From Mama Sushi to Doña Irene

8/26

Noemi and I started getting ready for Hurricane Irene in the early afternoon. We both swore up and down we weren’t going to buy much at the supermarket, since we already had tons of meat in the freezer. All we needed was bread, milk, pasta & ice cream. We ended up spending more than $50.00. So much for sticking to the budget!


After coming home, I decided to do a short bike ride. I got in a little more than 20 miles in the neighborhood and I managed to take some pics. I was surprised to see only one owner boarding up his house.

That evening, Alex called me to ask if I could take him to his job in Chappaqua the next day. I asked him how was he getting back because the MTA was shutting down subways, busses and commuter trains at noon? He quickly responded he would get someone to fill in for him. Naturally, I agreed that was the smart thing to do. 

I was a bit bored that evening, so I started taking pictures of my sneakers.

A little later on, Candice and I texted about the fact that NYC had never shut down the subways. I believe the last time the subways were shut down was during the 2003 blackout and of course, 9/11. I had heard it takes about 8 hours to start up the subway system, once they’ve been shut down. Apparently, the MTA has to pump out the water that accumulates below the tunnels on a daily basis, even when there isn't any rain. 

8/27

I got up early this morning and decided to put some gas in the car and buy  bagels. I also had to get some sugar, pancake mix and syrup. When I got to the gas station the attendant pointed out they ran out of regular gas and they only had premium. Before I managed to put on "the face," he quickly added, "I charge you the same". I softly responded, "cool". Then I decided to get some cash at the bank, even though I’m in the habit of using my debit card, wherever I go. 

On my way to Bagel Corner, I couldn’t believe that in a time of crisis, the Starbucks on Johnson Avenue was shut down! What if I suddenly had an insatiable craving for Yukon Blend! As soon as this "monsoon" I'll have to make it a point to drop an email to Howard Schultz! These are serious times! 

As soon as I got home, Noemi and I started bringing in the plants, as well as the chairs from the terrace. I also secured the grill with some of my old inner tubes. I knew I would use that bag of inner tubes one day! After bringing in everything, I decided to get a short ride in, before the rain. Noemi became annoyed.

I wound up doing a short ride of approximately 13 miles, in the neighborhood. I was surprised there was little, if any activity going on at the big homes on Fieldston or Palisades Avenues.  As a matter of fact, I noticed that a construction site had a dumpster filled to the top with uncovered debris. 

As soon as I returned, Candice and I started texting and updating each other on the anticipated rain and wind. She had also done some time on the treadmill that morning and had wanted to rollerblade. Regretfully, the park entrance was closed. She had a whole lot of school work to do, just the same.

Noemi wasn’t home when I returned from my ride. She decided to go to the supermarket and pick up a few things. She’d been obsessing about buying ground turkey to make tacos tonight. Against her good judgment, she took Paulette with her and wound up buying more than $50.00 in groceries. Over the years, we’ve both learned that it's a bad idea to bring Paulette food shopping because she tosses junk food into the shopping cart and before you know it, you"re spending beaucoup bucks! Just the same, we had pasta for dinner.

Maybe it’s too early but waiting for Irene was really boring! All I’ve done today is watch the news, eat food (Including a few handfuls of Paulette’s potato chips) and check hurricane updates on-line. I’d even thought about straightening out the hallway closet. I have to admit, the real reason I want to clean out the closet is because I can’t seem to find my DVD remote control anywhere and I want to watch the Godfather l and ll. Maybe, I should subscribe to Netflix. 

So far, the highlight of the evening was Noemi calling Paulette and me over to show us how much water she’s collected. She managed to fill up the bathtub and five buckets, as well as two large pots. She also announced that we were not to touch her bucket of water because she had taken special precautions to disinfect her water. Paulette and I couldn’t stop laughing because we were essentially being told that our immune systems would have to fend for themselves! 

