Sight Unseen

Saturday, October 31, 2026

Today's column by Michelle Goldberg offers this interesting observation about American public opinion. "Obama, who was still paying off student debt in his 40s, was tagged as an elitist, while Trump, who loves to brag about his wealth, was not."

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/31/opinion/democrats-populist-working-class.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

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Americans are anxiously awaiting Tuesday's elections to see which political party will control the United States Senate, the House of Representatives and various state houses. Many of us are also trying to make sense of the Israeli election. Voters in Idaho will have the added burden of choosing a state gun from among six alternatives, including the Winchester "Gun that won the West" and the Colt "Peacemaker". As Roseanne Roseannadanna famously reminded us, "It's always something."

https://ballotpedia.org/Idaho_Official_State_Gun_Question_(2026)

Sunday, November 1, 2026

Haley Stevens, who narrowly lost the Democratic primary for the open Michigan Senate seat to Abdul el-Sayed, surprised almost everyone by endorsing Republican Mike Rogers. While her reasoning was not clear to all (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/haley-stevens-abdul-el-sayed-anderson-cooper-cnn_n_6ae8084ce4b0283c45777241), Israel divided Haley, engaged to a Jewish man and reputedly considering conversion, and el-Sayed, a Muslim. 

There seems to be no one in today's Republican Party that I might endorse or vote for. However, I equally eschew el-Sayed, Zohran Mamdani and others who apply a unique litmus test to the existence of Israel among nations.  https://abcnews.com/Politics/week-transcript-6-28-26-new-york-city/story?id=134279911

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If you discard the Middle East and other foreign destinations as havens for your retirement, you might look at this list of allegedly the best places to retire. https://wallethub.com/edu/best-places-to-retire/6165 

The analysis was based on 45 metrics, we are told, under the headings of Affordability, Activities, Quality of Life and Health Care. Here are the top five:

• Orlando
• Miami
• Tampa
• Scottsdale
• Casper, Wyoming

Obviously, sweating and skin cancer were not among metrics considered. There are many such lists with 5, 15, 35 or 50 alternatives, just search for "Lists of best places to retire." Be sure to exclude those not placing New York City first.

 

Monday, November 2, 2026 

We were downstairs at 6:30 AM to be driven to the site for cataract surgery on my second eye of two. All went well and I was back in bed by 10:30 AM where I spent the rest of the day. 

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

I woke up early to vote and then rushed off to Dr. DeLuca to have the bandage removed from my left eye. To celebrate the New Me or maybe just the New Part of Me, on the way home, I stopped at Dough, 1119 Lexington Avenue, purveyors of Handmade Artisanal Doughnuts, one of its seven locations. Their doughnuts are big and attractively decorated. I chose chocolate, passion fruit and dulce de leche, $6.75 each. If all I had to do was look at the big, attractively decorated doughnuts in interesting flavors, I would have been pleased. However, enjoyment ended there. These were yeast-risen doughnuts, light and airy inside, too light, too airy, like a clump of straw. If I ever thought about it before, I prefer cake-style doughnuts for half the price.

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Credit Bob Saginaw with this paradoxical observation. Just as the Democratic Party is moving away from its support of Israel and American Jews are increasingly uncomfortable with their role in American life, Jon Ossoff, Josh Shapiro, Josh Stein and JB Pritzker are viewed as rising stars in the party.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

It's a delightful morning. Among the encouraging results of yesterday's election was the defeat of incumbent Greg Abbott in the Texas gubernatorial race. May I suggest that Texas's new Democratic governor follow Abbott's precedent and place him on a bus and send him to Brooklyn.

Also, we are thrilled to welcome back dandruff, psoriasis and migraine, occupying our airspace again in place of those mind numbing (with a b) political commercials.

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For the first time in over 70 years, I am not wearing eyeglasses now that I have had cataract surgery on both eyes. It's weird. I keep pushing up the eyeglasses that are not there; I reach for them getting out of bed. Most significantly, I looked much better with glasses on. Without the contrast of eyeglass frames, my pale face looks like an undercooked pancake.

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We have the results you have been waiting for. Voters in Idaho prefer the Winchester "Gun that won the West" as the official State Gun. Mazel Tov!

Thursday, November 5, 2026

It's too soon. Even as we continue to digest the extraordinary results of Tuesday's midterm elections, the New York Times publishes The Best Pizza in New York City - The New York Times and The Best Bagels in New York City - The New York Times

Either subject is cause for dispute and contention that threatens friendships. Issuing them in tandem places an intolerable burden on us. We need time and space. This is serious business.

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Speaking of serious business, Michael Ratner told me about his recent trip to Portugal and Poland. Michael is an avid photographer, but he has not yet had time to organize the 900 photographs that he took on the trip, else we might still be at the table at Wu's Dynasty, 210 West 70th Street, where we had lunch.

The food was generally excellent, but requires annotation. We shared a large bowl of wonton soup with eight delicious wontons floating in a fairly bland broth ($23.95!!!). We ordered two lunch specials at $16.95, beef with scallions and shrimp with garlic sauce. The portions were large and accompanied by white rice, but nothing more unlike the practice at so many other Chinese restaurants. No eggroll, no dumpling, no soda. 

Service was a bit spotty; most of the effort at lunchtime goes to the dim sum served from rolling carts. Menu prices are discounted 10% if paying in cash. And, of course, Wu's is around the corner from Palazzo di Gotthelf.

Friday, November 6, 2026

I was close to John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, former Governor and Senator from West Virginia, a rare Democrat in his family, who died today.  https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/06/us/politics/jay-rockefeller-dead.html?smid=em-share

It was the Class of 1992 Yale University graduation which included his daughter and Nathaniel P., later Professor Nate. A sudden rain shower interrupted the outdoor festivities and we ducked for cover. I found myself pressed close to Jay Rockefeller, distinguished at 6'6". A leaf sat atop his head, knocked loose by the rain. I gently removed it.

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I ended this fascinating week by having lunch with Jeff Heller, human rights warrior, at Ella Social, 249 Columbus Avenue, a tapas and wine bar. It's a charming little place, with 15 two-tops and four hi-tops on the back wall. One wall is covered with framed mirrors direct from your grandmother's house; the other has sepia tinted photographs of naked ladies. 

There is a $21 two-course lunch and a few sandwiches. More tapas are available the rest of the day. I had a bowl of chicken soup full of chunks of potato, carrots and white meat chicken, and a one-inch piece of corn on the cob. My main was albondigas, four meatballs in tomato sauce with a side of couscous. A very good bargain at $21. Service was friendly and efficient. Note that the bathrooms are down a long, steep flight of stairs.

Jeff told me about his river cruise on the Snake and Columbia Rivers in the Northwest. His wife has assured my wife that this would be the last river cruise they would ever take.