Star Sighting: Kirk Cameron

OK, I’ll admit it.  I wasn’t actually the one who saw America’s favorite older brother in Da Silvano in the West Village, NYC.  My friend and co-worker watched him wine, dine and look oh so fine!

I don’t have a picture from the event, but here’s a random, recent photo of Kirk Cameron:

You might remember Kirk from his days playing Mike Seaver on Growing Pains, which is one of my favorite ’80s – ’90s family sitcoms of all time!  Below is the family portrait:

I was really jealous when she said she saw Kirk at Da Silvano, especially since she told me the unfortunate information that she NEVER watched Growing Pains growing up.  Who can resist Mike’s crazy antics, Carol’s pubescent frustrations, or Maggie’s motherly advice.  There are two significant family members missing from the above portrait, so posted below is a supplemental “kids only” photo):

Chrissy and Luke (Leo!).  Aww look at all the Seavers together.  I miss this show.  I miss this genre of television.  Can we please go back to these lovely snipets of idealistic family life where everyone is perfectly witty?  When she told me she saw him, I started singing the theme song (below video is from Season 5):

Maybe I watched too much TV as a kid.  Maybe I’m a sucker for feel-good comedies.  Maybe I need a break from YouTube.  What I don’t have is the experience of seeing Mike Seaver in a restaurant in NY, which is a little disappointing.  But in all seriousness, remembering this sitcom puts a huge smile on my face, and makes me realize how much I miss these shows: Growing Pains, Full House, Step By Step, and the rest.  Of course some are broadcast in syndication now, but they are definitely not on enough to distract us all from watching A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila over and over again. 

Pret-A-Manger For A Sand-A-Wich

I LOVE PRET-A-MANGER!!! 

I studied abroad in London and almost lived off of this stuff.  Have you ever heard of it?  The only locations in the U.S. as of now are in New York.  They are also in the U.K. and Hong Kong.  It’s basically a quick-serve sandwich/soup/salad shop but oooooh it is so much more!  They use natural ingredients and offer many dishes that are wheat-free, organic, contain free-range meat, etc.  Beautiful, healthy and fast!  Enough of my advertisement.

Here’s what made me think of Pret…seeing one of its many storefronts obviously!  This Pret is located on 7th Avenue at 39th Street:

I had a few favorites while over-seas: chicken and avocado sandwich, brie tomato and whole-leaf basil baguette, and their falafel (it’s actually very good!).  Often, when we didn’t know what to eat for lunch, we’d go to Pret.  All the time.  It was cheap, quick and delicious.  Only a few months after I returned home to New York from London, I started to notice Pret-A-Mangers popping up all over the city.  It made me the reverse of homesick, it made me London-sick!  It always makes me think of the amazing semester I spent in London.  Whenever I see a Pret in the city, I feel like I’m looking through a secret portal to London and I remember all the good times I spent with my friends…eating sandwiches .

Check out their site!  Click here!

More Powdered Drinks – The “Koolest” Aid In Town

The “powdered drinks from my childhood” theme continues here.  Look who I ran into this morning:

Source: My personal photo

How many of you said “OHH YEAHHHH!!!” when you saw that?  I know I did (I hope he wasn’t terribly offended).  The elusive Kool-Aid man lives on in the hearts of “grown-up” children (unlike me) everywhere!!  What flavor do you think he is?  Mountainberry Punch?  Rock-a-dile Red?  Sharkleberry Fin?  Mmmmmm I can just taste that cold, artificial goodness running down my throat on a warm, spring half-day in fifth grade.  Of course, my parents would never buy the stuff so I was definitely on a play-date whilst enjoying this fantastic beverage.  Therefore, Mr. Kool-Aid Pitcher Dude reminds me of fun, elementary school play-dates (and super red tongues!!).  Man, he makes me look so short.

Did I mention this was taken on a Polaroid camera?  Classic.  That makes me think of, oh I don’t know, taking countless ridiculous pictures with my friends?  It also makes me think of Cher (Alicia Silverstone) taking Polaroid pictures of her outfits in Clueless.  :-)

However, I’m definitely not the only one who becomes reminiscent when running into the Red Man.  Check this out:

I remember the first time I saw this on Family Guy, which is one of my favorite shows of all time.  It just goes to show us all that Seth MacFarlane and all the guys over at Family Guy are also constantly having “flashbacks” and interjecting these bits of memory and nostalgia throughout the show.  It is the perfect placement of the iconic wall-crashing “OH YEAHH!” and reminds me of every Kool-Aid commercial as well.

Dane Cook takes this one step further:

He’s picking on our poor pitcher pal, but his commentary is hilaaarrrrrious so I HAD to post this here.  Dane remembers him, I remember him, Seth MacFarlane remembers him…do you?

Nesquik – Powder Is Preferable

I always walk through Times Square to get to work and recently, I noticed this:

Source: My personal photo

Nesquik.  It seems that Nestle is trying to make a comeback with one of my favorite childhood beverages!  But when I see people drinking Nesquik nowadays (on the train, in the street, my own friends) it’s from a plastic bottle!!!  Pre-mixed Nesquik chocolate milk!  This is the Nesquik that I am used to:

Source: (click here)

Nesquik chocolate powder!!!  Nesquik powder was a staple in my house growing up and boy do I miss it!  I remember mixing this velvety, delicious powder in with skim milk on weekend mornings while devouring a hot, fresh bagel with cream cheese.  I think I need to go to the supermarket and pick some up because there is something so independent and satisfying about mixing your own chocolate milk.  The best part about this powder is when it collects at the bottom of the glass or mug in little clumps and lumps.  Then, when the milk is finished, you scoop these clusters up with a spoon and eat them (no matter how salty the clumps tasted).  A very distinct taste with an even more distinct “clink clank” of my metal spoon hitting the sides of my glass during the mixing process.  Nesquik: makes me think of weekend breakfasts.