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Broadway and 31st Street Municipal Lot (across the street from Rite Aid) 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 38th Street and 30th Avenue Municipal Lot (right next to Paris Oven) 1:40 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. Ditmars #2 Municipal Field (right behind Santander Bank at 22-59 31st Street. There is access from 31st Street and also from 33rd Street).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 🥊 Rocky the Pug (@astoriapug) on May 26, 2020 at 8:42am PDT

[the-bargainista]

Composting in COVID

Composting is one of the most wonderful ways that you can help the environment. Compostable food scraps and yard waste make up 28 percent of our trash. Instead of letting that stuff take up space in a landfill and release methane gas, you can compost it and turn it into a material that’s good for your garden. Not only will you feel less wasteful, but you also will be reducing your garbage and saving on trash bags.

You can certainly compost your scraps yourself, and I applaud anyone who does that. But this post is for those of us who live in apartments with no yards and only some windowsills to stick a couple plants on, i.e., those of us who live in New York City.

In pre-COVID times, New Yorkers could drop off food scraps at one of 70 GrowNYC Food Scrap Drop-Off Sites across the city. The scraps would then be transported to a site to get composted for you. There were times when the site near my apartment gave away free bags of compost or those giant paper bags for holding leaves (which I gave to my parents, who actually have a yard).

GrowNYC also was running clothing collections, where you could drop off clean clothing, shoes, handbags, and more. Items deemed not reusable would go to recycling markets, where they would be used as rags or shredded for products like insulation. I assume this means that you could donate items that are not quite in good enough shape to be resold at a consignment shop or the like.

In addition, the New York City Department of Sanitation had been running a program where apartment buildings in certain neighborhoods could get a brown bin for collecting compostable scraps, and the bin would get emptied along with the regular garbage collection. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 state of emergency cut the budget for these composting and clothing collection programs for the time being. However, some valiant New Yorkers have come up with alternate ways for you to drop off food scraps for composting.

Here are my starter tips for collecting food scraps for composting

You can keep the scraps in your freezer so you don’t have to worry about them rotting and smelling. I store them in those big, plastic, takeout soup containers and dump out the contents at the drop-off site.

Items that I commonly compost (not a complete list of compostables):

Used coffee grounds

Used tea bags--string, paper tag, and all (remove the staples)

Stems, skins, rinds, seeds, etc., from fruits, vegetables, and herbs (remove any stickers)

Crumbs at the bottom of the cereal bag

Rice stuck to the bottom of the rice cooker

Bread ends (I should probably just eat them, but I grew up not doing that, so it feels weird to change)

Egg shells

Plant debris

Punctured/spoiled compostable foods

Food-soiled paper

Items that cannot be composted:

Dairy and other animal products

Fat/grease/oil

Glossy paper

Since I live in Queens, I spoke to Rocky the Pug to learn more about how he and his humans have been collecting people’s food scraps in Astoria. Stay tuned for my next post to read the full interview!

[the-bargainista]

Comic-Con for all

Updated: 7/26/20 12:59 p.m. ET

I’m going to miss not going to San Diego this year for five days of celebrity sightings, swag, sleeplessness, and snaking lines. But the good news for anyone who has never gotten a chance to experience the unique craziness that is Comic-Con is that the event will be free online for everyone from Wednesday, July 22, to Sunday, July 26! The official information is a little overwhelming, so here is a guide to getting the most out of Comic-Con@Home.

Panels

No camping out for Hall H necessary! Over 350 panels have been pre-recorded, and they will be released on the Comic-Con YouTube channel at certain times over the course of the five days. The majority of panels will be available beyond July 26.

The full schedule of panels is now posted, but it will be continually updated. Given the sheer volume of information, I recommend viewing on a computer rather than your phone. I also recommend viewing by day so that you can see the descriptions and viewing links.

You can create a MySCHED account to keep track of the panels that interest you. I just put them on my Google calendar. Keep in mind that all times are PDT. My SDCC group created a Slack so that we can have viewing parties and chat about the panels.

Now that the logistics are out of the way, here are some of my suggestions for panels to check out.

GeekED: Re-storied: Re-imagining creative privilege Wednesday, July 22, 3-4 p.m. PDT Panelists who work in higher education, theatre, and gaming will discuss how the narrative world is changing to include more diverse experiences.

Star Trek Universe Virtual Panel Thursday, July 23, 10-11 a.m. PDT There will be a discussion with the casts and producers of “Star Trek: Discovery,” new animated series “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” and “Star Trek: Picard.”

