On the Town On A Budget, Annapolis

Cadillac Ranch

2010-09-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

A week ago, the husband and I planned to go to Yellowfin for happy hour, but once we got there the place was packed! There was no way that we were getting a seat and it is kind of difficult to eat crab legs without a table. I was totally bummed, since I was looking forward to happy hour after a long day at work. It was almost 7pm and I knew we had better find a place fast or we were going breaking the budget. My husband saved the day with his suggestion that we try the new place at the Annapolis Towne Center, Cadillac Ranch.

We grabbed a seat at the bar at about 6:45 and still had 15 minutes of happy hour left. The Cadillac Ranch has a bar menu with $3, $4 and $5 items in addition to half priced drinks at happy hour. We quickly ordered our beers and scoured the menu. I chose the Pork Sliders and the husband ordered the Jalapeño poppers. We were pleasantly surprised when the plates came out of the kitchen. The Pork Sliders were three healthy sized mini-pulled pork sandwiches topped with crispy onions and a side of fries. All this for $4? Oh yes, all this for $4. The Jalapeno poppers were on the $5 menu and they were good sized Jalapenos stuffed with crab and cheese and deep fried. A little too spicy for my taste, but they are Jalapenos, so you get what you ask for.

Budget Breakdown:
$4.00 – Pork Sliders
$5.00 – Ranch Poppers
$2.75 – Blue Moon Bottle
$2.75 – Bass Bottle
$0.54 - tax
$5.00 – Tip
Total: $20.04

The only thing I could nit pick would be that they do not have any beers on draft only bottles. But seriously who cares with a special like this! The bar wasn’t too crowded the atmosphere was fun and the service was great (and adorable). Sometimes things happen for a reason, I was glad that we couldn’t get a table at Yellowfin because I found a new favorite spot!

*Sorry I did not get any pictures of the food. It was so delicious I didn’t stop and snap a photo. Next time I go, I will get some shots so you can see the generous portions and I’ll try to snap a pic of the cute bartender to make up for it :)

Search for the Best Lobster Mac & Cheese

2010-09-03T15:08:00.001-07:00

In my search to find the best deals Annapolis has to offer, I decided to do a little side experiment. I set myself a goal to find the best Lobster Macaroni and Cheese in town and do it On a Budget! Fortunately, a lot of great seafood restaurants have fantastic happy hour specials which feature a Lobster Mac on the menu. It wasn’t hard to find a place that served Lobster Mac, but finding the BEST was a tough job. The three contenders from my recent research were Bill Bateman’s in Severna Park, Big Fish Grille in Bowie and Yellowfin in Edgewater.

Bateman’s in Severna Park is a family favorite for one of my good friends who recently celebrate a birthday. Since we were there for her birthday, not for a budget friendly outing, I was pleasantly surprised with the deals. More on those later, let’s get to the Mac!

The Lobster Mac and Cheese featured some extra ingredients that in my opinion detracted from the dish. Bacon and onions both have very strong flavor, flavor that I enjoy, but flavor that detracted from the lobster in this case. The dish was nice and cheesy and wasn’t too heavy on the breadcrumbs. A good dish, but a little less bacon would have been better.

2 out of 5 Stars

Big Fish Grille is known for great seafood and a great happy hour special. All their appetizers are half price weekdays from 3-7 and weekends from 11-7. And Lobster Mac and Cheese is one of those appetizers.

During our visit to the Big Fish, the Lobster Mac and Cheese was the favorite dish. They do not use the classic breadcrumbs, but add an extra layer of mozzarella to melt over the top of the Mac. The portion of lobster was generous which is always good. Overall a this Lobster Macaroni was a tasty dish.

3 out of 5 Stars

Yellowfin is a very popular seafood restaurant in the Annapolis area and happens to have one of my favorite happy hour specials I town. Half price appetizers from 2:30-7pm on weekdays which means delicious snow crab legs for eleven bucks! But we aren’t talking about crab in this challenge, we are talking about lobster!

Last week, I decided to forego the crab legs and ordered the Lobster Mac at Friday night happy hour. I was so happy that I did. This dish was light and rich at the same time. The light dusting of breadcrumbs gave a nice texture without overpowering the flavor. The cheese was creamy and the Lobster chunks were more than generous. I could actually taste the sweetness of the Lobster which often gets covered in the cheesiness. This dish didn’t just win my vote for Best Lobster Mac and Cheese in town, it is probably one of the best things I have ever eaten!

5 out of 5 Stars

Do you know of a place with great Lobster Mac and Cheese? Let me know and I will add them to the ranking!

Tuesdays at Acme Bar and Grill

2010-08-22T13:24:00.001-07:00

I was so excited to have decided to go to Acme’s happy hour on Tuesday last week. I have been meaning to get here since I started my new search for budget friendly hot spots because of their reputation as a great happy hour spot. They have something going on every day of the week, but in my opinion Tuesdays are the best. $4 Cheesesteaks, bring it on.

