November 27, 2006 at 4:57 pm (Books, Brooklyn, Mexico)
Well, the time is getting close, and Barbara and I are excited. I‘ve taken your request for books to heart and you’ll get a bunch. You’ll have all of the ones I’ve been saving from my stash of recent readings, plus some of those you requested. I’m trying to complete my reading of a Karen Armstrong’s “Short History of Islam” and a history of “Greenwich Village from 1910 to 1960,” which is Hugh (600 pages) and interesting – John Reed, Mable Dodge, Gene O’Neill, the Provincetown Players, et al. I also went to the Strand twice and rummaged through their $1.00 book stacks, and got you a dozen more, a mixed bag of biographies, histories, etc. Susan on her recent Thanksgiving visit to New York contributed three of her cold war escapist trash, which she had read when she visited last, and I traded your paperback “D’Vinci Code” and “Angles and Demons” for three books from my building’s laundry room. There is also going to be an office used book sale to help defray the costs of the Christmas party with books running about $1.00, so I’ll see what I can pick up there. Thank goodness Barbara will be with me to help lug the stuff. Well have four suitcases, two of which will have your stuff on the way in, and all the loot we buy in Tonola on the way out.
We’re planning a day at Cosco for the coffee, cheese, ginger jam, lemon curd, and other sundries. So if you think of anything else, let me know. The early arrival is starting to worry Barbara, but I’m not concerned. She wanted to stay at the airport until the next day, but I don’t know that that’s feasible even. I just hope they have a regular taxi stand at the airport; it should be ok from there. The map I think is pretty easy to read. We should however have a backup plan in case I can’t find your house. Perhaps meet at a specific hotel lobby the next day if we don’t arrive as scheduled in the early morning hours on 12/23/06. I need to try that phone number of yours, which I will do this week. If anything comes up on the day of travel, I’ll email immediately, so keep checking it. Read the rest of this entry »
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November 19, 2006 at 4:54 pm (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Restaurants)
Great Weekend:
Had to do my workout T, W, Th and skip a day because we had Erica’s play on Friday: Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge.” Having just been to Red Hook the weekend before for my and Peter’s birthday dinner with a visit to the pier looking at the Statute of Liberty, Governor’s Island, Buttermilk Channel and the harbor, it was interesting to revisit the place theatrically.
I didn’t know it was all Sicilian in the 50s. Thought it would be much more Irish, but if you think about the Scottos and that longshoreman’s union you realize. I went with Maguy and Elizabeth; Audrey met us later for a drink, having seen it on Thursday and planning to take her father to Saturday’s matinee. Well, needless to say the kid was great, Brooklyn accent and all. So mature, but you know all of the kids were great, particularly the lead, an Italian kid from Staten Island.
Interesting observation: In the context of the stage, where their tiny, young bodies all dressed up in adult 40s and 50s clothes, where each could only be compared to the other, they looked like a cross section. Some imposing figures, strong, muscular, adult-like, others mature women and the smaller one’s kids. That disappeared however when they came out after the play in their street clothes. Short and childlike. What a transformation; couldn’t believe it. You would have loved it, with the whole political dimension: Kazan/Miller dilemma presented from Miller’s perspective, McCarthy, the rat, response to “On the Waterfront.” Just three words to describe it “Fab U Lous.” Read the rest of this entry »
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November 10, 2006 at 4:53 pm (Movies, Politics)
Hope all is well. I haven’t heard from you and am getting worried. I would try to call you, but Steven says the number you had in your email connects him to a woman in Germany who’s getting annoyed because of his calls. Let me know your number and I’ll try.
Election news, as by now I’m sure you have seen, is great with the exception of Lieberman. I spent some of Election Day calling from home into Virginia and Florida 13, the old Katherine Harris seat which had some shenanigans as you can see from today’s Times. I used the Moveon.org program which feeds you number and a script over your computer, detailing what to say if a person, or machine answers. Highly automated, but the Republicans have it too.
Skipped the Gym last night and saw The Queen at the Angelica. Great movie, makes Blaire and the Queen look good, so it was a little Hollywood, but well made nonetheless. I will be seeing Audrey et all for the weekend for mine and Peter’s birthday. We plan to go to a place in Red Hook – that restaurant which location Audrey couldn’t remember. Thank goodness Peter will be along. Well, not much else to say, except that there is the Metropolitan PC show at the New Yorker hotel this weekend.
Write soon.
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November 6, 2006 at 4:49 pm (Postcards, The Shore)
Had a very nice weekend at Dann’s. Steven and Natalie were down, and we went out to Clancy’s for beer and a burger on Friday. Audrey and Erica were invited, but couldn’t make it because Erica is in rehearsal for a new play, which will open later in the month. Natalie was quite nice. I never had really talked too much to her before, but I did this time and really enjoyed it. Very stimulating and intellectual.
Saturday was the Belmar postcard show, and yes, I bought more. I better retire just to sell the crap, or my sister will hate me when I die. John was at the show, apparently teamed up with another dealer (female) with whom he’s involved. They have a small but growing inventory of cards for sale. I think I told you that John and his wife split up, and he was forced to auction all of his stock and gotten a pittance of its value for it. The fat guy Gary has died. He collected diners, and the wife of the other John, who runs the Belmar show and from whom I buy alot, is loosing her vision – ocular degeneration.
Maguy was in OG as well, but because she and Natalie don’t get along, she didn’t come over to Dann’s. When Steven told me that they didn’t get along, I subtly (if you can believe that) mentioned in a reply email informing me she would be in town that Steven and Natalie would be down that weekend too. She then emailed me that she wouldn’t come over to Dann’s (which relieved Steve to no end). Anyway, I planned to meet her for Sunday brunch. We met at Patty Kay’s (the old Randall’s – I don’t know if you were around for Patty Kay’s arrival) for brunch on Sunday after the flee market, where I bought more postcards and a coffee table book on Leaves for $5.00. It was a little awkward because Steven and Natalie were already at Patty Kay’s (unknown to me) when I arrived five minutes before Maguy was scheduled to show up. When I said Maguy was on her way Steven became all flustered and asked if Natalie wanted to leave. Although Natalie, and later Maguy said it would be all right to sit together, I took Maguy to a table at the other end of the restaurant since Steven had made such a point of telling me how they had had such a falling out when I first found at they would both be in town at the same time. It was fine, I think, but you know me and controversy. Even when I’m not being mischievous, it follows me. Read the rest of this entry »
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