Amber Marlow Blatt chats with 718ers like Matt Timms (of the food Takedowns) and Cathy "Not Eating Out in NY" Erway on her podcast blog Hey Brooklyn, which she updates every Friday with a new interview (we'll be bringing them to you every Monday). We asked her for skint tips on living well for cheap -- even with three canine dependents.
Full name: Amber Marlow Blatt
Hometown: Trumbull, Conn.; currently living in Park Slope.
Occupation: People mainly know me for doing the podcast Hey Brooklyn -- in it I interview creative and interesting people who live in, work in, or come from Brooklyn -- but I also write a blog about my life called The Amber Show and do portrait photography sessions for people and pets. I've done some writing for other people's projects, too.
What was the inspiration for Hey Brooklyn?
I was raised in a blue collar home where earning a decent living was the main goal, and really enjoying your career was not a priority. I wanted to meet people who managed to do both, so I started the show. My hope was that 1. they'd rub off on me (and they have!) and 2. my guests would inspire others raised like me to follow their dreams and not worry so much about doing "the sensible thing".
Brooklyn seems to be the nexus of artful skint living – doing a lot with a little. Are there any people you’ve interviewed who really embody that idea?
Probably Daniel Delaney more than anyone else. He's made a career out of street cart eating. Check out Vendr.tv for his weekly video podcast featuring a new vendor each week. It's pretty fantastic.
So you have dogs -- how do you cut corners there?
We have THREE dogs! The first rule in saving money is to adopt. There are so many AMAZING dogs - even puppies - that need homes. We take them to the vet all at once (only one office visit). I bathe them myself, but I spent the $50 on the genuine Furminator. Accept no substitutes! Works better than any of the cheap-o dog brushes we've had. Their treats aren't expensive store-bought dog cookies full of chemicals, they're pieces of broken matzo that I keep in a jar, leftover from Passover. Our Molly Mutt dog beds save tons of money. They come with a mesh sack that you stuff with old towels, old clothing, old pillows… whatever. When it gets gross and smelly you can launder everything, put it back together and the bed is good as new.
Favorite low-budget romantic meal in the city?
I love Aunt Suzie's on 5th Avenue in Park Slope. They even proclaim right on their menu that they're cheap! It's always quiet and calm there, and I like the pappardelle with the house marinara.
Best bang-for-buck cocktail?
The Sackett in Park Slope has $1 Genesee Cream Ales on Mondays and Tuesdays for happy hour. I don't think you can even buy them that cheap! (I'm a beer girl - no cocktails for me.)
Name three guilty pleasures you spend money on that you couldn’t live without.
1. Organic, humane meat. I had to think long and hard about my stance on meat eating, because I have vegan friends, friends that hunt, and a lot in-between, and I respect and admire them all. My personal stance has landed on this: I'll eat meat from sources that treat their animals well. This means spending more than I normally would, and while I don't feel guilty about this I'd like to learn to cook more hearty veggie dishes so that meat is moved from "everyday" status to more of a luxury item.
2. Ordering in. It's just so easy to pick up the phone!
3. Cabs. I'm good at taking the subway when I'm going out, but coming home I do this complicated mathematical equation where I factor in how cold it is, how late it is, how many transfers I have to make, how much I've had to drink and the comfortableness of my shoes. If I even bother to start this process, it usually ends with me hailing a taxi.
