The Great Pumpkin

Halloween is always a great time of year-- All the Ghouls and Goblins come out too play, you stuff yourself with candy and sugar filled munchies, and you get to dress up in some particular bad tasting costume ideas. But one of the coolest things about this time of year is the return of the biggest pumpkin contest! This is not suppose to be confused by with the Charlie Brown's classic, "The Great Pumpkin" but its pretty close.


Every year people from around the country gather with their unusually sized pumpkins and try to determine the greatest pumpkin in all the land. Each state has their own contest and those winners go onto nationally held competitions.

The trend for the past few years has been astounding, the majority of each state and national records have surpassed the previous year record. This year was the first time the record will stand more than one year. The world record is held by--Chris Steven (pictured right with pumpkin) of New Richmond, Wisconsin. His pumpkin weighted in at an astounding 1810 pounds in 2010, as much as a small Volkswagen Bug.

An even more spooky fact is that the records have usually surpassed the previous years by hundreds of pounds. These pumpkins are getting so big that forklifts are not even strong enough to move them.There is even a new "one ton" mark that these pumpkin growers are trying to achieve-- that's a whole lot of pumpkin pie.

These genetically mutated monsters are a sight too see, and have become national news this time of year. I have personally been to a few of these contests and its a crazy thing to see. When a pumpkin is taller than you, your perception of what is considered a large fruit changes.

If you want to catch a glimpse next year, there is a contest in Half Moon Bay every year and some other local ones that happen at the start of October. I truly suggest making a day out of it, a sight to see once in your life.

Young, Broke & Beautiful

San Francisco is an amazing town--- It's full of crazy people, obscure restaurants, great festivals, and a nightlife that rivals any other major metropolitan city. But when I moved here in the summer of 2009, I had no idea on how too navigate threw this crazy town. More importantly I didn't know how to enjoy this town on a limited budget. That all changed when my new roommate Katlin gave me a book when I moved here. The book was called Broke-Ass Stuart's: Guide to Cheaply Living in San Francisco.

Stuart is a common man with a particuarlly good idea for a book. He moved to the SF like most of us, looking for adventure. He began to search the city for the best--- eats, drinks and attractions. After a couple months of "research," he comprised his book. Stuart does a great job of organizing the book, putting each district into a chapter, then describing what places he liked and more importantly what was cheap.


The book soon took off and sold thousands of copies. He branched out into a blog and then some new books. His writing style is fun and informational, but also has some mouth watering details and hints on ways to enjoy each place you visit.


This book quickly became my San Francisco bible, I read it religiously for weeks. It transformed the perceptions I had of the bay area. It changed my experience with munchies, bars, festivals in the bay area--- all the while being able to stay within a strict budget. I found a number of restaurants and bars that quickly became my favorite spots in the city, places that I still go today. So if you want to find a new bar, festival to check out, or that new munchies spot--- check out Stuarts blogs/books/articles, you will thank me later.

Tailgating Munchies

Fall is always the best time of year. Your summer has dwindled away into a distant memory, the weather changes into a mixture of warm days and cold nights, but the most important thing is the return of football! I love football for two reason--- entertainment, but more importantly the food! Being a life long San Diego Chargers fan, I've been to way too many games to count. My family has had season tickets since the mid 1970s, and growing up as a bolt fanatic I've also seen a number of tailgating parties.

Almost every Sunday since my conception have been spent in the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium. I love the feeling of tailgating, what can beat eating and drinking with family-- I do consider all Charger fans to be part of my family. The feeling of pigging out on dishes that are heart stopping  and spending those few hours before the game is something that everyone should experience once in their life---even if your not a football fan. 

But before you take the risk of jumping into the world of tailgating, you need to know some essential items to ensure and fun-filled time. The first thing of course is a car capable of taking your supplies to the stadium. I've gone to a few games without a car and its hard too join other tailgating parties without anything to contribute. Along with a car, is some sort of canopy or cover to designate your spot. Its never an easy situation when other fans encroach on your tailgating area. 

The most important item is a grill!!! I cannot stress the value of a good bbq when tailgating.There are a variety of options, but my favorite is the car attached bbq. My family has a costume built one that attaches to the hitch of our car (pictured right).

Along with the grill, it is essential to have-- a cooler, tables, chairs, banners, games (my favorite is corn-hole), beer-pong table, a football, and any team-gear deemed appropriate.

But lets get down to the brass tax, and that's the munchies. A key to any successful tailgating party is to have lots of drinks--- I mean a lot of drinks. You cant get those drunkies without tipping back a few. Its good to have a variety of drinks for all ages, but more importantly the drinks of an alcoholic nature.

Another successful item is to make one item that is already prepared the night before. It's always easier to have some thing homemade and ready to go. My family always make ribs before any game, we cook them the day before and then BBQ them the day of the game. It gives them that charcoal taste and doesn't take hours too cook. It saves you time and effort, as well as having some good munchies to eat before the game.

Chips and dip are crucial! These are corner stones of any tailgating party. It's always a good idea to have hot dogs and burgers, but that's too simple. Try and branch out and be creative with your munchies. My family always cooks ribs, but we try and bring something different to every game--- mostly side dishes and type of drinks. So don't be afraid to experiment! There are a number of ideas, resources, and tips on what is considered good tailgating munchies online!

So the next time your looking for something fun to do on a Sunday, look no further than a parking lot full of crazy fans and some good food before a football game. It's a touchdown of success.

Kingdom of Dumplings

Hello Friend!
This is the usual greeting from restaurant energetic and super happy restaurant owner, Mr. Lee. Kingdom of Dumplings is a exactly what its name portrays, a kingdom filled with pork stuffed dumplings and a side of happiness. Mr. Lee is the owner, cook, server, and overall amazing individual who works really hard at his profession for the past 15 years. Kingdom has an amazing reputation for its quality food and cheap prices.

