Home Again

Thursday morning, we went separate ways for last meals. Laura and Ross went back to Katz's, an easy choice since they knew the subway route, and had themselves a serious pastrami sandwich. Wendy and I went back to Junior's, and I had the "Something different:" brisket with potato pancakes, more like latkes than like Perkins' potato pancakes, served as a sandwich. Wendy had soup. No cheesecake, and I forgot to have an egg cream; this looks like an old-fashioned ice cream soda, and no longer has raw egg in it. You have to be of a certain age to remember ice cream sodas, once served in many places, and last served well at Beerntsen's, the candy shop and ice cream parlor in Manitowoc; my preference, as was my father's, is the double chocolate. I need to get some club soda in the house, and chocolate ice cream and syrup. That's all there is to it.

Then back to the hotel to gather our luggage, which we'd packed and checked earlier, and to get ourselves out to La Guardia. All went well, we flew home, shuttled to our car at the off-airport parking, and we dropped the kids off in Minneapolis, shopped at Trader Joe's in the eastern suburbs ("Two-buck Chuck," Charles Shaw wines, are now $2.97 but still a decent value), and got home about 8:30 p.m.

TIP: we used a car service to get from the airport to the hotel and back in NYC, and would do that again. We found "Carmel," which I think is Mel with a car; the trip for the four of us cost $40 each way. Mel has several cars, an online presence with coupons, a patient and courteous phone operator, and drivers who show up on time and don't scare you.

The Fox Sports bar at La Guardia's Delta/Northwest terminal had good beer at a fair price, considering it's an airport. The various buildings, and the airport in general, are compact and manageable. The BF (an acronym meaning really big) jets can't get in and out, so they go to JFK. La Guardia is also closer to midtown Manhattan. Newark is the third New York choice, but since Wendy spent a night there last summer, on the floor, we had no love for going through there.

Our dear friend Susan had rescued Lucy the dog from camp (the kennel) and left her at our house, so we were greeted by dog kisses. Cathie had looked in on Sparky the cat, and she (Sparky) was also glad to see us.

Sadly, the next entry will be about the house. Happily, we had a great time in New York City. I'm ready to go again.