Cool as a Cucumber

Forget overpriced products that have probably been marked up about 60%, why not soothe your damaged dreads at home? Here are some recipes that I've rounded up (comments will follow on how successful they all were soon) OR you can let me know if you beat me to the punch as I am going to try and show some self control by spreading these out.

1) Ingredient: tomatoes

Yes, It works for skunks but apparently this Ph fighting kitchen favorite can counter other, er, more common smells. If you spent too much time swimming and your hair is full of chlorine then maybe a can of tomato juice or sauce will clear out the smell and guess what? restore your shiny natural hair color too! (don't judge my enthusiasm)

2) Ingredient: eggs

Thank god I haven't had to deal with this since middle school but eggs might be your quick, home made solution to dandruff. (yay protein shien and no flakes, its practically garnier)

3) Ingredient: honey & olive oil

Now, I'm usually the kind of girl that needs a specific result but I just like the idea of mixing these two ingredients (not to mention I have an abundance of both in the house). We'll see how this turns out but my prediction is that I will have shiny hair.

I found an extra bit of info on the internets claiming that greasy hair was a result of overbrushing and I can buy that. As a sidenote this really reminds me of the time I had my make up done at the mall (yes...I know I was that girl) and I was told that my not drinking enough water was tricking my skin into being oily because it was thirsty and overcompensating. If its possible for my skin to overcompensate, I bet the same is possible for hair. Just some food for though....or maybe hair, you be the judge.

Hairy Business

No matter what you do you can't get those fly-aways to sit just right and your $8 box of hair dye left you in wanting to crawl into a hole. You're having a really bad hair day. Whether your genes have you looking like an ape or a naked mole rat, we all have hairy issues to deal with every now and then. In fact, Kim Kardashian just declared in the September issue of Allure that her entire body is hairless thanks to laser hair removal. In honor of a pesky evolutionary trait that, despite a multi-billion dollar industry, we're never quite satisfied this week we're delving into the world of: hair

A Cake, Cake

Since being home with my family I have two new and lovely things to share: 

First: My mom and I made a banana chocolate chip walnut bread using THE most bizarre mold: a CAKE mold. I have never seen one of these and thought they fit in our bizarre, practically undefined theme.

Second: (note these will have their own picture post to come) My sister recently back from her internship in Paris. We grew up there but she got to spend the summer going back for a medical thing of some sort and brought me a back (through my best friend's mom) a bagful of macarons. People here often ask me if what I meant to say was macaroons so I thought I'd whip up some picks of the "real" macarons...well to me anyways.

- Deborah

Places where the illegal isn't

I was underwhelmed when my friend Ted (who is working on a hip hop documentary) dragged me along to see some graffiti. As I explained, very eloquently I might add, "I can see graffiti outside my place in Brooklyn". Turns out this is a mecca for graffiti lovers that I would never have stumbled across. Right outside the 45 court sq stop in Queens is a block sized area called 5 PTZ. Despite the fact that tagging is still illegal, people that believed and loved the art of it started looking for a place to do it anyways and this was it. From the 80's on, this building/block has turned into a sort of tourist site/monument/living and evolving art piece. Granted you usually can't take pics of people working and there is serious application process for artists that want to display their art. 

 

So long story short we randomly ran into different groups of French break dancers and watched a dance off between them and some local New Yorkers. Here are some pics, let me know if it whelms you to go, just where a mask...some of those fumes are INtense.

 

-Deborah

The Week of Nonexistence

Last week we disappeared because we are irresponsible and terrible people. This week I am going home to visit my family in Tejas which means that I am going to be abandoned on a lone island of despair. That despairs however comes fully equipped with A/C, cable and home cooked food. Despite this we're going to throw up a few misc. post on things that don't exist. I promise we will be up and functioning like normal human beings soon.

-Deborah

Bring on the Brain Freeze

T

Nothing captures the taste of childhood summers quite like a slushie from a street vendor. From mango to orange there's a flavor for everyone. I opted for the classics: lime, blue raspberry, and cherry.

- Kait

Pop-a-holic

I can officially think of something better to dip then dots...popsicles! Kait and I stumbled in on this NY snack gem on our journey out last weekend and despite not letting Reuben (one of the owners of Pop-Bar) know we were writing a post at all, he was quite possibly one of the friendliest people we had ever met.

