London Terrace Street Fair – Saturday Sept. 28, 2013

Happy Mother’s Day!

Here’s to the Moms out there today!

Here’s my Grandmother, my Dad, and my Uncle:

And here’s my Grandmother, my Mother, and unidentified friends:

My GreatGrandmother, Grandmother, Mother and Sister:

My Sister with her two sons:

And, my Mother-In-Law, with her first son – Froggy!

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!

xoxo,

SAllan

NASA Meets The Big Apple – Space Shuttles – Facts, Falsehoods & Trivia

FACT: The Space Shuttle Enterprise is now in NYC.

She flew along The North River (aka The Hudson River) yesterday morning, which I witnessed with my very own eyes.

FACT: Pier 84 was crowded with excited spectators.

FACT: We eagerly stared down river, watching for first sight.

FALSEHOOD: Someone yelled “You’re all looking the wrong way!” and everyone turned and gazed to the North.

FACT: We had Twitter. We knew Enterprise was coming from the South, from the Statue of Liberty.

FACT: We were right! Here’s my first sighting! What did those birds think?

TRIVIA: One of my favorite books as a itty bitty girl was “Are You My Mother?” – where a baby bird thought all things were its mother.

FALSEHOOD: Maybe those birds thought Enterprise was their mother – nah!

FACT: Somehow mounted onto a giant 747 jumbo jet, the Enterprise got closer and closer – flying low and slow.

Overhead the two crafts were a truly awesome sight.

FACT: the amazing duo headed North

towards the George Washington Bridge, then finally out of sight.

FACT: Until they flew back south past us again, then on their way to JFK Airport.

“Welcome to New York, and thanks for the show.”

TRIVIA: Completed in 1976, Enterprise was designed as a prototype test vehicle. Test pilots demonstrated that it could fly and land in the atmosphere like airplanes, but the Enterprise never flew in space.

TRIVIA: The shuttle was originally to be named the Constitution, but a write-in campaign by fans of the television series “Star Trek” persuaded officials to rename it in honor of the show’s main starship.

TRIVIA: There have been 6 Shuttles:

1976 – Enterprise – now to be displayed in NYC at the Intrepid Museum.

1981 – Columbia – disintegrated during re-entry 2003; all 7 crew members died.

1983 – Challenger – disintegrated 73 seconds after launch 1986; all 7 crew members died.

1984 – Discovery – now to be displayed at the The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM)’s annex at Washington Dulles International Airport).

1985 – Atlantis – now to be displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex near Cape Canaveral, Florida.

1992 – Endeavour – now to be displayed at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

TRIVIA: NASA announced it would transfer space-worthy orbiters to education institutions or museums at the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program. Each museum or institution is responsible for covering theUS$28.8 million cost of preparing and transporting each vehicle for display. Twenty museums from across the country submitted proposals for receiving one of the retired orbiters.

TRIVIA: NASA retired the Space Shuttle in 2011, after 30 years of service.

What a thrill it’s been. I can’t wait until The Enterprise is floated by barge on the Hudson River and lifted by cranes onto the Intrepid.

From the Intrepid website:

“In June, Enterprise will then be craned onto the flight deck and our new Space Shuttle Pavilion will be built around her, with an expected public opening in mid July.”

Welcome to New York, and thanks for the show!!

xoxo,

SAllan

The Midnight Ramble

This past Thursday – April 19, 2012 – was a very sad day.

The day Mr. Levon Helm lost his battle with cancer.

The Los Angeles Times ran a very nice obituary on Friday…

“…his approach to music throughout his life was “The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show,” an ode to the kind of freewheeling gatherings in which the musician, who died of cancer Thursday at 71 in New York, thoroughly reveled.

When your arms are empty, got nowhere to go

Come on out and catch the show

There’ll be saints and sinners you’ll see losers and winners

All kinds of people you might want to know”

…while reading it I was taken back a few years – to May 2008, in fact.

To my experience at Levon’s Midnight Ramble.

From the Ramble’s website:

“A gracious host, Levon invites you to his home studio in Woodstock, N.Y… Inside “The Barn,” which is really a large recording studio attached to Levon’s home, you’ll see a stage, a cozy fireplace and plenty of seating. The ambiance of the place will give you a feeling that is personal and intimate, casual and friendly, and you know you are about to be part of something very special.”

Very special, indeed!

I went with my music pals, M&E, to Woodstock for a Ramble.

Here’s the outside of the “Barn”:

And here are my pals, next to the sign that is the very bane of my existence:

“No Cameras” – how I HATE those words!

I knew that was the rule of the Ramble, so I didn’t take with me my good camera. I took along a little point and shoot – in case it was confiscated, or in case I was told to leave it in the car. And even though I got inside with it, I didn’t dare try to take any pictures during the show.

We were seated so close to Levon, that M (who was seated on the aisle) might have stretched out and touched the drum kit, if he had wanted to!

The Ramble was AWESOME. Levon seemed to have the energy of a 30-year old man, and his nonstop grin lit up the room. The band was tight and incredible and everyone was having a blast – especially the players. Especially the audience.

Especially Froggy.

Froggy was excited about having his picture taken with a couple of the Helmland Security men.

I was kind of hoping to loosen them up so I could sneak a picture or two.

(Now, I totally get it. No one wants flashes during a show, or people standing to to take pictures. But does a discreet snap or two really hurt anyone?)

No, I didn’t take any pictures during that magical performance. But here are a couple I grabbed as the players were leaving the room.

Daughter Amy Helm waving from the drum kit:

And here, you can see a bit more of the barn, and of the upstairs loft:

I always meant to go see another Ramble. It didn’t really occur to me that time was so fleeting…

I am proud to have this Elliott Landy original photograph hanging on my wall:

Isn’t it remarkable and bitterly sad that those three charming, handsome, talented young men on the left are no longer rambling around on this Earth??

Thankfully their music will live on forever and forever.

I know some of us are in The Helm camp – some in The Robertson camp – when it comes to The Last Waltz and the bitter feud that followed… I am simply in The Band camp.

Happy, thankful to have photographs to gaze upon, movies to watch, music in my soul, memories to cherish… I close today with:

xoxo,

SAllan

My Little Dill-Weed’s Birthday Today!

Yes, once again the day has come – April 14th. This day in history: the Titanic struck the iceberg, and the day my sister’s youngest child was born.

Dyl is 21 years old today!

How did he ever go from this:

to this:

“Those awkward years have hurried by, why did they fly away?

Why is it Sir, children grow up to be people one day?

What takes the place of climbing trees, and dirty knees in the world outside?

What is there for you I can buy?

If you wanted the world I’d surround it with a wall.

I’d scrawl these words with letters ten feet tall: To Sir, With Love.”

Happy, HAPPY 21st Birthday, Dylan!!! Hugs, hugs, hugs and more hugs!

(Lyrics from “To Sir With Love” by Don Black and Mark London – one of my favorite movies of all time!)

xoxo,

SAllan

 

Froggy Goes To DC

Froggy wants to tell you about his trip to Washington DC.

He LOVED it there!!

He only spent a long weekend, and he jam-packed it with monuments, museums and mouth-watering good eats!

He felt great patriotic pride, and he was in awe of the history and splendor.

One of the first places he headed to was the International Spy Museum.

It was AWESOME.

He was duly impressed by the miniature weapons, cameras and other concealable spy devices – just the right size for a frog.

He ate at Ben’s Chili Bowl – YUM!

It was a little messy, but he managed to not drip a drop of chili on his clothes.

He tells me not to forget to mention The National Gallery of Art.

And – here’s a little quiz for you – who can guess where Froggy is in this picture??

Froggy had one heck of a time! In fact, he wants to go back real soon…

xoxo,

SAllan (and Froggy!)

Visiting The Brooklyn Navy Yard – And A Bit Of Hubby’s Family Lore.

A few weeks ago, Hubby and I visited The Brooklyn Navy Yard. It was decommissioned in 1966, and has been closed to the public since then. It has recently been turned into private business spaces and just a few months ago opened a museum on the grounds.

Wikipedia says:

“The Yard has become an area of private manufacturing and commercial activity. Today, more than 200 businesses operate at the Yard and employee approximately 5,000 people. Steiner Studios is one of the yard’s more prominent tenants with one of the largest production studios outside of Los Angeles. Many artists also lease space and have established an association called Brooklyn Navy Yard Arts. In November 2011, Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92, a museum dedicated to the yard’s history and future, opened its doors.”

Some history, as told on the museum’s website:

“Established in 1801 as one of the nation’s first five naval shipyards, over 165 years the Yard developed into the nation’s premiere naval industrial facility.”

Wikipedia tells us:

“At its peak, during World War II, the yard employed 70,000 people, 24 hours a day.”

Hubby has been eager to visit. His Father worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for 20 years – from after World War II to when it closed.

We took the subway to Brooklyn, and walked to The Yard. We passed what was known as Admiral’s Row (where the Admirals lived) – now a row of falling down, ramshackle, overgrown shells of buildings

and then entered the museum area – Building 92.

The museum is FREE (open Wednesday – Sunday: 12 pm – 6 pm) and they have a nice little cafe (we had the BEST tomato soup and grilled cheese paninis) and we also had made reservations to take the bus tour of the grounds – highly recommended!

Here’s a view of some of the grounds from the cafe balcony:

and here is a view of a drydock and the East River:

Here’s a drydock:

We learned on the tour how the ships came into the drydocks for repairs, and how – as ships became larger – the Navy Yard started to become unusable as the ships could no longer pass under the Brooklyn Bridge (!).

We had a GREAT time, and learned a lot! The 1-hour tour cost $18/per person – next time we want to take the 2-hour tour!!

If you want to go to The Brooklyn Navy Yard via subway, here are the directions from their website:

Take A or C train to High Street/Brooklyn Bridge:

Exit on Adams Street. Either transfer to the B69 to Cumberland Street and Flushing Avenue or  walk down Sands Street to Navy Street and make a right on Navy Street. Take Navy Street to Flushing Avenue and make a left. Continue on Flushing and you will arrive at Building 92 on your left hand side. Total walk is about 20 minutes.

A week or so after our visit to the Navy Yard, we visited Hubby’s Mom. She showed us about 60 photographs and other paperwork from the Navy Yard that Hubby’s Father had accumulated during his 20 years there.

Here’s a shot from 1952, of a ship being built:

And here is Hubby’s Father in 1955 (in the center) getting a check reward for outstanding attendance:

Hubby’s Father worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for 20 years. He almost never took any vacation time (hence the reward) – his plan was to accrue his vacation time and then retire – getting a year’s worth of vacation time in additional pay.

But there was a problem.

The Yard was decommissioned before he retired.  😦

Hubby is thinking of donating the batch of photos to the museum.

Maybe they’ll name a wing of the museum after Hubby’s Father!

Hubby’s Father deserves no less!! No vacation time in 20 years warrants a wing, in my mind!

We’ll let you know what happens…

xoxo,

SAllan

Quiz Time – Mad Men & Downton Abbey!

Are you simply gaga over Mad Men?

Are you totally addicted to Downton Abbey?

Don’t you just love the characters in both shows? They are so well-written, and so well-cast!

They are all so identifiable…

So…

Do you see yourself as Matthew?

Or Pete?

Are you Mary?

Or Peggy?

Maybe you’re more like Thomas?

Or perhaps Don.

Do you identify with Betty?

Or do you empathize with Daisy?

Take these two quizzes to find out for certain!

Which Mad Men character are you?

Which Downton Abbey character are you?