8/28

I woke up at 4:00 am to the sound of the wind blowing and the trees shaking. I looked out the window and it was was as if God had grabbed the trunk of this huge tree behind our building and began shaking it like a dashboard hula dancer!

I then walked over to the living room to make sure everything was okay. I discovered the windows were leaking and last year’s brick pointing project was pointless because water was seeping in through the walls. I strategically placed a few chinese food containers to capture the water and went back to bed.


I woke up at about 9:00 am and decided to take a look outside, since the rain seemed to hold up a bit. Right outside of the building, I saw branches strewn all over the street and as I walked down the block, I saw that a tree had been uprooted and collapsed on top of an Acura SUV and a light pole.

I then decided this was a bit too much action for me to have without a cup of coffee inside of me. I went upstairs and made egg and grilled sausage with cheese on pita sandwiches for everyone. I don't normally eat sausages but I wanted to make good use of all of the meats my sister Ada had ordered for me from Omaha Steak. I have to admit, everything they shipped was great: The steak, salmon, chicken, pork chops, breakfast sausages and even the double chocolate cake (I "inhaled" that cake a long time ago!). After breakfast and of course, the coffee, we each went our separate ways to check up on friends and relatives; either by phone, text or email. Thankfully, everybody we knew was fine or at worse, had to deal with minor inconveniences. We finally had the long awaited tacos for lunch and I was getting antsy from being inside most of the day. I managed to convince Noemi to take a walk outside with me. We were surprised to see a significant amount of damage within a 4-6 block parameter.

Although this hurricane / tropical storm was not by any means catastrophic, as a lifelong New Yorker, certain things become apparent in difficult times. You begin to notice that you actually stop and converse with people you don't know. You also start asking your neighbors questions and most of all, you begin to listen to them. Soon enough, you begin to feel for those you don't know and who are going through difficulty. 
Again, our hopes and prayers go out to those who are going through difficult times.
Take care and be good.  

Aye Caramba, Mama Sushi!

Mama Sushi is the kind of place I really wanted to love. After all, Mama Sushi is located near the corner of Dyckman Street and Seaman, the throbbing hotspot section of Inwood, in upper Manhattan. And even though there's a lot to get used to: The fire engine sirens, the reggaeton blaring from open car windows and the "Tigeres" warmly embracing one another, I quickly felt at home and was eager to be seated. I was also anxious to  partake in what everyone describes as, "Dominican-Japanese Fusion." Yes, even though Mama Sushi is barely a five minute ride from Riverdale,  I was in Inwood tonight, and felt as if I was worlds away.

Maybe my expectations were too high but I was anticipating my fellow latinos to flawlessly fuse two of my favorite cuisines; Japanese and Dominican. In all of my years of eating both types of food, I was waiting to be skillfully bowled over by Mama Sushi and I wanted it to be done with a great deal of, "Orgullo y estilo!"  After all, Mama Sushi, is the sister restaurant of the hugely successful Mama Juana. Meanwhile, through the corner of my eyes, I could see the multi-colored lights shine on Mama Juana, just across the street. All of a sudden, I was left wondering why there wasn't a light that shined on Mama Sushi? The answer to my question soon became apparent.

Within five to ten minutes, our group of five was warmly greeted and the corner sidewalk table we were led to was ideal. We were given adequate time to gather and give Mama Sushi the "Once over." Most of the people there were young, friendly and well dressed. The indoor portion of the restaurant was small, simple and seemed tastefully decorated.

