A Hasidic couple was stopped in front of a taxi, like a deer in the headlights would have been back home.
She hadn't prepared for this at all. She had no idea that this subgroup of her religion was still even in existence in that way. The man's Shtreimel was so large she was shocked it hadn't fallen off when they had stopped suddenly. The woman's Sheitel was mostly covered in a black head wrap, or a Tichel, only her blunt cut bangs were visible.
She texted KSL. She had to tell someone what she just saw who wouldn't judge her on how completely naïve she felt in the moment. Less than a minute later she saw another couple, this one the woman was wearing a full turban style Tichel. She snuck a picture of them as they sped by.
Her cousin M met her as the taxi pulled up. He took her luggage up the three flights of stairs to their apartment, which was a very good size. They were located in Crown Heights, and after catching up in the apartment they asked if she was hungry. Even though it was 11pm, all she had to eat that day was an avocado toast at the airport. Her cousins warned her that anywhere you went for an avocado toast in Brooklyn was $14, no matter what.
They walked a few short blocks to Clinton Hill and stopped in at Mekelburg's. Her cousin's knew the owners, and at the front was a cramped grocery store that was obviously closed. Further back however, was a bar that served the most amazing food. No more than a dozen tables alongside the bar, they squished in next to another party that wasn't using three chairs. She felt huge and out of place with her giant coat, but everyone else didn't seem to mind.
The menu had duck pate, wild dandelion salad, and roasted marrow bone. She didn't expect anything that good behind a grocery store. Her cousin J order 4 or 5 things as well as drinks, and they ate like kings and had plenty left over. The owners came over and brought them a drink, a specialty that she didn't quite hear above the music, but it tasted delightful.
In the early morning hours they pulled out the couch, she snuggled in with the two cats and drifted off to her first New York Sleep.
