Chimichurri Grill

Luswin the Lifesaver treated me for birthday dinner at this very nice (emphasis on the nice) Argentine restaurant in Hells Kitchen.

(tangent: the city tries to promote this neighborhood as "Clinton". Anyone who has spent an August in Manhattan knows better.)

We'd been trying to connect over the last many weekends. But basketball - his new religion - and my aversion to weeknights kept getting in the way. So, we had a few months of reconnecting, reaffirming to do. Which we did with the help of his vodka and cranberry and my Tom Collins.

We started the meal with empanadas. He ordered the Churrasco Argentino with the namesake sauce. I had a small serving of rabbit stew over noodles and a side of asparagus. We finished with Panqueques de Dulce de Leche for dessert. I had a cup of coffee.

We finished the night with another round (or two) of drinks at Barrage. Finally we left for Penn Station where he was greeting a friend in from DC. I picked up a few toiletries for my upcoming weekend retreat and we said goodbyes. Hopefully not as long before the next meeting.

Mercato

Boss Lady took me to lunch for my birthday. I picked this small Italian place on 39th Street - just down the block from the NY State Correctional Services Parole Division offices.

We shared a bowl of olives and bruschetta with olive paste, tomatoes and mushrooms. I avoided the mushrooms, as usual. She ordered the ravioli and I had a bowl of pumpkin soup and the rucola salad. We each had a glass of red wine.

Our Uruguayan waitress made us giggle mildly appropriate Miss Universe jokes. Office gossip was at a minimum.

Today on the L Train

I did not witness either of these, but the L Train has been in the news lately.

After learning of the death of Osama bin Laden, one patriotic Brooklynite tried to get his hipster neighbors excited during their commute. Predictably, it didn't go over so well.

Also in the ether, others had more success in transforming the space of the L Train by turning it into a pop-up eatery.


Now if either of these had been blended with a mariachi band, I'd say we'd seen everything. Except that on the L Train just about anything is possible, so even that wouldn't be unexpected.

Two More Down the Garbage Disposal

Cost cutting and sinking ratings pound two more nails in the coffin of the daytime soap opera.

All My Children will go off the air in September and One Life to Live breathes its last in January 2012. This will leave four shows - The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, and General Hospital.

Ocean View Diner

Prior to a trip through Target, the Boy in the Checkered Shirt and I met Luswin for a quick bite. Omelettes, coffees, and toast. The waitress was a little confused but she did scream our orders into the kitchen in true diner style.

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Hope & Anchor

Between stops at Lowes and Ikea, the Boy and I stopped at this bar/restaurant in Red Hook for breakfast. We had omelettes and coffee , but bypassed the turkey bacon.

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Julius

Long day at work (but my last official day of trafficking. Shout out to Focus Features for keeping me late. Grrr.). Met up with the Boy in the Checkered Shirt for a burger and beer at this W. Village/NYC/Gay History institution. The table under the Bea Arthur picture was occupied, but we made do by the windows.

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Fortunato Brothers

After our Thai lunch we migrated to this Italian bakery. We each had a pastry filled with French cream. The Boy ordered a cappuccino and I a black coffee.

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Lily Thai

I was craving some Thai, so The Boy in the Checkered Shirt and I headed down to Bushwick Ave for Note Thai. When we got there, in the cold, it was shuttered. So we kept on walking and came to this better, calmer restaurant on Grand Ave. We split a Thai salad, an order of curry puffs and some fish cakes (not so good), and then a serving of the chicken kaprow.

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The Grey Dog

After an all night dinner party at R&S the Boy in the Checkered Shirt and I went to this salty sea coast inspired café. The Boy had scrambled eggs, home fries, and toast. I started with another cup of coffee and ordered the granola and yogurt.

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