Brave New Year

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Just as the Jewish New Year period was coming to an end, sundown Friday to sundown Sunday, we got a surprise gift here at Palazzo di Gotthelf, the freezer portion of our refrigerator stopped working, defrosting its contents and leaving puddles of water. Whether a minor repair or a major replacement is needed can only be determined tomorrow morning. 

This evening, I identified a credible replacement appliance, if needed. I spotted some possible vendors as well, but I will be missing the initial household excitement tomorrow morning because I will be having some personal excitement — cataract surgery on my right eye. 

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By the way, I am well aware that not all of you dear readers are Jewish. So, while we often-chosen-for-the-wrong-reason people contemplate our coming year, I want to offer the rest of you some spiritual support.

Monday, September 14, 2026

I was up and out early to have my cataract surgery. It went well as far as I can tell with one eye completely bandaged.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the first miracle of 5787 seems to have occurred. The freezer compartment of our refrigerator, emptied of everything and wiped dry, resumed normal operations on its own. Just as we were preparing to place a rush order for a replacement, an ice cube tray left behind froze up normally.

My multi-talented young bride had rescued the defrosted beef and chicken by cooking it to be used in future meals. Now, it is watchful waiting even as I contemplate which ice cream I should purchase to restock my freezer.

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Well before I went to law school, I was interested in constitutional law. It was a small component of the introduction to American government class that I taught centuries ago. It is the critical glue to our ongoing experiment in democracy and I urge all of you to have command of some of the basic principles: case in controversy, standing to sue, the role of precedents.

A simple guideline to evaluating the opinions of the current Supreme Court is Alito is Wrong. Whenever the Court faces the opportunity to broaden democracy and narrow the control of selfish interests, Samuel Alito is a consistent opponent of progress. His opinions harken back to a history and morality of his own invention, independent of the lessons of our own past.

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By coincidence, with the arrival of 5787, Trader Joe’s reopened at 2073 Broadway, at the very busy intersection of West 72nd Street. It had been closed for four months to install new escalators and elevators for this entirely subterranean enterprise. Some of their products were so attractive that I would occasionally shop at their store at 670 Columbus Avenue at West 92nd Street or even 123 West 125th Street in the interim. Try the tangerine juice, 100% pure juice ($3.49/quart), if you need convincing.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Dr. DeLuca removed the bandages from my corrected right eye this morning. As my vision adapted to the new circumstances, I was able to find my way to Pastrami Queen, 1125 Lexington Avenue, to meet Michael Ratner for lunch.

We were able to benefit from the Twin Tuesday special, pastrami and corned beef each on a dinner roll, coleslaw, pickles and a small order of French fries, for $22.95. Additionally, I had a 10% off coupon as a regular customer. This was an excellent start for my corrected vision.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Our youngest grandchild had her Bat Mitzvah earlier this year. Her older brother recently graduated high school and is in Israel for a gap year before college. Allison and Will have been married for 10 years, Irit and David for 22 years. This means that there is no anticipated major lifecycle celebration on our calendar for the foreseeable future. Our progeny, therefore, are unable to benefit from the largesse of Umar Kremlev, a regular attendee at Vladimir Putin’s gin rummy games.

Kremlev, who recently paid for a substantial part of Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding festivities, seems eager to show Americans how to have a good time. He has established the Russo-American Bureau of Hotcha Happenings to handle applications and coordinate events. My lovely wife and I await word whether a public renewal of our wedding vows will qualify for Mr. Kremlev’s generosity.

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A couple of weeks ago, to satisfy my curiosity, I did a simple poll of likely Democratic voters of my acquaintance. I asked their personal preference for the 2028 Democratic presidential candidate and their prediction as to the candidate. The preferences were scattered mostly among Andy Beshear, Kentucky Governor; Mark Kelly, Arizona Senator; Gavin Newsom, California Governor; Jon Ossoff, Georgia Senator and Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Governor. Several people, Jewish people, explicitly rejected Jewish candidates: Rahm Emmanuel, former Chicago Mayor; Ossoff; JB Pritzker, Illinois Governor and Shapiro. No women seemed to want a woman either.

The predictions were much narrower, Beshear and Newsom named most frequently.

Thursday, September 17, 2026

The Thai restaurant that we picked for dinner before the theater was too crowded. So, we went down the block to Yum Yum Too, 652 Ninth Avenue, where we were immediately seated. 

