The Hudson Square Wonder
Published by Nick atI immediately feel like a bad person for being here
And bringing you into this place
So convenient and impersonal
You quickly realize this is not a real restaurant
And proceed to take off your shoes and socks
And run across the long green vinyl booth
But the souvlaki and tzatziki hits the spot and
You seem to enjoy your grilled cheese sandwich
We split the carrots and celery sticks
A little later “Marquee Moon” starts playing—
Tom Verlaine would never approve of this place—
I glimpse one or two workers in the kitchen and try to make eye contact
Bending my glance around the thick white tile
⁂
About this poem
This poem is about sharing a meal with my three year old daughter in downtown NYC while my wife was in the city for work. Hudson Square is one location among dozens for Wonder, a retail dining and meal delivery concept with a handful of people in the kitchen and no one behind the counter. Wonder is apparently what happens when you wander around the city with a small child and no clear dinner plans.