Too late to stop at the RTM on the way home

[MarketStEl]

...in a direction he would no doubt be willing to go if he could only get the Merchants' Association to go with him.

A couple of you already know that I just got the job I wanted Wednesday afternoon. As of Feb. 6, I will be a public relations officer at Widener University in Chester. It's going to be a challenge, but one I'm ready for--I understand the school's new chosen mission very well and it's one I believe in.

Anyway, this job will be ideal--or would be--in another respect. Scoping out the various routes I could take to work, it looks to me like the quickest and easiest would be for me to take the R3 Media/Elwyn line to Swarthmore and transfer to the 109 bus to Chester there. If I leave my apartment at 7:45 in the morning, I should be at Old Main by 9.

Which means that on the return trip, if I leave Widener at 5, I should be back at Market East around 6:05...

...just a few minutes too late to pick up something to cook at the Reading Terminal Market. And even if I did get in before 6, it's not assured that I'd be able to buy from all the merchants I might want to patronize, as many close for the day around 5:30 instead of the posted 6 p.m. closing time.

Over in the Conversation with Sara Moulton, I wondered whether Americans would be willing to pick up fresh ingredients the same day they plan to use them, the way I understand Parisians do, if greengrocers, butchers and delis were spread across the suburban landscape the way convenience stores, gas stations and drug stores are. (Wait--Wawa stores have delis. Scratch "deli" from the preceding list.)

So here I am, in an ideal situation: I can stop by the best place in town to buy fresh food on my way home from work. But it's an illusion: the place won't be open by the time I'm back in town.

Might it not be worth staying open an extra half hour to capture more of the on-the-way-home business? I know that the 5:30 to 6:30 hour is a busy one at my neighborhood Super Cruise, and I could imagine the same for the RTM, especially as developers are busy converting every square inch of vacant space in its vicinity to apartments and condos.

But first I understand that Paul would just like to get the merchants to all stay open until 6 like the signs on the doors say they will. I'm in your corner, Paul.

[marinade]

That's been the same problem for me. When I was in outside sales, I could scoot into RTM pretty much any time I could grab a parking place during the day. Now that I'm desk bound and out of work around five-ish (by way of Bensalem). I can't get there from there. Whole Foods (with parking) and some stores in the Italian Market are my drive by alternatives. You would think that RTM, sitting on top of one of the city's largest commuter hub would want to take advantage of post 5:00 pm sales. The marketing campaign could be so simple: “Take Us Home For Dinner”. Let the food stalls do platters with the “ingredient” stalls filling in the blanks.

I need 8 quail for a Saturday night dinner as well as some lead time to prep them, Godshall’s at RTM would be the first place to stop.... if it were open.

[herbacidal]

Over in the Conversation with Sara Moulton, I wondered whether Americans would be willing to pick up fresh ingredients the same day they plan to use them, the way I understand Parisians do,

←

Probably not. It seems to me like in most foreign countries, people pick up fresh ingredients the day they plan to use them.

From what I've seen, Chinese are the only ones that have kept up that habit here in the US, and even that is significantly less than in the native country.

I don't know about Koreans, Turkish, and others.

The American lifestyle co-opts many a foreigner living in the US.

[I_call_the_duck]

First of all, congratulations on your new job, Sandy!

Might it not be worth staying open an extra half hour to capture more of the on-the-way-home business?

←

YES, YES, YES!!!

I can't always get over there at lunchtime, but when I do, it's usually very crowded, especially when a convention is in town. Yes, that's probably part of the charm, but I'm just a little claustrophobic, so I'd rather go at a less busy time.

When I go after work, the merchants are starting to close up for the day, and I feel like I'm imposing on them, even if they give no indication that I am. (Can you say guilty conscience? Thanks, Mom.) Anyway, getting back to the original topic.

Over in the Conversation with Sara Moulton, I wondered whether Americans would be willing to pick up fresh ingredients the same day they plan to use them, the way I understand Parisians do, if greengrocers, butchers and delis were spread across the suburban landscape the way convenience stores, gas stations and drug stores are. 

←

I agree with herbicidal. I think it is a cultural thing. When my dad was still alive, he’d shlep to Chinatown every day to pick up fresh ingredients for dinner—and we’re talking a good 2+ hours round trip. I don’t think most Americans can be bothered with stopping by the market every day to pick up fresh ingredients. Convenience takes precedence over freshness, hence the appeal of one-stop shopping where you can get groceries, drop off your pictures, pick up your dry cleaning... I have to admit that I’m sometimes too lazy to stop by RTM every day (in the opposite direction) to pick up fresh produce and meat, but if it were on the way home, I’d be there every day.

