Isn’t it a delight when you unexpectedly come across a shop that caters to your needs, one that doesn’t require an inordinate amount of time to find exactly what you want? That was the case when I happened upon BUS STOP + Etc. “Fancy That . . . Happy Accident!” What lured me into the shop was a piece of paper attached to the entrance door, sort of a lovely letter to anyone who’s thinking of entering. It was beckoning. Theirs was not a big selection, but better yet, they had the right selection of shoes, boots, stockings, along with a feel-good-atmosphere and friendly and helpful staff. I’m looking at a post card from BUS STOP that reads: “Travel to BUS STOP and it will be no accident. Our shop is chock-a-block full of eclectic shoe styles from all over the world! BUS STOP is a women’s and men’s shoe boutique on historic Fabric Row, owned by London-born Elena Brennan.”
750 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, Pa 19147
215.627.2357
www.busstopboutique.com
So there I sat with my two boxes of possibilities while nearby an older and interesting man was hobnobbing with the staff. Then the conversation rolled around to winter and colds (maybe because customers were trying on boots), and he said something like this, “Half a raw onion every day prevents colds.” And the conversation took off as someone else said, “Yes, my family eats raw onions in the winter, and garlic is very good, too.” Suddenly I was lost in my own reverie as I thought, how did I forget that bit of information, my father always ate lots of raw onions in the winter, etc.
Burger Heaven is a coffee shop in Manhattan, and the establishment was always very generous with portioning out raw onions, and for many years they had a service of providing in their vestibule a small table with a bowl of chopped parsley for customers to chew to get rid of raw onion breath. I haven’t been there in a while, hopefully there’s still a bowl of parsley. What a good idea.
www.burgerheaven.com
So, before the day is done let’s not forget to buy a lot of delicious organic onions and garlic, and, oh yes, perhaps parsely, too.
Are you all enjoying the day?