West Side (Market) Story

I had a bad Christmas :(

Well, it wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't pleasant.

I became violently ill after dinner and had to grab my dog and gifts and leave my parents' house.

Here's how it started....

Every year, my parents and I take our annual trip to the West Side Market to pick up our pierogis at the Pierogi Palace, a stand there. (If you didn't already guess, we're Polish.)

I hadn't eaten a pierogi since I was a kid, since I am a vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs. Last year we discovered vegan pierogi. They're not the best - I'm not a huge fan of straight-up dough, but I feel more like a member of the fam if I'm eating something similar to what they are. So I got a dozen this year.


Well, I had one on Monday and didn't feel too well. Then I had a couple on Christmas Day (along with a couple of peppermint martinis) and started throwing up. I was sweating and clammy and my face was flushed. So I went home and slept on the couch with my dog. That was about 6pm.

I blame the pierogis.

That....just....sucks.

I was just laughing the other day because my parents buy their traditional Polish fare at the Market - pierogi, kielbasa and pickled herring. And what stands do I frequent? Middle Eastern food - this year it was hummus, falafel and tzatziki - and the fresh Mex stand that wasn't there last year, where I bought tomatillo salsa and orzo & black bean salad.

Like I've said before, I am the freak in my family who eats what they consider to be weird foods. See? When I try to conform, I pay for it!

And while my last name is Syrian or Lebanese (a misspelling of the "Smith"-like Khalil), my ancestry is 100% Polish.