Deniz Doo-Be-Doo, I'm in Love with You

Did you ever have a neighborhood restaurant that for whatever reason, you just couldn't bring yourself to try, even while desperate for new cuisine?  Deniz Restaurant and Bar was that place for me.  Located right across the street on the corner.  For a decade plus, it just wasn't the chosen option for no particular reason.  Then came the pandemic and loss of so many local spots, so, on this day I took the chance and ordered their lunch option.  We were both home sick with what we were sure was Omicron, flu like symptoms, sudden mysterious rashes, another leg spasm episode, etc.  And here comes gorgeous, in the form of Turkish and Mediterranean food. A little CoV2 variant isn't enough to keep this girl's appetite down. 

I got the Kofte Kebab - Char-grilled ground lamb seasoned with onion, parsley and herb over rice and salad. With that also came warm bread and tabule, and sauces.  I love a place that gives good condiment!

I ordered P the Chicken Kebab with the creamiest chicken soup!

After two negative tests later, we had to assume it was the flu. 

Vi Que Tu Mirada Ya Estaba Llamandome

I'm writing this weeks later, so I sort of know the outcome but this was is in the main uphill ride of the Omicron media train.  What the information will bring, no one knew.  From what I had read so far, I felt more apt to get the damn thing then do a booster but only because I see so many shots in my future.  Plus, surely my busy international, retail environment has my number written on it somewhere, especially for this particular virus that is so easily spread and Fauci says is coming for all of us.  If the effects are not that bad, and I can possibly get super immunity, then that sounded like my best plan.  

For people that are trying not to miss more work, the booster is a bit of a risk.  I've seen people get taken down a few days off it's reaction.  If you get the virus, your job and the law doesn't allow you to come in so sick days are automatically granted. No one wants you near them, so it's guilt free and that is a huge relief.  Some of us have to look at what makes more sense overall.  Also, looking forward to other countries, a 3rd and 4th full shot is coming for big cities, most likely.

An early Christmas gift from my niece of fruits, nuts and cheese.  I'm someone who loves a good gift basket!

At some point, it becomes where it's not healthy to keep up with the information or you'll go mad.  But just when I felt settled in my decision, almost as if my subconscious mind wrote the article, I was reminded that no one knows what these new viruses will do with pre-existing Long-Covid.  Again, the universe writing horror stories worse than you can muster.

Before Omicron reeked havoc on my department at work, a coworker got a huge tip and decided to buy us all lunch from the Puerto Rican restaurant.  I had the pork chops (two came with the dinner!), vegetables, saucy beans and a huge vat of white rice.  It had a very home-cooked feel, which I remember about the other Puerto Rican food I tried years ago.  It's neither spicy nor pepper hot, just very well seasoned good food.  I'm sure this dish is not the most accurate representation of the style, but I loved it.  The sauce on the beans mixed with that plain rice was a meal in itself and so delicious. Completely different to Mexican pinto beans.   The pork chops tasted like someone's grandma made them, that sincerely loves you.  

What's the Buzz, Tell Me What's Happening

Youvarlakia Avgolemono

Greek Meatball soup with an egg lemon thing going on.  It's super easy but definitely has it's own unique flavor party happening.  This time I made the meatballs in the broth like you're supposed to and used uncooked rice and it really was that much better.  The meatballs were super tender like dumplings and the lemony dill broth is very lady like.  It's delicate and fresh, light. It's a pretty soup you might say, although I forgot the lemon peels to garnish.  

I added kale because you gotta get your greens in and they only enhanced the soup, took nothing away.

Writing this mid-December, a couple of weeks into this new Omicron variant, I'm thinking about how we process news, as the information pours in.  Or should I say lack of information but still made to be considered news.  The first days the variant hit the states, the articles read, what we believe will happen, what we imagine to be the case, we suspect the current vaccine will protect against the new variant, which is fair, why wouldn't they assume.  The CDC told us not to panic but then went on to say how the variant would consume the US within a couple of months and officially, they didn't know if we're protected (and still don't by the way, officially, as stated on their site).  Another journalist tells us it will be months before we know any real data on how the vaccine reacts to the new variant.  Others claimed one week in that, we now see the vaccine is effective against Omicron but that the pharmaceutical company is also working on a separate vaccine specifically for it, while another is working on a vaccine that will cover the flu and the Delta variant, meaning it sounds like we'll be topping off these vaccines like coffee at a diner for the rest of our lives.  I read a booster is really just half of a vaccine dose.  Some suggest getting a 3rd vaccine altogether if you're older or vulnerable.  So one year in, they haven't said officially how long the protection lasts but seem to suggest 6 months.  You can mix the different brands now when you couldn't before, or they didn't recommend it.  The first actual numbers are showing the majority of the people that contacted the variant in the states were fully vaccinated 18 - 39 but I suppose that might be more to do with travelling and testing.  However, they did not die, nor did they have major effects and the vaccine was probably to thank for that but that is another assumption.  I also read, that is common for a variant to start out mild before it starts gaining strength.  Viruses want to live so they can spread.  Normally the goal isn't to kill us.  Although you have to wonder if you're someone who believes it was created in a lab that it possibly does have murderous motives.  We won't know for a while if early US infected will suffer any long term effects. I read that the symptoms are more cold like instead of respiratory, so you have to also wonder how many folks are spreading and getting it without even realizing.  For example, many in my department came down with a bad cold in the last month.  It came sweeping through and I figured it's because our customers were no longer masked and the antiseptic wipes are not stocked for us regularly anymore. Or simply, it's cold season. With our defenses down and practices lacking, germs are probably having a field day with our new susceptibility.  I brought that cold home that has lasted 2 1/2 weeks so far and counting and now I wonder.

Cases were way down and now they have shot up again in the states.  They just announced on 12/11 that customers will need to begin wearing masks indoors again here in NYC.  I was having a conversation with a man yesterday that insisted on being on my side of the plexi-glass window we use for extra protection and midway, I realize his mask is around his forehead.  Inside I begin laughing hysterically.  I think that as soon as he got to my department and needed to speak, he swiped it up and there it stood for the rest of our conversation.  So for people that work with the public, I'm happy for the new rules but also sad to see us go backwards.  

I even made a little joke as I wipe off imaginary virus droplets,  'you have a little variant on your shoulder'.  This has mixed reactions.   You must keep a sense of humor because otherwise, the obstacles coming at us right now are too much. 

This soup is light but there is no getting around it, winter is coming to New York eventually in one form or another, and heartier soups will be in order.