[mrbigjas]

When I go after work, the merchants are starting to close up for the day, and I feel like I'm imposing on them, even if they give no indication that I am.  (Can you say guilty conscience?  Thanks, Mom.)

if you have a refrigerator at work where you can store stuff during the day, can i recommend stopping in before work? (assuming of course that you work in town--this may not work for, say, sandy commuting out to chester). the official hours are 8-6, and i've found that if you get there 815-830ish, you can find parking, there's hardly anyone in there, merchants are mostly set up, and unlike later in the day YOU'RE the one who's picking over everything before others have a chance to. it's awesome. i keep meaning to get into that habit again like i was for a month or so last summer, but of course i can't seem to get it together.

[I_call_the_duck]

When I go after work, the merchants are starting to close up for the day, and I feel like I'm imposing on them, even if they give no indication that I am.  (Can you say guilty conscience?  Thanks, Mom.)

if you have a refrigerator at work where you can store stuff during the day, can i recommend stopping in before work? (assuming of course that you work in town--this may not work for, say, sandy commuting out to chester). the official hours are 8-6, and i've found that if you get there 815-830ish, you can find parking, there's hardly anyone in there, merchants are mostly set up, and unlike later in the day YOU'RE the one who's picking over everything before others have a chance to. it's awesome. i keep meaning to get into that habit again like i was for a month or so last summer, but of course i can't seem to get it together.

←

Actually, that's what I used to do when I was living on 10th Street. My office is on 16th. I loved going then, for all the reasons you mentioned. Now we're on 18th, and I just can't get out of the house early enough these days to detour to RTM before work, hence the mid- to late afternoon trips.

Parking? You mean a car? No, we walk/bus/train most everywhere.

[MarketStEl]

The marketing campaign could be so simple: “Take Us Home For Dinner”.

←

Historical trivia relevant to this discussion:

Time was, you could do just that.

Up through (I think) the 1950s, suburban housewives in Reading Railroad territory could place orders with Reading Terminal Market merchants by phone. The orders would be filled and placed on outbound Reading commuter trains for pickup at the station nearest home in time for dinner preparation.

(See? There really is nothing new under the sun. The only difference between this and acmemarkets.com or genuardis.com is that it's done online now, not on the phone.)

[-sheila mooney]

The marketing campaign could be so simple: “Take Us Home For Dinner”.

←

Historical trivia relevant to this discussion:

Time was, you could do just that.

Up through (I think) the 1950s, suburban housewives in Reading Railroad territory could place orders with Reading Terminal Market merchants by phone. The orders would be filled and placed on outbound Reading commuter trains for pickup at the station nearest home in time for dinner preparation.

(See? There really is nothing new under the sun. The only difference between this and acmemarkets.com or genuardis.com is that it's done online now, not on the phone.)

←

in the late 50s / very early 60s i would sit at the corner of our street waiting for my father to come home from the city -- he took the 4:42 (!!) train from town. he would often walk home from the Glenside station to our house; on fridays we looked to see if he had that parcel wrapped in newsprint -- fish for dinner from the Reading Terminal Market! that little ritual taught a small girl to love shad and pooh-pooh the bones....

[serpentine]

Heck, I have the same problem with the 9th Street Market. I live right in the neighborhood, but even if I leave work at exactly 5 and hurry home, most stores are closed by the time I get there. Sure, I could stop at SuperFresh, Whole Foods, or Acme, but honestly, going to a supermarket is a lot more time-consuming and less enjoyable than popping into a local shop, and I'd rather support local small businesses.

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

If you don't mind a round trip to 69th St you can take the El to the Hmart in Terminal Square that just opened recently. It's a Korean supermarket chain (www.hmart.com). Today they had live blue crabs. They also have tanks with live fish under the fish counter. Good prices, fresh food.

It's right across the street from the trolley tracks on Garrett Road, in Terminal Square (outdoors) before Long Lane.

Open every night until 9.

[MarketStEl]

If you don't mind a round trip to 69th St you can take the El to the Hmart in Terminal Square that just opened recently. It's a Korean supermarket chain (www.hmart.com). Today they had live blue crabs. They also have tanks with live fish under the fish counter. Good prices, fresh food.

It's right across the street from the trolley tracks on Garrett Road, in Terminal Square (outdoors) before Long Lane.

Open every night until 9.

←

Whaddaya mean "round trip"?

I could always route my journey home from Chester via 69th Street Terminal instead. Both of the bus routes that serve the Widener campus originate there.

