9 Feb 07

Time:

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Money:

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More interesting things:

Missed the downtown local I've been taking in the interest of getting a seat, but dashed downstairs just in time to catch a) an express that b) had bench space open. Outstanding (for in-sitting.)

Grabbed the lavender-and-gray-fur bomber hat that fell off someone's bag as she sped down University Place; I had to work to catch her before she crossed (jaywalked) the street, but once I did she was bubbling over with thanks and so on. Later, this experience (combined with trying not to laugh at a group - probably a mom and two daughters visiting the university - which featured one of those under-your-clothing money belts) caused Roey to observe that people really, really have the wrong idea about this town: you might have to worry about pickpockets in Times Square or, as I pointed out, on a packed train at Christmastime, and there are certainly irritated people to be found on sardine-can subway cars, but for the most part this is a very, very safe and very, very pleasant place to live. If he didn't live here, Roey added, he might not know that it's really the Bronx and Queens causing most of the crime statistics issues, and he would only have expected a curt "thanks" from a lady to whom you've just returned a hat. Too bad for everyone else, I say, but it does seem a little unfair to the city itself.

Ate breakfast with Roey at the red place - what else is new? - where he noticed for the second time in our collective yogurt-eating history the cab driver who leaves his car running just outside the door with the trunk open, as though he were helping someone with luggage. Roey maintains that such a practice ought to enable anyone to drive away, legally, with the guy's cab, but I can't decide whether it's irritating or just funny.

Met with my third and final student-teacher. He's incredibly nice, seems incredibly devoted to teaching, and is incredibly Italian. That's all I can say about that here, but I was very glad to meet him and I think it'll be fun to work with him.

Went with Anne to the Essex Street Market on our way out of the school; to be more precise, we hit up Rainbo's... well, Rainbo's something - I don't know what the rest of their name is, but it doesn't matter, because it was awesome. I didn't find out how good the salmon sandwiches or the graham muffins were until we got back to the Village and ate them at Cafe Collage, but while we were waiting, one of the owners came from behind the counter with biscotti for each of us - he said it was because they had broken, but whatever it was, a) they were incredibly good and b) it was really nice of him to hand them out. On top of all of this, he actually lets you pick out your own muffin, which I think cannot be beat. I will definitely be headed back there, probably sometime soon.

Wandered around between the Village and Union Square: ate and drank coffee at Cafe Collage, hit American Apparel for some more tall socks, got a book cover thingy at the Strand (from Anne - thanks, lady!), picked out my Pumas (thanks, Ma!), took Anne to see the pool at the school gym, and went literally out the back door and across the street to a coffee shop I'd never noticed (it's a little confusing - Ninth Street Espresso, conveniently located on 13th Street.)