Phony Baloney

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Several weeks ago, I admitted to being conned by a phony advertisement for L.L. Bean. Just at the time that I was considering dumping polo shirts that were the worst for wear, I saw on my  phone an offer for L.L. Bean polo shirts at a drastic discount, purportedly as a result of a store closing. I ordered five in different colors, feeling fortunate for the coincidental timing. 

After a week, I realized that I had not only not received shirts, but I had not received the flurry of e-mails (much preferable to emails) that usually follow an on-line purchase, no confirmation, no notice of packing, no notice of shipping. I called L.L. Bean and learned that, while I was on record as a customer, I had no order pending and no store closing sale was being conducted.

I successfully challenged the credit card transaction and held my breath as to the possible misuse of the card by these scammers. I did not cancel the card immediately, because it was used in so many recurring transactions. I dodged the bullet there. However, the bad guys have not ceased firing.

Here are screenshots of seemingly fabulous deals that popped up on my phone in recent days. 

Upon examination, the vendor is not the instantly recognizable manufacturer. Rather, the company behind these deals is "Holmbech Thomas". And who is Holmbech Thomas a/k/a holmbechthomas? According to its website, “holmbechthomas is a trendy and diverse fashion department store, offering a wide range of stylish clothing, accessories, and more to satisfy your unique fashion cravings.” If you look beyond its own characterization, however, you find Holmbech Thomas is often cited for non-delivery, delivery of wrong items, delivery of damaged goods, unresponsive customer service, and unsatisfactory refund policies. See, e.g. https://gridinsoft.com/online-virus-scanner/url/holmbechthomas-com and https://gridinsoft.com/online-virus-scanner/url/holmbechthomas-com

I was lucky, but there is a lingering problem. It's becoming hard to believe anything you see unless it happens right in front of you. These bogus advertisements look as real as they might be. People are being annoyed, harassed and blackmailed by A.I. images, resulting even in suicides. I don't think that we can turn to the Federalist Papers for an answer.  

Sunday, May 24, 2026

We hosted brunch for four special guests — Carol Kessner, David & Julie Friedman and Mossad Moshe. Bagels & lox and whitefish salad were, of course, on the menu, but these deserving folks were also treated to lukshen kugel from the loving hands of my young bride. 

Monday, May 25, 2026

For my wedding anniversary today, I received Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding and Levain Bakery’s chocolate chip cookies. Happy Anniversary to me.

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Mossad Moshe and I went to Roosevelt House, 47-49 East 65th Street, once the home of Eleanor and Franklin, now operated by Hunter College as the Public Policy Institute, to hear Zalman Newfield discuss leaving the Lubavitch Hasidic community. Newfield, Associate Professor of Sociology and Jewish Studies at Hunter College, was raised in a family of eight children. Somewhat atypically his parents came to Hasidism as adults, so Newfield had close relatives outside the community. Nevertheless, it was a challenge to choose a secular path as an adult, attending Brooklyn College and New York University where he got a Ph.D. This is the basis for Brooklyn Odyssey: My Journey Out of Hasidism. His doctoral dissertation became his first book, Degrees of Separation: Identity Formation While Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, for which he interviewed 74 other exiters, as he calls them. 

Unlike others whom I have heard reciting similar experiences; Newfield was not resentful of his former life. In some ways, he feels that his intellectual development emerged from his yeshiva training where close reading of text is crucial.

.  .  .

The Park Slope Food Co-op in Brooklyn has voted to boycott Israeli products. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/park-slope-food-coop-passes-020916580.html

Debate continues on the use of Russian dressing.

 

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Many of us are very excited by the historic National Basketball Association playoff run of the New York Knicks. Landrey Shamet, a player, said "Knicks fans are a specific species of human that should be studied." Support for that observation comes from a look at the pricing of the first game of the finals at Madison Square Garden. 

May 28, 2026

"President Donald Trump plans to attend NBA Finals game in New York"

Let the booing begin.

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We saw Giant, starring John Lithgow, in a performance that won him an Olivier in London. He plays Roald Dahl, the extremely successful children’s book author who was a rabid antisemite. In a fictional encounter with his agent and a representative of his publisher, he resists apologizing for an anti-Israeli book review; “never before in the history of man has a race of people switched so rapidly from being much-pitied victims to barbarous murderers.” 

