Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee

Woman's Day did this survey ... 35% of people say they love APPLE PIE more than any other pie, while CHERRY PIE came in second with 31%.

Really? Only 35%? What's not to love about Apple Pie?! OMG. I will eat apple pie, any kind of apple pie: homemade apple pie, frozen (but oven-heated, mind you) Sara Lee apple pie (and all of the above brands, I'll eat 'em all), fund-raising apple pie that I bought from some kid's parent, McDonalds-contents-may-be-hot apple pie, apple pie from the Pennsylvania Dutch store on Rt 27, 4 for a dollar packaged snack apple pie... Love it all, all of it. In fact, I've got to wonder if Thanksgiving is only my favorite holiday because of knowing Apple Pie will be on the table! Who knows?!

And the grandest irony: I'm allergic to apples. Yes, there is such a thing, it's an allergy to birch trees which means POOF I'm also allergic to apples. (My allergist explained it once but I'm too stupid to be able to explain it to y'all) . Perhaps the not being able to eat raw apples has made me subconsciously obsess over apple pie. The wackiest outcome, folks? Toni Ryan -- who is not renowned for any kind of culinary skill -- loves making apple pie. From scratch.

OK, asterisk goes here: I use real apples, but I use store-bought dough already rolled out. And I guess another asterisk goes here: I don't do all the peeling and cutting. I actually bought one of those hand-crank peeler/corer/slicers thingamajigs (which, being allergic to apples, if I handle the raw apples, it actually gives me hives). But it's the process, I guess. And even though I am not such hot stuff in the kitchen, I am very artistic, so I've gotten the lattice-style top down to a science. That part is also quite satisfying.

So there it is, my meandering little tangent about how much I love apple pie. Oooh ooh, I forgot, I also love the Dutch style crumbly topping. Mmmm.....

You got a favorite kind of apple pie? I wanna know.

And you don't like apple pie? Well, I don't wanna know. Eh. OK, maybe. But you better have a damn good reason!

HELP WANTED. Literally.

The inside of my favorite stainless steel coffee mug is just grody. How do I clean it? Help, please, I need some help!

Favorite Place in Palmer Square

So Palmer Square Fashion Week is sponsoring PST's More Variety Lunch Break this week, promoting all sorts of great sales, trunk shows, etc. as well as the free fashion show going on in the ballroom at the Nassau Inn on Sunday.

And it got me to thinking, I really love Palmer Square, and I guess when you spend a lot of time in Princeton Borough, in and around Palmer Square, you kinda take for granted the things you love about Palmer Square... Sitting on the green outside of Nassau Inn, with sorbet from The Bent Spoon... Trying out new lipstick at Blue Mercury... A pitcher of Sangria at Mediterra... Finding that perfect birthday card (or Vera Bradley bag!) at The Papery... New shoes at Aerosoles... Open mic night at Alchemist & Barrister... Checking out the new fall collection at Banana (Republic, to the rest of y'all) ... Gnoshing on a sampling of Witherspoon Bread before dinner at Teresa's... Laughing with girlfriends over appetizers at the bar in Winberie's (no thanks to great bar service from Mike or Joe!) ... I could go on and on!!!

... and I'm sure you could too!

So please, be my guest and share what you love about Palmer Square.

And in exchange, feel free to enter to win for this awesome shopping spree at Palmer Square. I'm sure if there's anything you love almost as much as Palmer Square... it's a free shopping spree at Palmer Square!

[10/12/07 UPDATE! Toni Ryan says: Congratulations to Traci Robbins of Plainsboro, who scored the $250 Palmer Square Shopping Spree and the Best Seat In The House at this Sunday's free fashion show going on at the Nassau Inn!]