[mrbigjas]

If you don't mind a round trip to 69th St you can take the El to the Hmart in Terminal Square that just opened recently. It's a Korean supermarket chain (www.hmart.com). Today they had live blue crabs. They also have tanks with live fish under the fish counter. Good prices, fresh food.

It's right across the street from the trolley tracks on Garrett Road, in Terminal Square (outdoors) before Long Lane.

Open every night until 9.

←

does that mean woo rae kwan is open again? please say yes.

[MarketStEl]

BTW, in case any of you doubted that this board gets noticed by food professionals:

I was at the RTM yesterday afternoon around 4:30 to pick up ingredients for a tossed salad for today's PGMC retreat and blue cheese for the dip for tomorrow. As I am sometimes wont to do, I dropped into the RTM office to say hi to Paul.

He looked at his watch and said, "Got off work early?"

I was right in my assumptions, but the merchants who agree with Paul have opening on Sunday as their highest priority. But for now, the main push is just to get them all to stay open until 6 like the signs on the door say they will.

[MarketStEl]

I could always route my journey home from Chester via 69th Street Terminal instead.  Both of the bus routes that serve the Widener campus originate there.

←

Make that "will route my journey home via 69th Street."

At least some of the time.

The shortest trip back will be for me to take the 109 or 113 to Chester Transportation Center and catch the 5:22 R2 back into the city--which will get me to Market East just 3 minutes after the RTM closes--but the second-shortest trip would be to take the 109 eastbound all the way to 69th and take the El in. This should get me into town around 6:15.

[MarketStEl]

So I took the 109 into Upper Darby and found that HMart store.

Wow.

East meets West and both win.

Veggies looked great and were fairly priced.

Great selection of Asian specialties of all kinds, though I didn't see--or smell--some of the fresh foods I encounter at Wing Phat on Washington Avenue.

They do take a multiculti approach to marketing Asian groceries, though. Although there were some items I would have appreciated signs in English for. Then again, maybe management didn't want us to know about those.

This won't be my last visit, that's for sure.

[mrbigjas]

They do take a multiculti approach to marketing Asian groceries, though.  Although there were some items I would have appreciated signs in English for.  Then again, maybe management didn't want us to know about those.

i wouldn't say that--heck, your money is as green as anyone's. it's more likely that they don't know the english names for them, or that there aren't really english names for them. there are lots of things at asian markets like that--i find that posting questions in the various fora here usually nets me some kind of answer.

[herbacidal]

They do take a multiculti approach to marketing Asian groceries, though.  Although there were some items I would have appreciated signs in English for.  Then again, maybe management didn't want us to know about those.

i wouldn't say that--heck, your money is as green as anyone's. it's more likely that they don't know the english names for them, or that there aren't really english names for them. there are lots of things at asian markets like that--i find that posting questions in the various fora here usually nets me some kind of answer.

←

That's accurate, in the opinion of at least one ABC.

There are more than a few Chinese foodstuffs for which I haven't yet learned the Western name, if there is any.

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

Hey, if you need a good book for translating Chinese characters, get "Read and Write Chinese" and "Understanding Chinese" by Rita Mei-Wah Choy. These definitely come in handy when you want to translate, and it gives both the Mandarin and Cantonese pronunciation, as well as the pinyin and Yale romanization.

My wife still has a bottle of Chambord I gave her for Valentine's '92 on which I wrote To: wo de ai, From: ni de xiansheng (in chinese characters, To: my love, From: your husband)

Won't help a bit for the Korean stuff, though.

One of these days I'll get that Chinese language CD out and learn how to say more than Happy New Year, Happy Birthday, and Be Careful (for my daughter).

[MarketStEl]

Transportation update:

If the planets align properly, I may be able to dash into the RTM on certain evenings. The following events must all happen:

--My colleague Mariane, the graphic designer in our office, must be heading straight home from work, or if she is not, stopping off somewhere north of Swarthmore.

--Both she and I are ready to leave the office at the stroke of 5--5:03 at the absolute latest.

--Nothing is tying up traffic on Providence Avenue/Chester Road (PA 320).

If all this happens, she can drop me off at the inbound platform at Swarthmore just in time for the 5:13 R3 to Market East.

This happened as described for the first time today. We pulled up to the platform just as people were boarding the inbound train. Fortunately, the conductor spotted me making a mad dash for the train.

The train arrives at Market East at 5:47. That would leave me about 12 minutes to pick up something at the RTM on the way home.

Life can be beautiful. But a lot of the time, it won't.