I was reading Cathy Horyn's piece in The New York Times about so-called inexpensive dresses. She does well with a $65 dress from Victoria's Secret in the end, but I have a secret dress spot in Soho where the you'll find cute in-the-moment dresses under $40. The fabrics Exstaza uses are not the best quality, but they will last through the season.
Bottom Line: You can never have enough summer dresses
Exstaza
491 Broadway at Broome St.
212.925.8193
Yep, you read it right. Pad Thai, the standard Americanized sweet noodle dish on every Thai take out menu, can be purchased at Trader Joe's for $1.99. In the time you would have wasted waiting for your greasy version to be delivered from some hole-in-the-wall you've never seen in person, a cheap DIY alternative can be yours.
So, $1.99 is a bit of a stretch. The box comes with just rice noodles and sauce. It's 
much tastier and resembles actual Pad Thai when you add some vegetables, meat, a drizzle of lime juice and a little peanut butter at the end. I like to add green beans, frozen sugar snap peas, a scrambled egg and chicken. The result easily feeds two and works out to be more like $6 a person.
Soak the noddles in hot water (don't use boiling water - these cook very quickly) while you saute the veggies and chicken. I happen to have a wok but it's not needed. You can get away with using a large pan, just be sure it's big enough to add the noodles and sauce at the end.
Once the noodles are soft, add to the pan with the sauce (I like mine on the lighter side so I usually just use half of the sauce) and cook all of it together for a minute or two. 
Add crushed peanuts (or a drizzle of peanut butter) and squeeze a lime on top and voila!
Bottom Line: Cheap DIY Pad Thai from Trader Joe's hits the spot!
Trader Joe's
142 E. 14th Street
212.529.4612
So it's not easy to get there. And yes, I know, there's a Fairway on the Upper West Side, and yes, yes, you can get your fill of industrial landscape more conveniently in Dumbo.
But let me, for one second, try to convince you that a trip to Red Hook is worth the effort, that a $5 Water Taxi ticket is money well spent (or that taking a subway, walking a bit, and then hopping on a Red Hook-bound bus isn't as terrible as it sounds).
Five rewards for your journey:
1.) Amazing waterfront views--some of the best in the city. The Statue of Liberty is practically in your lap.
2.) Valentino Park, small and filled with flowers. It sits directly on the river and offers a multitude of grassy spots perfect for reading or sunning or gazing out at the boats floating by.
3.) The new and enormous Fairway supermarket (controversial gentrification alert: Ikea is set to move into the area next), where you can buy a sandwich big enough to feed two people for $5.95 (I order the Cajun turkey, which is about the size of a shoebox). Behind the supermarket (and on the water) is a breezy dining patio.
4.) The now famous Red Hook Ballfields, where you can score, among other tempting treats, fresh ceviche or a hot chicken tamale. Vendors sell straight-off-the-grill street food from their carts.
5.) Fresh key lime pie. According to Al Roker, Steve Tarpin's tarts are the 
"last genuine key lime pies in the US!" I'm not sure if I'd go that far, and next time I go, I'm skipping the not-very-good limeade, but for $4, the 4-inch tart is refreshing and share-able.
And there's more... I've been to Red Hook a few times this summer, and every time I go back, I discover something new, or at least new to me. Of course, cobblestone roads and aging warehouses serve as reminders that Red Hook isn't new; in fact, it's one of the oldest neighborhoods in New York. And that's its charm.
Bottom Line: Pack a picnic blanket, pack a book, pack a camera, and go! You won't regret the trip.
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Hopstop it to 480 Van Brunt Street. Take the NY Water Taxi, take the B63 bus from Borough Hall (M/N/R/W/2/3/4/5 lines), or walk from Carroll Street (F/G lines).
Nothing's cheaper than free.
This weekend we bring you...
1. Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Saturday 6/23, 2PM
on Surf Avenue (Coney Island)
Grab some seashells and a fin, and make your way to Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade, where drill teams and people dressed as various sea creatures will be marching down the beach to celebrate the beginning of the summer season.
