The way that Iowa isn't crowded has changed.
When Yuri Aminov's subway shoe-repair shop isn't crowded, he and his father, Avner, sip green tea and play backgammon.
For Mr. Hinds, the appeal of an ultra-early train is obvious: "The platform isn't crowded, and you can get a good parking space".
The sidewalk, he said, is one of few in the area that isn't crowded, even on weekends, when shoppers flock to the neighborhood.
It wasn't crowded when I was growing up there in the 1950's and early 60's, and it isn't crowded now.
On weekdays, when the park isn't crowded, the Boathouse is so calm that a waiter can take a minute to toss some bread to a heron, and applaud when it successfully makes the catch.
"It's almost impossible to find a marketplace that isn't crowded anymore, so you have to try to stand out from the competition to be remembered by customers," Cowley explains.
If the bar isn't crowded and time isn't tight, you could certainly stop for a glass of fino sherry and crunch on a dish of excellent fried chickpeas, a marvelously crisp and creamy croqueta or a single oil-cured sardine under sliced radish pickles.
