ENJOYING CITY LIFE
In our new location, we usually walk downtown once or twice a week. The other day it was to the French bakery and yesterday to the weekly farmers’ market. The breads and cookies from La Farm Bakery are tempting and tasty, and we’re discovering which market vendors have items we’d like to sample. This week it was red kimchi and curry kraut from one and a bag of salad greens from another. Each time we go, we walk through the town park and sometimes take advantage of the electric green Adirondack chairs for sun and people watching.
VIEWING: A GENTLE STORY
Alice & Jack (PBS Masterpiece)
The Chief Penguin and I found the first episode of Alice & Jack, a six-part series off-putting. So much so, that we almost didn’t continue it. Biochemical researcher Jack and Alice, whom we don’t learn much about, have a first encounter. She is direct, slightly flaky, and weird while he just seems reserved and tentative. She fires questions at him which he answers, but she doesn’t reciprocate. Then they go their separate ways—no explanation from her, and he suffers.
Over the course of 15 years, they meet again and again, and then separate for several years, but the bond between them strengthens and never really disappears. It’s a love story, but a complex one. Initially one wonders what’s up with Alice, but then partially gets it. He leads a more normal life of work and family, while she is mostly unmoored.
Alice and Jack are the central characters, but Jack’s work colleague Paul and his wife Donna, and Maya, Alice’s friend, are stalwart supporters throughout. I thought the ending was contrived, but also somehow appropriate.
Alice & Jack is not a series for everyone, but worth a try if you’re up for something different with minimal dialogue and haunting theme music.
ADVENTUROUS EATING #2
Himalayan Nepali Cuisine
There is a significant South Asian population here and in the Research Triangle area in general, and we are happily discovering a variety of Indian-style restaurants. I don’t think we’ve ever eaten at a Himalayan one previously, but this one, Himalayan Nepali Cuisine, attracted our attention.
It was a warm day for the season last Sunday, so we decided to walk to this restaurant slightly away from downtown Cary. It turned out to be a bit farther than we thought, 2 miles each way, but going there and back on foot was our exercise for the day. I think the owner was surprised we’d walked and even offered to give us a ride back home—we declined!
The food was very good and very spicy if you asked for spicy. The Chief Penguin, who now eats spicier food than I do, ordered two appetizers, Nepali chili potatoes and chili chicken. I opted for chicken tandoori (medium spicy), and it too had some heat. We also shared an order of typical veggie samosas with potatoes and peas. Portions are more than adequate and with plenty left, we took it home and enjoyed another meal the next day! When we return, we will try the Himalayan steamed dumplings or momo.
Note: Header photo and other unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
