Bridging the Gap with Groceries--and 2 Luxuries

Images above: Roger and Julia, the husband and wife who own Vesta Chocolate, and the shop itself. They roast their own beans, sourced from the Dominican Republic.

On Saturday, October 3, I spent $255 at Kings, then $35 at 212 Salon & Day Spa (all careful Covid protocols in place) to get my hair blown out by Christina, plus $10 in tips for shampoo lady and stylist. To cap it off, a rare treat these days--the perfect small hot mocha, about 8 ounces, from Vesta Chocolate. I'm steering clear of chocolate, but hope that might be okay once a weekend. It is a carefully crafted treat; the mochas from Starbucks and other places pale in comparison. Cost: about $6.30.

The.perfect.mocha. Figgy also likes it made with oat milk.

I want to list the groceries, since the bill was over $250. As I wrote the other day, we are between payments here. Dan and I made a list of what we needed in one grocery trip to bridge the gap. For example: We have pizza dough in the freezer, and red sauce in jars, but needed mozzarella, both regular and vegan shreds, for a weeknight dinner. Some things here were wanted, not needed. I put those in pink. I also forgot to get one thing--tofu. I think I did pretty well. I got what we needed for a number of meals--raviol, quesadillas, pizza, steak, soup, roasted vegs. I'm curious--how does this look to you, what I got for the money?

1. Shredded mozzarella, BOGO.
2. Shredded mozzarella (second pack free).
3. Vegan mozzarella-style shreds.
4. First jar of artichoke hearts.
5. Second jar of artichoke hearts.
6. Piece of Portherhouse steak, on sale, to stretch through 3 meals for one person.
7. First bag of spinach-ricotta ravioli.
8. Second bag of spinach-ricotta ravioli.
9. Presliced deli provolone.
10. Presliced deli ham.
11. Bread Alone peasant bread, one loaf.
12. Vermont wheat bread, one loaf.
13. Pint organic half and half.
14. Pint organic heavy cream to whip for berry table Sunday. (I usually don't spring for Horizon brand, in the red carton. It was $6.79!! But I have to say it was delicious, whipped to pretty peaks without a pinch of sugar or drop of vanilla. Honestly, it tasted like a sweet treat from the farm and had the palest hint of meadow yellow.)
15. Large Cabot Greek yogurt.
16. Large Friendship cottage cheese.
17. Bag of Lil Snappers Honeycrisp "kid-size" apples, on sale.
18. First bag fresh Brussels sprouts.
19. Second bag fresh Brussels sprouts.
20. Third bag fresh Brussels sprouts.
21. Frozen Ezekiel English muffins.
22. Pound Land O'Lakes butter.
23. EVOO cooking spray.
24. Pack fresh mushrooms
25. Second pack fresh mushrooms.
26. Third pack fresh mushrooms.
27. Berry jam, BOGO.
28. Second berry jam, free.
29. Toothpaste.
30. Pack of 1-oz, 100-calorie Cape Cod potato chip snack bags.
31. Bananas.
32. First can Amy's organic soup.
33. Second can Amy's organic soup.
34. Third can Amy's organic soup.
35. Fourth can Amy's organic soup.
36. Kings hazelnut coffee, deep sale.
37. Huge can Chock full o'Nuts coffee, $2 off.
38. Box of Capri Sun juice pouches.
39. Half-gallon fresh apple cider.
40. Pack of Gotham lettuce leaves for sandwiches.
41. Wet dog food x5.
42. Pack of whole-wheat tortillas.
43. Dozen cage-free eggs.

Have a good day. 

Spendthrift, Clotheshorse, Hostess, Foodie, Helper, Meal Maker, Mother, House Cleaner, Gardener--and Dream Weaver

A trusted friend pointed out to me that if I continued to blog here daily about what I ate, I would not be able to rein it in. Because it was colorful, detailed, entertaining, even--but it was not helping me clean up my act. So I now generally just list good eating steps in my TCOY...fruits or vegs I ate, healthy recipes I made.

Yet I'm hesitant to stop listing my spending here. It, too, is detailed and maybe colorful, but the numbers add up to a flat, concrete, black-and-white sum, a figure to average by day and compare month to month. The moving parts are FACTS, DATA. So for now, what I started on January 3, 2019 [after spending a lot in December 2018] is ongoing. Here is that first $ post.

