After a warm welcome from Daniel, Grace and Laurence we headed to their home in Cherry Hill, New Jersey - across the Delaware river on the Benjamin Franklin bridge from Philadephia. This part of the suburb is actually a forest, so the area is heavily wooded - from the study window I can see at least 20 trees, starkers- not a leaf in sight! We had a lovely catch up over a few bottles of red, some magnificent cheeses and an amazing barbequed steak.
Saturday 3 March 2007
Lucky event #1
Yesterday morning we took a walk around the neighbourhood, and while chatting with the lovely neighbours, Lisa and Mike, across the road (by all accounts, everyone is amazingly friendly, welcoming and generous) a mob of about 6 deer ran along the front yards on the other side of the street, just as though they were in the woods, jumping over side fences and around the corner - this has happened once in the time that Grace & Daniel have lived in this house, and for Lisa it was the first time that she had seen this happen in the 9 years that she has lived here! The neighbourhood is lovely, lots of northern american style homes on large blocks - many with the USA flag flying from the fronts along with letterboxes with the little red flag to signal new mail, puddles of water which once were snow and dogs contained by 'invisible' fences.
Off into the city of Phili we went, driving around looking at the landmarks with me madly snapping away from the front (right) passenger seat. Once I figure out how to get a photo gallery on this blog or link to one I'll add relevant links...
Lucky event #2
In the middle of the city we decided to head for some lunch before Daniel began to dine on the upholstery so we hunted down a parking garage. After driving into one garage and beginning to extract ourselves and pram etc from the car it was decided to change to a more reasonably-priced car park, we hopped back in, reversed and continued driving down the street - cars honking behind us. One extra-large range rover that had been tooting pulled up beside us and motioned to the car and we realised that the boot hadn't been closed, so we figured that it could wait until we got to the next garage just down the block. I said how nice it was that the man was so intent on letting us know that the boot was still open. The tooting continued well into the next garage until we stopped so I could close the boot - something might be hanging out after all. I closed the boot, turned and waved thank you to the cars behind us and a lady rolled down her window and said (in a great NY accent) "Ma'am, there's a wallet on the top of your car". OOOPS!!
We found a great Italian restaurant for lunch where we ordered pizzas - one a margarita and another with proscuitto and mushrooms, delicious!! (have photos) Laurence and I had some bonding time whilst I whizzed him around and hung him upside down, which he managed considerably well for a 9 month old baby who had just consumed a tub of yoghurt! We took a walk through the park where some young people with a microphone were having a discussion monologue on the bible, a pile of snow was melting, children were playing on statues and three ladies sat on a bench knitting. On to Urban Outfitters to buy Daniel some new hats, the Pharmacy for some supplies (more than just a pharmacy, some great stuff available) and then to Borders for some travel guides where we bumped into a lovely lady who'd been to Argentina last year and gave me lots of tips on where to go, what to see etc. Walking back to the car a trumpet player tunes were bursting out almost a block away, as we passed by the man changed his tune to a very lively "When the saint go marching in" as he saw Laurence and, genuinely very pleased, he pronounced that the little boy has "music in his eyes".
Lucky event #3
On the way back to Cherry Hill in the car, with Grace tending to Laurence (unwell since day care the previous day) in the back seat, the first un-prompted words from the little tacker "Ma Ma"!! Definately, without a doubt and clear as day - the three of us agreed!!
Some things disturbing
- people at traffic lights with cardboard signs explaining their plight - the only way to communicate with people in their cars with the windows wound up in the cold weather
- small doorway-wide alcoves stacked with cardboard and a sleeping bag, where two people sleep
- vents in the sidewalk from where the heat escapes the tunnels below which people sleep next to for warmth as others walk by on their way to a heated restaurant for dinner
After reluctantly leaving Laurence with the baby-sitter for a few hours, the three of us headed back into the city that evening for dinner at a Cuban restaurant Alma de Cuba. Delightful - very nice to be in a very good restaurant! We nibbled on sweet fresh rolls smaller than golf balls with a light moist texture and a very pleasant flavour, sipped on cocktails - I ordered a mango mojito (delish!), shared a ceviche tasting plate and devoured our entrees (main meal in Cuba). My entree was the Lechon Asado which I selected almost purely because of one particular thing in the description "Crisp roasted pork with traditional sour orange mojo served with congri and sweet plantains". Now I do love good pork, but mojo - I knew you could have it, feel it or lose it (I'm particularly familiar with the latter), BUT I did not know you could eat it! I was not at all dissapointed, the meal was just divine, and I later found out that mojo is a marinade and is pronounced "moho".
Did curiousity really kill the cat??
No comments:
Post a Comment