The play is set in 1983, after Israel’s war with Lebanon. Its Jewish author started writing it in 2018, but it might have been written yesterday, dealing with reactions to Gaza. Dahl’s most inflammatory statements come from the record and ultimately hold all Jews responsible for Israel’s military actions, something that, I believe, is happening again today.

Friday, May 29, 2026

We had dinner with Barbara and Bernie, cousins of cousins, at Trattoria Dell'Arte, 900 Seventh Avenue. This large, colorfully decorated joint was jammed and noisy. I had not been there for 30 years, when I had lunch about 20 feet from Jerry Seinfeld. If he was here this evening, I couldn't find him in the crowd.

We shared an excellent Margherita pizza, with a paper-thin crust, cut into 8 pieces ($28). Then, we diverged. I had Cavatelli (small pasta shells) with short rib ragù, good but pricey at $32; Bernie had spaghetti and short rib meatballs ($30); Barbara had a Little Gem Caesar Salad ($19); and my inamorata had a Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad ($20). We reconvened over a delicious tiramisu ($16).

Musical Chairs

Saturday, May 16, 2026

For the second time in recent weeks, my brother caught me making a stupid mistake. Last week, I attributed a famous George Orwell quote to 1984 when it was so obviously from Animal Farm. A few weeks ago, I changed Deborah Lipstadt’s last name to Hofstadter, confusing her with Columbia historian Richard Hofstadter. While my brother is older, he is clearly more alert than I am.

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My mistakes aside, we had a lovely day. We joined the celebration of Dana and Gary’s second granddaughter’s baby naming. For dinner, we joined Kim and Terrific Tom at Spice Symphony, 317 West 46th Street, which mixes Chinese food with a predominantly Indian cuisine. It was fully occupied with a noisy pre-theater crowd.

We shared Shrimp Piri Piri, three pieces of spicy shrimp in cedar vinegar, curry leaves and Goan chilies ($16). Then, we proceeded in individual directions. I went to the Chinese side of the menu with Triple Szechwan, “Hakka style noodles and rice mixed and stir fried in a Chinese wok with oil, vegetables, soya sauce and fiery red szechwan sauce” with lamb ($26). This hodge podge was very good.

I drank three more glasses of Coke Zero after the first one was delivered to my lap. I dried off by the time we left to see The Balusters, a new play by David Lindsay-Abaire. It is a funny take on a neighborhood association struggling to maintain gentility in the face of traffic and personal problems.

Sunday, May 19, 2026

Toby McMullen came over today to conduct the purge of my clothes closet that I have been impotently threatening for the longest time. Efficiently and dispassionately, he reduced my haberdashery to almost manageable size

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Nicholas Kristof’s commentary on Israeli treatment of Palestinian prisoners is given two full pages in today’s paper. I believe that it is flawed, but I will leave it to others to dissect. However, I am reminded that Eric Hoffer, a philosopher who taught at Berkeley after working 21 years as a longshoreman, observed in 1968 “Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real Christians in this world.”

Monday, May 20, 2026

I have passed Playa Betty’s, 320 Amsterdam Avenue, countless times without entering. Today, however, it was the destination for lunch with Jeffrey Heller, Human Rights Warrior, and his law school buddy, Bob Axelrod. Convenience was the initial consideration, but the California-Mexican cuisine was more than satisfactory.

I had two tacos, “Short Rib & Egg, Mexican coke short rib with scrambled eggs, salsa roja, cilantro & cotija on a flour tortilla” ($7), and “Baja Fish, Tempura-battered cod with cabbage slaw, jalapeño crema, pico de gallo and cotija cheese” ($7). 