Here is my spend, my first monthly tally, from February 2019, and it is high: https://insearchoftruthandbeauty.blogspot.com/2019/03/staring-down-spend_4.html

Anyway, June is almost over. Let me catch up on this month. Stores in town are reopening, and I'm reopening my wallet to support them. Even my beauty salon is finally open, with very careful safety protocols in place.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET, TUESDAY, 6/23 THROUGH MONDAY, 6/29

• Slice of pizza and diet Snapple and tip, $7.
• SLA Thai, my brother-in-law Mike stopped by on his drive back to Maine and we treated for Thai pickup. Dinner, appetizers and Thai iced teas for 4 plus big tip, $122.
• 212 Salon, blowout plus tips, $47.
• 212 Salon, pedicure, the first since December, with tip, $45.
• Lunch in town with Fig and Punch at bagel shop, with beverages and big tip, $40.
• Sunday, The General Store, "I choose happy" calendar pad for Punch, plus drink for her, $16.
• Sunday, Falafel Hut lunch to bring Figgy at work, plus 2 diet Snapples and tip, $24.58. [Fig won't always live here; she has her eye on grad school. She had a serious eating disorder. So when I can, I like to drop off lunch or snack.]
• Vesta Chocolate, jar of homemade hazelnut spread [healthier than Nutella, and less sugar] plus treats for Punch and tip, about $36.
• Vesta Chocolate, $10 for Punch treats.
• Java Love, drinks/snacks for me, my friend Sue and Punch, $19.57.
• Moss & More, beautiful flower pot with saucer, reusable floral tote bag, Common Good refillable cleaning spray and dish soap, $88.71.
• Kings in person, $98. Included pink rose to plant in flower pot; 2 half-gallons milk; coffee creamer; chicken; 2 packs sliced cheese; 1 lb. sweet cherries; good rye bread; Enlightened frozen bars; flan cups for Punch; firecracker popper things for her; $17 donation bag of groceries for Montclair Food Pantry; and fancy coffee from Anaheim, CA.
• Kings in person, laundry detergent; fresh broccoli; head of lettuce; dog food x2; 88 percent dark chocolate bar; and more, $38.78.
• Sparo's Deli sandwich with tip, $15.25.
• Williams-Sonoma, two good jarred sauces on deep sale, $13.98.
• Barbara Eclectic, 2 more adult masks and one cute flamingo-patterned youth mask, $29.86. They are made from swimsuit material and breathable--just rinse out with soap and water and they air-dry quickly.
• New Hermès refillable lipstick, I love the mod color and case, with free overnight shipping. The regular shades are $67 but the limited edition ones are $72.  Plus tax, $76.77.
• Uber to hair salon in town Saturday [girls caught a ride with me] plus tip, $13.28.
• Round trip Uber to town Friday morning to pick Punch up when her bike tire popped, plus tip, $12.80. 
• CVS, 2 bags Dr. Teal's lavender Epsom salts, $13.93.
• Nordstrom, Wacoal bra in beautiful lace pattern, used $10 Nordstrom reward note so $28 with free shipping.
• Amazon, stress/fidget toys, pens, journals for Punch to use as she works through this ongoing therapy program, with $8 shipping, $76.
• Kings on bike just now, 1/2 gallon 2 percent milk; bunch of organic bananas; and marshmallows, graham crackers and a milk chocolate bar for s'mores [for others, not me], $19.67.

Total spend for 7 days: $892.08.

Ongoing monthly spend as of June 29: $3,259.22.

Avg daily spend: $112.39.

Back to Day 1 Again/The Cakes Called My Name

I didn't post last night because I was so tired. It was our block's 45th annual party--the first was in 1974. I was a teenager living north of here in Dumont, where I didn't know of block parties. Dan and I bought our home 25 years ago, in November 1994. Figgy was born nine months later. Punchy came into the picture in 2007.

I've been running the bake-off for years, and people count on it. Since I've chosen to detour from the Sugar Road, we did pizza this year. (Party planner Heather's idea.) I also try to avoid that, but planned to indulge--you have got to see this stuff.

Nick finished his pizza on his backyard grill; Nate brought a prosciutto/fig jam/goat cheese/balsamic glaze wonder. We had Punch and Vaurie's Tropical Storm Dessert Pizza, a pineapple upside-down number that caught their eyes online; Beth's grilled veggie; Iam's two deep dish, one with meat, one with veggies; John's vegan [amazing]; Lee's veggie with pesto; young Sam's two, one with capers and olives; and Liliana's cauliflower crust with soy cheese and her adult-entry winner, Best of Montclair, a rectangular "grandma" pie with fresh mozzarella from Rosario's, sauce from Cucina 98 on Walnut Street, her husband Michael's homegrown basil, and dough from Whole Foods. 

