Potbelly in the City

DAY 15

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

My favorite Chicago-bred sandwich shop is here!

If warm, freshly-made sandwiches are your thing, then you'll love this place as much as I do. Here's the backstory:

"Potbelly Sandwich Shop began in 1977 as a small antique store run by a nice young couple. Despite the fast-paced, never-a-dull-moment world of antique dealing, the couple decided to bolster their business by making sandwiches for their customers. What began as a lark, turned out to be a stroke of genius. Soon, people who couldn't care less about vintage glass doorknobs were stopping by to enjoy special sandwiches and homemade desserts in this unusual atmosphere."

You can read about the rest of the story here.

There are two Potbelly stores in Manhattan: The first one is in Financial District, where I'm rarely ever at (101 Maiden Lane between Pearl and Gold Sts.); and the second, newly opened branch is right in midtown, on 44th St. between Lexington and Third Avenues. I finally went today to get dinner (and tomorrow's lunch).
When you enter the store, the "instructions" are very straightforward; they're plastered on the floor.

Come on down!

First, you choose your sandwich and bread—regular or multigrain, with the "thin-cut" option for 1/3 less bread. For some reason, in the Chicago store's menu, the latter falls under "Skinnys." Maybe some New York copy editor didn't like this, so don't go in there asking for a "Skinny Tuna" or "Skinny Mushroom" because both aren't listed. And, since there's no Skinny menu, there's no Mushroom Melt, so if you want that, you'll have to say "Thin-cut Vegetarian." Same banana.

Second, you move down the counter and wait for your temporarily open-faced sandwich to come out of the revolving toaster. Then, you choose any or all of the following toppings: mayo, mustard, hot peppers, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, oil, or Italian Seasoning. At this point, you simply must say "hot peppers," because it just completes the Potbelly experience. If you don't like spicy food, then just go with the onions to get some of that fiery kick.

Third, you pay! Or, grab a small bag of chips. Or, pick up a same-day baked chocolate chip cookie. Or, place a last-minute order of strawberry milkshake. Don't worry, they're nice peeps over at Potbelly. Their tagline, after all, is "Good vibes. Great sandwiches."

Check out their website and Facebook page. Major like! Make that, love!

Off the Beaten Path

DAY 14

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

The road less traveled may offer pleasant surprises along the way. 

When things don't turn out as planned, it's good to just roll with it. This is something I've picked up along the way and is a recurring lesson in my life. It's also quite convenient that I tend to be forgetful, because I can't seem to remember things or moments that I'm supposed to regret, even if, at the time they're happening, I remind myself to categorize what's happening as "something to regret." A.k.a. setbacks, they always seem to be replaced by something fabulous, hence, the selective amnesia.

Similarly, it's good to be flexible when making plans. Leave some leeway for any last-minute changes—you could be pleasantly surprised. Take yesterday, for example. Had I followed the morning's schedule to the letter, I wouldn't have ended up taking photos in front of the library and wouldn't have met or talked to Bill Cunningham.

In life, there are detours and unexpected delays. We can choose to be disgruntled, or welcome each one with a sense of adventure.

Sunday Street Moment

DAY 13

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

On the day I choose a t-shirt and jeans combo, I meet—and speak with!—the iconic fashion photographer.

When I saw the movie, Bill Cunningham New York back in April, I was so mesmerized by the iconic photographer's life—how simply he lived it—and his decades-long career with The New York Times. I would say that Bill Cunningham brought street photography to the mainstream, if not, invented street-style photo features as we see them today.

Now, much as I would like to be photographed by the man on his bicycle and trademark blue shirt, I know that what I wear on a daily basis isn't fashion-feature or society-page material. I leave that to my more stylish friends like Kat or Happy who have a sort of bohemian-meets-city-chic take on fashion that tends to be photogenic—especially with the accessories they pair with their outfits. Christine of Manila Fashion Observer also comes to mind, for her high-end style. I, on the other hand, am a little bit old-lady-French, or sporty-sleek. Not entirely un-fashionable, but you get my drift.

