Sunday, May 15, 2022
From 1955 to 1966, a local New York television channel showed the “Million Dollar Movie” twice a night, the same one for one week at a time. Of course, the crummiest film today costs many times that. However, it was another market that reminded me of this. “A Record 8% of U.S. Homes Are Worth At Least $1 Million.” https://www.redfin.
Once upon a time, a million dollar home was far removed from most of us physically and aspirationally. Now, an extraordinary number of homes in some locales reach and exceed that number, starting with 88.7% of homes in San Francisco through 31.2% in Oxnard, California in the top 10. We in the Holy Land may feel poor by comparison, placing ninth, with only 32.1% of our homes pegged at $1 million or more. I’ll tell you, it’s a long way from Pitkin Avenue.
. . .
Poor, confused Robert Donald, owner of Vintage Firearms in Endicott, N.Y., who sold a Bushmaster assault weapon to the Buffalo supermarket mass murderer. “I just can’t believe it. I don’t understand why an 18-year-old would even do this,” said Mr. Donald, 75. “I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but I feel terrible about it.” https://vnexplorer.net/
Selling murder weapons can be difficult at times.
Monday, May 16, 2022
Even I have noticed that the British are not the same as the Americans, but their Mappiness (sic) Project offers insights that may have Transatlantic value. It questions thousands of people throughout the day as to their state of mind. https://www.academia.
One finding of particular interest is that "paid work is ranked lower than any of the other 39 activities individuals can report engaging in, with the exception of being sick in bed." https://discovery.ucl.
Again, I seem to be out of step with the crowd. My years of working in the New York State court system before retirement brought me far more happiness than "Hunting, fishing” #10, "Pet care, playing with pets" #16 or "Waiting, queueing” #36.
. . .
Gentleman Jerry had lunch with me at Pastrami Queen, 138 West 72nd Street, a Monday when the Pastrami Special is active. As those of you in the vicinity know well, on Monday you get a pastrami sandwich and a Dr. Brown’s soda for $16.99, about $6 less than retail. Previously, corned beef was also allowed, but now it‘s all pastrami. We stuck to the script, adding only a potato knish, bulbous enough to be shared ($9), good but not $9 good.
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Nothing more to be said. https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
In spite of my inherent proletarian instincts, I don't have trouble with dressing up on certain occasions and even having some venues expecting you to look nice. https://www.
It's not explicit, but Ecclesiastes may be understood to say that there's a time for every season, a time to be slick and a time to be a schlub. I think that it's appropriate to look good when you're in a good looking place. I'm reminded of a time when I was on the wrong end of this proposition.
Madam and I were on a delightful trip to Italy, hitting Venice, Orvieto and Florence. At lunchtime, on a warm day in Florence, we walked into Cantinetta Antinori on the ground floor of Palazzo Antinori, headquarters of the winemaking Antinori clan for over 500 years. The restaurant was very busy. We had no reservation, but other walk-ins were being seated regularly. However, we stood and waited and waited. My plaintive appeals to "Signore" were ignored. We finally left.
Later, I admit not immediately, I realized what was going on. It wasn't a matter of Yankee Go Home (as inaccurate as that might have been for this Mets fan), considering the other Americanos in the room, but another sports matter. I was wearing a T-shirt celebrating the 1994 Stanley Cup victory of the New York Rangers, white with the bold red and blue team emblem and the large silver trophy. It did not bespeak fine dining. In retrospect, I accepted the verdict.
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Recently, I have eaten in Koreatown, an area arrayed around the Empire State Building, when the opportunity presented itself. Today, Stony Brook Steve and I strolled to The Jin, 856 Tenth Avenue, a new Korean restaurant closer to home. It’s a modest rectangle, with its front completely open to the street on this mild day. One wall is exposed brick and the other is covered with unfinished wood planks. The dozen or so tables, a mix of four-tops and two-tops, are wood surfaced.
The menu addresses all the usual Korean food groups, except BBQ. There are rice bowls and noodles and salads and fried chicken wings and kim chi all over the place. I had Bulgogi Beef "Japchae" [sweet potato flour] Stir-Fried Glass Noodles ($15). The big portion was good, but forgettable. Steve enjoyed JIN [vegetarian] Fried Rice w/Egg ($15). I’ll be back to try the fried chicken.
Friday, May 20, 2022
Clue 2 Down - Stock exchange?
. . .
If you live in a neighborhood with sidewalks, you probably often have passed by one or more establishments without ever entering. I don’t mean just tattoo parlors or podiatrists’ offices, but places continuing to offer food and beverage apparently in spite of the Board of Health and the absence of your patronage. Today, I closed my local gap by having lunch at Freddie and Pepper’s, 303 Amsterdam Avenue, a pizzeria that opened in 1978, 25 years before I even started ignoring it.
Since I was alone, I had only two slices, which proved to be a slice too far. I relished the all-meat slice, sausage, pepperoni and ground beef in ample supply ($5.75). The plain cheese slice averaged out to average ($3.25). The cheese was good and thick, but the crust was only thick.
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