Punch and Vaurie won for ages 13 and under and were proud. Their apple crisp didn't take the prize last year in our APPLE OF MY EYE contest.

Picture floral tablecloths, fresh garden flowers, shiny kitchen tool gifts for every entrant, cute pins made by neighborhood artist Maiko for four judges and me/George/Catherine. We three coordinated the event and our pins said UPPER CRUST. George tallies the numbers. Catherine cut the portions and brought a pitcher of ice water for the judges. Dan and I donated two $15 gift card prizes. Our neighbor, Peter, pitched in the great stainless-steel utensils for entrants. They were from his business and included kick-ass pizza cutters, spatulas, spoons, etc.

Our house is up the hill, so it's a lot of trips up and down with supplies, etc. Dan and Fig helped, but it was still tiring. And my friend Amalia made two trips up for me!

The bake-off is a highlight; kids and adults enter. But we also have an ancient tug-of-war rope that's been passed down, barricades to close the streets so kids can run free, pinatas, a bubble machine and music!  And this year, two nice new neighbors, a married couple--both young, handsome men--hired a bounce house. It was amazing.

Those two generous fellows, Mark and Derek (sp), also brought a chocolate layer cake with thick vanilla frosting in a white bakery box from Little Daisy Bake Shop. Meg brought a rich chocolate on chocolate layer cake with the words BLOCK PARTY on top. And someone baked an excellent rich yogurt pound cake. I decided on the spot that I would indulge and start my day count again today. I don't think I regret this decision--if it can remain an isolated incident.

It was the little girl in me, the one who helped her mother bake Duncan Hines cake--the one who had her own miniature cake pan. Cake was honored in our family, a treat when we had it.

Onward. That's over, as my friend Jane would say. It doesn't help that I saw a picture of myself. I hadn't taken time to do hair and makeup. I looked heavy--and doughy. Did not like that.

After the party, Punch always says, I think we should do this twice a year.

TCOY for yesterday and today; Monday is new Day 1 off Sugar Road 

1. Mass.
2. Oats with fruit before bake-off. Probably filled me up a bit but not enuf to crowd out cake!
3. Water. If I drank alcohol at party, would have been even more off course.
4. Asked for help--from Dan, Fig, Punch, Amalia, Catherine, others. And requested clean-up help ahead of time on neighborhood list serve and Facebook group. Many people pitched in.
5. Biked to and from bank Monday.
6. Cleaned up my act. Fresh peach; Greek salad; chicken cutlets; artichokes.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Sunday, Kings, fresh pineapple and maraschino cherries for girls' Tropical Storm Dessert Pizza; dog treats; and paper plates for bake-off. $19.19.
• Monday, Kings, freshly breaded chicken cutlets, Greek salad, Palmolive dish soap, dog food x2, 1/2 pint heavy cream and 1/2 gallon whole milk [dairy products not organic, since only had $20.50 on me]. $19.91.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND Sunday: $19.19.
TOTAL DAILY SPEND Monday: $19.91. 
RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF SEPTEMBER 23: $1,714.86.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR: $74.56.

Compare to last month:

TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH OF AUGUST: $2,895.06. ⬆️

AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39.  ⬆️

Big-ticket 🎟🎟 September spends:

🎟 Citarella at Hudson Yards, NYC, dinner; plus fresh fruit, etc. to bring home, $35.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including present for Fig and big yellow mum plant, $84.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including salmon for dinner and an iced coffee from the barista, $63.

🎟 ShopRite, groceries, laundry detergent etc., $50.

🎟 Sky Zone [worth it, Punchy went with her nice friends], $25.

🎟 Joyist, $29.

🎟 Kings, groceries, $46.

🎟 Piazza della Sole, comfy, high-end shoes, half-price, $90.
🎟 Gasoline, twice, $52.
🎟 Chinese lunch with Sis, $33.
🎟 Grocery shopping in Connecticut w Sis, $48.
🎟 CPAP dr. co-pay, specialist, $50.
🎟 Whole Foods again, including 3-pack soy candles, pound smoked salmon and Hydro Flask for Punch, $166.
🎟  Jackie's Grillette treat, casual dinner and soft drinks for three, plus tip, about $45.
🎟 Salon 212 blowout plus tips for job hunting Friday, $45.
🎟 Kings, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella for women's group platter, $58.
🎟 CVS, melatonin gummies, milk, Listerine, $30.
🎟 Kings, 1/2 gallon organic milk, 1/2 gallon oat milk, yellow baby potatoes, teriyaki sauce, Cabot shredded cheese, fresh black figs, 1.38 lb flank steak, etc, $48.
🎟 Kings again, groceries, $39.
🎟 Chez Josephine dinner with Candy and Allegra, $60.
🎟 Duane Reade, emergency makeup in Port Authority, $25.
🎟 Prize donation for pizza bake-off, 2 gift cards, total $30.
🎟 ShopRite, bake-off ingredients for girls plus a lot of groceries, $84.
🎟 Healthy Friday afternoon Joyist for Punch, Figgy and me, plus metal straw with cleaning brush, $33.
🎟 Kings, coffee beans x 2 plus other groceries, $34.

