Saturday, February 12, 2022
Chama Mama, 373 Amsterdam Avenue, has no more than a poetic association with Wagamama, where we dined last night. Chama Mama is a Georgian restaurant, that is Josef Stalin Georgia, not Ray Charles Georgia. We were joined there tonight by Mr. & Mrs. Stony Brook Steve, who just returned from an extended Caribbean vacation and had the tans to prove it. We ate at one of the 10 tables on the sidewalk in a canvas and plastic structure.
Georgian cuisine is unique; I can't think of anything similar. We started with "Taste of Georgia," little scoops of eggplant with walnuts, beets with walnuts, chickpeas with walnuts, Ekala (wild greens) with walnuts, eggplant salad, spinach with walnuts ($24). Then, we shared Megruli Khachapuri, a spongy cheese pizza, a must-have ($22). After that, each of us went our separate way.
I had Skmeruli, "Oven roasted whole Cornish hen slow cooked in garlic creamy sauce" ($24), for instance. Mrs. SBS had Megruli Karsho With Chicken, "Chicken in walnut sauce with saffron, garlic and Georgian spices, served with grilled grits" ($22). Highest marks from both of us.
They like walnuts.
Sunday, February 13, 2022
I follow the news about New York residential real estate with mixed emotions, although our position in Palazzo di Gotthelf insulates us from normal market conditions. Increased demand for local housing serves as an affirmation of our choices and adds new personalities to the people pool. Yet, after the short-term retreat of prices caused by the pandemic, the have-nots and the have-less are facing renewed pressure in finding decent housing. This report demonstrates that real estate prices are returning to or exceeding pre-Covid-19 levels.
. . .
Other housing choices have apparently been significantly altered by the pandemic. "Homebuyer interest in relocating to a new part of the country rose with the onset of the pandemic and has remained elevated for nearly two years." https://www.redfin.
In a trend that has been applauded by the manufacturers of deodorants and antiperspirants, "Homebuyers are flocking to relatively affordable areas including Miami, Phoenix and Las Vegas."
. . .
One last piece of real estate news intrigued me this weekend. The New York Times featured a stunning house in Mexico City. https://www.nytimes.
While the 4,300 sq. ft., four bedroom house has many attractive features, I think it must have been designed for a gastroenterologist. It has 10 bathrooms!
Monday, February 14, 2022
On this sub-freezing day, I was attracted to Pastrami Queen, 138 West 72nd Street, by one of its subspecialties. For $18.75, you get soup and half a sandwich and matzoh ball soup called out to me. While I enjoyed the half corned beef sandwich, I was delighted by the heaping bowl of soup, crowded with two medium-large matzoh balls, shredded chicken, noodles (lukshen) and diced carrots. And served hot, really hot, not customary in many restaurants.
By the way, this was my first meal inside this branch of Pastrami Queen. It is uncluttered with eight booths and two small two-tops. All the seating is black wood or black faux leather. The tabletops are gray Formica or the like, banded in chrome. A total of four people were seated at three of the other booths while I was there. The soup and sandwich deal is offered every day, but a good reason to go on Mondays especially is a whole pastrami sandwich and a can of Dr. Brown's for $16.95, a savings of over $5.
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
The Anti-Defamation League identified 29 murders last year committed by "domestic extremists." "Most of the murders (26 of 29) were committed by right-wing extremists, which is usually the case. However, two killings were committed by Black nationalists and one by an Islamist extremist—the latter being the first such killing since 2018."
. . .
So far, no objection has been raised at the casting of Claire Foy, the actress who played Queen Elizabeth in Netflix’s “The Crown,” as Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's COO, unlike the froofraw over Helen Mirren as Golda Meir. Arguably, Sandberg wields far more power than Meir could ever have imagined. Of course, we still have Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.
. . .
"A jury returned a verdict against Sarah Palin in her libel suit against The New York Times on Tuesday, finding that there was insufficient evidence to prove the newspaper had defamed her in a 2017 editorial that erroneously linked her political rhetoric to a mass shooting." How is it possible to defame Sarah Palin?
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
To give proper obeisance to the Year of the Water Tiger, the Boyz Club met at Wo Hop, 17 Mott Street, the Sanctum Sanctorum of Chinatown. The weather warmed up sufficiently to draw six more fellow fressers. We sat in a sidewalk hut and the fresh air stimulated our appetite, as if any stimulation was necessary.
We had soup (one egg drop, all others hot and sour) with those fabulous crispy, fried noodles; spare ribs; shrimp fried rice; pork fried rice; honey crispy chicken; eggplant in garlic sauce; "Szechuan Orange Flavored [too chewy] Beef"; Singapore chow fun. It cost us each $20. As always, the conversation was worth much more.
Thursday, February 17, 2022
I became terribly old today. When Law Professor David asked me what my anticipated reaction to the number was, I responded "Surprised." My father and three of my grandparents never lived this long, most of them missing by more than a decade. You would not keep wine or cheese even a Lexus around this long.
The day was substantially brightened by the arrival of a box full of our beautiful, talented daughter-in-law's craftsmanship. Clearly, we will be able to continue the celebration for the next several days. 
I received several other notable expressions of good wishes, including a gift certificate for Pastrami Queen from my brother. Additionally, the Oakland Heartthrob tried to get me a ride on the Zamboni during intermission of a Ranger game at Madison Square Garden, but, surprisingly, I was over the age limit.
Another memory of this day will be tonight's exciting performance of "Company," the gender bending version that we first saw in London in October 2019. That night, Katrina Lenk, the lead actor (actress? actrix?), was ill and replaced by an understudy, so we may have seen the Original Revised version tonight. In any case, my Leading Lady was the same at both performances.
Friday, February 18, 2022
For the first lunch of the rest of my life, I had the pleasure of Stony Brook Steve's company at the euphonious Sherry Herring, 221 West 72nd Street. Sherry made news when it opened last Fall without any herring for a couple of months, another supply chain victim. By the way, "supply chain," a term that was as unfamiliar to us as Wordle was one year ago, has become a convenient excuse for all sorts of things. "Honey, I couldn't take out the garbage because of a supply chain issue."
Sherry is an open white cube. There are only two too narrow ledges with stools for indoor eating. Preparation goes on in the middle of the room. It is Kosher and closed on Saturday. The menu is quite simple at present, basically eight sandwiches with herring, salmon or tuna smoked or cured. I had a smoked tuna sandwich, with mayonnaise, squeezed lemon, white onion, scallion, cucumber, cherry tomato and chili on a fresh, crunchy 11" baguette. I drank a bottle of Galvanina Blood Orange soda. I have omitted prices, since I was Steve's guest for lunch.
Sherry is narrow in focus, but what it does, it does well.
I want to wish you a Happy Birthday Alan and I hope your longevity in this world equals your mothers.
ReplyDeleteMarty McCormack
Yes Happy Happy Birthday dear Alan!
ReplyDelete