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CHEAP EATS Kayday, she doesn't so much like it in Seattle, and this comes as no surprise to me. Or her. Or you, probably, if you've ever been there. If not, just go to weather.com and sample a 10-day forecast, any 10 days, this time of year. That'll give you some idea what she's up against. It's a beautiful city with good coffee and, traditionally, strong music, but that doesn't make it any kind of long-term livable for a sunny-dispositioned nature such as Kayday's.

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CHEAP EATS Remember when we used to go out to Ocean Beach on New Years Eve nights and burn Christmas trees? I want to do that again. I think you can still have a bonfire, right — at the end of the park?

Maybe next year.

Over the last couple holiday seasons I have been gradually feeling my way back into the spirit of things — last year by visiting Joshua Tree and hacking a chicken's head off, and this year via the good ol' American tradition of watching football on TV and eating potato chips and geese.

CHEAP EATS What'd I say 50 weeks ago? "More fun in one-one," or something, and, well, I had it!Read more »

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CHEAP EATS Zeni said she'd been cooking for three days. But the shopping was the hardest part. She had to go all over town, she said, to get the right sausages and other meat ... things.

Such as knuckles.

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CHEAP EATS I am not my new favorite restaurant's new favorite customer. No. If restaurants could review the people who eat at them, I would be roasted and raked right now. Or deep-fried.

Really, I deserve worse.Read more »

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CHEAP EATS I can't tell you how many times in my life I have been sitting in Java Supreme dunking a biscotti and discussing literature and pork with Earl Butter, and then I have to use the bathroom so I go home.Read more »

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CHEAP EATS It was one of those rainy rainy cold cold days, when all you can think about, if you're me, is a steaming bowl of noodle soup. It was Sunday. Hedgehog was taking an all-day welding class at the Crucible. My football season was over, and I couldn't play soccer because I'd yanked my hamstring playing football the weekend before, then ripped it playing racquetball. So I was under doctor's orders to sit the hell still for a time.

Tick.Read more »

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CHEAP EATS We went to see Moneyball. You know: We have soft spots in our hearts for baseball. Additionally, Hedgehog has a wet spot in her panties for Brad Pitt; and I in mine, truth be told, for Jonah Hill.

Before he lost the weight, mind you — although he's pretty funny after, too.Read more »

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CHEAP EATS The wind blew our giraffe over. Technically, it's the neighbor's giraffe: a fantastic yard sculpture made of tin and holes in tin. But we look out our bedroom window at it. At night, it casts a shadow on our shades. So we consider it ours, too.Read more »

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CHEAP EATS While everyone else in Oakland was occupying Oakland, Hedgehog and me took a vote and decided unanimously to occupy Montclair Village. Oscar Ogawa Plaza didn't scare us, head-wound-wise; it was just that, from the sound of it, we didn't think there'd be room to play catch.

Whereas Montclair Playground has a whole empty ball field, and a pond with a fountain, and birdies. And the Montclair Egg Shop is only just a block away.Read more »