The menu was pretty conventional and we didn't order much. We both had noodle dishes, Madam had Pad Thai with vegetables, stir-fried rice noodles, egg, tofu, peanut, beansprouts and scallions ($21) and I had Pad Woonsem with beef, stir-fried glass noodles, egg, scallions, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, dull nevertheless ($17).

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School Girls, or the African Mean Girls Play, written by Jocelyn Bioh from a Ghanaian family, is a revival from 2017. It is set in a Ghanaian girls school where the Queen Bee feels threatened by the arrival of a new student who is richer and paler. Combining melodrama and comedy (America's White Castles are thought of as palaces of privilege), it addresses colorism, status and the Eurocentric standards of beauty. However, these legacies of colonialism seem readily adopted by these young people 30 years after Ghana's independence.

Friday, September 18, 2026

This illustrates the budget for football at America's leading (football) schools. CCNY, my alma mater does not appear; it hasn't had a football team since 1950. It's just that I like the colors.

How Time Flies

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Mama’s TOO, 2750 Broadway, is extremely popular, having placed near the top of many local best pizza lists. When I walked in at 2:30 this afternoon it was jammed with kids young enough, but not interesting enough, to be my grandchildren. There is no seating for customers, just room to lurk.

Most of their pies are cut in squares, what we call Sicilian style, others Detroit. However, I had a wedge slice, “Uncle Joe’s” a special for the day, with pepperoni, whipped ricotta, pesto and plum tomatoes. Adding a 20 oz. bottle of Coke Zero came to $11, a formidable amount, too much by at least a couple of bucks. By the way, while I doubt that the pizza was named for Joseph Stalin, no one was able to explain the nomenclature.

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 In an essay in advance of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Paul Goldberger, architectural critic, writes: “You can destroy something in an instant, but it will take a generation to rebuild it, and even then it cannot ever be the same.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/03/opinion/ground-zero-world-trade-center-rebuilding.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Although he is referring to physical structures, this wise observation applies to human relationships as well.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

We had brunch with David and Julie Sandler Friedman today, two of the best people around, at Casa Carmen, 5 West 21st Street. This Mexican restaurant evokes a comfortable hacienda, with pinkish beige adobe walls and exposed wood beams.

We shared Trio de Quesadillas filled with Oaxaca cheese, sautéed mushrooms, poblano peppers, zucchini blossoms, just delicious ($19). I had “Enfrijoladas de huevo a la Mexicana,” Mexican scrambled eggs, black bean sauce, crema, Cotija cheese ($21). For better or worse, we all skipped alcoholic drinks although Carmen makes powerful fruity margaritas. On the other hand, I got a parking space right in front of the door.

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This study answers the question How Climate Resilient Are the World’s Largest Cities? https://alphageo.ai/how-climate-resilient-are-the-worlds-largest-cities/

Risks and preparedness are assessed. Some places are more naturally prone to threats making the quality of planning critical. Finding Chicago at the top is understandable, no hurricanes, no forest fires, no earthquakes. In contrast are Ahmedabad, India and Hyderabad, India, at the bottom of the list, facing extreme heat and flooding for months at a time. Addis Ababa follows Chicago, something that I would never guess. Alexa tells me that it "enjoys a calm subtropical climate . . . year round thanks to its elevation." By the way, if you are considering buying property in Addis Ababa, don't be put off by prices in the millions. One Ethiopian birr is worth about 0.0062 U.S. dollar.

Monday, September 7, 2026

Susan Sarandon is a fine actress; regard her work in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She is also a committed advocate for Palestinians and is blaming Zionist forces for impinging on her career as a result. https://www.timesofisrael.com/blaming-zionists-susan-sarandon-says-shes-still-losing-film-roles-over-gaza-stance/?utm_source=The+Daily+Edition&utm_campaign=daily-edition-2026-09-07&utm_medium=email

My question is if it's okay to boycott a country's film industry (I "pledge not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions" https://www.avclub.com/israeli-film-institution-boycott), is it okay to boycott one film star?