Not only did we get our pictures snapped for the wall (yes, that is your cue to go look for our pic) BUT we each customized our own popsicle. I had a fruit based one: strawberry (no added sugar) and dipped in dark chocolate. Kait had a chocolate gelato dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in hazelnuts.

Reuben gave us a backstage peek at one of the newest hotspots, er, coolspots for the summer:


Where are you from originally (a little history on the operation) and what made you set up in NY?
"I am originally from Italy, born and raised, although I moved to NY over 14 years ago. My partner Daniel is also from Europe (Germany) but moved here at the same time as me. We feel 100% New Yorkers and we wouldn't have opened our first location anywhere else.... so we brought a little bit of Italy here."


What is your favorite flavor? Are you going to be launching any new flavors or toppings?
"We currently have around 30 flavors, 22 to 25 in the display at all times. We are working on launching new flavors, some such as Blood Orange and Mandarin were already soft launched with good results."


"My favorite flavor changes by day, for popSorbettos I usually go with a classic Strawberry half dipped into dark chocolate. For popGelato I have no preferences, although our Gianduia (an Italian blend of Hazelnut and Chocolate) is ranked very high in my personal list, especially when covered with fresh chopped hazelnuts"



Psst...do you have any upcoming promotions we could share with our readers?
"Stay tuned for a special promotion on August 4th, which marks our 3 month birthday. All I can say for now is we will have some freebies...stay tuned on our Facebook page!"

Is there anything else you'd like to share with us? (your secret?)
"I think the success we had in these few short months has to do with a couple of factors. The customer is definitely attracted by our colorful, unique display...but if popbar wouldn't taste good then we wouldn't see repeat customers, especially in a city like New York. The real secret is that our Gelato tastes good because it's made only with fresh, natural ingredients. Not many could claim to make their gelato on the spot on a daily basis, without using any artificial flavoring. Taste and freshness still go a long way!"

Now just for fun here are some pictures we got from pop-bar so you can get an idea of what you can custom make on your own!

individual shots: popbar, display shots:michael tulipan

individual shots: popbar,
display shots:michael tulipan

individual shots: popbar,
display shots:michael tulipan

'

And last but not least visit pop-bar or their facebook page for all the juicy deets

- Deborah


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Escape the Heat with a Cool Treat

According to Weather.com, our thermometers are supposed to top 95 degrees this weekend. According to CNN we just survived the warmest June in history. No wonder there's either a Mister Softee or a frozen yogurt joint on almost every corner in Manhattan right now. Today I stopped by easily the most celebrated frozen yogurt vendor in NYC: Pinkberry. Everyone raves about the half-off happy hour special, and yes, the second it hits your tongue the yogurt sends your eager little sensors into tastebud heaven, but is it that much better than the other yogurt stands in New York? I'm not sure and I can't speak for everyone. I definitely enjoyed my chocolate yogurt with kiwi and crushed Oreos but I'm trying to decide if it was just the air conditioning that made my experience so great. That leaves me with the question: When the sun finally takes a rest and Mother Nature blankets the city in snow, how do New Yorkers still crave frozen yogurt?

- Kait

Vietnamese Sandwhiches and Deep Fried Love

We're gonna show some deeeep fried love with a little healthy twist for some balance. Ben and I decided to try out Baoguette awhile back over in the St. Marks/East Village area and I think it makes quite a good healthy snack. Not only are these vietnamese sandwhiches delicious, they're affordable and have that unique savory meat mixed in with a traditional french baguette. Add some classic condensed milk infused vietnamese coffe (Yes, half the reason to get it is so you can watch it drip slowly into your cup) and the free green tea ice cream to top it off and you might be just as addicted.

Still feeling a little hungry we wandered down to Led Zeppole's which is in fact the greatest place on earth. A rotating glass encased set of shelves filled with twinkies, oreos and other unhealthy treats sits right behind the guy at the counter. At this point you are to make the difficult decision of choosing something as everything is battered and deep fried on the spot.

And now you may have a well deserved fat attack. Great decisions in NYC.