Let me know!

Turns out, I’m a mix of Anna

and Joan!

xoxo,

SAllan

Sweet And Low

Yesterday Hubby and I went on a tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which is another post for another day.

Our tour guide was David from Urban Oyster, and he really knows his stuff! We learned many interesting things, but here’s one story that really stayed with me.

It’s all about Sweet’n Low.

There was this fellow, named Benjamin Eisenstadt. (You can read his obituary from the April 10, 1966 New York Times here.) And our tour guide David told us Ben’s story, as such:

Ben owned a cafeteria that was located across the street from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The cafeteria did quite well until the Yard slowed production after World War II ended.

Always thinking, Ben began to puzzle over his messy sugar bowls. “Why” he thought, “doesn’t someone invent individual sugar packets?” So, he proceeded to do just that. He used tea bag filling machinery and converted it to sugar packet filling machinery.

Very pleased with his results, he went to the Bigwigs at Domino Sugar, and presented his idea. They told him they needed a couple of weeks to think it over, before buying into his idea.

When Ben met with them a couple of weeks later, the Bigwigs at Domino Sugar told him they did not need to buy his invention, because they had just produced their own sugar packing machine.

Ben hadn’t patented his idea, so Domino stole his idea and ran with it.

Ben was pissed! So, to retaliate against Domino, he invented the powdered saccharin sweetener which he named Sweet’n Low, named after a popular song. (That’s why there are musical references on the packaging.)

The New York Times doesn’t mention the rivalry between Benjamin Eisenstadt and Domino Sugar; neither does the Wikipedia entry.

So, maybe I’m telling you an Urban Legend.

But I don’t think so.

Ben’s distribution company, Cumberland Packing Corporation, is still located across the street from the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in the same building that used to be the cafeteria. I took this picture of the building’s sign.

The New York Times obituary says “With sales of about $100 million a year, the company, which employs 400 people, turns out 50 million Sweet ‘N Low packets a day in what used to be a cafeteria.”

SWEET!

The moral of this story?

Well, you decide.

xoxo,

SAllan

Where To Go Next Time You Have To Go? The American Folk Art Museum!

Around New York City, it’s always a good idea to know of free, clean, accessible public restrooms – you never know when you’ll have the need.

Here’s a website to help!

And I have an app on my phone that has the rather unfortunate name of “Sit Or Squat” – crude perhaps, but useful. It claims to be “The best way to find a toilet anywhere in the world; on the web, iPhone and BlackBerry!”

And, a basic knowledge of available locations by neighborhood – based on past experience – is eventually built into every New Yorker’s DNA…

The bookstores Barnes & Noble used to be my go-to free, clean, accessible public restrooms in New York City. They used to be in just about every neighborhood, plus they offered the added benefit of book browsing on the way to and from.

Sad to say, many of the B&N stores have disappeared.

Where’s that Brick & Mortar when you need it???

The other day, I was in the Lincoln Center neighborhood, and nature called. Lincoln Center? Last time I tried that, the restroom was closed. Barnes And Noble? It’s now a clothing store. What’s the best Sure Thing?

The I remembered – The American Folk Art Museum.

At Columbus Circle and 66th Street, it couldn’t have been more convenient. And, it has a few added benefits of its own!

I wandered in (for FREE) and first browsed their gift shop. Inconspicuous, naturally!

Actually, I adore these signs. If we had the free wall space, I’d purchase one or two. Alas, a photograph will have to do.

There’s a new exhibit at the museum; it’s called “Jubilation|Rumination: Life, Real and Imagined” – and once I exited the shop area and entered the exhibition space – I was immediately enchanted.

I actually wandered around admiring the art before I “borrowed” the restroom. And then, wandered some more.

I love this little museum! Plus, they kindly allow photographs (no flash please!).

Here’s some of what you can see when you visit – this exhibit is on display through September 2, 2012.

These artists are no Grandma Moses or Howard Finster – from what I could gather they are basically unknown artists, unappreciated during their time.

I believe that the husband and wife team who made these bottle cap creations were saddened by the lack of interest in their “art”; they stored these away in a barn as bits of junk.

Other items which were more utilitarian were seen and used – such as this giant Indian windmill. As luck has it, there also exists  the photograph which shows the windmill in its original location, up on top of the general store.

Here is a folk artist’s interpretation of The Duke and Duchess Of Windsor:

I loved this snake charmer:

and of course, who wouldn’t adore this lovely lady with her little orange kitty!

I love this museum! They also have some pretty great events there – FREE or low-cost.

Check out their “Guitar Wednesdays”

“Enjoy free live music performed by jazz guitarist Bill Wurtzel and guest musicians each Wednesday from 2 to 3 pm.”

Their “Make It Thursdays”

“Come to the museum each Thursday for hands-on workshops and discussions with leaders in the DIY community. Enjoy a glass of wine, meet fellow craft enthusiasts, and spend a creative evening with us!”

This sounds GREAT! I’d love to make a habit of this crafts class, if I can make it at 6:00…

6 to 7:30 pm
Free for museum members
$10 for non-members
Includes refreshments

(Check out the museum’s website for information on reserving space by purchasing tickets online.)

And their “Free Music Fridays”

“Enjoy live music each Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Admission is always free.”

Please check out this little gem of a museum. You’ll be so glad that you did.

Plus, they have a very clean, accessible restroom!

Tuesday–Saturday noon–7:30 pm

Sunday noon–6:00 pm

Monday closed

xoxo,

SAllan

A Photographer’s Rights

Here’s a sign that I really HATE to see:

“No Smoking.”

I get that.

Cancer, second-hand smoke, etc. Okay – I get that.

“No Photography.”

Not so much…

“No Flash During Performance” – yes, I get that. “No Disruptions During Performance” – check.

But, this sign makes it look that that’s a “Bad Camera“. Sigh.

Here’s another sign that I despise:

“No Photos Of Photos.”

What the heck?!

Post this sign – and then you just try to stop me!

I’ll take the photo – if you ask me I’ll answer:

“I’m taking a picture of your stupid sign – not your precious photos.”

Oh, I’m on a roll.

The other day I was walking past a fabric store, and I had to stop and gaze admiringly at this bolt of fabric which was in the window:

I mean, it’s so GREAT on so many levels!

It’s dangerously cheesy.

How would you utilize this fabric? Would you make curtains? Sheets? A table cloth? A shirt?

I HAD to take a photo of this great fabric!

I pulled out my trusty camera and snapped a quick shot. Then, through the window I saw the shop owner coming towards me through the door.

As he opened the door and came towards me telling me “No Photos!” I turned my back and kept on walking.

One day I’ll get into an altercation, if I don’t watch myself.

I used to be sweet.

Not so much, anymore.

Here’s an interesting, informative article about Photographers’ Rights. From USA Today, in part it reads:

“Last week I received a note from a reader:

“Today I was stopped by a security guard with the North County Transit District in Solana Beach, California, and prevented from taking photos of a great new train station they have,” he wrote. “The guard said they don’t allow it since 9/11.”

Note to security guard: Just because you or your boss “don’t allow” something doesn’t mean it’s not legal. I can post a sign on my lawn, “Hopping on one foot in front of this house is prohibited,” but I’ll have a tough time enforcing it.

The law in the United States of America is pretty simple. You are allowed to photograph anything with the following exceptions:

• Certain military installations or operations.

• People who have a reasonable expectation of privacy. That is, people who are some place that’s not easily visible to the general public, e.g., if you shoot through someone’s window with a telephoto lens.

That’s it.

There are a few more restrictions on publishing photos or video, though.

You can’t show private facts — things a reasonable person wouldn’t want made public — unless those facts were revealed publicly. So no long-lens shots of your neighbors’ odd habits.

You also can’t show someone in a negative false light by, for example, using Photoshop tricks or a nasty, untrue caption.

And you can’t put someone else’s likeness to commercial use without their permission. This is usually mentioned in terms of celebrities, but it applies to making money from anyone’s likeness.”

SO THERE, YOU STORE OWNER!

What is in your window is apt to be photographed when an admiring photographer is outside on the sidewalk.

And that’s legal.

If you don’t want your fabulous fabric to be photographed, then don’t display it in your window.

Photographers – go to this site and read about your rights here in the United States. The author suggests that you download the PDF – print it out and keep it with you. The author is an attorney; here is the “about him” from his site:

“Bert Krages is an attorney who concentrates on intellectual property and environmental law. He is recognized nationally as an advocate of the right to take photographs in public places, having appeared in media such as National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Popular Photography, Shutterbug, and Wired.”

The beginning of the article says: “The general rule in the United States is that anyone may take photographs of whatever they want when they are in a public place… Examples of places that are traditionally considered public are streets, sidewalks, and public parks.”

Okay. I feel better now.

: )

xoxo,

SAllan

My Parents – I Think I’ll Keep Them!

Do you remember the Geritol commercials from the 70’s where the husband concludes:

“My wife – I think I’ll keep her!”

If you can find it on YouTube, please share the link. I have searched for it, to no avail.

I DID find this one, which is pretty great (get through the first 30 seconds for the Geritol commercial):

Anyway, I have recently been scanning in some old family photos, an I MUST share these two.

My Mom and Dad – back in 1967:

 

My parents – I think I’ll keep them!

xoxo,

SAllan

Imagine

Just the other day I was walking on West 57th Street near Carnegie Hall and I passed Steinway Hall.

Or, I should say that I passed Steinway Hall – did a quick double take – then backtracked to stare into their window.

For those of you desiring a bit of history, info and trivia:

Steinway & Sons is a premier piano manufacturing company; their handmade pianos are regarded by many to be the finest in the world.

Papa Steinway (Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg) started making pianos in his German kitchen in 1836. He and his family emigrated to the United States 1n 1850.

According to Wikipedia:

“In 1853, H.E. Steinweg founded Steinway & Sons. His first workshop was in a small loft at the back of 85 Varick Street in the Manhattan district of New York City. The first piano produced by Steinway & Sons was given the number 483 because H.E. Steinweg had built 482 pianos in Germany. Number 483 was sold to a New York family for $500, and is now displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.”

Cool, very cool! I want to go see that first American Steinway piano #483 at The Met!!

More from our friends at Wikipedia:

“Steinway Hall  is the name given to buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway pianos. In 1864 William Steinway (the son of H. E. Steinway, who is credited with establishing Steinway’s remarkable success in marketing) built a set of elegant new showrooms housing more than 100 pianos on East 14th Street in Manhattan, New York City. In 1866, William Steinway oversaw the construction of the first Steinway Hall to the rear of the showrooms.

The Steinway Hall seated more than 2,000 and quickly became an important part of New York City’s cultural life, housing the New York Philharmonic for the next 25 years until Carnegie Hall opened in 1891.

Concertgoers had to pass through the piano showrooms; this had a remarkable effect on sales, increasing demand for new pianos by four hundred in 1867 alone.”

Brilliant marketing!!

From the plaque on the 57th Street building, in part:

“Steinway Hall was constructed in 1924-25… After Carnegie Hall opened in 1891, West 57th Street gradually became one of the nation’s leading cultural music centers. Steinway & Sons followed this trend, relocating to this area from East 14th Street… Steinway & Sons continues to be the city’s only remaining piano maker.”

It’s interesting to me that neither the entry in Wikipedia or the historic information on the Steinway & Sons website mention the move to West 57th Street. I wonder why??