I stumbled upon this place when I first moved to San Francisco in the summer of 2009. Living in the sunset, you don't have many restaurant options. But I remember the day that the distinct smell of Kingdom of Dumpling transported me into an alternate reality. My tummy rumbled, my knees started to quiver like a teenage girl running into Justin Bieber, and I salivated more than any person should. The best part about it was that Kingdom of Dumpling was less than three blocks from where I use to live! (1713 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116)

So I gave it a shot with a couple friends. A party of six inside a restaurant that maybe sits ten comfortably. The menu was short and to the point, but had all the traditional Chiense dumplings and side orders you expect at a restaurant like this. We order three orders of dumplings, two orders of soup dumplings, some amazing green beans, and friend rice. When the order arrived in less than 15 minutes and we dug in. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT FIRST DUMPLING BITE! It was sweet, savory, filling and all the while being so simple. Each dumpling is handmade by Mr.Lee and each side order is distinct in taste, but all the while so complimentary to the other dishes. I would recommend-- green beans, chcken friend rice, cucmber salad, pork with napa dumplings, lamb dumplings, pretty much anything on the menu.

When we finished eating we were in a coma. I could barely move and my friends were all in the same position. But what woke us up a little was when the check arrived. We figured that it might have been a steep price since there was a large group. But for a party of six and being put into a comatose it was only 45 dollars plus a tip. So roughly we all paid about eight or nine dollars for a meal that feed six. I went back with a party of 12 later that year and he accomodate all of us and the bill was only 92 dollars!! So next time your in the Sunset district and your looking for some cheap munchies, go to Kingdom and Dumplings and say "hello friend," to Mr. Lee. Your sure to get a good meal and more importantly a new friend.

A penny squeezed is a penny squeezed!

I was eating with a buddy the other day and I have to say I was really impressed by the meal he prepared--- chicken pesto pizza with a side salad. We began to talk about the cooking process and what was most surprising was that the meal was prepared for less than ten dollars! Such a tasty meal, with leftovers, that was super cheap to make. It made me think of the advantages of saving money all the while getting yourself a meal in the process. There are a number of budget plans and resources on the web to help keep track of how much you spend on food. As a broke college student you need to take advantage of these opportunities--- I use a majority of these websites myself! But here are some of my ideas that are easy to follow.

Start by cooking at home and sticking to a healthy and carefully planned food budget. Shopping in grocery stores can be daunting, but you’d be surprised on how much you save on food by not eating out. Remember to go to the store with an idea of what you need for the week. If you go without a grocery list, your more likely to splurge on items that you do not need. Also make sure you sign up for club cards! This valuable reasource gives you a chance to save on a variety of items. Remember also that just because there is a discounted price it might not be a good deal--- don't be afraid to do the math, look at other brands, and explore other options. Another great resource with grocery stores are coupons! I know it makes you feel like an eighty year old women, but to be honest those women know what they are doing. You'd be surprised at the amount of money you can save--- look for coupons in papers, when you enter the store, and online.

If money is really tight, start to cook foods that are easy and cheap—like pasta, eggs, beans, nuts and fruits. These types of food are easy to make and super filling. Things like making your own trail-mix and taking it to school will save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year. Look online for easy and reasourceful dishes that can benefit your belly and wallet.

And don’t be afraid to experiment! I can make a mad delicious mac n cheese with tuna meal for under $2.50! That is have the fun of food, experimenting! My favorite website is supercook.com. Every time I look into my cupboard and all I see is some fettuccine, rice and some leftover ground beef. I enter what I have into the website and it gives your a variety of options with what you can cook.

McPoor

There is nothing like Taco Bell at 2 in the morning after a long night of drinking. You always wonder to yourself---Where did they find this five star chef who made my beefy 5 layer burrito? Fast food is an American way of life since its conception in the 1950s. There are thousands of locations around the country and the idea of fast food has been integrated into the American lifestyle.

But have you ever noticed how many fast food chains are in low income areas? It has become apparent over the past twenty years that the numbers of fast food chains in low income areas are raising. It’s a cheap resource for people who have no other means of survival. Fast food is an easy meal for people who--- work multiple jobs, are single parents, homeless, or just have no means to quality food. 

I’ve traveled around the country and noticed the poorer the neighborhood, the less sources of quality food that are available. Even here in San Francisco it is evident. I was on the 22 bus through the Mission District last week and I noticed the father you went into the poverty afflicted areas, your more likely to see an alien than a quality grocery store.

Many of the fast food chains buy cheap property and build multiple locations in low income areas-- taking advantage of cheap land, a community with no other resources, and large number of people compacted into an area. Its not like cheap food is the problem, its that these communities have no other means of food. Instead of having quality stores to buy food to cook themselves, these communities just accept the trend and go along with it. It brings up a number of issues, most notable the major corporations taking advantage of the low income class and their situation. People living in poor neighborhoods with a preponderance of fast food are also more likely to have health problems as well. Obesity, diabetes, and other health risks associated with a poor diet are exacerbated by insufficient health care. The people with the least access to quality health care are the same people exposed to the worst food choices. If the resources were more readily available, maybe the health concerns and problems associated with fast food would diminish.

I honestly have noticed that the trend towards obesity is a huge concern here in America. But its sad that these issues are more notable in the poverty stricken areas. These people know of the dangers of the lifestyle they are living, but have no other means around it. I would love to see more stores like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods open up stores in low-income areas. But the truth is that they wont. They know that the stores would not survive in areas of low income households. Healthy food is supremely expensive and it will probably remain that way, even to the average American.

So the next time your at Taco Bell at two in the morning getting those drunkhies. Just remember that this isnt just munchies to other people... its a means of survival.