Pen-Elayne on the Web

Oot and Aboot

So I went to the Food Fest yesterday, which all told took a little over an hour. Probably the fastest time I've ever shot through the thing, and I'd intended on it being a fairly leisurely stroll up 9th Avenue from 34th (where the crosstown bus let me off after I took care of some errands on the east side) to 60th (where I turned to get the train back to the Bronx around the southeast tip of Central Park). I had my shark kebob (I passed on the gator-on-a-stick because last year I had trouble, um, passing the gator), stuffed quail, corn on the cob, water with a little lemon in it lemonade, chicken satay, a lovely garlic sourdough twist fresh from some oven somewhere, baklava, lamb on a stick and Thai iced tea. Fifteen bucks total. Passed on the mozzarepa this time, as well as the ubiquitous King of the Candy Apple stands, funnel cakes, crepes, etc. etc. Once again no sushi in sight. But cute little girls doing a song and dance on the stage at 43rd or so, the song filled with bad food puns; a very decent xylophone player; a homeless guy to whom I said "I'm sorry" when he accosted me (I could have done far worse, like peeling off and giving him one of the many flyers adorning the police barricades advertising a 2BR 2Bath apartment overlooking the river for only $3200 a month); and petted a mounted cop's horsie. My hands still itch like crazy (I don't know what airborne allergen affects me so but I'm glad I wore my jacket or my arms would be similarly affected) and the stupid big toe on my right foot is still giving me problems, but that's not stopping me from taking in Central Park today. Unfortunately our friend can't meet us but I'm determined not to "waste" a vacation day. With any luck we'll hit here and here and here, and maybe take in a movie as well, but we'll see.