Coney Island is staged to undergo a massive rehaul in the coming months, so this could be your last chance to get down and gritty with the mermaid crowd. Plus, there will be live music and burlesque shows.
2. Drive-In Movies at the Rock, Friday 6/22, 9PM
at Rockefeller Center (30 Rockefeller Plaza, at 49th Street)
Tonight's movie, Netherbeast Incorporated, is the last in the Tribeca Drive-In independent film series at the Rockefeller Center. Seating opens at 6PM, and I'm guessing you're going to have to fight through crowds of tourists to land a spot.
3. Gay Pride Parade, Sunday 6/24, 12PM
begins at 5th Avenue and 52nd Street, ends at Christopher and Greenwich Streets
Rainbows! Free love! Drag Queens! If you didn't get your fill of crazy crowds at the Mermaid Parade on Saturday, then don't miss this year's sure-to-be-interesting Gay Pride Parade. Bring a camera.
4. World's First Ever Cheese Eating Contest, Sunday 6/24, 2PM
at Smith & Vine (268 Smith Street, between Sackett & Degraw) Hot dogs have been done. So have cream pies and chicken wings from Hooter's. So the next logical choice for an eating competition? Cheese. Ok; maybe it's not logical, and it probably won't be pretty, but this could be history in the making...
5. Kayaking on the Hudson, weekends through 9/16, 8AM
at Pier 96 (West 56th Street)
Every Saturday and Sunday morning, long before any normal person should be waking up, the New York City Downtown Boathouse offers free guided kayaking tours on the Hudson River. The trip runs 3 hours, and you'll paddle anywhere from 4-5 miles in either a single (1-person) or double (2-person) kayak. Unfortunately, the kayaks fill up fast, so you'll have to arrive by 7:45 at the latest.
Confession: At one point in my life I was addicted to street pretzels. I was an intern, broke and new to New York City, and there was something about those salty bundles of bread (the price? the novelty?) that I couldn't resist.
It's been a long time since I've treated myself to a $1 pretzel lunch, but sidewalk vendors still tempt me every now and then, and even though it's getting tougher and tougher for them to hawk their goods, there's probably someone near your office (or apartment) selling stellar street food.
New York Magazine just released its "Concrete Elite," a list of of its 20 favorite carts in the city. The infamous Queens arepa lady is slotted in the number one spot, but the other picks span the five boroughs. Forget the pretzels! I'm checking some of these vendors out.
Here's the list:
Bottom Line: Eat street!
Yesterday I wore a cotton Gap dress that I got for a steal. It's black and poofy and easy to wear, and I'm guessing you've seen it, because in the past two weeks I've noticed it on approximately 8,000 various women.
I'm exaggerating a little.
But four words that budget-minded shoppers like myself rarely hear? One. Of. A. Kind.
Seriously, we all know there's a direct correlation between the size of a store and the price of its goods (the less you see, the more it's going to cost you), and I generally assume that if something's truly "one of a kind," then it (and its expensive price tag) is meant for investment bankers and socialites with dogs in their purses.
Last weekend, my friends, I beat the system.
I hit Brooklyn's Renegade Craft Fair, and, yes, I made out like a bandit.
The Renegade vendors have long since packed up their homemade t-shirts and handsewn bags and crocheted chopstick holders (it's an annual event), but you can buy most of their goods online. And because I'm still on a post-shopping high, I thought I'd share my [Cheap! Practically ONE OF A KIND!] finds with you.
Clockwise (L-R): Sesame Letterpress coasters ($1 each); Art Star salt & pepper shakers ($18); S. Rankin handmade earrings ($10); Etui printed cards ($3 each); Holly Hue coin purse (free--DIYers rock!); Sesame Letterpress notecards (2 for $1); Tall Glass t-shirt ($10); Holly Hue hobo bag ($28). Center: My Paper Crane Ketchup Loves Mustard notecards (pack of 5 for $5).
Bottom Line: One of a kind never felt so good (and attainable).
