Thursday Lunch Out

I have decided, for now, to go totally out of character, for me, and try a different place each Thursday. We'll see how long this lasts before I fall into my comfortable rut.

Today, I tried Sunny East 88 which is on First Avenue between 88th and 89th Street. Here's the view from across the street. As you might be able to see, it's next door to a sports bar and I decided to check out both before I eventually decided on Chinese.

The reason I decided on Chinese (which was empty) vs the sports bar, which had people in it, was that the only seating in the sports bar was high bar stools, including around tables. I don't like sitting in those kind of chairs. For some reason, I like my feet planted squarely on the floor.

Sunny East 88 is a small place -- three tables for 4, one table for 2, and one table for 1. I love how it looks so unlike a typical American restaurant. I was the only customer the entire time. You can see me taking the photo if you look right avove that blue cloth on the right side, just above the middle point.

I hadn't gone to an ATM, and I did ask if they take credit cards, and the answer was yes. That will figure in later in the story. They offered great lunch specials -- soup and an entree for $5.50. I ordered wonton soup which really was good. The broth part looked weak, but it was very flavorful. This photo doesn't really capture it, but I've noticed in the past, and today, how Asian food, even a humble bowl of soup, is always presented so charmingly.

Then for the entree, I ordered "crispy shredded chicken" and here it is. I had my choice of white, brown or fried rice, and I went with brown. Oh, so healthy, and I always forget how much I like it. Again, it's so full of flavor. It came with the broccoli which was about cooked one minute past raw and also there were peapods underneath the broccoli.  A big serving for $5.50.

When it was time to pay the bill, the male worker told me that they don't take credit cards for under $15. My bill, with a can of soda, was $7.60. I had $8.00 and about 50 cents worth of change. From my restaurant magazine writing, I know it's illegal to have a credit card minimum so I wasn't about to run to an ATM. I offered up the $8.50 and apologized about the tip. He then conferred with the female worker and decided to take my credit card. The female had told him that I had specifically asked about credit cards. So I rounded it up to $9.00 and that was fine, and a good lunch deal for me.

Then I went to the ATM, talked to the UPS guy who told me my regular guy, whom I really like, had  knee surgery and is out for three months. Then I talked for a long time to a woman who lives in my building. She had put up a note recently asking fellow residents not to buzz in people without identifying them through the intercom.

When I read her notice, I thought human nature has not changed. People were asking others to do that since I've lived in apartments. She had an experience where someone came to her door (past the two security doors which means somebody buzzed this guy in) who was selling something. She escorted him out of the building which I thought was very brave, and maybe just a little stupid.

She told me she is a medical student/resident at NYU. The talk turned to mice, which don't bother her, and she said if I ever need help, which, knock on wood, I hope I don't, I should come find her. I guess for a medical student/resident, they are used to looking at icky things. Very lovely woman who said she'd like to talk to me again. Sure.

And finally, I saw my boyfriend Brian (the crackhead who got rid of my half-dead mouse) who was in bad shape. I had never seen him like this. He could barely walk; his legs were like rubber and he went down the steps in the front of the building to where the garbage cans are, I guess looking for cans. He was down there a long time (while I was talking to Lauren, the med student). She checked on him a few times, said it was heroin, and I told her he had been helpful to me with a mouse at one time, and she apologized to me for making a derisive comment about Brian, as if he were a family member. It made me chuckle.

She left, and I was sitting on the steps that go to the front door and Brian came up the stairs, swaying and rubber legging and falling backward, holding on to the rail. He made it to the top of the stairs, but couldn't navigate opening this gate while simultaneously stepping over about a six-inch step. He kept falling back and grabbing the rail and I was afraid he was going to fall down the steps.

Just then, someone else I know came out of the building -- a man -- and I didn't want to touch Brian, but I thought he might so I said suggestively, "I'm afraid he may fall down the steps," hoping he'd give Brian a hand to get him out to the sidewalk. Instead, this man said not to worry how Brian never falls. At that point, I decided to go inside just as Brian made it past the gate. The man called to me, "See? He never falls. He's like a marionette."

And that's my Thursday adventure.