After the good food, we went two blocks north to the oddly named Salt & Straw, 360 Amsterdam Avenue. This ice cream company has been in business since 2011. Most of its stores are in the West; one other is in the Holy Land at 540 Hudson Street. Founded in Portland, Oregon, its website drips with sincerity. “Using ice cream as a blank for storyteller, we fearlessly explore ingredients, discover emerging artisans, and share unifying experiences.”  https://saltandstraw.com/pages/about

Fortunately, they make excellent ice cream, really excellent ice cream. I had a cup with small (by choice) scoops of Chocolate Babka w/ Hazelnut Fudge and Strawberry & Coconut Water Sherbet. I can’t wait to limp back for more, although it has no indoor seating. By the way, Bob treated, so I don’t know how much it cost, but who cares?

Tuesday, May 21, 2026

Pastrami Queen, 1125 Lexington Avenue, remains open after its sister establishment on West 72nd Street has closed for a change of identity. Michael Ratner and I met for lunch there today and dug in.  

I forgot that it was Tuesday when they offer a very good deal on twin sandwiches and went to the peak of Kosher delicatessen, a center cut tongue sandwich ($36.15). Excellent sour pickles and coleslaw came with it, as well they should at this price. Dr. Brown’s Diet Black Cherry was my beverage of choice ($2.60 a can for a captive audience). We shared a large order of French fries, brown and crispy ($9). Yes, expensive, but Michael and I are 168 years old.

Wednesday, May 22, 2026

I registered for the 25th reunion of my law school class tonight. In the morning, I took my car in for routine service and shopped afterwards on the way home. Since my Trader Joe’s is closed for renovations, I went to their (his?) Harlem branch, 123 West 125th Street, only circling the block once before finding a parking space almost in front of the door.

It reached 93° while I was running my errands. That and the promise of thunderstorms later easily convinced me that I wasn’t leaving the house again today. I’m sorry to miss the 25th reunion, but I’ll aim for the 50th.

Thursday, May 23, 2026

It turns out that there is something Donald Trump and I have in common, neither of us attended Don, Jr.'s wedding. Donald Trump Jr marries Bettina Anderson ahead of Bahamas wedding celebration

Friday, May 24, 2026

Here is a little tale about American life in the 21st century to warm your heart. Parents brawl over seating at Toledo kindergarten graduation ceremony

Over There/Over Here

Saturday, May 9, 2026

We attended Sabbath services at the West London Synagogue, 34 Upper Berkeley Street, which calls itself “The Heart of Progressive Judaism in Central London.” In fact, most London synagogues seem to be Orthodox, so there is not much competition at the other end of the bell curve. We had to answer some simple questions and send a photo ID in advance, which has become customary for admission to synagogues outside Israel and the United States. At the front door, we were checked off a list by an Israeli security guard. 

Inside, we got information from Hanne-Marie Braaten, one of three Wardens, a position unfamiliar to us, recognized by wearing a top hat during services. The main sanctuary appears quite grand in photographs, but is under renovation. Services were held in an auditorium configured as a theater. 

The synagogue was founded in 1840 and now numbers some 3,000 members. Attendance today was about 200 people of varying generations. This was not surprising given that there was a triple header, a Bar Mitzvah, an Auf Ruf (blessing of a couple about to be married) and a baby naming. What was remarkable was that all of this was conducted within one hour and 45 minutes, including a Torah service and an excellent sermon by Senior Rabbi David Mitchell on the use of the terms “Jews” and “Israel”. Such efficiency seems beyond most American rabbis and their congregations.

Following was a generous Kiddush (repast), with lox (no bagels), egg salad, fried fish!, potato pancakes the size and shape of ping pong balls, and pastries. I limited my intake in anticipation of a special dinner, but it amounted to a tasty interlude.

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Dinner was very exclusive, not open to the public. We ate at Chez Brodie, accessible only by invitation. The small, elegant dining room was candlelit with only one other guest, Ms. Rafferty, present in addition to the hosts.

The first course was a delicious salad built on goat cheese and cherry tomatoes. Then, we were served an onion pie, creamy rich. It was accompanied by haricot verts (French green beans) and boiled whole baby potatoes. Finally, thanks to the dual role of Ms. Rafferty, a thick chocolate mousse, fresh raspberries and whipped cream was our dessert, or pudding as the British say.

