ten days later...

Last Sunday, a trip to the Lower East Side.  The subways were hot and crowded and by the time we got there it was time for lunch.  Katz's delicatessen had such a long line (and bouncers outside to make sure nobody cut the line) that we decided to skip it and go to a hipster sandwich shop.  It was fine and we didn't have to wait. Sandwiches were yum!

 Afterwards we wandered  over to Orchard St.,where the Tenement Museum is --but the tours were all full except the one where you walked up to the fifth floor.  No thanks.  

Nonetheless, the visitor center/gift shop had a fascinating film and we rested our feet while we watched it.  I had been there when it first opened, eons ago and plan to go back one day with a reservation for one of the (lower floor) tours.  It is an amazing place.

The Lower East Side morphs into what used to be Little Italy and is now mostly Chinatown. It is now so little that it takes up two blocks. But these are lively blocks, closed to traffic on Sundays.

The stores and bars were open and there was lots of noise coming from the bars where they were watching the World Cup.   This place is not your typical tourist restaurant.

And I wasn't quite sure whether the 2 referred to the price or the size.

At least I have accomplished a few things in the past ten days. which is remarkable considering that much of my time has been spent deleting 2700 emails on my iPhone and iPad, most of them promising me all kinds of wonderful things.  Here is a small sample of irresistibles.

• You can get an online doctorate!
• Look ten years younger: better than a facelift and better than botox. (sign me up)
• Restore your vision to 20/20!! (not possible)
• Get help with your ED (now that would be an accomplishment)
• Confirm your appointment for your window installation (huh?)
• Get a nursing degree
• Get discount funeral insurance
• Drop your blood sugar level (right. I already have low blood sugar)
• Reverse diabetic decay (see above)
• Facebook has offered you a position but we have not heard from you. (bummer)
• Google wants to hire you (see above)
• Refinance your mortgage (I don't have one)
• Get your Walmart loyalty gift (snort! There is no Walmart within 50 miles of me and even if there were...)
• Your coverage is expiring (coverage for what?)
• Eat THIS, never diet again! (It'll probably kill me)
• Free Burger King Promo - expires today!! (as IF)

I have also  finished the piece I was working on and actually started to stitch it today.  Hooray for me! If I do nothing else tomorrow, I might complete the job.

And finally, I spent time in the kitchen. Made the most fabulous lemon ice cream and a pot of stuffed grape leaves with rice, chickpeas, tomatoes & mint, which I had been craving. (don't ask me why).

They cook in no time in the pressure cooker and you serve them cold. Lebanese recipe. Divine!  I used to make them all the time in my first life.  Tomorrow I will bake Kate's Brownies (Katherine Hepburn's recipe) to take to a family lunch on Saturday.  Beyond that, I don't cook on weekends. I did steam a couple of dozen clams for tomorrow's dinner, but other than that - I'm done.