DC@Home Day One and Day Two Friday, July 24, 10-11 a.m. PDT, and Saturday, July 25, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. PDT Some DC Comics legends such as Brian Michael Bendis and Jim Lee will give you the scoop on what’s in store for your favorite heroes and villains.

Marvel Comics: Next Big Thing Friday, July 24, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. PDT Marvel editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski will discuss what’s in store with comics writers and editors such as Tom Brevoort and Al Ewing.

AMC’s The Walking Dead Friday, July 24, 1-2 p.m. PDT Moderated by Chris Hardwick, this panel will highlight the forthcoming standalone episode “A Certain Doom” and feature the cast and producers.

Building Your Own Themyscira: Connecting With Other Geeky Bosses Friday, July 24, 6-7 p.m. PDT Jordan Ellis of Jordandené and “The Sartorial Geek” will discuss networking and finding your community with Robyn Warren of Geek Girl Strong, Matt Cox of “Puffs” and “Kapow-i GoGo,” comics marketer Jazzlyn Stone, and Rose DelVecchio of FanMail.

Blast Off with Disney+’s “The Right Stuff” Saturday, July 25, 1-2 p.m. PDT NASA astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison moderates this panel about the first scripted series for Disney+ from National Geographic. This show follows the early days of the U.S. space program. Much of the cast and crew will participate. I’m excited for Colin O’Donoghue (Captain Hook from “Once Upon a Time”) as Captain Gordon Cooper.

Careers in Geek Fashion Sunday, July 26, 4-5 p.m. PDT This is an admittedly shameless plug for the panel moderated by my friend, GeekFold founder Lisa Granshaw. Professionals from multiple aspects of geek fashion will discuss their careers and the impact of coronavirus on the industry.

Exhibit hall/exclusives

You can view the “exhibit hall” map and a full list of exhibitors, which will go live with interactive links on Wednesday, July 22. My understanding is that all exclusive merchandise will be available directly through the vendors, and there is no Comic-Con exclusives portal, which was used to assign timeslots in years past. Since the portal also used to serve as a full list of the exclusives, your best bet for finding out what’s for sale is probably the comprehensive SDCC Unofficial Blog.

Be sure to check out the LEGO “booth,” which is offering a chance to design your own minifigure and comic book, which will be emailed to you.

Other activities

The masquerade is always a signature event of Comic-Con. Submissions to the Comic-Con@Home Virtual Masquerade have closed, but the Masquerade website will go live on the @comicconathome Tumblr on the evening of Friday, July 24.

The Comic-Con@Home Art Show (sans auction) will be viewable on the @comicconathome​ Tumblr starting Wednesday, July 22.

Comic-Con@Home also created some fan activities to help you recreate the Con experience at home. There are challenges such as the Cosplay Challenge, badges and signs that you can print yourself, sound clips of the announcements, and recipes so you can create your own hospitality suite.

“Off-sites”

My favorite part of Comic-Con actually has been the off-site activations outside the convention center, where you can have unique experiences like a “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” escape room. Fortunately, some networks have found ways to have virtual activations this year.

Adult Swim Con Thursday, July 23-Saturday, July 25, 4-10 p.m. PT Adult Swim will have online experiences such as behind-the-scenes looks at “Rick and Morty” and “Robot Chicken,” including a Q&A with the casts and crews of both shows. Check the website for the full schedule of events.

Amazon Virtual Con Thursday, July 23-Sunday, July 26 You can watch exclusive announcements, game reveals, live drawings, costume how-tos, and more. There are also interactive experiences, such as a “Hanna” escape room.

FX Unlocked This site features a virtual pyramidal structure that you can swipe to explore different TV show experiences. For example, you can test your “American Horror Story” trivia knowledge or play a “What We Do in the Shadows” game.

FutureTechLive! You can download an immersive World Builders activation for Windows, Windows VR, or Mac.

Let me know if there’s any other information you want, and I’ll update this post. Enjoy Comic-Con@Home!

[the-bargainista]

Socializing distantly

As both summer and coronavirus rage on, I believe that there are safe, smart ways to go out and have fun. Here are some of my suggestions for New York City.

(Please note that I am not a public health expert, so you should look to official guidance if you have any questions. Remember to always wear a mask covering your nose and mouth and stay at least six feet away from others not in your household!)

Picnics in the park Even in the concrete jungle, there are plenty of lovely parks, such as Astoria Park in Queens (ample free parking!). You will have to play the annoying game of trying to guess NYC summer’s unpredictable weather, but it will be worth it. Going on the earlier side might be your best bet because, from my anecdotal experiences, the thunderstorms seem to come later in the day. If you can manage a weekday, the lighter crowds will make for easier social distancing.

