09 February, 2007

Exploring Downtown New York - Sal's Pizza

Well, took a little walk around, was out for about two and a half hours I suppose (covered about 6 blocks in 3 directions from base camp), blazing sunshine and urban heat island meant I didn't need my coat, scarf or gloves, just my huge Animal hoodie jumper (earning me a few "Jeez, dontdisguy needa jaCKet?"-type looks from the "boyz in the 'hood", whose standard dress code is 10 inch thick beige puffer, gloves, scarf, earmuffs and wool hat)... -
New York #8
- Speaking from a sociological and cultural point of view - the population of this part of downtown (upon initial observation, at least) appears to be 29% Italian-American-looking white males (in, or just outside pizza/pasta resturants), 1% Afro/Carribean-American (most of whom appeared to be selling goods in/around Canal Street/Market) -
New York #12
- and 70% Asian-American (who are doing everything else, from sweeping the streets)...
New York #10
- (to performing (the slightly frightening-sounding) "Grand Master Back Foot Rub") -
New York #15
Thus far though, I am loving this part of town, it's totally unpretentious, I would liken it to Camden before it got cool, only with this strange mix of cultures, as if the little war for dominance between the resturants never actually ended with any sort of demarkation (as seems so obvious in London)...the buildings are obviously a lot lower than mid-town, actually giving it a much more London-like feel (being able, as you are, to see more than a sliver of sky at any given moment, should one choose to glance in that direction) -
New York #11
- For food, I ended up at a place called "Sal's" (just followed my nose, didn't plan it...) where photographs and press clippings inside illustrate loudly all the famous folk who have eaten there previously -
New York #17
- including one Mr Bush (and a number of other people I really didn't recognise, but have probably had illustrious sporting careers in the US), oh and apparently they are the delivery of choice for the New York Fire Department (hence Mr Bush having some, he didn't actually come to the restaurant, just attended a post 9/11 pizza dinner with the boys of the brigade) -
New York #18
- I ordered the smallest pizza they had on the menu (which was roughly 9", just a little larger than a "Pizza Express" job, back home) with a few extras (it worked out dissapointingly expensive considering the unexceptional aspect with which it came from the oven, both in a visual sense and in it's flavour), tellingly (perhaps), the place was absolutely packed with Germans, who, in my limited experience (admittedly mostly Lidl), like a pizza pretty far away from the Italian classic and more like this mediocre New York affair...not a sniff of basil or olive oil...and there is something quite wrong about that, where Pizza is involved (in my humble opinion)...but, each to their own...

Anyway, I walked back to the hotel (this is the shop next door, well, bar a building site with signs warning of "Blasting" and what to listen out for...as if one needed telling...) -
New York #23
- got back to my room (window was still in the frame, you will be pleased to hear), and was typing this, thinking about what I should do to burn the next 5-odd hours (as I'm not sure I'm going to be hungry after all that pizza to actually have much of a dinner out tonight, plus the jet lag always seems to rob me of my appetite anyway), turned on the TV and Star Wars: The Empire Stikes Back was just starting on one of the free channels! So that probably answers that question...

Night night UK...Wish me luck staying awake...(Oh God, it's only 6pm)... ;P

Update - Just seen on the news, couldn't believe it, just couldn't believe it is even possible - 100 inches of snow in the last couple of days in upstate New York...State of emergency has been declared...even the sea is clogged with ice...Jeez, 2 inches of snow and the south east of England falls to bits...just imagine 100 inches, forget getting out the front door!! Don't worry about me though, temperatures on the rise in NYC tomorrow by all accounts... ;)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your mission... take a photo of the amazing large carrots they sell just up the hill from your hotel. They're the size of an arm, and look like they grew near Springfield power plant.

Unknown said...

Amazingly large carrots? I'll keep my eyes peeled... ;)

Unknown said...

Next mission.... Get a rack of ribs and Fed-Ex them to Tommo.

marcuse said...

Never mind the carrots - find the 100 inches of snow!

Unknown said...

If I manage to find the 100 inches of snow I'll probably never be seen again! Loads of people have died, and I don't have a puffer jacket!!