Tripping

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Linda Greenhouse, a thoughtful analyst of constitutional law, discusses Christian nationalism in this article. (You can read it for free with a one-time registration.) https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/02/09/victimhood-and-vengeance-the-flag-and-the-cross/

There was one non-political factoid that really caught my attention. "In 1976, 31 percent of the American population were members of the [mainstream Protestant] churches," non-evangelical, such as Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian. "By 2018 that figure dropped to 12 percent." While I don't have the numbers, it is certain that mainstream Judaism here has experienced the same significant decline. Only the ultra-Orthodox with their large families are growing in numbers, which is also the case in Israel. The consequences for both societies are dire. As strongly devoted to their religion as mainstream Christians and Jews might be, they have not generally abandoned their adherence to a pluralistic, open society. The same cannot be said of too many evangelical Christians and haredi Jews.    

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Owning a home may be a financial struggle, but a study shows that many people cannot even purchase a home because of their inability to raise the required down payment.    https://www.realtyhop.com/blog/barrier-to-homeownership/

In many areas of California, for instance, it takes around 10 years to save enough for the typical down payment, while three years is sufficient in parts of the midwest.

Monday, January 23, 2023

Baruc S. has a substantial position in international banking although only his wife is Jewish. We had a nice lunch together at Dagon, 2454 Broadway, the Israeli/Mediterranean restaurant that he and I have each come to favor.

We took advantage of the Restaurant Week menu, two courses for $30. We ordered the same items, silky smooth hummus, served with a just-baked loaf of bread, brushed with olive oil and za’atar, a blend of dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and salt, and the Dagon Burger, brisket/short rib blend, Moroccan pickles, Gruyère cheese, and harissa ketchup on a brioche bun, with a generous portion of shoestring fries. It was a good meal and a filling one.

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

To make up for missing my brother's birthday in December, I drove into the depths of Jersey to have lunch with him. We met at Seasons 52, 217 Lafayette Avenue, Edison, New Jersey, a very large, attractive restaurant with an eclectic menu and 52 wines by the glass.

I ordered a lunch special ($13), a bowl of very rich lobster bisque, just as I hoped that it would be, and a half-size chipotle BBQ shrimp flatbread, containing baby shrimp, grilled pineapple, feta cheese, and wood-grilled poblano peppers. When the waiter accidentally spilled a glass of water in my lap, I was compensated with a free dessert and a certificate for free food on my next visit. I passed the latter along to my brother as an early installment on his next birthday present.

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

I had an early lunch at Urbanspace, 570 Lexington Avenue, a food court housing about a dozen vendors. Before noon, there were fewer than the usual crowd of people half a century younger than me. I had a Classic chicken sandwich at Bull Chicken, two chunks of excellent Korean-fried chicken, pickles and buttermilk ranch dressing on a bun ($9.49). Unfortunately, I upgraded to a meal with subpar French fries and a drink for $4.49. Next time, I’ll remember to buy my Diet Coke on the street and skip the extra carbs.

. . .

An Arizona bill, SB1030, would ban drag shows on Sunday mornings whether or not minors were around. Feel better?

Thursday, January 26, 2023

The Upper West Side's Power Couple relocates to the Left Coast for a brief visit with America’s Loveliest Nephrologist and the Oakland Heartthrob.  

Other than some grumbling about traffic, the morning trip to JFK is usually uneventful. Not today. Following my directions, the cab driver took the 59th Street bridge rather than the Triboro, Ed Koch vs. Robert F. Kennedy, so we were stopped for a light on Van Dam Street when we felt a solid thump. A bicycle delivery guy ran right into the back of the taxicab, breaking the tail light. 

Our driver jumped out and grabbed the handlebars of the bicycle to stop the rider fleeing. That evoked a roundhouse from the bicycle rider, decking the taxicab driver. With that, a young man stopped right behind us got out of his car and wrestled with the bicycle rider until a couple of cops standing in front of the jail across the street came over, soon joined by a squad car responding to our 911 call. After giving brief statements to the police, we accepted the offer of the young man to proceed to the airport.  