This is a good way to meet up with friends outside your household because each person can bring their own mat/chair to ensure distance and take their own precautions. You can bring your own food if you’re cautious or not tired of cooking, or you can support restaurants by ordering takeout.

Walk, bike, or Revel around the city Depending on the temperature, walking may not be highly desirable, but it’s a free way to avoid public transportation. If you missed out on purchasing a bike before the pandemic, you can use Citibike to get around. Now that Revel mopeds have expanded their zone, including into Manhattan, you can take a fun tour around all of the now-empty tourist spots. Bonus tip: if you have an American Express credit card, you can add an offer to get $5 off purchases of $10 or more at small businesses, and Revel counts as a small business!

If you rent a Citibike or Revel, I recommended bringing disinfecting wipes for the handlebars and using hand sanitizer after you touch them.

Outdoor dining I already loved rooftops and cute patios before they became the only way to dine at a restaurant. The Infatuation has a good FAQ about the guidelines for outdoor dining.

Whether or not they already had patio or backyard space, many restaurants have added tables on the sidewalk. Some restaurants require reservations, and some are walk-in only. If there’s a chance of rain, you may want to check if the seating is covered.

If you want to be cautious, you can also call restaurants to ask about their COVID measures. Some restaurants are taking precautions like installing plexiglass dividers between the tables or serving all of the food in covered takeout containers with wrapped, disposable utensils.

Let me know if you have any other ideas for safely celebrating summer!

[the-bargainista]

Netflix and chill

Understatement of the year: 2020 has been a lot. It’s understandable if you’re mentally drained, confused, fed up, or really any emotion. You deserve to take a break and enjoy the best part of self-quarantine: being a couch potato and catching up on television.

We’re living in a golden age of streaming content. Who even needs to go outside?! Here are some suggestions to keep you entertained and educated for hours.

Watchmen (HBO) This show, which is technically a sequel to the celebrated 1987 DC Comics comic book series, achieved acclaim in its own right when it aired in the fall. Its storyline of racial violence in an alternate modern-day Tulsa, OK, is even more relevant and eye-opening today. Even if you don’t care about “superheroes” or the original comic, you’ll still appreciate the power of this series. Also, lead actor Regina King is a boss.

Visible: Out on Television (Apple TV+) In honor of LGBTQ Pride Month, check out this five-part docuseries about LGBTQ representation on television. The series covers not only TV shows but also historical events and their coverage (or lack thereof) in news media, such as McCarthyism and the Stonewall uprising, which is both heavy and fitting to watch in the current times. The show also points out some of the problems as LGBTQ representation has grown, such as the focus on white experiences.

Hamilton (Disney+, July 3) “Hamilton” tickets were hard enough to procure before the pandemic, and now, Broadway theatre likely won’t return till next year. But starting July 3, everyone with a Disney+ subscription can watch a recording of the original Broadway production. The wildly successful musical tells the story of the immigrant Alexander Hamilton, who was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The catchy songs are largely hip-hop, and non-white actors play many of the historical figures.

Normal People (Hulu) This show is the best thing that I’ve watched in a long time. Based on the novel by Sally Rooney, this Irish series chronicles the relationship between Marianne and Connell from their high school through college years. Although the show starts off slowly, once you find yourself hooked after a few (half-hour) episodes, you realize that it’s more of a slow burn. The sex scenes are tantalizing in how natural and realistic they are, and they are proof that consent is sexy.

Never Have I Ever (Netflix) This series about an Indian-American high school girl is cute, funny, and poignant. It’s refreshing and relatable to see Asian representation and Devi’s struggle between trying to have a normal teenage social life and her family’s strict, traditional ways. Aside from some comedic tropes, Devi’s character is realistic in that she has a lot of flaws. Co-created by Mindy Kaling, the show is partially based on Kaling’s childhood growing up in the Boston area.

[the-bargainista]

Dating distantly

I had assumed that dating was dead during coronavirus. All of the typical date spots were closed, and people have to socially distance themselves from strangers. But then, on a Skype catch-up call, my friend gushed about having a great Skype date.

I was shocked. I decided to seek out more stories about how people were approaching dating during this time.

Sarina, 33, of Brooklyn, NY, “was more curious to see what it was like. I was on Hinge. I got on Tinder just to see what it was like, to see if people were going crazy, honestly. It was more of a social experiment on my part. My thought process was to see if people would want to get to know people over a period of time.”

