Thursday, December 29, 2011

Eating Out

Near the Fulton Mall

After flinging thousands of sweaters and shirts in every color and fabric up against our faces to find the perfect one for only $4.99, cheaper if we had gone on Thursday Customer Appreciation Day 25% off, Mimi and I ended up at the one place that offered a real grilled cheese sandwich with cheese that might not have been so real, but we didn't care, they made them with tomatoes and they had Lipton's Tea. We were starving and sitting down was like coming home only better because everything always tasted good after tough shopping on a cold day. And besides, you didn't have to do the dishes, the plates were plastic.

No tables, just counters and fierce Greek between the guys behind the counter and a couple customers on the red stools. One after another kids came in asking for change of a dollar, they all needed four quarters for the parking meters outside.

Shake Shack just opened nearby and some of the nicer chains are moving in on the small, tough stores that weathered everything because when you are always living flat-broke, the economy never changes and your customers can just about afford you. Mimi thinks soon those grilled cheese and souvlaki joints will be a thing of the past, the kids of these guys having better things to do than flip cheese sandwiches and slice shwarma off the grill. I think the quarter-meters aren't going to last much longer either, my street now filled with computers that take electronic change.

Still, I pointed out we would have had to stand on line to Shake Shack which probably wouldn't have had a good cup of tea. And besides how can you beat a grilled cheese sandwich made on a real grill.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sweaters and shirts for $4.99...Wow!!
There aren't too many places left where you can get something fast to eat that isn't 100% chemical. I hope that place hangs in there.

c.o. moed said...

That's what happens in Her New York!

Melanie said...

Happy Holidays Claire. It was nice to meet you this year. Best wishes for the New Year.

c.o. moed said...

Likewise Melanie! I can't wait to see what you do in the new year in your amazing documentation of our beloved neighborhood!

tedkrever said...

Yeah - by the way, Muni-meters have now reached Staten Island. It's the end of the world as we know it...

Leilani said...

$4.99 is a great bargain..wish I was there sorting jumpers with you and Mimi. There's nothing as nice as grilled cheese anything in my opinion, especially on a cold day! My sleepy half-boarded up neighbourhood, to my joy, is fast filling up with the Middle East in terms of hookah joints, restaurants and corner grocery stores. The Azerbaijanis are here, next to the Iraqis, Iranians, Turks, Lebanese...gourmet heaven.