Acme Bar and Grill is known for attracting a young crowd and I can remember a time (long long ago) when girlfriends of mine had some pretty rowdy times at this bar. I can definitely say that in my partying days, I never made it to this spot before 11pm. It is much more mellow at 6:30 on a Tuesday.

Even so, this place took me back to my younger days. The husband and I split a pitcher of Miller Light for six bucks. It tasted like college, in a good way. It made me long for a good game of beer pong. The cheesesteak also reminded me of my school days since I went to college in Philadelphia. It wasn’t exactly a Philly steak, but it was definitely delicious and would satisfy any appetite from collegiate to grown-up (if I dare call myself a grown up).

One of the best things about Acme’s daily specials is that they are offered from 5pm to Midnight. You don’t have to rush to get there before 7pm, which is great when many of us have to fight the afternoon rush hour and still should be able to take advantage of a good special. Other nice options on the Acme happy hour menu are $0.39 wings, $2.00 Miller Light Bottles and $3.00 rail drinks.

Budget Breakdown:
$4.00 – my plain and simple cheesesteak
$4.75 – my husband’s cheesesteak with fried onions, mushrooms and peppers
$6.00 – Miller Light Pitcher
$0.05 – Tax
$4.00 – Tip
Total: $18.80 = $9.40 per person

Dinner for two for under $20 bucks makes Acme on Tuesdays an awesome spot to be OTT! Delicious cheesesteaks with fries and a pickle plus ice cold Miller light. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Light Lunch at Boatyard Bar and Grill

2010-08-22T13:09:00.001-07:00

I know that I am seriously late to the game, but I had never been to the Boatyard Bar and Grill before last weekend. Funnily enough, a tourist told me I should try this place while she was asking me for recommendations for restaurants in Annapolis. I decided I needed to take a walk over the Eastport Bridge and experience what everyone has been talking about.

I convinced my husband to take me here for lunch last Saturday. We stopped in for a beer and a taste and left very satisfied. I had the “Damn Good” Corn Lobster soup and the husband got the Nachos. We sat at the bar at lunch time on Saturday and the place was pretty hopping. The atmosphere is very cool. It is set up to be nautical, but doesn’t feel like a tourist spot. I like the kind of place that can cater to families, but also has a place for grown ups. This is definitely the case at the Boatyard. There were plenty of kids in the restaurant, but since we sat at the bar we didn’t feel like we were at a family picnic.

The Boatyard has a good selection of beers on tap. I was in the mood for a wheat beer and asked the bartender for a recommendation. I didn’t catch the name of the brew, but it was very good. I love when your server or bartender can make an honest suggestion.

The food was very good and it seems that we haven’t even scratched the surface of their menu options. Once we told friends in various circles, it became clear that Annapolitans have very strong opinions of what is the best dish on the Boatyard menu. My one friend new to the area says we must try the salads. Another couple said that we were crazy to leave without having a seafood entre. I have not met a person who doesn’t like this place. We will definitely go back.

Budget Breakdown:
$10.00 – Two Draft Beers
$8.95 – Loaded Nachos
$5.25 – Corn Lobster Soup
$1.46 – Tax
$5.00 – Tip
Total: $30.66 = $15.33 per person

Punk's Backyard Grill - Bookbag Drive

2010-08-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

Now that I am actively searching for new fun things to do OTT, I spend a lot of time on Twitter looking for interesting events. I just got lucky that yesterday I saw a tweet promoting 20% off your meal at Punk’s Backyard Grill if you brought a book bag with school supplies to donate to The Junior League. I didn’t have any plans for the evening and just happened to have a ton of school supply type items unopened in my spare room/office. It is amazing what you have when you actually dig through your drawers. I had 5 unused glue sticks, a pack of index cards, a brand new 1 inch binder and presentation folder. I had a 3 whole punch that I used maybe once, an extra ruler that I’ve never used and a pack of red pens I bought for some reason that I didn’t actually use them for. The only thing I was missing was the book bag. I fixed that with no problem at Michaels’. They had these crafty type bookbags for $1 and I threw in a pack of zebra pencils for another $1 because I couldn’t resist.

I got all my stuff together and when my husband got home, he said he wasn’t hungry. Too bad for him, I wasn’t taking no for an answer, especially after all the effort I put into getting my donation squared away. I had never been to Punk’s, I wasn’t going alone and it was too late to phone a friend. After a few minutes of begging, we agreed that we could split a burger just to try a new place and donate to a local charity. I guess I owe him a night in…maybe next week.

