Serindipity: We Went To National Pancake Day...And We Brought Our Own Nutella

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

We Went To National Pancake Day...And We Brought Our Own Nutella

Jouex Mardi Gras y'all!

First, let me send a big Advil and Bloody Mary to all my NOLA friends. I love NOLA and can't wait to go back this summer! Also, Jess is coming (yay) so the whole Creative Writing Famsquad will be reunited and it'll feel so good! A little NOLA nostalgia for y'all. Please excuse my hair and face-this was the first day I was here and I'm really gross and sleep deprived. Thank you Zach for always making NOLA the best!

In front of Princess Tiana's Castle in Jackson Square

Pirate's Alley sans the Pirates. I'm jealous of my tan here...

Anyway, I'm T-1 hour until no more excess sugar for this girl. LENTEN promise 2014? No excessive sugar. Wahhhh, I'm gonna be miserable. Oh well, I need the detox.

Anyway, here in NJ we celebrated Mardi Gras the best way we can. In 24 degree weather, that is. Jess and I went to IHOP's National Pancake Day! That means FREE pancakes! If it's free it's for me.

source

Now, we're not just their for the free pancakes. No no. We got the free water (lolz) and we brought our own NUTELLA! I'm cheap, I'm frugal, and sorrynotsorry! Grad school is expensive! Nutella from home is free. Nutella at IHOP? Not free.

So as I was telling my Deb my plan last night, she was like does Jess know what she's in for? I'm like yes, duh! Life is expensive and a girl's gotta make her budget.

Just so you know, this is not the only way that I cut my corners. No siree. I'm a frugal girl and I like it. In college I was a wiz at saving my money and stretching a dollar. I rocked the poor college kid mentality. Here's what I did. I have no shame beeteedubs:

1.) The jellies at the diner. I open my purse and put the strawberry jam right in. It's free!

2.) The 7 pm. cutoff for bread at Ewing's Shop Rite. At 7 pm. the Ewing Shop Rite moves all the bread from that day to the "Day Old Bread" Rack. This includes your bread, cupcakes, dough, rolls, treats, etc. All of this was "Today's Bread" and guess what? The difference between 6:59 and 7 is 60%! I don't mind eating bread 1 minute after 7 for $1 as opposed to $3! I honestly would wait around and lurk until the clock struck 7 and the bread became discount!

3.) Applebee's! Applebee's is a gold mine for poor college kids. First of all, the Lawrenceville Applebee's gives TCNJ students a 15% off discount. SCORE! No wonder we frequent them so much. Also, Applebee's Half-Apps and Drinks make your eating abilities so much cheaper and more daaalish! I would be able to grab my beloved wings and sangria for $6! Where can you get that? No where that's where! Heaven. On. Earth.

Those are my big three ways to eat cheap in college.

Here are some pix from Pancakestravaganza!

When we first got there, the hostess said that we could wait for up to an hour. We were like that's cool, the pancakes are delish and freeeeeee! Why wouldn't you wait?! And then, the hostess uttered the Golden Words of Restaurants..."The counter has no wait!" It was like the heavens opened up and the angels were singing sweet arias. We volunteered as tribute and because we're not fancy at the IHOP we got seated right away. Suckers! Why wouldn't you sit at the Pancake Bar as we call it? You get your pancakes quicker people! So we sat down, ordered the greatest pancakes ever (except McDonald's pancakes but McDonald's doesn't give their hotcakes away for free so they can be my second fave) So we got our pancakes and out came the Nutella. People talked. People stared. People judged. But guess what: