Last Week in NYC: Thursday

Thursday morning was the last time I would wake up in my apartment.  I tried not to think in terms of this is my last time doing this or that but this was a big one.  I didn't have time to ponder on the meaning of this since the movers were coming at 9 am.  I still had to pack my luggage for the week I was without a home, do the last load of laundry, throw out all the food, and clean the dishes. 

The movers showed up and it was my turn to just sit and watch 6 men pack all of my belongings.  I sat in the loft and just left them alone.  I was feeling anxious for all that was about to happen - saying goodbye to NYC, moving back to DC, and starting a new job.  There is only so much a person can think about so I made lists and concentrating on ticking each of those things off of the list.  This is my coping mechanism.

My other coping mechanism involves food.  I returned the cable box and then ran down to the Bowery to get my last sandwich at Mile's End.  I've been wanting their breakfast sandwich for months since the first time I had it with Phor in Brooklyn.  But they only serve it until 4 pm and it's rare that I'm around this area before 5 pm.  I wish it was as good as I remembered but it was still better than most breakfast sandwiches.

I checked into my hotel and was so happy to not have to do anything for a few hours.  But I was really excited for my last dinner with Brigham.  I'd been telling him for a couple of months that we have to eat at Yunnan Kitchen but he kept hearing Union Kitchen.  Thank goodness he still found his way there.

I'm not a fan of Chinese food.  I'll take Thai food any day over what I've always been told is Chinese food.  But this place made my heart pitter patter.  

The menu in front of us made us both look like this.  So many choices especially with pork and they all looked delicious. But with the help of the server, we found our true path and everything was good.  I could have had numbing spice on it all and been happy.

 Shao Kao which means food served on sticks (maybe) and we chose the fingerling potato & shishito peepers.

This was one of the specials that night with green tomatoes and a great dressing.  I didn't even mind the little bit of cilantro that was in the sauce.

This was one of my favorites - chicken with numbing spice.  It ran out while we were there.  I love the feeling of the spice on my lips.  

Fried pork belly with mint and Yunnan spices.  It was like a plate of bacon.

Ham Rice Cakes with chilies and tomato.  I liked this dish a lot.  It was a lot of food but we managed.

I often chose the restaurants based on what friend would be coming.  I liked going with Brig to some of the out of the way places because he was always game and he's food courageous which rubs off on me.  I'll have to start compiling my Brigham DC list when he comes to visit.