Market day today, which means a walk down the 60% grade of Bryn-y-mor Crescent to Saint Helen's Ave. past 3 charity shops (ie, thrift stores), the Uplands Diner with its windows open and the smell of ketchup and eggs, past the posh new Noah's Yard--which is apparently a bar and live Jazz venue, but it has the oddest hours and we still are not quite sure of its real purpose in life, past sad, empty Mr. D's our favorite Chip shop that closed a couple months ago when Mr. D got sick--it's been cleaned out of its fridge full of sodas and squash ... so I am afraid he is not coming back, down past Eaton Crescent which for some reason we think of as the Bank's street (from Mary Poppins), and the tiny little corner coffee and panini shop on Kind Edward's Rd., and the pubs down on the flat part of Bryn-y-mor, and the Chinese grocery with its bright red-painted door and unreadable (to me) signs, where sometimes I get tofu, bok choy, bean sprouts, or rice noodles, on past the pickled eggs in the window of the chip shop at the corner of Bryn-y-mor and St. Helen's and left, past "Serenity" where they offer ear candling and aromatherapy sessions, to my favorite grocery shop, Exotica--which always has pallets of produce out front being unloaded. Have you ever seen 3 dozen flats of cilantro (or rather Coriander as its called here)? Exotica is filled and piled and stuffed with asian goods. I wouldn't know what to do with half the veg and fruit--but I want to. There are at least a dozen kinds of chilies. And where else can you get 3 tins of tomatoes for only 1 pound? I am always tempted to get something new ... chutney or lichee's or something ... but usually I don't. Meanwhile Christien is off to the enormous Tesco downtown for our more "English" staples: oatcakes, pasta, treacle (ie molasses), and salted peanuts.
And not a bad day for it, high 60's and the sun is shining. And now I am hungry ... hmmm, what's for lunch?
That was fun walking with you on Market Day! Thank you for the stroll. A couple of things come to mind. One: perhaps you and C. should re-open Mr.D's. You guys love those "chips" and I'll bet your neighbors and friends would love you for it! Two(and you won't like me for this one): Just saw a newscast tonight on the filth,germs and bacteria running rampant on "pallets" in food and produce markets. Oh yum, something else to worry about. And Three: Molasses is a sweeter, much more fluid word than "treacle." I might slather my waffle with molasses and butter, but treacle and butter, never! Ah, love those Brits!
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