Expenses Without Receipts

Damn, it's been a long time.  Starting from Saturday, July 22:

• Diamonds Coffee Shoppe charges a fee for credit card charges now, so I used cash for the Mediterranean salad and the black cherry "bomb" cold brew.  With tip: $18.95.
• Went to the Dream Creamery (or, as I like to say it, the Dreamery).  Got that root beer float just before it started to really storm.  I brought my Lactase just in case the bug to get some ice cream hit me.  I took it just as I started to drink the root beer.  And I don't feel like taking a crap.  Maybe it worked ... or, maybe the root beer had something to do with me avoiding getting any lactose intolerance this time.  Either way, with tip, I paid (ETA this EWR August 13 at 2:06 p.m. -- oopsie!): $12.88.
• And we go back to Sunday, July 16, where I attended the second Open Streets of the year, along Glenwood Avenue just west of downtown Minneapolis.  I am not familiar with that part of town at all.  I have gone to or around Glenwood only twice: Last year to see Jules And Jim at Alliance Francaise, and to the impound lot to retrieve my car.  I appreciate the opportunity for my eyes to be opened to that area.  But the main thing I noticed about Glenwood compared to the first Open Streets at East Lake Street is that unlike East Lake Street, which is a business thoroughfare with a lot of restaurants I wanted to go into (almost all of them Mexican), Glenwood is largely residential.  I go to Open Streets because the street festival opens my eyes to what is permanently there.  I really want to go back to East Lake to get some birria tacos.  On the other hand, there isn't a whole lot of sights to see in Glenwood.  I hope it's a lovely part of town, but it (hopefully) is a quiet part of town, and therefore there isn't much of a reason for some guy from the north suburbs to visit.  It also seemed a bit disorganized.  The festival stretched way out west to a part of the Glenwood that was completely cut off.  There were three food trucks, a neighborhood garden, and no people.  The police that manned that end of Open Streets suggested to the three trucks to move eastward closer to the traffic, and I think all three eventually agreed.  But I got a chicken shish kebab with jollof rice at this tent offering African cuisine.  With it didn't take longer than 20 minutes to get it, but it was nice, especially considering it cost me just: $5.
• I took part in a survey by some department at the U. who was there.  I think it had something to do with urban planning and redesigning livable areas.  Hadn't seen a two-dollar bill in some time, so the one I have, I think I will keep.  And Infusion of: $2.
• On my way out I was thirsty from this Mexican lager I got, so I shelled out some money for a glass of lemonade from some kid.  This kid, he was so enthusiastic and cute ... he offered me a free hula-hoop lesson!  And I was kind of embarrassed because I don't want to be showing strangers how I wiggle my forty-something hips, plus there were people videotaping the festival and I didn't want to get caught, and I was leaving.  But I feel bad turning down a request for a boisterous kid, dangit.  Cost of the lemonade: $1.50.
• OK, we now go all the way back to Monday, July 3, where, before seeing Bullitt at The Heights, I went to the Dairy Queen right next door to eat a chili cheese dog: $3.95.
• And I used cash for the ticket and tips to concession stand and the organist, a total of: $14.
• Alright, let's go all the way back to Thursday, June 22, when I had to find a goddamn parking spot in downtown St. Paul to see ********a.  She never told me parking was going to be tight.  But she came out and helped me park, and after she rubbed me down while I was naked (she brushed her fingers on my dick when she was massaging my groin), she went out and helped me get out of my parking spot without hitting the cars in front of and behind me.  I was stressed as fuck over that, but she got me out.  I love her, and I love her for charging me only: $100.
• To Sunday, the 11th, which was Open Streets East Lake Street.  I researched that there are a lot of taco shops on this strip, and I researched on an article in the Star Tribune about The Best Places For Tacos In The Twin Cities and wrote down both the East Lake spots and what to buy in each.  And yet I didn't think I had the Post-It note on which I wrote those recommendations with me when I went.  But I did, and thank God I found it just as I was about to leave Taqueria El Primo.  Unfortunately, I already had a pollo taco there (not recommended) and was already full from the taco and pizza I already had.  Still, there was a reason I wrote these things down, so I marched up to the counter and ordered Round 2, a taco al pastor and a carne asada taco (both recommended).  And I bought a Corona Familiar because I saw into the cooler behind the counter a bottle that looked like a Corona but not quite.  I'm not a beer connoisseur, but that Corona Familiar tasted real good.  With tip: $16.19.
• Oh, and paid cash for the pollo taco, too.  With tip: $4.78.
• Monday, June 5 ... went to the Heights after work to see The Rules Of The Game.  Hey, I knew going in I probably wasn't going to dig the rhythms of old movies, and moreso old French ones.  And besides the ahead-of-its-time camerawork, I don't really see the hype of how this is a classic.  But I'm glad I went to see for myself.  Popcorn and tips for the concession stand and for the organist equals: $8.
• No we're going way back -- to Saturday, May 20.  That day I went to Target to return some ant traps.  I think I was at work when I saw this colony of ants march up to and devour this fatty crumb of food someone was careless enough to leave on the floor.  There are few things creepier than a bunch of ants converging on food, so I went to Target one day to buy these ant traps as recommended by Wirecutter in case I needed them.  Well, I've seen these ants around the house a couple times, but not recently, so once my panic subsided, I realized, "Wait, why did I buy these?"  I think I can wait until I need them before I buy them -- hopefully.  Anyway, I was told that I get a nickel back for the nickel I paid for when I bought the ant trap.  I customarily take a nickel discount because I say I bring my own bag.  So maybe I took a bag this time, or maybe the customer service person was wrong.  Either way, I got an Infusion of: 5 cents.
• Later that day I went to the Black Hart to see a MNUFC road Match with my fellow Loons.  They run a special for such events: Fulton on tap for five bucks.  It's a typical hoppy local craft beer, but I support local.  With tip: $6.
• Then, after the Match was over, these two people came into the back room, where we're at.  The woman opened up this small, velcro pouch and offered up a bevy of Mexican food (tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas) wrapped up in individual pouches.  I didn't think the Black Hart allowed that, to be honest.  But you know, if they don't mind, I don't mind.  And the food seemed really prepared.  So I got a burrito.  And it tasted good.  Cost: $5.

You know, I say I need to do these more often, but lately I've had other things I wanted to talk about, so I'm giving myself a pass here, even if the last EWR I did was two months ago.

At any rate, I am good through Saturday the 22nd.