For fun, Sarina also started using the Passport premium feature that Tinder offered for free in April in order to explore guys in other countries. She had some casual conversations with people who wanted to know what things were like in New York, the epicenter of coronavirus in the United States.

Sarina did meet someone local on Tinder. He said he was craving human interaction and suggested an outdoor socially distant date. They went to a nearby park, which ended up being crowded due to the nice weather.

“It was actually kind of difficult to do the date because, half the time, I was more focused on trying to keep the distance between, not just me and the date, but also the other people in the park....I don’t think we made that much eye contact,” she said. “By the end of the date, I did feel guilty for having gone outside.”

The guy suggested a second outdoor date, but Sarina requested a virtual date to avoid crowds. He sent her dinner via Uber Eats, and they did a Skype call. Rather than being distracted by other people’s proximity, she found other ways to be easily distracted.

“After that second date and messaging him afterward, I don’t think I want to date during this period,” Sarina said. “It’s different. It’s hard to get to know someone through a screen. If you’re with someone and you’re seeing their mannerisms, it’s kind of more real, a little more human, versus a floating head when you talk to someone. I don’t know him as well as a friend where I can infer body language.”

Another barrier to dating that she found was “on the apps, a lot of guys said they’re outright lonely and bored and had spare time and, as a result, immediately started sexting or were like, ‘I’m really lonely; help me.’” Sarina got the sense that a lot of people, including herself, were not in the right place to be dating. She wanted to use her time to get her own projects done.

Sarina said, “It’s hard to focus on dating when it doesn’t feel like it’s really dating.”

Patrick, 64, has had different experiences with dating in Springfield, MA. He started out the year engaging a matchmaker because he had yet to find a partner through online dating. Patrick had one unsuccessful connection before the pandemic began and he put the matchmaking on hold.

Dating naturally became less of a priority as he started devoting his energy to leading emergency operations at his job. Once Patrick got some free time, he decided to go back to the dating apps Bumble and Hinge.

Patrick began conversing with one woman on Bumble. “We progressed to a phone call and continued to get to know one another and decided to have what I’ve referred to as a ‘corona date,’” he said. They met at a large park near where they both live and walked around for a few hours, all the while maintaining appropriate social distance.

The date went well enough that they went on a second socially distant date, this time a three-hour hike. Patrick joked that the dates felt very Victorian. He also realized that “when you’re walking six feet apart and you’re kind of side by side, you’re not facing each other, so you’re not looking at each other....I think it’s the lack of being face-to-face as you would probably be on an initial drink or coffee date....Chances are, you’re sitting across from each other so that, obviously, you’re concentrating on each other....What’s added to [the conversation] is all the non-verbals. It could be positive or negative.”

Patrick and the woman didn’t continue dating, and he started talking to someone from Hinge. “The conversation, of course, centers around ‘How are you surviving in this time of social distancing and self-quarantining?’ and those kinds of things. My attitude is, it’s a priority of mine to connect with someone, to find someone to hopefully develop a relationship with. There are many ways to continue that process without needing to sit next to each other in a wine bar or a Starbucks,” he said.

[the-bargainista]

I choose to see the beauty

We know that “Westworld” takes place in a futuristic version of our world, but we hadn’t gotten to see much of the real world until season three, which wraps up on Sunday. The clothes, architecture, and vehicles have been visually stunning. Here are some of my favorite looks from this season (spoiler alert!).

Giggles’ light-up shirt

Criminal sidekick Giggles (played, interestingly, by pro football player Marshawn Lynch) wore a shirt that was the futuristic equivalent of a mood ring. A number of emotions were listed, and whichever one he was feeling at the time would light up. I was very confused when I received a (sadly, non-LED) version of this shirt at Comic-Con, but it makes more sense now.

Charlotte’s suit

Charlotte (more specifically, Chalores) may be ruthless and evil, but her BCBG Upas Cape Jacket and matching pants were the very definition of power suit. The bare pink color showed that you can look innocuous but still (literally) slay the room. It’s also ironic to have the callous Delos executive wear a cape, traditionally associated with superheroes. On the other hand, Dolores and her crew do view themselves as the liberators of the hosts.

Side note: what do you think about Charlotte wearing the exact same outfit, Wonder Woman cuff and all, in both the season premiere and in episode six from April 19? Alternate timeline?