Today marks the first free movie of the 2007 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival. Check out Annie Hall, but be prepared to fight the crowds. The lawn opens at 5pm and fills up soon after. The movie starts at dusk. Grab a bottle of wine and some sandwiches (or order from 'wichcraft - they'll even deliver to your spot on the lawn) and don't forget the water...it's hot out there today! Check out the rest of the schedule here.
Read more
I have mixed feelings about restaurant week. On one hand, I get very excited when the lists are released and I start racking up reservations. Then, by the time the two weeks arrive, I realize that I end up spending much more than I would spend on dining out otherwise. Regardless, summer 2007 restaurant week is almost here (it runs weekdays from July 16 to July 27) and you can start making reservations (at everywhere except the ones listed at the bottom of this post, which you'll have to call) via opentable.com tomorrow.
There are two schools of thought on restaurant week. Either choose the most expensive spots that you would never be able to afford without your parents or sugar daddy (this year that would be Nobu, Le Cirque, the Carlyle Restaurant, Del Posto, etc.) OR hit up the moderately-priced restaurants (Blue Smoke, Thalia, etc.) in hopes of getting the grand treatment (and the flexibility to afford ordering off the regular menu if you choose).
Just remember that drinks are not included and you have to order off of the (sometimes limiting) special restaurant week menu to get the $24.01 for lunch and $35.00 for dinner deals. And I was surprised to find that many of the restaurants that frequent the restaurant week lists offer prix fixe lunches (and sometimes dinners) that are the same price or less expensive than the restaurant week deals. My experiences so far with restaurant week are as follows (comment with your own recommendations!):
Morimoto: I went during lunch and wasn't very impressed. They offered a standard sushi bento box that I could have gotten anywhere.
One if by Land, Two if by Sea: Delicious and a great chance to try out the romantic, pricey spot.
Artisanal: I ended up ordering off of the normal menu for dinner and spending less (and I got a glass of wine) than the $35 restaurant week menu.
Carlyle Restaurant: My friend tried the restaurant at the Carlyle for dinner during restaurant week last fall and said that this was one of her best dining experiences in New York. I'm going to try it this year.
Kittichai: Great food but no special deal here. I went for lunch and noticed that Kittichai offers a $20 prix fixe lunch every day.
These restaurant week spots don't show up on opentable.com and you'll need to reserve the old fashioned way: 5 Ninth, Arezzo Ristoante, Atlantic Grill, August, Barolo, Ben Benson's Steak House, Bice Ristorante, Black Duck, Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, Bond 45, Bread Bar, Cafe Fiorello, Capsouto Freres, Carnegie Deli, The Central Park Boathouse, Centrico, Centro Vinoteca, Chin Chin, Dos Caminos (several locations), Duane Park Cafe, Etcetera Etcetera, F .illi Ponte Ristorante, Fiamma, Gabriel's, Gallagher's Steak House, Gigino Trattoria, Gordon Ramsey's Maze, Grotta Azzurra Ristorante, Hatsuhana Sushi Restaurant, Indochine, Isabella's, Mesa Grill, Mr. K's, Nobu, Nougatine at Jean-Georges, Ocean Grill, Palm Westside, Palm Too, Pershing Square, Petrossian, Pigalle, Redeye Grill, Rocking Horse Cafe, Roppongi, Ruby Foo's, Shelly's, Shun Lee Palace, Tavern on the Green, Tratoria Dell'Arte, Trio, Vento Trattoria, ViceVersa, Villa Berulia
Nothing's cheaper than free. This weekend we bring you...
1. Brooklyn's Top Dog Contest, Saturday 6/16, 11AM-3PM
at Brooklyn Industries in Williamsburg (162 Bedford Ave)
NYC pups will be putting their best paws forward at Brooklyn's "Top Dog" competition. Check out photos of each canine contestant and vote here, or go see the dogs yourself, so you can say you knew the winner before he became a star (the top dog/American Idol of hipster pooches will get his photo on a special edition Brooklyn Industries t-shirt).