Every now and then, I think about Cunningham. Just in the last two weeks alone, I can tell you of two moments that I have wondered about the very fascinating photographer. First, I was walking along Lexington Avenue and 57th St., and I thought to myself, "Will I ever see Bill Cunningham in person on his bike, as I walk down the street? Maybe not." The second time, I may have walked past the New York Times building or some other building and wondered, "Who'll take care of Bill Cunningham when he's older? A trusted assistant? The NY Times management?"

So, you could imagine my surprise when earlier this morning, as I was taking pictures by the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building steps on Fifth Avenue, a man behind me started talking and pointed out how nice the library was to shoot today as it was "clean" (or did he say "clear"?). When I turned around, it was Bill Cunningham! On his bike! In his blue shirt! I was so star-struck and to be honest, I can hardly remember exactly what he said about the library. Here are bits and pieces of our conversation (conversation!):

Me: "I'm so happy to see you! I watched your movie."
Bill: "[Smiling. I can't remember what he said, maybe something about it being a very nice day, how it's nice to shoot the library on this nice day.]
Me: "You work Sundays?"
Bill: "Oh, yeah. I'm on my way to the photo lab."
Me: "Okay. I'm so happy to have met you. Bye, Bill. Take care!"
Bill: [Smiles and pedals away.]

Sigh. It took a few moments to collect my thoughts and start walking to the next block. I couldn't believe it!

The ironic thing is, today, of all days, was a day I chose to dress down. I was going to be out and about with family, so I wore a very comfy electric yellow fitted tee, cuffed jeans, and my stripey pink-violet Keds slip-ons. I was also carrying a New Balance drawstring backpack and a black reusable shopping bag next to my handbag (the latter is pretty though). Oh well :)

If you haven't seen it yet, here's the movie trailer that I posted back in April. You may also read the blog entry here.

Bill Cunningham "On the Street" image courtesy of The New York Times.

Reading Room

A must-read!

DAY 12

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

It may come as a surprise to some of you that I have subscriptions to the following men's titles: Popular Science and Esquire. It all started when my husband was promoted to associate publisher and was responsible for launching Men's Health in the Philippines. First, he flew out to New York for training and brought back Rodale titles, including MH editor David Zinczencko's "Abs Diet" book. Next, he started getting US editions of both Men's Health and Esquire in the mail. At the time, I was working at Cosmo in Manila, and reading women's magazines as a form of relaxation had lost a bit of its luster as it would somehow feel like work. Let's say I was reading a foreign women's mag and am impressed by a story or would get fascinated by some photos, so I'd end up checking the gutter for credits, maybe even start poring over the masthead…not the kind of reading one would enjoy doing in the bathroom.

Men's magazines, on the other hand, provided a more straightforward form of entertainment and relaxation. I couldn't care less who shot what story or who did the grooming or who worked in what department (fine, maybe I still did a quick peek at the masthead)—it was pure reading pleasure.

These days, I no longer work as a full-time magazine staffer, which goes to say that I can go back to reading women's titles without internalizing how its pages were, or a particular story was produced. Next to my Popular Science (if you have kids, I definitely recommend having this mag lying around the house for them to pick up; it's a treasure trove of fascinating information) and Esquire are O, The Oprah Magazine, and random purchases of other fashion and lifestyle titles. What can I say? I'm a magazine girl at heart.

Image courtesy of Popular Science on Facebook.

Snacks for the Weekend

DAY 11

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

Hi, folks!

Here's another short post for tonight. I have to sleep off this splitting headache, and get ready for a busy family weekend! Anyhow, I will be snacking on Clif Kid Z Bars and Kashi granola bars. If you haven't tried them, I suggest you do. Unlike many energy/snack bars out in the market, these two aren't cloyingly sweet.

Tell me: What's your on-the-go favorite snack? Leave a comment, and I'll draw two winners by end of next week and send a box (or two) of these yummy bars.

Have a great weekend y'all!