- Deborah

Movie Theater Treat Moves to the Streets

While weaving in, out, and around the many vendors at NYC street fairs, one can't help but pause to take in the sweet, buttery, and all-too-familiar smell emanating from the red tarp labeled Kettle Corn NYC. Without a permanent residence, the business sets up camp at street fairs and festivals all over New York, making fresh kettle corn on-site and then shipping out online orders the following Monday. With flavors like cotton candy, cinnamon, and spicy ranch there's a taste for every palate. We got our hands on the cheddar 'n spice variety and the original kettle corn flavor. Let's just say they both take movie theater food to a whole new level. Visit their website at kettlecornnyc.com to learn more.




- Kait

Hot Diggity

I am a fan of hot dogs. Being in NYC this means that yes, I do eat dirty water dogs and Nathan's super healthy corn dogs. For today though I thought I'd shout out to a great NYC find in the hot dog world by sharing some pics with you of the delicious experience I had a while back when I stopped by the Asia Dog stand at the Brooklyn Flea market.

Here is the menu: 

The idea is that each hot dog has a different Asian infusion. First you choose between a chicken, beef or veggie dog. Second you choose topics or a set theme such as "The Ginny" that has homemade Kimchi and Nori flakes.

I had the Sidney hot dog, a thai style dog with relish with mango, cucumber, red onion,
cilantro, crushed peanuts and fish sauce.

The drinks looked great but I already had a bottled water and I'm truly tempted to go back and pick up a jar of homemade kimchi mmmm... Check it out for yourself.

- Deborah

Snack That

Twinkies,Goldfish, Dunkaroos ... pick your poison. Whether you're on the go or just too lazy to cook there's nothing like a good snack to hold you over until the next meal. They always say eating many small "meals" is healthier than gorging on a few large ones, right? This week we're headed out onto the streets of the Big Apple in search of the best: snacks.
- Kait

The Great Pop Adventure: Part II

As promised here are the sodas (slash juices because I'm a cheater) that I pulled from the supermarket in K-town on 33rd street. I tried to get some of everything so it wouldn't just be Korean and there would be a variety of flavors to sample. Now, you should be warned that there are some really cool drinks I was tempted to buy do to the amazing things they claim to do but I stuck to the ones with interesting flavors and bottles. (If you ever have time to browse a Korean supermarket, try the line of flavored waters that either clarify, cleanse or firm your skin and report back please)

Ramune Melon Soda : A
Setting aside the unconventional flavor of melon for a soda the downfall to this drink (or upside for some people I guess) is that the actual opening of the bottle is ridiculously complicated. First there is a removable cap which you then get to try and use to flip upside down and open it with. Next you're supposed to attempt trapping the marble in the bottle. This by the way sounds highly dangerous but here goes...

Well for one it was easily drinkable. This soda actually tastes like melon and its subtle enough to be similar to sprite or ginger ale. Just be careful when you pop the marble in. That was kindof scary.



Calpico Lychee soda : A+
This one says its a non-carbonated soft drink...I read the soft drink part. Regardless, it's a very cool and localized flavor so I thought it would be a nice addition to the list. My guess is that its going to be very flavorful and borderline milky since it looks like milk at first glance.

This tasted exactly like I expected BUT better. It has a slight tart undertone to it that makes it taste a bit like those sweet tart candies we ate in school but still very milky. Check out calpico.com for more.

Milkis Melon Soda : B-
Okay so one more melon flavored soda, but, this one claims a "fantastic feeling!" enriched with vitamin A & D. This time we have something to compare it to. It is also made by the same company (Lotte) that makes a traditional and delicious yogurt drink.

This one was much more carbonated then the last one if that's at all possible. The flavor was a tad too artificial for me so I don't think I would drink it again but I do think its safe to assume many other people would be able to drink this.

- Deborah

Quickie Poll

Wrigley's Extra gives you a whole new reason to snap your gum and pop those bubbles with a new product line hitting shelves in September. Dessert Delights gum is engineered to taste like some very popular after-dinner treats: Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Shortcake, and Mint Chocolate Chip. We snagged some sample packs of the gum and the flavors really do mimic the desserts they're modeled after. Sounds good if you're craving that pie but want to steer clear of the calories, but the exotic flavors may not be for everyone.

