Lower East Side, Essex Street at Delancey

The Essex Street Market has a large number of merchants and is worth a long visit but it was closing, so I only got a few shots of some unusual things. I'll come back another time – earlier.


Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

See the goat meat in the middle? This is the first time I've ever seen it for sale. The question of how to cook it could not be answered in my cook book library, not even in How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. He can expect an indignant email from me.



Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Feet. Of some sort.



Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge


Look at this! Have you ever seen chickens sold by breed? I have to come back.


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Lower East Side, Essex Street at Delancey

First posting under the Presidency of Barack Obama. Hallelujah! What a day. Is everyone happy? I sure hope so.

This posting, as usual, has nothing to do with the great events of today. This is the end of the walk Bill and I took two weeks ago when Bush was still President.




Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

After we left Starbucks, I realized we had to hurry in case Saxelby Cheesemongers closed early, so I didn't take any photos on the way. You may recall that I was on a mission to buy some yogurt purportedly even better than Kesso's. We walked three short blocks on Delancey to Essex Street and the Essex Street Market. Notice the subway globe right there on the street. It will be handy if this yogurt is really better than Kesso's.




Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge


Saxelby Cheesemongers was right inside the door. There is Anne Saxelby herself behind the counter.

Okay, okay, I know you want a closeup of the cheese.




Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Note: the sheep milk yogurt from Three Corner Field Farm was very good, quite good, but I still prefer Kesso. But it's just a matter of personal preference, not qualilty.

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Lower East Side, Essex Street at Delancey

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

And here is Blue through the window of McDonald's. McDonald's! Of all the places on the Lower East Side we might have stopped at, why did we pick McDonald's, you are wondering. Well, at just the moment when we both realized we were tired and wanted a cup of coffee and a bathroom, there it was. We didn't argue.

So we were sitting there discussing Egg McMuffins and whether they did them better at the diner at the train station in Washington, D.C., when I revealed that I had never had a Big Mac. No sooner did I offer that news than we realized that now was the time. And so it was that I went to the Lower East Side and had a Big Mac. And so did Luka (not her first).

It wasn't bad. In fact, it was kind of good in a bad sort of way. And I came to understand that a Big Mac is not a hamburger. That is why they call them Big Macs. Once that is clear, it can be appreciated for its own bad self.

So ended our 9/11 commemoration.

Photo Note: I admit I increased the saturation on the above photo. I don't usually do that, but this time, it was irresistible.


Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

A different window.

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Lower East Side, Essex Street Between Rivington and Delancey Streets

Apologies for this late posting. No politics today, it was computer trouble.



Mary Sargent © 2008 ……….. click to enlarge

I'm showing you this first shot to set the scene. This is the corner of Essex and Rivington. Easy to believe we're on the Lower East Side, yes?




Mary Sargent © 2008 ……….. click to enlarge

Same corner (note Visco sign), different angle. And what's this big blue thing looming in the sky? It's actually one block over on Norfolk Street and the name of it is Blue. I remember reading about this building but I had forgotten – and to come upon it unexpectedly is quite a delightful shock.



Mary Sargent © 2008 ……….. click to enlarge

I'm not saying I actually like the building, but I like looking at it. NYC Architecture calls the style Deconstructivist.



Mary Sargent © 2008 ……….. click to enlarge

The Lower East Side is changing. But I bet you already knew that, didn't you?

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Lower East Side, Essex Street Between Houston and Stanton

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The Essex Ale House serves no liquor, only a good selection of foreign and domestic beer. And wine. But you probably shouldn't go there to drink wine. They also serve no food, but the bartender will order out for you. It is described approvingly on the web as a dive. Looks good to me with those French doors open to the street.



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

We are in an entirely new neighborhood and I'd like to write an essay on it, but I am just exhausted with politics. What a week, capped by the debate tonight. I thought Obama did very well, but I was disappointed that McCain didn't really mess up. After his strange behavior of the past couple of weeks, I thought there was a good chance of it, but not this time. Well, there's always the Vice-Presidential debate next week.

Anyway, I'll try to pull myself together and have something to say about the Lower East Side tomorrow. Maybe I should just go cold turkey on politics.

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

I photographed this pretty store from across the street, never guessing it was a grocery store, E&S Wholesome Foods. A grocery store with floor to ceiling windows? Why isn't it a restaurant? Anyway, one of its owners is a guy who grew up in the neighborhood when it was drug riddled and dangerous. Read his story here.

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