The waitress quickly came over and took our drink orders and within minutes, came out with our beverages which included two exotically flavored and powerful mojitos. Both mojitos were flavored with rum, fruits, juices and herbs and packed with "sabor" to the very last sip! We then placed our appetizer orders, as well as a number of plates of sushi. Within minutes of our order, the waitress dropped off two long dishes of their special sauces. One of the sauces seemed to be made of ketchup, mayonnaise and lemon juice. The other phantom menace was similar, except it was a shade darker and had a touch of either horseradish or wassabe. Both sauces were pleasant and not at all offensive. A good while later, we received our appetizers and just about then, my daughters Candice and Paulette pointed out that I had "The face." While I routinely deny wearing, "The face," I always seem to be the only one who doesn't seem to know it. According to all of those close to me, any form of frustration and/or anger is immediately registered on my face like a Motel 6 sign. Apparently, I have the ability to aim my displeasure at an oncoming offender and almost singlehandedly, belittle and make them crave to be in a fetal position. While I firmly deny that I have a "face" or any other inherent traumatizing abilities, both bowls of fried calamari arrived cold. Furthermore, the texture of the edimome was good but was also cold.

Soon enough, our sushi arrived and I soon understood that at Mama Sushi's, "Japanese-Dominican fusion" was just another word for bland and forgettable. At one point, I almost felt compelled to kneel and beg for a few drops of soy sauce. Warning: Don't even consider asking for anything more than a dab of wassabe. If you want taste, dip one of your thirty pieces of sushi into the scant serving of the phantom menace sauce! As for the sushi, the texture of the rice did not contain the sushi tightly enough and the fillings were tasteless. At one point, all of us had a debate on whether we were eating canned tuna or crab and this impassioned discussion continued on the drive home. We then ordered dessert and about twenty minutes later, the waitress announced that the delay of our dessert was attributed to the fact that our sweet fried plantains had been burned. Candice announced, "Oh, oh, the face, " while Paulette and my wife giggled.  Meanwhile, I noticed the waitress coming out of the corner bodega with a bag of plantains.

The check finally arrived and along with the blare of the last fire engine, the waitress curtsied and ended her lame excuses.  Despite the "faux-fusion," we laughed and joked and I finally realized that there was a light that shined on us. And the light is still shining.


     


Enjoy and be good!

Ice Cream!!!!

Whenever I think of ice cream, I think of the Eddie Murphy skit, "Ice Cream." Besides the leather jumpsuit, this particular set holds up pretty well and is reminiscent of my childhood in the Bronx. Yes, children would go insane whenever the ice cream truck arrived. Some things never change. 

The routine also came to mind because of some ice cream recipes I came across. I've always been of the mind that there isn't any reason to actually "dress up" the frozen delight (Especially if it's chocolate!)! However, while I will continue to serve my guests tubs of ice cream (Only chocolate!), "Ice Cream Favorites Grow Up" offers  some terrific ways to serve up ice cream at your next Summer soirée.

Enjoy and be good.

The Burger

According to a report released July 6, 2011, food industry consulting firm Technomic says,  "Almost half of Americans, 48 percent, eat a burger once a week, up from 38 percent in 2009." The report also adds that, "Aside from burgers being a good value, this increase is attributed to the growth of "better burger" chains that have raised consumers' consumer expectations."


Maybe I don't frequent "better burger chains" enough but I've never been fond of hamburgers. Generally speaking, I'm not a consumer of red meat and neither am I going to eat a burger once a week. Let's face it, burgers have never tasted that interesting. At best, they taste like meatloaf on a bun. I've also tried turkey burgers and veggie burgers and while they are supposed to be better for you, they have about as much taste as corrugated cardboard. Over the years,  I've discovered the only thing that seems to make burgers appetizing are large quantities of condiments and toppings. For starters, I'll mix in ketchup, mustard (I stock about four different types in my fridge) and mayonnaise. I'll also add pickles, lettuce, slices of avocado and tomatoes (Sometimes a slice of cheese, other than American). If I really want to go crazy, I'll buy a fancy bread, in an attempt to really dress it up!


Regretfully, I've come to the conclusion what what I've actually been doing all along was disguising the taste of the burger and again, I find myself wishing burgers tasted better. As a matter of luck, I came across an amazing interactive feature (I won't mention from where....) that has an incredible array of Recipes for Burgers.  


