Thai Green Curry Chicken Dish from Joy Yee

Item Purchased: Thai Green Curry Chicken Dish from Joy Yee
Location Purchased: Joy Yee's Noodles / 1335 S. Halsted St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $9.95 + tax

Review: This dish is basically a larger version of the Thai Green Curry Chicken Combination Lunch Platter that I reviewed back in August, so if you want a review on the product itself, please go back and read that review.

Instead of a product review, I am going to say a few things about the service I received at Joy Yee today. In hindsight, I probably should have stood my ground at the counter, but for whatever reason, I didn't.

Long story short, I placed a carry out order over the phone for the Lunch Special size of Joy Yee's Thai Green Curry Chicken and when I got there, there was a regular sized Thai Green Curry Chicken dish waiting for me. The difference in price between these two dishes is nearly $3.00 and when I questioned the young man at the cash register about this, he simply said "Thank you!"

Now, unless my question is "how did you get so beautiful?" I don't expect "thank you" as an answer. I can assure you, I didn't ask the cashier how he got so beautiful. Instead, I asked him if the lunch special I had ordered wasn't less than what I had just paid him. A bit confused and stalled from the unexpected response, I looked in the bag to see if I had the right order. My friend Josh did the same. Josh asked again and received silence from the cashier. I repeated the repeated question and the cashier told us that the lunch specials were over for the day. Now, Lunch specials at Joy Yee are available until 3:30 during the week. I had this encounter at approximately 1:30. Unfortunately, the space time continuum and the odd gratitude I received from my concern for my financial stability (read: the rest of the money in my wallet) had me out of sorts and I didn't react. I carried my lunch back to work, double checked the lunch special rule on Joy Yee's takeout menu, ate my lunch, bitched a little bit and regretted not raising more of a stink at Joy Yee.

Next time I will. Of course, if there is a next time, it will be the last time.

Rating: 1 / 5

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Nov. 30th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Mocha Java Blend Coffee from Caribou Coffee ($1.55) ]

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Hot Dog from Jim's Original

Item Purchased: Hot Dog from Jim's Original
Location Purchased: Jim's Original / 1250 S. Union St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.80 w/tax

Review: I didn't have much cash on me today, so Jim's for lunch seemed like the (un)sensible option. Instead of my usual grease surrounded by sausage casing, I opted for the less expensive hot dog. For $1.80, Jim's isn't exactly the type of place that specializes in Chicago style hot dogs. Basically, they grab a boiled wiener, throw it on some bread and slop on a few random toppings.

This meal creation method is no more apparent than in my lunch order today. The Jim's Original employees were specifically told that this hot dog should have mustard and relish on it only. Instead, I received mustard, onion and hot peppers. Now I know working at a hot dog stand is not the best job on the planet, but whenever I come around, I tip the employees before I give my stray change to the beggars and curbside entrepreneurs selling socks and porn (a perfect pairing if you think about it). I am always friendly and Jim's employees are usually friendly right back at me. I've been around enough that a couple of the guys who work at Jim's know who I am by sight (this is the first sign you have a problem, btw). All I wanted was some relish and no onion. Onions at Jim's are particularly disgusting due to the fact that they look and taste like the entrails from a giant mutant snail. Mutant snails also must be plentiful in the regions where Jim's orders food from, because every someone does order onions, it takes a few minutes to make sure there is actually meat on their sandwich. The last I want in this world is a sack of flaming dog doo, but the second to last thing I want in this world is a gooey onion sandwich from a greasy street-shack fast food joint.

And don't even get me started on the rubbery, bottom-of-the-barrel, guess-the-animal-of-origin cylindrical digestion subverter that was nestled inside of the soggy bun I received.

Jim's has history and cholesterol. These things aren't too bad when taken in moderation, but don't expect things your way right away all of the time. And don't expect to receive something that passes as edible when you order a hot dog.

Rating: 0.5 / 5

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Nov. 29th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) / Coca-Cola Classic Soft Drink (12 oz. can) from 7-Eleven ($0.75) ]

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From the Reasons Not To Buy Into A Homeowner's Association department:

If Pagosa Springs, Colorado is any barometer of the holiday spirit, you can cross "peace on earth" and "good will toward men" off of the list of things this time of year is all about. Lisa Jensen hung a wreath shaped like a peace symbol outside of her home on Nov. 19th. A few days later, the Loma Linda Homeowners Association contacted Lisa and told her that she needed to take down her wreath because other homeowners were offended by the peace sign. The association is charging her $25 for every day the wreath remains up. Loma Linda HOA president, Bob Kearns, said that "some people have kids in Iraq and they are sensitive." He also said that some believe that the peace sign is a symbol of Satan. To top that all off, Bob fired all five members of the HOA's architectural control committee when they refused to require the wreath's removal.

Lisa is refusing to take her general statement of peace on earth down until after Christmas and estimates her total fines to be over $1000.00.

Remind me never to sign a homeowners' association agreement with other living people.

(Rocky Mountain News)

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Chicago Card Plus $20.00 Automatic Reload

Item Purchased: Chicago Card Plus $20.00 Automatic Reload
Location Purchased: Interwebs
Price: $20.00

Review: If you move as often as I have in the last five years, you know how it goes. You pack up all of your stuff, rent a truck, drive it across town, unload, unpack and get rid of some possessions. Sometimes you shift the configuration of those possessions within your life. There is another name for that shift in configuration. Most people know it as "losing shit." That's exactly what happened to my original Chicago Card Plus. Purchased back in 2001 shortly after moving here, I thought it would be a good idea to immerse myself into the city fully: Body, spirit and checking account. I'm not sure how much more of a Chicago ingredient this card made me, but at the time, it saved the broke-ass me a fair amount of money.

The Chicago Card Plus is a smart card that is activated by magnetics on all buses and trains. By entrusting my bank account and public transit usage (including location at time of card swipe) to the Cubic Corporation (who provides combat training systems to the military), I am able to save $0.25 per train or bus ride and up to $1.75 per transfer. When I first purchased the card, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) was deep in an advertising campaign to hype this somewhat new method of transportation transaction so I was able to get the card for free (it now costs $5.00). It operates by keeping a balance of my choosing and automatically reloading from a credit card after the balance falls below $10.00. I have the reload set at $20.00 because it scores me $2.00 free with each reload.

I'm not sure how I feel about the tracking capabilities or having my personal information going to a transportation/combat training company, but I'm no paranoid. I know they already know everything about me and are always watching us anyway.

