Bare Cupboards

[Mme. Hermine]

Many moons ago (when dinosaurs ruled the earth, as I say) I recall a conversation between two ballet teachers in which they discussed their student days in New York, sharing an apartment wtih umpty-ump people, and the defining moment, when they looked into a bare cupboard and found they had little or nothing to eat and no money to buy more. They described what they found there and although I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time, we were all laughing very hard; one said he'd opened up the cupboard to see that all he had for dinner was rice and mayonnaise; the other said the only things in his larder were spaghetti and milk. Would this be an appropriate topic for discussion here?

[Alexandra]

Could we broaden it to "lifestyles of artists especially dancers in New York in the age of the dinosaurs"? Otherwise, it will turn into "what I do with rice and mayonnaise

Those interested in the "good old days" -- where everyone was dirt poor, but New York was cheap -- should also check the Nora Kaye thread over on Dancers. (Just around the corner, a few cupboards away.)

[Hans]

oh, goodness. This wasn't in the age of the dinosaurs, but I remember living in Switzerland on 1,000 francs/month, which is pretty much the minimum for civilized existence there. I recall once having nothing but jam, chocolate (cupboard staple in Switzerland), and a rather stale (rock-solid) loaf of Milanese bread. Good thing the cafeteria at school had a French chef--everyone's main meal was definitely lunch, and we were allowed to take home any leftovers.

[mbjerk]

Dog biscuits were good and now makea great party gasp as I eat one to remember old times. Also the monthly visit to Steak and Brew with the dance bag to load with bread and salad bar items for the month.

Then there is the extension cord from the hall light so that one did not have to pay for electricity......

But back to food. My staple was carrots and rice with a once a week bonus of a small can of tuna fish.

This was in the early seventies in Joffrey II at $50.00 per week.

[Leigh Witchel]

My good fortune to come from a family where there was always at least enough for a roof and food. The only time a bunch of us had to do this was on a tour once. And one fellow (also from Joffrey II coincidentally) was 6'1" and probably had an appetite similar to what I imagine Michael has got to have. It takes a lot of carrots and rice to feed a long, South African gazelle. We had to put him on rations to make sure the two women didn't starve (basically, he had to let them take their food first).

Tell me you didn't just eat a Milk Bone, Michael.

Eeeeeew.

[mbjerk]

Milk Bones were the crunchiest, but I preferred the ones for small dogs. ;)

Those days were fun. The dancers in J II were wonderful and we were all growing up togther as people and artists.

Times change! Now when I say I lived in the East Village and also Brooklyn Heights, everyone thinks that I was rich - in those days those were tough areas.

[Cabriole]

Peanut butter (as a protein source...I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian) and popcorn just to feel 'filled up'. At least I had roommates who were students at Juilliard who knew the acting students who threw great parties with lots of good food:D

[grace]

any long-term health consequences, mbjerk?

- NOT from the dog biscuits (which, by the way, are jolly expensive, now!) - but from the general malnutrition?

[floss]

I remember a conversation with two male friends at uni many years ago, they had Vegemite on toast for breakfast, lunch and dinner quite often. I'm not sure how our American friends would manage on that diet. I think our English friends are aquainted with Marmite ( not quite the same!) Some of them may have lived on this as students.

[Dale]

When I was at music school, Ramin noodles were very popular and cheap for the starving and poor musician. They are still cheap, but now I'm smart enough to read the nutrition lable in the back -- way too much sodium. And I can second on the Julliard parties - the best out of the music schools in the city.

[Kate B]

My first year in college, before I went to university and had a grant, I was living on cheese toasties and lentil soup, with grapefruits for breakfast, smoking cigarettes to stave off the hunger pangs. My mum, who was watching my attempts at being self sufficient with interest and amusement said I'd be able to buy more food if I stopped smoking, but at the time I didn't want to do anything she said and besides, I thought I was really bohemian.

The flatshare I lived in was 5 bedrooms but there were usually at least 7 people staying there, on the couch and in the bathroom. It was damp and we had beetles. And no hot water except in the electric shower.

Sometimes I miss that lifestyle, because it was fun, but it was also because I was 19 and I'd not yet been spoilt the way I have now!

[beckster]

My standard diet at university was pasta and sauce. The sauce is made from economy tinned tomatos, mashed up and cooked with some garlic and dried oregano - total cost per meal less than 50p. The sauce is actually pretty tasty and I still eat it a lot - but now I can afford nice tinned tomatos and add other veg, which probably doubles the price! I could never understand people who lived on Pot Noodles or similar, when making pasta was cheaper, healthier and tasted about a million times nicer. More washing-up though.

Oh the squalor of the houses though. The worst one I lived in had slugs, and once I trod on one in bare feet while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

[atm711]

In the 1940's there were two places in New York where poor dance students would go to eat. They were both located on W. 57 Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues. One was called "Hamburger Hall' (or, Hamburger Heaven?) where they had bowls of pickles, sliced onions, and relish on the table---all free. Two of us would order one special--and omelet with French Fries for 40 cents, and share it with onion-relish sandwiches! Across the street was the Automat which meant we could bring our own food. Alas one day we were eating chicken and we were tossed out because they were not serving chicken that day.