I haven't tried all of the recipes but I envision these new fangled burgers as the start of a journey or a great way to top off the Summer (Yes, I know, my pleasures are simple!). You will be impressed by some of the exotic twists and ingredients added to augment the dignity of the traditional burger.  There are even a few alternatives for folks who don't eat red meat or who are strictly vegetarians and these look delicious too! 


Enjoy and be good!

Instead of Worrying About the Economy, Worry About Competitive Facial Hair Growing!

I enjoy reading Sports Illustrated and the digital version of the magazine is probably the best. I have to confess that because they hire some of the world's best photographers, sometimes I just enjoy looking at the pictures.

They also have a knack for covering sports or events that aren't considered, "mainstream." Once you've seen these photos, I'm sure you'll agree with me that there isn't anything "mainstream" about Competitive Facial Hair Growing!

Whatever your reactions to the photos are, I am certain you'll stop worrying about the economy....at least for a short while.

Enjoy and be good!

Houston, We Have a Problem....It May Be the Yogi!

I established early on that my purpose for starting a blog was to express my opinions and thoughts on a variety of topics. I'm pretty much aware that some of my interests so far, may seem eclectic but eventually, I hope my ramblings will have a more defined overall theme.

I also understand that not everyone is going to agree with what I write about but when someone important (Or close to you) gives their nod of approval, you discover that writing these blogs aren't just an exercise in futility.  Well, for the record, I got the thumbs up from my daughter Candice about yesterday's link to the Pepsi commercial. And we all know, that if she likes it....(My other daughter Paulette enjoyed it also but she had already seen it and despite all of my lectures, she is a Coke aficionado. Yes, you've got it, still no word from my son Alex).

As I've mentioned more than a few times in the past, one of my favorite pastimes is reading the New York Times. While I'm still a big fan of holding and turning the pages of a newspaper in my hands, the Times does an excellent job with their digital format and I am slowly transforming into a digital reader. Case in point is the Gym Class: Anti-Gravity Yoga article. The editing, angles and theme music capture the experiences of this novice yogi and make her story is engaging comical and at times, magical....and I'm not even a practitioner of  yoga.

Another aspect of living a healthy lifestyle is monitoring how the body works before, during and after exercise. The reason for tracking these numbers is important in establishing goals and eventually being able to customize exercise routines. I also admit that looking at this kind of data is entertaining. However, there are also purists who balk at the idea of having to know every beat, rhythm or cadence number. My cycling buddy Marino is one of those guys and when it comes to tackling the toughest of rides he quotes Ivan Basso, "I just do what my body let's me do." However, for the rest of us, A Dashboard for Your Body is a useful means of getting to know what our bodies are telling us and at a surprisingly reasonable cost.

Enjoy and be good.

Don't Share This Blog With the Little Ones....

Summer is truly my favorite time of the year and regretfully, the Summer is way too short.

Summer means being outdoors, suntan lotion, riding my bike every day, shorts and of course, fun. The Summer also means the battle of the cola war commercials!

For the record, I don't drink Coke or Pepsi, I don't dance and yes, I don't even believe in Santa. Just the same, this latest Pepsi commercial is the best I've seen in a while and until Coke "one ups" them, this Pepsi ad captures the essence of Summer.

I know you'll enjoy Summer Time is Pepsi Time as much I have. Enjoy and be good.

Feed Me, Feed Me!

This blog is dedicated to all of my cycling buddies, the wives / husbands who cook for them (Or the wives / husbands who order take-out for them) and for anybody who wants to eat right.

Everybody knows that if you want to feel right and climb like an angel, you have to eat healthy. The problem with eating healthy food is that it can be boring, tasteless and expensive. While I don't mean to sound like a shill for the New York Times, they have a way of covering topics that are both engaging and worth reading.

Case in point, is this interactive collection of Recipes For Health. You simply select the food, fruit or vegetable you want to work with and a variety of recipes magically appear. There are also a slew of recipes for side dishes, salads, soups and healthy beverages. 

Try them out and let me know what you think.

Take care and be good.