Potato Pancakes and GAP Underwear

Yesterday was a much nicer day - sunny although still chilly. Sven had the perfect idea of breakfast at Ann Sathers and then shopping around the Broadway/Belmont area. I had to run some reality checks on Sven, who became dazzled by the cheap cost of everything ("half, compared to London prices!"), and explained that fifty dollars for some sheets ("But they're 400 count!") is still more than he needs to pay ("But that's how much ONE sheet costs in London!"). After prying him off of the sheets, the wastebaskets, the towels and the pillow covers, I steered him toward the shoe store he wanted to visit. There, he bought three pairs of shoes ("For what I'd pay for one pair in London!") and then bought me two pairs ("You need to start living out loud.")


Following was a visit to Borders, because the six books he'd bought the day before weren't enough. The selection at this Borders was better, though, so the staff members were spared the patented Sven Sneer when they asked whether he'd found everything he needed.

On to Jamba Juice, with its fearsomely friendly counter help (WELCOME TO JAMBA JUICE! WOULD YOU LIKE A BOOST TODAY?!?!?!?") then World Market, an orgy of cool cheap things, and lunch at The Melrose. Our waitress informed us that she'd known another German; despite his name being "Rob or Matt or something like that," she called him Helmut, because apparently she remembered that better.

Then the GAP, where Sven bought some underwear and I tried on some trousers that were almost a perfect fit. Had they been on sale for a real sale price I'd have gotten them, but GAP prices pretty much demand a perfect fit, especially when you add in the cost of shortening them, which I almost always have to have done. Next was the Broadway bus back to Elmdale, where we sat on the porch (sleeping bag out), read, and drank coffee. Thankfully, no abusive pop quizzes from Sven today ("What's the Greek word for 'example'? Do you know why the Greeks are called 'Greek' when they call themselves 'Hellenes?'"). He's reading a linguistic history of the world as well as The Epic of Gilgamesh, so life is dicey right now.

He had plans to meet a friend for dinner so I dropped him off at the place he's sleeping so he could freshen up.

I'm at work today and haven't heard from him. I strongly suspect that someone has crept back to Linens 'N Things for some overpriced sheets.