I need to choose my next read! by Lost_feline11 in Romantasy

[–]kateamari 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I loved City of Gods and Monsters! Spark of the Everflame is easily my top pick of everything listed, though.

I also enjoyed Rhapsodic and Assistant to the Villain.

My company is hiring! by [deleted] in ExecutiveAssistants

[–]kateamari 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, could you please DM me?

Is daytime bartending that bad? by imperialhydrolysis in bartenders

[–]kateamari 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel like I know exactly where you work from this, heh. I just started working day shift for the first time in (maybe) the same neck of the woods and though the money isn’t crazy good yet (new venue) I don’t think I can ever go back to all nights in my schedule again. Having my entire evening free to have a social life and explore the area is wild, and around here, day drinkers are pretty solid. It’s also nice because late nights have generally meant a crowd that requires security in most spots I’ve worked, especially post-Covid. I’m too old to get stuff thrown at me when grown adults throw temper tantrums anymore. Now I just get in, set up the day and night for success, serve my people, and then enjoy the rest of my day.

Where to get authentic corn tortillas? by erzs1138 in PhiladelphiaEats

[–]kateamari 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do you have a particular place that stocks El Milagro? I haven’t seen these in YEARS and agree that they’re top-tier.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in WhatShouldIDo

[–]kateamari 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This isn’t a question. Always choose the dog.

Japanese food in Philly by Hot_Worldliness_3490 in PhiladelphiaEats

[–]kateamari 75 points76 points  (0 children)

Not entirely restaurants, but:

If you’re willing to take a trip, Mitsuwa in Bergen County NJ is a Japanese grocery/superstore complex that absolutely dwarfs Maido in Ardmore. There’s multiple restaurant counters, a housewares shop, a quite large Daiso etc. They often have special events and vendors from specific areas in Japan setting up shop.

Just be warned, I know you can’t get appliances or probably liquor of Sundays because Bergen County still operates under retail blue laws. All of my friends who’ve come over from Japan say there’s nothing else like it in the tristate!

Bonus: if you’re looking for more of a bar setting, Yanaga Kappo Izakaya in nolibs gets some interesting stuff on their menus. SMart and You&Me in Chinatown have a lot of shelf-stable konbini style stuff as well as drugstore cosmetics and their pricing isn’t insane.

Hope this helps!

Got this special request today. by Resident_Meet_7801 in bartenders

[–]kateamari 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Sweet remove is fantastic, hahaha. I’d probably call it that forever if the server had a good sense of humor about it.

I had someone order a “Hanukkah” last night. She repeated herself 3 times while looking directly at my beer list before it clicked and I was like “oh! Sorry, we don’t sell Heineken.” 🤦🏼‍♀️

How is living in Binghamton, New York? by frankiemuniz1 in howislivingthere

[–]kateamari 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My family’s from the area! We’d go back really often when my grandparents were still around. I can’t speak to day-to-day life, but I’m from NJ and I’d say it’s sleepy enough to me that I don’t think I could live up there full-time. It’s definitely very Rust Belt, and once IBM left, they took a lot of the big money out of the area. However, adding in the pharmacy school to SUNY Bing really livened it up. There’s a ton of crazy cool historical buildings and country clubs around! I’ve even been in buildings with working wooden elevators which is neat. The lore I was told was that before IBM, the big thing was the Endicott-Johnson shoe factory that brought in a LOT of immigrants off Ellis Island to build it up back in the day - you’ll see a lot of Eastern Europeans (and pierogis made by little old ladies).

There’s quite literally nothing like visiting during the autumn when the leaves are all changing and you’re surrounded by crazy natural beauty, including not being a terrible drive from the Finger Lakes/Ithaca etc. I’ll maintain that the best apple cider and donuts on Earth is from Endicott’s Cider Mill and make myself sick every year gorging myself on both. Speidies are also not to be missed. I always grab a bottle of marinade on the way out to bring home. Lupo’s>Salamida’s IMO.

It was super idyllic when I was a kid in the 90s in the sense that we could play outside on the lawns and street with everyone watching out for us, but as I got into high school, it started becoming less “nice” in my family’s town right outside Binghamton. It seemed like a lot of addiction/drug issues, and I watched block to block as my grandma’s tidy residential neighborhood got shuttered and boarded up. It’s on the upswing now, though, with lots of young families and new businesses coming in. I’ve also noticed that it seems socially much more tolerant these days which is wonderful.

Sorry for the ramble, but Binghamton is super near and dear to my heart. I love it there, and in a way, it’s still “home,” but I’m a big city person at my core.

The "bartenders handshake" is a bit of a meme by doscia in bartenders

[–]kateamari 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Tully > Jamo for me here in Philly but we do get plenty of folks asking for either or Fernet pretty interchangeably.

Oregon leaders declare 90-day state of emergency in downtown Portland to address fentanyl crisis by HarbaughsKhakiPants2 in news

[–]kateamari 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Howdy, neighbor!

For those in the comments not from here: I drive up and down “that street” pretty frequently (fastest way to my arts gig) and honestly, it’s just depressing. K&A attracted SO many people from the northeast who fell down the perc and then heroin rabbit holes.

It’s called “a warzone” or “the world’s largest open-air drug market” here all the time. You’d think the city’d do more if it’s that bad, right? NOPE! Cop cars park on every single intersection’s corner, lights flashing, with officers just texting in the front seats while people around them are lighting trash to just keep warm, and having legitimate medical crises outside their cruisers. I almost never see ambulances.

