March 29, 2009

Phoebe Snow last night sang It's All in the Game.
It is the only # 1 pop single to have been co-written by a
U.S. Vice President.

Here is the best known version:




Here is Omar from "The Wire" , which I miss.




The NYT Magazine had a great article today about Freeman Dyson.

March 28, 2009

Nuala - Gaelic for Nola; “fair-shouldered one.” I really liked
this book. The "Tribe" is described in great detail and you get
a great sense of this strong-willed but vulnerable woman. I will be
reading her other book Almost There.



The book I borrowed from the library had a NYT clipping
of a memorial service for her in NY.




I went to Brouwerij Lane for Jever Dark on tap. It is well-bodied
and quite tasty. Not as thick as a porter, a pilsener with body.
"Jever Dark is brewed in the Schwarzbier bier ("black") style,
a lager or pilsener beer that is brewed with predominately dark
malts. A touch of dark roasted and chocolate malts is used to give
Jever Dark an espresso and coffee like taste while keeping the
character of light, dry refreshing flavor.4.9% ABV"(Raven Brands
write-up, the owner of Brouwerij Lane runs this distributor.)

The current Growler list at Brouwerij Lane:

1. Southern Tier Hop Sun Wheat

2. South Hampton Imperial Porter

3. Zywiec Polish Lager

4. Jever Dark Schwarzbier

5. Gaffel Kölsch

6. Gruut Amber

7. Sierra Nevada ESB

8. Victory Hopdevil Ipa

9. Newcastle Brown Ale

10. Captain Lawrence Freshchester Pale Ale

Going to see Phoebe Snow tonight.

March 22, 2009

Wildwood BBQ was quite good. Only had appetizers and beer.
The Bacon, Jalapeño, and Shrimp dish was outstanding. Pigtrip
has a recent review.




The Brooklyn Brown Ale on tap was fresh and tasty.




The Queens Library is great. I ordered Spade and Archer on-line.
They sent me an e-mail to come pick it up and it was waiting for
me at the library. It is good. The Flitcraft incident and
randomness comes right at you in the early chapters. I can't
see reading it if you haven't read the original. Overall, a
worthwhile romp.




Also picked this up, featured in last week's acrostic.




Stumbled upon this one and picked it up. This is
a bonus. Never heard of it, but it is right up my alley.




Great tournament so far. It isn't perfect , but it is the purest
sports event out there. My bracket is doing well so far, I am in the
six thousand range on the NYT site.



This is a new place for beer in Brooklyn. They normally will
have 10 taps working. I wanted to get Jever Dark but they
were sold out from their grand opening yesterday. I went there
today and a very friendly staff recommended Sixpoint Sweet Action, a Cream Ale - 5% ABV, like Genny Cream Ale on steroids: Six Point Craft Ales. This is one great beer.

March 21, 2009

Every year I get Daffodils from the American Cancer Society.

Wordsworth always comes to mind:

"Daffodils" (1804)

I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).



When the Forsythias bloom, that is when I know
Spring has arrived.

March 17, 2009 - Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig

St. Patrick's Day. A lot of memories come flying back.



Green Bagels and Soda Bread.


Irish Coffee. Jameson's Irish Whiskey, heavy cream ,
Turbinado sugar and strong coffee.



One of today's NYT Crossword answers. No apostrophe.
riverrun (lower case) starts the tale. Riverrun was an old Tribecca
bar , now closed, where I spent many nights. Bill the bartender
and Austin, the owner's brother, made you feel welcome. A killer
Juke Box, 3 songs for a quarter. As good a place I ever set foot in.

March 14, 2009

You take a little Ale.



Your pour Guinness Draught over a large spoon. (Official Spoon above.)



Voila ! A Half and Half.
Sláinte! - "To Your Health!"

A real busy schedule ahead.



St. Patrick's Day Tuesday. Irish Coffees to start the day.
Céad míle fáilte -A Hundred Thousand Welcomes.



Now playing at The Theater for the New City:"The Lonely Soldier Monologues (Women at War In Iraq.)" This limited run is selling out quickly.



Phoebe Snow at Queens Theatre in the Park :March 28, 2009.
Only 31 seats left.




Also, a night downtown. A visit to Ground Zero and
the Tribute Museum. I used to work down there. I still have
a hole in my heart over it.



While downtown, I know it is a chain, but the North End Avenue
location is rarely crowded, the food is good and the
Margaritas are huge: Chevys.

March 7, 2009

The Farmer's Market at Union Square was on the South side.
A lot of construction on the north side, so many were missing.
P.E. & D.D. Seafood was not there but had a sign that they would be back next week.



Cyclamens.



Since there was no fish at the Greenmarket, Trader Joe's Shrimp at $6.99 a pound has to suffice.
Shrimp Mozzarella heros tonight. Don't do this often because of
watching Cholesterol. Lots of Pinot Grigio and Chianti to accompany.

March 2, 2009 - SNOW !

This was not a bad storm. The wind made it seem worse.
My Subaru had no problem in the snow.
The kids had off and had a blast.
Snow-days are a gift.

March 1, 2009

A life-time of reading started with this. A high school English
Teacher threw away the Syllabus and gave the class Twain only.
This was the best.

I have 1263 books in my personal library and I constantly draw
from a world-class library, The Queens Library.




The same teacher assigned this in 1967. I have to say this
and The Lord of the Rings started my reading habit.



Big Storm coming in. I hope it is declared a Snow-Day.
I will go to work, but for the school-going kids it is such a treat.

A storm on its way reminds me of the old joke, sex and storms,
you never know how long they will last or how many inches you will get.



In 1968, I was in a cabin in upstate New York for the Summer
with no TV. There were lots of books. This one was one of them.
A true classic.



This one had a corresponding Classics Illustrated Comic Book.
It too was a great read.