Sunday, May 10, 2026

Abe Foxman, former director of the Anti-Defamation League died today. He was a CCNY classmate and for many years his office was down the block from where I lived, which afforded me the opportunity to visit him. He was a hidden child during WWII, sheltered by his Catholic babysitter, reunited with his family in 1945. In his long career, he not only was the most effective defender of Jews here and abroad, he actively sought justice for other marginalized groups. He will be sorely missed.

.  .  .

 

Madam and I strolled through Covent Gardens this afternoon. It has a big collection of stalls selling anything from T-shirts to hooded sweatshirts and lots of other stuff. It is also home to the London Transport Museum and its fabulous gift shop where Mind the Gap is printed on everything.

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We had an early dinner at the Mayfair Chippy, 138 Brompton Road. The name is not attached to a flirty female, but to a pair of fish and chips eateries. It has a mildly nautical decor with a black and white checkerboard floor. The tabletops are covered with colorful tiles. Its main room sits under a big skylight. We sat up front opposite the bar where there were fewer tables.

Fish and chips may have once been a cheap, worker’s lunch, but no longer. We each had the Mayfair Classic, a big piece of beer batter fried hake (cod suspended to avoid depletion), a medium portion of French fries (not the wedges I’ve had before), mushy peas and surprisingly tasty tartar sauce (£25.95). I also drank a half liter bottle of Cornish Orchard Blush Cider, elderberry and raspberry flavor (£6.95).

Monday, May 11, 2026

We made a pleasant day trip, accompanied by Ms. Rafferty and Lady and Lord Kennington. We took the train from Euston Station to Bletchley (as little as 35 minutes) to visit Bletchley Park, the site of the brilliant British code breaking operation in WWII, primarily conducted by women.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bletchley_Park

It has been restored and organized as a major tourist destination with audio and guided tours. Admission is £23.62 for seniors and the ticket may be reused repeatedly for one year. A comprehensive visit could last most of a day and you should get there on your second visit to England. 

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When we returned to London, Madam and I had dinner at Sale e Pepe, 9-15 Pavilion Road. It looks and feels expensive; it is and might be worth it. Pasta is available in small and full portions. I had Bucatini Cacio e Pepe, a hollow spaghetti-like pasta cooked with Pecorino Romano cheese (£25, full portion). My young bride had a small portion of Paccheri alla Vodka, big pieces of tube-shaped pasta in a rich sauce of tomato paste, vodka, and heavy cream (£18). I drank sparkling water, seltzer by another name, while she had a glass of Franz Haas Pinot Grigio (£14). Glasses of limoncello were complimentary at the end of the meal.

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Our flight was scheduled for departure at 1410 (when in Rome), giving us plenty of time in the morning to pack up and get organized. Also advantageous was the uncharacteristic placement of the departure gate at Heathrow. #17 was the first one on the corridor which otherwise seemingly stretched to Scotland. The flight itself was equally agreeable.

We were back in Palazzo di Gotthelf by 6:30 PM, or 1830 as they say.

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

The New York Times published its list of 100 best local restaurants today. 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/dining/best-nyc-restaurants.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

If blocked by a paywall, try this.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-new-york-times-just-named-this-caribbean-stunner-the-best-restaurant-in-all-of-new-york-051226

Issuing such a list is like a fisherman throwing chum into a pool of sharks. There will be a very high level of snapping and yapping among us. It’s the product of Ligaya Mishan, the paper's new chief restaurant critic. I don’t fault her for being born outside the Holy Land or her omission of some of my favorites. Rather, she reaches far afield to collect a diverse (still a good word by me) assortment of joints, leaning toward the ethnic, unpretentious and family run. And, at first glance, I haven’t come across any stinkers. Your comments are welcome. 

.  .  .

The dramatic rise in gasoline prices, if unreversed, will probably fuel political turmoil. Here is an interesting view of the economics, how much gasoline prices eat into income.

Thursday, May 14, 2026

It is sickening to learn that “four-in-ten U.S. adults (and half of those under 50) now get health and wellness information from social media influencers and podcasts.”

https://www.pewresearch.org/data-labs/2026/05/07/moms-coaches-doctors-entrepreneurs-who-are-americas-health-and-wellness-influencers/

.  .  .

