All The Best

Elusive

Searching can be a pleasant way to pass your time.

Anyone with a smart phone has a feel for that experience.

We know that all conversations can lead to you pecking into the keyboard. Oh, yes, so-and-so is….

Wish that my search had been as simple as that. I was looking for a more elusive thing.

Something that I could not just see on my screen, but needed to have on my plate. I wanted a piece of the pie.

It’s strawberry rhubarb season, well it’s always strawberry time but rhubarb, well that’s short lived.

In fact, I was going to resort to boiling up my own; couldn’t find it at any green grocery.

That didn’t bode well for my pie quest!

I remember when, because it was its season, you could walk into most local area diners to enjoy a piece of my favorite pie.

My phone search told me that I could find a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie at JG Melon. I took this as encouraging, and intended to stop by for a slice.

Thwarted, again. Lines waiting for a table were discouragement enough.

Amazingly, there was a huge pie at Citarella. So, yes, this story of a pursuit has a happy ending.

Some of the strawberry rhubarb pie is now waiting in the freezer. Some has been digested, and yes, it was good.

The season is short. Hurry.

Unsolicited

For the love of Wonder! Love the concept of ordering from a food court with a gourmet inclination, but better yet, the food. It’s great.

Individual rating of my delivery follows:

Brussel sprouts are sweet and tangy even if only warm. They should be hot but they were delish anyway.

The lemon pepper were the best chicken wings I have gotten from Wing Trip to date.

Bankside has a very nice, low on the mayo, rendition of cole slaw.

Jota’s salmon is one of my faves, although I love all salmon. This has a bed of brocollini and a zucchini saute as a bonus.

I refer to this post as unsolicited but this is not strictly true in the sense that these were my answers to their survey.

Arts and activities

There is a hidden gem in Spanish Harlem that offers a peaceful cultural experience or rather experiences. It is rare and not as well-known as it justly deserves.

I apologize for the musical oldies reference. PS109 ArtSpace is at the edge of El Barrio. It provides housing for artists, and studio spaces, as well as Salsa nights and art shows. It is gorgeous. It is pristine.

PS109 offers enough events to invite us, [you and me, everyone], to visit often.

Today, I made a repeat visit with my friend the artist LM, [we go to art venues together] with a crew of another group of adventurers.

We were given a full tour of the galleries and other public spaces. Our friend F planned a return tonight with his wife to see a play in the little blackbox theater.

We went off to dine nearby on the recommendation of Rolinda Ramos, the director of PS109 ArtSpace El Barrio.

This is the 10th anniversary of PS109, located at 215 E 99th St, which gives you the excuse to drop by at least 10 times this year.

I don’t want to give away any secrets…Museum Mile edition

We pro-democracy types need to exercise our own flood the zone tactics. There’s theatre– the great arena of diversity, equity/ equality, inclusion- for starters. There’s the streets. Aka, protesting, peaceful protesting. Be careful out there. It might get dicey. There’s writing to right the wrong. This category, lord knows, includes writing your elected representatives. That […]
I don’t want to give away any secrets…

Lucky are we, here, in New York, to have so many opportunities to be quietly pro-democracy, pro-dei – quietly, although we are pretty loud in our support.

Last night, it was a Museum Mile event. LM, EMcG, and a new pal met me in front of El Museo del Barrio to enjoy a night of distinct, divergent, all- embracing fun.

This old lady was wiped out by the walk, but blown away by the energy. BTW, check out El Barrio exhibit of Mestre Didi, an artist representing Candomblé, through his Spiritual Forms pieces. Also, there is a brilliant display of the works of Candida Alvarez. It will take your breath away; Circle, Point, Hoop spans her career to date.

Reading

My joke du jour is that pretty soon I will no longer know how to read. I have made books part of my everyday, but I enjoy them in audio form.

Books were absent from my life for many years. While Burt was well, we were busy together and I couldn’t immerse myself in a book. When he got sick, I couldn’t find the concentration.

Since Burt passed, I have raced through a small library of books. I enjoy them in clumps: a bunch of Sue Grafton’s [re-reads]; some Ronald H. Balsan novels; several Fiona Davis stories; a burgeoning collection of Lisa Jewell works; a smattering of Frieda McFadden’s grim p.o.v.; all lightened by Janet Evanovich. There are other titles I have devoured, like Yellowface, James, or The Street; I read a few Isabel Allende works, as well as Like Mother, Like Mother; the intriguing The Lady in Gold; I finished The Four Winds and Educated; I recommend the odd Elinor Olliphant is Fine and American Dirt, too.

In fact, I recommend the whole enterprise that involves hearing a lovely voice read Jane Austen, or Taylor Jenkins Reid, or Mark Twain aloud to you. It gives to the activity of reading an entirely new dimension. I find it very pleasant, this story hour in which I indulge.

The love life of flowers

The genitalia of flowers is frequently On display, even in polite society asStartling and unexpected as innocent A pictorial to guide us on their growth
The love life of flowers

Walkin’ around

It looks like it was here since Colonial Times, but it confesses a 1977 [not a 1777] start.

My coffee trek goes on

Kook? As in oddball? Or as in a nook? It’s a tiny space, elongated with tables well-spaced, toward the back. It’s Fancy, all right.

The cappucino I ordered is very high-priced. It was brought on a wooden tray with the tiny lovely glass of orange juice and a grand little cookie on the side. Just very elegant and perfection.

Cappucino was firm, hard-core, as strong as you want it to be.