Waking Up to Nutella

If you're not a morning person, here's a reason to become one. This week, the Nutella Truck is coming to NYC as part of their USA Breakfast Tour. They've already made stops at the 6th Avenue Fair and NYC Octoberfest to hand out samples of the heavenly spread. Next they're headed across the Hudson to Rutgers Univeristy on Tuesday and Hoboken on Wednesday.  But city dwellers, don't fret, they'll be back in Manhattan on Thursday and Friday hitting up NYU and Soho. Keep in mind samples are being handed out from 7 am to 12 pm so the early bird gets the worm...or in this case the Nutella.

And don't forget to check out the Nutella Facebook page to vote for the the truck return to NYC at the end of the tour stocked with free jars of Nutella.

Full Schedule:
• Tuesday, October 2 | Rutgers University (249 University Ave, Newark, NJ) | 7am – 12pm
• Wednesday, October 3 | 1 Hudson Place, Hoboken, NJ (by Path Station) | 7am – 12pm
• Thursday, October 4 | NYU (Washington Square St btwn Sullivan St & MacDougal St) | 7am – 12pm
• Friday, October 5 | SoHo (Broadway btwn Prince St & Spring St) | 7am – 12pm

Free Pancakes at IHop!

It all started on Monday, when the L train was delayed. Flustered, I decided to walk instead of spending my evening trapped in the train. While I was strolling along, I stumbled across an IHop. Yes, an IHop in Manhattan! Right on 14th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. I could barely contain my excitement and when I got home, I immediately logged onto their website figuring they would offer some sort of freebie for signing up with their email club. I was right! Within one day I had received the coupon below for a free Rooty Tooty Combo (or any item on the menu of equal or lesser value!). Two of my friends signed up too and we made a (free) evening of it last night. Nothing beats chocolate pancakes for dinner...unless they're free! Follow this link to get your very own coupon. Just beware, the fine print on the coupon says there is a limit of one per customer, per table. We still all got our meals for free but I'd double check with your waiter before ordering, just in case.

Free Pies Please!

Australian comfort food pioneer Pie Face just opened a new location in Murray Hill and to celebrate, they're giving away free mini pies. They were offering them today from 12-2 and 6-8 and I stopped by for a mini chicken and mushroom pie. It was the perfect combination of flaky buttery crust and hot, gooey insides. They'll be celebrating some more this week. Stop by tomorrow (September 19th) between 8 and 9 AM for a free coffee or on Friday night between 1:30 and 3:30 AM for a mini pie. They'd make the perfect after-drink snack! They're located at 507 3rd Avenue between 33rd and 34th St.

Also, I found a link to the email club on their website which promises more freebies so guess whose signing up?

Free Dessert at Edible Arrangements

Pineapple dipped in chocolate? Yes, please. For free? Hold this girl back!

Now through Sunday September 23rd, Edible Arrangements is offering a voucher for a free "Lovely Cupcake Pineapple Pop." Simply print out the coupon, fill out your personal info, and bring it to a store. There are locations in Brooklyn, the East Village, Midtown West, and the Upper East and West Side. I stopped by their location on St. Mark's Place to pick up mine. What a perfect (free) way to end the night. Bon Appetit!

(Sorta) Free Ice Cream Sandwiches!

If you've never tried a CoolHaus ice cream sandwich before, now is the time. These are no ordinary ice cream sandwiches. Each is composed of a large helping of house made gourmet ice cream sandwiched between two soft cookies. You pick your ice cream flavor and type of cookie. With choices like  Potato Chip and Butterscotch cookies and cherry cheesecake ice cream, the possibilities are endless. Usually these delicacies cost $6 a pop but through this Friday, they're offering them on a "pay as you wish" basis at their cart in Central Park. I stopped by today and tried their salted caramel between two dark dark chocolate cookies....and paid a dime. Seriously! I planned on taking a picture before devouring it, but my excitement overwhelmed me and I forgot, so here's one I got from SeriousEats.com . So delicious and well-worth the trip!

The cart is located at Central Park West and 80th St from 12 to 6 pm. Be sure not to miss it!

Cheap DIY- Key Decoration

Since moving into my apartment last week, I've been struggling to differentiate between my building and apartment key. But I refuse to buy those overpriced "key shirts." Still, I need a way to tell my almost identical keys apart before I strip them down from using them in the wrong locks. So, I got creative. Using nail polish, I painted the heads of the keys. I also painted my mailbox key black to match. And now I have a cohesive set of keys that look cute without spending a dime. 

I took these photos a few days after painting them. As you can see they're already a little dinged up. I think I'll touch them up and then paint a layer of clear polish for extra protection. 

Yay for cute looking keys I can tell apart!

Cheap DIY- Jewelry Display

When you're tight on space and money, it's important to think outside of the box. As I decorate my New York City apartment, I'm constantly brainstorming ways to use what I already have, even if that means for a purpose not originally intended.  That's why I transformed my cork board into an earring display and coat rack into a necklace hanger.

Just add sewing pins and you're done! I love that I can add postcards and photo booth strips to the cork board to serve as a back drop for my earrings.

By mixing the metals, lengths, and price points of the necklaces, I created an eclectic-cool vignette. Not to mention, it's super easy to grab a necklace and go. No need to clasp and unclasp like when they're on a rod. 

Shopping off the Curb in NYC

Lookit what I found! While strolling around my neighborhood last night, I stumbled across this table and stool set that is perfect for my little nook of a kitchen. My roommate and I loaded it into a taxi and took the short trip back to our apartment. For the price of cab fare (six bucks!) we now have a kitchen table and stools.

Shopping off of the curb is one of the perks of living in a city where people move frequently and storage costs are at a premium. You can check the sanitation department's website to see when trash is collected in your neighborhood, if you don't already know. These are the days when you'll find discards on the sidewalk waiting to be hauled away. You'll have especially good luck if you scout out the curb towards the beginning of the month when people are moving in and out. As long as you don't have a problem coping with the fact that you have no idea what went down on that furniture before it made it into you're home, you're golden.

I can't wait to start using this frugal find! Happy hunting and let me know if any curb finds have found their way into your apartments.