These folks, social influencers and podcasters, are the fruit of private enterprise. Compensation varies day-to-day with their popularity. Others eschew the private sector and dedicate themselves to public service where the rewards are sometimes less tangible. My academically inclined brother supplies this view of the material benefits of the public sector, the highest paid public employee in each state.

Friday, May 15, 2026

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" George Orwell, 1984

Headlines on the same page today:

“Justice Dept. Sues to Block Punishment Of Trump Ally”

“Yale Medical School Is Accused by Justice Dept. of Favoring Black Applicants”

Over Here/Over There

Saturday, May 2, 2026

We got a message this morning that said that "Gayle died last night." This was puzzling since the only Gayle (Gail) we could think of lives near Albany, New York and the message came from Florida. When I telephoned the sender, I learned that voice-to-text got it wrong. Gil Glotzer, whom I met in high school, died at age 85. After Stuyvesant, we went to different campuses of CCNY, but arrived at Cornell University at the same time, him in law school, me in graduate school. He has been a good friend for so long.

.  .  .

Stony Brook Steve and his lovely wife Susan have been friends for about two decades, so we were happy to have dinner with them this evening at Canto, 2014 Broadway. The place used to be Luce (loo•chay), known for showing Susan to a bad table when it was otherwise empty. Tonight, it was jammed.

We shared a too small Caesar salad with only two anchovies ($18). Everything else was very good and amply sized. I had Pappardelle Cinghiale, wide noodles with a wild boar ragu ($26) and some of my young bride’s Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, thick spaghetti in a creamy sauce ($24). The waiter misheard my drink order and I wound up with vodka on the rocks which had a pacifying effect.

Monday, May 4, 2026

Caring Ken Klein suggested that we have lunch together, always a fine idea. We went to Vanessa's Dumpling House, 452 Amsterdam Avenue, an offshoot of a very successful business on the Lower East Side. It’s a very small place, narrow and deep, half a dozen two tops and some tables outside now that warm weather is approaching.

You order on a tablet or with a human; you pick up when your number is called. I had a small soup with four wontons, chicken and shrimp ($4.88). The broth was a little thin, but the wontons good and fresh. Then, I had a scallion pancake wrapped around Peking duck ($9.98). Actually, the wrapping was much closer to a sesame encrusted roll than a scallion pancake, but what’s not to like? To drink, I had an excellent coconut smoothie, an unusual choice for me, but a very refreshing one ($5.68).

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

What do Melanie and Jerry and Miriam and David and Marion and Peter and we all have in common? All of us are in England this week, in return for the visit of Camilla and Charles to the U.S. last week. 

We flew to London yesterday on a Boeing 777, an enormous plane. After the endless corridors of the airport, the distance to our seats seemed like a hop, skip and jump. The Gotthelf Gate Gambit was in play. Our departure was at Gate 2, right up front you would imagine. Ugh, ugh. At the furthest end of the terminal. The poor guy pushing my wheelchair had such a hard time that I offered to switch with him about halfway.

On the other hand, Madam had chosen wisely. In a section that had ten seats across, we had two seats alone facing a bulkhead, affording lots of legroom. Fortunately, nothing on the flight was more exciting than that.

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We are in a lovely boutique hotel in Knightsbridge, a posh neighborhood. The hotel is so swank that it has its own numbering system. Our room is #243 which is on the fourth floor not the second. In fact, the fourth floor would be the fifth in much of the Great Again America, because there is an unnumbered ground floor.

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We had dinner at Harry’s La Dolce Vita, 27-31 Basil Street, as we did on our two most recent visits. The excellent food and service in a very European setting is sufficient reason to return even if it were not two blocks from our hotel. By the way, blocks in London are rather amorphous, sometimes stretching great distances, but no two the same length.

I started with Zucchini Fritti, a large portion of lightly fried zucchini threads with a side of mildly spicy dipping sauce ( £8.50 ). A normal person might have been finished, but I soldiered on into a plate of Spaghetti allo Scoglio, fine spaghetti, sautéed king prawns, squid, clams & mussels, Datterini (plum) tomatoes, garlic & chilli (£24.95). I was definitely pleased although I had no room left for dessert.

.  .  .

