Mordecai Takes Manhattan

Packing two adults and a dog into a Mini for a month away from home is not without it compromises and challenges. Suitably impressed with ourselves, and no longer in need of airbags for protection, we got on the road a little more than two hours after we’d planned. Another two hours waiting at the border. Pulled up in front of our NYC apartment sometime around 8 pm. Found a parking spot right in front and unloaded.

Apartment is great. Small, but great. Likely not so small you couldn’t swing a cat, but my attempt at swinging a 70 pound chocolate lab proved unsuccessful.

We thought one of our bigger challenges would be to get Mordecai to relieve himself at the curb – he’s a manicured lawn kind of dog. A couple doors down our street, we showed him a 2’x4′ dirt patch in the sidewalk with a tree growing out of it and told him this was his new toilet. He nailed it. New York Mordecai.

Walked around Greenwich Village, found Gill’s fabled and long-admired Meatball Shop and ate, well, meatballs. And drank wine.

Around midnight, we stumbled upon Westside Market. We picked up a few essentials, like coffee. The store is very impressive. I admired the truly magnificent display of fresh produce. I marvelled over the incredible variety of foods that are no doubt good for you. But that’s not what got my attention. It wasn’t that the store was open at midnight either, though that is very convenient. What let me know I was dealing with a very special retailer was that I could’ve shopped at Whole Foods and saved money. Got coffee though.

Went back home to make sure Mordecai wasn’t freaking out, abandoned in his strange new home. He was fast asleep. Then we were too.