2. Beer for Bags, Friday 6/15-Sunday 6/17
at either NYC Crumpler Store (45 Spring Street or 49 8th Avenue)
Surely you have a few bottles of beer shoved somewhere in the back of your refrigerator... Why not trade those bottles in for a brand spanking new Crumpler bag?
Check out the store's website to see what type of bag the bottles in your fridge are worth.
3. First Annual NYC Food Festival, Saturday 6/16-Sunday 6/17, see website for schedule
at Water Taxi Beach (Hunter's Point, Long Island City)
Free outdoor screenings of food films ranging from the three-minute long "Tasting Rachel Ray" to the feature-length "Asparagus! A Stalk-Umentary."
The best part? You'll be on a sandy beach. And if you can't bear the thought of seeing Rachel on a big screen, just distract yourself with the amazing view of the Manhattan skyline.
4. Field Day in Cental Park, ongoing, 9AM-7PM
at the Central Park Conservancy
Here's a secret: The Central Park Conservancy loans out something called a "field day kit," and all you have to do to get one is call 212-348-4867. Trust me, there's enough sports equipment in this kit (a basketball, 10 cones, 3 bats, a horse shoe set, a playground ball, a Nerf ball, a football, a Frisbee, 2 handballs, a soccer ball, a jump rope, 2 whiffle balls, and hula hoops) to keep you and every friend you have running around the park for hours. Who needs a gym?
5. Renegade Craft Fair, Saturday 6/16-Sunday 6/17, 11AM-6PM
at McCarren Park Pool (on Lorimer Street in Williamsburg) 
In the need for a cool new wallet? How about a stunning pair of gold-plated cicada earrings? Check out Williamsburg's Renegade Craft Fair, where DIYers will be selling their own handmade goods.
Actually, burrito + tamale = arepa. (sort of)
My favorite arepa spot in NYC is Caracas Arepa Bar in the East Village. It's tiny but has that exposed brick/oil cloth tablecloths "it" factor that keeps it from seeming too cheap. Check out my review of it for the New York Press.
Bottom Line: A true cheap trick. Classy, cheap, delicious and unexpected.
Two locations: Caracas Arepa Bar, 93 1/2 E. 7th St. (at 1st Ave.), 212.529.2314
Caracas To Go, 91 E. 7th St. (two doors down from above location), 212.228.5062
If cheapskates around the world were to unite and form their own penny pinching coalition, they'd adopt the bánh mì as their official sandwich.
It's that cheap.
And it's that good.
A bánh mì (pronounced BAHN MEE in English) is a Vietnamese sub filled with pickled vegetables, grilled meat (pork or chicken and/or pâté), cilantro, mayo, and jalapeños, all sandwiched between two crispy, toasted-to-perfection baguette slices.
I'm not going to wax poetic on the bánh mì's many virtues (J. Slab does a fine job of this on his blog, The Porkchop Express), but I will tell you that for less than $5, a bánh mì will: a) fill you up, b) be delicious, and c) make you very, very happy.
Bottom Line: Vietnamese, please.
This sub's a delicious deal.
Vietnamese sandwich shops are scattered throughout the boroughs. A few to try:
138-01 Mott Street
150 E. 2nd Street
4222 Eighth Avenue (Brooklyn)
85 Bergen Street (Brooklyn)
Nothing marks the arrival of summer like the appearance of the fruit man. Every few blocks in Manhattan there seems to be a man with a fruit stand. I say fruit man because I have never seen a fruit woman, and it sounds better than fruit person, but to any fruit women out there, sorry. Anyway, fruit men typically sell a variety of produce for much less than supermarkets charge. Not only that, but the fruit is of the same or often better quality. Do not fear the sketchiness of the fruit man. Make him your friend.
