Broke-Ass of the Week – Lisa Peterson
Lisa Peterson, our broke-ass of the week, hails from Seattle and now calls East Boston home. She’s not afraid of rain (“just wear a hood”), once accidentally spent 4oo bucks on a meal in Iceland (damn you, Björk, and your funny currency), and sells books at a travel bookstore in Harvard Square (when she’s not listening to obscure Croatian punk rock). Check her out:
Name: Lisa Peterson
Age: 39
Occupation: Bookseller in a travel bookstore.
What neighborhood do you live in?: East Boston.
What are you listening to these days?: I am a bit stuck in the 1990’s. Pixies, Sleater-Kinney, and Throwing Muses. I also love this Croatian punk rock band named Let 3.
Best money saving tip: I am not really good at saving money. But having friends in the food industry has had a lot of advantages.
What do you refuse to spend money on?: Sunglasses — I always lose them. Umbrellas — I am from Seattle so I am used to a lot of rain. Just wear a hood.
Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought: I “accidentally” spent $400.00 on a dinner in Iceland.
How’d that feel?: I choked on my $40 glass of crappy wine and then I just wanted to throw up. That may have been the due to the fish though.
Favorite cheap eat: I am obsessed with Bosnian sausages called cevapi. I go to my favorite restaurant and get them. I have also heard that there is a cevapi truck in NYC, and I wish that they would bring one to Boston. They are delicious.
Favorite dive bar: I work in Harvard Square in Cambridge and I love Charlie’s Kitchen. They have a great juke-box.
Best deal you’ve ever gotten: I once got free meals from a restaurant because I taught some of the employees English.
Favorite free thing to do: When I go visit my parents, my Dad loves to take me to Costco and we eat samples. It is his version of taking my out to lunch.
If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: I really want to buy some brand-new furniture. I have always gotten cast-offs or have found it on the street. Thousands of students move on September 1st and you could furnish an entire apartment if you wanted to just by driving a few blocks.
Despite not having money, do you still love your life?: Over all my life doesn’t suck too much, but it would be nice to be able to splurge a bit.
Do you own my book?: No, however I do read it while I am at work at the bookstore every once in awhile.
Best hangover cure: After an incident in High School, my friend’s Dad made us sit at the kitchen table. He poured each of us a glass of orange juice and a glass of coke. We were forced to take alternating sips from each glass until they were empty. Then he gave us bacon and hash browns. It works every time.
Are you a hipster?: No. Hell no.
