Starbucks – Great Idea!!

Today I strolled over to Starbucks to get some tea to enjoy during my morning walk (I drink the green ginger tazo tea. It’s the best). As I reached for a stirrer to distribute my 4 packs of Equal, I saw a curious cup with writing on it. It looked like a tip cup but with a lid and a straw. The cryptic message scribbled on the cup read “Look what I can do…No more spills.” After the third re-read and my eyes darting back and forth from the cup to the tiny pile of green sperm like sticks, I finally put two and two together.

Starbucks has actually taken action! They actually developed and produced a small plastic stopper to avoid the horrible burping spillage that comes while walking/driving with a piping hot coffee or latte. I took a second to think about this. While, I appreciate the effort and the recognition of the fact that it is SOOO annoying to pay $3.50 for a latte and then 30 seconds later have it explode all over your hand and sleeve, I find it counter productive towards our cultures “global green-planet” goal. How much damage to the earth are these sticks causing just so we can grab our skinny latte, jump back in my car and bob and weave through traffic without our Starbucks cup spewing all over our spring brights? (effort to be politically correct).

The REALTY to the issue is about laziness and the risk aversion theory. Puzzled? Continue…While using this spill stick this morning I found it very annoying to hold the cup with my right hand  lift my left arm to hold this small stick up to snag a sip of tea.  Like all normal Americans,  I like to drink my coffee while trying to accomplish several other taskes. Which is why it is so annoying to get spilled on because it not only stains but takes attention away from my multi-tasking and forces me to just do clean-up.  So I face a quandry…

According to risk aversion theory – when i use the spill stick it is certain that I won’t get burned but also certain I must engage my left arm in activity.  My risk-averse side says take the stick – a garuntee to be spill free and I must ignore my lazy arm. But, my risk-seeking (lazy arm) side says take the chance!!!!! Yes, I might get splashed and burned and YES that makes me very angry but there is STILL a chance that I won’t get burned AND I won’t have to engage my left arm in stick holding. 

Like any good econimist or financial consultant would tell you being risk averse, gets you a savings account and a good credit score. Good thing I am a true stock market thrill seeker, and say bring it on RISK!! And while my anger boils as hot as that burbling coffee, I say NO to Starbucks small sperm stick. I take the RISK because  I want to save the environment! Because my left arm has more important things to do. Like applying my mascara and holding the steering wheel.

 

Check out all the Starbucks gossip on this blog!!

http://starbucksgossip.typepad.com/_/2008/04/starbucks-quiet.html

 

Sibling Rivalry

Sibling Rivalry.

Oops Shiloh makes reservation at Sibling Rivalry in Boston without realizing Restaurant Week is still going on in Boston. Phew! with my family in tow I was glad that the prix fixe menu did not disappoint!! I love this place, and so did Brad and Angelina (my parents). The food was fantastic, but even better were the memories of the real sibling rivalry of 1994-98 between WestCoastApple and myself. Ahh, those were the days!

WestCoastApple was smart and well read. She had some tricks up her sleeve but mostly wanted nothing to do with me. Her lack of interest resulted in lack of motivation to produce true sibling suffering. As a younger sister, I had the luxury of time and passion to be at max annoyance 100% of the time.

If you are in the business of being annoying, please take notes:

A taboo buzzer can be a very handy tool. First think of how annoying this device is during an actual game of Taboo. NOW use your imagination to think of yourself locked in your room trying to use the new cordless phone to talk to your nerdfriends. What could be worse that a younger sibling laying at your door with the taboo buzzer in one hand and spare batteries in the other. Nice, right!!!? Point: Shiloh

Car rides. Prime annoyance time. WestCoastApple LOVES to read. That child read books like she was going to end the Gulf War. During long trips to various points on the US map was my chance to break her concentration and sanity in the backseat. The details are foggy but I remember really being able to rile her up.

Lesson three. Eat food off her plate. This still works like a charm. As WCA sits down to a family meal, I am sure snatch my fork and scoop up some noodles or veggies off her plate before she is finished pulling in her chair. This one is sure fire to spur a sibling rivalry and still puts a look in her eye that sends me into hysterics.

As for our diner at Sibling Rivalry tonight there was more sharing than stealth scooping. All the dinners had a nice presentation and fantastic flavor. We recommend this South End hot spot!!

• 525 Tremont Street, Boston, MA

 

WestCoastApple loves the Big Apple.

Hello all heartshaped readers! I am finally back where I belong on the east coast–well even if just for a week.