Bookbag in hand (or on back if you want to get specific) we headed towards the Annapolis Mall, on the Bestgate Road side, to check it out. I have to say, not what I expected. They had an extensive beer selection (bottles only) and wine as well. The burgers come plain and you can add cheese or mushrooms for an additional cost. I don’t know what the official term for this style of restaurant, but it is the kind where you order at a register and then they bring the food to your table. You don’t have a server, just a food runner. I am not a huge fan of this style of eatery, but I know that a lot of people are. If I am going to drink a really nice beer, I either want to be sitting at a bar or literally in someone’s backyard. With a name like “Punk’s” I expected it to be a little more rock and roll and maybe that would have helped. I think I may have misinterpreted the name to mean something that it wasn’t intended to evoke.

The burger was good. I had a delicious Shiner Bock and the husband got a can of PBR for nostalgia’s sake. We were happy to support a new spot and a charity event on a Tuesday night.

Budget Breakdown:
$7.28 – Burger with Cheese
$4.95 – Shiner Bock Bottle
$3.00 – PBR Can
-$3.05 - Discount
$0.74 - Tax
$2.12 – Donation Expense
Total: $15.04 = $7.52 per person

Spicy Lunch at Ego Sushi & Grill

2010-08-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, my schedule was absolutely packed. I didn’t leave myself hardly any time to be OTT. No happy hour Friday and no going anywhere on Saturday, but I did convince my husband to take me to lunch on Sunday (so that I didn’t lose my mind). The little spot right at the bottom of Main Street was our destination, Ego Sushi and Grill. I worked downtown, when the original sushi restaurant, Yin Yankee Café, opened in this location. We wouldn’t be able to eat there all the time, but once in a while for a splurge me and my coworkers would treat ourselves to sushi. Fast forward a “few” years later, factor in new owners and a new name, but I still think of this place as a treat.

This particular Sunday, I was in the mood for something spicy (even in the 100 degree heat, I know I’m crazy). We sat at the sushi bar which I had never done before and highly recommend. It was fun to watch all the dishes being prepared including our own. The chef preparing the hot dishes was a little Asian lady with an Annapolis t-shirt on. The sushi chef was a guy who spent most of his time in the back closed part of the kitchen. You could tell when a sushi order came up because he dragged himself to the front threw together a gorgeous roll and then slumped back to the back of the kitchen. It always amazes me how nonchalant a professional chef looks when preparing a meal. They always look bored because they have made these meals a million times. I would be obsessing over every slice if preparing something like that in my kitchen. And they are barely paying attention to the pot of water that remains in a constant boil without boiling over. How that works, I may never know.

My husband ordered the Tom Ka Soup with shrimp and the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll. I had the Drunken Noodles with Chicken at the two-star spice level. To drink, just water and plenty of it. I am not one to regularly eat spicy food and this could have been a dangerous move considering my packed schedule, but lucky for all of us, I survived with no after effects. The Drunken Noodles was delicious, but almost burned my face off. I let the husband have a couple bites and he concurred that it was pretty hot (just to prove to you that I am not a total wimp).

One of the highlights of our lunch was when the sushi chef pulled out a pan and started cooking something on the stove. We both had been trying to figure out each dish as it was being prepared. Was this something special? I thought he was the sushi guy, does he have some signature dish that only he prepares on the stove? We watched with the same attention as all the other dishes being prepared and then realized he was cooking what looked like Ramen noodles. As it would turn out, after 10 minutes of staring him down, we realized he was making his own lunch and hustled to the back as soon at it was ready. only to be called back out with another sushi order. Half eaten bowl in hand, he drudged back to the sushi bar and prepped the sushi special, Hot Mama Roll, for the diners at the other end of the bar.

Budget Breakdown:
$6.50 – Sushi
$5.95 – Soup
$12.95 – Drunken Noodles
$1.52 – Tax
$5.00 – Tip
Total: $26.92 = $13.46 per person

We both enjoyed our meals and the show of Asian culinary skill. Definitely a place where you could be On the Town, On a Budget!

Yellow Fin Happy Hour

2010-08-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had one of those Mondays that just screamed “Get me to Happy Hour!” So I grabbed my husband before he even had a chance to change out of his work clothes and we got to Yellow Fin before the special was over. And you know there is a good special when a bar is packed on a Monday at 6:30. Half price appetizers in the lounge at one of the best seafood restaurants in town Monday through Saturdays from 2:30-7:00pm!

We weren’t really hungry, but there was no way I could pass up a pound and half of snow crab legs for only eleven bucks. Busting up those crab legs was a nice distraction from our drama filled work days. The Fordham brews were also nice stress melt-ers. I had my favorite Oak Barrel Stout which might not have been the best accompaniment to the sweet Snow Crab, but still delicious.

There were a number of items on the appetizer menu that I will definitely have to come back for. Thai Shrimp Eggrolls, Crab and Artichoke Dip, Crispy Calamari, Steamed Shrimp and more are $5 or less at Happy Hour prices. One item that I have my eye on is the Lobster Macaroni. I am thinking about doing a Lobster Mac & Cheese comparison from some of the local Happy Hour spots this month. If you know of any other spots that have a great Lobster Mac, let me know.