He turned out to be an immigrant from Ghana, who served in the U.S. Navy to get educational and medical benefits. We were thoroughly impressed by his sincerity and helpfulness and offered him some practical advice for coping with life in the Holy Land, as well as an unasked-for gratuity for volunteering to complete the first leg of our journey. Later, recollecting that we had just binge watched the entire fourth season of “Fauda,” I thought of all the plot lines emerging from us being kidnapped, in broad daylight, off the streets of Long Island City.

Friday, January 27, 2023

R.I.P. Irwin Wall

. . .

Don't order the French dip sandwich at Beer Baron Bar & Kitchen, 5900 College Avenue, Oakland. Evoking Los Angeles far more than Paris, it is supposed to be thinly sliced roast beef on, ideally, a baguette, with a small cup of beef juices or broth on the side for the dipping. Instead, I got a very fatty pot roast sandwich, with a small cup of a thin, oniony tomato sauce. The duck fat fried potatoes and the Boylan diet cola were partially redemptive, but only partially.

. . .

Dinner was a different story. We went to Via del Corso, 1788 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, a deservedly busy place. I shared some of the Prosciutto con Burrata (mozzarella and cream), fresh and delicious ($19). My main course was Spaghetti alla Carbonara,  Rusticchella d’Abbruzo Pasta, Guanciale, Eggs, Pecorino Romano, and Black Pepper, a traditional dish, very well executed here ($22). Others had gnocchi, branzino, and a pork chop, equally enjoyed.  

. . .

Remember, Thursday, February 2nd @ 7 PM, New York Times journalist Joseph Berger will discuss his new biography of Elie Wiesel, "Confronting the Silence," exclusively on West End Synagogue's Zoom link.    https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83079031731?pwd=TGZXRzI2OEVsMGxwOXZFSklob0JTZz09

Take the "A" Train

Saturday, January 14, 2023

You think you know the New York subway system?  https://projects.thecity.nyc/nyc-subway-quiz/?fbclid=IwAR1TVtlsPYEry-Rbg8jFtf4NKhoHsxPXxAHuY2sfQwtS6w5UTbn2ux139YA

. . .

Goy is a Hebrew word that means “nation.”  In the Only Testament, called the Old Testament by some, it is used to distinguish the Israelites from other nations of the world.  It might have been value-free initially, but it has taken on a derisive character in modern times.  Even when and where Jews were oppressed, they generally felt a sense of relief that they were not goyim.  Of course, the word is usually reserved for private conversations these days, so I was intrigued by the headline “My Mezuzah and Me: A New York Goy’s Dilemma."

https://hellgatenyc.com/my-mezuzah-and-me-a-new-york-goys-dilemma

A mezuzah is a cylinder or skinny rectangle holding a parchment fragment with significant Hebrew verses.  The Bible commands Jews to “write the words of God on the gates and doorposts of your house.”  Deuteronomy 6:9.  Thus, a mezuzah is typically affixed just above eye level on outside door frames, at least, and throughout the house of the more observant.  Mezuzahs were not usually removed when occupants departed and, therefore, it would not be uncommon for the next gentile moving into a previously-occupied Holy Land apartment to find a mezuzah on the front door frame, the situation for the author of this article.  I liked his treatment of the subject.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

“If you’re still paying off your mortgage, renting is likely cheaper than owning in each of the nation’s 50 largest metros."

https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/comparing-rent-vs-owning-a-home-in-nations-largest-metros/

This is an intriguing prospect as so many of us struggle with the current real estate market, akin to a bull ring without flashy outfits.  What is omitted from this analysis are the tax benefits and appreciation attendant with home ownership.  Yet, it may be comforting for those who see a white picket fence fading from view.

. . .

Another kind of comfort comes with finding a place to excrete when out in public.  “Restrooms for customers only” is an unwelcome sign on many front doors, with or without mezuzahs.  This writer addresses the problem.  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/15/opinion/new-york-public-toilets.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

New York is notorious in denying relief of this sort to residents and visitors alike.  The writer claims that it is a special problem "for anyone who’s not wealthy, white and cisgender,” an unnecessary blurring of a near-universal challenge.  My own approach, as outlined on January 5, 2023, was to walk confidently into a hotel, take the elevator to its sixth floor lobby and stride into its (still gendered) men’s room.  It was my demeanor that figuratively opened the doors to me, although my white skin didn’t hurt, I’ll admit.  