Yeah. Now where are my anti-radiation sunglasses?

photo by Samuel Keeley via Wikipedia

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Nov. 27th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Intelligentsia Berkeley's Blend Coffee from Half & Half / Small Guatemala Atitlan Coffee / Mandalay Salad from Massa ($5.69) ]

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Nov. 26th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) ]

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Buy Nothing Day Redux

Even Santa goes on strike on BND!

Because I bought my train ticket back home earlier in the week and because I didn't really need anything else today, I celebrated both Buy Nothing Days. Yesterday was North American Buy Nothing Day and today is International Buy Nothing Day. I'm traveling/working and don't have much to say, so I will simply share with you my thoughts of my walk around my home town yesterday.

-

I took a walk around my hometown of Menomonee Falls, WI today. I walked past my old elementary school, the Chinese restaurant where I got my first real job, the falls that the town is named for, the building where my friends and I shot one of our movies in High School, the Bugline Recreational Trail and through the downtown shopping district.

Seriously, what do people do in this town? What did I do? Where are the people? So many clean sidewalks and a beautiful river with a trail to walk along. Why did I not see a living human being unless they were driving a car or working in their garage? The weather today is impeccably nice. It is the perfect day for a bike ride, a walk, a game of football or catch, yet no one seems to be enjoying it. I honestly felt as if I was in a ghost town. At least the geese and ducks were swimming today, otherwise I would have felt at a loss.

It was along the frontage road, where I shot one of my student films for college, that I saw the first signs of life. One man was running. Another was moving heavy objects back and forth. One woman was zipping up her children's jackets. Thank you! There is life in my hometown...

...At the Best Buy.

I found myself wandering in and pacing around, looking at people more than prices. I realized that these new stores along the frontage road here are the new social clubs where currency replaces conversation. I was bumped and brushed more times than I could count and was apologized to only once. No one approached me to see if I needed anything. Maybe they knew I had left my wallet at home, for there was no hemorrhoidal bulge protruding from my ass cheek.

For one day, everyone here seems in a trance. Running for the cars, carrying televisions back and forth to replace the televisions they already have, zipping up jackets that were on sale in preparation for the next journey to the next store.

And then I realize things seem this way a lot. Where has the community gone as the commerce grows? I'm not talking about the gatherings with friends and families. I'm talking about the everyday goodwill that one time in my life seemed genuine. Can I find it in the coupon pages? Can I see it in the reflection of the Plasma screen? Can I see it anywhere at all anymore? Can you?

On the walk home, I noticed something. I noticed more people outside... Unloading the boxes from their cars, scrambling inside to plug in their toys and avoid each other's stares by all staring in the same general direction.

Away.

-

Hope you all had a good holiday weekend. Everything returns to normal tomorrow.

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Happy Buy Nothing Day!

picture found hanging on the public announcements board at the store where I work

There were over 800 people waiting in line at 4:00AM this morning to get into the Menomonee Falls, WI Best Buy. I don't know this because I was there, I know this because my father told me. He's an early bird. Me, I like to let the sun get up and have its coffee before I start filling its day with my noisy business. Best Buy and 800 deal-hungry DSM-IV failing individuals, however, have no respect for the sun's business. They were out in full force this morning to take care of their own business.

Today is Black Friday. It sounds ominous, and if you go out to a mall, it looks worse. The day of shopping deals was named such because it refers to the day that most retail stores go into the black. What they don't mention is that it is also the day that most consumers go deeper into the red. What good is a healthy economy if the consumers are malnourished?

Today, as most of you know, is also Buy Nothing Day. A day to lay down your Visas, Mastercards and billfolds in an act of true holiday spirit and scratch-saving solidarity. A day to remember that you have more than most and don't need that new Playstation Whee!

It is a day that I replicate almost every week. A day that helps me remember and appreciate and pace myself. A day that makes me more thankful than most people were for the football game yesterday.

Each year, I see more and more media coverage of Buy Nothing Day. Here are a few articles I've run across this year.

The Beginning

-In 1992, Vancouver artist Ted Dave was working as a graphic artist for the Georgia Straight and became frustrated with the rising unaffordability of day-to-day purchases. So he initiated "Buy Nothing Day," a campaign to send a signal to the economy and the corporate sector that consumers do have power. "Absolutely everything around us in the urban environment is set up to be coercive, to get you to buy things spontaneously," he says. Find out more and download a free Buy Nothing Day soundtrack at his website, TedDave.com.

The Good

-The Herald - A good overview of International Buy Nothing Day from UK's The Herald.
-Leeds Today - "Don't shop 'cos you've got enough..." Nuff said.
-Napa Valley Register - John Waters Jr. is going out shopping-watching today. I might do the same.

The Bad

-McGill Daily - Anarchists support an alternative to Buy Nothing Day... Steal Something Day. Yeah, because criminal acts will definitely make people pay attention to their own rampant consumerism!

The Otherwise

-The Tyee - Jenn Farrell is a bit flippant about the participants and sentiments behind Buy Nothing Day, but her alternatives to buying nothing are something I can fully support.
-Reverend Billy - As stores kick off the holiday season with their liturgy of sales, Reverend Billy kicks it off with his own Ten Commaandments (I particularly like commandments 3 and 7).

Aaaaaand The Ugly

-Dan Solomon - My friend Dan has a riveting story from the front lines today.

So far, I have read about no violent acts or arguments over the last toy or appliance in a store. Let's hope that keeps up. For those of you buying nothing, enjoy the extra day of relaxation! I'll be walking through my hometown, visiting places that seem so small and far away to me now. I may even go shopping with my mother later. I won't be buying anything. Just observing the whole spectacle. From the outside, that is exactly what it is. A crazy crazy spectacle. For those of you shopping today... be nice and be safe!

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Thank You!

Optimism:



via The Show with ZeFrank

Pessimism:



Realism:
(at least how I see it)




Thank you to everyone!

Draw me a picture!

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Half Sandwich (Soprano) and Half Salad (Mandalay) Meal from Massa

Item Purchased: Half Sandwich (Soprano) and Half Salad (Mandalay) Meal from Massa
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.99 + tax

Review: I've already told you about the Soprano Panini Sandwich from Massa (the one with the excellent Mozzarella cheese). What I didn't tell you (because I didn't notice it before) is that the combo meals at Massa are not only an easy way to sample more of the menu, but also one of the most affordable (in the bang-for-your-buck sense) selections. While a full panini sandwich only costs $0.70 more and most salads will cost you about $0.50 less, if you split the difference and opt for the half sandwich/half salad option, you'll leave content and pleasantly full.

