Walking Through the Village and Into the Past

Shawn and I have been in New York since Thursday.  Saturday, we took the subway to Greenwich Village.  Taking the subway is always an adventure, but we got where we wanted to go without incident and without getting lost.

All the photos here were taken by Shawn, because I forgot to bring my camera.

  Where we wanted to go was Cafe Asean, which Shawn's friend Marina said we had to try.  Asean is an acronym for Association of SouthEast Asian Nations.  So it has food from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, India, and others.  We had a nice meal there.

Before we left, we scoped out the fact that the best hot chocolate in New York City was to be found at The City Bakery, a hop, skip and jump from Cafe Asean.  She had posted on the best hot chocolate to be had in New York, and this one ranked the best.  Made from melted chocolate to which milk is added, and a home-made marshmallow, we figured we HAD to have it.

We got there just before it closed and decided to share a huge cookie with the chocolate.  The thing is, the chocolate was so rich, it was cloying.  It tasted like melted mousse, or pudding that hadn't set up yet.  Too-too.  I think it might have been melted chocolate to which cream or half-and-half is added.  So I'm glad we went there, I would have wondered forever about the very best hot chocolate, but I'm not going back.  It was like drinking molted chocolate cake.

Afterward, we walked to Fifth Avenue and down to Washington Square.  On the way, we passed a dorm I had lived at a million years ago, when I went to NYU.  It was old then, more so now, but it looks in better shape now.  Then we went to Washington Square, past streets that used to be filled with head shops.  The Square's a lot different now, too.  

Anyway, I got a bit nostalgic, both about the dorm and about the Square.  Washington Square had a huge tree under the arch, and roving, singing Santas.  Not too many people, though, I guess because it was too cold. 

We walked about a bit, partially to digest dinner and our rich dessert.  Took Shawn's photo with some Santas.  She said one of them was drunk as hell, and kept leering at her and asking her if she'd been a good (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) girl.

After an amble, we walked westward back to 6th avenue and the subway stop we had gotten off on.

Thanks for letting me use the photos, Shawn!