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"Deny everything; apologize for nothing. Hog the spotlight. Counterattack, counterpunch, countersue. Always declare victory, even when you lose (especially when you lose). Resentment sells. Nativism sells. Cruelty, if not yet normal, becomes the norm. Rules and traditions are for suckers; everyone is, if not corrupt, at least corruptible.These are President Trump’s instincts, yes. But before they were his, they were Roy Cohn’s." From Carlos Lozada's review of a new biography of Roy Cohn. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/07/opinion/roy-cohn-kai-bird-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1._VA.GAfY.xIWfddhpRpDP&smid=url-share

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Barbara & Bernie, cousins of cousins, will soon be returning to California for the Fall and Winter seasons, so tonight was our last supper in the Holy Land. We went to Crave Fishbar, 945 Second Avenue, and had an excellent meal and a very good parking space. We assembled an assortment of appetizers, side dishes and salads with complete success: Italian Burrata, creamy cheese, date-blood orange jam, pickled red onion, pistachio, grilled sourdough ($20); Tri-Color Crudo, seared tuna, Faroe Island salmon, yellowtail over Greek lemon parsley sauce ($22); grilled fish tacos, ancho chili espresso dusted sea bass, black bean puree, chipotle crema, cabbage slaw (four for $36); rice dusted Point Judith calamari, Thai miso sauce, mung bean sprouts, aleppo chile ($22); garlic chive griddled rice with snap peas and egg ($11).

A Van Leeuwen ice cream shop was nearby to finish the evening. I had one scoop of "Bigface Coffee Affogato" with hot fudge at no extra charge on Topping Tuesday ($7.95). We had to sleep well after all this.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Haunted houses are often windswept, isolated mansions. If you spend enough time in a local neighborhood, you might discover a commercial site that seems haunted in spite of its benign appearance. 208 West 70th Street fits that picture. I found evidence of six previous restaurants at that location, four of which we ate at before they closed. In fact, our great friend, that fabulous gentleman, Dean Alfange dined with us on Friday the 13th, 2020 at Tavola Della Nonna (our grandma's table) two days before the Covid shutdown. Unfortunately, grandma had her grand opening on February 3, 2020. The space lay idle for over six years. 

Wu's Dynasty had its soft opening on September 3rd on this site. The Boyz Club came for lunch today. The interior has been completely renovated, creating a big, open space with tasteful Chinese touches. A bit old school were the big tanks in the front window where lobsters, crabs and fish resided unaware of their pending fate.

The place was nearly full at lunchtime and service was smooth. It has a conventional Cantonese menu, no Peking duck, hot pot or cumin lamb. Carts circulate with a variety of dim sum, although not carrying as many as listed on their menu which could presumably be ordered directly. We only had dim sum, 12 dishes. The quality was generally B while the unit prices were A to my Chinatown trained eyes. We spent $31 each, some of it on real estate.

With the exception of Shun Lee West, 43 West 65th Street, there is no other “nice” Chinese restaurant on the Upper West Side and that might help Wu overcome the jinxed location.

Thursday, September 10, 2026

I skipped reading most of the newspaper this morning in order to get to a medical appointment. As it turned out, I could have dawdled another hour until I heard my name called. When I got to the newspaper late in the afternoon, it finished a story that I began on July 24th with a death notice for William Ciporen, someone I never met. However, I taught with Fred Ciporen in 1967-68 and Fred was listed as William’s brother.

I went to the funeral home on July 26th hoping to reunite with Fred, a very bright and witty fellow. I gave Fred’s son my card when he told me that his father was too ill to attend. I never heard from Fred in the next six weeks. Today, I read Fred’s death notice. He left teaching and had a very successful career in publishing. His funeral was this morning while I sat in the doctor’s office. 

Friday, September 11, 2026

As the anniversary of 9/11 continues through the day, Rosh haShana begins at sundown, the Jewish new year 5787. 

My sort of gift to myself were two shots in the tuchus yesterday to relieve hip and leg pain. I will search the prayer books over the weekend for the proper liturgical support. Accordingly, I will stay away from a keyboard for two days and release this contribution to the progress of civilization late this afternoon.

Sunrise, Sunset

Saturday, August 29, 2026

This was a sort of yin and yang day. In the morning, we went to Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale for the Bar Mitzvah of the grandson of one of my wife’s dearest friends. The young man was impeccable in his command of the Hebrew prayers and Bible readings. In my time, I managed, but was never ever that good. 

In the evening, we paid a shiva call on the family of William Freund, who died nine days before his 100th birthday. He was a remarkable man, fleeing Nazi Germany as an adolescent. He attended Stuyvesant High School and CCNY. After a very successful business career, he often returned to Germany to discuss the Holocaust with students.

Sunday, August 30, 2026

The cost of housing is a critical factor in the affordability crisis. Many people are dealing with it by living with roommates in a practical economic relationship. https://www.storagecafe.com/blog/category/research-reports/

Shared housing has grown by at least 20% in the last decade. The savings can be substantial, $6,700 annually per person as a national average for two people in a two-bedroom apartment. In some cities, such as Jersey City, New Jersey and Irvine, California, the savings are nearly double that. Maybe marriage is not the only way that two can live as cheaply as one.

