Brooklyn Borough Hall

A slice of gooey pizza, larger than my head, served up on a paper plate. A corned-beef and chopped-liver sandwich stacked thick as an unabridged dictionary. A dosa stuffed with lentils, potatoes, and spices stretching out as long as a newborn baby. Dining with Catherine Q. these past days was one of my highlights visiting New York.

Though she had to spend long hours working late at the office every single day that I was in town the two of us caught up as we could. As usual, our socializing was done chiefly around food.

David Dribbles Basil Artichoke Pizza from Plate

One night when Catherine Q. was working at the office well past midnight she told me to scan listings from an on-line delivery service to see which places were still delivering. (As she was working in the office at such a late hour we could sock our dinner tab to the client.) I found the colossal sandwich listed on the menu of some deli called "Sarge's". The place was open 24 hours every day and offered delivery service to the stretch of blocks between Gramercy Park and Murray Hill where Catherine Q. both lives and works.

She was intrigued by the menu option of "egg barley & mushrooms" (whatever that was) so ordered a portion of that dish for herself alongside a salad. My massive sandwich arrived with a side of coleslaw, a container of Thousand Island dressing, three large pickles--one dill; two salted in brine--and tasted amazing. No, I could not eat the entire order in one sitting.

Catherine Q. with Thali

On another day we strolled a block down from Catherine Q.'s new apartment on the corner of 27th & Lexington Avenue to Saravanaa Bhavan, a South Indian chain she fondly remembered eating at back in days when she worked in Oman. (Funny how I've recently seen more and more restaurant chains from the rest of the world taking on the U.S. market.) The furthest place we went together over my visit was a mile downtown to Artichoke Pizza at 2nd Avenue and 14th St. We'd already decided to walk down to the Christmas Market in Union Square that particular night so were more-or-less already in the neighborhood.

As for Catherine Q. herself, I learned over this visit that my friend keeps even crazier hours than I myself keep. I don't know if this is how she's always been or if her odd schedule is wholly on account of the exacting demands of her job. Whatever the reason, for example, it's common for her over the weekend to get out of bed for only a few odd hours out of each day--enough time to get something to eat--before going right back to sleep. It's a good thing that her commute is just a two-block walk.

Deli Delivery to Catherine Q.'s New Apartment

Catherine Q. is now at the end of her "first year" (really the end of her first year and a half as they consider only complete calendar years when determining seniority) working at her law firm. When she pointed out the building where her firm is located I recognized it. I'd passed by at street level many times before but had never known what was inside. It's a building crowned with a tall, golden, octagonal spire on an entire city block bounded by Madison and Park Avenues and 26th and 27th Streets.

Though she's madly busy now, I'm pretty sure that Catherine Q. will be doing well whenever I next see her. Her job seems well-paid. She sees her new apartment as something of a permanent location; I can tell it will be a beautiful place whenever she has time to set her furniture and artwork all in its proper place. I did as I could to be a helpful houseguest and set her off on the path to cozy-apartmentdom by taking on basic neglected tasks: replacing a shower head, configuring the wi-fi network, setting up a cushion she'd ordered on-line then preparing the return parcel for pick-up when she realized it wasn't quite what she'd imagined.

Train Dining Car

Thanks for all the food, thanks for hosting, and do let me know what else you need done around the house, Catherine Q.! I hope to be calling again at your new location sometime in the near future. I know I'll pass through New York again eventually and am always happy to help a busy friend set up a new place, whether or not you're able to host again next time...

With my host so busy most days I took time to explore places I hadn't been previously around New York. I went out to Brooklyn's Borough Hall specifically to see a manuscript exhibition. I hadn't realized that the location of the former Brooklyn City Hall was just a short walking distance from where Bonnie and Marven used to live. I'd never stepped inside. No matter. What brought me there over this visit was an exhibition of works relating to St. Francis of Assisi that I'd read about. The exhibition displayed gorgeous treasures: rare works penned in proto-Italian centuries ago. Though the nature of the content served as reminder that I should be doing more to write my thesis right now. (That will be on a somewhat related topic whenever I eventually get it written.)

Railway Platform

Now, I'm en route back to Montréal. The best way for me to go this time, factoring in time relative to price, was by train. It's a nostalgic run for me as I rode this same line three years ago back when I was on my way to begin life in Québec. We're slowly chugging north toward the border. At the moment we're paused in Saratoga Springs. This is the first station where there's snow on the ground; New York City hadn't yet seen its first snowfall when I was there this past week. That's an unwelcome reminder of the frigid temperatures and icy roads I'll be stepping back out into upon arrival in Montréal.

I suppose I can leave weather concerns aside with happier thoughts of what else I have to look forward to. I have invitations to traditional holiday dinners with different classmates and colleagues on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Then, the day after Christmas, a special friend I met when studying this summer will be arriving into Montréal for a two-week visit.