The Etiquette of Free

This past weekend I was at an athletic event where all of the sponsors were giving out free swag. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the fact that I was out partying till 5am the night before… Either way, people were just rubbing me the wrong way.

I was working at my tent where we were giving out a variety of things- leis, candy, and tickets to the UMiami vs. UCF game amongst other things. People were spinning a Wheel of Fortune kind of rig to get the prizes, and everyone was a winner. Pretty straightforward, right?

Its amazing to me how rude people can be. Every time I start to have some faith in the human race, some douche comes along and destroys it.

“Which number wins?” They all do.

“Which number do I want to win?” Whichever one makes you happy.

“Which number wins me a car?” None of them!

“Oh. I already have tickets.” Good for you. Next, please!

“I don’t want this- can I have something else?” I didn’t know that this was a buffet…

“Can I have 2?” I didn’t know that this was an all-you-can-eat buffet…

“But I wanted to get leid!” Go have another beer.

And then the kids… I got to the point where I was tired of the kids (and their drunk parents) invading my personal space. I stood tall and firm, with one foot sticking out and unmoving so that when the kids trampled by they’d trip.

The next time you’re at an event and there is free ANYTHING, please bear in mind that the company who is providing it is doing you a favor. Its not your God-given right to receive anything for free: some nice business out there decided to spend a lot of money (in many cases, thousands of thousands of dollars) to give you and all of your drunk homeboys, mooching girlfriends, and crying children something for nothing.

Here’s some tips so you don’t make a faux pas that makes you look like a stuck up bitch (which is one of the least attractive things out there):

1. TAKE ONE! Don’t ask for ‘one for your girlfriend’s sister’s unborn baby’. One is enough, and if the ‘extra person’ (if they even exist) they can very well come and get it themselves.
2. DON’T ROLL YOUR EYES! Nothing is more rude than getting something for free, then rolling your eyes when its not what you wanted, you think is stupid, or you already have. Would you do it to your grandmother who just gave you a shitty birthday present? No. So why do it to a stranger? After all, it cost money too. And that business wasn’t obligated to give you anything (and they aren’t even expecting the half-assed hug you’d give your grandmother). If the beer is free, drink it!
3. TIP! We all know that the words ‘Free’ and ‘Drinks’ don’t tend to equal ‘Wasted’, and we all know best way to get to get on a bartender’s good side is to do the simple task of tipping a fair amount. It never ceases to amaze me that many people still don’t tip on free drinks. If you’re happy with receiving a miniscule amount of alcohol in your beverage and would rather take home a tummy ache from all of the sugary margarita mixer than a buzz, be my guest. DISCLAIMER: Free drinks aren’t always shit. Anyone who has ever been to Wine Not Wednesdays at Dechoes know about Mike and Kerri’s infamous Dec-hoe Punch!
4. DON’T ASK FOR SOMETHING ELSE! Its probably Numero Uno as far as douchiness goes for free swag. Never under any circumstance as for a different gift. If you do, I think it should be acceptable for the business to turn you away empty handed. If you have the audacity to look down on something that someone is handing you free of charge, then you’re a dick.

Remember Orlando, keep it classy!

Recession, Schmession! Savor the best of Orlando during Magical Dining Month!

Its sad: I’ve been living in Orlando for over a year and a half, and there are still so many places I’ve yet to eat! A foodie at heart, I’m starting to take advantage of some of the most well-known places to dine in the City Beautiful, and the timing couldn’t be better. September is Orlando’s Magical Dining Month- some of the most popular dining destinations offer prix fixe menus for their patrons and in turn donate $1 per meal served to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Not only will you be satisfying your need for amazing food at a good price, but you’re supporting a fantastic cause with roots right here in Central Florida.

For $20 for more casual places and $30 for the crème de la crème you will get one appetizer, one entrée, and one dessert. And that’s not for sharing, like many places are offering lately! Bring 2 friends and you’ll get to sample one of everything on the menu, since most of the restaurants are offering 3 things to choose from for each course. With that much food being passed around, be prepared for plenty of bang for your buck and some late-night snacking!

And who all is on this list of amazing restaurants? Only the best! But if you can’t make it to all of them, here’s the highlights that you really should take advantage of:

Winter Park
Chez Vincent- French food on Hannibal Square. Need I say more?
Luma- Everyone I have ever talked to about this place raves!
Hannibal’s on the Square- Quite possibly the best deal in this part of town!