-Kait

Pimp Your Pavement: Crackle and Pop

Following in this week's theme we've got a sweet interview with someone whose trying to save some crackle and pop for your poor tires...

What is a guerilla gardening movement without a renegade gardener? Meet Steve Wheen, the “guerilla gardener”. His site, “the pothole gardener” is a series of snapshots documenting his pothole to pothole beautification. If his name sounds familiar it’s because everyone from BBC to blogs all around the world have covered his flower power movement. We asked him a few questions on how one goes about gardening -- guerilla style.




Hello, Steve...

 Tell us a little bit about yourself (Where you are from, what you do in London by day)

I'm from Australia originally from Canberra . I've lived in London for over 6 years and I miss the outdoors Australian lifestyle! After growing up with a big back yard and now having no access to a garden living in inner city East London, I miss having access to a garden, and of course gardening.

What IS guerilla gardening exactly and what inspired you to start doing this?

Guerilla Gardening is all about getting out and about and making a positive impact on the space you live in. I was looking for a spring project for my MA, and decided that a geurilla gardening project was just the thing! I wanted to make a positive impact on Whitechapel, and my little gardens is my way of making a contribution to the community I live in.

What is your favorite flower?

My favourite flower is the Daffodil - in fact my Grandfather bred the first red trumpeted daffodil!

Most notable pothole you have filled?

My favorite pothole so far is probably the one attached - I love it because it screams sunshine and I think the little deck-chair symbolizes summer in the UK!













What can we expect in the future? (A new city? Different pothole fillers like grass?)

Indeed I've been experimenting with a whole range of things, as you can see on my blog my latest garden is a mini cricket pitch with some stumps - it's my little good luck garden for the Aussie cricket team...


 The flower filled potholes was an obvious idea to the cyclist and it seems those flowers may be enough to save other cyclist from near accidents or deflated tires. Check out more of Steve’s work at “The Pothole Gardener”.



- Deborah

A New Spin on an Old Favorite

We swear it tastes better than it looks. Since our theme this week is snap, crackle, and pop, we decided to try a new twist on the product that brought us the fun phrase back in 1968: Rice Krispies. We found a recipe for chocolate-peanut butter Rice Krispie treats and put it to the test.  

Unfortunately, either the recipe or our cooking skills failed. The treats taste just how one would expect: like gooey Peanut Butter Cups with Rice Krispies thrown in for texture ... pure pleasure. The problem is that the "treats" didn't quite solidify, even after refrigeration. The picture you see above is a mound of goodness that must be eaten with a fork rather than with one's hands. Take a look at the simple recipe we used and let us know if you have any suggestions on how to improve this mess:


Grease a 9x13" pan and spread 6 cups Cocoa Krispies throughout. Mix 1 cup corn oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a pan and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 cups peanut butter. Pour over the Cocoa Krispies and let cool.

- Kait

The Great Pop Adventure : Part I

Going to high school in Texas I was used to ordering a coke and having someone ask me "what kind?". However you want to say it though - coke, pop, soda the one thing that stays the same is the staple variety from Dr.Pepper to Sprite. Living in Crown Heights on the other hand means that our supermarket stocks the Dr.Pepper's and Sprites of the world, not just the US. Today I've decided to sample a few of the more interesting flavors we picked up this weekend while grocery shopping.

Banana Soda : B

Okay, let me start off by saying I dislike bananas and even more so banana flavored anything because they tend to taste bland in real life. By the time  the flavor is manufactured into a snack or candy it just tastes yellow but without further ado, here is how the soda fared.

 Not bad. The flavoring is not over the top and I can't think of anything I would want to drink this with other then maybe chocolate but it holds great promise in a tropical mixed drink. 




Merengue Soda : B-

I have high hopes for this soda as it seems to be meringue flavored. Pre-taste my guess is that due to it's orange flavor it will actually taste like tangerine. I will absolutely grade higher if it actually taste like meringue because like most other humans on planet earth I love the taste of pure sugar.

This tastes exactly like the powdery funsticks in the fundips. I haven't decided if I like it or not but stepping back from trying to see how accurate the flavor is, this is actually very similar to Sprite or Mountain Dew but with an extra dose of sugar.