Monday, January 16, 2023

A healthy contingent of the Boyz Club showed up at at lunch today at Chi, 492 Ninth Avenue, a new Chinese restaurant, on the site of the late, lamented Manganero’s Hero Boy.  I was reminded of taking the two-day New York State Bar Examination in July 2001, in the Javits Convention Center, with thousands of other new law school graduates.  Javits is on Eleventh Avenue, with its back to the Hudson River.  There is nowhere close by to eat, except an occasional hot dog vendor under an umbrella.  Each day, at lunch time, hundreds of kids huddled outside the building, reacting to that portion of the exam already faced and anticipating what was to come by crying, smoking, puking.  I, on the other hand, walked two blocks due east to Manganero’s Hero Boy for a meatball parmesan hero and a diet Pepsi to prepare for the afternoon’s work.

Today, only camaraderie was on the line among the eight of us as we ate soup dumplings (3 orders at $8 of four pieces); crispy spicy (decidedly) shredded beef ($25); spicy cumin lamb ($26); chicken with black bean sauce ($18); pork fried rice ($16); shrimp chow fun ($18); vegetable fried rice (2 orders at $16); crispy orange chicken ($18); beef lo mein ($18).  The food was good, but the portions were consistently small for their price.  Overall, a disappointment, the company aside.

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Tonight’s dinner was quite a contrast from yesterday’s lunch.  First, I had only Jay Stanley for company.  Jay, whom I’ve known since boyhood, his, not mine, is Senior Policy Analyst with the ACLU.  He lives and works in the Washington, DC area, so it was a treat to have him here.  We went to Farida Central Asian Cuisine & Grill, 32 Cedar Street, in the very-quiet-after-dark financial district.  Most striking was the decor, vivid colors and patterns all over the place, as opposed to the somber black and slate gray at Chi. 

 

Farida also had a live musician, a tenor saxophonist admittedly and successfully in the mode of Stan Getz.  The food was a hit, too.  We shared six mini umkas, little knishes, two each spinach, chicken, steak ($15).  We also traded back and forth two large salads, Tashkent Salad, slivered beef tongue, white radish, herbs, in a house dressing, topped with fried onions ($19), and Navruz Salad, romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red radish, red onion, scallion, hard-boiled egg, dill, cilantro mixed with sour cream dressing, topped with feta ($18).  Here, we got our money’s worth.

Right next door was Scoops & Snacks, 26 Cedar Street, a small joint primarily hanging out on the carbohydrate side of the street.  I had ice cream even on this cold night, two large scoops ($8) — Bittersweet Sinphony, coffee ice cream with bittersweet fudge swirls and fudge chunks, and Piece of Cake, yellow cake ice cream with thick chocolate frosting and pound cake pieces.  A winner.

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Jeffrey Heller not only talks the talk and walks the walk, he rides his bike thousands of miles to raise understanding of and funds for immigration reform.  And, he’s a grandfather, too.  Only in that regard am I his peer, so I was honored to have lunch with him today.

We aimed for Bistro Verde on the fifth floor of the Nordstrom department store at 225  West 57th Street, because it had outdoor dining pods on its terrace.  However, the cold rain kept them closed and us indoors. It’s a pleasant space, closer to a corporate dining room than a cozy tearoom.

As tolerant as Jeffrey might be of human weakness, I felt the need to be virtuous in his presence and ordered a salad.  

By the way, Nordstrom has roomy, non-gendered bathrooms on every floor.  You can approach them without even displaying an air of confidence.

. . .

You might think that my fellow progressives would sit back and allow George Santos and friends to dominate the nutsiness and craziness department, but no, righteous sensitivity has to be heard from.  "An office within the University of Southern California's School of Social Work says it is removing the term 'field' from its curriculum because it may have racist connotations related to slavery."  

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/14/1148470571/usc-office-removes-field-from-curriculum-racist

Will cotton garments be barred from campus next?

