Behold the power of nature!

[muckefuck]

Crazy little day. My original plans were to help some friends out with their move, but when I called to ask when I should be over, they told me they had everything well in hand. So I called some other friends to see about going to Brandeis book sale (a Chicago--or rather, Skokie--tradition) tonight, but they weren't around. monshu had some thing he wanted to pick up at the local nursery, Gethsemane, and it looked relatively clear, so we hopped a cab over. The driver ranted, dropping the pearl "People are really smart when they're paying attention" shortly before driving us a couple blocks in the wrong direction on Clark.

God, it was nice to walk among such an immense variety of beautiful plants! At one point, I saw a tray of herbs and picked up one to examine it just as the owner of the cart it was in returned to claim it. Far from being annoyed, she was bemused and we struck up a conversation about borage. Shortly after, the employees started yelling for the owner of a "red Miata convertible that's about to be towed." I remarked to monshu that it was amazing how few people in that crowd raised their heads!

We had brunch at M. Henry, a charming little eatery we'd never really noticed before. He had the Killer Egg Sandwich, which really was killer. I had the--well, let me make this more interactive: What do you call a dish that consists of a slice of bread with a hole cut or scooped out of it, filled with a whole egg, and fried? The menu had at least four names, none of which I'd heard before. It wasn't bad, but the fancy language in the description had led me to expect premium ingredients. Instead, it tasted like craft cheese on top and the "chicken sausage" was really hot dogs. Clearly, the secret to this place is knowing what to order.

By the time we paid, threatening clouds were massing. monshu had stepped outside for a smoke while I ran to the restroom; when I returned, the heavens had oped. It was bucketing and, as I neared the front door, a huge gust blew it open, knocking the menus mounted on the adjoining windows to the floor. monshu was, of course, nowhere to be seen and to step outside would be to be drenched instantly. I decided to wait out the worst of it, hoping he'd made it to shelter.

After some minutes, when it seemed things has slowed up, I stuck my head out, spotted an awning, and dashed towards it. I found him standing in the entryway of the neighbouring apartment building. Another short cab ride (made longer by the affirmations of a Christian rock station) later, there was a surprise waiting for us back at the GWO's building: Apparently, that same blast of wind that had disshelved the eatery had completely shattered one of the panes in the revolving door. There was a workman in the lobby sweeping up shattered glass.

At that point, lethargy overtook me. I gave up on any thoughts of leaving the house again, made a quickie pizza for the two of us, and watched back to back movies on Mars with the Old Man. Red Planet wasn't bad for a lifeboat film litterered with action-movie tropes. Crimson Force was freakin' godawful. I kept hoping it would achieve the high camp of an RKO serial (the script was exactly an updated version of one), but it was just a clunker with more bad CGI than a month of commercials.

Comments

Brunch

[cuore-felice34.livejournal.com]

I went to M Henry a few weeks ago. I liked the environment but I thought the food was a bit stale, and very small for what you pay. Now I had the French toast and it was decent but I guess, like you, expected more. Now several weeks ago me and some friends ventured out of the east side and went to North and Kedzie to a place called Mamma Kitty's if you like good ol' southern food it ranks as some of the best sausage gravy outside of my home town...I am home!!!!

[gopower.livejournal.com]

I had brunch at M. Henry two weeks ago, about a year after my first visit which, in turn, was shortly after it opened. The place has changed a lot, or rather its menu has, and is now far more traditional. Or less fu-fu, if you prefer. Kind of odd given that the neighborhood continues to evolve in the opposite directions.

Gone were items like the soy bacon-like thing which had some international-sounding name and description, but which tasted much like burnt paper. In their place were items like my choice, a pepper-and-egg sandwich, a traditional Chicago favorite. Not bad, if not particularly pepper-y. My companion's meal, while loaded with plenty of flourishes, was still recognizable as french toast.

To my limited palate, the changes were an improvement, though the place is more like a "Henry's" than an "M. Henry" now.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

I call that dish (bread with hole and egg in hole) a one-eyed Egyptian. I don't know why, but that's what my dad always called it, so...

[his-regard.livejournal.com]

My family always called it "Bird in a Nest".

[princeofcairo.livejournal.com]

For us, it was the "hole in one," although I also heard "egg in a basket."

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

"Birds in a nest" was their leading choice. I call it "toad-in-the-hole", but only when the bread is fried, too, preferrably in drippings (which, sadly, this place was too frou-frou to do).

[alcippe.livejournal.com]

>had completely shattered one of the panes in the revolving door.

WOW. I always worry that the windows in my apartment are going to get blown out when big storms hit, but then I always tell myself that I'm silly for thinking that could happen.

I was out grocery shopping in Ukrainian Village when the storm hit. It was looking pretty spooky when I went in, and by the time I was ready to get in the check out line the heavens had opened up. I bought my stuff, shoved it all in my back pack, got out my umbrella and ran across the street through the pouring rain to a nail salon where I relaxed in one of their big comfy spa chairs and got a pedicure. It was a good way to wait out the rest of the storm.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

If it's any consolation, I think the window panes are made of much stronger stuff. After all, elderly women aren't expected to push four of them around on a daily basis.

[bunj.livejournal.com]

When we got back to our neighborhood on Saturday, branches were down all over. One was blocking the road. I saw more on my way to the El this morning. One had to be 10" around at the base. It's the worse post-storm carnage I've seen there. Oddly, my neighbor's tree, which drops branches constantly, didn't loose any. I was sure I'd find it on top of my garage.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

That would be ironic (in a Alanissy sort of way), wouldn't it?

Also on my walk this morning, I saw what I thought was a dying silver maple. Turns it out it was only a huge branch that had fallen thickest part to the ground and remained propped up by the surrounding bushes. It must've been at least eight foot long.