O Christmas Tree

It's a Christmas miracle my apartment did not burn down over the holidays. All four roommates home for the holidays left a dying and drying Christmas tree. Fire hazard much? I could not take the paranoia of getting a call at work that our apartment was in flames anymore so tonight we threw the tree out, literally.

The Usual

In honor of those New Year's resolutions to be a better penny pincher and the nights when you need to pay for dinner with change because you ate at Morimoto the night before, I want to share little BARGAIN ALERTS: the SUPER SPECIAL at EVA'S

A good 6 months passed before I ever stepped foot into Eva's. I dismissed it for so long because I assumed any place that hung pictures of their menu items and sold protein shakes and vitamins was disgusting and not a fit for me. That is until one night, my roommate, Liza, came home raving about this amazing deal she discovered at Eva's. Any vegetarian sandwich and cup of soup for $4.95. I peeked into her brown to-go bag and not only was it cheap, but it was healthy, and dare I say it, delicious too!

Pictured: Nature burger in toasted whole-wheat pita with homemade tahini sauce and a cup of homemade lentil soup: $4.95

I was sold - a cheap and healthy meal option - an urban myth. So sold, that I have ordered the "Super Special" at Eva's so many times that when I walk in, the sweet man looks at me and asks "the usual?" Better I have a "usual" and recognizable staff at a health food store than Dunkin' Donuts... Here he is smiling away as he rings up the total bill to $5.39.

I am not sure how this deal works considering a vegetarian sandwich alone costs $4.50 - $7.20, but get it with soup and it can all be yours for $4.95. The falafel with humus sanwich is also available for a mere $1.99 - once when counting change from my pocket to pay for this bargain, the man next to me said "oh I've been there..." so you are not alone!

No sugar free coating here - Eva's is a bizarre half health food resaurant/half vitamin shop where body builders, cops, NYU students and neighbors have been coming since 1978. And try to not to make eye contact with the occasional supplement salesman or you'll leave half an hour later convinced you need the protein pill before you work out.

Eva's Health Food

11 West 8th Street New York, NY 10011

212.982.2500

Mon - Sat: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Sun: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

FREE DELIVERY (Minimum $7.00)

Freshman 15

When I was a student at The University of Texas, we had a cookie delivery service called Tiff's Treats (All Austin and Dallas readers, order some NOW) Late night studying, birthdays, or simply because it was Tuesday afternoon were all reasons to send or receive warm cookies delivered to your dorm room. When I walked across the graduation stage, I thought I was walking away from the glorious concept of cookie delivery. Gracias a Dios, I was wrong. Turns out some fine folks in Pennsylvania had the same great idea, and expanded it to NYU.

I present Insomnia Cookies

I can now eat and feel like a college student all over again with these freshly baked, warm, gooey, delicious cookies delivered any hour of the day or night. Not only that, but after opening their retail shop (pictured below) at 50 W. 8th St., near Macdougal St., you can burn calories walking there.

WARM COOKIES. DELIVERED. LATE NITE.

Cookie flavors range from the basic for $1.00 each (sugar, peanut butter, chocolate chunk, M&M, snickerdoodle, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate macadamia) to deluxe for $2.25 each (TRIPLE chocolate chunk, peanut butter chocolate, and smore's). Or, if you want to get really aggressive, you can order the "Menage a Trois" - your choice of any three flavors baked

TOGETHER. IN ONE. COOKIE.
Photo: Melissa Hom

So whether you're staying warm on your couch, welcoming someone to the neighborhood, walking home at 3 a.m. from Village Tavern, or because it's simply Tuesday afternoon, send and treat yourself to Insomnia Cookies - and order a chocolate chunk for me!

Insomnia Cookies
50 West 8th StreetNew York, NY 10011
Between 6th Avenue and MacDougall Street.
212.228.2373
Retail Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 AM
Delivery Time: 6:00 PM - 2:30 AM
Minimum for delivery: $6.00 Estimated delivery time: 30-40 minutes
Delivery Zone: from Broome St. to 14th St, and Ave. A to Washington Ave.

Block Party

"Cruising down 8th street, off-white Lexus..."

Jay-Z, "Empire State of Mind", 2009

The key to living in a great neighborhood is to find that one dodgy street in the middle of browstone lined streets - Exhibit A: West 8th street, between 5th and 6th avenue: my block. Formerly known as "the shoe street".

I'm not kidding. When I tell people where I live, many respond "ohhhh the street with all the shoe shops". It's really random how one block drew so many shoe vendors but truly, every other window shop used to be filled with Italian leather loafers, cowboy boots, hiking boots, stilettos, and every shape, size and color inbetween. My roommate, Liza, and I often fantasized about filming a spoof of the You Tube "shoes" video walking down our block. That was 2 years ago. Over the past 2 years, the face of this block has changed dramatically. Blame it on the recession, the decline of demand for tacky shoes, or the laws of capitalism, but many shoe shops and restaurants have shut their doors.

RIP Chicken & Pizza Bar with your one-stop shop for my two favorite food items, RIP Pio Maya serving sub-par tex-mex, RIP next-door jazz cafe that serenaded me on my walks home, RIP Salvation Army Donation Center providing the absolute best costumes - you are missed.

But as we all know, when one shop door closes, another opens. And there are some great new neighbors which have brought new life to this block. While my roomates and I are thrilled of the new additions, we secretly hope this block doesn't get too nice, or our rent may go up.

I could devote an entire blog to the quirkyness that is my block (the motorcycle tailgates, the tranny shops, the underground rave club, wondering why the double decker tour busses drive down our street, etc....in fact, maybe that is worth another blog) but instead I'll frequently feature the greatness that is west 8th street, between 5th and 6th avenue.

I pledge allegiance, to the Diner

The first step to claiming your neighborhood is to pick

"your diner". Mine?

Waverly Restaurant at the corner of 6th Avenue and Waverly Place.

Where else do you have the choice between eggs, french toast, meatloaf or a prime rib? Waverly Restaurant serves patrons with the charming qualities of most New York diners: framed photographs of unkown actors from the 1980's, delicious comfort food, rushed service, cash only payments, cramped seating and shot glass size servings of orange juice. But what makes Waverly Restaurant my choice? On top of serving the best breakfast, please note the geniusness that is the seasonal window decorations. That's right, stenciled silver bells made with fake snow from a can. You know there is a box in the basement of Waverly Restaurant labeled "Christmas decorations". Keep an eye throughout the year with paper cut outs of leprechauns, Thanksgiving turkeys and Easter bunnies. Inside, there are also great paintings and pictures of 6th avenue through the years.

Waverly Restaurant stands in a prime location - tourists get off at the West 4th subway stop to fill up before exploring the village, neighbors stumble in Saturday morning for grease, and any hour of the night or day you can satisfy your craving for pancakes...or a pastrami sandwich.

My personal suggestions: southwest scramble with hashbrowns, silver dollar pancakes with fresh strawberries and the classic grilled cheese sandwich.

Joe's Jr. challenged Waverly Diner, but sorry fans of Joe's, it's survival of the fittest and Joe's Jr. a few blocks up on 6th Avenue is no longer standing. (not to mention, they didn't serve strawberries on their pancakes, strike one)

I proudly stand, place my hand on my heart, and pledge my allegiance, to my diner, Waverly Restaurant.