November 29, 2009

A quick trip to the Library resulted in these two books. I've read Isaacson before: 1-The Wise Men(with Evan Thomas): Six Friends and the World They Made: Acheson, Bohlen, Harriman, Kennan, Lovett, and McCloy,2-Benjamin Franklin and 3-Einstein. He's a terrific writer who simplifies the complex as well as anyone.



I've never read this early Richard Powers work.
This looks good. Science and emotions, a recurring theme.

November 28, 2009

Nice sunny morning. Not too crowded.



Decorative onions.



Pepper wreath looks good in the sun.



Cabbages in the sun.



The Holiday Market opens at 10 a.m., so
I missed it. Here is a collection
of animal hats

.

Tomorrow's NYT Book Review has
a review of Googled.

November 26, 2009 - Happy Thanksgiving !

Happy Thanksgiving !



Flock of Turks off of Route 55, Sullivan
County, NY.



This is the 19 lb. beast to be served.



About to start my DVD, accompanied by
Mimosas and then :



Beaujolais Nouveau. It is like Grape Juice
spiked with alcohol. Not too good, but a Thanksgiving tradition.
Also watched Wizard of Oz (produced by Mervyn LeRoy) and Peter Pan.



Next on the reading list, a new Biography
of Louis Armstrong.



Stardust, an old favorite.

November 22, 2009

Quo vadis? is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you going?" or "Whither goest thou?".
The Christians being fed to the horde of MGM lions is wild.
Whether Christians were actually fed to the lions is still debated.

I have this movie on DVD and finally got around to
watching it. Interesting movie for minor parts. Peter Ustinov
is great as Nero, Buddy Baer is an introspective giant and
Leo Genn steals the show as Petronius. Both Ustinov and
Genn were nominated for Best Supporting Oscars.

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) - Karl Malden - Winner
Other Nominees:
Come Fill the Cup (1951) - Gig Young
Death of a Salesman (1951) - Kevin McCarthy (I)
Quo Vadis (1951) - Leo Genn
Quo Vadis (1951) - Peter Ustinov

From IMDB:
Peter Ustinov would later say that director Mervyn LeRoy gave him the perfect insight as to how to play Nero. LeRoy told him, "I see Nero as a guy who plays with himself nights."

One immediate problem they encountered with the lions was that when they were released from their cages, they found the arena so hot, they'd immediately retreat back into their cages. Director Mervyn LeRoy overcame this problem by having several costumes filled with meat.

November 21, 2009

A little crowded, pre-Thanksgiving.



Parsnips.



The Union Square Holiday Market opens
Wednesday November 25th.



Osborne Fest tonight. On Channel 13, NYC PBS,
Look Back in Anger at 9:00 p.m.



And, Tom Jones at 8:00 p.m. on Turner Classic Movies.

November 15, 2009

I've read a lot by Mr. Sapolsky. The Big Picture financial
blog posted this on their Weekend slot. Fascinating stuff.
Mr. Sapolsky doesn't start until 5:19.

The following are in my library:
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
The Trouble with Testosterone: And Other Essays on the Biology of the Human Predicament
A Primate's Memoir
Monkeyluv : And Other Essays on Our Lives as Animals

November 14, 2009

Cold dreary day, not too crowded.



Decorative peppers.



Rainbow Carrots. I will be making Beef Stew.
My old recipe:
1 1/2 pounds Top Round Sirloin
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon Black pepper
1 Tablespoon Goya Adobe
2 Tablespoons Virgin Olive Oil
3 carrots
5 Potatoes
4 Mushrooms
1 Sweet potato
1 Green Pepper
2 Red Peppers
1 cup Peas
7 cloves garlic
1 Shallot
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
1 teaspoon Oregeno
2 teaspoons Lime Juice
1 packet Turbinado Brown Sugar
1 28 oz Marinara Sauce
1 8 oz Tomato Sauce
1 16 oz Diced Tomatoes
3 Tomatoes


Cut Beef into small cubes. Put cubes in Gallon Storage bag with flour, pepper and Adobe. Mix well to cover cubes completely
Add cubes to hot oil and saute for six to seven minutes.
In a large pot add the chopped garlic, onion , shallot, mushrooms and peppers until soft. Add carrots, potatoes (cubed), tomatoes, Sauce, peas, broth, wine, Oregano; Add cooked Beef cubes, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover , cook until all is tender, about two hours.




After Bowery Boys, back to Gangs of New York.



And, the more recent and accurate Five Points.



I finished Gladwell's What the Dog Saw and his web
site has one of the best of the essays: Dangerous Minds.
This week's NYT Book Review has a review by Steven
Pinker and it is not kind. I like them both and Mr. Pinker's
and Mr. Gladwell's books are in my library.



Southern Tier Brewing Company's Crème Brûlée Stout
to accompany the Beef Stew. It is strong, it is sweet
and it is good.

November 11, 2009

Happy Veteran's Day ! My Father fought in WWII.

Now interred at Calverton Cemetery.

My continual quest to read about the greatest

impact on the modern age: Quantum Theory.

This is a well-written, fascinating Biography.

November 7, 2009

Way to go Yankees !



Both my boys went to the parade and took some
pictures. The MVP Hideki Matsui and others.



The trophy and that's Manager Joe Girardi
holding one of his children.



A-Rod. A recent answer in the NYT crossword:
31d 11/06/09 - Baseball nickname that's a
portmanteau.



This was in the camera along with lots of
poses with gals in Yankee hats.



Cold sunny morning. Not too crowded.



Radishes in the sun.



Sun on purple Kale.

November 3, 2009

Election Day. I voted. I always do.



Post-vote lunch at London Lennie's Crab Fest.



Sam Adams on tap. I like the glasses. Will make a
good Christmas gift.



Library trip resulted in three books to read.
This one just came out. Fortune Magazine examined
Ten Maxims.



I lived near the festival during the Summer and attended
the festival. The author's hand-drawn map in the front
is wrong and puts White Lake on the wrong side of 17B.
I E-mailed the author and he said it was a publisher error
and that I was the first to notice.



There used to be a Bear wrestling place on
First Avenue and 10th Street: McLaughlin's
Bear Pit. This author and others I have read take apart
Asbury's Gangs of New York.



Beat the Devil is now on Free Movies on Demand.
Co-written by Truman Capote.

O'Hara: I give you my word, I feel to you like an older brother. Oh, it's not so much a difference of age. It's probably, yes, the reason is, because I come from a culture which is so much older than yours. In my country, a child of 6 years old is older in his heart than you'll be at, at 60.

Billy Dannreuther: It smokes, it drinks, it philosophizes... at this rate I'll be 60 before you get to the point.