Well, a bit of interesting Steinway/WWII trivia, again from our friends at Wikipedia:

“During World War II the Steinway factory in New York City received orders from the Allied Armies to build wooden gliders to convey troops behind enemy lines. Few normal pianos could be made, but some 3,000 special models were built by Steinway, the Victory Vertical or G.I. Piano. It was a small piano, able to be lifted by four men, painted olive drab, gray or blue, designed to be carried aboard ships or dropped by parachute from an airplane, in order to bring music to the soldiers.”

Amazing, to think of pianos being parachuted out of planes, during the war!

Anyway, back to what draw my attention in the showroom window:

The John Lennon “Imagine” Series Limited Edition piano.

The sign in the window reads:

“To commemorate the 70th birthday of a true creative genius – legendary musician and songwriter John Lennon – Steinway & Sons proudly introduced the “Imagine” Series Limited Edition piano. Modeled after the white Steinway that John presented to Yoko Ono on her birthday in 1971, this piano incorporates John’s drawings, signature, music and lyrics. Each piano bears a medallion indicating its uniqueness. “Imagine” was composed on a Steinway piano, and today the connection lives on through a piano that is a tribute to the man, the music and the message.”

“Excellent!” I thought. But then I thought, “John Lennon was born in 1940. He was 40 years old when he was murdered in 1980.”

I guess this sign and this piano have been here in the Steinway widow for a couple of years.

Brilliant marketing!!

Well, it made me stop and look! And who knows? If I had oodles of money (and space), maybe I’d be tempted to buy one of these Limited Edition pianos.

BUT, on the Steinway & Sons website pertaining to this series, the page is blank.

Have they have sold out of the series? Either way, they seriously need to update their website.

Anyway – before this post’s grand finale – here is one more bit of trivia about John’s white Steinway piano, again from Wikipedia:

“The world’s most expensive upright piano was built by Steinway’s factory in Hamburg, Germany, in 1970. The piano was bought by John Lennon for $1,500; Lennon composed and recorded “Imagine” and other tunes on it. In 2000, it was sold at auction by a private British collector. Pop musician George Michael made the winning bid of £1.67 million.”

I don’t know what that was in 2000 conversion rates, but in today’s market, 1.67 million pounds (GBP) converts to about 2.60 million dollars (USD)!

Ponder that while you listen to this:

“Imagine” – By John Lennon, 1971

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say 
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say 
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

xoxo,

SAllan

 

 

A Sad Day For Photographers (And Advertising Lovers) – Kodak Files Chapter 11

Kodak was founded by George Eastman in 1880. The company made photography a household word.

From cameras, to film, chemicals, paper – and up to the digital age – Who could ever have guessed that Kodak could fail?

According to Wikipedia, : “As late as 1976, Kodak commanded 90% of film sales and 85% of camera sales in the U.S.

Kodak failed to anticipate how fast digital cameras would become commodities, with low profit margins, as more companies entered the market in the mid-2000s. Also, an ever-smaller percentage of digital pictures were being taken on digital cameras, being gradually displaced in the late 2000s by cellphones and tablets’ cameras.”

According to Kodak’s website:

“On January 19, 2012, Eastman Kodak Company and its U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 business reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The business reorganization will enable Kodak to bolster liquidity in the U.S. and abroad, monetize non-strategic intellectual property, fairly resolve legacy liabilities, and enable the Company to focus on its most valuable business lines.

Kodak and its U.S. subsidiaries intend to continue normal business operations during the reorganization…Kodak aims to build company that will be successful in the marketplace – and a positive force in the communities we call home.”

I grew up with Kodak, and I always loved the Kodak advertising.

Vintage Kodak ads had a warm feel – family, friends, fun! And of course, travel.

Here are some Kodak ads throughout the century. 100 years of Kodak!

No date, but obviously a very early ad:

From 1917:

1922 (from Canada):

1926:

1937:

During WWII in the 1940’s:

After the war, in 1949:

1950:

1962:

1965:

And in the 70’s, with spokesmen like Michael Landon:

and Dick Van Dyke:

Up to current times, with Rihanna in 2010:

Good luck, Kodak!

Wikipedia says: “From the $90 range in 1997, Kodak shares closed at 76 cents on January 3, 2012.”

It’s an uphill climb!!!

xoxo,

SAllan

How To Stay Warm On A Cold Winter’s Day

When we woke up this morning, it was 17 degrees outside, and very little heat was coming up in our apartment.

Two blankies and one cat on the bed were not enough to keep us warm.

Now, I’m typing by a drafty window – what’s a girl to do?

Here are 3 things I’ve done to keep warm on a cold winter’s day.

They harken back to Christmas…

My dear and wonderful and talented Eva

knitted this scarf and surprised me with it at Christmas

It’s now wrapped soft and warm and cozy around my neck.

Thank you, Eva!

And, a few years ago for Christmas, someone gave me this delicious can of MarieBelle Aztec Hot Chocolate mix.

I just whipped up a cup – oh my! so very good.

1/4 cup chocolate mix with 3/4 cup hot milk and a tiny dash of cayenne pepper – Yum! Aztec hot chocolate.

From their website:

“MarieBelle Aztec Hot Chocolate is made with rich, 65% South American single-origin cacao. This smoky, perfectly smooth hot chocolate is remarkably easy to prepare. Mix with boiling water to create a full-flavored cup of European-style hot chocolate or with milk for more traditional American-style hot chocolate. Refrigerate the European version to transform into a dark Creme de Chocolat, perfect alone or in pies.”

Yesterday on “CBS Sunday Morning” they did a story on hot chocolate, and I’ve been craving a cup ever since. How happy was I to discover this beautiful tin in our cupboard – and the chocolate mix was still just as fresh and tasty as the day it was gifted to me.

Thank you, my friend!

Thirdly, I thought of these special Christmas gifts – Christmas Mem’ries – which made me think of Rosemary Clooney’s incredible rendition of this moving song. So, I listened to her sing this touching song, with her unmatchable, emotional was of delivering the lyrics.

A warm glow has enveloped me – inside from the hot chocolate, outside from this soft scarf handmade by a loved one just for me, and all around from the joy that music gives.

Stay warm, my friends. Enjoy the little things that mean SO much, and be thankful for them.

xoxo,

SAllan

Vintage Greenhouse Photographs And Postcards

It’s cold outside this weekend! To warm me up, I started thinking about summertime.

Which made me think of flowers.

Which made me think of growing up in greenhouses.

My Dad was a horticulturist – here were some of his greenhouses:

My sister and I grew up playing – then working – in the greenhouses.

I guess now greenhouses and flowers are in my blood.

And photography is under my skin.

Combining a couple of my loves, I’ve begun collecting a few vintage photographs of people in greenhouses. I’d like to share a few of them with you, if you’ll indulge me…

Here’s one from 1870:

And here’s one from 1898:

 I don’t know the date of this one, but I like the gentleman with the pipe:

And these children, with their “Christmas Wishes”:

I also have a few vintage greenhouse postcards, such as this one from Grant Park in Atlanta:

And this one from Central Park in New York City:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this trip into Greenhouses Past.

The vintage photos and cards warm my very heart and soul. If not my fingers!  🙂

xoxo,

SAllan

Spare Change?

I posted not too long ago about my spare change.

The value of a penny.

Well, according to this news article, travelers passing through United States airports have A LOT of spare change.

It’s reported that in 2011, $409,085.56 was collected by the TSA – money that travelers drop into the bins at airport security, and then dash to their planes without recollecting their money.

Here are the amounts that were collected at the nation’s “top spots”:

New York’s JFK Airport: $46,918.06

Los Angeles International Airport: $19,110.83

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport: $16,523.83

San Francisco International Airport: $15,908.02

Miami International Airport: $15,844.83

Washington’s Dulles International Airport: $13,945.18

Wow!

I stop for a penny!

I’d be curious to know how much is left behind by International travelers who just don’t want to bother exchanging currency.

Currently, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) pockets the money that is left behind at the security checkpoints.

I’ll bet that’s about to CHANGE!

xoxo,

SAllan

 

1960’s Advertising – See It All In The March Issue Of Newsweek

I read in Ad Age that the upcoming March issue of Newsweek is going to be 1960’s-themed throughout – the cover, the content, even the ads!

Form the article:

“Newsweek is planning an issue marking the return of “Mad Men” this March by adopting the magazine’s 1960s design throughout — all the way, it hopes, to the ads.

The “Mad Men”-themed issue, which will be dated March 19, will include a cover story on the series and a feature on the role of advertising in U.S. culture.”

As someone who works in advertising (and Hubby as well), I can’t wait to see this issue. It will be very interesting to see if advertisers (and the agencies producing the ads) come up with true 60’s style ads – and if they will be a one-off, or if they will run in other publications as well.

Of course, a major advertiser in the 1960’s – the cigarette industry – will be missing from this retro issue of Newsweek.

But, who will be in?

“We’ve challenged agencies and clients to do ’60s-inspired creative, but for modern messages and products,” said Rob Gregory, president at Newsweek Daily Beast.”

I love ads from the past. They are always much more interesting to me than ads of today. There is a wonderful series of books called “All American Ads” by Jim Heimann – there is a different book in the series for each decade.

Because of my family research (which harks back to the 20’s) and my general fascination of the 1920’s, I have the book “All American Ads Of The 1920’s”.

Its Amazon review says in part:

“It’s gripping to watch sex and status try to outdo each other in selling 1920s cars: the snooty Pierce Arrow associates itself with wealthy Century Club types, while the Ford Fordor stresses the populist $660 price and the flapper struggling to keep the wind from whipping her perilously brief hem over her head.”

I also have the 1960’s issue.

I mean – can I just live in that room?? I LOVE everything about it – well, maybe not the small TV – give me that room with my current TV and I’ll be a happy camper!

I love these books of the advertising world of the past, and I hope that the March issue of Newsweek captures some of this 60’s charm without crossing into cheesiness.

Another quote from the Ad Age article:

“The design team is examining back issues for guidance. “From ’64 to ’69, Newsweek had this super-slick, dead-simple modern look to it,” said Dirk Barnett, creative director at Newsweek Daily Beast. “The ads were in color. For the most part, everything else was in black and white with thin, red lines.”

And, after Newsweek whets our 1960’s whistle, the ultra-popular TV show “Mad Men” finally returns – season 5 premiers on March 25.

I hear it’s the first episode directed by Jon Hamm.

Welcome to 1966!

xoxo,

SAllan

 

 

The 1940 Census Release – 80 Days And Counting!

Are you into family history? Old family photos? Are you a real “Nancy Drew” sleuth when it comes to solving the mysteries that are hidden in your family closets?

Then you and I are both counting the days to the release of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

It is being made public on April 2, 2012.

The United States conducts a nation wide census every 10 years. Most of us just filled out the recent 2010 census – er, two years ago (how time flies!)

The very first U.S. Census was taken after the Revolutionary War in 1790, and it has been taken every 10 years since then. The results of the Census are used to determine such things as Congressional seats and electoral votes.

Genealogists LOVE accessing the census records to track down information on ancestors. Because of privacy laws, the census records are made public after 72 years.

So, for instance – that 2010 Census that you remember filling out? Its results will be made public on April 1, 2082.

This April, the 1940 Census is being made public. Of course, it will take some time for the records to be digitized and made available for public scrutiny at your local library, The National Archives, and such websites such as Ancestry.com.

What was going on in 1940?

My Dad was 9 years old, living in Miami and in Band – here he is, front row, 2nd from the right:

And my Mom started kindergarden in Chicago – she was 5 years old. Here she is, front row, 3rd from right:

Isn’t it strange, how the  mysteries of life would bring them together – and 19 years from then – welcome me into the world?