As for the half that I haven't reviewed, Massa's Mandalay salad bears a resemblence to the garbage salad I make every once in a while. Instead of gouda cheese, Massa bests me by using Gorgonzola. Instead of peaches, they use strawberries. The greens are crisp and the combination of sharp, sweet and... Umm... shit (how would you describe lettuce and tomato taste?), whatever is as close to sublime as a salad can get.

Not that a salad can get that close, but this one beats most of the other veggie piles out there.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Nov. 22nd - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ San Pellegrino Aranciata (11.15 fl. oz. can) from Massa ($1.65) / Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) / Amtrak Hiawatha Train from Chicago to Milwaukee and Back ($42.00) ]

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Nov. 21st - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Intelligentsia Berkeley's Blend Coffee from Half & Half / San Pellegrino Aranciata (11.15 fl. oz. can) from Massa ($1.65) / Small Reindeer Blend Coffee from Caribou Coffee ($1.55) ]

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Small Hazlenut Gelato from Massa

Item Purchased: Small Hazlenut Gelato from Massa
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.95 + tax

Review: Reader, Robbie Kendall, with his European experience, urged me to try hazelnut gelato if I had the chance. Since I now have the chance every day I am at work, I took his advice. Damn you Robbie! Now I almost did re-enact the diner orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally as Sally (read previous gelato review if you are confused)!

At first, this gelato tastes like nothing more than a caramel flavored ice cream, but then the true nutty flavor and hazelnut spice comes from behind and drop kicks your taste buds like a happy flavor ninja. Fans of waffle cones and peanut butter, take heed. This gelato tastes like neither, but will succeed in winning you over. Good thing I only have a couple of dollars in my pocket today, otherwise I would go and get another. This delicate sweetness is still a bit overpriced in my [check]book, but for the new experience, I was willing to shell it out.

The only problem, is I think I will be willing to shell it out continuously. The winter is my time for cold treats. Don't ask me why, because I will just ask you why not.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Nov. 20th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Kenya AA Coffee from Caribou / San Pellegrino Aranciata (11.15 fl. oz. can) from Massa ($1.65) ]

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Ramune Carbonated Soft Drink (6.76 fl. oz.)

Item Purchased: Ramune Carbonated Soft Drink (6.76 fl. oz.)
Location Purchased: Sun Sun Tong Company / 2260 S. Wentworth Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.75 + tax

Review: I'm a sucker for international packaging... Especially when it is from an Asian country. Much of the time, it seems that Asian goods tend to have something unique and fun about them. Take this Ramune soft drink, for instance. It is a soft drink that tastes much like Sprite, only without the overpowering sugar bomb infused into it. The fun comes into play during the process of opening the oddly ergonomic bottle. There is a small glass sphere inside of each bottle that is pressed upward into the bottle opening. The pressure inside of the bottle holds this sphere in place and creates a seal unlike any other pop I have ever tried before. Over the top of the opening is a plastic cap that breaks down further into a ring and a t-shaped piece of sorts. The t-shaped piece is used to press down on the glass sphere with a quick force which, in turn, breaks the pressure seal and allows you to drink from the glass bottle. The sphere sits between the torso and abdomen of the bottle and rolls around freely, creating a clink-clinking noise with each movement. Sugary tooth-rot carbonation has never been so much fun!

I find the size of this bottle even more interesting than the integrated fun. Here in America, we are used to 12 or 20 oz. soft drinks as being a single serving size. It seems that the Chinese haven't given into the excesses of our sweet tooth. At only 6.76 oz., this small bottle contains less beverage than those short 8oz. cans of Coke that are being marketed as cute and healthy in most supermarkets across this country. Drinking my Ramune, I realized that 6.76 oz. is more than enough to quench one's thirst while taking a stroll through Chinatown. Though the price is a bit much (and primarily geared toward the novelty, I suppose), maybe we could all learn something about moderation from cute Asian soft drinks.*

*If anyone from the Schlitz brewing company is reading, please disregard any lessons referred to above.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Tea Set Brand Mint Tea (12 bags)

Item Purchased: Tea Set Brand Mint Tea (12 bags)
Location Purchased: Sun Sun Tong Company / 2260 S. Wentworth Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $0.90 + tax

Review: I've never had properly brewed mint tea before. I'd be surprised if more than a handful of you out there have as well. Properly brewed mint tea consists of a long process of brewing green tea, draining, brewing again, adding mint leaves and sugar, pouring a cup, pouring it back into the pot, adding more sugar to taste, brewing some more, etc.. etc... It's a ritualistic process that is more common in some Arabic and some African cultures. Here in the U.S., we pride ourselves on quick quick quick. Sometimes I think most people view brewing tea as giving the Starbucks cashier a couple of dollars.

The benefit of the ritual (besides the ritual itself, of course), is supposed to be a vibrant tasting tea both sweet and minty. I have been told by cranky restaurant customers that the pre-bagged mint teas elsewhere in the world are nothing in comparison. They taste rather bland in comparison, I'm told.

Tea Set brand mint tea tastes a tad bitter, but the mint flavor does come through after brewing the lazy most-of-the-world way. Some day I'll have someone walk me through the ritual, but for now, boiling the water on my stove and steeping these bags of tea will do me just fine.

Rating: 4 / 5

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Tea Set Brand Jasmine Tea (12 bags)

Item Purchased: Tea Set Brand Jasmine Tea (12 bags)
Location Purchased: Sun Sun Tong Company / 2260 S. Wentworth Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $0.90 + tax

Review: Why do I ever buy tea anywhere other than Chinatown? Where else can you get a box of teabags for less than a dollar? Granted, the tea is a bit dry and somewhat suspiciously old, but if you brew it just right, you will avoid the bitter taste that can result from oversteeping.

Sun Sun Tong Co. is a staple visit for my trips to Chinatown. An extremely large shop with three separate rooms, a person can buy anything from dry foodstuffs to a new butcher knife. I usually end up walking out with a couple of boxes of tea and a weird Chinese soft drink like I did today.

Some people believe that Jasmine flowers help prevent the onset of cancer, while others believe that the flower's fragrance will make a house a home with its scent. I believe that the slight spice of the flower when mixed with a green tea base makes for a great hot drink during the winter months. I drink a lot of warm liquids throughout the cold Chicago winters, but in an attempt to cut back on my dehydrating coffee consumption during increased intake, I try to always have tea in my cupboard. Keeping myself hydrated and warm on the inside helps to keep me productive on the outside.