Downtown
Urban Flats- I went here with a friend and tore it up! We split the Loaded Potato Dip and Baked Cheese appetizers. Let’s just say the Baked Cheese gives tomato soup and grilled cheese a run for its money! The salmon was a huge portion and I could barely finish it. Go for the Lava Cake if you’re a chocolate junkie like myself!
310 Lakeside- You know how everyone has their default restaurant? Well-known in Lake Eola and Winter Park for their food, you have to try this place out. It will become your go-to place!
The Boheme- Located in the esteemed Grand Bohemian Hotel, this is upscale dining that you want to take advantage of while the price is locked at $30! Their Sunday brunch is well-known and also starts at $30.

Sand Lake Area
J. Alexander’s- My friend Raye went there and gave me fair warning! I ordered the onion rings, which literally were in a 2-foot tower! Needless to say I took most of them home (throw them under the broiler for about 4 minutes a side and they’ll be just as good as when you first ordered them). If you love beef, this is your place! The Maui Rib Eye and Filet with Bernaise were tempting, but they are known for their prime rib. I think at one point it literally melted in my mouth… I had to force myself to eat the hot fudge and vanilla ice cream since I knew it wouldn’t survive the ride home, and I had the chocolate cake boxed along with half of my entrée. All for $20! I sat up at the bar and had a wonderful conversation with the bartender Fred and caught up on my US Open highlights on their HD flatscreens.
Ocean Prime- Yet another place where you should believe the hype! I need to hit this place ASAP, since the prices are usually $30 just for the entrée. If you don’t get here before dining month ends, try out there Prime Hour Monday through Friday between 4p and 7p. Small plates are half off, etc.

Point Orlando
Cuba Libra- There’s a lot of buzz about this place, and it’s not only because of the grilled pineapple mojitos! Chef Guillermo Pernot is well-known for bringing Nuevo Cuban cuisine to the masses, and this place is a must for anyone who loves some Latino flair to their food.
The Capital Grille- Yet another upscale dining experience that you need to take advantage of while the prices are this low! Acclaimed by food critics, this is one chain restaurant that doesn’t have that ‘chain’ feel.

There are a TON of other restaurants on the list- I’ve only got time to highlight a few of them. Please no hate mail! LOL But check out the complete list HERE. You’ll recognize nearly every name, and there is a menu for all of us Foodies on a Budget (you liked that one, didn’t you?!) Go forth and conquer!

Cheers!

Brunch at HUE- Believe the hype!

I was chatting it up with one of my best friends Cara during the nightly commute home. She lives in her hometown of Boston, so we’ve been keeping in touch through regular phone calls while we’re stuck in the car (on speakerphone, of course!) The other day I said, “Remember that time I came to Boston, and we were eating at Legal Seafood and those guys came for brunch? They were sipping mimosas and we said, ‘One day, that’s going to be us!’” That was us when we were 19… Now that we’re ‘grown ups’, we can do that! …So why haven’t I?

I finally got to partake in an Orlando tradition: Sunday brunch! It just seems like the ‘It’ thing to do around here… Nearly all of my friends are ‘doing brunch’ somewhere on a Sunday. Me being the uncool kid that I am, I wanted in! Since it was my birthday last week on top of a 3-day weekend thanks to Labor Day, I turned it in to a Birthday Weekend and did a little splurging. Sunday was no exception! I packed up my laptop, a good book, and made a reservation at HUE in Thornton Park for 12:30p.

I’ve always heard that HUE is the ‘It’ place for brunch- the rumors of their Bloody Mary buffet were tempting enough for me to try drinking them again (I once took a sip of a friend’s one night, but Cara and I have since deducted that it was a 2-4-1 well and that might be why it tasted like crap). When I made the reservation, I left them know I was bringing a laptop and would need an outlet. They were more than happy to accommodate me, and I had a nice little table that was quiet enough to work but I was still able to take in the happenings of the place. With all of the hype of the Thornton Park area, I was caught off guard when I saw the prices of the food! Everything was modestly priced, even the mimosas and trips to the Bloody Mary bar!

I decided to take the ‘go big or go home’ approach and treated myself to one of my favorite things, which is eggs benedict. The Eggs Benedict HUE Style comes with 2 amazing crab cakes that left me wondering where the ‘cake’ was. There was also an amazing flavor to them that reminded me of Thai food. I also took advantage of the $4 Bloody Mary made with Absolut Peppar. At the ‘buffet’, you can choose from a few bottled selections of mixers, but why do that when you can take advantage of their house mix? You can also go crazy with the garnishes! They had everything from chilled shrimp and pepperoni cubes to blue cheese stuffed olives and peppers. Needless to say, I’ve found my newest drink addiction and had 2.