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Everything costs money. A survey says that the average wedding guest spends $1,395 to attend a wedding.  

https://www.bmo.com/en-us/main/about-bmo/news-insights/blog/i-do-costs-wedding-guests-nearly-1400/

It’s just an average, not a limit. You may be unfortunate to have friends (worse, relatives) who think that Lake Como is the perfect setting for their marriage instead of the VFW hall around the corner. In 2024, 18% of couples reportedly hosted a destination wedding. 

https://www.theknot.com/content/domestination-wedding-definition

As another example of my descent into antiquity is my fond recollection of driving to New Jersey for what I called a destination wedding.

Monday, August 31, 2026

A modest proposal: Wherever Donald Trump’s name or visage has been affixed or is in the process of being affixed to a public structure, the name or visage of Dolly Parton be substituted.

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At first I was impressed by the Smart City Index, looking for a “good balance between its economic prowess (jobs and business activity included), applied technology, environmental concerns, and inclusiveness.” It placed Zurich, Oslo and Geneva at the top with London fourth. Seeing the Holy Land 45th was disquieting, though.

https://www.imd.org/smart-city-observatory/home/rankings/

Then, I looked at the methodology. “A unique feature of IMD’s smart-city report is that it puts aside hard data to focus on the human aspect of city living, computing the answers of a survey of about 400 inhabitants per city to rank cities by their ‘livability.’” In other words, the opinions of 400 people in Gothenburg, Sweden, population 625,000, ranked #44, are worth a tad more than 400 New Yorkers out of a metropolitan area population of 11,311,000. 

Come on now. There are only two synagogues in Gothenburg. 

https://www.judiskaforsamlingen.se/synagogan.php?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Worse, it only has 22 Chinese restaurants. 

https://www.poidata.io/

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Just over one week ago, Madam and I went to Best Buy to buy tablets. We did not have in mind recreating the Ten Commandments, but rather to have a convenient way to carry and read books. In fact, we each have been doing that for years and the very age of our devices was the reason that we were seeking replacements. Because Best Buy offered trade in allowances, we brought in a Mac Air laptop, a  mini iPad and a Kindle reader along with the two old tablets, hoping to offset a large portion of the very attractively priced new equipment.

Zero! Zip! Zilch! Nada! Rien! Gor nisht! Niente! Nihil! Do I make myself clear?

What might have originally been a couple of thousand bucks was now worthless except maybe to a scavenger looking for electronic components. It made me, of course, consider myself. What, if any, residual value did I have and to whom? My lifespan exceeded the combined age of all five electronic devices.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

This morning, I got a message from Google announcing that my reviews of local establishments had been seen by a nice round number of people. As you know, I don’t hesitate to share my opinions, but I usually confine them to this blog, unpublished letters to the New York Times and my living room. I only had about half a dozen reviews in Google, most from the distant past and, upon rereading, some out of whack with my current point of view. 

Should I update them, delete them or ignore them? 

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That Donald Trump is clever. After he spent six months unsuccessfully trying to impose his will  in the Middle East, “President Trump called on Iranians to ‘rise up and fight’.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/02/us/politics/trump-iran-strait-of-hormuz.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

He obviously recognized the need for a competent military force to accomplish his goals.

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Hey, Mom and Dad or Mom and Mom or Dad and Dad or Mom or Dad or To Whom It May Concern: As your high school senior contemplates a college choice, note that a list of the best party schools has just been published.  

https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/top-party-schools/

Do not necessarily fear that four beer-soaked years yields only bad results. America’s Favorite Epidemiologist is a graduate of one of the Top 10.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Terrific Tom and I had lunch at Lovely’s Old Fashioned, 642 Ninth Avenue, a sort of strange name for a hamburger joint. It’s a very small place, eight stools inside, four outside. Two guys work incessantly over a grill in front of you.

The menu is quite simple, a variety of hamburgers, a chicken sandwich and a hot dog plus the appropriate accoutrements. I had an excellent patty melt with sautéed onions, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, pickles and “Charlotte’s sauce” on grilled marble rye bread ($9.85). Their notable potatoes are called Sidewinder Fries, “a cross between a curly fry and a steak fry!” ($5.95). 

The tight quarters make it hard to linger at Lovely’s (the short-order cooks were too busy to be interrupted by our questions about the name), but it’s open until 1 AM, giving you plenty of time to enjoy great food.

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I'd like to not believe it also.