Though Tea Set brand tea is not the top of the line, it beats Lipton any day and this Jasmine variety goes well with a book or a room full of friends.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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8 pcs. Assorted Silverware

Item Purchased: 8 pcs. Assorted Silverware
Location Purchased: Sunlight Kitchen & Hardware Supplies Inc. / 2334 S. Wentworth Ave. #104 / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.00 ($0.50/pc.) + tax

Review: Again, Sunshine Kitchen comes through with the eating essentials at a low price. Now, when people eat at my house, their utensils will remind them of every storefront restaurant they have ever eaten at. Simple and tough with no fancy design on them, these stainless steel forks and spoons fork and spoon edible substances with the best of them. No tinny taste, no bent prongs and no twisted heads when you use them to stir your kitchen concoctions. At $0.50/pc., this purchase provided me with brand new silverware at garage sale prices. Yes, they were made in China, which is appropriate since I purchased them in Chinatown.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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4 Plastic Dinner Plates

Item Purchased: 4 Plastic Dinner Plates
Location Purchased: Sunlight Kitchen & Hardware Supplies Inc. / 2334 S. Wentworth Ave. #104 / Chicago, IL
Price: $11.80 ($2.95/ea.) + tax

Review: My cupboards are a menagerie of dishes from all areas and eras. The areas tend to be hand-me-downs or thrift stores, and the eras tend to be somewhere in the 1970s, but there are a few others there. I'm not worried about having a set of matching dishes with which to impress my guests. I'll rely on my masterful cooking to do that. What I need in a cupboard is enough dishes to hold my cooking during its tumultuous travels from pot to guest's gullet. That being said, it doesn't hurt to add a little more variety to the already haphazard collection of flatware I have collected throughout my years. With this purchase, I went for Chinese restaurant decor. I didn't really plan it, but I happened to be in Chinatown and Sunlight Kitchen happened to have just about everything my kitchen might need at just about the right price. These plates are made of a tough plastic which also won't detract from my elegant cooking and, from a distance, look as if I stole them out of the Asian pottery department of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a plate, they hold food well and clean easily too. What more do you want from a plate?

Rating: 4 / 5

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2 Plastic Sauce Bowls

Item Purchased: 2 Plastic Sauce Bowls
Location Purchased: Sunlight Kitchen & Hardware Supplies Inc. / 2334 S. Wentworth Ave. #104 / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.50 ($1.25/ea.) + tax

Review: One of the luxuries in life I enjoy is having all of my cooking ingredients separated in small dishes in front of me before I begin preparing the meal. Like in those PBS cooking shows. I also like swigging from the cooking wine bottle between preparation steps like the Frugal Gourmet (without the sexual harassment, of course), but that's beside the point. The point is, I don't have all that many bowls in my cupboards, so I bought a couple of these small plastic bowls. Those of you who go out for Chinese food often will recognize the blue and white design that has been on Chinese pottery since before the big bang (or before 5000 years ago, for those of you who subscribe to intelligent design as taught in Pennsylvania). You may also recognize these medium-small dishes as the recepticles that fish sauce is usually served in for dipping. Whatever you recognize, I am two dishes closer to not having to wash a bowl every time I pour an ingredient into my newest kitchen concoction.

Recognize.

Rating: 4 / 5

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Stainless Steel Saucepan

Item Purchased: Stainless Steel Saucepan
Location Purchased: Sunlight Kitchen & Hardware Supplies Inc. / 2334 S. Wentworth Ave. #104 / Chicago, IL
Price: $7.95 + tax

Review: I took a late morning walk into Chinatown today to gather up some more essentials for my dinner party tonight. One of the things I am going to be cooking is French fry sandwiches with a homemade garlic-lime aioli sauce. The last time I made these delicious heartstoppers, I used a large crock pot. This time, I wanted something that would conserve oil and be a little bit easier to clean.

Chinatown is a great place to get authentic Asian dry goods and cookware, due to its localized concentration of several people who specialize in the same thing. Whenever I find myself near Wentworth Ave. and Cermak Rd. in Chicago, I tend to wander into Wok's 'N' Things, Inc. They have a helpful staff and a large selection of cookware displayed elegantly in their large store space. Today, I took a little more time exploring the side streets of Chinatown and came upon Sunlight Kitchen Supply. The address of this great little store can be a little misleading because the unassuming entrance is actually located on 23rd Pl. and not Wentworth. Once you step inside, you are greeted by a tight and narrow store with three tighter and narrower aisles one must slide down sideways at times. Stacked from floor to ceiling and wall to wall are all of the cutlery, cookery and cafeteria essentials you will ever need. Most of the items in this store are of the utilitarian ilk, geared toward restaurant owners and industry people, but there are a few gems hidden in the tightly packed shelves. If I keep hosting dinner parties, I have a feeling that this place will quickly become my favorite shop in Chinatown. With nearly everything that Woks 'N' Things offers at a better price, I soon forgot about the claustrophobia one might feel inside of this place. The shopkeepers were friendly and helpful and didn't fall mysteriously silent when I walked in like most of the shopkeepers in Chinatown.

At only $7.95, this steel was a steal (forgive me... I'm tired and punny) and will allow me to have a deep bath of cooking oil without using as much as I have during previous frying escapades. Despite the handle being made of steel as well, I was also able to move the pot without gloves throughout its use. The heat just didn't seem to transfer fully to the end of the handle. Simple, but effective. Good stuff.

See, I get excited about shopping when it is for tools I will use to create something. Especially food!

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Nov. 19th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ 2 El Ranchero Tortilla Chips w/salt (14 oz. bag) from All Star Food & Liquor ($2.25) / 15 Pack Of Old Style Beer (12 oz. cans) from All Star Food & Liquor ($8.29) ]

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Bonny Stainless Steel Skimmer

Item Purchased: Bonny Stainless Steel Skimmer
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $7.49 + tax

