Saturday, February 5, 2022
Lunch today was at one of my favorite places, Legal Sea Foods, 50-60 Worcester Road, Framingham, Massachusetts. Actually, I don't favor this particular location over the several others in the greater Boston area (the suburban New York location closed more than a decade ago), it just has been more convenient in recent years and quality control seems to be consistent across the enterprise.
Legal was founded in 1950 and was well-reputed by the time I first visited on a business trip in the mid 1980s. I sat at the counter at the very busy, downtown Copley Place dining room and, even now, remember most of the meal vividly. I started with smoked blue fish pâté, a delicious signature dish that inexplicably seems to have recently disappeared from the menu. I honestly do not recall the main course from that evening, although I bet that it was fried, not broiled.
The meal ended with an unforgettable treat -- Fig Newton ice cream. Over the decades ever since, I enter a Legal Sea Foods with the same question on my lips: Do you have Fig Newton ice cream? The answer is inevitably No and was again today, although I was far from hungry when I finished my dessert-less meal.
I started with a bowl of New England clam chowder, hot, loaded with chopped clams, not bulked up with potatoes ($10). First rate. Then, I had a crab roll, a 10" toasted hot dog roll, loaded with crab meat, accompanied by excellent French fries and very good coleslaw ($28). Almost more than I could handle. Frankly, I'm glad they didn't have Fig Newton ice cream.
Madam had fish tacos, which came with a large side order of fried plantains ($17). She expressed no curiosity about Fig Newton ice cream.
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Before the show, we ate at Wagamama, 100 West 55th Street, one of three local branches of this very successful British chain. Wagamama is one of the rare places for cheap eats in London, where it has over three dozen locations. Here, it's not so easy to keep it cheap.
Our car remains in the shop and we will not even get an estimate until sometime Monday. We have extended our hotel stay for at least one day. For your information, I recommend not breaking down, far from home, late on a Friday afternoon.
. . .
Todd Gitlin died yesterday.
I did not know him personally, although we shared at least one very close friend. We were of the same mind on other subjects, as well. "[H]e said the left had become distracted by identity politics, multiculturalism and political correctness when it should have been focused on issues like economic justice."
Monday, February 7, 2022
This morning, Japanese automotive engineers, near and far, remain bewildered by the silver Lexus that refuses to move an inch. When someone at the dealership actually answered the telephone, sputtering confusion is all that we heard. Accordingly, we continue to unwind and rewind our near-term plans.
. . .
Aha! We received a telephone call at 2 o'clock with the news. Are you sitting down? Repairing our previously rock-solid Lexus will cost more than the combined cost of my first two automobiles, a Volkswagen and a BMW, let's forget WWII here. We are having it fixed and plan immediately to replace it.
We retreated to the home of the second and third generations for overnight shelter. They offered us a friends and family rate.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
One good thing. Our beautiful daughter-in-law, AB Harvard University, JD Columbia University Law School, has not wasted her education. She baked chocolate chip scones for breakfast.
. . .
Well, we showed them. You can't leave the Upper West Side's Power Couple stranded on the side of the Massachusetts Turnpike for 35 minutes in an icy rain. No, siree. We marched right into Lexus of Northborough and told them loud and clear that we are buying a new 2022 Lexus, trading in our disabled 2016 model.
. . .
If, in fact, you find yourself at Lexus of Northborough at mealtime, cross over the road to Casa Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, 45 Belmont Street (Rte. 9), Northborough, directly opposite. It is a large establishment, decorated with colorful tiles, carved wood and bright paint. The extensive menu had good prices for the good food that was served.
After munching on the complementary tortilla chips, salsa and refried beans, I had 2 seafood enchiladas, which were stuffed with crabmeat, scallops, shrimp and (just) fish (in increasing volume), accompanied by refried beans, rice, lettuce and chopped tomatoes, avocado slices and sour cream ($12.99). Madam had 2 spinach and cheese enchiladas, also with a large portion of rice and beans ($11). It felt good having a hearty meal after swinging a big deal.
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Clue 57 Down - Preschool group?
. . .
Today is National Bagels and Lox Day, as you are assuredly aware.
https://nationaldaycalendar.
Of course, this is not to be confused with National Bagel Day, January 15th. https://nationaldaycalendar.
On the other hand, there is a serious ethnic conflict today, because it is also National Pizza Day. https://nationaldaycalendar.
Ever the diplomat, I enjoyed a spicy fried chicken sandwich at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 3411 Jerome Avenue, the Bronx, for lunch ($3.99). The appropriately crispy chicken did not reach beyond the edges of its toasted bun, but it was more than 1" thick throughout.
Thursday, February 10, 2022
According to a new report, campus anti-Semitism is most prevalent in the Northeast, which is not surprising given the density of Jewish college students in the region. https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/81021b32-edd7-440a-a283-d265611ffe8a/Final%20Data%20ReportA4_04.pdf
I found the report a bit overwrought, too inclined to mix the geopolitics of the Middle East with domestic Jew-hatred. On the other hand, I cannot ignore the widespread, gratuitous antagonism to all things Israeli and Jewish. An example is the fact that "administrators at more than a dozen Dutch universities are instructing
their staff to list their interactions with Israeli and Jewish
organizations." https://www.jta.org/2022/02/10/global/dutch-universities-order-staff-to-reveal-their-ties-to-jewish-and-israeli-groups#.YgZjv2qloEw.mailto
China, Russia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar? Why waste time harassing them?
Friday, February 11, 2022
We went to see "Prayer for the French Republic," a new play by Joshua Harmon about a Jewish family in Paris in 2016-2017 with flashbacks to 1944-46. Reacting to the violence besetting French Jews and the hostile rhetoric from right and left, they agonize over whether to stay or go. While preachy at times, it echoes the questions that diaspora Jews continue to ask themselves.
. . .
I started with Korean Barbecue Beef + Red Onion bao, 2 for $8. The delicious tangy filling was folded into a spongy oval wrapper. Then, I had duck donburi, shredded duck in a teriyaki sauce over sticky rice, shredded carrots, scallions, topped with a fried egg ($17.50). It was very good, but needed a bit more duck. Madam enjoyed fried tofu pad Thai ($14).
. . .
Let's end this rocky week with a trip down Memory Lane.
. . .
Answer = ROE
There is no better fast food joint than Popeye's, IMHO. Sadly, I spoke at a memorial Zoom for Todd Gitlin, along with many of his old lefty friends and current colleagues and admirers (among them, Bill Kristol and E.J. Dionne).
ReplyDeleteYou bought another Lexus??
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