Saturday, November 19, 2022

Hey Kathy, It's Ron

Saturday, November 12, 2022 
Triple header: “No one is saying that these towers are not unsightly.”
. . .

Just after Professor David Webber left Palazzo di Gotthelf for a sybaritic weekend, the rest of his family arrived here aiming for as much hedonism as they could squeeze out of a local Bar Mitzvah.  Besides the pleasure of their company, Ima Irit made a large deposit in my cookie bank.

Sunday, November 13, 2022
Although Chicago is labeled the Second City, a survey by Orkin Pest Control finds it the most rat-infested in the country.   

This is a matter where my normal competitive instincts are suppressed and even finding the Holy Land in second place is too elevated a position.  It appears that where there are people, there are rats.
. . .

Late in the summer, Hurricane Ian devastated parts of the west coast of Florida.  Last week, Hurricane Nicole did major damage to Florida’s east coast.  When Governor Ron DeSanis appealed to his supporters to aid in the cleanup efforts and in the early steps in rebuilding devastated communities, few were willing to leave their golf carts.  Instead, DeSantis may reach out to New York Governor Kathy Hochul for return of the adult Venezuelan refugees that he exported from Florida, who fled their country seeking honest work.
. . .

While I like Chinese food, we like Indian food.  DB Dhaba, 108 Lexington Avenue, is one of our favorites.  It has been recently redecorated for the worse.  What used to be a colorful display of fabrics along its long southern wall is now drab wooden slats.  Illumination is provided by dozens of small lanterns hung above, with flickering bulbs imitating gas mantles, inducing minor twitching.  Fortunately, the food has not seemed to have undergone the same renovation.

We shared onion pakora, crispy fried balls of onion threads, as an appetizer ($7.50).  Madam had saag paneer, cheese cubes in a spinach purée ($16.95).  I had murgh chutneywala, chicken with mango chutney, only mildly sweet, but still too sweet, lacking an edge ($18.50).  All the portions were generous and we also had a naan and rice, making for a very filling meal.  

Monday, November 14, 2022
Michael Ratner was my congenial lunch companion at Wok 88, 1570 Third Avenue, a thriving neighborhood restaurant.  While the dozen or so tables were mostly occupied, the cash register was ringing constantly with delivery orders.  

The food basically warranted this attention.  The two of us ordered three lunch specials from a list of 44 dishes priced at $11 to $13.10.  The lunch specials include a choice of soup, can of soda or egg roll.  Michael had hot and sour soup, I had wonton soup and we shared an egg roll.  Then, we dug into crispy shrimp, beef chow fun and House Special Chicken, very crispy fried chicken that was also variously served as sweet and sour chicken, General Tso's chicken, Honey Tso's chicken and sesame chicken according to what was dribbled on top.   

Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Yesterday, three University of Virginia football players were shot to death and other students wounded by a fellow student who had been a member of the football team.  It seems that the bullying and hazing that he experienced set off a murderous rampage.  Had a gun not been readily available, the result might have been a broken nose, some black eyes and a fractured wrist, lamentable, but not lethal.
. . .

I suggested lunch at Pastrami Queen, 138 West 72nd Street, to Stony Brook Steve.  After all, it's Tuesday and they have a good Tuesday special, a corned beef sandwich and a pastrami sandwich on small rolls (Kosher of course), coleslaw, a pickle and a medium portion of French fries for $16.95.  You don't have to be Jewish.

Thursday, November 17, 2022
I led Gentleman Jerry astray at lunchtime today.  I directed us to Turnstyle, the underground collection of shops at the south end of the Columbus Circle subway station, with the nominal address of 1000 Eighth Avenue.  Before Covid, it had an interesting group of ethnic food stands, my favorite the Bolivian Llama Party and its delicious marinated beef brisket sandwich.  Now, BLP has relocated to Sunnyside, Queens, and more than half the other food stands are closed as well.

Staying in the Latin groove, we chose EZ Paella.  I ordered a lunch special, chicken paella and Caesar salad ($9.95).  The salad was okay, fresh greens and crispy croutons, far more croutons in the salad than there was chicken in the weak paella.  In all, a sorry experience.
 
Friday, November 18, 2022
As you know, December 13th is my brother's birthday.  This year, you can make the celebration more special by signing up for a special broadcast by The Forward at 7 P.M.  Maggie Haberman of the New York Times, daughter of CCNY's Clyde Haberman, will be discussing "The Breaking of America: Donald Trump, Antisemitism and the State of Politics Today." 
 
A contribution of as little as chai ($18) will connect you.  Do it.
 
 

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