How Much is That Doggie...

...hanging on the taqueria wall?

If there's an upside to our southern offices not being in the world's most salubrious neighborhood, it's that the lunch options tend toward the highly authentically ethnic - no dull chains or duller white-tabeclothed executive eateries for us, nosireebob.  Today we stopped into a truly terrific little place down the block that featured both really, really good tacos al pastor and, dotted here and there on the crowded walls (in among the BVMs, inspiring kittens, and exclamation point-heavy notices in several languages, these charming tin-can figures.

Poised somewhere in the gray area between off-hour hobby and outsider art, they are both disarming and eye-catching.  If the Mister and I weren't so very definitely going through a continuing phase of downsizing, I would probably be packing two or three in my suitcase before the big trip back north this weekend.

A trip, I should add, that can't come too quickly.  Although the weather back home has taken a sudden jolt back toward the wintry, down here the rain has been heavy, the air heavier, and the limited charms of the Offramp Arms Hotel are after only half-a-week quite thoroughly exhausted.  On top of that, I miss the dogs, something that the most endearing tin substitutes imaginable could only partially assuage.  But partially, I suppose, they could.  Maybe I'll have to stop in for another taco and see if Fido up there is for sale...