New Yawk: On Finding Diapers, Food, and the OCC.

Long before the sun rose this morning, John and I packed up lil beanstalk and jumped on a plane to New York.

It was so early, in fact, that none of my bodily functions were working. Or at least not the ones responsible to make sure we bring diapers with us. I conveniently sent them with the checked in luggage! Never mind the fact that beanstalk was still sporting the same huggies from six hours prior.Photographed by Daniel Case 2006-03-20 at the ...

Noo.

It did not take us long to realize our dilemma, and so, immediately after we got through security, we began a massive manhunt for some diapers. Anything and anyone was game! (all you baby mamas out there, you feel my pain. you know how it is.) Restroom vending machines. Airport stores. Anyone toting little ones.

Unfortunately we were the ONLY ones with a little one, in Nashville, and Detroit. Until, at long last, we were getting ready to board our second plane and we stopped just long enough to randomly bump into an old friend from North Carolina. I know. Small world.

That’s when we found our first and only fellow baby-toter, and consequently lunged our damp, distressed bodies at her and then pleaded our case. Thank God she had one, size 3 at that. Not that it mattered. I would have wedged my child into a size 1 at that point. I grabbed it like it was a ticket to Los Cabos, slapped it on my baby’s bottom, and we were on our way again.

And what I thought was going to be an ill-planned business trip, from then on, turned out to be surprisingly fun. I knew I would have a good time here when I spotted a huge whole foods-like marketplace amidst the brightly colored hills and white church steeples.

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Then we turned into the hotel, and across the lawn, I saw what I thought was just a glassy, sharp looking building, before I realizetd that it was the home of Orange County Choppers. I mean, the  OCC. Yeah! I don’t know for sure why I got so excited about that, but I did. Somehow, those guys kinda got into my heart.

Maybe I sat and watched too many dysfunctional episodes with John. I don’t know. Either way, I like the vibe of this place. It is quiet, and unspuspecting, and neat. As soon as we had settled into the room, John took off  to look at the job, and I promptly put Ari in the stroller and went for a walk to, where else but that glassy looking building across the lawn! It was actually pretty cool to see all the artifacts and the miniature statue of Paul Senior in the front window. Of course we HAD to go to the viewing area, where you can see all the OCC guys doing their thing. Building bikes. Or in this case, making really expensive shiny things and arguing about it, on live television. I kinda like them. But whatev.

We came back and ordered a shuttle to take us to the whole foods-like place I had seen on the way in.

After waiting an hour n-a-half for one to arrive, I told the shuttle guy I wanted to go to Fairacre Farms, which I remembered from the big letters written across the front of the high, rounded entrance. He looked at me and said in a very thick accent, “Ah. You mean, Adams Fahm?” Apparently, around these parts it is known as just that. It is not, I repeat, NOT Fairacre Farms as written, on the front of the building. I eventually made it, despite the fact that he spoke New York, and I spoke a charming mixture of “excited lady who can’t wait to get to the market” and Southern.

I gotta say, as much as it allured me, my initial impression of this place competely underestimated its actual greatness, once inside. I mean, this was no ordinary market. It was like an Amish food store on steroids! And I was in heaven. I found every kind of authentic food ingredient, like San Marzano tomatoes, and homemade cottage cheese. I would not have been surprised if I had bumped into Rachel Ray there. It was just that kind of place. And it was happening.

There were all manner of chowhounds, converging and conversating in the crowded isles and aggressively stuffing their faces at the sample stations. And can I just say that New Yorkers are fearless?! They don’t hesitate to get right in there.

Back in Tennessee, we would have stood back and patiently waited our turn, and then said “excuse me, sir” as we pretended we were not there just for the samples. Well. At least, everyone except me. But not here!

They seem to celebrate the opportunity to eat, and make no apologies for enjoying good food, whether it’s at the local sub shop or at the grocer’s free sample station. I LOVE that about them.

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I feel like I have finally met my match and my aggression toward food. We came away with quite a stash, and as a result, we are now eating maple leaf cookies and dipping almondina biscottis in our coffee. All while lounging on our fluffy white hotel bed.

(P.S.I went to upload some pictures and realized I had accidently erased all of today’s pictures besides this one. Ugh.)

One Response to “New Yawk: On Finding Diapers, Food, and the OCC.”

  1. karen

    I love those maple cookies-and yes the brand matters in this case! DARE is the best, their lemon cookies are great as well. So glad you are enjoying yourself!

    Reply

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