La versión español está después de la versión inglés.
IT’S BEEN A difficult week. Not long before I was told I shouldn’t eat chocolate — gasp — The Kid Brother had a personal issue that has caused some drama. He’s fine but things at his apartment are a bit unsettled. It’s been difficult for me to turn off my brain and simply relax, so it was wonderful last night to go to another local favorite restaurant, Santorini, where, as usual, we were welcomed like family and then started off with dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) and tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and mint).
The owners’ son, Jad, is in his gap year before starting university. He’s spending the year traveling the world, with work stints at the restaurant to pay for it all. He’s a charmer and, we learned, a bit of a magician. He asked if we had a 5 or 10 euro note so he could do a magic trick. San Geraldo, the South Dakotan, was ready to give him a 50. I, the New Yorker, gave him a 5. Jad magically changed my mood.
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HA SIDO UNA semana difícil. No mucho antes de que me dijeran que no debería comer chocolate — ¡jadear! — The Kid Brother tuvo un problema personal que causó un poco de drama. Está bien, pero las cosas en su apartamento están un poco inquietas. Me ha resultado difícil apagar mi cerebro y simplemente relajarme, así que anoche fue maravilloso ir a otro restaurante local favorito, Santorini, donde, como de costumbre, nos recibieron como familia y luego empezamos con dolmadi (hojas de parra rellenas) y tzatziki (salsa griega de yogur, pepino, ajo, y menta).
Jad, el hijo de los propietarios, está en su año sabático antes de comenzar la universidad. Está pasando el año viajando por el mundo, con períodos de trabajo en el restaurante para pagar todo. Él es un encantador y, aprendimos, un poco de mago. Preguntó si teníamos un billete de 5 o 10 euros para poder hacer un truco de magia. San Geraldo, de Dakota del Sur, estaba listo para darle un 50. Yo, el neoyorquino, le di un 5. Jad cambió mi estado de ánimo mágicamente.
LOL!! JAd is a funny guy!
LOVE dolmades !!! I was introduced to this as a teenager. My best friend’s father made these all the time. They were Lebanese and ‘grape leaves’ were a staple.
Jim:
The first time I ever had dolmades was when Jerry made them for our house-warming party in Washington DC in 1983. He’s made them a couple of times since but not for a long time. Santorini’s are always perfect.
Gandalf the Sneak
Adam:
Over my head. I guess it’s all about gaming!
Oooo looks good! Luke is sick, otherwise I’d say come here and play!
Kathleen:
Oh, poor Luke and poor you! We miss you… and Luke!
Jad is certainly a cutie! That magic trick is nothing! I’ve made hundreds disappear just buying dog food online 🙂 What does a grape leaf taste like? Does one eat it or is it just a wrap? Untraveled minds want to know!
Deedles:
Yeah, Jerry can make hundreds disappear in a moment (well, as can it). Yes, you eat the grape leaf, but I don’t know how to describe it. When it’s NOT good, it can be bitter and chewy. When it’s good — as it always is at Santorini — it’s tender and mild.
That’s MY kind of magic trick, so long as I get to be the magician and not the one providing the money, LOL!
I bet you’re just happy that wiser heads (yours) prevailed and SG didn’t fork over a 50!
Susan:
Jerry the big spender. Jad DID return the 5 … eventually.
HAHAHAHA–er, sorry about that five of yours. If you hurry maybe you can catch up with him.
Kirk:
He made a show of keeping it, but only for a few seconds. Anyway, his mother was a few feet away.
Yes jad is a dish xxxx
John Gray:
I don’t know what it’s like to be that good looking and that gracious, self-possessed, and charming at that age! Well… I STILL don’t know what it’s like.
smart man to only offer up a $5.
anne marie:
There’s a sucker born every minute… and I try to not be that sucker.
Wait, he had something in his hand… I think. You say it was money? I didn’t notice.
Walt the Fourth:
I watched that “trick” so carefully and I knew exactly where the bill was supposed to be. i expected to be stunned by its disappearance. Well… I was.
There are many ways to make money disappear!
David:
And Jerry and I know so many that don’t require any magic at all.
Oh! I’m sorry that I missed a few days, and didn’t know about the kid brother having an issue needing sorting out, and you having worries related to it, and then, the news about your diabetes! Yikes! Thinking about you!
One of my dearest, long-time friends, Cheri, had diabetes, discovered when she was about 18. Like you, she was a healthy eater, not overweight by even one pound (though not active at all). She had to control her diabetes, later in life, with constant blood sugar level checks, and give herself shots to counter the effects of whatever she was eating. She kept things in good control. I hope you will be able to, as well!
Judy:
Your friend Cheri definitely had much more to worry about than I do. 18 is so young to be diagnosed. I hadn’t written before about my brother’s recent issue and won’t go into detail, but it’s been made more difficult as a result of the fact that the manager of the apartments recently moved up into the position and is not someone I have much confidence in. I’m hoping all will settle out and get back to the usual.
Crap, you have had a bad week. I hope things get sorted with your Brother, tough when you are so far away but the place he lives seems mostly run well so hopefully they get it sorted.