Friday, January 20, 2023

Joseph Berger, distinguished New York Times journalist, is about to publish "Confronting the Silence," a major biography of Elie Wiesel.  On Thursday, February 2nd at 7 PM, he will discuss this work at West End Synagogue on this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86884633291?pwd=RTErUjd6VkRrcmFKOHZDNW1EUWdpdz09#success 

Don't miss it.

Thinking less far ahead, the Year of the Rabbit begins this Sunday.  恭禧發財

Say What?

Saturday, January 7, 2023 

Now that Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives, under the bold and stalwart leadership of Kevin McCarthy, we can expect progress on the vital issues of:

• Gas prices and Hunter Biden
• Immigration and Hunter Biden 
• Cryptocurrency and Hunter Biden 
• Middle East peace and Hunter Biden 
• Covid-19 and Hunter Biden 
• Transgender athletes and Hunter Biden 

. . .

 

It has been some time since we have ventured forth with Jill and Steve, our intrepid fellow travelers.  In fact, we returned from India with them barely six weeks before the lockdown began here in 2020.  Tonight, we took a step towards recapturing that time by dining at aRoqa, 206 Ninth Avenue, a far from conventional Indian restaurant.  The first thing you might notice is the complete absence of red and gold in the interior; matte black covers most surfaces.

Much of the menu is also atypical.  We started with a bunch of small plates: Katifi Mushrooms, wild mushrooms wrapped in shredded wheat ($21); Corn Padhu, corn and rice fritters with coconut kaffir lime chutney ($16); Peri Peri Prawns in smoked peach chutney ($21); Paratwala Paneer, layers of Indian cheese stuffed with sun dried tomatoes and spinach puree ($16).

 

Steve and I shared Chicken Tikka Masala, the only conventional item for us ($26), good but overpriced, while our Spice Girls had Butternut Squash ke Kofte in sweet corn malai (Sichuan pepper) sauce ($23).  It must have been good, because they left no trace of it on their plates.  

Normally, we would skip dessert at an Indian restaurant, or merely accept the complimentary rice pudding, but we wisely chose Rose[water] Pudding with Gulab Jamun (milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough) ($14), good, and Coppa Pistachio, chocolate and pistachio mousse with chopped pistachio nuts ($14), memorable. 

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Stuyvesant Town is an enormous private housing complex, half a block from Stuyvesant High School's original building, where the tenants are in dispute with the landlord over classification of the apartments under New York's rent code.  According to a report, "the average income of the households is about $247,000."  That's an amazing number for a neighborhood considered to be solidly middle class, no more, no less.  Or, am I missing something?

. . .

The most disturbing story of the day/week/month concerns an art history class at Hamline University, a small liberal arts college in St. Paul.  The syllabus warned that images of holy figures would be shown, including Buddha and Mohammad; the message was allegedly repeated in the classroom.  Nevertheless, a Muslim student complained to the administration after the class, asserting that "As a Muslim and a Black person, I don’t feel like I belong, and I don’t think I’ll ever belong in a community where they don’t value me as a member, and they don’t show the same respect that I show them."  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/08/us/hamline-university-islam-prophet-muhammad.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Her view stems from the belief that visual representations of Muhammad are forbidden, even if the Quran does not explicitly prohibit them, because they may elevate Muhammad the Prophet over Allah the Boss.  In this case it was a 14th century reverential oil painting.

Hamline's president co-signed an email that said respect for Muslim students “should have superseded academic freedom” and the adjunct professor's contract was not renewed. 

Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."  Imagine if observant Jews (some do) and Christians took this directive as seriously as some observant Muslims take the inference at issue.  

. . .

“Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have broken in to the country's congressional building.”  https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/08/americas/brazil-bolsonaro-supporters-breach-congress/index.html?adobe_mc=TS=1673218366%7CMCMID=78748519711558276867812990924604017855%7CMCORGID=7FF852E2556756057F000101@AdobeOrg

Shame, shame.  How uncivilized, how barbaric!