Budget Breakdown:
$11.00 – Snow Crab Legs
$10.00 – 2 Draft Beers
$1.25 - tax
$5.00 – Tip
Total: $27.25 = $13.63 per person

If you have no plans this Monday or any day this week, definitely make a trip to Yellow Fin. Also take advantage of ½ price Bottled Wine Nights, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Upcoming August Events

2010-08-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

This week I was just so busy, I barely got OTT. Fortunately, there are a lot of fun things going on in August, so I won’t be missing out. Mark your calendars for some fun OTT on a Budget events going on this month!

Bowie Baysox Tailgate Tuesdays

August 10 – Bowie Baysox vs. Portland Sea Dogs
August 24 – Bowie Baysox vs. Akron Aeros
August 31 – Bowie Baysox vs. Altoona Curve

Purchase a special $5 "Happy Hour" ticket at the Baysox box office before 6 p.m. and watch the Baysox take batting practice from the Bud Light Picnic Pavilion with $2 beer specials! Tailgate Tuesdays include snacks and musical guests. Bowie Baysox Prince George's Stadium is located at 4101 Crain Hwy. Check out their site for full game schedule. http://www.baysox.com

Hats Off to Comedy Wednesdays at Harry Browne’s

Wednesday August 18th
Wednesday August 25th

The first Hats Off to Comedy was such a success that they scheduled two more nights of comedy at Harry Browne’s on State Circle. Come For Dinner, Stay for Laughs! Doors open at 8pm. Admission is $10. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Seating is limited. To reserve seats, email EJReservations@hotmail.com. Please, include the date of the event and the number of guests in your party.

Movies in the Park every Thursday

Aug 12 – Happy Feet
Aug 19 – The Proposal
August 26 – Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
September 2 – The Blindside

Enjoy a family movie outside on the lawn at Park Place on West Street. Movies will begin approximately 8:15pm next to the Westin Hotel (future site of the Maryland Theatre of Performing Arts). You can park on the street or in the Westin underground parking garage. Concessions, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, movie snacks and popcorn, will also be available for sale. If a movie is cancelled due to inclement weather, it will be rescheduled for the first Thursday in September.

Quiet Waters Park Concert Series every Saturday

August 14 - Georgia Lea & SCC, Country Music, 6:00-8:00pm
August 21 - Lennard Jack & Fusion, Jazz (Carribean), 5:30-7:30pm
August 28 - US Navy Commodores, Jazz, 6:00-8:00pm

Saturday night doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Pack a picnic and enjoy a free outdoor concert in Quiet Waters Park. Free Admission to the Park after 5pm for the Concerts.

Big Fish Grille Weekend Happy Hour

2010-08-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Not many places have great specials on the weekends, but Big Fish Grille located in Crofton, charges their happy hour prices Saturday from 11-7. That means half price appetizers and half price bottles of wine almost all day!

Full disclosure before I start my recap: I just started eating seafood this year. I know it sounds crazy for a girl who grew up in Annapolis to not eat the local fare, but it is true. I just never acquired a taste for it, until this year when I started to eat lobster and snow crab legs. That being said, I may not be the best person to review a seafood restaurant, but I will do the best I can.

Last Saturday, the husband and I went for a late lunch to take advantage of the all day special. We ordered a bottle of the Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc and appetizers to share. I am sad to report that we got a little greedy and ordered an extra appetizer that put us a little over our budget. We had the Fried Calamari, Lobster Mac & Cheese and the Grilled Lobster Tails. We both agreed that the Lobster Mac & Cheese was the best dish of the three and the Grilled Lobster Tails was the dish we could have done without. The tails were a good deal at $9, but they seemed to be overcooked.

The one thing that I really liked was that they re-corked our bottle of wine for us. (Am I behind the times on this? Is this something all restaurants do?) We knew we didn’t want to drink a bottle of wine and then drive home, but we were happy to have a glass each and take the rest with us. We paid probably what we would if we bought the bottle at the liquor store. A deal worth breaking the budget for.

Budget Breakdown:
$6.00 – Calamari
$7.75 – Lobster Mac & Cheese
$9.00 – Grilled Lobster Tails
$12.00 – Bottle of Sauvignon Blac
$2.09 - tax
$7.00 – Tip
Total: $43.84

