Goodbye to You!

National Thai in Fort Greene's Last Stand

Shortly after this order of Spicy Shrimp Noodles, National Thai, our neighborhood fairly inexpensive long-running take-out spot, has closed and gone the way of so many others.  I will miss them. 

P's Panang beef

Chive Fritters

all on a non-stop torrential rainy day

A fairly odd breakfast toast sandwich 

Though You May Not Drive A Great Big Cadillac

National Thai Pork and Pineapple Fried Rice, Papaya Salad and Steamed Dumplings

Take out is appreciated at next level this year.  How fortunate are we to be able to get not just quick, easy fast food but amazing better than expected flavors delivered in minutes, hot and steamy.  Local restaurants are nothing to take for granted, especially in these uncertain times.  When I came to New York from an already food-rich culture in San Francisco, I didn't fully grasp the culinary spectrum that I would revel in for years to come.  Yes, the rest of the country, due to amazing immigrants, have added new food offerings to small towns too but no where but New York can someone have this many low cost options within a three block radius and at times, not always, so much better than you could ever imagine.  It's something I fear, we've come to count on, but is in a real threat to survive.  Whether it turn into something only the wealthy can afford, or all the mom and pops, low cost shops go away, it's something that could potentially be a luxury of the past soon for normal schleps like me.  You can't fear the unknown, only be grateful for it now.  

If The Sun Refused To Shine

National Thai Take Out 

Just like the many things that have fallen off the list of fun things I like to do, sadly, cooking is one of them right now. What I mean to say is, it's complicated.  And hopefully temporary.  Some of us, and I suspect many more than is apparent are affected by what I see as a major paradigm shift.  I'll get to that here in a second but whilst my spiritual health wanes from Pandemic fatigue, praise be that Pork Pineapple Fried Rice in take-out form, exists a few doors down and comes with egg roll.  I feel so grateful to anyone and everyone that helps the day move easily here, like the subway operators and the produce guys, the cashier at the corner market and my Thai restaurant.  In fact, I feel the need to profess my love for my neighborhood and the whole of Brooklyn and New York.  It wasn't until recently that I realized just how much we've lost of what makes it so special, even here in our tiny one block radius.   Yes, I love food but all the little neighborhood eateries weren't just places to eat.   They made the whole area come to life with new and regular patrons.  Seeing small businesses not only survive but thrive kept an energy flowing that creative minds feed off.  

Seeing with your eyes what vitality looks like, whether for you it be a mountain range, the Sunset Strip, a pen full of chickens or a busy street corner, we are near these things to remind us we are part of the living mass.  Seeing it reassures each of us of something we already know, but can weaken.   The recent close of so many more local big and small businesses is another sign of our failing structure.  There are new places packed and that is good to see, but to me everything feels only faintly lit now. We're pretending not to be different but it can't last.   

These are things uncomfortable to speak of, for fear of conjuring fate bur I feel with every bone in my body that a significant transition has already occurred that is hard to define, but undeniable.  I know it's significant and I don't believe anything is necessarily bad, nor good.  It happened in people and to the air, maybe to every living thing.  Maybe it's a chance to move away from the dull and meaninglessness paths we've headed towards for decades. Some believe this.  Others always look for end of world scenarios.  But you'd have to be blind not to see the multitudes of impending doomsday scenarios that are lined up outside our doors.  

I don't believe its about the end at all but what we're doing right now.  I know if a meteor crashes down on us, I sure don't want my last day to be spent fretting about money or some silly job, or meaningless things like why Britney insists on dancing so oddly in her Instagram posts.  I hope to be touching a tree or enjoying a Pork and Pineapple Fried Rice lunch with eggroll. 