Dolores’ transforming dress

Speaking of cutthroat women making an entrance in bad-ass clothing: Dolores transforming her fitted LBD into a flowing gold gown. Talk about versatility! I. WANT. THIS. DRESS. The dress was custom-designed for the show, but the closest thing that I could find in real life is the transforming dresses from Chalayan’s Fall 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection.

Incite

The architecture has been equally as stunning as the fashion, thanks to the use of Singapore as a stand-in for futuristic Los Angeles. The maze-like Marina One residence is perfect for the Incite headquarters.

Liam’s Porsche 918 Spyder

I realize that the world of the future is replete with self-driving cars and motorcycles, but the car that has caught my eye the most has been Liam’s “classic” Porsche.

Maeve’s Japan outfit

Maeve wears this maroon color a lot, probably because it looks smashing with her complexion but possibly also because it contrasts her with Chalores--light versus dark, although, in typical “Westworld” fashion, no clear good versus evil. Of course, in this episode, maroon also became the color of blood.

This outfit was altogether bad-ass just like Maeve. The pants were practical for her fight with the Yakuza and Musashi (or Mulores?). The flowing top was almost capelike, too. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find this outfit anywhere online. Let me know if anyone can identify it!

[the-bargainista]

I wanna see you work out for me

Nobody told me there’d be days like these. Strange days indeed...particularly for a lifestyle blog that revolves around food and fun. But I remain committed to my original mission of making your life a lot richer at little cost.

Everything about our regular daily lives has changed, but today, I’ll focus on working out. Across the country, public gyms are closed and workout classes are canceled. With the majority of people staying home and sheltering in place, we’re not commuting and walking around like we used to. 

If you’re like me, your kitchen is stuffed with all kinds of temptation, and you have more time to cook and eat. It’s also a stressful time for everyone, and we can all use an endorphin boost. Here are some great ways to exercise at home. Some of these options have the added bonus of supporting a small business!

Geek Girl Strong Geek girl/health coach Robyn offers a number of different online options at various price points. You can go all out with one-on-one health coaching, which includes perks like a monthly personal training video chat session. The GGS store has a few equipment-free workout videos that you can purchase. You can also find a few workouts and playlists on the GGS blog.

All Beings Yoga Yoga instructor Anita Haravon is offering her regularly scheduled accessible classes on Facebook Live. You generally just need a chair or mat to participate. She is also offering paid classes via Zoom.

YouTube You already know you can find anything your eyes desire on YouTube, and that includes workout videos. Some channels that I’ve been using are POPSUGAR Fitness and Pamela Reif.

WOD Roulette This free app gives you a different random workout each day. On their Instagram, they have started posting living room challenges with which you can challenge your friends.

Walk/run outside According to Harvard Medical School, it’s perfectly fine to grab a pair of sneakers and go for a run or walk outside. Just try to maintain a distance of at least six feet between you and anyone outside your household.

[the-bargainista]

This is Halloween

Halloween is next week! With the day awkwardly falling on a Thursday this year, Halloweekend apparently starts today. All dressed up with nowhere to go? Whether you just want a festive dinner or you want to ball out at a club, here is something for everyone.

Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla At this family-friendly outing on Wednesday, October 30, you can enjoy pumpkin carving, crafts, and more before watching pumpkins set sail across the Harlem Meer in Central Park.

Dia de los Muertos Dinner Party Halloween is the start of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, which memorializes deceased loved ones. Bodega Negra will host a themed dinner with special a la carte menu from October 31 to November 3.

Spotify Halloween Pop-Up On Saturday, October 26, Spotify is having a pop-up Halloween party where they will give away costume props based on signature pieces from artists that have pushed cultural boundaries, such as Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 163 Mercer Street.

Village Halloween Parade If crowds and the rain in the forecast don’t spook you, check out this New York tradition. The Village Halloween Parade takes place right on Halloween night in Greenwich Village. You can march if you’re in costume, or you can watch the other creative revelers.

All of Them Witches Witches are the theme of the month at Nitehawk Cinema. You can see “Drag Me to Hell” tonight or “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” on Tuesday.

Haunted House If you dare, there are a number of haunted houses for every fear and fancy. Options range from clown-centric Bane in Hell’s Kitchen (appropriate) to the classic Blood Manor in Tribeca. You may be able to find discounted tickets on Goldstar.

Mr. Purple Temple of Terror Rooftop bar Mr. Purple has turned into the Temple of Terror through October 31. There will be specialty cocktails and a DJ on Friday, Saturday, and Halloween night.