Review: This item was designed to be used to skim fat and other byproducts off of the top of home made broths and such. I thought it would be the perfect tool to help me make French fries for my French fry sandwiches tomorrow night. Maybe some day I will need to skim fat off of something in a pot, but until then, this skimmer will be my "the-oil's-hot-and-I'll-be-damned-if-I'm-gonna-burn-my-thumbs-frying-potatoes-again-spoon." I'm not the type of guy who needs the latest and greatest kitchen gadgets. I squeeze my lemons into juice with my bare hands, I mince garlic with a knife instead of a garlic press and I've been known to use a hammer to grind coffee beans if a grinder isn't present (sorry for the noise, neighbors). I'm a pretty no-frills, use-what-you-have, MacGuyver-like chef, but as I get older, I am gaining respect for some essential tools. Dipping a dinner fork or plastic slotted spoon into a vat of frying oil just doesn't cut it any more. This skimmer is the perfect solution. The handle is a textured steel that is easy to grip even if you manage to cover your hands with slippery oil like I always do, and the surface area of the spoon/skimmer section is large enough to fish out generous helpings of whatever it is you felt you needed to fry instead of bake.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Safeway All Purpose Flour (2 lb. bag)

Item Purchased: Safeway All Purpose Flour (2 lb. bag)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $0.99 + tax

Review: All purpose? Really? So I can use this stuff as a gluten-free soy flour? Okay, so I'm being a smartass here, but these conventions interest me. When did bleached wheat flour become the standard 'all-purpose' flour? Wouldn't it be a healthier habit to infuse into people's heads that whole wheat flour is all-purpose? Every baking and cooking recipe in which I have substituted whole-wheat flour for white flour has come out tasting fine if not better.

I'm splitting hairs here, but it is something to think about. I bought this bag of flour for a coating for the arancini I am making tomorrow. Unfortunately, this was the smallest bag of flour available at the store. I've been known to bake fresh bread when given the time, so maybe I will do that with the left over as well. As for buying the inexpensive store brand, when it comes to bleached powder with virtually no health benefits, I'll stick to the cheap. I'm not really sure what else you can buy for $1.00/lb that is so ubiquitously used in daily ktichen life. Good deal, but maybe not the best or most favorable choice.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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Bel Gioioso Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (5 oz. bag)

Item Purchased: Bel Gioioso Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (5 oz. bag)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.79 + tax

Review: While Bel Gioioso's fresh Mozzarella balls are just mediocre, I thought I'd give them another chance. Okay... this was also the most inexpensive freshly grated Parmesan cheese that Dominick's carries. I'm not really sure how they can call it freshly grated anyway, since it has been packaged in an airtight bag and put in the refrigeration kiosk at the supermarket. Maybe, if taken literally, it means that the cheese was fresh at the time the grating took place? Other than that, I can't think of an explanation for the use of the word "fresh."

I will say that this cheese tastes amazing. It is much more moist and pungent than the sawdust cheese I usually buy in a green cylindrical container. Where Bel Gioioso fails with their slightly bitter Mozzarella, they make it up with this Mozzarella. At a dollar an ounce, this is not something I can keep around to use on every pizza I make, but for those special occasions, like the dinner party I am throwing tomorrow, it is well worth the investment for any crazy passionate cheese eater (read: Wisconsin native).

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Safeway Enriched Long Grain Rice (32 oz. bag)

Item Purchased: Safeway Enriched Long Grain Rice (32 oz. bag)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.09 + tax

Review: By and large, I try to avoid white rice when grocery shopping. I get enough of it when I eat out at Asian restaurants, it has virtually no nutritional value and brown rice tastes better. There are a few things that call for white rice in my life, however, and my dinner party tomorrow is one of them. I need rice that sticks together, and no matter how many eggs you beat into brown rice, it still likes to flake off into its own little sects. Brown rice is the rebel of the grain world. White rice, however, sticks together no matter what. Kind of makes me sick, the lack of innovation and individuality that white rice lacks, but every once in a while, you need a sticky ball of rice... especially if you are making sticky rice balls for dinner like I am. If I were smart, I would go to Chinatown for my rice since it is only a hop down the road from my apartment, but I found myself at the grocery store and decided to kill two birds with one stone and bought this cheap bag of generic rice. It'll work.

As Mitch Hedburg once said: "I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2000 of something."

P.S. I realized after I wrote this review, that some people might take my brown/white rice comparisons as a racial statement. If you do, you are reading far too much into a review of a simple edible grain. You are probably also reading far too much into skin color, as I tend to believe that there is only one race... the human race. We all bleed red and eat rice... regardless of what color it is.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Mozzarella Fresca Fresh Mozzarella Cube (8 oz.)

Item Purchased: Mozzarella Fresca Fresh Mozzarella Cube (8 oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.99 + tax

Review: This mozzarella is the same kind of cheese but a vastly different product as the Bel Gioioso mozzarella that comes in ball form in the tubs. I find that it tastes a bit better and has a softer consistency in big clump form like this. Perhaps it is because it hasn't been rolled around in a machine at some processing plant as much or maybe it is simply because not as much surface area has been exposed to water for its shelf life. Perhaps it is because Mozzarella Fresca is the superior cheesemaker. Either way, I think I may start purchasing my mozzarella like this rather than in the tub. It is the same amount of cheese, but the tub offers such an illusion of more. Quality over quantity, as my seventh grade history teacher used to repeat ad infinitum. Quality over quantity. Bel Gioioso is still not the best quality mozzarella I've had, but it is perhaps the best quality I can afford on a regular basis.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Safeway Plain Bread Crumbs (15 oz. can)

Item Purchased: Safeway Plain Bread Crumbs (15 oz. can)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.69 + tax

Review: I should really just make my own bread crumbs, but this is one of the modern conveniences I take advantage of. It's always amusing to see that local Chicago bakeries have their own line of packaged bread crumbs. My tastes aren't that advanced that I would be able to tell the difference after a dish is cooked with bread crumbs on it, so I went for the generic store brand and saved thirty or forty cents. One caveat is that whenever I have a box of bread crumbs, I tend to eat them by the spoonfull. Any one of my friends will tell you how much I love to eat plain bread... Well, this is just plain bread in crumb form. Hopefully I will be able to keep my spoon out of the box until I make those arancini tomorrow.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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La Tourangelle Delicate Grapeseed Oil (16.9 Fl. Oz.)

