songbird's crazy world

The awe you feel when you stand at the foot of a tall building and look up at the night sky. One World Trade Center, NYC. #skywatchfriday

Zuccotti Park, formerly called Liberty Plaza Park, is a 33,000-square-foot  park in Lower Manhattan, bordered by Broadway, Cedar Street, Church Street and Liberty Street. You may have heard of this park right after 9/11, it is across the street from the World Trade Center.  Or you may have heard of this park when it was taken over by Occupy Wall Street a few years ago.  It's a small park, just some trees and some benches.  But at night during the Christmas season...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...the city is all decked out, and tonight they light the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Drew and I are probably going to do the annual tree/store windows thing on Saturday,  December 15.  I was thinking we could do it on a weeknight, but then he mentioned it to one of our friends, and now she's coming along. Jen and her boyfriend M had a great trip to St. Lucia.  They ar ealready planning two more trips -- to boston in July for Jen's friend's wedding, and to Aruba next November for M's friend's wedding.  Becca is back together with her boyfriend. She's busy looking for an apartment, since the lease on her current place is about to expire.   She's also interviewing for a new job, and I hope she gets it. My sister H is starting a new job soon.  She's been out of the job market for awhile, but now she found a great position, right up her alley.  I'm not sure when sh...

We’re going to a wake today.  J was 64 years old, far too young.  He had some sort of infection, had been in the hospital for months. I didn’t know J well, I’d met him only twice.  J’s sister R, who died two years ago, was Drew’s sister’s best friend in high school.  Drew and I bought a car from J in 1987, and I didn’t see him again until R’s wake two years ago. Which brings me to the weird story. J adored his older sister.  They lived next door to each other, R in the house their parents owned, J in the house their parents built for him when he got married.  R never married, and J took care of her.   R died on November 20, 2016, just two weeks shy of her 66th birthday.  She was home alone when she suffered a fatal heart attack.  J found her body around 2:30 that afternoon. J died on November 20, 2018 at around 2:30 PM. Two of J’s children say that last week they dreamed of their Aunt R, and that R told them “I’m comin...

One Times Square, NYC. The most famous countdown clock in the world.   the ball remains in place all year, just waiting for New Year's Eve to arrive....   #skywatchfriday

Just so you undetstand ...my daughter Jen was 11 years old when the first Harry Potter movie was released.  If you know anything about the Wizarding world, you know that 11 is the age when witches and wizards get their letter from Hogwarts and head to Ollivander's to get their first wand. Before we saw the movie, Jen read the book and then handed it to Becca, who was 9 at the time.  Both girls were instantly in love.  And so was I.  We anxiously awaited each new book in the series, each new movie. And when Harry Potter and the Dealthly Hallows Part Two brought the series to a close, we felt bereft. Then, two years ago, came the charming prequel, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them , the first in a new series of adventures in the Wizarding World.  I really enjoyed the film. So of course I had to see Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald . The second installment is much darker than the first, beginning with Grindelwald's escape while being tr...

So Drew belongs to this website called Audience Rewards .  You answer trivia questions and earn showpoints, and when you've accumulated a sufficient number of points, you can bid on exciting theatrical events.  So one of the items up for bid was built around the Broadway show, Head Over Heels .  The prize package included two tickets to a Sunday matinee, plus...and this was unique...a one-hour dance class with a member of the cast. Drew was one of three successful bidders, so on Sunday morning we headed to a rehearsal studio to take class with Tanner, the show's dance captain.  Head Over Heels is a jukebox musical using songs by the Go -Go's.  The show's opening number is "We got The Beat".  Tanner taught us a few combinations from the opening number, and later sat down to talk to us about the show, his training, and what he does as a dance captain.  Drew and I asked him to pose for a photo with us. It was an absolutely incredible experien...

So we were so excited to hear Lewis Black was coming back to Westbury Music Fair...er, NYCB Theater at Westbury.The foul-mouthed comedian is one of Drew's favorite performers. We had great seats for Friday night's performance.  Westbury is theater-in-the-round, i.e., a circular stage surrounded by seating.  We sat on folding chairs in what would otherwise be the orchestra pit, so we were close enough to touch the stage. Black's opening act is John Bowman, who does most of his routine wearing a 70's-teen-idol wig, which he later manipulates to make a political statement. (Hint: which politician is known for his ...unusual and unique.... hairstyle?) And then, the man himself took the stage. Overall it was a great evening of comedy. We did have one issue, the couple seated next to us. the guy was OK, but the woman .... How do you pay good money to see a comedy show, and then talk through the opening act? And the woman apparenlty had too much to drin...