Over Budget by $3.84

Monday Morning Yoga

2010-08-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

So, today is Monday and I was really pumped to be starting my week with a yoga session down at the Annapolis City Docks. I picked up a flier last week that said that "Organic Yoga" sessions would take place Mondays at 7:00am. I went on the site, http://www.stretchyourspirit.com/, and got the checklist of things I needed to bring. Yoga mat, check, bottle of water, check, towel, check. I set the alarm for 6:15 and packed my little tote the night before. My alarm went off this morning and I hopped (well maybe not hopped, I got) out of bed, splashed some water on my face and headed out the door. I made it down the four flights of stairs and got in the car before I realized it was raining. Yuck! I made it to the stop light and had to switch on the wipers, which led me to believe that Organic Yoga would most likely be cancelled. I U-turned it back to the house and then thought to myself, "why wouldn't they just have it anyway, it is only drizzling?" I U-turned again and once I got back to the light realized, it will probably take me 20 minutes to get down there and then 10-15 more minutes to find where they are set up, 5 minutes to realize that it is cancelled and then another 20 minutes to get back home. So, I made a final U-turn, convinced that it is cancelled and I would be wasting an hour of my morning (that could be spent snoozing). But, I was determined to do something with my early morning, so I popped in the Yoga DVD that had been sitting dusty on my movie shelf and did a 50 minute session. But don't be fooled by this move After the 50 minutes of yoga and bowl of cheerios, I got back in bed and snoozed for 20 more minutes before I took a shower and headed out for the day. Not a total waste, but not an update on OTT things to do at 7am on a Monday morning. I'm sure you were all on the edge of your seats for that one.

I am going to try to get to the session on Wednesday the the Annapolis Towne Center at 4:30pm. Check out the site for details if you are interested.

National Lasagna Day

2010-08-01T18:34:00.001-07:00

Thursday, July 29 was a National holiday that may have been easily overlooked. Fortunately, I stumbled upon one of our local spots who happened to be celebrating. Thank goodness for Brio Tuscan Grille in the new Annapolis Towne Center. They were serving half price Lasagna Bolognese in honor of National Lasagna Day! I couldn’t resist and changed my Thursday plans just to be there.

It wasn’t hard to convince my husband to come with me to celebrate the Lasagna. We sat at the bar so that we could also take advantage of their incredible Happy Hour special. The place was pretty busy, but we got lucky and scored a high-top table for two. Stuffing yourself full of pasta can be so romantic. I ordered the Lasagna and he ordered one of the tasters on special for $2.95, the Sliced Steak Bruschetta. We shared both dishes and left completely satisfied.

The Lasagna came out in a huge dish that I think weighed more than an Italian toddler. The whole presentation made a statement. It had a combination of alfredo and marinara sauce which was really creamy and quite nice. The bruschetta was really good, too. I was pleasantly impressed with the size of the tasters. The girls at the table next to us got the Brio Burger, which was the size of a regular hamburger and the Ravioli Caprese, also a generous portion. I almost asked them if I could take a picture of their plates, but had to refrain as that would probably make me look a little strange. When we go back on a non-pasta-holiday, we plan to sample three or four of the tasters and I will have my chance to take plenty of pictures, plus we will still be well under our $20 limit. That is something to celebrate!

Budget Breakdown:
$8.48 – ½ price Lasagna!
$2.95 – Bruschetta Taster
$4.00 – 1 Beer
$0.93 – Tax
$4.00 – Tip
Total: $20.36 = $10.18 per person

Bonus: On Friday evenings, the Annapolis Towne Center has live music, so if you hit up happy hour on a Friday, you could stay for the free show!

"Person of Interest" Movie Screening

2010-07-30T08:12:00.001-07:00

Wednesday night I did exactly what I didn’t want to do. I blew the budget. I am so sad that right at the beginning of my OTT adventures I lost track of what was flying out of my pocket. My only consolation is that I can share my missteps here on the OTT site and hopefully you can learn from my mistakes.

I found out about this event from a flier I picked up at 49 West and invited my mother to come with me to the screening of “Person of Interest” at the O’Callaghan hotel on West Street. The event was hosted by the Annapolis Pretentious Film Society, which as it would turn out, is not a group of pretentious folks at all. The founder/creator of the society was a really nice guy who came around and introduced himself to all the new faces in the crowd. He asked how we heard about the screening, talked to us for a few minutes about the film and thanked us for coming.

Before the show was the happy hour at John Barry’s Restaurant and Bar in the O’Callaghan hotel. They had some good specials, so we took advantage. Mom got the Summer Cocktail, Bay Berry Martini that was $5 and was a mix of Coconut Rum, Chambord, Cranberry juice and frozen blueberries. I had a diet coke so that I could stay awake in the movie because after a long day of meetings and driving home on the beltway, I was absolutely exhausted. John Barry’s has a list of six appetizers that are only $4 at happy hour, including a teriyaki chicken, shrimp, wings, salmon bruschetta, nachos and veggies. Fortunately for us, my good friend from high school was working the happy hour and the event, so she gave us the skinny on all the appetizers. The chicken appetizer is dark meat which might turn some people off and her personal favorite is the salmon bruschetta. Since Mom wasn’t in the mood for fish we went with the Teriyaki Chicken with a wasabi-honey dipping sauce.

If we were just doing happy hour, we would have been in great shape with our budget, but I blew it once we got to the movie.