Sunshine Saturday & a Movie, Too

Dan was working in NYC writing 60-Second Novels at a party tonight [it's hard to work on Saturday nights, but good for our budget] so Moey and Ted picked me up and drove me to the movies to see "Official Secrets," starring Keira Knightley. I can't put the plot into words, so, per Wikipedia: 

A British intelligence officer turns into a whistleblower after learning about NSA espionage plans designed to ensure passage of a resolution of war against Iraq by the U.N. Security Council in 2003. 

It was good investigative reporting--gripping--and I liked seeing gritty London and the pretty seaside. I was happy to get together with Moey and Ted.

Must do some work emails now, that odd bird emailing sources after 11 pm on a Saturday night.

TCOY, Day 7 off Sugar Road, but getting a little sloppy, not enuf  fruits/vegs/exercise

1. Support group.
2. Sunshine-y day at quick swoop of sidewalk sale and then Punchy's first fall soccer game.
3. Seeing M & T.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Tag sale on Lorraine Avenue on way to sidewalk sale....fabulous vintage blue and pink floral 54 inch by 70 inch tablecloth, perfectly pressed and so pretty, $9; two pairs of lovely brand-new earrings, one Napier, $3 each, total $15. 
• Rabbit Rabbit, a great tote I bought Sis for Christmas for $50 plus, now $15.
• Kings, coffee beans x2, big bunch Chiquita bananas, bagel bites, energy bar,  and bag of dark chocolate chips, $34.02.
• Ice cream truck near soccer field, bottle of water plus 25 cents tip, $1.75.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $65.77.
RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF SEPTEMBER 20: $1,675.76.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR: $79.80.

Compare to last month:

TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH OF AUGUST: $2,895.06. ⬆️

AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39.  ⬆️

Big-ticket 🎟🎟 September spends:

🎟 Citarella at Hudson Yards, NYC, dinner; plus fresh fruit, etc. to bring home, $35.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including present for Fig and big yellow mum plant, $84.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including salmon for dinner and an iced coffee from the barista, $63.

🎟 ShopRite, groceries, laundry detergent etc., $50.

🎟 Sky Zone [worth it, Punchy went with her nice friends], $25.

🎟 Joyist, $29.

🎟 Kings, groceries, $46.

🎟 Piazza della Sole, comfy, high-end shoes, half-price, $90.
🎟 Gasoline, twice, $52.
🎟 Chinese lunch with Sis, $33.
🎟 Grocery shopping in Connecticut w Sis, $48.
🎟 CPAP dr. co-pay, specialist, $50.
🎟 Whole Foods again, including 3-pack soy candles, pound smoked salmon and Hydro Flask for Punch, $166.
🎟  Jackie's Grillette treat, casual dinner and soft drinks for three, plus tip, about $45.
🎟 Salon 212 blowout plus tips for job hunting Friday, $45.
🎟 Kings, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella for women's group platter, $58.
🎟 CVS, melatonin gummies, milk, Listerine, $30.
🎟 Kings, 1/2 gallon organic milk, 1/2 gallon oat milk, yellow baby potatoes, teriyaki sauce, Cabot shredded cheese, fresh black figs, 1.38 lb flank steak, etc, $48.
🎟 Kings again, groceries, $39.
🎟 Chez Josephine dinner with Candy and Allegra, $60.
🎟 Duane Reade, emergency makeup in Port Authority, $25.
🎟 Prize donation for pizza bake-off, 2 gift cards, total $30.
🎟 ShopRite, bake-off ingredients for girls plus a lot of groceries, $84.
🎟 Healthy Friday afternoon Joyist for Punch, Figgy and me, plus metal straw with cleaning brush, $33.
🎟 Kings, coffee beans x 2 plus other groceries, $34.

Day 10, Donuts in the House

Yesterday, Punch came back from a daylong babysitter training course with 2 large donuts, one with rainbow sprinkles. I put them in a zip baggie.