Item Purchased: La Tourangelle Delicate Grapeseed Oil (16.9 Fl. Oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $6.99 + tax

Review: If grapeseed oil is such an abundant byproduct of winemaking (and it is), then why does it cost so much for a bottle of this stuff? We all know that there is no shortage of wine in the world! Yet and still, a 17 oz. can of grapeseed oil will run you close to $8.00 for the low-end brands. I was lucky enough to get this can on sale. I like grapeseed oil for all of the normal reasons: easy to fry at high temperatures with no smoke, tastes nutty and has a lower viscosity than most other oils, making it easier to clean up. The reason I splurged and bought this oil, however, is that grapeseed oil is best for making mixtures such as mayonnaise and the garlic-lime aoli sauce I will be making tomorrow for my dinner party. Where other oils tend to clump and break, grapeseed oil seems to blend right in with the elements around it. I just wish it weren't so expensive... Wine already is.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Safeway Frozen Green Peas (16 oz. bag)

Item Purchased: Safeway Frozen Green Peas (16 oz. bag)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.79 + tax

Review: If I can't get fresh vegetables (and really, there aren't many places you can get fresh peas nowadays), I prefer frozen to canned varieties. Canned vegetables always taste like they are bathed in formaldehyde (even though it is probably some other kind of chemical) and are too soggy for my tastes. Frozen vegetables, like these Safeway peas, seem to retain most of their flavor and, after boiling them, turn out crisp and crunchy, like most vegetables should be. Anyone know where I can get fresh peas in Chicago, though?

Rating: 4 / 5

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2 O Organics Tomato Paste (6 oz. can)

Item Purchased: 2 O Organics Tomato Paste (6 oz. can)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $0.79/ea. + tax

Review: Chalk this one as another one of O Organics brand food items that is worth purchasing. Unlike most tomato pastes which taste rather tart and slightly spicy, this stuff tastes slightly sweet and surprisingly fresh. It's as if they not only used the freshest tomatoes in the grinder, but also as if they didn't even can the end result. The only way this could taste better is if they actually did use the freshest tomatoes and forgot the cans.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Ground Beef from Dominick's (1.29 lb.)

Item Purchased: Ground Beef from Dominick's (1.29 lb.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.76 + tax

Review: How do you rate one of the most unhealthy and dangerous forms of beef available at your grocery store? Hell, how do you rate raw meat in general when you don't buy it very often at all? I suppose I could start off by noting that the USDA allows a maximum of 30% beef fat in ground beef and Dominick's ground beef only contains 20%. After preparing the bulk of this package of beef into a meat sauce for some Arancini I will be making tomorrow night, I tried a bit. Beef has always been the clay of meat to me. You can make it into a clump or a castle. Not to toot my own horn, but I'd say that this sauce was a mansion with four bedrooms and two and a half baths.

As for the ground beef itself, it was fairly lean and adequately juicy. It's still ground up dead bovine.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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Tuna Steak Burger from Eleven City Diner

Item Purchased: Tuna Steak Burger from Eleven City Diner
Location Purchased: Eleven City Diner / 1112 S. Wabash / Chicago, IL
Price: $9.95 + tax

Review: How many diners have you been to where you can order a tuna steak? I'd bet it's even less than that! Just another reason Eleven City diner is one of my favorite places to eat in Chicago. Whether it is just a plate of greasy eggs and bacon you want, a portabella mushroom burger or a finely grilled piece of fish, they've got it.

I'm used to the only tuna at a diner being the canned kind that Jessica Simpson thinks is chicken. This sandwich comes on a hamburger bun with lettuce, tomato and a tuna steak nearly an inch thick. Well grilled and shirking off the influence from sushi culture, the steak is meaty and fish-grey on the outside while retaining some of it's tender pinkness on the inside. Best of all, however, has to be the side of wasabi mayonnaise that comes with it. I'm not a fan of mayo in general, but I used this olive green spread on everything from the sandwich to the side of crispy French fries on my plate. Utterly filling and a deal at $9.95, you can bet your lox I'll be back for another one of these.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Nov. 18th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Schlitz Beer (12 oz. can) / 2 Dominick's Bakery French Sandwich Rolls (6 ct.) / 2 Bag Nature Sweet Cherry Tomatoes (12 oz.) from Dominick's ($3.99/ea.) / 2 Organic Lemon from Dominick's / 1 Lime from Dominick's ($0.33) / Herdez Medium Salsa Casera (16 oz.) / Crisco Pure Canola Oil (64 oz.) ($4.99) / 2 Bunches of Flat Leaf Parsley from Dominick's ($1.98) / 3 Heads of Garlic from Dominick's ($1.49) / Herbal Garden Basil (3/4 oz.) ($1.50) / Bel Gioioso Fresh Mozzarella (8 oz. tub) / Bulk Kalamata Olives from Dominick's (0.78 lb.) ($6.23) / 10 Russet Potatoes from Dominick's ($2.99) ]

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Nov. 17th - Weekly Buy Nothing Day!

iBND Bag picture from Adbusters' BND page

I've been doing these Buy Nothing Days almost every week for a year now. Using them as a time to reflect and attempt to understand what our consumption means and why our automatic consumerism is so important to us. I participate by not participating once a week to remember that there are more important things in life than money or things. I'm not anti-shopping or anti-consumerism, I'm anti-shopping-as-compulsive-leisure-activity. I live in a city where many of the elements are organized to coerce us all into spending the maximum amount of money or credit on a whim. I'm thankful for the things I have and the ability I have to purchase things I need or want, but to fetishize or glorify that aspect of our lives so much (as the holiday season does) is a harmful thing. I take these breaks once a week to work on projects, appreciate what I have and get rid of what I don't need.

Next Friday is National Buy Nothing Day. You all know it as Black Friday, the kickoff to the busiest shopping weekend of the year here in America. I've seen people argue and fight over deals on this day. I've seen children cry as they watch their parents scream at others about the newest video game system or hot toy of the season. I've seen people bump and nudge and push each other as if civilization had stopped for a day. I choose to put the spending and the pushing and the screaming on hold. Who wants to join me?

For more information about Buy Nothing Day, please read Adbusters' BND press release: LINK

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BriteOn AC Laptop Power Adapter

Item Purchased: BriteOn AC Laptop Power Adapter
Location Purchased: Jacob's Parts / Ebay
Price: $8.95 + $19.95 shipping

Review: As if leaving positive feedback on the time-tested social shopping system of Ebay isn't enough, I'm going to hype my seller with a review. Ebay has always been the place I have gone when i need electronic accessories. Sure, people selling these things may have scored them from the backs of trucks or have an actual physical store of their own (how 20th century!), but I've found that the best prices for essentials such as power supplies can usually be found on this time-tested auction site without even having to bid on them. Take Jacob's parts, for example. When my laptop's power supply started to stutter, it took me all of five minutes to find the power supply I needed at a set price. Jacob's listing strategy is a bit suspect at first since the price of the item is less than half the shipping price (of the $19.95 I paid for shipping, only about $5.00 of it was used for such), but unless you are a complete neophyte to online shopping, you know to add shipping and sale price together to figure out the best price. At a grand total of $28.90, Jacob's Parts was the absolute least expensive supplier of power I could find. Sure, the low item price gets him listed at the top of the page, but the total price would keep him there anyway.