I can not WAIT to access the 1940 Census! Who knows what mysteries may be solved, what clues will be revealed?

Will you be sleuthing through the records, too?

xoxo,

SAllan

P.S. – readers, please see the additional and CORRECT information about the availability of the 1940 Census from the National Archives – posted in the comments section. I’m happy to be told that if you know your ancestors’ locations, you can find them in the census results as soon as they are released – only the name index will take a while to be digitized by Ancerstry.com, etc…

Fabulous And Easy Buffalo Chicken Wings

A dear, sweet, wonderful friend gave me a box of hot sauce recently – 4 big bottles – heavy on the garlic and heavy on the heat.

This is a good friend who knows me well!

“Garlic-o-holic”!! screams the label on the box.

I told her that I would share the hot sauce recipes that I came upon – so here we go with Hot Sauce Recipe # 1:

Fabulous And Easy Buffalo Chicken Wings.

I started with Alton Brown’s recipe, found here on the Food Network website.

But of course I played with his recipe a little bit.

I really like the way he steams the wings before baking them. This gets a good bit of fat out of the skin. But I wanted to try to infuse some more flavor in this step of the process, so I added cayenne pepper, a bay leaf, and some crushed ground pepper to the water before steaming.

I steamed the wings for 15 minutes. Then I laid them out on a paper towel plate and refrigerated them for about 20 minutes.

(Alton says 1 hour – but I was getting hungry.)

Then I placed them on a sheet in the toaster oven and I broiled them for 15 minutes each side.

In the mean time, I grated 4 cloves of garlic with my handy-dandy grating plate

which I bought at the San Gennaro Festival (I posted a blog about it here – I love this little plate! If you’re interested, go here to their website to learn more.)

In a small saucepan, I combined the garlic mush, 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 cup of garlic-habanero hot sauce. I let this bubble away while the chicken cooked, until the sauce got slightly thick and totally scrumptious.

I sliced up some celery, and made a little bit of blue cheese dip (crumbled up some blue cheese into some non-fat Greek yogurt along with some chopped garlic) – and I had restaurant-quality Buffalo Chicken Wings in about 1/2 hour – for the price of $3.00 worth of wings – everything else I had in the fridge.

YUM!

Here’s my recipe:

6 wings, cut into pieces (wing tips saved for stock)

water in pot with steamer basket – add:

1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Steam the wings for 15 minutes, then plate on paper towels and refrigerate for up to 1 hour

Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, spread wings out on tray and broil for 15 minutes on one side, then 10 – 15 minutes on the other side. Watch so they do not burn.

While wings are cooking, combine in saucepan:

1 Tablespoon butter

1/2 cup hot sauce

several garlic cloves (to taste) minced or crushed

Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, longer to get thicker as desired.

For blue cheese dip:

Combine:

1/4 cup blue cheese

1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

several garlic cloves (to taste) minced.

When wings are finished broiling, toss them in a bowl with the wing sauce, and enjoy with celery sticks and the blue cheese dip.

Absolutely fabulous!!

Thanks, my dear friend. You know who you are!!

xoxo,

SAllan

Time For Reflections

At the beginning of a new year, it’s common to reflect back upon one’s past year.

What’s working nicely? What might best be changed?

As a photographer though, “reflections” take me to a whole other place…

There’s always an interesting reflection nearby, if I take the time to see it.

Car windows are fantastic “mirrors”.

As, of course, are water puddles.

Here are Hubby and I, looking rather “American Gothic”.

And another reflective view me (and do you see Hubby in the center? This one is a little freaky!):

In a furniture showroom:

Another puddle reflection:

A store-front window:

Snapped while browsing our local weekend street fair:

Winter trees:

Life is pretty good. I don’t think I’d change too much… maybe just one or two little things…

I can’t think of reflections, without thinking of one of my favorite songs from around 1970.

Reflections Of My Life, by The Marmalade.

What are you reflecting upon today?

xoxo,

SAllan

Coney Island “Boardwalk” Vs. Coney Island “Slabwalk”

Recently I posted this picture and yearned for this coming spring when I will be here again:

Alas! I just read on this website that the Parks Department wants to replace all but 4 blocks of this beautiful, historic boardwalk with concrete slabs.

This picture, from the website link above and from Silversalty (via flickr), shows some of the “boardwalk” that has already been replaced with concrete:

Please check out Amusing The Zillion for great carny posts.

But first, please go here to sign the petition – “send a message to New York’s Parks Department to tell them that the choice is not between saving the rainforest and saving the Boardwalk — the correct choice is to do both”!

“This 89-year-old icon has endured through two World Wars, a plethora of political administrations, and the ravages of nature’s wrath for nearly a century, but it may not survive the myopic stewardship of the very agency to whom its care is entrusted.

If the Parks Department has its way, the Boardwalk will be turned into a concrete sidewalk! Their explanation for this choice is the citywide dictate to limit the use of rainforest wood, but there are in fact many other options available.

Stop the use of rainforest wood, and replace it with one of the available sustainable domestic hardwoods such as Black Locust or White Oak for the surface decking (the part that we all see and on which we walk). The support structure underneath should be made from recycled plastic lumber, which the U.S. Army has used to build bridges that support tanks and locomotives. This design would be both cost-effective and desirable, and, most importantly, would preserve the basic elements of what makes the wondrous Coney Island Boardwalk a boardwalk.”

Please sign the petition!

Thank you.

xoxo,

SAllan

Today Elvis would have been 77 – A Remembrance By Froggy

Elvis was born on this day – 77 years ago – in 1935.

Happy birthday, Elvis!

Froggy, here. I took over today’s blog, because I LOVE Elvis!

I had the great pleasure of visiting Graceland. I’ll show you some photographic proof, I will!

Here’s The King’s living room.

and here I am in his living room!

Elvis had this wonderful playroom – just imagine! THREE TVs!!

I could have stayed here all day…

Elvis’s room with walls and walls of gold records was mesmerizing!

After this swell visit to Graceland, I also went to Sun Studio, where Elvis made his great first recordings.

I even got to pose in front of a couple of his guitars!

To celebrate Elvis Presley’s birthday today, my friend Steve Forbert is offering a FREE download of his band performing live a ROCKING version of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ – just by going here.

It’s FREE and it’s GREAT and it’s a WONDERFUL tribute to Elvis by my friend Steve Forbert.

“This is the rockabilly version of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ that Elvis never recorded,” says Steve.

Yay for Elvis , Yay for Steve!

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programing.

I’m going to go listen to ‘Heartbreak Hotel’!

xoxo,

Froggy

Rest In Peace, Tommy Ardolino

This sad news was announced last night.

From the NRBQ headquarters:

Friends,
We regret to inform you that Tom Ardolino passed away today. Tom will
be missed but his spirit lives on through those who were touched by him.

Jan. 12th 1955-Jan. 6th 2012

So sad and unexpected.

NRBQ was the reason Hubby and I met, 15 years ago.

Rest in peace, Tommy.

xoxo,

SAllan

 

Ruby’s Is Back, Baby!

I wrote back in the fall about Ruby’s Bar and Grill at Coney Island being closed down and bulldozed to make room for newer, cleaner, “better”.

I am so happy to report officially that I have been proven WRONG!

The owners at Ruby’s have been in lengthy negotiations with the company who is “revitalizing” the Coney Island boardwalk.

As have the owners of Paul’s Daughter – another Mom & Pop landmark that seemed destined to go under.

Background from this WNYC news story:

“The Bloomberg administration gave Central Amusement International a 10-year contract to oversee the boardwalk and operate the Luna Park amusement area. At first, the company had said it wanted to bring in new eateries and businesses to spruce up the boardwalk and be open year round. 

But CAI changed its tune after plans for an upscale restaurant with a Miami-based company fell through. Now, the amusement company has signed eight year leases with Ruby’s and Paul’s Daughter, two mom and pop businesses that have been operating for decades.

The two restaurants have agreed to invest thousands of dollars to update their facades and renovate their interiors as part of the deal.”

I had read that this Miami-based company had opened an ice cream stand last year on Coney Island, and when they weren’t as successful as they expected, they pulled out of the deal. I guess the lousy economy has a small golden lining…

I’m so happy for Ruby’s and for Paul’s Daughter!

But, they won’t exactly be the “dive bar” and “dive clam shack” that we’ve been accustomed to.

Here is a rendering of the plans for the “new” Coney Island boardwalk – courtesy of WNYC and CAI:

It looks like a strip mall.  😦

Well, I’ll wait and see.

Ruby’s website says “Its Official! We have signed a new 8 year lease. We look forward to seeing our loyal friends and customers for many years.”

I’m willing to  stay positive.

At least, with the money invested for interior renovations, it’s likely that Ruby’s restroom will be repaired!

I’m looking forward to visiting Ruby’s in the spring. Long live the king!

And oh, how I long for this sight, and the smell of the ocean air!

xoxo,

SAllan

Eagerly Awaiting Season 2 Of “Downton Abbey” – Or, Hubby Is So Annoying!

Here in America, the eagerly-awaited season 2 of the PBS show “Downton Abbey” premiers this Sunday, January 8, 2012.

Hubby had thoroughly enjoyed season 1, watching it as it aired and raving to me constantly about it.

“Why don’t you blog about it?” he asked me on numerous occasions.

“Why would I blog about a TV show that I’ve never watched, and know nothing about?” I would respond.

Hubby know that I love the time period that the show recreates.

I have been obtaining and scanning family photos from the 19-teens and 1920s and LOVING them. Ah, the costumes…

Here’s my Grandmother TG, a warmly snug young girl in about 1915:

And, here’s my other Grandmother with her sister – two lovely flappers – sometime in the 1920s:

Hubby knows that I love this era. He knew that I would love the TV show.

Still, somehow I resisted him.

My friend Doug was also raving about “Downton Abbey”. “Those costumes!” he sighed.

My ears perked up somewhat.

Hubby asked Santa for season 1 on DVD. Santa delivered.

One day, during the holiday break, I saw that DVD box just sitting on the table.

I decided to watch the first episode.

I watched the entire season in one day.

I was hooked.

“Compulsively watchable from the get-go” – I’ll say!

And now, Hubby and I both – along with most of America it seems, are eagerly awaiting season 2, Sunday night.

Was I the last to succumb to this marvelous show?

Wikipedia tells us that “in September 2011, the show entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘most critically acclaimed television show’ for the year, becoming the first British show to win the award. It beat American shows “Mad Men” and “Modern Family” to the title.”

Hubby is SO annoying!

But I must concede, he is also often quite right.

I love the scenery, the actors, the costumes.

(In my mind’s eye however, I still see Maggie Smith in her robes fighting the Dark Forces!)

In “Downton Abbey” – Dame Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess Of Grantham – is of course amazing. And, often dressed in incredible purple hats and dresses.

“Ah, the costumes!” I sigh.

Wasn’t I pleased to see a gift shop on the “Downton Abbey” website!

Not only do they have for sale DVDs and books, but also jewelry and accessories.

If you love this kind of look – you can purchase 1920-era necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

I love this luxuriously long pearl necklace and matching diamante earring set:

Or, how about this lovely antique jet glass bracelet and earring set:

Hubby would certainly be quite dashing in this herringbone cap:

I adore this plum hat:

My Grandmother TG would have loved “Downton Abbey”.

She would have fit right in!

Thank you, Hubby. How did I ever resist you?

xoxo,

SAllan

The Grid That Became New York City – At The Museum Of The City Of New York

The Museum Of The City Of New York currently has yet another fascinating exhibit about the history of this great city.

