Slush Day

We didn't have a snow day today so much as a slush day. Since the temperature hovered around 32 degrees, most snow immediately converted to slush when it hit the streets of Manhattan, resulting in forbidding lakes of slush at every curb. (YOU try crossing a street without getting ankle deep in the ooze. Thank goodness for my trusty Lands End boots.)

That's why, despite NYC public schools being closed for maybe only the third time in a decade, I did not call this post "snow day". (Personally, I only got ONE measly snow day in 12 years of public school, a fact that still clearly makes me bitter apparently. Heh.)

So despite the deceptively white and fluffy photos I've posted, the streets are actually disgustingly grey, with an extremely brief (blink and you'll miss it) transitory phase of prettiness.

The photo up top was taken early in the morning, before I left for work. (Look! I live at the end of the world!) The photo to the left was taken around lunchtime, after they had officially closed the office. (Click on it if you want to see the driving snow in a non-miniaturized photo.) Normally that plaza is filled with people at that hour. Today, not so much. Heh.

On the bright side, the weather encouraged people to sensibly stay home if they could (the subways were emptier than any Jewish holiday and shortened work week combined, to put it into New Yawker perspective) and so I was able to finally sample the famous burnt ends during lunch at RUB in Chelsea with my friend Sam.

The burnt end, according to their menu, is the twice-cooked fatty end of the brisket, and almost invariably runs out before dinnertime at RUB. Did I mention that it was 3/4 lb of brisket tips?! A little more than half came home with me (yes, I have a blissed out smile right now) but I polished off their delicious mixed greens (collards, spinach, and some form of pork fat, I'm sure) and 2/3 of the refreshingly tart vinegar-based coleslaw (they have a mayo version too, but I needed SOMEthing to cut through the yummy beef fat). The pickles died, but the Wonder bread (a mystifying Southern BBQ tradition) I skipped altogether.

Speaking of ends, I leave you all with a postcard shot taken early in the day in the West Village. I was on my way to the eye doctor (yes, they were still open) and it was on a quaint street, before the temperature warmed up imperceptibly, resulting in insta-slush.

And now, it is WAY past my bedtime... as I suspect tomorrow will NOT be a snow day, and I am also starting it off with (bonus!) a 9:00 AM doctor's appointment.