Into the City

My friend Nancy and I did an ethnic grocery run in Milwaukee Sunday. It was predicted to be the hottest day of the summer so far; we hoped to benefit from the "cooler by the lake" conventional wisdom, but it didn't seem to be ANY cooler by the lake at all.

Tiny glimpse of Lake Michigan

Perfect Victorian: North Astor Street, Milwaukee

We hit a Thai grocery, a Filipino grocery, an Italian grocery, and a spice shop.


After years of surrogate parenting foreign students at Marquette University, Nancy has become an expert Asian cook. I usually follow in her wake and she's taught me a lot. Then I lead the way at the Italian grocery. I'm not Italian but my hometown was predominantly so, and I grew up immersed in Italian food at the homes of many friends. Oh yes...

After the shopping, we met my city boy Will for a buffet lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant, Maharajah.


We pigged out, as usual. Total curry immersion--I love it.

The Thai grocery had beauteous mangoes, which found their way to our table tonight.