The exhibit is called The Greatest Grid: The Master Plan of Manhattan, 1811-2011 and it celebrates the 200th anniversary of the planning of the street grid of Manhattan.

From their website:

“Featuring an original hand-drawn map of New York’s planned streets and avenues prepared by the Commission in 1811, as well as other rare historic maps, photographs and prints of the evolution of the city’s streets, and original manuscripts and publications that document the city’s physical growth, the exhibition examines the grid’s initial design, implementation, and evolution.”

The exhibit runs from Dec 6, 2011 through Apr 15, 2012.

Today’s New York Times ran an article about the exhibit, and also published a few fabulous, vintage photographs of the city during it’s younger days.

Here, from the New York Times, and from the Museum Of The City Of New York, I’d like to share a few of the images.

This etching – quite early on – is looking north on 2nd Avenue from 42nd Street – 1861(!):

This one is looking south on Park Avenue from 94th Street – in 1882:

Here is Riverside Drive and 94th Street, in 1890:

And this photo is of Madison Square in 1894:

The New York Times article says in part:

“The show celebrates the anniversary of what remains not just a landmark in urban history but in many ways the defining feature of the city.

After all, before it could rise into the sky, Manhattan had to create the streets, avenues and blocks that support the skyscrapers. The grid was big government in action.

Simeon De Witt, Gouverneur Morris and John Rutherfurd were entrusted with planning the city back in 1811. New York huddled mostly south of Canal Street, but it was booming, its population having tripled to 96,373 since 1790 thanks to the growing port. Civic boosters predicted that 400,000 people would live in the city by 1860. They turned out to be half-right. New York topped 800,000 before the Civil War.

The planners proposed a grid for this future city stretching northward from roughly Houston Street to 155th Street in the faraway heights of Harlem. It was in many respects a heartless plan. There were virtually no parks or plazas. The presumption was that people would gravitate east and west along the numbered streets to the rivers when they wanted open space and fresh air, and not spend lots of time moving north or south. That partly explains why there were only a dozen avenues.

First, Manhattan had to be surveyed, a task that took years. Property lines had to be redrawn, government mobilized for decades on end to enforce, open, grade and pave streets. Some 60 years passed before the grid arrived at 155th Street. Streets were still “rough and ragged” tracks for a long while, as one diarist observed in 1867, describing a recently opened stretch around 40th Street and Madison Avenue as a mess of “mud holes, goats, pigs and geese.”

New York’s grid had its virtues. For one thing, it proved flexible enough to adapt when the city’s orientation did shift north-south, flexible enough to accommodate Central Park.”

I can’t wait to check out this exhibit! Hubby and I love this museum of New York City.

Here is its visitor info:

Museum of the City of New York

1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street

New York, NY 10029

212-534-1672 Phone

The Museum is open seven days a week: 10:00 am–6:00 pm

The Museum is closed on the following holidays:

Thanksgiving

Christmas Day

New Year’s Day

Suggested Admission (this means that you pay what you want! You can pay more or less than the suggested amount.)

Adults: $10

Seniors, students: $6

Families: $20 (max. 2 adults)

Children 12 and under: free

Members: free

Also, their website says: If you live or work in East Harlem above 103rd Street, visit the Museum free of charge. Mention  “I’m a neighbor,” and the suggested admission charge will be waived.

This museum always has great exhibits – all New York City-themed all the time (and be sure to check out their superb gift shop, as well.)

But to see these vintage photos and maps in person will be an extra special treat!

xoxo,

SAllan

Will You Lytro In The Near Future?

Have you heard of THE new camera – the Lytro?

I had read about it a few months ago. And at Thanksgiving my nephew Pat told me about it.

I heard today that they’re taking pre-orders and the cameras will be shipping out to consumers very soon.

They look like little plastic toys, don’t they?

This one is called “Red Hot”.

It might look like a little toy, but in my mind this camera (and its technology) will change photography with the similar impact that digital had on film.

It’s a game changer!

It’s called a Light-field camera. I’ll take the description from Lytro’s website:

“Lytro lets you take pictures like never before. Unlike a conventional camera that captures a single plane of light, the Lytro camera captures the entire light field, which is all the light traveling in every direction in every point in space. 

Since you’ll capture the color, intensity, and direction of all the light, you can experience the first major light field capability – focusing after the fact. Focus and re-focus, anywhere in the picture. You can refocus your pictures at anytime, after the fact.” 

Here are a couple examples, also from Lytro’s website.

Photographer Eric Cheng took a picture of his Corgi.

But, while looking at the picture on your screen, you can touch any place on the image to refocus wherever you want.

Head over to Lytro’s Picture Gallery to check it out.

Or, check out this video review (sorry – there’s a 15 second advertisement in the beginning…)

As intrigued as I am, I won’t be ordering a Lytro camera just yet.

Like anything, the technology will improve and the prices will come down.

I am interested to watch the growth of this new technology. Wikipedia suggests that “a recording from a security camera based upon this technology could be used to produce an accurate 3D model of a suspect.”

Speaking of a suspect – if I had used this camera when I was in Washington DC – I wouldn’t have had to chose between Froggy and The Washington Monument.

xoxo,

SAllan

Mulchfest 2012

It’s time to recycle your Christmas tree! (Or, in our case, our Christmas wreath.)

Here in New York City, the sanitation department will make special tree collection runs from Monday, January 3 through Saturday, January 14.

Also, you can take your tree to one of many city parks to watch it being mulched, and pick up free mulch from you personal use.

It’s the Mulchfest 2012!

From their website:

Chip in! Mulch your tree! Help NYC grow!

Bring your holiday tree to a designated city park to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city!

Join the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the New York City Department of Sanitation, and GreeNYC to recycle your Christmas trees into wood chips. These wood chips are used to nourish trees and plants on streets and gardens citywide. Or, take home your very own bag of mulch to use in your backyard or to make a winter bed for a street tree.

Last year, close to 17,000 Christmas trees citywide were recycled. Please help us top this number!

This year, MulchFest will take place on January 7 and 8, 2012. Parks will host over 35 chipping sites and 35 additional drop-off locations: over 70 sites in all!

And this year, you can bring your tree to a drop-off site from January 2 through January 8.

Check out their website for the locations within the 5 boroughs – for the Mulchfest location nearest you.

If you’re not in New York City, just Google your town and “Tree Recycling” to see if you can mulch your tree.

After all, it’s great to be green!

xoxo,

SAllan

My New Year’s Resolution, And The Value Of A Penny.

I usually don’t bother with ’em.

New Year’s Resolution or pennies.

But this year, my New Year’s Resolution is to count my change.

There’s a story behind this.

First of all, let me ask you – do you pay cash or credit/debit card?

(I try to pay cash for everything except for large purchases.)

If you answered cash, here’s another question – Do you pay exact change or do you have the cashier give you change?

(I always get change back, Hubby always pays with exact change.)

I like to get change back, first of all, because I like to have the quarters for laundry.

But mostly, I think it’s due to a childhood memory.

My Grandfather Paw Wee used to keep coins in ice cream gallon cardboard containers, and when my sister and I would spend the night with our Grandparents, Paw Wee would pull out those containers of coins and we would dump the coins out on the floor and play for hours.

I loved my Paw Wee.

So, me and my cans of coins somehow satisfies that little girl in me.

I get the change and I keep it in cans.

I gradually had a number of cans full, after saving coins for about 10 years. Hubby finally persuaded me to cash them in.

We were running out of room for cans filled with coins.

We made several trips wheeling the cans on a cart to our neighborhood bank, which counted and cashed the coins for free.

I had $2,235.14 worth of coins!

This was back in September 2009. Since then, I’ve been saving my coins again.

I’ve only got a can or two, so far.

But, I read recently how pre-1982 pennies are made of 95% copper. Since fine metal prices have skyrocketed, this makes these pennies worth…well, more than a penny.

So my chore now is to go through a separate the copper pennies from the zinc pennies.

Of course, I already set aside the wheat pennies that I come across.

My New Year’s Resolution?

I have in the past accepted my change from the cashier and just dropped it into my purse. I seldom count my change.

But that was then, this is now.

I’m going to count my change, from now on.

And, I’m going to pick up pennies that I see on the sidewalk.

What’s your New Year’s Resolution?

2012 – Bring It On!!!

xoxo,

SAllan

I Love My Schlumbergera!

I love my Schlumbergera!

Actually, I didn’t even know that I even HAD a schlumbergera until I started this post, and read about Christmas Cactus on Wikipedia.

I had been planning on titling this post “I Love My Christmas Cactus!” – but “I Love My Schlumbergera!” sounds much more intriguing, doesn’t it?

Here, from Wikipedia is an illustration of a schlumbergera, from a 1839 botanical magazine.

When I lived in Atlanta and had lots of space, I was the proud owner of several schlumbergeras. (Schlumbergeri?)

Sweet plants!

And so loyal – mine bloom every Holiday season – from Thanksgiving through New Years.

There are websites dedicated to making Christmas Cactus/Schlumbergera bloom. But honestly, I don’t do a danged special thing.  My schlumbergera sits outside when it’s warm, and indoors on the windowsill when it’s cold. I water it every-so-often.

And it blooms EACH AND EVERY year.

I brought one from Atlanta when I moved to New York City, so this one is well over 15 years old.

The “Care Of Christmas Cactus” site (link above) says:

“Since Grandma’s day, the Christmas cactus has been a favorite houseplant. It’s not unusual for a single plant to be passed down from generation to generation because they’re long-lived, rather easy plants to grow.”

Our only problem here in the NYC apartment is that Sammy The Cat likes to chomp on our schlumbergera. So we have to keep a close eye on the beast.

If you like plants, don’t want to work hard at it, and appreciate it’s loyalty and beauty during the holiday season, I strongly suggest that you get a schlumbergera of your very own.

Otherwise known as a Christmas Cactus.

Happy 2012, everyone. I hope it is peaceful, healthful and prosperous to us all.

Filled with good friends, beasts and schlumbergera.

xoxo,

Sallan

Who Ya Gonna Call? GumBusters!

The sunlight lit up the sidewalk. The sidewalk simply sparkled in the light.

Except for those dark splotches.

What ARE those dark splotches??

Get ready for this, people. Those dark splotches all over the sidewalks are…

GUM.

Yes – gross, spit-out ABC gum.

Already Been Chewed gum.

It apparently is not a new problem. Here is a reprint of an article that ran in The New York Times on April 17, 1921:

BOGGED IN CHEWING GUM.

A Prophecy as to the Ultimate Fate of New Yorkers.

   Chewing gum appears to have a very firmly established place with Americans, but now it has its objectionable features, just like all fads, according to Mrs. M. L. Heath, manager of the Travel Information Bureau of the Boomer Hotels. Mrs. Heath says that unless the vogue of gum-chewing passes or unless city, State and national laws are passed and funds appropriated for a special sidewalk cleaning department, with chemical outfits and scrapers, the City of New York may become totally enveloped in refuse chewing gum in the course of time.

   “Few people realize what it means to have this refuse chewing gum lying about on the sidewalks and pavements,” said Mrs. Heath. “It is deposited in enormous quantities and at first it is extremely unpleasant to walk over, although this is lessened by the absorption of dust and it gradually works into the pavement. But, of course, what is bad for some is good for others and it applied to this case the other day when a young Latin-American couple returned to the McAlpin Hotel after a sightseeing trip about the city.

