Shower tinkles

Save yourself a couple of gallons of water and pee in the shower!  But make sure you're shampooing or otherwise scrub-a-dubbing simultaneously, or that half-minute while you just pee will use up a as much water as a toilet flush (older showers use about 4 gallons/min, newer ones about 2.5)...plus shampoo adds a delightful flowery scent!  Also, perhaps do it in the beginning of the shower to ensure it all makes its way down the drain by the time you towel off.  And for those of you with roommates, remember pee is virtually sterile!

Sometimes money grows on rubbish

I recently secured $50 selling two charcoal BBQs that I found on the street and ended up having no room for.  Two posts, two emails, two 3 minute exchanges.  Now I have pocket cash and less clutter, an Irish lady has the means to cook on her camping trip, and the Broke-ology set at Lincoln Center Theater has a prop.  Three winners!

$291.05

I tallied the price tags of the non-perishables that I collected from Gristedes the other day.

The total is $291.05.

I only took what I wanted and could carry, which was only about 1/5 of what was there.  And the figure doesn't include baked goods or produce.  And that was only one store out of so very many on one night out of so very many.  Consider how much that all adds up to!

I understand the need for an sell-by labeling system.  It's the same with college move-out day--I understand why it happens, I know the feeling of having three hours to pack to move across the country while hungover, with your parents looking over your shoulder, foreseeing no future use for a shower caddy or XL twin sheets.  The frustration I have is that because it is foreseen and unfailing, then infrastructure should be in place to comfortably consign the goods to another user.  Cambells soup!  The most classically non-perishable food item I can imagine, was being thrown out by the dozen.  Yes, the sell-by date had come and gone, so fine...the store can't sell it.  But value does not have to vaporize along with that store's ability to put it on their shelves.

The granola and nuts were being tossed because their expiration date had passed.  The thing is, granola doesn't instantaneously spoil.  A cereal moth might nudge it's way in, or the oil might begin to taste past its best, but even then it's a matter of taste--it's nothing biological emetic.  That being the case, it would be nice if there were a way for liability to be relaxed so that perfectly edible food could be redistributed.

I don't meant to get preachy, but with 400,000 people in New York City suffering from moderate to severe hunger, and over 1,000 soup kitchens & food pantries in operation, many far over capacity, the framework of food disposal seems to be in need of a major overhaul.

The 31st

Freegan ferries powder the sidewalks of the city with magic on the last day of the month.  Leases are up and people are eager to move on.  Oh but bed bugs you say? Well, according to my probability tests, there is a lower likelihood for bed bugs on this day, as items aren't being tossed out in haste on the 7th or 23rd, but with timely intention right on the 31st.  Another indicator for the presence of bed bugs is the type of objects piled within close enough proximity have have originated from the same apartment.  If a person throws out linens and a mattress, but also spatulas and lamps and dishes, then I'm likely to deem it a simple case of moving house rather than extermination.

On this day, we gathered a bed frame with drawers in superb condition, a double memory foam mattress with cover and topper, countless sheets, duvets, comforters, dishes, cups, a rubbermaid under the bed drawer, and lots and lots of squares of mirror...perfect for arts and crafts time!

Buns and things

Seasonable for summer barbeques, I discovered quite a load of hot dog and burger buns.  Grilled the asparagus, and made a refreshing chilled broccoli and tomato salad.  The bagels and croissants were craft services on our film shoot.

...just the daily victuals from the square of sidewalk that never quits giving.

Tree in trash = cash

A couple months ago I collected many books from the dumpsters at Columbia and NYU.  The other day I finally got around to posting a couple on Amazon, not really expecting them to sell given a presumed summertime lull in textbook sales.  Lo and and behold, I am now $140 wealthier!  And two more people can gain knowledge (or not, based on how pristine these books were) from the pages of those trees.

Aren't trees and trash generous!!

Perishing non-perishables aplenty

Quaker instant oatmeal, Irish steel cut oatmeal, Fruit Loops cereal straws, cream of wheat, grits, toasted cream of wheat, Bran Flakes, Curves cereal, All Bran, Pop Tarts, and Kern's apricot juice.