It’s “dry skin season” again.  The temperature drops, and suddenly my skin feels dry and rough. And lately I’ve noticed that my hair feels dry, too.  Almost like straw.  Thick and tangled and difficult to comb/style.   So when I saw this product, I had to try it. The label says you can use hair butter as a deep conditioner in the shower, or as a leave-in treatment, or even as a skin moisturizer. The product is thick and creamy, and has a subtle coconut fragrance.   I used it as a deep moisturizing treatment in the shower.  My hair was soft, shiny and easy to comb and style.   I didn’t try it as a leave-in, I thought the product was too heavy for that purpose. And while the product did soften the dry skin on my elbows, I have other lotions and creams that are more effective on dry skin. Overall a decent product, and I will be buying it again.

The bag-shoving incident that I blogged about yesterday was only part of Thursday night's misery. The region got hit with its first snow of the winter.  That's way too early around here, I don't remember it ever snowing before Thanksgiving when I was growing up, but in the last few years it's happened more than once.  (Thank you, climate change.)  So it was the first storm of the season, and the snow totals, while relatively modest, were much higher than forecast. ( My corner of Long Island got about 5 inches, I think.) The commute home was miserable for everyone. Jen told me her drive home, usually about 30 minutes, took an hour and a half.  One friend posted on Facebook that she and her husband were driving into Manhattan to see a show, but got stuck in terrible traffic and missed the performance.  Another spent hours in her car, driving to the airport, only to discover her flight was cancelled. A third posted about her son's school bus getting ...

To understand the story, you need to know what a NYC subway car looks like. photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MTA_NYC_Subway_Bombardier_Transportation_R179_3059_interior.jpg You're not going to find a train looking this empty during rush hour. During rush hour, it starts to look more like this: Photo credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/R160_interor_crowds.JPG And then there's this: Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Downtown_Q_Train_Rush_Hour.jpg You see how those who are standing are holding onto the metal bar, knee-to-knee with those who are sitting?  That's typical of rush hour. I usually get on the train at Wall Street, which is the first stop  the train makes in Manhattan as it comes from Brooklyn and heads up to the Bronx.  The #2 and #3 trains run express, so it's just five short stops to Penn Station and the LIRR.  Most nights I get a seat.  The train usually fills up ...

The Metropolitan Opera House -- loving the evening sky. #skywatchfriday

When you keep your commuter train pass, your subway fare card, your company ID/building pass and desk keys in a separate wallet, and you leave that wallet at home, you know you’re in for a very loooong day. Do I look old?  Or sick?  I’ve had several people offer me seats on the subway, and the other day a young man asked if I needed help carrying my briefcase down the stairs. The most annoying thing on a crowded train is the person carrying on a 25 minute cell phone conversation .... ....or maybe the guy with the headphones playing his music so loud that everyone else around him can sing along ... ...or realizing there’s chewing gum all over your pants because some lazy slob stuck it under the seat.... When the subway train pulls into the station, and it’s so crowded you can’t get on ...Tuesday morning I had to let three trains go by, was finally able to get on the fourth train. Standing room only, of course. If the railroad train you’re on is older than y...

When you order food from a chain restaurant, you pretty much get what you expect. subway offers a variety of hot and cold subs, salads, soup, and even a few breakfast items.  Cold subs can be ordered "toasted", which allows the cheese to melt.  The succes or failure of a particular location depends upon how the store is run.  This location is clean, well-stocked and appropriately staffed.  I would not hesitate to order form this location.

I don't often write negative reviews, but ... I really like Jersey Mike's Subs, but I won't be visiting the Deer Park location any time soon.  It's really hard to think positively about a place where you were made to feel invisble. It was a weeknight, about 7:30 in the evening.  I'd been to this location 3-4 times before, without a problem, so I did not anticipate any issues that night either.  Another customer and I arrived at the store at the smae time.  There were no other customers in the store, and there were four employees behind the counter.  I wasn't sure what I wanted, so I let the other customer go ahead of me. BIG MISTAKE. Apparently the other customer was a friend of several of the employees.  He ordered a cheesesteak, and the young woman behind the counter went into the kitchen to prepare it for him.  Two of the other employees went into the kitchen with her, leaving the fourth employee behind the counter.  The y...