Inter Alia is coming! Inter Alia is coming! Joined by Lady and Lord Kennington, we saw this fabulous play written by Suzie MIller, brilliantly performed by Rosamund Pike (winner of the 2026 Olivier Award) this afternoon. It opens on Broadway November 10. If you can get out of bed, go see it.

.  .  .

After the theater, we had dinner at The Ivy, 1-5 West Street, founded in 1917, now with branches all over the United Kingdom. Since I had a snack earlier at Canton, 11 Newport Place, a joint that I first went to in 1985, I was a little less hungry than usual. I ordered the delicious Ivy Classic Crispy Duck Salad, roasted cashew nuts, sesame, watermelon, ginger and hoisin sauce (£14.25). I didn't skip dessert, though. I had the Ivy Sherry Trifle, raspberries, strawberries, jelly sponge, vanilla custard and cream (£11.75). It needed more booze.

Friday, May 8, 2026

There is no question that the events surrounding Gaza have turned many people against Israel and have bred or released antisemitic feelings in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Estimates of the deaths in Gaza exceed 70,000, from October 8, 2023, to the present. Just as it is idle to compare great sports figures from different eras, Babe Ruth vs. Shohei Ohtani, for instance, historical events have their uniqueness. However, some lessons maybe learned from this exercise. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, killed 2,403 people, presumptively Americans, according to Wikipedia. The atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killed at least 90,000 Japanese according to Wikipedia. Both dates, December 7, 1941, and August 6, 1945, haunt Americans and Japanese alike.

As I observe it, Americans and Europeans generally focus on October 8, 2023, and beyond, while we Jews cannot forget October 7, 2023, when 1,195 people, including 71 foreign nationals were killed in Israel, according to Wikipedia. 

Common perception  

December 7, 1941 = Tragedy / August 6, 1945 = Tragedy

October 7, 2023 = Incident / October 8, 2023 + = Tragedy 

.  .  .

The many Middle Easterners in London come from all over the region, but their cuisine is generally identified as Lebanese. We had dinner tonight at Al Arez 2, 128 Brompton Road, one of a local group of five, the name meaning "The Cedars" as in the cedars of Lebanon. An open kitchen takes up most of the ground floor. The ground floor also has a handful of tables indoors and five outdoors, where hookah smoking is offered. There are two more floors upstairs. 

Its menu is lengthy, but we did not stray from the conventional, ordering Moutabal (Baba Ghanoush), smoked aubergine purée with tahini, pomegranate seeds and lemon juice (£9); Fatayer b'Sabanekh, Lebanese spinach pies shaped like hamantaschen (£9); and, mixed shawarma, shaved marinated lamb and shaved marinated chicken, served with rice, grilled tomato, grilled onion, grilled pepper and parsnip spears (£19.50). The table is set with a dish of olives, fresh pita, labneh (strained Greek yogurt) and muhammara (roasted red pepper dip), good by themselves or enhancing other food. I drank a non-ethnic strawberry smoothie (£5). By the way, the staff was mostly Lebanese, but the friendly manager is Moroccan. The food is Halal, of course.

.  .  .

"A French academic is under investigation for inventing a Nobel-style prize for philology in order that he could win it."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g8pwjdp6do

Professor Montaclair meet President Trump.

.  .  .

Financial news: 1£  = $1.35

Mamas, Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Corporations

Saturday, April 25, 2026

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is investigating whether OpenAI is criminally responsible for the mass shooting at Florida State University last April, he announced Tuesday. “If it was a person on the other end of that screen, we would be charging them with murder,” Uthmeier said during a Tampa press conference.    Uthmeier investigating whether ChatGPT is criminally liable for FSU shooting • Florida Phoenix

However, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), by a 5-4 vote, the United States Supreme Court held that a corporation is effectively a person in regard to political campaign contributions and may not be limited under the First Amendment of the Constitution. And, it seems that its criminality must go unpunished. 

.  .  .

Some of you were unable to get to shul this morning and could not attend our granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah. Let me assure you that she did a superb job chanting the Hebrew prayers and Bible portions. In fact, the extended family took a major role in the services; 15 relatives participated in one way or another. The total audience of over 200 people stayed for lunch with bagels and lox as the centerpiece.

