On missing Moby but finding fish, cherries & bruschetta

Last weekend I went to the Lower East Side in search of Teany, a tea shop owned by the musician Moby.  I was a little startled when I came up from the metro and stepped into the neighborhood.  When people call New York City "gritty" it's a good guess that they are referring to LES.  I marveled anew at how many different kinds of neighborhoods there are in Manhattan.  Upper East Side is a different world from Harlem, which is different from Spanish Harlem and Senegalese Harlem, not to mention different from than the Village, and Chinatown, and KTown, and Little Italy, and the Financial District and Chelsea and Murray Hill.  How many neighborhoods will I encounter during my time here?  It's official: it's impossible to be bored in this city.

I found Teany, but had forgotten there had been a fire sometime last year.  They hadn't reopened yet, but the trip was nonetheless worthwhile.  The reason: lunch at next door tiny and lovely Bruschetteria (yes, a restaurant devoted to the art of perfect bruschetta.  So yummy). 

And then there were the unexpected mosaics at the Delancey metro station.  As I got out of the train, I was greeted by The Fish:

Hmmm, I thought.  A harbinger.  I turned the corner. Sure enough:

Pretty cool.  I peeked down the hallway... yep, more there too.

All right, let's look at this puppy close up:

Even closer:

I just can't get over how someone patiently placed thousands of tiles, one by one, eventually creating this massive piece of art for all to enjoy.  Or for the occasional awake person to enjoy.

When I returned from lunch, I encountered more fun-- cherry trees.

Why cherries, and why fish?  I did a bit of Google research, and learned that a cherry orchard used to be on this site (a cherry orchard?  In Manhattan?) and that the fish represent local shad as well as the immigrants who have crossed the water on their way to this crazy city.