Oh, It's Too Hot, Gotta Run for Shade

It's been way too hot to cook, even for die hard foodies.  This is when you really admire the handy work of others.  Spicy Beef Noodles are one of my favorites.  So much that I don't branch out and try all the other delights they offer at my neighborhood, National Thai.  Although, when I have,  the Pineapple Fried Rice was divine, as was the Pad Thai and of course the curry is magical.  P always gets the Panang Curry.  I worry I won't get enough portion (a common foodie fear).  Is anyone with me on this one?  

With sides, I get about 3 meals out of my beef noodles if I don't gorge myself. 

The fried tofu is more about texture but it's sweet tangy dipping sauce really rounds out the flavors.  I'm a big fan.

A biggie girl breakfast of too many chicken sausages and bacon, along with migas, using the last of my salsa was the right amount of decadence.  

 

The Sun is Up, The Sky is Blue

Did you ever notice that while walking with friends, some seem to take no notice of their surroundings and completely live and move in the conscious mind?  I love to walk in the city and part of that thrill is to take in everything.  One would assume if you're walking in tandem, you'll both have similar views. But I have noticed throughout the years that several friends and family have the ability to shut it all out and focus on conversation and words only. They pull you into the images they are creating with speech.  I look over and it's clear they are seeing nothing but in their own minds eye. Pretty cool actually that humans have this ability.

I think I'm more like a dog whereas I tend to concentrate on many small things along the way. I like to piss on and sniff everything.

I picked up my bud at the subway station because even though she's been here several times she can't recall how to maneuver to my apartment. It was a beautiful sunny day and I thought to take a scenic walk up to  Prospect Park and along the way we'd surely find a suitable spot along 5th Avenue for lunch.  I think we were almost up to 9th Street when I realized nothing was taken into consideration and no scenes were viewed.  I feel it's not polite to interrupt sometimes to a fault, so even though I noticed some spots, for some reason I couldn't take control of the wheel and drive our two person herd into the stable.  I'm never confident in my dining choices, always sure there is the perfect spot right ahead.  I figured it would happen organically.  Instead it's like we popped our heads up out of a beaver hole and realized we were cranky and needed food. We were yakking like two hens the entire time.  We crossed the street and combed the dining choices on the sunny side now feeling cold and the conversation suddenly more awkward with less flow. I now realize it's because I had pulled the girl to the surface where she is less comfortable.  I had to pause and reconnoiter as I am actually terrible at walking and thinking.  I can barely listen what with all the sniffing and images my mind was grabbing.

This is not a complicated notion. Just walk and you will find a place, I thought.  But we were almost back to my street before I realized that one of the things we do have in common is we like familiar.  We both feel at ease in known settings.  If it worked once, it can work again.

So after a bit of fuss and reassurance that her portion would be sufficient, the place was warm enough, not too crowded and we'd have some privacy, we were seated at National Thai in Fort Greene.  Miss H is an incredible person and a true adult but my experience with friends is always a little skewed. Mainly because I'm such a nutcase.  After she put that straw in her signature Coke I felt a bit like a mother who finally got the baby down.  We could relax and commence to chatting away again.   The world folded up on queue and we stayed stationary as the lunch crowd came and went around us.

Fresh Thai Summer Rolls, Vegetable Fried Rice, and Spicy Beef Noodles.

National Thai Fort Greene

Dinner with Hope

Her gift to me, an authentic pen drawing from her collection entitled 'Her Highness'.  My favorite.

Running On Empty

When you just can't bare to get that kitchen dirty again after you cleaned it for what seems like the umpteenth time.  And putting on pants that don't just pull on feels way too much to bear and shoes that don't have fuzzy insides are out of the question.  When even running a brush through the hair is asking the world of you, then National Thai take out is the answer to your prayers!  Kang Kyo Whan Nuur sliced beef with eggplant, bamboo shoots, peppers and carrots in a green coconut curry sauce

Spicy Noodles sauteed fresh flat noodles with chicken or shrimp, mixed vegetables and egg in a chili basil sauce.
Because even people that love to cook can't get their spatulas up every single day.