The one thing that I did really enjoy at HUE was the service! I was there for a good two and a half hours, and at no point did I feel rushed to turn the table over. My waiter was very nice, and took the time to explain the concept of the Bloody Mary bar to me. Any of you who waited tables will agree with me that service is a biggie when dining out, and I’ll even watch other tables to see how their service is. I know- weird habit LOL The servers at HUE work as a team- everyone is cleaning off tables, even if they are not in their section, as soon as someone is done eating. Fresh coffee was always being offered, waters were being filled before my glass was even half-empty. All those little things make big impressions on me! I was reading Atonement, and one of the waiters politely stopped by to ask if I was enjoying the book more than the movie, since he had just seen it and wanted to read the novel as well. We ended up swapping a few of our favorite selections (as us bookworms like to do).

I’m glad I’m finally getting back in to ‘single mode’ and trying out different places around town, even if it is just myself and a book. Cara and I were saying that you never really start to appreciate the city you’re living in until you start getting out there and taking advantage of the places and traditions that are known around town. I think Sunday brunch at HUE just might have to be my own little tradition…

Birthdays on a Budget!

I made it to the ripe old age of 24!! No longer can I use the ‘I just graduated from college’ line, and I’m almost to the point where I don’t get carded every time I try to order a dirty martini! So how does a girl celebrate in the midst of a recession and still keep the swagger of a high roller?

Everyone likes to go out for dinner on their birthday! Sadly, my group of friends (most of us in our early 20’s), have all been hit pretty hard by the economy. If you are able to round up a group of your comrades, then you’re already familiar with the typical ordeal of finding a place that will make your friends’ bellies happy, their wallets full, and still be worthy of a celebration. Downtown Orlando is host to a variety of places, ranging from the cheap pizza-by-the-slice place you hit when the bars are closed to the upscale. Ceviche is one of those places that only looks expensive. Located on the corner of Garland and Church Street, Ceviche is a Spanish tapas restaurant that looks like it was plucked out of a fabulously old cathedral in Madrid and placed in sunny Orlando. When you walk in, take a gander at the wonderful architecture- those beams are really from a church, but I think the hostess said it was from France…

Ceviche’s menu is also not all about raw fish marinated in citrus juices, either! Although you really should try the salmon ceviche, the house ceviche is the best bang for your buck ($8.95, to be exact)- each oversized martini glass it is served in comes with oversized scallops, huge prawns, and massive chunks of fish. Like I said, though, their menu is not all about amazing fresh seafood! They have about 100 varied traditional Spanish tapas (not joking on the 100 number). Think of them as little mini-meals that you can order a few of and share with your friends. The prices of them range anywhere from $3.50 to about $9, give or take depending on what you order. The portions aren’t bad for the price, and everyone can find something that they’ll like. The food is built for ordering lots of different flavors, stealing bites off of other people’s plates, and really good conversations. Be prepared to spend about 2 hours there, since the food comes out little by little. You’ll also be taking in the beautiful décor and feeding off of the energy of the place to where you won’t want to leave! If you want to get a good experience of what tapas is all about, try the banderillas mixtas, croquetas, tortilla Española, and the champiñones de Sevilla. Bring a friend- you will leave with leftovers and still spend less than $25!

Ever spend tons of money on a birthday cake and it goes half-eaten because you bought too much and you had to throw it out after a week? I personally hate throwing out food, and throwing away dessert is one of the biggest sins one could commit in my home. But I’m also a big fan of desserts (my booty is proof!), so when I do have a birthday I like to have a really yummy slice of something special to seal the deal. The best place in Orlando I’ve found for that is The Dessert Lady! Located downtown on Church Street (and another location on Kirkman), The Dessert Lady is a chic little lounge in the beautiful Church Street Station building. It is lusciously decorated with rich reds and golds- almost as decadent as the desserts they serve up! I’m not going to lie- prices are a little steep at $10 a dessert, however (BIG emphasis on the ‘however’!) a slice of cake could easily serve 2-4 people! This is one place where I highly suggest the Buddy System!

Desserts are what they focus the most on- There are usually a few little things on the savory side if you’re looking for something of substance to go with your sugar high. They also have a good selection of wine and beer in case you’re not in the mood for ice cold milk or coffee. The service was great- the woman running the place was very knowledgeable and just as sweet as the desserts she was cutting in to. A few other couples came in while I was there splitting my zuccotto with Paul- some were there just to grab a late afternoon ‘snack’ (like myself), and one couple came in to look at potential wedding cakes. The space is also available to use for private parties, like bridal showers or birthday receptions.

Hopefully this helps gives you an idea of how to celebrate your birthday, or even just a fun night out! I know mine was a blast, and I was really glad I was able to do something where everyone was able to join in. After all, what’s a celebration without your friends?

XOXO