Mark's Next Chapter-Target car (6 Train)

今天坐到整列車廂都漆上 Target 廣告的地鐵 (真大手筆)。Target 終於在 Manhattan 登陸,在 East Harlem 新開幕的購物中心落腳。

I was on a subway train with all the cars painted with Target ads! Finally there is a Target store in Manhattan, which is located in a new shopping center (East River Plaza ) in East Harlem.
星期天的雨有點打亂整個週末的計畫,我最後決定等雨小點去 Columbus Circle 閒晃,再到地下室的 Whole Foods 超市買晚餐。這間超市有用秤重的熟食部。

傍晚的超市比想像要擁擠許多,甚至覺得大部份來購物的人都跑到超市來了。以前在南加時,每次到 Whole Foods 幾乎都是空手而回,他們的東西實在太貴了。但以紐約市的物價來說,這裡只能算比平價略高。

Sunday was all rainy and wet. I just didn't feel like cooking. I decided to go over to Columbus Circle to do some window shopping and grab something to eat.

Whole Foods is on B1 of the shopping center. It was, as always, unbelievably crowded. I remember when I was in So Cal, I usually ended up being empty handed almost every time since prices were just not so friendly. Now in NYC, this place turns out to be one of the more affordable choices. How ironic.

Mark's Next Chapter-Whole Foods at Columbus Circle

我覺得他們消化大批排隊人潮的方法還蠻聰明的。排隊的地方分成三區,中間這一區是買 10 件或以下的,兩側的兩區則是 10 件以上。每區又排成三條線,每條線有一個代表的顏色。每當有一個收銀員有空時,上方的螢幕就會在顏色的方格裡顯示號碼,輪到你時就知道去哪個號碼的收銀員。

They have a clever way for this crazy crowd: 3 areas, the middle for people with 10 items or less, the sides for those who have more items. Each area has 3 lines, with a color sign in front of the lines. Whenever there is an available cashier, the above screen will show his number in the color square. The next person will know immediately that it's his turn.

Mark's Next Chapter-Whole Foods dinner

Whole Foods' paper box

Mark's Next Chapter-Whole Foods dinner

除了周圍有壽司、pizza、麵包的吧台之外,熟食區的選擇也很多,甚至還有湯和甜點。我通常是選擇平常很少烹煮的材料,像這次我就挑了魚和一些很少吃或花時間煮的蔬菜。能夠自己組合一餐還蠻令人滿足的。

There are actually a lot to choose from: American comfort food, Mexican, salads, even soups and desserts. I usually choose something I rarely or don't cook with. This time I chose pollock (fish), brown rice with broccoli rabe and collard greens on the side. It was a satifying meal and was not too heavy. I still had room for dessert after this. ニコニコ

Mark's Next Chapter-Dancing waters

Don't really know what "dancing waters" means, but this new hand soap does smell good. ニコニコ


Mark's Next Chapter-竜田揚げ

住的地方附近有一間日本餐館 「Gajyumaru 」,看網路上的評價還蠻不錯的。
(不過我對美國人的味蕾不太放心,口味畢竟還是不一樣)
每次經過時都會想觀望一下裡面的情形,但窗戶貼著隔熱紙看不到裡面,只知道裡面光線有點昏暗。
有點擔心它生意不好在我去吃之前就先倒了。

星期五,帶著一週的疲憊,實在不想開伙,決定下了班回家把背包放著就去吃。
晚上九點打開餐廳的大門,店不大、大概十桌不到,但居然只有一桌空位。看來原本的擔心是多餘的了。
店的佈置就像是家庭式洋食館一樣,裡面還有一個壽司的吧台。

菜單拿到先放了半個心,除了少部份是美國才吃得到的東西 (如 teriyaki chicken、spicy tuna) 之外,大部份都是蠻道地的食物。而價錢...當然是紐約價。

二話不說點了竜田揚,炸豬排之外的最愛,$16。

服務還不錯,餐前餐後都送上熱毛巾 (在台灣不算什麼,在美國似乎還沒碰過)。點的可樂也幫你開罐倒在杯子裡。

附餐我選的是沙拉。主餐送上之後簡直嚇了一跳,這根本是不可能吃完的份量嘛。八大塊的炸雞就這樣躺在鐵板上,薯條也是剛炸好般的燙口。

雞肉很好吃,就是很一般的醬油口味,不過我只能解決一半,另一半外帶。說來 $16 也不是太貴了。