In the City

Yesterday was Girls' Day Out in New York City which actually turned into Girls' Day and Night Out as we strolled from pleasant place to pleasant place until we finally headed for dinner. I am always amazed when I head into New York - it is so urban that rightfully the place should be setting one's teeth on edge, but it always ends up dazzling its visitors. It is, I think, the pulsating liveliness, combined with the sheer magnificence of the city's buildings - the highrises with their gleaming windows, the gorgeousness that is Grand Central Terminal, the stateliness of New York Public Library - that consistently wins one over. See, I told you that I am always amazed. This despite the heaps of garbage bags waiting to be picked up and the taxis driving like maniacs and darting in and out of lanes.

There are also so many young people there. I wonder how they manage to survive in one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in the world. Are they visiting like me or are they residents? Like the young man in the worn down Converse sneakers and faded corduroy pants riding the M-1 bus, blue eyes looking off into the middle distance like everybody else's eyes on crowded public transport. Or the woman with the bleached hair and the shocking orange tights worn under her short-short shorts. Or the teenager with the heavily embellished leather jacket. What a place to people-watch, this city. Not as pretty as Paris or as soft, but edgy and stylish and strong and just so, so diverse. As I walked I heard heavily-accented voices say things like, "In Italy, we..." or "In England, this..."

We headed down first to the little three-table Kati Roll Company on MacDougal St. that sells the most delicous kati rolls. I ordered a chicken and unda roll and we all shared an achari paneer roll. Then, we headed down to the lovely little organic Priti Spa, which sadly is being sold and will disappear, hopefully to be resurrected soon. I bought an organic nail polish for the sandal season coming up so soon. And got myself a much-needed pedicure from the efficient and pleasant Nadia who, I hope, will land on her feet.

More walking landed us first in NoLita for window shopping and then in Soho, browsing at Sur La Table, followed by a stop at Marie Belle where we lingered over iced cardomom chocolate (moi), guava tea (U.) and mocha European style (R.). Despite the snacks, the long walks had more than whetted our appetites for dinner at Grand Sichuan International (we went to the branch off 23rd St.). It was early enough that we only had a ten minute wait (otherwise on Friday nights, expect far longer wait times). I have heard mixed reviews about the service but one goes to these places for the food, not for the personableness or lack of it of the waitstaff. We ordered the pork soup dumplings, the excellent spicy Au Zhi (sp?) fresh chicken (poultry is slaughtered the same day as it is cooked, or so they claim), the so-so whole braised tilapia in hot bean sauce (not worth ordering a second time) and the really good beans with pork (we asked for more beans, less pork, which was an excellent idea as otherwise it would have been way too salty). Grand Sichuan is hearty eating, not fine dining, but it totally hit the spot.

As I took the 10:22 PM Metro North back to Fairfield County, I reflected on the day and came to this conclusion: life isn't half bad when you have kati rolls and organic spas and good chocolate and plentiful Chinese, a train ride away from the quiet backyards of suburbia.