inspiration strikes - a break from the monotony

Thursday, August 07, 2003

A HERO OF A SANDWICH

Grinder? Submarine? Hoagie? Torpedo?

My favorite-inexpensive-downtown-Boston-lunch-establishment is Al’s State Street Café Express, which my office discovered a few weeks ago. The name is a bit deceiving; Al's less a Café and more a kitchen, a counter lined with sandwich assemblers and long, winding line of patrons. The sandwiches themselves are both delicious and cheap (by downtown Boston standards). Al's uses great ingredients and fresh-baked french bread. Yesterday, my baguette was still warm when I took my first bite.

The method to the Al's sandwich machine is a bit baffling at first. The row of boisterous attendants constantly bark questions at the customers. They're almost like a bunch of Soup Nazis, though a bit less irritable. If you hesitate and mess up the flow of the machinery, you're liable to get a dirty look and a snide remark. Conversely, if you know what you want, clearly enunciate and have your money at the ready, you float through the line gently, like a feather on the breeze. As a former pizza/sub shop employee, I respect the fact that they train their customers to be more efficient orderers. The faster the line moves, the faster that mouthwatering sub is nestled in my belly.

Speaking of which, is it lunch time yet?
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mattchun 8/07/2003 11:47:00 AM [+] ::
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SINGLE SERVING FRIENDS*

Yesterday evening I left work right before the start of the Red Sox game, which meant that I had to wedge myself into a crowded subway car with throngs of eager fans. On this night, I happened to be standing next to a middle-aged couple, who was visiting from Pensacola, FL. They had never been to Fenway Park and were anxiously peering at a T-map, trying to figure out where to go. Sensing their uncertainty, I interjected with directions to the ballpark, telling them I'd be getting off at the same stop.

Sharing little in common but our shared subway destination, we talked a bit about baseball, spring training and the cost of living in Pensacola vs. Boston. They were amazed at the cost of real estate in the Hub (they said they could get a house with a yard and garage for what I am paying in rent). As we exited the car, I gave them some advice on scalping tickets and directed them to the nearest ATM. We wished eachother well and parted ways.

Given the old towne's sometimes-rough exterior, I enjoyed the opportunity to put a friendly face on Boston for a couple of out-of-towners on their way to the park. The Red Sox won last night's game in dramatic fashion, and I'm sure my single serving friends were quite entertained.
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*I think Chuck Palahniuk (of Fight Club fame) coined this phrase.
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mattchun 8/06/2003 11:36:00 AM [+] ::
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I'M ON A WI-FI HIGH

So, this weekend, at long last, I got high-speed Internet access at home via cable modem. I also sprung for a wireless LAN card for my computer and an 802.11 router. I'm untethered. I feel like a freed prisoner, breathing fresh air and seeing the clear blue sky for the first time in decades. I'm now free to roam my apartment, laptop in tow (except that my battery has no charge, which means I have a little A/C leash). What a wonderful time to be alive!
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mattchun 8/04/2003 04:25:00 PM [+] ::
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