Today I compared a fruit man on the Upper East Side with the Food Emporium on the same block. Here is what I found: 
Mangoes
Fruit man: three varieties, $1.25 each
Food Emporium: one variety, $2.99 each
Celery
Fruit man: $1 per bunch
Food Emporium: $3.99 per bunch
Driscoll's Strawberries 
Fruit man: $2.50 per 16oz box
Food Emporium: $3.99 per 16oz box
Lychee Nuts
Fruit man: four for $1
Food Emporium: no lychee nuts at all
Blackberries
Fruit man: two 6oz boxes for $3 ($2 each)
Food Emporium: $4.99 per 6oz box
Red Seedless Grapes 
Fruit man: $2 per pound
Food Emporium: $4.99 per pound
How do they do it? The fruit man had a better selection of mangoes and even carried things like lychee nuts that Food Emporium didn't. When I'm grocery shopping I always check the fruit stands first - you should too!
Bottom Line: Long live the fruit men (and women?) of Manhattan!
Nothing's cheaper than free. This weekend we bring you....
1. Music Slut Anniversary Party, Saturday 6/9, 8PM
at The Delancey (166 Delancey Street)
Live music! Free PBR from 8-9! The Music Slut's throwing a party in honor of its second anniversary, and everyone's invited...
2. Atlantic Avenue Art Walk, Saturday 6/9 & Sunday 6/10 1-6PM
Atlantic Avenue (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn) 
Artists along Atlantic Avenue will be opening their studio doors to the public during this neighborhood celebration of all things art-related. Restaurants and bars are gearing up for the crowds by offering special deals, and several local bands are slated to perform.
3. Literary Magazine Fair, Sunday 6/10 12-5 PM
at the Housing Works Used Books Cafe (126 Crosby Street)
If you're more into Pynchon than Picasso, then this fair's for you. There's no cover charge, and all magazines are selling for a measly $2. Added bonus: Proceeds go to charity.
4. Somee Cards
Care enough to send the very best?
These free e-cards range from the pathetic ("I'm terrified of being offline") to the downright devilish ("Being away from you has given me clarity on how insane you are").
Send at your own risk.
5. Shakespeare in the Park, ongoing
at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park
Nothing says summer in NYC like Shakespeare in the Park, and, as of June 6, it's back in business. Hit the park early with a picnic dinner, and you can soak up a little sun along with some culture (current show: Romeo and Juliet).
Imagine a plentiful world where the sky rains cocktails and savory appetizers grow on trees. It's a stretch, I know, but after discovering Restaurant.com, I feel like I've found the next best thing.
Here's how the Restaurant.com magic works: The site sells gift certificates to various restaurants throughout the city. These certificates are worth much more than they actually cost.
So, say you're jonesing for a dinner out.
You go to Restaurant.com, find a restaurant that suits your craving, and pay $10 for a $25 gift certificate. Print it out, and get yourself to the restaurant for a meal that's $15 cheaper than it should be.
Drawbacks (besides looking cheap when you hand your waiter that lovely little coupon)? There are restrictions, so read the fine print carefully. Often you can only use the certificate at dinner, and there's usually a minimum purchase.
It's still a deal, though. And the restaurants participating aren't all mediocre places that are just desperate for customers. A quick search of NYC locales brings up Chow Bar, Zaytoons, Kellari Taverna, John's Pizzeria, and Apartment 138, to name a few.
Bottom Line: These dining dollars are practically falling from the sky! Eat out more. Pay less.
Restaurant.com
Ok, this might not be what you're expecting. My secret to a cheap mani doesn't involve a sketchy hole-in-the-wall-cuticle-infection place near the Port Authority. My secret to a cheap manicure is to do it yourself. Ok, sure, it's not very glamorous, but once you get the hang of it, you'll find plenty of other ways to spend the money you save (like the t-shirt of the month club at Threadless).
Buy a cool color nailpolish at Duane Reade (and then commiserate with everyone at ihateduanereade.com) but don't forget the magic weapon of DIY nail care: Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry Anti-Chip Top Coat. It dries painted nails to a hard finish in a less than a minute. Seriously, I swear by the stuff. And, it even has "double UV filters". Ha, I think if you're in the sun enough for your manicure to fade from UV exposure you have other problems.
Bottom Line: Best way to do a DIY mani
Costs about $4-5