When I couldn't fall asleep at night, my mind started scrolling through the sweets I could go downstairs and eat, including those donuts. I did not do so. I did fall asleep. I knew that if I took one bite, sitting at that kitchen table in the breakfast nook, it would be off to the races. It also helped that Dan had made a healthy supper of tacos with ground turkey, Bibb lettuce, salsa, tomato, onion, cheese, sour cream and avocado. [His vegetarian option: spicy red beans.] I had said to him before he went shopping, I can't have pasta or pizza. I also had Grape-Nuts with milk for a bedtime snack--too big, I might add. A serving size is 1/2 cup and I was way over; will adjust.

TCOY

1. Short walk with Sug.
2. Scrubbed bath tub. Taking care of tub is taking care of me, because I love baths.
3. Ate healthfully: banana; Ezekiel English muffin; leftover turkey taco with lettuce, tomato and avocado; steamed broccoli; ice water.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET, NOW INCLUDES SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY:

SATURDAY

• Joyist, 3 small Mariel bowls [mango, kiwi, tahini granola, etc.], one each for me, Punch and Fig, and one container PB energy bites, $29.
• Saunders Hardware store, the 12-pack of Yankee mosquito-repelling tea lights again, plus tax, $13.78. Pretty sure I can get them cheaper at Yankee online or in stores; will check.
• Piazza della Sole, the shoe store in town. In sale room, found comfortable Naot shoes 50 percent off, $180 down to $90. Look at this website! Wow. I had no idea.
• Parking meter, $1.
• Kings, groceries, $46.

SUNDAY

• ZERO. But Dan did dip his debit card for groceries at ShopRite and Punchy school supplies at Staples [that was a long list, $92, counting scientific calculator]. 

MONDAY

• ShopRite, 3 large laundry detergent [sale, about $1.77 each!]; turkey and Pepperidge Farm white bread for Punch lunch; hot-bar chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner; powdered dish detergent; half-gallon organic whole milk; Honey Nut Cheerios; hummus + pretzel snack packs, $1 each; 2 Friendship whipped cottage cheese; 3 wet dog food, $50.43.
• Kings, 2 Hu dark chocolate bars on sale, about 2 oz. each; 1 lb. fresh mushrooms; 3 plum tomatoes; jar chopped garlic, $16.23.
• Sky Zone admission for Punch, $25.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF SEPTEMBER 9: $569.28.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $63.25.

Big-ticket 🎟🎟 September spends:

🎟 Citarella at Hudson Yards, dinner; plus fresh fruit, etc. to bring home, $35.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including present for Fig and big yellow mum plant, $84.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including salmon for dinner and an iced coffee from the barista, $63.

🎟 ShopRite, groceries, laundry detergent etc., $50.

🎟 Sky Zone [worth it, Punchy went with her nice friends], $25.

🎟 Joyist, $29.

🎟 Kings, groceries, $46.

🎟 Piazza della Sole, comfy, high-end shoes, half-price, $90.

Be My Valentines

A list to look back on in the future, when we have all grown older:

1. For Figgy, a Starbucks card and two chubby vegan brownies from the baker at RedEye Cafe on Walnut Street. Fig said they were really good. I avoided baking and that was hard, so I bought my way to her heart. I can make some raise-the-bar brownies with fine chocolate, Valrhona cocoa and egg replacer [or applesauce]. Had to fight the urge to bake rich trigger foods.
2. For Danny, sage soap on a rope from Chelsea Square in Montclair, plus a cute red felt Hallmark card and a $25 gift card to Shinola. He wants to save up for a watch. I got him a bigger Shinola gift card for Christmas.
3. For Punchy, a beautiful big coloring book from Learning Express—plus the Little Daisy Bake Shop swag I blogged about on Sunday.
4. For Sis, a bracelet of pink beads and luminous, moon-glow pink pearls by Mary Marino, shipped to Connecticut to arrive right on time today, two red-foil-wrapped chocolate hearts tucked in the box. Mary’s pink stands for unconditional love and compassion.
5. For Sugar, nothing but the coos and love that doggy girl gets every day from all four of us. But I could have baked her peanut butter dog bones and wrapped them up with a pink satin bow.
6. For me from Dan, fancy Dolce Federica chocolates made by a woman in Montclair and sold at Java Love [his second home/work office]. They weren’t dense [actually featherlight], so not too guilt-ridden, and I shared them. Also: Red wine at supper. And from me to me and to my family, heart-healthy foods, including fish, chicken, steamed veggies, baked yams and baby spinach.

I miss my parents today and was remembering a little heart box of chocolates my Dad got me once when I was a girl.
Good night.