As for the power supply itself, I couldn't be happier. Where my original power supply had an L-shaped plug for the back of my computer, this new one is a straight line from cord to plug. This area of the cord was where I was having problems due to excessive cord bending and twisting anyway, so this lessens the likelihood of wear. The power box that sits in the center of the cord doesn't get as hot as my original adapter did either, so I am not so worried about burning myself when I pick it up. Good enough for me BriteOn! I now feel secure that my laptop is no longer on life support and back to its youthful spry computing self.

Did I mention that the item was sent and received in less than three days? To put it in Ebay terms, this guy is a Power Seller A+++++, would do business with again!

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Small Coffee from Massa Cafe

Item Purchased: Small Coffee from Massa Cafe
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.59 + tax

Review: You would think I would learn after my experience with Artopolis' coffee. Noooooo... I had to walk into another ethnic restaurant and order a regular coffee. My thought was that Italians are so world renowned for their espresso that they couldn't possibly have bad drip coffee. Wrong. Overall, I love Massa and what they have to offer, but I'd rather drink 7-Eleven coffee than this stuff. Of course, if you like water and cardboard, you are in luck.

Sorry Massa, this one is a no go. I'll still be walking down to Caribou in the cold of winter to get my caffeine rush during slow work days. Maybe I'll try your espresso if it gets really cold.

Rating: 1 / 5

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Nov. 16th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Discovery Blend Coffee from Caribou / Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) ]

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Small Pistachio Gelato from Massa Italian Cafe

Item Purchased: Small Pistachio Gelato from Massa Italian Cafe
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.95 + tax

Review: So this new Italian joint opens up next door to the bookstore where I work and everyone is like "gelato" this and "gelato" that. So I'm like "it's overpriced ice cream, what's so great about that? Cold Stone Creamery is just down the block if you want to pay too much for sugar!" But then, everyone is still like "gelato, gelato, gelato" until my sweet tooth is interested. I'm still not entirely sure I'm interested yet, but my sweet tooth threatens to beat my ass if I don't march myself into Massa and get some. So I do.

I hate it when food critics describe food as fabric, so forgive me as I resort to it. The best way to describe gelato without reenacting the diner orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally (as Harry, of course... who has an orgasm with cold milk product in their mouth?) is to say that Massa's gelato is thick, yet silky. Though it is extremely dense in both substance and flavor, this gelato has a smooth texture to it which reminds me of whipped cream. The pistachio flavor is genuine (even if the color is not) and the bits of actual pistachio nut that are mixed in only enhance this.

Though a bit on the pricey side for two scoops of Italian ice cream, Massa's gelato should be experienced at least once. Of course, there are at least twenty flavors, so maybe it should be experienced at least twenty times.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

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Arancini from Massa Italian Cafe

Item Purchased: Arancini from Massa Italian Cafe
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $3.49 + tax

Review: This is one of the least expensive items on Massa's menu that can pass for a meal. At first, I didn't think so, but once I was halfway through with this dense ball of rice, I changed my mind. Arancini (pronounced 'R-on-chini'), is a specialty of Sicily which consists of a fried rice ball with meat sauce, cheese and various vegetables in the center. The center of Massa's Arancini contains fresh melted mozzarella cheese, peas, carrots and a ragù with what tasted like a bit of spice Italian sausage mixed in. The fried breaded shell keeps the warmth inside until you crack this odd little dish open like an egg and spoon out the contents with a fork. As everything else at Massa has been, all of the ingredients in this rice ball were fresh. Served alongside the arancini ball is a bowl of fresh marinara sauce sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese that serves as a great dipping sauce for the outside breading or the sticky rice inside.

Surprisingly filling and comparatively affordable, Arancini is a great choice for a light (or not so light) lunch at Massa. There is a lot more rice than filling, so don't expect an overbearing flavor. This seems to be meant as an appetizer, so the taste is subtle, but you always have the marinara to fall back on.

Now to get a recipe and try to make these things myself.

Rating: 4 / 5

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Consumatron.com Mid-November Update

illustration/fan art by Jacquez

Holiday sales are dropping all over town already and these aren't discounted turkeys I'm talking about! Too soon! Too soon! Slow down a bit! I'm personally excited that in the month of November, we have two holidays coming up, one right after the other. First, of course, is Thanksgiving. Then, on the very next day, we can all celebrate Buy Nothing Day! Are you participating? Can you hold out? Are you excited? Are you confused? Or are you angry? Let me know what you think in the forum! As for some other goings ons:

• No one has entered the contest yet! Jacquez, however, has contributed to the site with the sketch you see at the top of this post. Therefore, I am giving him two entries into the contest. Anyone else who draws a logo/graphical interpretation of/for the site will get the very same. Otherwise, go back and read the complete rules. You have 15 more days to go. Hop to!
• As an added incentive, I am adding a Consumatron.com T-Shirt to the prize list for second place. That would make a great holiday gift, wouldn't it? (oh, you're right... probably not)
• Mediatron backlog... I'll be posting in the forum in a few days to see what you all think I should review next for Mediatron.
• I'm being interviewed for Columbia College's radio station, WCRX, today. I'll keep you up to date on the air date. Then you will be able to listen to me say "umm.... umm..." a lot. There is a reason I keep a blog.
• All the best to you and yours. I'm thankful for so much in my life, including all of you who read the site. Thanks!
  

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From The Walmart Seig Heils department:

Walmart has been selling T-Shirts with a Nazi insignia that has roots in the 3rd SS Division Totenkopf on them. Walmart has recently pulled the shirts from their racks. I am fairly certain that Walmart did not know they were selling Nazi related symbols on T-Shirts. What I want to know is, did the designer who created the T-Shirt know? If so, did they simply want to pull one over on Walmart or get a subtle aspect of their backwards blood-purity philosophy into the mainstream markets?

(Bentcorner.com)

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Babbo Panzeratti from Massa

Item Purchased: Babbo Panzerotti from Massa
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.59 + tax

Review: Okay, I really need to do the riced and beans thing again this Sunday. I can't afford to eat out every work day. I really can't afford the allure of Massa's Panzerottis.

Back in Milwaukee, I used to live off of Panzerottis. A few times a week, the guys on my press crew would make a run to the neighborhood Italian cafe and order a couple of bags full of these things. The next half hour would consist of cheese and sausage grease dripping down our ink-covered chins while we philosophized about 'chicks,' football and armchair politics. Of course, I was working twelve hour days of manual labor, so I could get away with eating 3-4 panzerottis a week. If I start up that old habit, I'd surely reach 300lbs again in no time.