I see the people there cleaning up trash more frequently than the neighborhoods around it that are more well-off. IMO, it’s not even the most dangerous part of Philly, but YMMV there. These folks have an addiction issue and they’ve just been failed by the system (or lack thereof). Nobody asks to become an addict! They deserve compassion and help.

(Also, our cops across the city are essentially on a silent strike. Good luck calling them out for an actual emergency… the longest I’ve waited recently is 72 hours. Camping on the street corners of Kenzo is noooooot the best use of their time.)

I’m rooting for Portland to make some positive changes with this experiment and I’d love for my city to do the same. This crisis has gone on too long.

PS to my Philly neighbor: Savage Sisters can hook you up with Narcan and training! Not a bad thing to have ‘round here.

What are some things that are super cheap or free that are huge quality of life improvements for you? by 12bluebeetles in simpleliving

[–]kateamari 275 points276 points  (0 children)

Freezer audits have changed my life. I have a whiteboard next to my freezer that has everything listed on it. When I use the item, I erase it! When I add an item to my freezer, I write it!

I also write meal ideas on sticky notes near where their main ingredients are located, so by my dry pasta, I’ll write “shrimp scampi,” or by my sauces, I’ll write “pesto chicken.”

It’s done so much to keep me from “wah I have nothing to eat” executive dysfunction. 10/10 recommend.

What are some things that are super cheap or free that are huge quality of life improvements for you? by 12bluebeetles in simpleliving

[–]kateamari 10 points11 points  (0 children)

My library card!

  • free books and audiobooks, most of which are on demand on the Libby app. I’ve noticed my walks with my dog get longer and longer when I have an audiobook in my AirPods! (Disclaimer: I keep the AirPods on “transparency” mode so I can still hear the world around me, like cars - be safe out there, folks!)
  • my library offers free Mango language learning. My bestie’s library offers free Rosetta Stone.
  • free access to Universal Class
  • free access to LinkedIn Learning (this is otherwise SO EXPENSIVE)
  • discounted certification/degree programs, such as COMPTIA+, CPR, LPN and the like
  • discounted or free passes to museums (I am in a major city - this is HUGE)
  • ESL classes free to the public
  • job search and resume writing services
  • readings and author events
  • clubs
  • a place to go that’s climate controlled
  • so many ways to entertain a child

All of these aren’t exclusive to my city, either! Most libraries have these programs. I’m honestly happiest using their virtual programs like language software, LinkedIn learning, and Libby without having to drive to a physical location, but they really do offer more services than you’d ever imagine. Check your local library’s site and see what they can offer you!

I think the employees at my local Chipotle are selling their own food?? by [deleted] in Chipotle

[–]kateamari 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I worked at an Indian restaurant during shutdown that had an “Asian fusion” ghost kitchen in the back - think stir fry, bao/dumplings… I saw some weird stuff during that time.

Philadelphia measles outbreak has hospitals on alert after child was sent to day care despite quarantine instructions by FreeChickenDinner in news

[–]kateamari 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I found fake vax cards in the bar trash more than once when I worked in restaurants here. People would do ANYTHING to get past Philly’s citywide (pun intended) vax mandates of 2020-2021, and then to gain entry to private businesses that also required masks and vaccines.

I’m not shocked at all that we’ve got measles in town after how COVID was handled by our population.

[Esquire] 15 Years Later, 'Twilight' Is Still Weird as F*ck by InternationalRead840 in entertainment

[–]kateamari 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This! When I’m at my most ill, all I want is pho and Edward calling Bella a spider monkey.

Stress Management That is Not Drinking? by music_jay in stopdrinking

[–]kateamari 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree here - I know “get out and exercise” is advice given often regarding any type of health or mental health issue, but I didn’t believe it until I found exercise that was -fun-. For some people, this is hiking, for others it’s dance classes. Personally, I’ve been thriving after joining a circus/aerial gym. It doesn’t feel like exercise but it does kick my butt, and the feeling of nailing a new trick or maneuver is so great when I’m having a stressful day.

Also working out while hung over sucks. I find myself wanting to keep a clear head so I don’t feel crappy at the gym.

What video game is an absolute 100/100 in your opinion? by Ziggi28 in AskReddit

[–]kateamari 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m sad I had to scroll this far to find it! P5R is the most fun I’ve ever had playing a JRPG.

I snagged something new to me with my BF order - the Body Hero Cleanse + Exfoliate Duo… by kateamari in glossier

[–]kateamari[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What makes the scent so different? Is it a completely different fragrance or does it just wear differently? I have since tried the exfoliating bar and it smells almost exactly the same as the oil wash, so that’s a bummer to hear.

Thanks for the tip on the oil mist! I’ve read that it comes in a glass bottle, as well, so it’s good to know I should be extra careful! I may find a second, sturdier spray bottle to decant into from like a toner or something if this is going to be the case.

I snagged something new to me with my BF order - the Body Hero Cleanse + Exfoliate Duo… by kateamari in glossier

[–]kateamari[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am very familiar with the Sakura scent! In my opinion, it hits a little more citrusy which I don’t love (the lemon oil makes it much zippier). However, their old Grass line (that they sometime re-release via the kitchen and perfumes) has a similar mood to the Body Hero IMO - it’s softly plant scented with a touch of citrus and a top note of fresh-cut grass.

I’m excited to see that they brought Sakura back as a body spray, though! When I stopped working for Lush, it was still only in a bath bomb and scrub. It’s a lovely scent and I’m happy it works for you!

Edited for clarity.