Be Thankful for What You Got

To get to this Key Lime Pie and Banana Split Shake from Big Daddy's Diner in Union Square, I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge in high heat and humidity.... and.... in the wrong shoes no less.  That is one mistake you realize quickly, ill fitting shoes.  That's when I made my second mistake, not running back to change them.  Unbeknownst to be me, this would then prompt an avalanche of bad decisions that evening.

We were to meet P's brother and I got to pick the place for dinner.  This time it was easy.  I wanted a real Shake Shack burger from the original location.  Not one of the many newcomer franchises around town.  No, we would get the big deluxe versions and sit in the park, talk, relax, enjoy the scenery.  All set. Done deal.

Problem was, about a hundred and some other people had the same exact idea at the same time.  The line was ridiculous.  No one talks about it much but there are so many more people on the streets now in Manhattan.  At times it feels unmanageable, other times dangerous. And when you walk across the Brooklyn Bridge you never get a break from that tight congestion of bodies.  And in the swampy heat, my discomfort was growing.  I was grouchy and realized I had a sucky Plan B because I didn't think we'd need one.

There is tons of great food in the city and so many restaurants but what you never want to do is end up hungry, hot and desparate right in the heart of dinner hour.  Walking even with a small group, you feel overwhelmed and the stress is real.  After walking by a few options unable to pull the trigger,

P suggested Big Daddy's Diner up the street because it would be air-conditioned, easy, and dessert could be incorporated.  That seemed to solve all my immediate problems.  It was not bad but when you have your choice of amazing food and you end up at a place called Big Daddy's...you just might be a redneck.  We started with artichoke dip and pita chip appetizer.  I was starving. It was good.

I ordered a salad that I immediately regretted when I saw P's burger and tater tots.

Matt ordered the turkey wrap that probably didn't make the grade but was better than my choice.  Fried chicken was the special.  This was one of those days when you come to accept you're going to make bad decisions in succession.  Matt knew he should have ordered the chicken.  I knew I should have ordered the burger.  Burgers are safest in diners.  No surprises.  I know that.  Still ordered the salad.

The great thing is that each day brings another opportunity to eat somewhere in this amazing city and even if you lame it out and try a schmaltzy themed diner, you really don't lose much. People are having real problems somewhere right now.  This is not one of them.