For those who don't know what a panzerotti is, the easiest way to describe it is as a pizza Hot Pocket the size of your head. If the purchase is made from a sub-par Italian restaurant, that analogy is more than apt. If, however, you purchase a panzerotti from Massa, I have failed you miserably.

Massa's panzerottis are fried pockets of dough the size of your head, but unlike a Hot Pocket, the dough is flakey, not soggy. Inside, the melted cheese and tomato sauce has a flavor both savory and sweet instead of the frozen ketchup flavor of the panzerotti's unkempt cousin. Finally, Massa's fresh Italian sausage (only inside of the Babbo panzerotti)) is so carefully spiced that you will wonder how they can price this lunch item so reasonably.

Despite the reasonable price for this tasty and filling lunch-stand dish, I don't make the money or burn the calories I once did. Like a Jim's Original Polish sausage, this is a heartstopping lunch I must save for the occasional grease craving.

Rating: 4 / 5

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From the Anatomical Store Front department:

I ran across the website www.penisland.net while surfing around today. It's a site that sells customized pens. The business name is Pen Island. Wit and industry all in one. The site isn't the most useful or design savvy storefront, but my expectations of what penisland.net would yield were pleasantly surpassed. Wanna freak out your co-workers? Run up to their cubicle and type penisland.net (not .com!) into their web browser before they can stop you!

Their tagline should be, "Entirely safe for work: Penisland.net"

(www.penisland.net)

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Nov. 14th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Small Reindeer Blend Coffee from Caribou Coffee ($1.55) / Camel Turkish Royal Cigarettes (Hardpack) ]

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Soprano Panini Sandwich from Massa

Item Purchased: Soprano Panini Sandwich from Massa
Location Purchased: Massa Italian Cafe / 807 W. Roosevelt Rd. / Chicago, IL
Price: $6.59 + tax

Review: Oh man, I've been waiting for this place to open for nearly three years now. Not Massa, spcifically, but a restaurant/coffee shop that is connected to the company where I work. At first it was supposed to be a wine bar, but then Lush moved in down the street. Then it was going to be a simple coffee shop, but that seemed ridiculous with Caribou Coffee just a block away. The UIC campus powers that be decided on this new independent Italian Cafe that seems to specialize in Gelato. Specializations aside, Massa also offers a lunch-counter menu of Italian sandwiches, salads and soups.

I am excited to have such easy access to this place for two reasons. First, it will come in quite handy to have a hot bowl of soup in the same building I work in, instead of having to walk down the street when it is bitter-ass icicle cold out. Second, it is always nice to be present to see a new business find its walking legs. Not is there a good chance that you will score some free samples, but it is also likely that your input will be taken into consideration while they are working all of the kinks out.

For my first lunchtime venture to Massa, I tried their Soprano Panini. Similar to an Italian sub, with prosciutto, salami, mortadella and giardiniera, this sandwich's standout flavor comes from Massa's sun dried tomato-mayo and the ultra fresh bocconcini. I couldn't believe the buffalo mozarella I was eating was coming from a simple sandwich shop. The grilled panini bread is crisp and buttery to the taste and the meal comes with chips. All in all, a sizeable and filling meal.

Massa's sandwiches are priced comparitively to the other less-desirable sandwich shops in the immediate area (Quizno's). While this is still not a price I am willing to pay for lunch every single day, I will admit that it is going to be hard to resist at first. Massa's ingredients are fresh to the taste and made to order.

I'd rather make the walk to Fontano's for a cheaper, spicier and all around better sub, but Massa comes in at a close second. Drop the price a bit, and we may have a winner.

Regardless of my nitpicking, Massa is sure to lure me back with the rainbow of Gelato offerings behind their counter. And the true test will be their priced-higher-than-Caribou cup of coffee.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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November 13th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

[ Camel Turkish Gold Cigarettes (Hardpack) from 7-Eleven ($7.87) / Small Mocha Java Blend Coffee from Caribou Coffee ($1.55) / San Pellegrino Aranciata (11.15 fl. oz. can) from Massa ($1.65) ]

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Bravo Greek Coffee (490 g.)

Item Purchased: Bravo Greek Coffee (490 g.)
Location Purchased: Artopolis / 306 S. Halsted St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $6.50 + tax

Review: My name is Kevin, and I am a Greek Coffee addict.

Thank you for the applause, but I don't deserve it. You see, ever since my girlfriend's mother gave me a briki and bag of stoned coffee, I have come to enjoy not only the density and flavor of this Icarus dust, but the process of preparing it as well. Every morning I find myself rushing half naked into the kitchen to carefully spoon the delicious powder (with equal parts crystalline sugar) into an eager water bath atop the open blue flame. Oh that beautiful flame, calling to me from the exhilarating heights of consciousness.

I do not partake in my addiction to get away from it all like so many other addicts do. No, I do it to bring myself fully and quickly into it all.

Obviously, I wasn't into it all when I purchased this bag of Bravo brand Greek Coffee, because I didn't notice the Mexican caricature on the package until I got home and made my first demitasse of enlightenment. It seems that much like our Frito Bandito and Juan Valdez, an image of a hispanic man also says "coffee" to Greece.

Though not as strong as the Loumidis brand Greek coffee I was given, Bravo is a bit less expensive. I'm not sure if the sticky consistency of the bag's contents make that difference in price worth it though. Still, any Greek coffee saves me from wasting half of the full pot of coffee my eyes force me to make when brewing American style.

I will show you my gritty, grainy addiction here, raw and jump-cut new-wave style:

The amount of coffee you end up with is just a bit more than an espresso shot. Powerful and pleasant to the taste, one of these will probably be enough to kick-start your day, but if not, it is easy enough to make another one. Often times, I will make myself a double...

...but I don't have a problem. I can handle my coffee.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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2 Safeway Vanilla Cookie Scented Candles

Item Purchased: 2 Safeway Vanilla Cookie Scented Candles
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3140 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $3.00 + tax

Review: At half the price and the same level of scented luminescent power as the Glade candles I used to buy, we have a new winner! Though the scent from these candles can be rather imposing and strong, so can an apartment of two guys.

As for the accuracy of the "vanilla cookie" description of the scent these candles emit, I beg to differ. It rather smells like vanilla wax. Nothing more, nothing less and, most assuredly, nothing edible.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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