In the evening, there was a party with DJ and earplugs (thank goodness).

Sunday, April 26, 2026

This license plate should be very valuable. 

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The shooting at the White House press corps dinner last night dominated the news this morning. Not all the attendees were shocked or frightened. Lloyd Blankfein, the former chief executive of Goldman Sachs, was sitting with CBS News journalists toward the front of the room when the emergency occurred. As the confusion unfolded, Mr. Blankfein turned to his seatmate and asked, "Are you going to finish that salad?" Lloyd Blankfein on WHCD Shooting: 'No One Was Killed, and Ended Early' - Business Insider

He wasn't the only one who was undistracted. Michael Glantz, a talent agent, continued eating. He later explained: “First of all, I have a bad back. I couldn’t get on the floor, and if I did get on the floor, they’d have to bring in people to get me off the floor. And No. 2, I’m a hygiene freak. There was no freaking way I was getting in my new tux on the dirty Hilton floor. It was not happening.”

Most Guests Ducked for Cover. This Man Munched on His Burrata Salad. - The New York Times

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While there were no intruders and no gun shots, madam and I had a memorable dinner at Juniper, 13 Central Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts, a very unremarkable place from the outside. A long bar and a few tables occupy the front room, with a large space at the rear. The cuisine is Mediterranean and imaginative. 

We started with three dips, chosen from four alternatives, muhummara, red peppers, walnuts and pecans; baba ghanouj, smoked eggplant and rosemary; tzatziki, garlic, cucumber and Greek yogurt ($30). This was accompanied by freshly baked pita, hot and puffy. It was so generously sized that a full entree was unnecessary. I had what was considered an appetizer, lamb  beyti kebab (named for Istanbul restaurateur Beyti Güler who created the dish in 1961), phyllo wrapped spiced lamb, mint, tomato gravy and garlicky yogurt, simply delicious ($18). Juniper is a hidden gem.

Monday, April 27, 2026

Rudi Gurvich died this morning, a gentle and kind soul.

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Unpopular opinion.

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In case you didn’t make the White House dinner for King Charles, here is what you missed:

First Course
Garden Vegetable Velouté
Hearts of Palm
Toasted Shallots
Micro Mint

Second Course
Spring Herbed Ravioli
Ricotta Cheese
Morels
Parmesan Emulsion

Third Course
Dover Sole Meunière
Potato Pavé
Spring Ramps
Snow Peas
Parsley Oil

Dessert
White House Honey & Vanilla Bean Cremieux
Flourless Chocolate Gâteau
Almond Joconde
Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

Looking closely, this seems to be a milchigs menu, no fleischigs, even though no rabbis were identified on the guest list. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/28/us/politics/state-dinner-guest-list.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Dr. Andrea Yoo is an excellent neurologist at Weill Cornell Medical Center. She has diagnosed and treated me with great competence.  Additionally, she provides the opportunity for some verbal play.

Husband: "Yoo said."

Wife: "I did not." 

Husband: "Yes, Yoo did."

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I had lunch at the newly opened Pho Broadway, 2058 Broadway. It’s a small space, efficiently arranged with eight two-tops and two four-tops, about half-occupied while I was there. The menu is similarly compact with familiar items, Vietnamese appetizers, noodles, soups and sandwiches with the unusual addition of tacos. I had a beef banh mi on a toasty 7” baguette with pickled carrots, daikon, fresh cilantro and cucumber ($10).

Thursday, April 30, 2026

The closing of Pastrami Queen on West 72nd Street is annoying. I ate there every so often. Now, our neighborhood has been hit with a bigger bombshell.

Trader Joe's, 2073 Broadway, promises that this will be only temporary, but it evokes a crisis. The prices on some items and the uniqueness of others makes me a loyal customer and I shop there almost daily. 

Friday, May 1, 2026

I had lunch with my stockbroker today. Yes, I am a capitalist. We met at his office and ate in a conference room. Food was delivered from Blake & Todd, 52 East 53rd Street, a slightly upscale sandwich shop. I ate a good Grilled Filet Mignon Specialty Sandwich, grilled filet mignon with roasted peppers, arugula and horseradish dressing on a French baguette ($19.50) and drank diet soda from the cellars of Morgan Stanley.