Jamaican Ginger Beer Soda : F
Now that my mouth has been coated in two layers of sugar it's a pretty safe bet I will be biased heading into this. I am hoping it will taste like root beer, well, actually I'm assuming it will taste like root beer and anything else will confuse me. Sidenote the label says its naturally and artificially flavored soda.

 That tastes terrible. AWFUL. It actually tastes like ginger, I couldn't imagine it being better in anyway or how someone could actually drink a whole bottle.



Coconut Juice with "pulp" : A-
I'm cheating and trying juice because this bottle looked ridiculously cool and has chunks of coconut in it. I saved it for last because it seemed like the most edible...er drinkable.

Interesting taste. You definitely have to be in the mood for this but I think it would spice up a small dinner party. I love that it's subtle and not overly sweet PLUS it has floating chunks of coconut in it which immediately bumps it up a notch in my book. Note that the cap is impossible to take off so just use a bottle opener.

If you aren't bored yet, get pumped for tomorrow when I review the variety of sodas I snagged at the Koreatown up on 33rd. BUT if you can't even wait until then, check out this list of sodas from around the world and let me know if you want us to taste test anything. 

- Deborah

Pop back in time ...

Who can resist a little bubble wrap? It has to be one of the few things that, as simple as it is, never ceases to amuse us. Relive hours of childhood entertainment at Virtual-bubblewrap.com as you pop an on-screen version of the addictive packing material. Pop ... pop ... pop ... 

- Kait

Oh Snap.

Alright so I'm going to be inspired by something absolutely shallow this week... the premiere of the Real World New Orleans. In one such episode, a cast mate makes a joke about the melodramatic roommate of the house who claims hes been injured. He defuses the situation by saying something to the effect of "I don't know, his elbow just popped. Crack and snapple were there, all that was missing was pop." Well, here at Chew the Fat we're not going to miss a single beat so this week we explore all things in this world that go: Crack, Snapple and Pop
- Deborah

Back to the Future: NY edition

Upon my random search of free museums of NYC I stumbled upon the Sony Wonder Technology Lab. My pictures will not be up to snuff this post due to the fact that flash was not allowed and I was forced to resort to my phone...Nonetheless, we start the tour with a felica card which has some circuity looking veins within its bendy plastic frame. You use this felica card to stick it into different slots or tap them in order to start interactive exhibits. (does this strike you as odd too?) The nice part of this is that you create a profile upon your entry into the museum and it digitally records all of your activities.

This being lighting week, I thought I'd point out the really cool light and such features of this museum:

1- Dancing in a sensor box that recreates your movements and turns you into a dancing generated character in your own mini music video

2- An amazing no glass wearing 3D exhibit where a camera pops out and you can try and touch it in front of you Oooohhh

3- An interactive light floor that creates circles around your feet and follows you as you walk. The interactive part comes in when you bump other people's circles and adopt their colors or throw them across the space using your feet. For your viewing pleasure: a crappy video i attempted to take of this very cool floor.

All in all was a good day, learned some neat things about lights and got to print out a little certificate saying what toys I played with. In the end I was enticed to go back for their free movies and for a trip during the fall where I don't get swiped out of things I'm already using by small children.

- Deborah

Lights, Camera...Action?

Why oh why is it so hard to just get a simple picture right? I used to wonder the same thing before some good photographer friends of mine gave me a few great tips. Simply exit this post if you are already a photography enthusiast BUT if not, this might just save you from awkwardly trying to explain how you ruined someone's group shot when handing back their camera.

Rule #1 - No Back lighting! 

Tempting as it might be to snap a picture of someone with the sun shining brightly behind them, you will inevitably create the unfortunate existence of back lighting. This means in simple terms that you will see a silhouette of the person whose picture you are attempting to take and the sun will be the only thing in color. (note: this could also be used in reverse if you are trying to create a shadowy/silhouetted effect) Remember light in the back needs to be equal in amount to light in the front.

Rule #2 - The rule of thirds

It always seems nicer to keep the subject in one third of the frame, be it the left or right. While it can be nice to have someone smack in the middle -- if you're looking for something a little more artistic or trying to give it a little depth, move to the side for a miracle cure. Also very important: do not let camera strings and fingers get in the frame, I've chosen a picture that showcases both for your viewing pleasure.

Rule #3 - Bottoms down

Figuring out which side is your good side will be completely useless once the photographer decides to do a cool shot by taking a picture from below. No one, I repeat no one looks good from the bottom, they always look larger then they are in real life. If used properly however, despite the slight added weight, the bottom up shot can be nice when trying to add height to someone. 

Let me know if you all liked these few,tips, I can scrounge up some more advanced ones *wink*wink*

- Deborah

Put the Flash in Flashlight

Warm weather not only brings more opportunities to sunbathe and swim ... it brings more opportunities to go camping. The one thing you can't go camping without is a flashlight. So to go along with our lighting theme this week we've scoured the web for the coolest flashlights out there. Soon you'll see that a flashlight is no longer just a flashlight.

Solar Dynamo Radio Light, $29.95
This baby does everything and it doesn't even need batteries! Charge it by cranking the arm or leave it in the sun to soak up solar energy. The L.L.Bean gadget receives FM, AM, and all seven NOAA weather stations so you'll never be unprepared when a storm hits. Oh, and let's not forget the built-in cell-phone charger.


Power Plus Penguin Hand Powered Flashlight, $7.63
While you're saving the earth with your solar-powered do-it-all flashlight, teach your kids a little about solar energy with this penguin-shaped flashlight. Simply pump the bird's wings to power the LED light.



Stanley 95-111 Mini Tripod Flashlight, $12.16
"Here, hold the light." Sound familiar? Sick of bringing a buddy along to hold the light while you get stuff done? This flashlight comes with its own tripod for hands-free convenience. Also, a low power indicator light flashes so you're never left in the dark.


Pelican BIG ED 3700 4C Alkaline Firefighter Flashlight, $83.99
This is the big daddy of flashlights - not for the average Joe by any means. Designed for firefighters, this flashlight is unbreakable and on top of that it's chemical, water, and corrosion-proof. Rubber side grips prevent slipping and a stainless steel clip allows hands-free action. A backup emergency light is even stored behind the reflector.

- Kait

Bing, Bang, Boom!

While Deborah and Ben fought the crowds for Macy's always-spectacular Fourth of July Fireworks, I opted for a quiet day at a small lake in upstate New York where my parents own a cabin. Part of my mom's family joined us for a day of boating, fishing, swimming, and of course, barbecuing (while my napping baby cousin Ryan celebrated with patriotic swim trunks). After an intense salsa-tasting contest (Wild Harvest Organic Mango Peach Salsa blew the competition out of the water.), we sat down to watch the annual Fourth of July boat parade and later chowed down on the usual picnic garb (not forgetting the hot dogs and hamburgers). You couldn't ask for a more stereotypical Fourth of July celebration ... but the fireworks were the icing on the cake. Let's pretend that I have a really cool camera and the following pictures fully show what it's like to sit on a boat in the middle of a lake with fireworks bursting into the sky from all directions.
- Kait

Eh, fireworks.

This weekend Kait went home and left my boyfriend and I to fend for ourselves in a push and shove-r at the Macy's fireworks off the Hudson River. We each thought it'd be neat to catalog our Fourth of July escapades so here goes:

Morning spent trolling around Conway's for knick knacks I most likely did not actually need and realized I had to rush home to shower and grab dinner before the works. By then Ben (boyfriend Ben) had made his way over and we decided on iconic NY Junior's for dinner feeling very patriotic.

Several transfers later we made it to 26th street. I know what you're thinking but we actually found a seat. That's right, seat. Anyways, Ben tried to open his six pack of Newcastle in a way that wouldn't attract the crowd control police and their open container laws which resulted in our befriending of a funny old couple of Brooklyn-ers. The wife offered us some of their fresh baked bread all the while swatting at her husband in a failed attempt to make him turn his transistor radio off (his attempts to straighten the antennae and listen to a baseball game over his wife and about 4 million people riverside reminds me why I love New York).


Note I did not have the foresight to take pictures of the dice, smiley face or heart shaped fireworks. According to Ben I was too busy looking up at the sky with my mouth hanging wide open. It's funny how this is the one New Yorker summer event where you can pack millions of people and everyone stands in relative silence.

- Deborah