What eating disorder?
I'll give in and post one thing (just one!) that New York has over LA, or at least has over Pasadena. Good delis, or any place that you can just pick up a quick sandwich or salad for lunch. Pasadena is a cute little town with lots of cute places to sit and eat and enjoy the cute atmosphere, but only a single place - Subway - where you can easily pick up a sandwich and be out the door in five minutes.
Subway is fine for me about once every two weeks. More than that and the smell of the place grosses me out and I think too closely about the unfortunate slime factor of the cold cuts. There are a few other cafes in the area that make a decent sandwich or salad, but each takes about 10 minutes to prepare - while I stand there and wait - and I usually have to state my order more than once to ensure they get it right. In New York, none of the counter boys spoke English, but they understood "no mayo" or "dressing on the side" and had my lunch prepared faster than I could dig out exact change.
The New York bodegas also offered every kind of beverage under the sun - from diet sodas to flavored water to iced coffee (always written "ice coffee" by the foreign workers - that annoyed the crap out of me, actually) - and a ton of yummy, relatively healthy snacks - wasabi peas, fat-free brownies, and swedish fish were some of my favorites. There is only one place in Pasadena (that I am aware of) that even carries Baked Lays, and that, too, is Subway. I don't think the Olestra brand made it across the country, but I could choose from fat free everything in New York. And yet I keep hearing that California is supposed to be so healthy.
I now try to bring my lunch to work, and have discovered that I actually enjoy it! I shied away from bringing my lunch in New York a.) because I was afraid that roaches would eat my bread if I kept any in the apartment, and b.) I consisted solely on Boca Burger dinners for 6 years straight and lunch was my one meal opportunity to consume green leafy vegetables. I also think that because work was always so busy in New York, I really used lunch as an excuse to leave my desk; if I didn't leave to get it, I would never leave, period.
I've since gotten sick of Boca Burgers and eat much healthier, balanced dinners (thanks, Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine for rounding out your selections) so I don't feel bad carbing up on sandwiches midday. Because you know that as long as I don't have a dishwasher there is no way I am ever going to prepare a salad for myself. Waaayyy too much effort. Maybe next year, when I'm 30 (I'll hire a housekeeper to do the dishes).
Subway is fine for me about once every two weeks. More than that and the smell of the place grosses me out and I think too closely about the unfortunate slime factor of the cold cuts. There are a few other cafes in the area that make a decent sandwich or salad, but each takes about 10 minutes to prepare - while I stand there and wait - and I usually have to state my order more than once to ensure they get it right. In New York, none of the counter boys spoke English, but they understood "no mayo" or "dressing on the side" and had my lunch prepared faster than I could dig out exact change.
The New York bodegas also offered every kind of beverage under the sun - from diet sodas to flavored water to iced coffee (always written "ice coffee" by the foreign workers - that annoyed the crap out of me, actually) - and a ton of yummy, relatively healthy snacks - wasabi peas, fat-free brownies, and swedish fish were some of my favorites. There is only one place in Pasadena (that I am aware of) that even carries Baked Lays, and that, too, is Subway. I don't think the Olestra brand made it across the country, but I could choose from fat free everything in New York. And yet I keep hearing that California is supposed to be so healthy.
I now try to bring my lunch to work, and have discovered that I actually enjoy it! I shied away from bringing my lunch in New York a.) because I was afraid that roaches would eat my bread if I kept any in the apartment, and b.) I consisted solely on Boca Burger dinners for 6 years straight and lunch was my one meal opportunity to consume green leafy vegetables. I also think that because work was always so busy in New York, I really used lunch as an excuse to leave my desk; if I didn't leave to get it, I would never leave, period.
I've since gotten sick of Boca Burgers and eat much healthier, balanced dinners (thanks, Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine for rounding out your selections) so I don't feel bad carbing up on sandwiches midday. Because you know that as long as I don't have a dishwasher there is no way I am ever going to prepare a salad for myself. Waaayyy too much effort. Maybe next year, when I'm 30 (I'll hire a housekeeper to do the dishes).
Labels: Los Angeles, New York
posted by Lori @ 12:34 PM
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