Bizarre Staircases

Photos courtesy of www.oddee.com

Dollars & Sense

20-somethings are at an interesting point in their lives regarding money. For the first time, more money is coming in than going out (or should be!), but we don't have those huge expenses like real grown-ups (mortgages, kids, kids' college funds, country club dues...whatever!). My take on this time is to save, save, save! I know I'll be buying a house and all the fun expenses that go along with it; buying furniture and redecorating. When I recently moved, I chose to take an apartment that was half as much in rent as I was previously paying. It wasn't the glamorous doorman building with a roof top deck in the heart of downtown that I once had, but my bank account is thanking me. I began to think, what other ways can those of us in our 20's cut corners so we'll thank ourselves later? 

1. Set an amount each month to save. Pretend your savings is a bill that you have to pay each month. It doesn't have to be a lot, just a little something each month to put away. As you learn to cut corners, increase that amount.

2. When you get a salary increase, act like you didn't. Put that extra amount away. You lived without it before, you can still live without it now.

3. Pack your lunch! That $10 a day adds up very quickly and can be easily avoided by packing.

4. Don't live beyond your means. It may be fun to get the expensive car, purses, clothing...but do you need it? Check out online auctions sites or brand name discount stores to score deals on things.

5. Use coupons! Sometimes grocery stores offer to double coupons.

6. Don't use credit cards. Credits cards are a dangerous way to get yourself into trouble. A good rule of thumb is, if you can't afford it cash, you don't need it. If you do use credit cards, pay them off in full each month to avoid the seriously hefty interest.

7. Keep about 6 months worth of expenses in your savings. Once you have more than that...invest! Obviously there are risks with investing, but the payoffs can be huge. If you can afford it, start with a simple mutual fund and work your way up to stocks.

Photo courtesy of tvtropes.org

Ciao!!

Kitchen Gadgets

Some cool gadgets I've seen and/or used:

I hate being at parties holding food and my glass with no way to eat without awkwardly finding a table to set one or the other on! This little plate with the wine glass insert would make me look so much less uncoordinated.  Find it at Amazon!

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

This oil and vinegar bottle was at a restaurant I visited recently. The vinegar is poured out of the top and the oil out of the side. So cute! Find it at Ice Wine Bottles.com

Photo courtesy of icewine-bottles.com

Use this nifty gadget to make s'mores in the microwave! Find it at X-treme Geek.com

Photo courtesy of x-tremegeek.com

Ciao!!

Lobster Truck Photos

Thanks to one of my readers for sending in photos of the Redhook Lobster Truck. Check out how long that line is! It was located in Eastern Market on Saturday and the line started before the truck arrived! Although they've only been in business for 8 months, if you've got a good thing going...new travels fast!

The early birds before the truck's arrival.

Soda Machine!

Lobster-goers!

Success!

Ciao!!

Grown-up?

"We're adults. When did that happen?

And how do we make it stop?" -Grey's Anatomy

Because the title of my blog is based-upon being a naive 20-something in the working world of grown-ups, this article from Cracked.com was sent to me by a coworker. The title of the article is "5 Things They Never Told Us". I have read many articles about the transformation from a college student to a professional, (and because I interned and had many professional jobs throughout college, I thought I was a pro) but never did I feel like I was reading an article that was making fun of how obvious the transformation is, but yet hit home with my feelings about life's sudden slap in the face of adulthood. The "5 Things" couldn't be more obvious, but seriously though, why didn't anyone ever tell me this? The first of the "things" is about the abruptness with which we ARE adults rather than "becoming" one. I still feel like one day I will receive my badge of adult-ness and after THAT I will feel like an adult.  Does that day ever come? Do our parents even feel like they are adults? And what about our free time and social lives? The "thing" that hits home the most talks about how we are familiar with our life being broken up into semesters. I would always think, "Only 2 more months until Summer". And once that Summer comes, you get a fresh start- a brand new school year to look forward to with new friends and new experiences. Now we're working for the weekend! Either way, take any "free" time you have to read this article!

Photo courtesy of B2Bbloggers.com

Yum!

I might be hungry or it's the effects of Day 4 of trying to make healthier food choices, but I couldn't resist my second food post for today. Sheri over at Pretzel Crazy creates chocolate and caramel covered pretzels and marshmallows with a candy twist. The toppings range from candy bars, fruit, nuts and even s'mores! They are even more decadent if you pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds so the caramel is soft and gooey. Sheri also ships to anywhere in the country...so check out her online store! I'd love to find these treats in my Easter basket!

 

Photos courtesy of www.pretzelcrazy.com



Ciao!!

Lobster Roll

I was perusing my favorite blogs about DC restaurants and foods and came across this food truck that sells nothing but lobster rolls. I've never seen anything like it. The food looks absolutely delicious. Big, thick chunks of delicious lobster served on a bun two styles- the "Maine" way with mayo and scallions or the "Connecticut" way with butter. Either one would make my taste buds have the beach party they deserve. The price is $15 per roll, but with the size of the meat and the fact that you get to eat it standing on the street, taking a break from the office, falling off the bun and enjoying sun (which I haven't seen or felt in a while)...sounds priceless to me.  Check out their website and follow their twitter account to see where they are going to be each day. www.redhooklobsterdc.com

Photo courtesy of www.redhooklobsterdc.com

While we're on the topic of crustaceans, check out these adorable shirts at crabpotapparel.etsy.com 


Photo courtesy of crabpotapparel.etsy.com

Ciao!!