In Search of the Elusive Romanian Jew

So I really needed to check out this Sammy's Roumanian place. Alex's parents came to eat here 20+ years ago and, from first impressions, it really seems like it's the type of place that never changes. Halfway between 2 AM at a Bar Mitzvah and "Christmas" dinner with your Jewish friends, Sammy's is one of those quintessential NYC joints that makes us newbies wax nostalgic about the good ol' days (pre- Bloomberg, pre-Giuliani, crazy, coked out, dangerous & dirty New York)...

Wine...so far, promising.
There's literally, 8 things on the menu. Steak (single or double size), latkes, stuffed cabbage and chopped liver. You must be willing to clog your arteries and be slightly weirded out when you contemplate eating here.

me, eating my stuffed cabbage rolls, which I regret I ordered in lieu of the steak.
Not because they weren't good - my grandmother's are just better.

The double steak - it flops off the sides of the plate and is covered in butter and garlic.

David and the steaks, with the latkes & applesauce and pickled tomato appetizer.
The pickles tomatoes, unlike the cabbage, was exactly how I remember eating them growing up.

We finished up the meal with an egg cream (chocolate syrup, seltzer water and milk).
A really tongue-tasty culinary experience. Not refined, not cultured, but who wants to be in this economy?

Still haven’t gotten to the grocery store, still too poor to go out to eat…so after (hopelessly) shopping at Loehmann’s on 73rd, I hopped the C train with Boy to meet DK at Rudy’s in Hell’s Kitchen. This is our go-to spot since Boy & I feel ripped off if a bar doesn’t give us food with our plumb-cheap beverages.

The Giants game was on the tube, but so was the RNC…there seemed to be a war over the remote. No worries for true-blooded Americans will always pick the redskin over any politics.

Rachel, Alex & I at Rudy's

Beers and a few hot dogs later, I called it dinner and….deliberated over going to see “Tropic Thunder” or “The House Bunny”…but decided to do neither, went home & watched Bones reruns before sleepering at midnight. Fabulous!

P.S. There are ONLY condiments in the fridge a la “Fight Club”…

Serious Ass-Kicking, courtesy of Tugg Speedman

Dreamworks has set up three websites to promote Ben Stiller and his movie “Tropic Thunder”, coming out this August. They are part of a viral marketing campaign to introduce “Tugg Speedman”, Ben Stiller’s character in “Tropic Thunder” to an unsuspecting audience, not unlike the famously fun “Why So Serious?” website to promote the new Batman installment “The Dark Knight”.

Tugg Speedman has his own website and websites for his movies “Simple Jack” and “Scorcher 6″ which chronicle Tugg Speedman’s life as an action star - the ins and outs of the fickle martial arts film industry, his failed turn as a serious actor in the aptly titled “Simple Jack” and his future plans of starring in “Scorcher 6″, part six of a six part movie. “Scorcher 6″ reveals what “Zoolander” and “Meet the Parents” already explained to us about Ben Stiller: he is amazingly clever at playing dumb people. So here are two conversations I believe could happen if these websites were for real:

Two dudes walk out of Tugg Speedman’s new film “Simple Jack”

Dude: Dude. That was just wrong, yo. I don’t care who you is, that Rebecca chick was mad hot and so should have jumped on Jack. Who does she think she is? Yo, she is retarded for not mackin’ on Tugg. And did you see him with that horse? That was magical, dude. Whoa! Is that Tugg Speedman?

Tugg Speedman: Yes. It is Tugg Speedman and I’ve come here personally to tell you this movie does not suck. Sure, it’s about a retard and a sexually under satisfied woman, but it’s got puppies.

Two dudes win a contest to meet Tugg Speedman and talk about his new film

Dude 2: Where’s Tugg? Yo, he said he’d be here. Oh, there he is. Hey dude!

TS: What’s up dudes.

Dude 1: Hey man! How’s the world treatin’ you?

TS: It’s good, it’s good man. Tropic Thunder is comin’ out in August and that’s really big for me.

Dude 2: Ya, especially after that “Simple Jack” drama.

TS: Yes, well sometimes you want to step away from the ass-kickin’ once in a while. I stepped, and well, sometimes you just don’t make it. I tripped, big time, dudes. I had to though; those kung-fu nuts back in China were killing me.

Dude 1: So what can you promise us from “Tropic Thunder”..your new flick?

TS: I can promise you…a lot of blowin’ shit up. Crazy atomic, I mean, nuclear, no, wait, submachine gun weapons. And ass-kickin.

Dudes: Ya! Ass-kickin’!

Tonight is the Night

So, since I'm speaking retro-actively, tonight is the night I met my current boyfriend. Considering what I'm wearing...and what Jane is wearing...I'm really quite shocked he dug me. She looks amazing...and I look like I just got back from...linedancing or something.

me, jane, anna

before going out - at the phi sig house

(wearing some hideous and ultimately painful charlotte russe shoes)