Monday, January 9, 2023

Ukraine goes unresolved, but the United Nations made progress in one critical area -- the baguette was declared part of France's intangible cultural heritage.   https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists

This raises the question of whether the bagel deserves the same treatment.  https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.npr.org/2023/01/07/1147619623/opinion-unesco-consider-the-bagel&source=gmail&ust=1673276187533000&usg=AOvVaw2aUfZWPjTd6ShGbkckiuKY

. . .

Joshua Greenberg entered Cardozo Law School one year before I did.  On the other hand, I entered the world about 30 years before he did.  Still, there was no evident generation gap at our lunch today at Hey Yuet, 251 West 26th Street.  

I found the interior more interesting than the food and Joshua more interesting than either.  The walls are exposed brick painted battleship gray.  Dark brown vinyl covered the chairs and booths.  One wall was covered with clocks, only one or two set to the right time.  An old manual sewing machine sat near our table.

The menu was divided between dim sum and regular items.  I had soup dumplings ($6.95 four pieces), pan fried pork buns ($7.75 three pieces) and har gow (shrimp dumplings) ($5.75 three pieces).  The contents were generally pretty good, but the wrappers were too thick and gummy.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Yes, The New Yorker (January 16th issue) published a version of my letter that I shared with you three weeks ago . 

. . .

You know that shooting in Virginia of a teacher by her 6-year old student?  We await the NRA’s position on how to stop a 6-year old with a gun — a 7-year old with a gun or a 5-year old with a gun?

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Dear plethora of unknown telephone callers making unwanted, unwelcome offers regarding automobile warranties, credit cards, internet service, income tax adjudication, and medical alert systems,

 

We have jettisoned our home telephone service.  We no longer have a land line.  Goodbye 212.

 

Sincerely, 

Grandpa Alan

. . .

The best part about George the Fraud Santos’s résumé is how well he did at the college he didn’t attend — 3.89 GPA, top 1% of his class -- and at the job he didn't have -- doubled the revenue.   

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/resume-of-george-santos/95321af46e1dc223/full.pdf

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Early this morning, the strike of nurses at two major metropolitan medical centers was settled after a three-day walkout.  The settlement included a pay raise and a commitment to increase staffing.  Other private hospitals had already settled.  What interested me was the position of Montefiore Medical Center, the last to settle.  Its obduracy might be related to the need to meet the annual salary of Dr. Philip Ozua, its president -- $6,539,217.00.  https://www.crainsnewyork.com/html-page/793181

 

Friday, January 13, 2023

You know that phrase you hear around Christmas about "Round John version"?  There's a name for it, mondegreen.  https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/mondegreen.html

 

 

 

Night Flight

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Today’s paper carried the obituary of Ian Tyson, once part of the folk duo Ian & Sylvia.  His lovely ballad, “Four Strong Winds,” was voted the most essential Canadian piece of music by Canadian public radio listeners.   https://youtu.be/mBiLKTmRqkY

. . . 

"In court filings, Mr. Singer [central figure in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal] says unspecified childhood trauma played a significant role in his behavior.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/30/us/rick-singer-college-admissions.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=highlightShare

“Your honor, my client’s behavior was unquestionably a result of childhood trauma.  His mother’s Nobel Peace Prize and his father’s three Oscars were generally kept out of sight.  He had to carry his own suitcase frequently on family ski trips to Chamonix, Zermatt and Telluride.  His algebra tutor failed the entrance exam to Cal Tech and his French tutor had a lisp.”

. . .

I don't like New Year’s Eve.  Expectations of a good time have rarely been met.  My first wedding was exactly 50 years ago today, New Year’s Eve day.  Before then and afterwards, I often spent brutal evenings in miserable company on December 31st.

There was a notable exception exactly 20 years ago when I proposed marriage to America’s Favorite Epidemiologist as the clock struck midnight.  Maybe because it was so much past her usual bedtime, she said Yes.

Tonight promises another exception.  We are having dinner at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Stony Brook Steve, always an enjoyable and tasty experience.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

I don’t regret enjoying dinner with friends and family last night instead of watching college football.  However, the end of the Ohio State vs. Georgia game seems to have been particularly dramatic.  I would naturally have rooted for Ohio State for several reasons, not the least of which is that it is America’s Favorite Epidemiologist’s alma mater.  

