Adventure du jour

Which way to the Fung Wah?

Lori looks so full of surprise and emotion with her new coiffure.

Yummy, we love bakeries.

Love thy neighbor, especially on the Bowery
This morning Lori and I set out on the M9. Our eyes perked up on East Broadway and we hopped off the bus at East Broadway and Market Slip. Lori had never been to this part of town and was excited to see we had literally landed in a different country. This part of Chinatown encompasses wild open air markets, stores with every item imaginable and restaurants that we had no clue what they were offering since we couldn't read the menus. When we turned the corner underneath the Manhattan Bridge we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the kind ladies trying to sell us a seat on the infamous Fung Wah bus. Since we didn't have a need to score a ride to Boston we kept on walking. As luck would have it we discovered Pell Street. This short little road was filled with the finest in Chinese hair salons/massage parlors. Looking for a Japanese Straight Perm? Sold. Looking for a little reflexology to make sure your uretha is functioning? Done.

I introduced Lori to the popular Hong Kong chain Aji Ichiban. This is little candy store runs the range from delicious chewy ginger to dried cuttlefish. Instead of indulging in the squid crackers we opted to stroll up Mulberry Street to the heart of Little Italy.

*Random fact. In the 1930s, one-sixth of NY's population was from Southern Italy.

The delicious smells from my long time favorite La Bella Ferrara called us in. There we enjoyed amazing butter biscuits and took some to go. From Little Italy we walked over to the Bowery and window shopped the restaurant supplies and lighting. Never know when one might need a mixer the size of a bathtub.

From Bowery we went east on Houston. We passed by the infamous Yonah Schimmel Knishery and definitely plan to lunch there in the future. After crossing the street and enjoying the nexus of the Universe...1st Ave and 1st Street, we wandered up 1st Avenue. Heading towards Tompkins Square Park I shared with Lori that it was the land of many police encounters and raids including the dismantling of Tent City in the late 80s. She was ultra impressed with that tidbit.

By this point hunger was calling and we dined at Hummus Place on St. Mark's Place. Needless to say hummus was on the menu. Lori scored with her order of fava hummus. A little more tasty than my order of hummus masabacha. Definitely a place to return to.

After a delicious lunch and loads of new insight on dreary old Manhattan it was time to return to the reality that we call Battery Park City and the Financial District. Walking St. Mark's Place to Astor Place to catch a train home we considered a tattoo to commerate the lovely day. Fortunately we were distracted by groovy sunglasses and the ink was just a fleeting thought.

Stay tuned...pictures to be added in the very near future.