US Open 2009

I don’t follow many (actually any) sports with the exception of one, tennis.  My sister introduced me to to the sport a couple of years ago and have been hooked ever since.  If you live in New York or are a tennis fan you probably know that the US Open is held here in the city (yes, Queens is part of New York City) at this time every year.  It started this past Monday and will continue on for two weeks.

So how is food related to the US Open?  Well, like at any event or amusement park, food is overpriced and very expensive at the Open.  When you’re hot and thirsty, $5 for a cold bottle of water is necessary but can also feel like money down the drain. I’ve made it a habit of spending no more than $10 to $15 at the Open and I thought I’d share with you what I do.

First of all, I always bring a couple bottles of water and drinks in my bag.  I freeze them the night before so that they stay cold throughout the day.  This year I decided to make my own beverages instead of buying power drinks.  I made a thin smoothie by blending frozen berries with some water.  I also made a minty, amateur lemonade by squeezing a couple of lemons, adding sugar and lots of mint. The berry juice was delicious but the lemonade wasn’t spectacular, however both were refreshing.

I also try to pack some healthy snacks.  This year I brought grapes and apple slices.  They’re both easy to eat and great to munch on.  You could also bring some veggies like carrot and celery sticks, but I stuck with something sweeter and juicier.

 There are also free promotional products from sponsors that you should definitely seek out.  I’m really greedy when it comes to free stuff.  I’ll go back for seconds and thirds, but hey!  Why not? You should too!  I mean, who doesn’t want five US Open pens and three tennis shaped stress balls?  Food wise, this year Nabisco and Stoneyfield were sponsors.  They handed out Oreo Fun Stix and Oikos Greek Yogurt.  The Fun Stix were very good.  They’re a lighter, more delicate version of Oreos.  I think they would be really good used as a straw in a tall glass of milk!

 But of course, how can you not eat something greasy and gastronomically fatty when you come to an event like this?  This is where I spend my $10 to $15.  They have a pretty wide selection of meals.  Everything from sushi, to burgers, to crepes, and even Indian.  I decided to go South of the border and also shared a cup full of waffle fries.

So there you have it.  That’s pretty much the secret to my budget success.  It really doesn’t take much effort to spend less and still have a full belly at the Open.  Everything I packed took no more than five minutes and everything was prepared the night before.  So, to end this post I leave you with some hot tennis players that might attract you to the game if not already.

Roger Federer, world #1, and my favorite.

My sister’s favorite female player, Daniela Hantuchova.

Another beautiful player, Maria Kirilenko.

  My favorite woman tennis player, Ana Ivanovic (in purple), who sadly was beaten out of the tournament too early, and Federer’s arch rival Rafael Nadal (in red) on the practice courts.

James Blake, up close and personal.  Sweaty and bald.  My sister calls him Mr. Harvard.

 Victoria Azarenka, a young top ten player.

 Sania Mirza from India who is also very gorgeous.  So many lovely ladies!

 Scrawny Nikolay Davydenko.  He was once under investigation for a gambling scandal.  He kind of had that Russian Mafia look.

 Lastly, another Federer.  So graceful, how can anyone not like him?