The movie was set up on the 4th floor with a bar outside the viewing room. Since I only had a soda at happy hour, I went for it and got a glass of wine before the movie. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to drink a glass of wine while watching a movie on a big screen. It felt dangerous. But after I blew my last couple dollar on my drink, they made an announcement about the LOVE Bucket. At the end of the movie, they pass around a bucket for donations for the director since they pay their own way to come to the screenings. Oops.

The film was about a man, Terrance Dyer, a veteran of the Iraq war who suffers from post dramatic stress disorder and is struggling through a life of paranoia. I enjoyed the movie. It wasn’t making a political statement and wasn’t a warning of what war will do to us back home, but simply told the story of one troubled guy and I found it interesting and intriguing. After the film, the Director, Gregory Bayne and Actor/Writer J.Reuben Appelman (skyped in) answered questions and gave comment about the film. The conversations were interesting and eye opening.

Budget Breakdown:
$4.00 – Appetizer
$7.50 – Drinks at Happy Hour
$0.70 - Tax
$5.00 – Tip
$10.00 – Wine at Movie
$2.00 – Tip Upstairs
$16.00 – Movie Tickets ($2 discount if you went to happy hour)
Total: $45.20 = $22.60 per person

My suggestions on how to keep this kind of night under budget: 1) Skip the happy hour and then you can get your ticket for $10 and a glass of wine for $5 and would even have a couple dollars to throw in the LOVE Bucket. 2) Skip the drink at the movie and get only the Bay Berry Martini at happy hour, saving $5 upstairs and getting your $2 discount on the ticket.

I had a really nice night and will definitely be in attendance at the next screening hosted by the Pretentious Film Society. But next time, I will be more on top of my budget!

49 West Coffeehouse Sunday Brunch

2010-07-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

I have been searching for an affordable brunch in Annapolis with no luck for a long time. Annapolitans have very strong opinions on who has the best brunch in town, but no one really takes a look at the most affordable. Carol’s Creek brunch gets rave reviews along with the Chart House and Carpaccio’s, but all of these places are over $20 per person. Bummer.

I am really excited to share that I found a deal at 49 West Coffeehouse, located at (you guessed it) 49 West Street, downtown Annapolis. They do not do a special for Sunday brunch, but have a regular and delicious breakfast menu! That’s a way to save without sacrificing quality, if you ask me.

I dragged my husband here last Sunday to check it out and we got a great parking spot, with no meter expense right out front (fyi, meters don’t start until 12pm on Sunday). The vibe is very much like you would expect a coffeehouse to be, which I think was a little too mellow for my man. I think he was expecting troughs full of food with the sounds of clinking plates and screaming children, like the last place I took him to brunch. None of that to be found at 49 West. What they did have was a very talented gentleman playing the acoustic guitar singing French folk songs from the likes of Bebel Gilberto and others like her. I could have sat there all day, but it isn’t for everyone.

I ordered the Smoked Salmon with Bagel (hold the capers) and a vanilla Italian Phosphate. I am new to eating Smoked Salmon, but this summer I have been craving it and this was one of the best I have had. The husband ordered a breakfast sandwich on a croissant with bacon and a bottomless cup of coffee. The food was very good and satisfying and the mood was relaxed and coffeehouse like. This is a great place if you want to relax and read a book or catch up with your brunch-mates since you can actually hear each other talk. Not so great of a place if you are looking for a trough and want to stuff your face until you can’t move. I think next time I will take one of my girlfriends.

Budget Breakdown:
$15.95 – Food
$05.75 – Drinks
$1.25 – Tax
$4.00 – Tip
Total: $27.95

OTT Ranking:

Parking/Transportation: 5 Stars

No meters until 12pm on Sunday and plenty of spots right in front

$$$: 4 Stars
Great deal for two people to have a breakfast OTT.

People: 4 Stars

It was really a treat to have live music playing at this particular brunch since we were spending less that $20 per person.

Atmosphere: 3 Stars

I really enjoy the mellow atmosphere, but understand it isn’t for everyone.

Fun: 3 Stars

It was really great to get out of the house on a Sunday morning and eat good food in at an affordable price.

OTT Rating: 3.8 Stars

Added Bonus to 49 West Coffeehouse is that they have a flyer for just about every event and activity going on in Annapolis. If you are looking for something to do, chances are you could find something on their shelves-o-pamphlets.

Dinner at Monterey Mexican Restaurant

2010-07-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

Drive just a few minutes West on Rte. 50 and you will find Monterey Mexican Restaurant, one of Bowie’s hidden gems. Located in the Target Store shopping plaza, this place is a “go to” for quick and friendly service at amazing prices. You know those days when you have a refrigerator full of food because you just dropped a small fortune at the grocery store, but nothing looks good and you just HAVE to get out of the house. This is what happed to us on Saturday night. My husband and I were completely restless after spending almost the whole day inside trying not to die from heat exhaustion. We wanted something quick and casual, but felt guilty for wanting to go out. Monterey to the rescue!

