A Wooden Nickel Nuggets

In an attempt to be a better blogger, I'm starting a weekly page wherein I recommend things. While writing my recommendations, I started to think of things I thought the world should know and included those too. This is really formal, obviously. Someone remind me next week when I forget I promised to write this weekly.

Local Love
Amazing Thailand! Their current Golden Pumpkin appetizer special (fried pumpkin, dipped in sweetened condensed milk) is all but life changing. I'm a big fan of the green curry w/ tofu, which for less than $11 bucks usually lasts me three meals. Moreover, Amazing Thailand is one of those fabulous ethnic restaurants that understands that their food is stanky, and puts it in a sealed container as well as a plastic bag so as not to require that you to invest in a box of baking soda in order to enjoy your leftovers. Internets, I'm all for minimal packaging until my fridge smells like a garbage-eating rabbit died in there. Don't even think of attacking me in the comments for being a fan of the double-bag.

Improve your quality of life
I'm going to beat you all over the head with my Ray LaMontagne love this week. I read an interview where he said his new album is meant to be listened to straight through, so I'm probably not supposed to say that my favorite tracks are: New York City's Killin' Me, Beg Steal or Borrow, God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise, and Old Before Your Time. If you liked Whiskeytown, you'll love this album.

Mindless consumption
BF and I saw The Town on Friday, and I think you should go see it too. Not because it had great acting or a splendid plot- it didn't. It did have sexy time actors and a plot that didn't require you to be a Rhodes Scholar, both of which are appreciated on a Friday night. Also it allowed me to definitively state that Blake Lively is carrying around 2 sacks of silicone in her chestal region- a question that had plaguing the world for years, finally answered. Cheers, Ben Affleck.

Debunked myth
To every weight loss/get fit magazine published in the last 3 years: A handful of almonds is NOT, in fact, a healthy alternative to a plate of french fries. Healthy, yes. Alternative, no. Don't try to tell me that in the history of civilization, anyone has ever happily said to themselves "Gee, what I'd really like is potatoes cut and deep fried into bite size pieces, then salted to perfection and drenched in ketchup, but... I'd be just as content with a HANDFUL OF ALMONDS."

Etiquette
Foursquare/Location-based app folks, there is absolutely no need for me to know that you are at a gas station. Unless that gas station is being held up and you type "SOS I'm here with a gunman! Send local authorities!" along with the location, this is an improper use of these applications, and a drain on my day. I rue the day when some sort of crime is solved due to these apps, and they start advertising them as safe- instead of, you know, an invitation to rob your house which I think is more likely than the hold up situation I just outlined above.

This is A Wooden Nickel For Your Thoughts, pushing wasteful packaging, rage blackouts and fried food since 2007.