While here I had the marvelous chance to visit the Big Apple, former residence of WestCoastApple and still the source of all things fabulous.

When I visit NYC, people always ask me “what did you do?”, “what museums did you visit?”, “what new restaurants did you try?” Please people. For me New York is about a few things only:

1. Visiting with MFF (most fabulous friend) “CW”.
2. Eating at all the SAME restaurants I used to eat at in order to recreate 2002.
3. Shopping. But not in unique hidden boutiques, its all about scouring all the chain stores with CW to see what they are doing these days.

Never mind that the above could occur in nearly any American city. New York is where its all happening! But CW can definitely thank 5 years of semi-maturity for earning her some meals at restaurants that WestCoastApple-5-years-ago would have been too nervous to eat at. Get this, in 2 days only, I branched out to the Saigon Grill (summer rolls, brown rice, and wine) and a Chinatown Beef Hand-Pulled Noodle shop. Both were delish and in return, CW brought me to a place that WestCoastApple-in-any-year would always rejoice in, SHAKE SHACK in Madison Square park. This is like an amazing roadside burger stand in the middle of NYC–tons of fun even in subzero temperatures (that if should go on record, WestCoastApple is no longer used to).

I also got to eat at MAX, a little Italian place in the East Village that has handmade pastas, great wine, and never disappoints to be crowded and fun. We woke up to toasted baguettes and Cafe Americano at Cafe Gitane. While shopping we hit up Rugby, Anthropologie, Club Monaco, Intermix (), JCrew (perhaps first time ever we walked out sans bags), Bloomingdales and more. Tons of fun. We walked right by BR ( again refer to Boring Republic post), where CW said “I hate those weird beads they have on everything.” Amen sister!

Lastly, a trip to New York for WestCoastApple would never be complete without the requisite sprint to some train or another. This week was no exception. Somehow there is always some LOST-type time warp between when you park your car (11:16, plenty of time til 11:32 train!!) to when you get to the station board (CRAP 11:28 and train is ALL ABOARD). This results in my taking my trying-to be-effortlessly-dressed-and-coiffed self and sprinting with heavy bag, ALWAYS to the GD LAST track of the station, then making that last mighty Rockyesque climb up the steps with suitcase slamming against my knee. I then collapse into the nearest seat, panting heavily, to realize I no longer look effortless, am out of shape, and I picked the car with either the smelly near-homeless man or the broken air conditioner. Then have small feeling of victory (I made it!) competing with feelings of athletic ineptness (yuck how am I sucking wind). Please note, same story always happens at end of trip, however add in NYC purchases and more frantic pace, and you have me wishing I had the beer that the guy in the next seat over is drinking.

Ah, east coast city life! Tomorrow, Boston!

 

All Aboard!

Here’s a little heartshaped nugget from down in the financial district.

Decorated in the classically utilitarian French Bistro style (think Gaslight), Kingston Station is reminiscent of a Parisian railway station, offering the Suits downtown a post-work oasis – Gallic style.

I stopped there recently for an apres-work drink and will definitely be buying a return ticket.

Highlights include:

• Wine by the glass, 1/2 carafe, carafe and bottle. (our waiter recommended the Shiraz, and it was out of this world. A little pricey though – $12 a glass and $44 for a carafe! Yikes! Merci, but no merci to that second glass.)
• Happy Hour Special. 1/2 off all appetizers Mon – Wed from 5pm-7pm in the bar and cafe. Also, they offer Late Night food 11 – 1am Wed – Sat at the bar.
• The Truffle Fries. Oh. My. God. You will never want to eat anything else again. Thick cut french fries, drizzled with truffle oil and gruyere cheese. Heaven? Mais oui!

Bottom Line: It’s definitely worth a trip. If you want a great happy hour, this is your ticket. Insert more railroad jokes here.

 

brunch fiesta!

Brunch at Masa was pretty darn tasty, and the price tag was even better.

We recommend the Fiesta Brunch (prix fixe, $7.95) you receive:

• coffee
• a starter (like fruit salad, or granola)
• and an entree.

I had fruit salad followed by the scrambled eggs.

They were pretty good.

Their remastered eggs benedict with avocados and cheese was way better.

Next time, I’m getting that.

Also, for the non-fiesta brunchers, there was an amazing breakfast burrito. The homefries are in the burrito! dream!

Then we stopped at Flour for a cupcake.

I love Saturdays.

 

the chocolate bunny commeth.

So Easter is fast approaching. And for lapsed Catholics like myself, this basically just means…candy. Delicious, delicious candy. This year is tougher than usual to pick a favorite, but it has to be one of the two Mini Egg varieties.