Walk of Fear The Springs, a bar in Greenpoint, has transformed into the Walk of Fear haunted house with four rooms through October 31. In addition, there is weekly trivia on Tuesdays and a costume dance party on October 25 and 26. Entry is just a one-drink minimum for adults and $5 for kids.

Village Halloween Costume Ball Theater for the New City is throwing a costume ball on Halloween night. For just $20, you’ll get a costume parade, live bands, food, stilt dancers, and more.

Cityfox Halloween Festival If you want to go all out, the Cityfox Halloween Festival at Avant Gardner is the place to be on Saturday, October 26. Expect to pay up for an extensive lineup of musical acts and interactive rooms.

[the-bargainista]

Watch the throne

The epic final season of “Game of Thrones” begins tomorrow, and there is no shortage of ways to celebrate. Here are some of the best promotions to take advantage of, no matter where you live in the Seven Kingdoms (aka the U.S.).

MLB Game of Thrones nights

Winter might be coming, but spring is already here, which means baseball is back. Teams across the country are having “Game of Thrones”-themed nights with photo ops and giveaways like bobbleheads. For instance, the Boston Red Sox are bringing the Iron Throne to Fenway Park on April 22 and giving out a Game of Thrones Red Sox “Bend the Knee” shirt worthy of the World Series champions.

Las Vegas’ Fountains of Bellagio

Today is your last night to catch the incredible GoT-themed show at the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Shake Shack

For a limited time, you can get a Dracarys Burger and Dragonglass Shake. Available at select Shake Shacks, the double Monterey Jack burger is topped with bacon and spicy Dracarys sauce. The mint white chocolate custard topped with Dragonglass shards (dark chocolate toffee) can be found at all locations. The shake comes in a special plastic GoT cup.

OKCupid

The online dating service OKCupid added “Game of Thrones” profile badges for all members who reported that they watch the show. I am rooting for a relationship to start because of this badge. I would love to see if GoT fandom is a good dating marker!

Rave of Thrones

Once you find your sun and stars on OKC, take your date to get your Hodor fix at Kristian Nairn’s DJ tour Rave of Thrones. Okay, the tour might technically be called the Evolution Tour now, but we all know what we’re here for. Tonight’s show at Schimanski in Brooklyn is sold out, but you can still hit up The Grand in Boston tomorrow after the episode premiere.

[the-bargainista]

Miami vice

I recently went on my friend’s bachelorette party trip to Miami and had the time of my life. Whether you go for spring break, your or your pal’s last fling, or just a winter getaway, here are my suggestions to make the most of Magic City.

Getting There and Around

You can often save on airfare by flying into Fort Lauderdale rather than Miami International Airport. JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit all service Fort Lauderdale, which is about 30 miles from Miami Beach.

You can rent a car if you want to go all over the Miami area, but if you are staying in Miami Beach and plan to spend most of your time there, you can get by with walking, short Uber/Lyft rides, and the bus system.

Stay

Be careful about booking Airbnb in Miami Beach. Short-term rentals are illegal in most parts of the city, and the city is really cracking down.

Believe it or not, it is possible to find an affordable hotel in Miami Beach. I stayed at the James Hotel, which is walking distance from most of the Miami Beach/South Beach sights, including the beach and other well-known hotels. This hotel is no-frills, but the exterior, lobby, and hallways are decorated with quirky, charming mosaics, paintings, and sculptures. Wi-Fi and parking are free, and there is free coffee and doughnuts in the morning.

Do

Obviously, the beach is a big draw. You can travel to one of the famous beaches like South Beach, but you can also just walk straight out of your hotel until you hit the ocean. Expect a lot of seaweed but also a fantastically relaxing time in the sun and sand.

If you want to do a little more sightseeing, you can do a yacht cruise. I did the Millionaire’s Row Cruise at sunset and found my new beach house saw jaw-dropping mansions belonging to celebrities like Jackie Chan and Shakira.

Eat

Rosetta Bakery is a cute place to grab a quick breakfast. Taco Rico has a large variety of Tex-Mex options, cheap beer, and fresh juices.

Moreno’s Cuba has an adorable hidden outdoor area with colorful lights, live music, and a daybed swing. The cocktails are delicious, and the Moreno’s Crack Pie is better than the flan. Another good option for Cuban food is Havana 1957. I also love Puerto Sagua, which is surprisingly homestyle for the area.

Drink

Fresh tropical fruit juices abound. So do mojitos in exotic flavors. At every opportunity, you must drink Cuban coffee, which is very strong espresso. If you want milk, you can get a café con leche, and if it’s hot out, you can get iced café con leche.

