as expected, i biked down to chinatown around lunchtime. the sky was overcast and the temperature hovered in the lower 40's upper 30's, not altogether unpleasant for riding. i went to the former super 88 market (now a ubiquitous c-mart) on the corner of herald and washington street. i didn't really need to go, but i went anyway just because i could.

afterwards i double-backed and got onto harrison street on the other side of the turnpike to grab some takeout lunch at the chinatown cafe. i just got my usual R45 spicy salt and pepper pork chop with rice. the price had gone up, now it's $7.

i then followed marginal street westward to cortes then to berkeley street.

here at the intersection of columbus avenue and berkeley street i came across another grand richardsonian romanesque structure: the youth's companion building, built in 1892 by hartwell and richardson (the same architects who designed the first spiritual temple 1885 on exeter street, boston). the foundation is a double right-angle trapezoid, with an acute angle corner facing north. youth's companion was originally a religious children magazine that ran from 1827-1929 (later becoming a general audience entertainment periodical), best known for introducing the pledge of allegiance.

i came back home via the sky bridge across storrow drive, onto a stretch of charles river bike path, but crossing into cambridge from the mass ave bridge. unfortunately i didn't bring my bungie netting so i sat my takeout order at the bottom of one of my rear baskets; when i finally got home, some of my food had spilled out (fortunately into a bag). i was so hungry at that point (having not eaten the whole day, it was already 2:00) that if it had fallen on the floor i would've picked it up and still eaten it. i washed it all down with a can of hey-song sarsaparilla soda i picked up from the chinese supermarket.

after i finished eating lunch, i packaged up frances' latest shipment (the last of her winter boots arrived this morning via fedex) and carried it on the back of my bike to the post office to send it out.

client R through an intermediary sent me some content, but only a small portion, so i'll be still waiting for stuff by monday. i take it that the deadline has been extended at this point, since there doesn't seem to be a big rush on their part to see my finish up. i'm just a little worried since client N's project is due to start next week, so i'll be juggling 2 projects for the rest of the month. i'm not complaining since winter is a good time to work, but i'm hoping a big blizzard will engulf the area so i won't be tempted to go outside.

for dinner i finished the last of my reuben sandwich (for the 4th consecutive night). but this point i'm pretty sick of it and i hope never to see another reuben sandwich for the foreseeable future. i've been catching up on movies and shows, including for a good time call (2012) - a totally raunchy girl comedy and rewatching episodes of swingtown.