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.
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.
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
"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.