From the moment you walk through the door, you are met with a friendly face. We go here pretty often and the Manager always greets us with a warm, “Hello, Amigos!” For a while we couldn’t tell if he really remembered us or if he just says that to everyone who comes in. Now I know that yes, he does recognize us a regulars and yes, he does greet everyone this way.

This particular evening I was in the mood for a cold beer. I ordered the Negro Modello bottle while my husband had Dos XX on Draft. We were treated to a great big bowl of homemade nacho chips with a salsa and a cheese dip that comes standard with every meal. I ordered a Beef Taco and side of Mexican Rice (so good that I sometimes dream about it) and my husband ordered a Deluxe Burrito.

We both had a beer and dinner for under $20!

Full disclosure: we were not insanely hungry because we had been munching all day. We ordered off the al la carte menu and got just enough to fill us up while we enjoyed being OTT. Whether your budget is $20 or $30, a party of two can be more than satisfied leaving this place. They always have a dinner special and on Saturday night it was #17 Chalupa, Chile Relleno and Enchilada for $6.80.

Budget Breakdown:
$7.00 – 2 Beers, one bottle, one draft
$7.83 – Food
$ 0.90 – Tax
$4.00 - Tip
Total: $19.73

OTT Ranking:

Parking/Transportation: 3 Stars

From Annapolis this is about a 15-20 minute ride depending where you are. Free parking in a real parking lot!

$$$: 5 Stars

There are not many places where you can get a drink and dinner for under $20 for two people.

People: 4 Stars

Staff is very friendly and helpful and I have never had to wait for a table.

Atmosphere: 4 Stars

Nice clean, comfortable place to eat.

Fun: 4 Stars

Great food and a great price make Monterey Mexican Restaurant a perfect choice for anyone OTT on a Budget!

OTT Rating: 3.8 Stars

This Week's Events

2010-07-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

This week, I have big plans to be OTT on a budget. Join me On The Town or check back to see if these activities are worth missing C.S.I. re-runs!

What: “Person of Interest” an exclusive public screening presented by the Annapolis Pretentious Film Society. The Director, Gregory Bayne, will be in attendance and will participate in a post screening Q&A. I have never been to anything hosted by The Annapolis Pretentious Film Society. I am very intrigued. Tickets are $10, but you can get $2 taken off if you present your receipt from John Barry Bar and Restaurant (spending over $10) at the door. We will see if I can make it there in time to review the happy hour as well!
Where: O’Callaghan Hotel
When: Wednesday July 28, 8pm
How Much: $10 – tickets available at the door
More Info: http://www.pretentiousfilm.com/

What: Happy Hour at The Big Fish Grille. I have heard that this landmark in Crofton has a great happy hour special and I need to see for myself. This may not be exactly in Annapolis, but it is on the way home for many of us that commute from DC. They have specials every day of the week, so I’m not sure what day we will go. Half price appetizers M-Th 3-7pm and F 3-8pm, S-Su 11-7. I’m sure there has got to be a drink special as well. I will let you know how it goes.

Where: The Big Fish Grille
When: sometime this week
How Much: Half price appetizers
More Info: http://thebigfishgrille.com/

What: Organic Yoga at Annapolis City Dock. Stretch Your Spirit’s Yogini, Julie Blamphin, is hosting an eco-friendly hot yoga experience outside under the summer sun. All you need to bring is your yoga mat, water bottle and a towel. No registration required. I am not sure what exactly to expect, but figured I won’t know until I try it.

Where: Annapolis City Dock
When: Mondays, 7am
How Much: No cost, but donations always appreciated (don’t be a PP*, give a little something)
More Info: www.stretchyourspirit.com

*PP: i.e penny pincher (def) One who goes to extremes to keep the price down. Leaves no tip (boo), parks a million miles away to save $1, orders water instead of a cocktail at Happy Hour, etc.

Ram's Head Tavern Happy Hour

2010-07-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Happy Hour at Ram’s Head Tavern on West Street is such a great deal, I went twice last week! I just couldn’t help myself. Thursday I got there early to celebrate the birthday of my wonderful friend and inspiration for this site. She knows how to have a good time on a budget since she lives on a teacher’s salary. We got their right around 5pm and the place was already filling up. Fortunately, we scored a table inside because there was no way I was doing the patio thing in 100 degree heat. They did have a cutey playing guitar out back, but dripping wet is not a good look for me. If that is your thing, by all means, go for it.

In the nice temperature controlled indoor space, next to the Christmas tree (yes, it is Christmas in July at Ram’s Head) we enjoyed $2.50 Draft Beers. I personally enjoy a nice dark Guiness-like beer on Draft, but most people make funny faces at that selection. Their Oak Barrel Stout is absolutely delicious, so I got two! If a dark beer isn’t your style they have a great selection of other flavors to satisfy any enthusiast. And if you don’t know what you like, their Fordham sampler let’s you try 5 beers for only $5.95. If you get the sampler and then a full size of your favorite brew, you’d still be under the $10 mark at Happy Hour.

