"What we didn't expect was the response - customers were coming by, messaging us, and sharing stories about what the restaurant meant to them. It made us realize this wasn't just a place to eat - it had become part of people's routines and memories."
The first type of American: people who joyride the day's updrafts like marvelous, glossy crows. They easily recall the locations of treats encountered over their lifetime. They answer this question Glock-shot fast, as if they have been waiting to be asked it. They are happy.
In 1959, the woman who brought me into this world bundled me in a basket and placed me in a Hong Kong stairwell near Sai Yeung Choi Street, a bustling region of the British colony. I was 4 days old. A passerby called the police, who transported me to St. Christopher's Home, the largest non-government-run orphanage on the island.
"THE BEST pierogi me and my fiancé have tried ever in NY. Me and him are both Ukrainian and have lived in Poland, and out of all the places we have tried, these taste exactly like homemade traditional Polish pierogis."
Doyers Street is a one-block strip in Chinatown that starts off perpendicular to the Bowery and then curves ninety degrees, like a lowercase "r," to terminate against the bustle of Pell Street. A notorious battleground for gang fights in the early nineteen-hundreds, it has, in recent decades, scrubbed out the bloodstains and redefined itself as a beloved, city-grid-defying idiosyncrasy, narrow and wonky and overflowing with atmosphere.
Christmas is lovely, but my kids think Chinese new year is by far the best holiday. I might be biased, but, unusually, I am inclined to agree with them. As my eldest puts it, New clothes, cash, booze and food what's not to love? There's the added bonus that cash is absolutely more than acceptable in fact, it's de rigueur, so there's no shopping for mundane socks and smelly candles. Chinese new year is full of rituals and, just as at Christmas, every family has its own, but they are all variations on a theme. Symbolism looms large in Chinese culture, and at new year it centres around messages of prosperity, luck and family.
The pace is fast, the rules are complicated, and the players are often competitive, but it's more accessible than ever to try your hand. People around the Bay Area are gravitating toward mahjong at brewpubs, bookstores and other public spaces to learn this age-old pastime, which developed in China in the 19th century and spread around the globe in the 20th.
The secret's out: one of Greater Boston's most iconic restaurants is getting a new location in an unexpected spot. Kowloon, the Chinese restaurant in Saugus that has been on the map for more than 75 years now, is expanding to Revere Beach. By the sound of it, the expansion location will be a whole new experience. The Phantom Gourmet broke the news Wednesday morning on social media, with CEO and program host Dave Andelman assuring viewers that it was "not a joke!"
However, not all Irish bars are the same. Every Boston local will have their own favorite spot. Some have been in operation for over 100 years and offer simple pours and a corner bar vibe, while others are new to the city's food and drink scene and offer refined takes on traditional Irish menus. You'll even find ones offering live Irish music several nights a week, and ones located central to others - perfect for a mini-pub tour.
Valentine's Day is about expressing love for special people in your life. One way to do so is to pamper that person as much as possible. That can mean starting the day off with delicious breakfast in bed. Muffins can be prepared in advance and are easy to enjoy in hand for a breakfast that involves lounging and love. Blackberry Crunch Muffins marry coffee cake and muffin elements and tart berries for something that is equal parts breakfast and dessert.
