One reason getting older isn't so bad is that at the end of every year, one gets to watch as the Times trots out words coined in the year previous, courtesy of Gawker pal Grant Barrett. Who really can complain of an increased risk of prostate cancer, a few more wrinkles and a lack of stamina while words like "gorno" "life-stream" and "mobisode" made the passage of time worth it? On the other hand, none of these words mean what they sound like they mean.

The El Quijote sandwich from Despana, a sandwich I enjoyed today sitting next to noted food blogger Emily Gould, owes a great deal to Balanchine's balletic adaptation of the Cervantes' Ur-novel. The muscularity of the lomo embuchado (dried pork loin) and the light athleticism of the quince spread danced a particularly poignant and joyous pas de deux in my mouthspace, much like Balanchine as Don Quixote and Suzanne Farrell as Dulcinea did across the stage of the New York City Ballet in 1965. As Shakespeare once said, ""From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life." I doubt if he was talking about the sandwich, but since sandwiches are so popular in the 21st century, Mr. Shakespeare raises a germane point. The loin of Balanchine and the sweet quince of Dulcinea were brought to life, grand-jeteeing over my taste buds and into the wings of my soft palate.