   “They came in to tell me how much they had enjoyed the trip, and remarked that they had never seen such delightful walks as were found here in spots. ‘Soft to the touch, yet very firm,’ they said, ‘much of the paving seemed to be of a spotted material and in other places is a solid brown or black. We walked for miles and never tired, and neither of us are good walkers.’ I explained to them it was chewing gum, and that we thought it was something of a menace – that business houses and tenants fight against it with scrapers and gasoline, but it keeps ahead of them – but the South Americans could not get my point of view.”

Fast-forward to the here and now.

There is a company called GumBusters.

Some details from their website:

The GumBusters system is 100 percent effective in removing all shapes and sizes of gum with a simple method. The gum is heated with 300-degree dry steam which is then mixed with a cleaning agent. With a little pressure, a small brush at the end of the cleaning hose will remove the stain. The best part is that the process can be done without closing off streets or disrupting daily activity.

Bubblegum, sugarless, spearmint – to GumBusters they all wind up the same, as sticky blackened spots on the landscape. The only difference is that sometimes when the heat hits the gum, “the smell wafts up, and you can tell if it’s cinnamon, grape or strawberry.”

And, do you know the history of chewing gum?

From Wikipedia:

“Modern chewing gum was first developed in the 1860s when chicle was exported from Mexico for use as a rubber substitute. Chicle did not succeed as a replacement for rubber, but as a gum it was soon adopted and due to newly established companies such as Adams New York Chewing Gum (1871), Black Jack (1884) and “Chiclets” (1899), it soon dominated the market.”

And, Just where did Thomas Adams invent his modern-day chewing gum?

In New York City, of course!

Should we thank him or curse him?

Well, at least we have the services of GumBusters!

xoxo,

SAllan

The Saga Of Seeing “War Horse”

Hubby and I celebrated my birthday by eating at our favorite Mexican restaurant Mi Nidito and seeing the new Steven Spielberg film “War Horse”.

Hubby generally doesn’t like seeing movies on The Big Screen.

First of all, it ain’t cheap. Here in NYC, the adult ticket price is $13.00 pp.

And, why are the previews so LOUD?

Also, sadly for Hubby, I like to arrive early to get good seats. That means a lot of “pre-show entertainment” – which means endless sub-par shorts and painful auto-tuned recordings.

People around you talking on their cell phones, munching popcorn in your ears, and rocking your seat.

And, despite you getting there early for the prime seats, there are many late-comers who jostle through in the dark and ask that you move OUT of your prime seats so that they can squeeze in.

Regardless, I happen to like movies on The Big Screen, and Hubby accommodated me for my BDay.

He even let me take his picture at the Star Wars display.

I wanted to see War Horse. I’m a sucker for animal films.

Plus, I like Steven Spielberg films, generally speaking. After all,

who can argue with this track record?

I didn’t read anything about the film before seeing War Horse.

Here are some things that I think would be good to know about the story, if you plan on seeing the film.

From Wikipedia:

“Michael Morpurgo wrote the 1982 children’s novel War Horse after meeting World War I veterans in the Devon village of Iddesleigh where he lived. One had been with the Devon Yeomanry, and was involved with horses; another veteran in his village, Captain Budgett, was with the cavalry and told Morpurgo how he had confided all his hopes and fears to his horse.

Both told him of the horrific conditions and loss of life, human and animal, during the Great War. A third man remembered the army coming to the village to buy horses for the war effort: horses were used for cavalry, and as draught animals, pulling guns, ambulances and other vehicles.

Morpurgo researched the subject further and learned that a million horses died on the British side; he extrapolated an overall figure of 10 million horse deaths on all sides.

Of the million horses that were sent abroad from the UK, only 62,000 returned, the rest dying in the war or slaughtered in France for meat.”

Wow. Just wow.

You think about the men lost in war; I hadn’t ever thought about the War Horses in World War I.

(I need to ask my Father or my Uncle about my Grandfather’s involvement in The Great War. Here he is circa 1917, when he was about 19 years old.)

But back to the film, and the horses.

Wikipedia says:

“Representatives of the American Humane Society were on set at all times to ensure the health and safety of all animals involved, and the Society awarded the film an “outstanding” rating for the care that was taken of all the animals during the production.”

Good to know. Some of the scenes are rather hard to watch. This information is good to know going into the theatre.

“An animatronic horse was used for some parts of the scenes with barbed wire; the wire was rubber prop wire.”

Hubby and I both cried a lot through this movie. We’re both suckers that way.

“During filming fourteen different horses were used as the main horse character Joey, eight of them portraying him as an adult animal, four as a colt and two as foals; four horses played the other main equine character, Topthorn. Up to 280 horses were used in a single scene. A farrier was on set to replace horseshoes sucked off in the mud during filming, and the horses playing the main horse characters had a specialist equine make-up team, with their coats dyed and markings added to ensure continuity.”

Spielberg is quoted as saying “The horses were an extraordinary experience for me. I was really amazed at how expressive horses are and how much they can show what they’re feeling.”

I liked the movie. Maybe not Spielberg’s best, but it certainly got me thinking a lot about the War Horses of WWI.

“A documentary inspired by the film and telling the true-life stories of horses sent from the UK to the battlefields of World War I is planned. The play and film versions of War Horse are credited with renewing interest in the equine charity, the Brooke Trust, which was founded in 1930 to aid old World War I war horses.”

Now, after reading all of this, I just might want to see this movie again.

Hubby probably won’t.

Oh, that $13.00 adult ticket price?

The ticket seller took one look at Hubby and me, and automatically charged us the $9.50 Senior price each.

That almost hurt more than watching the barbed wire scene.

xoxo,

SAllan

Art At Rockefeller Center – For Example – “News” By Isamu Noguchi

Art is everywhere you look.

But often, I am overwhelmed at the art in New York City.

Much of it is FREE for the viewing.

Consider Rockefeller Center.

I love this  piece by Isamu Noguchi entitled “News” (Commissioned 1938-1940. Low-relief panel of stainless steel – 22 feet high, 17 feet wide – located above the main entrance to 50 Rockefeller Plaza.)

From their website:

“Soaring above the entrance to 50 Rockefeller Plaza, this dynamic plaque symbolizes the business of the building’s former tenant, the Associated Press. One of the major Art Deco works in the Center, it depicts five journalists focused on getting a scoop. AP’s worldwide network is symbolized by diagonal radiating lines extending across the plaque. Intense angles and smooth planes create the fast-paced rhythm and energy of a newsroom. News is the first heroic-sized sculpture ever cast in stainless steel and the only time Noguchi employed stainless steel as an artistic medium.”

I have read that News was Isamu Noguchi’s first major architectural commission.

From The Noguchi Museum’s website:

“Noguchi’s work was not recognized in the United States until 1938, when he completed a large-scale sculpture symbolizing the freedom of the press, which was commissioned for the Associated Press building in Rockefeller Center, New York City.”

I’d say that he got off to a mighty fine start!

You can take a tour of Rockefeller Center, and learn all about its buildings and its art.

Here’s a review of the tour, and in part it says:

“Opened in 1933, Rockefeller Center was one of the first building complexes to incorporate artwork throughout, all reflecting the progress of man and new frontiers. The most significant urban complex of the 20th century, Rockefeller Center’s innovations included heated buildings and the first indoor parking complex. Rockefeller Center was an important employer during the Great Depression — its construction provided 75,000 jobs during the early 1930s. Built with a facade of Indiana limestone, Rockefeller Center reflects the Art Deco style of elegance without ornamentation.

Participants on the Rockefeller Center Tour will come to discover the extensive artwork and architectural nuances throughout this 14 building complex, as well as understand the important innovations that made Rockefeller Center revolutionary when it was built in the 1930s.”

From the Rockefeller Center website:

Join us for a look into the history and artistry of Rockefeller Center. Your tour touches upon great works of art and architecture as an historian will guide you through the Center’s buildings and gardens. Follow along with a headset enjoying a closed circuit connection. Tours are hourly beginning at 10AM each morning, 7 days a week.

You can order tickets here for $15/ each.

You can also visit The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City – but that’s another blog for another day!

xoxo,

SAllan

Isn’t She Lovely?

I like to dabble in genealogy research from time to time.

It’s an often slow and plodding process. Thus, it’s always such an exciting moment when a clue is discovered, when a lead is followed by success.

Last Spring, I contacted the Historical Society in Eureka, Kansas – where my Grandmother was born and raised. Those wonderful people researched her family (maiden) name, and mailed me copies of some newspaper clippings, including her wedding announcement.

That announcement included the name of her high school where she graduated.

I wanted to contact the alumni director within the school – but by then it was the summertime and the school wasn’t in session.

Then time passed, and this desire got filed away on the back burner.

In early November, I did contact someone at the school. She said that they didn’t keep yearbooks from that long ago (late 1920’s), but she would get back in touch with me if she found anything pertaining to my Grandmother.

Lo and behold, a few days later I received this email from her:

“Your grandmother is on the graduation wall panel.  There was 17 in her graduation class.”

I emailed back asking what the graduation wall panel was? Could she supply anything else?

No word.

Dead end.

Thanks but no thanks.

Don’t call me, I’ll call you.

Then…

On December 21st, I received this email from her:

“I hope that you hadn’t gave up on me.  I had a death in the family & then my husband had to have surgery.  I haven’t been very productive.  I hope this is what you want. This picture is from the wall composite. We don’t have any yearbooks.”

“She graduated in 1928 – it had her name below her picture. She was lovely. I think the picture turned out great. Merry Christmas and I hope your mother likes the picture.”

Oh yeah!

I think Mom will like the picture!

Wasn’t my 17-year old Grandmother-to-be  lovely?

xoxo,

SAllan

 

 

 

 

My Favorite New Christmas Tradition – Crackers And Puzzles

Thanks to the lovely Eva, here’s my favorite new Christmas tradition:

It’s an English Christmas Cracker.

Eva has gifted them to each family member for the last couple of Christmases, and they are SO MUCH FUN.

First – a description – from this webstore:

“Crackers are decorative party favors widely used in Great Britain to celebrate a variety of special occasions and festive events.

They consist of a beautifully wrapped and decorated cardboard cylinder containing a paper crown (tissue party hat), a motto (British joke or riddle), a snap (popping device), and a small gift or novelty item.

At dinners and parties, crackers are used to decorate individual place settings and are usually opened prior to serving the meal or refreshments.

The pulling of crackers and donning of the party hats creates a relaxed, festive atmosphere certain to get any party function off the ground.”

And, sometimes the little “novelty item” inside is one of these charming yet infuriating wire disentanglement puzzles. Which – in our family – gets passed around the table from person to person as we each try try try to part the pieces, then either somehow succeed or give up with exasperation.

Here’s our sequence of the events:

The pulling of the cracker:

And it breaks apart with a bang!

You root out the gifts inside.

You unfold the paper crown.

You read the joke out loud.

“What did the necktie say to the hat?”

“You go on ahead; I’ll hang around here.”

(On our paper, the punch line was cut off – the fun part was Hubby figuring out what it said. Guess you had to be there.)

We laughed and laughed!

We played for a bit with the wire puzzle,

then we hunkered down to enjoy our meal – soy-maple-syrup-marinated wild salmon, wild rice with onions, and roasted brussels sprouts. YUM.

A bottle of nice red wine with the meal, and Southern ambrosia for dessert – along with maybe a cookie or two.

It was a Wonderful Christmas Day.

Check out these Christmas crackers. They add LIFE to the party. I guarantee they’ll be a hit.