Macro Vegan Galore

Every market in the city seemed to have these out that night.  Dumplings, soba, quinoa, lentils, and so much more.

Gleaning Dean and Deluca

To make cauliflower whisk together olive oil, salt, pepper, curry powder, coriander....and guava paste.  Spread florets on baking sheet, coat them in the dressing, and roast at 400º for 25 minutes.

"Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana.”

I also came across 8 bananas.  So I used 6 of them along with 6 of the now 51 eggs and mixed them with flour, sugar, and pecans from NYU, butter from Columbia, salt, baking soda and powder.  Three loaves into the freezer for craft services!

Like gum balls in a quiche but better

I found 5 dozen eggs, 3 red peppers, 1 zucchini, 4 tomatoes, and a head of broccoli.  Sophia had previously found a box of pie crust and put them in her freezer.  Combined with some spices and milk (and only 9 of the 60 eggs), I made three delicious quiches and froze them to serve to our cast and crew on set next week.

Columbia blue no greener than NYU violet

Gleaned from only a small portion of EC and River (and pictured is less than half of my bounty alone): fully functional printer/scanner, iron, fan, heater, flat screen television, bluetooth mouse, detergent, fabric softener, pots and pans, sealed cereal, pasta, sauces, popcorn, granola, oil, sugar, grains, tea, coffee, canned goods....canned goods!  I'm amazed that despite years of indoctrination through canned food drives, students can still throw out canned goods.  Furthermore, although book drive boxes were conveniently placed in the lobby of each building, hundreds of books remained trashed.  If even these kids can't get it right even under these circumstances...eeesh.  Nevertheless I'll begrudgingly reap the benefits!

Loot from NYU dumpster

Fished from a sea of economics and philosophy textbooks and ecology and environment term papers, I inherited a full cleaning and medicine cabinet, pantry, kitchen, library, wardrobe, and halloween box.  Thank you ironically wasteful university students.  May you take your knowledge and go far.

In the wake of NYU move-out day

[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/4695412]

Dean and Deluca

artichokes (!), heirloom tomatoes, corn, eggplants, limes, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, yellow squash, cucumbers, ginger, vegetable stir fry, croissant, muffins, scones, artisan bread.

If a pot is cooking, the friendship will stay warm

I coralled some friends and whipped up many of the veggies from our rainy day treasures into a hearty ratatouille.  Then we roasted the beets, broccoli, and yam for soup.  We pureed them along with some turkey broth that I had made from a carcass and frozen.  We also made risotto with the scallions, some leftover wine, and arborrio rice I had lying around.  Peppered with giggles and cheer, we had quite the repast.

Be fancy

Fancy people enjoy wine and hors d'ouevres, so that's what they serve at fancy clan gatherings.  Feign interest in 19th c. scagliola tabletops, and get yourself to that gallery opening.  Plus it never hurts to brush up on the parlance of the intelligentsia.

Rainy day treasures

tomatoes, cantaloupe, yellow squash, zucchini, asparagus, eggplant, yam, bananas, beets, watermelon, onions, apples, broccoli, scallions, lemon, celery, cauliflower, veggie dip, hamburger buns, slider buns, hot dog buns, crackers, and a whole box of shredded wheat!  

Strolling on a hot night, hankering produce.

grapefruits, carrots, scallions, apples, parsley, mushrooms, cucumbers, thyme, pears.

Picnic

In preparation for my picnic this weekend, I went on a food run at Gristedes.  Freegan findings: 4 cartons of spinach, 3 boxes meatless buffalo wings, 2 boxes meatless chicken wings, 4 red bell peppers, 2 green bell peppers, 2 apples, 1 pear, 3 bananas, 2 carrots, 1 cucumber, 1 head of lettuce, 2 bags chips, 1 bag of pretzels, and 2 cylinders of biscuit dough.  And with the generous aid of some condiments, I had a picnic.