Hiding from the Rain Inside the New York Public Library and Eating Curry with Cab Drivers

Today started with a two-hour crash course on the finer points of the New York Times stylebook. Some of my favorites: There’s no accent in “cafe”; it’s “The New York Times” but “the Times company” and “the Times reporter." The word "porn" is also a no-no (it’s considered slang; "pornographic" is preferred).

I also hit the publish button for the first time on a story (actually, stories) today. I’d done so previously to fix small errors, but this was the first time I edited a story and then published it to the site myself. I worked on a variety of stories this afternoon, from one about the Texas photographer who captured the image of the Dallas gunman mid-attack that raced across social media yesterday to a few stories about Pete Buttigieg.

I’m still in shock that I’m editing the work of prestigious journalists like New York Times national political correspondent Trip Gabriel on a daily basis (I did a Sopan Deb story the other day). I’m just like “I hope they’re OK with this!” so it’s reassuring when I get an email or Slack message that says “Thank you!!” and not “What did you do to my beautiful story?!”

After work, I hid from the rain at the New York Public Library down the street from the Times building (it’s open later on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and is the best free rainy-day entertainment!). Among the movies that have been filmed here: “Sex and the City: The Movie,” “Ghostbusters,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Spider-Man.”

The reading room in particular was both gorgeous and expansive (there’s a public side and a quiet side for the seriously studious), but I still give the nod to the one in Boston.

After the rain finally stopped, I walked through the East Village to my apartment, visiting the Flatiron Building along the way. It’s as though the Knight Bus was racing through Manhattan mid-squish (Harry Potter reference) and got stuck in a bog. It’s just as quirky in person.

I also FINALLY visited Washington Square Park, which is right down the street from me.

Something London taught me: Parks are often prettiest in the rain. And a fun fact about this one: It was the first place the telegraph was publicly used. Washington Square Arch is magnificent.

And today’s culinary adventure: Lamb curry with rice and naan from Haandi, a.k.a. the go-to Indian place for New York’s taxi drivers on Curry Hill.

You get tons and tons of food for a cheap price (cash only). My lamb was even bone-in (the huge chunks are deceptive; it was more like lamb wings, except with less meat on each than a chicken wing!).

My naan was super fluffy, though Indikitch gets the edge with their garlic version. Then again, Indikitch is also about twice the price.