Nightlife

Basement Miami has a bowling alley, an indoor skating rink (yes, really), and a club. The bowling is really fun, but you can skip the club. The skating rink is only worth trying for the novelty if the manager offers to let you in for free. I’m not sure why they decided to combine skate blades with alcohol and skimpy clothes.

Instead, after bowling, head upstairs for a drink at the Matador Bar. And by “a drink,” I mean the $100 rose gold scorpion swan. The server told us it would be filled with a passion fruit punch, which we assumed would be very weak, but it was STRONG. It was really too much even for six people.

My favorite place was Mango’s Tropical Café. For about $40 per person, you can get dinner and drinks at a reserved table. There is a stage in the main room with rotating performers from Jabbawockeez-style dancers to salsa and bachata dancers. There was even a little Magic Mike-like act that is perfect for bachelorettes.

Mango’s is two levels, and there are a number of different rooms playing different music, all of it very danceable. There is something for everyone, and you never feel crowded because there is so much space and you can always go back to your reserved table.

When to Go

The first time I went to Miami, I went during Miami Music Week, specifically during the Ultra Music Festival, at the end of March. There were tons of special DJ shows and pool parties, but the weather was only in the 70s (I say “only” because it was cold and windy at the beach!) and there were periods of rain.

I was concerned about the weather this time, a whole month earlier, but it was sunny and in the 80s the whole time. It was also the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, but the festival was way too expensive to attend.

It seems like winter/early spring is a good time to visit, before the unbearable heat and humidity of Florida summers and then hurricane season. Just be wary of winter weather affecting your flight at home.

The beach, nightlife, amazing food and drinks, what more could you really ask for in a vacation?

[the-bargainista]

Renaissance man

September is the time of year for back to school, fall weather, and King Richard’s Faire. Temperatures are cooling down, but Carver, MA is heating up with this 37th annual renaissance festival. If you’re looking for something to do on the weekend, you can spend a day watching wacky shows, feasting on faire fare, and shopping for souvenirs.

Each weekend has a theme. I attended the cleavage contest, which was ridiculous and hilarious. Upcoming themes include “Game of Thrones” and Harry Potter trivia and costume contests.

There are also regular shows, some of which are family-friendly (animals, magic shows) and some of which are not (Washing Well Wenches). You can watch knights battle in a three-part joust that takes place throughout the day.

This is not the time to diet. Food offerings range from turkey legs to bloomin’ onions (highly recommended) to “unicorn donuts.” I barely managed to resist the edible glitter. Alcoholic drinks are readily available.

Your renaissance cosplay dreams can come true at the dozens of shops selling merchandise like swords and shields, chain mail, and capes. Home décor and accessories are also on offer.

The carnival games have a medieval twist. Choose from activities like archery or axe throwing. There are also pony/unicorn rides.

ATMs are available, but you’re better off bringing cash if you can. Only cash is accepted for tickets bought at the gate and food tickets (required for food/drink purchases).

For the extra committed, you can host parties and even weddings at the faire. King Richard’s Faire guarantees a unique experience no matter how you spend your day there.

King Richard’s Faire, 235 Main Street, Carver, MA, 508-866-5391, http://kingrichardsfaire.net/. Weekends September 1-October 21. Tickets: $32 adults, $30 seniors age 65+, $16 children ages 4-11. Free parking.

Disclaimer: Admission was provided free of charge to me and my group, but all opinions are my own.

[the-bargainista]

Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top

Surprisingly good news: my free bikini from Live Love Bikini arrived after all, even after I was refunded the $5 shipping charge! I brought it on my vacation to Los Angeles, which, unfortunately, was very much not bikini (or Daisy Dukes) weather.

My boyfriend and I bounced around the whole LA area during our trip. To escape an impending nor’easter, we moved our flights to a day earlier and spent the extra night at his brother’s place in Studio City. Since we left behind a nor’easter for LA’s biggest storm of the season, we spent the next day at the Getty Center. No using the rooftop Jacuzzi at our Airbnb in Hollywood!

The following day was still raining, so we did the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. I recommend getting the Go Los Angeles Card for this. 

We spent the next few days at my boyfriend’s co-worker’s house in Pasadena, and the sun finally came out. The house has a pool and Jacuzzi, but the heater was broken. On our last day in Pasadena, we took a drive to Malibu and stood on the beach for two seconds, but it was so cold and windy, even with me wearing a jacket, long-sleeved shirt, and pants. 

