We're all spending less. Most of you are probably still employed, but you're working more, or making less, or maybe you're just perpetually pissing your pants in fear every hour on the half-hour.
But even if you're fearful, you still want to have a good time. Good times make the world go 'round. Gone are the $300 dinners at Gordon Ramsay and the $500 handjobs from Gordon Ramsay, but there are still a few ways to behave decadently without spending decadently.
1. Intelligentsia Coffee. At ~$14 per half-pound or $4.50 for a brewed cup, Intelligentsia is the Rolls Royce of coffee, even if Intelligentsia is infinitely more reliable. Sure it's more than double the prices of even its quality competitors, but it really is that freakin' great. Don't make it your daily drinker, but enjoy a cup of French press every few days to wake up or wind down. Bay Area edition? Blue Bottle.
2. Dinner at Bacaro. I know I've been flogging this spot, but I really do love it so. If you still want to have a semi-upscale and hip night out without dipping into the emergency stash of hundreds taped to your taint, then Bacaro it is. With reasonably priced wines (included a nice new red wine for $15/carafe), fixed price small plates ($7/dish or 3 for $19), and killer happy hours ($1 off wines by the glass on Mondays and $5 small plates from 5-7PM every day) you can have an indulgent night out without having to pimp out your boyfriend for cab money home.
3. Sake. If you've never had a good sake before, hit up a trusted retailer and ask for a recommendation. You'll be surprised what you can find for around $20 a bottle. Take it home, sit down on your stoop or porch or balcony or whatever, take a deep breath or two, and slowly sip.
4. Sex on a Sunday morning. I know this requires some advanced planning for those who don't co-habitate, but give it a try when (and as often as) you can. It'll be self-explanatory.
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2 comments:
Jeez, $14 for 8oz? Blue Bottle's like a dollar an ounce. And the thing about coffee, especially high end roasters like Blue Bottle, is that freshness is king. The first three days or so after the beans are roasted, they're sublime. There's a dropoff in quality after that, no matter how you keep them. They stay pretty good for a week or two, but if you're paying $28 per pound, I say enjoy the beans at their peak or buy less ridiculously priced beans. (this is, partly, why these places sell beans by the half pound -- to encourage good habits)
You're right, it is absolutely insane. But this coffee is.... well, it's great. It's weird to even comprehend (and it's no better than Blue Bottle, but there's no Blue Bottle in LA), but it's so strikingly better than anything I've had other than Blue Bottle that, well....
I actually rarely buy beans to take home but rather indulge in a Clover-brewed cup every week or so.... Since I know I'll never get through a half-pound as one person quickly enough to justify the $$.
And even though they're a Chicago company, Intelligentsia built an LA roaster expressly for uber-fresh beans.
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