how have i not written about him?!!

I can't seem to find any history of him in my blog, and I'm not exactly sure how i've never written about this, so forgive me if i have, because this is something that makes me love New York so much.

When i first moved to my apartment on 110th every night around 10/10:30 i could hear the sounds of a male voice shouting, always inaudible. Not angry words, or even words connected to a person not all there, but words that sounded, to me, like counting....kind of like The Count from Sesame Street. One, Two, Three. I envisioned a giant game of hide-and-seek taking place, but the same person doing all the counting. As it grew later in the evening I couldn't hear it and i just assumed the game was over. Some evenings I'd be walking down the street and could hear it, but not see or make sense of the voice. Some nights I'd be in my apartment and i'd open my windows wide leaning way out scanning the street for the mysterious voice.This went on for weeks, maybe even months. NOTHING!

One night, i think in March of '08, i was walking home and I passed an older African American man holding a handful of pamphlets and pulling a cart of bibles and religious materials, "PRAISE the lord", "OPEN your heart" "WELcome jesus" was blaring from his mouth. THIS was the mysterious voice....a man not playing hide-and-seek(are we really surprised?), but preaching to the street. I wanted to jump for joy having solved the mystery. I almost wanted to tell him i had subcontiously waited for him nightly, but didn't want him to get the wrong impression. His voice and presence brought such comfort (and an almost alarm clock type of consistency) to my evenings.

Now that i know who he is and what he's saying I'm not waiting like i had previous for his voice in an attempt to solve the mystery. But tonight on my walk home from dinner i heard his voice and realized that soon i would be leaving this neighbourhood and the soothing, yet smile inducing voice of the man trying to convert me to his religion.

I'll have a double double please :)

This may come as a shock to you, but the center of the universe aka New York City didn't have a timmy hoho's. Yes, yes, new yorkers, this was one thing you were missing out on as Canadian's do know how to make a great cup of coffee, donut hole and provide service with a smile. So big news flash as of Monday, Tim's has made a huge entrance and kicked out a few competitors (cough Dunkin Donuts). Apparently we do something that makes lots of $$ that NYC wants to be apart of. It's called cheap soup and sandwichs...go figure. And now there are multiple locations around the city and Brooklyn:

*761 7th Avenue @ 50th St. 212-767-8347
* 152 West 34th Street bet. 6th & 7th Ave. 212-630-0319
* 47 East 42nd St. bet. Park & Madison Ave., 212-681-8501
* Penn Station, LIRR Level, 212-630-0314
* Madison Square Garden, Taxi Ramp. 212-594-0204

Other Locations:
* 48 New Street @ Wall St., 212-483-8319
* 50 Fulton Street @ Cliff St. 212-732-6551
* 2547 Broadway @ 94th St., 212-316-2915
* 1276 Lexington Avenue @ 86th St., 212-339-8868
* 451 Fulton Street, Brooklyn. 718-237-9346
* 22 Court Street, Brooklyn. 718-624-1107

Because there is a location a mere 15 blocks from me i made my way down. Shocker of all shockers the seating area was diiiiisssssgusting (in Canada they are pristine...the gross places are the toilet. You couldn't pay me to have used this toilet...if it had one). Granted they had pretty much turned the old Dunkin Donuts into the classy Tim's in a short 36 hours and their were a few unsavory patrons enjoying the new digs, it could be worse...no ventilation, insects/rodents or feces (yup i have high standards for my food).

I ordered my medium coffee (apparently a bit more pricey here) from a guy who either was so thrown off by the new look of the store or design of the classy cups he was really frazzled. I didn't dare teach him about a double double (b/c turns out he didn't even understand my request of milk AND sugar). I then ordered my timbits, b/c what's a trip to Timmy's without a wee treat. From experience i know that a French baguette doesn't taste at all the same unless you are in France. Well this goes the same for a timbit. It must be the high quality enriched white flour, or the hydrogenated oils, or maybe the refined sugars, or maybe, just maybe the tender care that Canadians put into their baking because although delicious and sweet, this was no Canadian Timbit. Sigh...anyways, i'm giving them a few more days before i re-visit. By then i hope to not see trash on the floor, no stressful yelling by the staff and a comprehension of a double double. Welcome to the coloUrfull neighboUrhood Tim Horton!