We ended our trip at an Airbnb on a hill in Santa Clarita because we went to Six Flags Magic Mountain. (Buy your tickets from your work place’s discount site, be it Plum Benefits, Tickets at Work, Working Advantage, or whatever other names this company uses.) I finally got to try out my new swimsuit in the backyard Jacuzzi overlooking the city lights.

The suit is one size fits all. I am petite, and it fits me well. The top is not padded, but the lining has openings at the top so that you can slip in pads from another swimsuit.

The whole front of the bottom is lined, and the lining is sewn down on all sides. I hate that, on some of my other swimsuits, only the crotch is lined and one edge isn’t sewn down, so sand can get trapped inside. Also, the bottom has ties that allow you to adjust the fit. The cut of these bottoms is the most flattering of all my bikinis.

The signature Live Love Bikini is a decent basic string bikini and a good value for $20.

[the-bargainista]

Itsy bitsy teenie weenie [free] bikini

Update (3/11/18): I’ve gotten a number of emails from Live Love Bikini saying that this bikini is on backorder. The latest email said that they did not know when the suit would be back in stock but that they would issue a $10 gift card as an apology. Of course, everything on the site costs more than $10. I asked them to just cancel my order and refund my $5 shipping charge (and also questioned why they even charged the shipping already before shipping the product). I was promptly refunded the $5.

You read that headline right. New swimwear company Live Love Bikini launched on Friday with a free bikini promotion. Originally, the deal was only good for Friday and you had to follow and share a post on Instagram.

However, you can still snag a gratis swimsuit right now using the promo code LIVELOVE. You only have to pay the $5 shipping.

The free suit is their signature Live Love Bikini, a basic string bikini that comes in eight colors. I can’t speak for the quality and it’s one-size-fits-all, but the strings make it adjustable. For $5, it’s worth taking a chance. 

I will review the bikini once I receive it. It’s worth nothing that, due to high demand, order processing may take up to two weeks. Don’t expect this swimsuit for Valentine’s Day, but you should be all set for spring break.

The Live Love Bikini normally goes for $20. Yes, that’s all! The other swimsuits and cover-ups range from $18 to $28, and college students can get a 20% discount. 

This swimwear line is a new venture from affordable clothing retailer ThreadLust, which is apparently owned by 14- and 12-year-old sisters. ThreadLust also donates one article of clothing to the International Rescue Committee for each piece of clothing purchased. I’m not sure if they’re doing this for Live Love Bikini, too, but I can get behind supporting young, female, socially conscious entrepreneurs.

H/t The Queen of Style

[the-bargainista]

Medieval times

King Richard’s Faire is a whole world unto itself, right down to the weather. On the day that I went, my hometown of New York City was a toasty 87 degrees, and Boston was a balmy 76 degrees. Carver, 45 miles south-southeast of Boston, was 68 degrees, clammy, and misty for most of the day. The 80 wooded acres made for some muddy fairgrounds.

Nevertheless, the largest and longest-running renaissance fair in New England was a magical and nerdy experience. The day that I went had a “Game of Thrones” theme, complete with trivia and costume contests.

You have to purchase food tickets (cash only) to enjoy typical fair offerings like the classic turkey leg or “dragon wings ’n fryes.” Alcohol abounds; you can get beer, wine, or mead if you’re getting into the medieval theme. I actually got hot chocolate because it was so chilly.

Over 50 vendors sell unique items ranging from custom chain mail to handmade figurines of mythical creatures. Seams Like a Dream rents costumes for the faire and beyond. You can try your hand at a number of carnival games with a more medieval bent, such as archery or axe throwing.

The 10 stages offer dozens of shows throughout the day. Some of the shows, like Great Cats of the World, are kid-friendly, but others are not. (The Washing Well Wenches tagline is “Wet Dirty Women, Good, Clean Fun.”)

A series of three jousts takes place over the course of the day at Tournament Field. Unfortunately, due to the mud, the knights had to joust on foot rather than on horseback. The 2:30 p.m. King’s Tournament even had to take place outside the field, unfortunately right in the smokers’ section.

With 35 years of experience and permanent year-round buildings, King Richard’s Faire can really whisk you away and give you an immersive experience with its level of detail. They even have special occasion packages for weddings and more. King Richard’s Faire is great for a unique escape to a magical fantasy.

King Richard’s Faire, 235 Main Street, Carver, MA, 508-866-5391, http://kingrichardsfaire.net/. Weekends September 2-October 22. Tickets: $32 adults, $16 children ages 4-11. Free parking.

Disclaimer: Admission was provided free of charge to me and my group, but all opinions are my own.