At the end of March, on a random whim of fate my high school teacher was visiting Budapest with a group of students. In return of my poorly guided tour of Pest’s trams, cute squares, and most importantly the great City Market, they took me on a boat trip down the Danube. The photo I took is a source of pride for both me and my tiny Casio. More recently, when my mom was in town, we were walking around and observed this beautiful bridge decorated into a different kind of “lighting.” Someone very Russian and named Petya wrote on the side of it in chalk “Katya, I love you.” My people are really expressive, especially when they visit European capitals that they have previously invaded.
Bad weather that is. Baku has still not sprung into spring, which sucks because I was expecting sunshine, bird-singing and all glory. Alas, wind and rain is all I get. My first day here we visited a children’s prison where they are staging plays about saying no to drugs. Now I am convinced that I need to adopt an Azerbaijani delinquent child – they are so sweet and cute, I wonder what crimes they could possibly have committed. Also I have been fed to almost deadly fullness for the last three days and going along with the ancient Azerbaijani tradition postulating that guests never pay for anything.
Among the many Brooklyn middle-eastern take out heavens, this one stands the ground of its own. A tiny seating space accommodates about 10 to 15 customers right alongside the kitchen, giving the place a homey feel. I usually go with a simple green salad – presence of artichokes and fresh feta making it a special. D and I took my parents there, and while everyone went with lam and chicken I opted for a tuna wrap. Despite the generic name, my meal didn’t disappoint – the fish was spiced and flavorful and my first course of lentil soup warm and tasty enough to put our whole family in a good mood. Our sprits, further lifted by two bottles of wine purchased at the nearby Smith and Vine, called for a finishing touch of baklava. The place is BYOB which makes it not only a delightful, but also a cheap eat.
Address:
283 Smith St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Map
Ahh New York, New York, I am definitely here. All of my sleepy misconceptions about my location on planet Earth were erased this morning when my A train got evacuated because of some “crime suspect in the last car.” After battling the labyrinths of Broadway Nassau with crowds of fellow Big Applers, I got to another train and arrived to work half an hour late. I couldn’t help but feel slightly provincial coming from tiny Budapest. As my 2 express was speeding through stations I thought that perhaps when I come back next, I will have that scared and resigned-to-unpredictable-and-cruel- fate look that New York tourists often have when traveling via subway. Let’s hope not!