Educated Guess

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Up until recently, it was conventional wisdom to promote college attendance. Health, wealth and happiness seemed to be linked to higher education. Now, at least in the United States, the value of college is being questioned especially as the job market twists and turns in response to technology and geopolitics. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/poll-dramatic-shift-americans-no-longer-see-four-year-college-degrees-rcna243672

Here is where the college graduates are worldwide.

 

U.S.A. is only tenth, a bit of a surprise. We do a little better when looking at the overall level of education in the population.

Of course, not every successful venture requires a college degree. For instance, there’s the guy who figured out that a package of dry macaroni sounds like a box of Legos.

https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/california-man-allegedly-swapped-lego-203000314.html

Sunday, April 19, 2026

President Trump claims that the word affordability has just been made up by the Democrats. 

Trump calls affordability crisis a 'hoax.' The data tells a different story : NPR

Fortunately, he is not replacing Noah Webster as Lexicographer-in-Chief. Few of us have failed to notice price rises almost everywhere we turn and politicians are wielding the term effectively. "From a democratic socialist in New York to moderates in Virginia and New Jersey, Democrats found success by focusing on the cost of living — not culture wars." Affordability, affordability, affordability: Democrats’ new winning formula - POLITICO

Monday, April 20, 2026

While not quite the disruptive effect of the Iran War, we have news that could seriously disorient our local population. Pastrami Queen, 138 West 72nd Street, the only Kosher delicatessen on the West Side of Manhattan above 38th Street, and one of the scant handful on the entire island, appears to have closed, Steve Goldfarb informs us. A sign in the window says "Deli Chin - Home of the Pastrami Egg Roll." Mind you, I have nothing against a good pastrami egg roll, it's the rest of the cuisine that concerns me -- corned beef, tongue, kasha knish, kishke and, of course, Dr. Brown's. The exact direction of Deli Chin is unknown at this point.  

  

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Besides Deli Chin, I am worried about The Corner, 698 Ninth Avenue, a restaurant that I have enjoyed several times in the past. While Michael Ratner, Terrific Tom and I had a good lunch today, there were some notable gaps. No ribs, no spare ribs, bones or boneless. Even a bigger existential crisis was the absence of tea! No tea in a Chinese restaurant? How can that be? Yet, it was. Remember when “All the tea in China” was a unit of measure?

There was still plenty of food for us. We shared a scallion pancake ($8.24), 2 filet mignon egg rolls ($6.16 each), crispy shredded beef ($18.54), orange peel chicken with brown rice ($19.57) and beef chow fun ($16.48). Prices are for credit card purchases. Note that a Groupon coupon will round the prices down considerably.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

British politicians are taking a considerable risk. A law pending would ban cigarette smoking for people born after 2008, those under 18 today. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/world/europe/uk-smoking-ban-2009.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

"An estimated 28.6 billion cigarettes are smoked in Britain each year, equating to 78 million every day." Britons still smoke an astonishing number of cigarettes every year | The Independent

While adults smoke most of these cigarettes, the tobacco industry must fear that any change to consumer habits might snowball with significant economic consequences. Let the lobbying begin.

Thursday, April 23, 2026

The Upper West Side's Power Couple took to the highway heading East to a weekend of celebration of our granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah. Highlights to follow.

.  .  .

Above, I mentioned a couple of worrisome items for the local dining scene. Now, a positive just popped up. A sign has appeared on empty space at 208 West 70th Street (between Amsterdam and West End Avenues) announcing a "Cantonese Dim Sum Restaurant." I am only partially enthused by this news. This location, right next door to the very successful Cafe Luxembourg, 200 West 70th Street, has been ill-fated. While Luxembourg has thrived since 1983, its neighbor has turned over 5, 6, 7? times. In recent years, there was Compass, then a steakhouse, then an Italian restaurant that opened weeks before Covid hit the Holy Land. I hope the spell is broken, but I'll keep my chopsticks crossed.   

Friday, April 24, 2026

Tonight, family members from near and far went to synagogue services and then dined together. We heard about recent adventures and repeated old favorite stories. It was a great start to the weekend.