Thank you, dear Eva, for introducing me to my favorite new Christmas tradition!

xoxo,

SAllan

Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Windows

From Thanksgiving to the New Year, New York City is famous for its Holiday Windows.

Many of the stores are justifiably visited just for their Holiday Windows. But by far and large, Bergdorf Goodman’s are always the most elaborate and the most beautiful and the most magical.

Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan is located at 5th Avenue between 57th and 58th Streets. The men’s store is located on the east side of 5th Avenue and the main store is located on the west side of 5th.

This year’s display is called “Carnival of The Animals”.

From Bergdorf’s official press release:

“The holiday windows at Bergdorf Goodman, a true New York holiday spectacle, continue their well-known tradition of high fantasy, dramatic surprises, extraordinary fashion, and great storytelling. The 2011 windows, entitled “Carnival of the Animals,” take their inspiration from diverse settings reimagined in various materials… and the animals that dwell there. David Hoey, Senior Director of Visual Presentation, and team devote an entire year to the production of the holiday windows. They will remain on display through January 3, 2012.”

The windows are simply astounding to see in full, but I also like to photograph the details.

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, as I am totally speechless!

To view some of this year’s windows in their complete glory, please visit this great website.

Much kudos to the great photographer who captures the Bergdorf windows, Ricky Zehavi. You can see more of his spectacular images here.

Happy viewing!

xoxo,

SAllan

An Angel’s Voice (And P.S – Your Santa Tracker!)

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds
If you’re worried and you can’t sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds
If you’re worried and you can’t sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings

(composer/songwriter : Irving Berlin / Publishers : Irving Berlin Ltd.)
from the 1954 movie “White Christmas”

xoxo,

SAllan

P.S. Today and tonight you can track Santa’s progress across the globe here!

Happy Everything, everyone.

From Lord & Taylor’s holiday windows:

Bryant Park – A Very Happening Holiday Hangout!

If you have some last minute holiday shopping to do, or if you want to get in some FREE ice skating, or if you want to check out the short lived Pop-Up Dylan’s Candy Bar store – head to the Bryant Park area of Midtown – 42nd Street and 6th Avenue.

Dylan’s Candy Bar Pop-Up store is there only through the first week of January 2012.

Inside there’s a life sized Gingerbread House that needs to be seen by all!

The front:

The back:

One side:

If you ate this whole house, here are your Nutrition Facts:

Maybe you’d best share this house with a friend or two!

This picture is for my Dad – he’s always said that he wants to put up their Christmas tree one year with the short branches on the bottom and the long branches on the top.

Dad, looks like you and Dylan Lauren think the same way! Here’s what your tree would look like:

When you’re done here, head east across 6th Avenue into the park, to catch up on your shopping. I *thought* I was all finished until I saw these wonderful soaps (Hubby, shut your eyes!):

While you’re here, you can ice skate for FREE through February 26, 2012.

A few people liked this idea!

And while you’re out and about, you might just run into Santa!

Happy Christmas, everyone! It’s almost here!

xoxo,

SAllan

Jane’s Carousel

I had the opportunity recently to visit Jane’s Carousel, which is a newly-restored vintage carousel which opened this past fall in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

From their website:

“Jane’s Carousel is a completely restored historic Carousel made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC #61) in 1922. It is a classic 3-row machine with 48 exquisitely carved horses, and 2 superb chariots. The wood carvings, often attributed to John Zalar and Frank Carretta, are among the finest of their kind. In addition, the scenery panels, rounding boards, crests, center pole and platform are all original to the Carousel. It was the first Carousel to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.”

It is truly beautiful!

Here’s what I read about The Philadelphia Toboggan Company, from our pals at Wikipedia:

“The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904, making various amusement devices, including carousels, wooden roller coasters, and their trains. The company’s carousels were preferred among discriminating clients, for their elaborate carvings and elegant decorations. The company built coasters from 1904 to 1979.”

I read that they built the Great American Scream Machine (located at Six Flags Over Georgia) in 1973.

Here’s a picture that I took of some of my friends when we enjoyed Six Flags in 1975:

But I digress…

Of course I love the horses on Jane’s Carousel!

And I love the music played – with the player piano and real drums.

But I may love the scenery panels most of all.

Here are a few of them:

Hubby and I had come across the carousel back in 2007, when it was still in its restoration stage.

The work studio was open to visitors, and we admired the carousel then, and examined the designs and plans displayed on the walls.

About the restoration, from the carousel’s website:

“When purchased, the Carousel was in poor condition. Jane Walentas began its restoration at her studio here in Dumbo in 1984. Her initial tasks included making necessary carpentry repairs and hand-scraping away 62 years of “Park Paint” with an X-acto knife to reveal the original 1922 carvings, color palette, and designs. The discoveries were carefully recorded with photographs, color matches, and detailed drawings that guided the repainting of the Carousel. The horses were rendered in faithful detail. The highly decorative carved trappings were newly painted and re-leafed. Missing embellishments such as faceted jewels, small beveled mirrors on the bridles, and delicate pinstriping were restored.

The Carousel’s rounding boards, scenery panels and structural pieces were also repainted, stenciled, and re-leafed. Blackened varnish was removed from original paintings to reveal their true colors. Dozens of old beveled mirrors were reglazed. Mechanical systems were updated with new gears, motor and an electronic controller. Totally rewired, the Carousel now dazzles with 1200 brilliant lights.”

Jane’s Carousel is a must! Here’s how to visit:

“The Carousel is located in the DUMBO section of The Brooklyn Bridge Park, on the East River, between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The Carousel is easily accessed from Park entrances at Dock Street or Main Street.”

FALL – WINTER, 2011 – 2012
November 6 – April 5
Thursday – Sunday
11:00 AM – 6:00PM

“Tickets are $2.00. Children age 3 and younger and those under 42” tall may ride free if accompanied by a paying adult.”

Between the Brooklyn Bridge:

And between the Manhattan Bridge:

“If you have time, it’s a thrilling walk over the Brooklyn Bridge from lower Manhattan to the Carousel. Take the footpath over the Bridge which exits on to Washington Street. Walk down the hill, toward the river on Washington Street to Front Street. Turn left on Front Street, walk 1 block to Main Street and turn right. Continue 2 blocks on Main Street to the park entrance at the river. The Carousel will be visible from the Park entrance.”

xoxo,

SAllan

What Is Your Holiday Dinner Tradition?

Do you have a traditional Christmas meal?

Or do you change it up every year?

My Mom always used to make egg nog.

Everyone liked it. Notice the EMPTY bowl.

For dinner, it was always turkey with all the  trimmings.

My Mom would cook and bake for days, then the luscious meal would be over in no time, leaving everyone stuffed and miserable.

It was wonderful!

Then, we’d visit the Grandparents, for more dessert.

Speaking of dessert, my Italian Mom-In-Law couldn’t imagine a Christmas without her beloved Struffoli.

Sammy – he just likes eating the paper.

What do you like to eat for your Holiday dinner?

I need to start planning…

xoxo,

SAllan

 

Vintage Subway Signs – See More At The NYC Transit Museum

I recently blogged about attending the Swingin’ Vintage Tea Party on a vintage NYC subway train.

The ads and posters within the cars fascinated me.

Here’s a photo that was in my car, of the trains as originally in use:

And here are some of the original ads that are displayed in the cars:

These depict the iconic Rude Subway Rider:

And, this one is particularly interesting – I can’t see a current ad being this graphic:

A child in a pool of blood after being hit by a car while running family errands – yikes!

I wish I could have photographed more ads – but the cars were so crowded it was difficult moving around.

But there’s always the NYC Transit Museum in downtown Brooklyn!

Hours	Tuesday – Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays
Phone	(718) 694-1600
Admission	Adults $7 Children 2 – 17 years of age $5 Senior Citizens (62+) $5 Seniors Free Wednesdays Museum members: Free

130 Livingston Street, 10th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Subway:     to Borough Hall,

 to Court Street,

   to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Street,

    to Jay Street/MetroTech.

*Weekdays rush hours only (check out the MTA website to confirm service status of the lines.)

Bus: B25, B26, B38, B41, B45, B52, B54, B57, B61, B62, B63, B65, B67, B103 all stop within 1 to 2 blocks of the museum.

Car: From Manhattan: take the Brooklyn Bridge, proceed straight on to Adams Street. Adams will become Boerum Place. Go two blocks to Schermerhorn Street. For more detailed directions and for directions from other boroughs, Long Island or New Jersey please call 1-718-694-1873.

I have not yet attended the Transit Museum in Brooklyn, but after my fabulous adventure on the vintage cars, I look forward to making the visit soon!

xoxo,

SAllan

Visiting Santa – The Days Are Suddenly Very Limited!

How did it come to be less than a week before Christmas??!!

I realized that I hadn’t visited Santa yet!

I wanted to try to see Santa at Macy’s at Herald Square.

But the line was about 2 hours I was told, and I couldn’t even see Santa while I waited.

All I could see at the end of the line was this sign:

Since I was there to wave and snap a pic or two, I thought that perhaps my time was better spent elsewhere. Even though I greatly admire this Santa’s daily 12-hour dedication!

(Santaland at Macy’s in New York City is open from the Friday after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. During the holiday season, Santaland is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can enter Macy’s on 34th Street at either Broadway or 7th Avenue.)

I headed downtown to ABC Carpet & Home. I was lucky to see Santa on his last day there.

This Santa was sitting in the front of the store, and the line was outside of the store. Anyone within the store could wave to Santa and take all the pictures they wanted.

My kind of place!

This Santa is lush and old-timey.

Some of the babies cried.

Others did not.

Some of the older children were excitedly telling Santa what they wanted.

This pup was somewhat indifferent. Pup’s Mom was ecstatic!

I love ABC Carpet & Home. If you’re in New York City, you must visit – Holiday season or not.

The store is just what you’d expect from seeing their Santa room.

It’s lush, extravagant and magical. It’s been in Manhattan since 1897. From their website:

“Ten floors offering an inspired collection of rugs, furniture, antiques, home textiles, accessories and sustainable furnishings.

ABC Home is a portal into collective creativity, integrating healing, education, sanctuary, theater, art, and interconnectivity to create the experience of a three-dimensional living magazine and interactive museum.”

888 & 881 Broadway
at East 19th Street
New York, NY 10003
212-473-3000

When I’m in the neighborhood (Union Square/Flatiron area) I like to go in to wander, and take pictures.

Happy Holidays, everyone! We love you, Santa!!

xoxo,

SAllan

A Swingin’ Vintage Tea Party On The Vintage NYC Subway Trains

Each holiday season, New York City’s Metro Transit Authority puts into use some of their vintage subway cars, much to the delight of the riders.

Regarding these vintage cars, I had also read in TimeOut New York about this themed party which took place yesterday:

A Swingin’ Vintage Tea Party on the Vintage NYC Subway Trains
Join the folks from tour company Levys’ Unique New York and the New York Balboa Club (a swing-dancing group) as they boogie down in an old-timey subway car. Afterward, enjoy a tea party that will travel from Manhattan to Queens and back. Meet on the uptown track at the Lower East Side–Second Ave subway station, E Houston St between First and Second Aves (levysuniqueny.com). Sat 17 noon–4pm; free.

I loved the concept and wanted to attend, but didn’t think I could.

But things changed – and I ended up at the right place at the right time.

Have I said how much I love New York City?

For only the cost of a subway ride – $2.25 – I got to experience this:

Meeting new friends.

Seeing exquisite outfits.

Being transported in time.

Yes, the subway platform was filled with people dressed in vintage clothing, waiting for the vintage subway cars.