I recently discovered Jersey Mike's, a fast-food chain serving hot and cold subs.  Cold subs are excellent -- meat sliced fresh and topped with a nice assortment of vegetables.  Hot subs include meatball and a variety of cheesesteaks and chicken cheesesteaks, cooked to order.  My favorite is the basic Philly cheesesteak, topped  with grilled onions and peppers.  A nice sandwich for the price. Store was clean and well maintained, counter staff was friendly and efficient.  Would definitely recommend.

Drew and I recently saw two movies that focus on the music industry.  We enjoyed both films. A Star Is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, is the fourth version of the story of an alcoholic star on his way down and his beautiful, talented wife on her way up.  I'd seen the Judy Garland version, but not the earlier version starring Janet Gaynor, or the Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson version from the 1970's (I'm going to have to stream that one soon...)  Cooper gives an outstanding performance as the alcoholic Jackson Maine, a rock star whose best days are behind him.  But what really impressed me was the performance of Stefani Germanotta, who completely shed her Lady Gaga persona and created an incredible character in Ally.  I expect we will se a lot of Gaga during the awards season. The music was beautiful, and Gaga has an incredible voice.  Cooper isn't really known for his singing but did a credible job.  Still, I'm not r...

I wasn’t going to post something political today,  but I cannot contain my outrage. Cadet Bonespur flew all the way to France to honor the American dead of World War I, but skipped out on the ceremony at the military cemetery because of rain. Social media has gone crazy with rebukes. And my favorite 

My father and my grandmother during my father’s service in the United States Army.  My father was a veteran of World War II. Today we honor our veterans for their service to this country.

I love the evening sky. #skywatchfriday

Well, the bloom is definitely off the rose...I still like working in NYC, but the commute is killing me... Especially the subway station at 34th Street.  It's undergoing renovations, it's partialy inaccessible, and it's way overcrowded.  someone is going to get hurt. Although I am looking forward to the holiday season.  NYC at Christmastime is magical.  Though I think I may suggest that our annual pilgrimage to Rockefeller Center take place on a weeknight...the weekend crowds are horrific.  Drew can meet me in the city one night after work, we can see the tree and the store windows, grab a bite to eat... We'll have to go early in the month, though, if we want a chance to see the giant menorah all lit up. Chanukah comes early this year, the first night is December 2. Interesting, isn’t it, how many religions have holidays this sntime of year, holidays that focus on light during the darkest days of the year. Last weekend we went out to dinner with o...

... my daughter Jen came into this world. She has grown into a poised, intelligent, beautiful, generous, wonderful young woman who deserves all the happiness life can offer.    She makes me proud each and every day. Happy birthday to my first born.  I love you.

So we took the House but they keep the Senate.  Some results from around the country were disappointing, but here in NY we re-elected Gov. Cuomo and elected Tish James as our Attorney General.  So it’s not a blue wave, but there’s hope that things are going to improve. And did you notice how many of the newly elected Democrats are women? The future is female.

GO VOTE!!!!!!!

Storefront pizza place and full service Italian restaurant.  We're in here frequently to pick up a slice of pizza, and occasionally for a sit-down meal. If you're expecting a "fine dining" experience, you will be disappointed.  This is a casual, family place, with a menu of traditional Italian favorites.  The food is tasty, the portions huge. On a recent visit, we skipped the appetizer -- then scarfed down the entire basket of hot-from-the-oven Italian bread and dinner rolls.  My go-to dish is veal parmigiana --two large cutlets,  breaded and fried, with tomato sauce and a very generous portion of mozarella, served with a side of pasta. The veal is tender, the pasta (served with a choice of sauces) is al dente.   The dish is very shareable, though I usually bring home leftovers for another meal. I've never found fault with the service, though on a recent visit the waiter was less than friendly (he did his job, so no worri...

#skywatchfriday

It seems the Lord of Darkness rides the NYC Subway. Who would have imagined he’d be so frugal? Perhaps he’s anticipating some upcoming expenses...after all, it can be quite costly to house that immigrant-hating, Russian-loving, morally bankrupt, would-be authoritarian, narcissistic “leader” and his minions ....