Did you know Ram’s Head has free food from 5-7 on weekdays? Well, they do! I don’t know of any other Happy Hour in town offering free food. (If you do, email me) They have a station set up near the ticketing office with the appetizer of the day, from what I gather the menu changes every day. Thursday the waitress told us it was taco night. I was very excited about this, but when I got to the station, it was actually Bratwursts chunks on a roll with sauerkraut and diced potatoes, not the best, but I think I was abnormally excited for tacos, so anything else would be a let down. If you are a food snob and don’t like what they are offering, they do have some appetizer selections under $10.

Friday, we hit the jackpot because they were offering wings with blue cheese and veggie sticks! I dragged my husband out with the promises of free food and an evening out under $20. Which by the way, I totally delivered. I had the Stout again and he had the Copperhead Ale. Then we took a walk down to Storm Bros. to get ice cream. That was a mistake, not because ice cream is not delicious, but because it was WAY too hot. I will rethink the walking thing next time.

Budget Breakdown:
$7.50 – 3 Beers
$0.45 - Tax
$3.00 – Tip
$5.00 – Wings (actually free, but my husband put 5 bucks in the tip jar because he is a BSer*)
$5.10- Ice cream
Total: $21.05

OTT Ranking:

Parking/Transportation: 4 Stars

We got really lucky and got a spot right in front even at 6:30pm on a Friday. We risked it and didn’t feed the meter since it was so close to the end of the working hours. Lucky for us, no ticket!

$$$: 5 Stars

For two people to have an evening out for under $20, you can’t beat that value. Even if we had ordered more food, we still could have kept it under $15 per person.

People: 4 Stars

The crowd is good at Ram’s Head. There were definitely some people that I recognized from Thursday also there on Friday. For a deal like that, I’m sure you accumulate some regulars.

Atmosphere: 4 Stars

We got a good table, which I was very happy about. If the weather was better, I would have loved to have been on the patio.

Fun: 4 Stars

We were really happy to get out of the house on a Friday after work without spending a fortune. Next time there will be no walking down Main Street in 100 Degree heat.

OTT Rating: 4.2 Stars

*BSer i.e.big spender (def) - One who feels the need to throw in extra cash to prove that he/she has it to spend. Excessive tipping, ordering off the regular menu when we are here for the special, non-strategic parking expenses, etc.

Hats Off to Comedy

2010-07-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night, comedians took over the Gallery room at Harry Browne’s on State Circle. I met my girlfriend, Jill there at 8pm for a drink before the show. I had oddly not been to this place until recently. From what I hear, this is a bar that a lot of local restaurant staff like as a hang out. It seemed like everyone there knew eachother which could be because this is a favorite local spot or because of the event we were about to see. We sat at the bar upstairs and had white wine, while we chatted about life, weddings and drama and waited to grab a seat for comedy.

The comedy was scheduled to start at 8:30pm, but the crowd was still pouring in after the 8:30 mark. It was obvious that they didn’t expect a large of a crowd. They only had about 20 chairs in the room when we got our seats, so for at least 20 minutes they had to pull in extra chairs to accommodate everyone. The evening was hosted by Annapolis local, E.J. Ruchman, Certified Humorist, who thanked all the sponsors heavily and kept us giggling in between comedians. With whiskey in hand and bowler hat on her head, she was a delight. We saw ten comics perform for $10, which if you don’t have a calculator handy is $1 per comedian! The comics seemed to be mostly local to Maryland, some from DC and Baltimore which made the humor even more relatable. One comment about old bay in the tater salad had the group roaring.

Budget Breakdown:
$7.00 – Glass of Chardonnay
$2.00 – Bartender Tip
$10.00 – Entry to Show
Total: $19.00

OTT Ranking:

Parking/Transportation: 3 Stars

Even at 8pm, I had to drive around for 15 minutes to find a parking space. State circle is always a horrible place to find a spot, but I thought I could get lucky on a side street. No dice, I had to park all the way at the City Dock. At least the meters were off.

$$$: 4 Stars

Less than $20 for a drink and a show is a good value.

People: 5 Stars

Everyone who attended Hats Off to Comedy clearly came for a laugh. And, laugh they did!

Atmosphere: 4 Stars

The Gallery room at Harry Brown’s was packed. It was almost impossible for the comics to get to the front to perform because there was no room to walk once all people crammed in. I’m sure they will be prepared for a big crowd next time around.

Fun: 5 Stars

Hats Off to Comedy was an awesome fun time. I laughed the entire time and left feeling great! I can’t wait until the next show!

OTT Rating: 4.2 Stars