First on this list, and also in my heart, are the Cadbury Mini Eggs.

Delicious, crunchy, chocolately goodness, and so adorable in their pale pastel candy coatings! This candy also gives Britain a chance to one-up us, because their cheap chocolate kicks the pants off our cheap chocolate. Don’t worry, because we beat them in dental hygiene and our version of The Office is just plain better.

Second. Reese’s Peanut Butter Mini Eggs.

In the past, Reese’s has made the giant PB Eggs, that are basically just an upside down peanut butter cup that is an oval, instead of round. These are not ideal, as the chocolate to peanut butter ratio is all off. These mini eggs are delightful, individually wrapped in bright, colorful foil, and completely delicious.

Now that we’ve gone through my favorites, I’d like to confront the most confusing of Easter candies.

The Chocolate Bunny.

A recent dinner guest bought this little fellow to my apartment as a hostess gift. While very cheerful, I am not sure how to go about eating a Chocolate Bunny as an adult. Ten-year-old Harlow would have peeled back the foil and immediately commenced gnawing at the ears, thus rendering it gummy and gross-looking so her evil younger brother would be dissuaded from stealing it. Then it would have sat in the cupboard for approximately 1 weeks until my mother threw it away and then denied it.

I would appreciate any input as to the correct social decorum on this.

I’m thinking the most generous and fun, not to mention hygienic, way to enjoy the Bunny, would be to smash it, and then pass the pieces around. As an adult, I’ve learned to share. as long as I get the ears.

 

Boost Your Heart Rate

Since Harlow has introduced an amazing sandwich that is good for the waist-line as well as the taste buds, I have another handy hint in the name of weight management.

First off, a rant The term ”Weight Management” reminds me….has anyone else been to Cheesecake factory and HATED being forced to order a meal called the “weight management mexican salad?” Listen up CHEESESCAKE FACTORY. YOUR so called “weight management salad in the “REAL WORLD” is just called salad.  What you should really do is re-lable all your other meals to be called “discustingly large mash potato pile” or “obesity inducing bacon burger.” Now, I don’t even LOOK at the rest of the menu because I always flip directly to my “weight management section”.  Just ploping the term “Weight management infront of 5 salads is pretty lazy, Mr. Cheesecake CEO.    I am proud to be a weight watcher and not a calorie cow, BUT I mean even APPLEBEES and Chilis can put in the effort to give their lower-cal food some sassy names. Step it up Cheesecake.

That rant really boosted my heart rate! But….Here is my tip and my original idea for the post.  A great website if you are a runner is called www.mapmyrun.com.

You can navigate the most unique trip around the city and still be able to see the exact milage. Suggestions from other users are perfect if you are feeling bored with the same old routes. Not to mention this is in a way as social networking site, so post a pic! and maybe you will run into the man (avatar) of your dreams!

Happy running.  

Here is my amature tip. Buy a heart rate monitor! Any athlete should know their resting and max heart rate. This way you will be able to train in specific heart rate zones that can produce specific results.

check out www.polarusa.com to get a better idea.

 

heart shaped sandwich.

Happy Suck Day. That’s what we call Tuesday ’round here at Heartshaped.

To brighten your day, here’s a little something for you weight watchers out there. It’s the most delish sandwich ever possible, inspired by the Alpine Slide from Cape Cup in Cape Cod. I won’t even tell you about their sandwich because you will leave your cubicle this instant and make one of those holes shaped like you in the office wall to get there. And they don’t open until noon, anyway. Suffice it to say, it’s heaven on a baguette.

But until you are able to jettison out to the ol’ elbow this summer, this should hold you over.

Heart Shaped Alpine Slide (only 3 Points!)

2 slices Weight Watchers Multigrain Bread (vastly superior to the whole wheat)

4 slices Sara Lee Honey Roasted Turkey (prepackaged)

1 tsp honey mustard (I prefer the Inglehoffer Sweet Honey Mustard Variety, as it features an adorable mustachioed gnome as its logo. Germans are so weird! Except Heidi. xoxoxox Hiedi!)

2 slices Granny Smith Apple (I used the plastic knife from our office kitchen to hack at it and then I ate the rest of it for a 1 point bonus dessert!)

1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese.

Toast the bread. Once toasted, spread the Laughing Cow cheese Wedge on one piece. pile on apple slices and turkey. Spread honey mustard on remaining slice. Consume. Grin wildly.

*Note. Heart Shaped Alpine Slide is best enjoyed while reading heartshapedrocks.