17877/Paisans
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Paisans | |
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Date of Scene: | 08 May 2024 |
Location: | Red Rose Cafe |
Synopsis: | At a local trattoria, MJ and Zatanna discuss world trips with food on the itinerary. |
Cast of Characters: | Zatanna Zatara, Mary Jane Watson
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- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Like many people of Italian heritage, Zatanna is hyper-critical of the American version of Italian cuisine. She refuses to eat it, frankly preferring to go hungry than eat some sugary version of salsa di pomodoro. She comes by it honestly as her parents, her mother, Turkish and her father, Italian, were foodies before the word was popular.
But this place despite the unsavory owners, makes food worth waiting for. The chef is a young man from Calbria who had apprenticed in different regions in Italian and knows his way around a kitchen.
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It's a bit out of the way of Mary Jane as in she rarely comes to Gotham, but she had a rare day off, was going to see a stage show, and had a few hours to kill before taking a bus back along the HYperloop. So when she has a chance to spend some time wtih someone that she finds fascinating, she definitely takes it.
As she looks over the menu, she would smile. "Can you go ahead and order for me? You clearly know what's the best to have here."
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Absolutely." Zatanna favors Mary Jane with a distracted smile over the top of the menu. "They do most everything wonderfully here, including making their own bread. Okay, we'll go slow and start with antipasti, then move on to a classical primi, then if you have no food restrictions, a meat course though we could have fish if you prefer."
She closes the menu and puts it aside. "Two wines and, then, of course, dessert."
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod, "No food restrictions. I just assume that someone that's from the culture knows what's best." She would give a bright smile to Zatanna. "And thank you. You're always fun to spend time with." And they weren't even having to discuss Mary Jane's 'other' tonight for a change.
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna has learned discretion and savors a quiet meal without mention of superpowers or magic. Being exceptional or less optimistic, a special case is something the magician understands better than Mary Jane might think. She welcomes evenings when someone does not wisecrack about top hats, fishnet hose, rabbits, or wands.
A waiter dressed in a black vest and pants covered by a knee-length apron comes to the table and asks them for the order. "We're ready. I'm ordering for both us. Good then, carciofi alla giudia, a small platter of cold cuts, roasted red peppers...hmmm. Some fresh mozzarella. All classical," she explains to Mary Jane. Then pasta, one casio y pepe and one bucatini amatriciana. Then, saltimbocca." She finishes with an air of satisfaction, " For wine, let's start with a 2017 Brunello di Montalcino. If we have room we will talk dessert."
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "That all sounds amazing. I didn't ever get past the point of cooking beyond doing scrambled eggs and spaghetti. It takes focus and talent and a willingness to experiment and a creativity I could never achieve. Everything smells amazing here. I can't wait to try things. It's always good to have someone that knows the best things to get." She would fold her hands down over on her lap and wait for Zatanna to finish the order.
"I don't get out nearly as often as I should to the ethnic areas of the city. I really should make a point of doing so."
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"I'm glad you called when you came into town. I don't mind eating alone but, I would have ended up eating at home in my bathrobe and gone to bed early. So much for the glamour of the rich and famous," she quips.
The waiter returns with the wine which he presents to Zatanna for her inspection. He pours her a small amount to taste. She approves with a nod, then he pours wine for them both.
"Sante!" she wishes Mary Jane and raises her glass.
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would go to raise her glass and return it. "Well, something to be said for comfort. Getting to go about in pajamas eating ice cream and no one being able to judge you. If only you could live on ice cream forever. It's a lovely dream. But even with that you'd get bored with it."
She would raise her glass to return the toast.
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
After a sip then a deeper drink, Zatanna puts her glass down on the table still holding the stem. "Oh, I like my own company, all too well and am seldom bored. As much as I enjoy traveling, a homebody hides under this exterior. Speaking of traveling, what brings you to our fair city?"
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "Show I wanted to see for ages performing here. Arranged a couple days off from work. Took the bus along the Hyperlane. Will sleep on the way back and get to my job in the morning. Worth it. Gotham's.. A lot different than New York."
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Yes," she smiles, lifting her glass in a mock toast to Gotham, "a perfect distillation of poverty, crime, and corruption in a pocket metropolis. Though we can lay claim to more super heroes per capita than most places. Welcome to my home."
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would sigh, "This city has a deep curse of suffering upon it. Something that has been etched onto it's soul that it can never throw off." Her tone is somber for a few moments. "And I can only hope someday that it can have the curse lifted."
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Still, New York doesn't have all of the good restaurants no matter how cursed we are. We attract artists here, not just the best safe crackers or off-the-wall criminals. That's kind of you to wish the curse lifted. It's not for lack of trying that we remain our inimitable selves."
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "I think that goes a bit beyond anything I could ever propose how." Her tone is sad for amoment over as she has a conversation over with her 'other' inside her head. "So is this your favorite place to eat here?"
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna catches Mary Jane's brief distraction but politely ignores it. She enthusiastically grabs her conversational gambit. "No, we actually have a world-class sushi restaurant as well as decent conveyor belt sushi. Great southern Indian vegetarian food, a Goan restaurant, and some authentic Lebanese food. Life is good as long as you are not mugged after you've eaten. All we need is more Chinese food that merits the name."
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "THat's amazing. Something to consider sometime if I ever have the money to do my bucket list. Travel the world. Go to amazing places. Sample foods the world over. Spend a decade doing it and decide what the greatest cuisine on the planet is." SHe'd never be able to do it, but it's a lovely dream.
- Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The waiter arrives with the antipasti, laying each dish out with a brief explanation. He pours them more wine and leaves. "You could spend a lifetime doing that. The world is too big. Places change. I mean, Rome alone must have ten great restaurants and then a hundred neighborhood restaurants like this one, worthy of eating in. Let's not talk street food in Peking, Mumbai, Naples or Singapore. I'd join you for a few legs of that trip," she says. "Here try this," she urges the artichokes on her.
- Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "Here's to dreams. Even unrealistic ones." She would go to take a sniff, going to close her eyes to appreciate the scent of it. Letting out a sigh, "That smells amazing. I don't want to linger on it too long though.. Then it won't be hot and won't be as good." She would go to take out her fork to snag a small bite.