We Are Family: Day Two

Day two was nice. Very chill. Peggy isn't feeling well :( so she stayed at the hotel and...I have no idea what she did, but it was probably very intellectual or world changing ;)

Bob and I hopped on the subway and went to Chinatown in search of a restaurant with the right round eye/Chinese/Jewish ratio, which we sort of found at Joe's Shanghai, which is, apparently, very famous for their soup dumplings-and rightly so. If you're in NYC reading this, you can count on my birthday celebration being held there this year! Funny enough, this is the first Chinatown restaurant Rich and I ever went to when I first moved to New York. Bob and I sat two chairs to the left of were Rich and I sat! We also had General Tso's chicken, cause that's just how we roll, and that was very good, too. The chicken was real, you know? Not processes little bits for fricking Sysco.

Then we wandered a bit, but not much. I realized what a fool I am for not doing ALL my Christmas shopping in Chinatown. There are so many treasures there! And a bunch of junk, but if you look, treasures. Next Christmas, kiddies, you'd better watch out!

Bob and I returned to the hotel room for a relaxed afternoon with Mom. I spend much of my time emailing friends as you all were at work and I was not ;) and we all rested/napped a bit.

Rob arrived at 8:15 from JFK (an arduous day of travel for him, no matter how you cut it). And I turned us right around and got us on the R train to get us to the J train. It was going the wrong direction, but we achieved train-ness right quick! We got off, and got back on going the CORRECT way (oy!) and got to the restaurant just 20 minutes late, which was not a problem.

We went to Dressler on Broadway in Brooklyn. The food was outstanding. From the scallops to the artichoke salad to the entrees: cod, duck, lamb and pork, to the desserts: a sinful chocolate cake and reason-alone-for-a-visit Apple Tarte Tatin with rum raisin ice cream we completely lucked out. Our server, my brother observed, may have been the best server he'd had in his entire life (that's almost 29 years). He gave great advice and, when he could, took time to chat with us about the changing neighborhood. All the staff were affable, seemed glad to be there and proud of their product. My family, knowing my penchant for restaurant life let me take the lead on the dinner and I always (unless I'm on a date, people. I enjoy being taken care of too. I feel I have to say this so the universe doesn't get the wrong idea-there are some downsides of getting what you ask for!) enjoy that piece of it. I do miss working in restaurants/hospitality for some things.

Two thumbs up dinner.

Then we trekked back to my apartment so everyone could see it. :) Then we walked my route to the subway; I pointed out where I was almost mugged, my poor mother. They all commented on the long walk! Welcome to New York!

We got on the train and I got off to go to my friend Paige's place where I'm cat sitter extraordinare and they back to the hotel.

Today is another big day of 1) bite to eat 2) looking for a camera for my brother's birthday 3) Wall Street Trinity Church's cemetery (including "Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, founder of The Bank of New York" 4) meeting up with Bill and Michele and their girls Alex, Mary and Colleen; Bill is the son of my dad's sister, Pat, making him Rob's and my cousin and his kids our 1st cousins once removed 4) Big dinner at the Old Homestead Steakhouse, the oldest steakhouse in Manhattan. WHEW.

Have I mentioned I love this?! Having them here has opened my eyes, as having visitors always does, and also reminds me of how much fun my family is. What a lovely group of people.

Whew! Must get a move on! New York waits for no one...not even a Weber/Whitlock!

I'll update/improve linkage when I have more time/better connection!

xo