Sunshine and a Bag of Leaves

As if it isn't enough that I live in (supposedly) the most compactly diverse neighborhood in the world, and work in an extremely lively area of the most diverse area on the planet (Queens: for real), I got to go to Flushing today for a workshop. That place is like Korea. And Vietnam. Maybe even Japan. Not that I've ever been to any of those places before, but they have a damn currency exchange across the street from the public library, so you know that people are arriving from afar on the regular.

So, I'll keep this brief: it was a beautiful, sunny day. Eighty-five degrees: nice. I ordered a pork dish from a Vietnamese restaurant: $6.75 (no tax!). Walked down the street to a store full of assorted dry delicacies: got a bunch of wasabi peas and six wrapped candies ("SUPER MILK CANDY" and sesame chewies): $1.50. Iced chrysanthemum tea: $1.50. I had the same lovely feeling as if I had traveled to another country in the best way.

When I went back to the restaurant to pick up my Vietnamese food, I thought they messed up my order. Turns out I just messed up my expectations: the rice was actually rice noodles, the pork meatballs were more like pork patties (soooooo gooood umami!), and (best part) the cut greens, mint leaves, and cilantro were served in a plastic bag. The leaves were full lettuce leaves. It was just a big bag of greens; I felt like a brontosaurus eating that shit. It was amazing. Highly recommended. Thank you, Flushing.