Georgia, however, won on a touchdown pass with less than a minute to go.  But, it wasn’t the  statistics that interested me this morning.  The Georgia hero who caught the pass is named Adonai Mitchell, whose first name is pronounced, according to one web site, Ah Don Ay.  https://www.thenameengine.com/pronounce/Adonai%2BMitchell/27173

Members of the Tribe, though, immediately recognize his name as pronounced Ah Doh Noy (אֲדֹנָי), a name for God heard in one of the first days of Hebrew school, which is possibly why the young man simply calls himself A.D.

. . .

For those of you not fortunate enough to reside in the Holy Land and who are aching to correct that, regard the hot local neighborhoods where real estate bargains may still be had.

https://streeteasy.com/blog/nyc-neighborhoods-to-watch-in-2023/

Note that, around here, the concept of a bargain is completely relative.

January 2, 2023

We got the very sad news that Dean Alfange, Jr. died yesterday.  He was simply one of the most decent persons we have ever known.

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

A happier beginning to the new year was dinner with Rob T. at Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant, 209 West 38th Street.  I had The Original Brisket,  “Slowly simmered brisket served with caramelized onions and fresh horseradish sauce on a Brioche roll” ($21.99).  With that you get French fries or a potato knish, my choice.  

Of course, we were at Ben’s in order to prepare for the Rangers game at Madison Square Garden.  Trailing through two periods, our boys came alive in the third, stopping their opponent’s 11-game winning streak.  

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

I went to bed content with the Rangers' victory and I got another positive jolt just after waking up this morning.  The feature article in the New York Times food section is a tribute to El Cholo, 1121 South Western Avenue, Los Angeles, on its 100th anniversary.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/dining/el-cholo-mexican-restaurant-los-angeles.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

It was one of my absolute favorite restaurants during my years of exile on the Left Coast.  I'm not sure whether I had ever had American Mexican food before, but I quickly thrived on their gooey, cheese-covered, mildly spicy dishes accompanied by rice, refried beans and fresh tortillas.  But, their frozen margaritas, served by the pitcher, built memories.  In fact, my first ever trip to Las Vegas came when someone said "Let's go to Vegas," after an evening sharing several pitchers with a couple of computer salesmen.  A short drive to LAX, a quick flight on Western Airlines, and a groggy several hours losing all our money.  Oh, to be young again!

. . .

Dinner tonight was also Mexican, but alcohol-free with no exotic consequences.  We were in Queens on a fact-finding mission, so we stopped in Tacuba, 35-01 36th Street, Astoria for a quick meal.  It’s a very large, busy joint, attracting folks from the Museum of the Moving Image and the Kaufman Astoria Studios, home to the Holy Land’s only backlot (space for large-scale, temporary set construction), across the street. 

I had lobster tacos, three open, smallish tortillas with a dollop of lobster, aioli and an avocado slice ($19).  Madam’s Tacos de Pescado (fish tacos) were far bulkier ($14), a consideration the next time I order here.

Thursday, January 5, 2023

Gentleman Jerry and I went to Stick to My Pot Potsticker, 224 West 35th Street, a skinny joint covered in white subway tile.  Eight stools against a ledge are the entire dine-in facilities.  The menu is not quite that simple.  There are five types of dumplings, steamed or pan fried, about $1.50 each.  Additionally, there are a couple of dishes over rice, spring rolls, scallion pancake, and scallion noodles.

We shared four chicken dumplings, four wontons (enhanced chicken dumplings), a scallion pancake ($3.49), scallion noodles ($3.49).  Everything was made to order, but fairly ordinary in taste.  I would recommend it only if you want a snack before or after shopping at Macy’s half a block away.

Note that the Renaissance Hotel, nearby at 218 West 35th Street, has very nice bathrooms in their lobby, which is actually on the sixth floor of the building.  Act like a New Yorker: Walk in, look straight ahead, take the elevator to 6, walk directly across the lobby, crossing in front of the desk.  Mission accomplished.

 

Friday, January 6, 2023

Happy Sore Losers Day!