It was a Swingin’ Vintage Tea Party on the Vintage NYC Subway Trains.

There were bands on the platform and people were dancing.

This lovely lady told me that she dresses like this all the time.

And, then the vintage cars arrived – to much fanfare!

The car that I entered was built in 1931, and was in service until the 1970s.

My view from the train window:

I felt as if I was watching a movie!

We rode on the vintage cars to Queens Plaza. We then deboarded while the train turned around, and then rode back to where we began at 2nd Avenue.

There were fabulous, original, vintage subway signs on the cars. Here’s a sample of one:

Personally, I did not partake in tea, but on the return ride I was right next to this wonderful band – which I enjoyed VERY much – so I didn’t try to get to another car where the tea party was taking place.

All too soon, we were back at 2nd Avenue where a whole new crowd was eager to board the cars to take the ride.

I snapped a few more photos

Then I was on my way – my time traveling over – back again in 2011.

But this movie-like image haunts my mind:

Who IS this mysterious woman?

And, I’m sure there’s a private detective involved!

xoxo,

SAllan

George Clooney – Dog Whisperer!

I couldn’t resist this – for all you George Clooney admirers out there…

…and for my dog-loving friends…

This trick will work every time!

Photograph and Clooney interview excerpt from Esquire Magazine:

“Hey, this is Einstein. I guess he’s part cocker spaniel or something. I got him out of a shelter about a year and a half ago. I was looking for a dog because I hadn’t had one for a while — and I wanted one that was house-trained. I’m just terrible at house-training dogs.

So I go online and see Einstein. They had a whole film about him. It was actually really sweet. You see him all beat up and shit in the shelter, and they show how they cleaned him up. God, I love this dog. So I called and said, “I like Einstein!”

The woman goes, “Well, we don’t know if Einstein will like you.”

“Well, can I meet with Einstein?”

“Yes, we’ll bring him to your house, but if he doesn’t like you, he can’t stay. We have to have good homes for these dogs.” She sounded very serious.

Okay. I have this really long driveway, and I open the gate for them, and I start to panic that Einstein is not going to like me. So I run into the kitchen, where I have these turkey meatballs, and I rub them all over my shoes.

This woman opens the door, and who knew Einstein was such a food whore on top of everything? He throws himself at my feet.

She says, “I’ve never seen him react like that, ever!” And she left him with me on the spot. And forever, now, he just thinks of me as the guy with meatball feet. He loves me. I can do no wrong. He follows me everywhere.”

Published in the January 2012 Meaning of Life issue of Esquire Magazine. To read the entire interview, go here.

Interviewed by Cal Fussman, September 30, 2011

Photograph by the wonderful Nigel Parry

xoxo,

SAllan

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, The Swarovski Star, And Ice Skating!

Have you seen yet the:

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Located at Rockefeller Plaza (between Fifth and Sixth Aves and 48th and 49th Streets) Midtown West

(212) 588-8601

rockefellercenter.com

Subway: B, D, F, M to 47–50th Sts–Rockefeller Center

5:30am–11:30pm through January 7, 2012

I haven’t been at night yet – the crowds are a bit extreme – but even in the daylight it’s quite the sight to see!

TimeOut New York says:

“The 76-foot-tall Norway spruce is the crown jewel in the city’s pantheon of Christmas trees; be prepared for insane crowds if you decide to take a peek. FYI, it’s green: the tree is lit by thousands of tiny LED lights.”

Wikipedia tells us:

“Although the official Christmas tree tradition at Rockefeller Center began in 1933 (the year the 30 Rockefeller Plaza opened), the unofficial tradition began during the Depression-era construction of Rockefeller Center, when workers decorated a smaller 20 feet balsam fir tree with “strings of cranberries, garlands of paper, and even a few tin cans” on Christmas Eve (December 24, 1931), as recounted by Daniel Okrent in his history of Rockefeller Center. Some accounts have the tree decorated with the tin foil ends of blasting caps. There was no Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in 1932.

The decorated Christmas tree remains lit at Rockefeller Center until the week after New Year’s Day, when it is removed and recycled for a variety of uses. In 2007, the tree went “green,” employing LED lights. After being taken down, the tree was used to furnish lumber for Habitat for Humanity house construction.”

The star on top is The Swarovski Star. From their literature:

“The Swarovski Star is comprised of more than 25,000 crystals sparkling with one million facets. It measures 9-1/2 feet in diameter, is 1-1/2 feet deep, and is nearly 600 pounds.

The Swarovski Star required a team of 15 designers, engineers and lighting consultants in Austria, Germany and New York City, taking more than 12 weeks to design, and over 2,500 hours to produce from creation to the final product.

It was created and assembled in Germany and shipped in 20 crates to New York City to be displayed on the top of the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.”

Rockefeller Center is also displaying a life-sized replica of the star, that you can see close-up and personal:

It’s truly remarkable to view!

And, watching the ice skaters is so much fun, as well!

From the Ice Rink’s  website:

“It wouldn’t be winter without a spin around one of New York City’s most celebrated attractions. The world-famous Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center has become a quintessential NYC experience for generations. Here you’ll find New Yorkers and visitors alike, skating amid the watchful eye of the gilded Prometheus statue and the unique urban backdrop of Rockefeller Center’s sparkling lights. Watch the skaters glide by afterwards while enjoying a delicious meal, at Rock Center Café, The Sea Grill or Cucina & Co.”

Their rates:

and their hours:

It’s such a holiday tradition – The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, The Swarovski Star, And Ice Skating!

xoxo,

SAllan

 

Tonight – The 32nd Annual “A City Singing At Christmas” At St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Tonight at 7:00, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral here in Manhattan, it’s their annual “A City Singing At Christmas” event.

From their website:

Thursday, December 15, 2011
7:00 p.m.
(Preferred Seating begins at 6:15 p.m.
and is only held until 6:50 p.m.)

Featuring St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir

Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Conductor 

The Young People’s Chorus of New York City

Francisco Núñez, Conductor

Connecticut Chamber Choir

Constance Chase, Conductor

The Cathedral Organs

New York Symphonic Brass

Celebrate this joyful time of the year with traditional and contemporary Christmas hymns and carols!

General Seating is free and open to the public.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral
5th Avenue between 50th/51st Streets
New York, NY

xoxo,

SAllan

Harry Potter And Snape – Together Again??

Here’s a crazy thought – could it be that Harry Potter and Severus Snape are ducking into a local Manhattan pub – huddling together over glasses of Firewhiskey and catching up on old times?

It may not be such a crazy thought, after all.

Harry – er, Daniel Radcliffe – is currently performing on Broadway in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying at the Al Hirschfeld Theater at West 45th Street and 8th Avenue (West side of 8th Ave.)

and Snape – I mean Alan Rickman – is now performing in Seminar at the John Golden Theater at West 45th Street and 8th Avenue (East side of 8th Ave.)

How could it be that these two actors DON’T get together once in a while, before or after their shows?? After all, they are working together almost right next door, day after day, 7-8 shows per week.

Maybe even for a Butterbeer?

That’s a sight that I would die to see.

Wow.

Maybe we should start hanging out evenings at the local pubs  🙂

Better yet – go see the two actors performing in the plays!

We’re running out of time; Daniel Radcliffe is leaving the show on January 1, 2012. He’s been getting great reviews. It would be fun to see this play in the couple weeks we have left – maybe his final performance?

Alan Rickman (*LOVE*)

I must get a ticket to see Seminar – which is getting rave reviews.

Did I mention that I love Alan Rickman?

I loved him in the movie Galaxy Quest.

And, of course, Snape was my favorite character in all of the Harry Potter books and movies.

But the thought of Harry and Snape together again just makes my heart stand still.

Cheers to old acquaintances.

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

From this website, I share their recipe for Butterbeer:

BUTTERBEER

Start to finish: 1 hour (10 minutes active)

Servings: 4

1 cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

6 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

3/4 cup heavy cream, divided

1/2 teaspoon rum extract

Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda

In a small saucepan over medium, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer.

Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.

To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about 1/4 cup for each glass). Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.

Cheers!

xoxo,

SAllan

 

 

An Amazing Art Installation – The Aquarium Called “Land Mind”

Recently as I was walking along Park Avenue in Mid-Manhattan, I was struck by a beautiful and surreal sight.

This giant, and very unique, salt water aquarium surrounded by a garden of plants – in the lobby of the Lever House building, at Park Avenue and 53rd Street:

I did a double-take, and went back to stop and stare.

The water is pumped in, and overflow trickles out and down the side of the bell-shaped aquarium, down into the plants. I assume it’s then filtered and pumped back into the aquarium – a beautiful, flowing cycle.

From this website, here’s some of what I have learned about it:

The artist is Paula Hayes, and this installation is called Land Mind.

“What I’m hoping to show here is how beautiful seventy percent of the Earth is — the ocean,” Ms. Hayes said. Bangaii cardinal, firefish, purple-faced firefish, shrimp, snails, clownfish and starfish are a few of the tank’s new inhabitants.

Ms. Hayes’s sculptures—rubber planters, the acrylic planter and aquarium—are all curves and undulations. Visitors will be able to roam through the foliage and peer in on the aquarium.

A bit about Paula Hayes (check out her website – link above):

Ms. Hayes has a studio in a small storefront on East 13th Street with a full-glass window in front that allows passersby to peer in during the day and see the artist’s clear glass terrariums filled with crystals or plants (her trademark works), lining metal shelves inside. Also inside are quietly strange objects like a birdhouse made from UV-stable plastic covered with autobody paint. Presiding over it all is a rambunctious Chihuahua named Diego.

And, this site tells a bit more, including:

The work includes a lush garden of tropical vegetation and a huge salt water aquarium that is filled with coral and a variety of sea life. The project has taken more than 18 months to complete, and included the painstaking fabrication of the tank, a single piece of cast acrylic.

This site has an AWESOME photo by Jesse David Harris, of the window at night. I’d like to share it, here:

I can’t wait to go see it at night. Jesse’s photography has really inspired me!

Also, I want to go back during the day – to go inside and really explore.

I understand that the exhibit will be on display until January 27, 2012. Check it out if you are nearby – it is truly awesome!

xoxo,

SAllan

The Blessing Of The Animals

Today I witnessed The Blessing Of The Animals (for FREE!)

at Christ Church, on Park Avenue @ 60th Street, here in Manhattan.

Before I went in, I stopped to pet a police horse – he was waiting out front to be blessed after the service inside.

Yes, people brought their pets into the church, and they proceeded up the aisle to be personally and individually blessed by a Reverend or a Rabbi.

Of course, the largest animal representatives were dogs

followed by cats

And let us not forget our feathered friends – chickens

and a pigeon.

It was a full house!

The Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy sang a few carols

and this prayer was read:

Almighty and everlasting God, Creator of all things, bless and keep the animals gathered today.

Thank you for the ways in which they bring happiness and companionship to our lives.

May our relationships with them mirror your love, and our care for them be an example of your bountiful mercy.

Embolden us to care for our planet and protect the habitat of all species, that we may be joyful stewards of your creation.

Amen.

The Police Department K9 Unit dogs were blessed

as were the ASPCA Shelter dogs and cats.

This woman brought her stuffed dog for a blessing.

Truth be told, I had Froggy with me (who happens to love all animals)

but I became shy and did not approach the altar with him.

Forgive me, Froggy.

Next time?

It was a wonderful experience. If you ever have the opportunity to go to a Blessing Of The Animals, don’t miss it!

xoxo,

SAllan