Category: Travel

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Love’s Labour

Rained out of CW boat visit in Greenport, Amagansett redux. Not beach weather. Cajoled Ben to venture north. Wonderful photos, stories from Romania. Look forward to his take on Patrick McGuinness’ Last Hundred Days. This Man Booker long-lister tells the story of the fall of Communism in Romania 1989. It depicts the end of Ceausescu’s reign of brutality along side his evil wife Elena.

DeMint Tea steeped at Forum in South Carolina, a chilling brew of GOP candidates’ policies. K9Queen spent Labor Day weekend embracing cherished St. Helena haunts. Terra bar, Market, Meadowood. Napa pre-crush. Gorgeous. Jealous. Djok and Serena, no love surprises. Did Rory see Caroline’s win?

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Gypsy Odyssey

Romanian sojourn with little Bucha-rest. Odyssey Trek. Winding ancient Roman roads to gorgeous fortress towns, Black Sea. Gypsy journey until tempest Irene intervened. Wreaked global havoc. Travelers’ roulette. Won some, lost some. Missed connections, extended layovers. All’s well that ends well. Time to stay put. Gypsies, tramps, vamps, thieves (airlines). Fried. Finally a little sleep.

No more Dick Cheney, take him off my screen! Here’s to Marge Simpson.

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ChicAgo

Ben’s Hurricane Irene layover yielded an unexpected glorious day on Lake Michigan. Art Institute’s extraordinary collection worth it.
My recollection there is hosting a closing dinner in front of the Chagall windows during a 1990’s blizzard.

VMA show, Gaga’s non-Guido brilliant. Tony and Russell branded Amy Winehouse worthy of Billie Holiday status. Jazz, blues genius rarely heard. Songstress, poet. Bennett’s duet with her, ‘Body and Soul’ confirmed all of that. Rare talent. Bruno Mars’ ‘Valerie’ tribute spot on. Here’s to Joe.

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Tiger Bama

Tom Friedman says that President Obama is like Tiger Woods. Not for the obvious reason, nor in that other way either. Tom’s contention is that Tiger has forgotten his natural talent, instinctive skill, as has PrezO. Each excelled and eclipsed all peers at young ages. Both later got distracted by bad advice, uber-technical tactics. Stuck in the hazards, unable to feel the shots anymore. Just hit the ball. Be the man. Have a vision and execute it. Stop thinking so much and just do it. Yes, that old Nike contract cliche was right. So is Friedman.

Happy double nickels to Sis Cyn. She takes the shot. And who are those wild and crazy guys driving a 1965 Cadillac El Dorado convertible around Bucharest?

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Shook Up

 Shakin’ all over the East Coast. Romanian travelers settled into Sibiu without a Cluj. Far-reaching quake centered in Virginia caused panic in Poughkeepsie. San Franciscan survivors of the ‘big one’ unimpressed.

Not that long ago, Trump was offering to put Gadhafi’s tent on his golf course in Westchester. Who are the bad guys? The so-called “Arab Spring” will not bring democracies. Chaotic tribal hodgepodges, theocracies, freshly minted despots will emerge. Follow the money.

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Vamp Tramp

Gypsies, tramps and… hopefully not thieves. Ben landed in Bucharest, Romania last night and is already off to Sinaia and Bresov. He and NYU roomie native will make a Vampire Trek to Vlad’s Bran Castle nearby. After a long love affair with Terminal 5 at Heathrow, Ben’s finally launched on his pre-career journey.

Meanwhile, prepster Anne & fam enjoying August on Shimmo. GemQueen continues beach time in RI. After a rainy drive from NYC, we’ll be happily raiding late summer farm stands. Hope Joey3 has time to make his ‘coogan’ recipe in PR.

Michele Bachmann warns of impending danger from the Soviet Union. She must have gotten warped in her time machine again.

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Middle March

Nod to Mary Ann Evans aka George Eliot. Sad maelstrom in Japan. More reminiscent of thousands of ‘dollops’, The Mill on the Floss. Back to reality.

Birthday weekend to remember. There aren’t enough stars for Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI. Great hotel of yesteryear captures spirit and architecture of the original. Service as it used to be, only better. Some things in life worth the price.

Frank Rich, former editorial board chair of Harvard’s Crimson and friend of WSN former same, received Goldsmith Award at Joan Shorenstein Center for Press, Politics, Public Policy on March 7. Will miss his op-eds at NYTimes. Have to catch him now in NYMag. Thinking ahead to May NYU graduation. Bill Clinton just announced as Commencement speaker. Yankee Stadium, with honorees including Clive Davis and Danny Meyer. Cool. Graduation already?!

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Mad Monday

LastMadCap of the season: Really? Don’s turn of heart shocking. He likes her with his kids more than the mature one who doesn’t like children. Plus mature one wants him to face his past, he’s opting to stay the course into the future. Didn’t see this coming. Betty more evil than ever. Peggy is the true creative genius, Joan’s gambit with pregnancy predictable. Can’t believe we have to wait a year for more. Staying in period costume, I’ll put on my pearls and housedress now to honor June Cleaver RIP.

JoanB introduced us to Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander mysteries as an antidote for Stieg Larsson Salander withdrawal. I’m late to the game, but just discovered Kenneth Branaugh as Wallander rebroadcast from BBC on PBS. Watched one episode and it recalls the grit and mood of Stieg’s Sweden as well as its architecture and culture. Dark, bloody in spots, but good.

JeanJean reports Universal in Orlando no walk on Pebble Beach. Flip flopped back and forth between Giants, Pats. Rooting for one, and against the other as always. Both won, so split the cheer. Branch looked good for the Pats, dang nab it. Exciting games and brewskis galore. Yanks now tied 1-1.

21 years ago yesterday we were rockin and rollin in SanFran, Seth Thomas clock on the shelf still stuck at 5:04 p.m.

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Friday Asides- Comings, Goings

Fitting Tribute– hundreds gathered in Manhattan on Wednesday to honor the life of Jordan Nager.  It is widely reported that his daughter Alison delivered a remarkably poignant eulogy – soon she will deliver a living legacy.

NYU gang heading off to San Juan for spring break… “real housewives of nyc” fans to dine Sunday in their ‘hood… indoor deli picnic Saturday with Betsey chez kittay… old girl to hit young spot in East Village…Agawam baseball star college hunting in Worcester… Stonehill tennis captain gearing up for her spring season in Florida…recent UMASS grad celebrating in Costa Rica while bro gets tonsils out at Baystate… Goddess and G colliding at Liquors44… GemQueen happening upon Lyd & daughter at Bouchon bakery Time Warner (only in NY)

CandyPantsRant:  Tickle-me-Massa visits Glennbeckistan- dueling lunatics – must see TV.

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ETreks- Vintage Fashion and…

“Valentino, the Last Emperor” on Showtime TV.  Recommended by “Shadow”.  He is not a typical fashionista, so worth a look.
“Coco Avant Chanel” movie, dvd, Sony, Maria loved this story about a woman who trusted her instincts, made sacrifices, triumphed.

“NY Book Club Without the Book”: A monthly appointment at Monkey Bar, “tasty” desserts and fun.  So far this season of American Idol, yawny and baddy, so lame this year.  Olympics cross country skiing better, oy.  Idol has jumped the shark.   New Vinyasa yoga class at Brassworks in Williamsburg, MA- NY trained Peter Rizzo, Sundays 10-12.

CandyPants Rant: I hear “pitchiness” and I can’t even sing.  Sis deserves a CD, BaldGuy!