Cross Town Thoughts
Is it Art Bell entering our atmosphere early? No. Is it an alien attack? No. It’s the hourglass cage-like structure just down the street from mAdBen on the Hudson. Million Second Quiz with Ryan Seacrest. That’s my final answer.
Thank goodness, our fave Lure Fishbar is saved!
New London to Orient Point Ferry Cross Sound. Our circular tour around Long Island’s North and South Forks. Lunched at BlueCanoe on Greenport’s dock. Fried local oysters. Took scenic Route 25 past wineries reminiscent of Napa in the early ’80’s, before they jammed the valley and the byways. To Peconic Lane, and NorthFound, a trove of treasures from around the globe.
Drove down to Riverhead and up the South Fork through the Hamptons to our perennial beachfront haunt in Napeague. Favorite Clam Bar was almost blown away by a violent thunder storm the day we arrived, and we found it closed. Oh no! But, next morning all was well. 
Several days of perfect weather, lobster, little necks fresh from the sea. Had to end sometime. Took three ferries from Sag Harbor to Shelter Island to Greenport back to Cross Sound. It sure was fun forking around.
A new neighbor gave me her 2011 book. Finally got to it. Brooke Hauser’s The New Kids tells stories of newcomers to America at a Brooklyn high school for immigrant students. Every adventure could be a novel of its own. Journeys from China, Tibet, Sierra Leone, Burma. Beautifully written and true, it recounts these children’s harrowing paths to our shores and continuing travails. Yet, hope and inspiration prevails as the American dream is unique to each of them.
Northampton’s Peter Kobel finished a 5-year tome, The Strange Case of the Mad Professor: A True Tale of Endangered Species, Illegal Drugs and Attempted Murder. A twisted trail that leads an off-kilter academic to NYU Anthropology Department Chair. He went to jail in the early 1980’s for manufacturing LSD and quaaludes, ostensibly for research on lemurs in his lab there. When paroled, he sent poisoned chocolates to the sentencing judge. Back to jail.
Jason Reitman’s movie Labor Day, filmed in Shelburne Falls, is making its debut at the Telluride Film Festival. Based on Joyce Maynard’s novel, it’s timely for the holiday as her former paramour J.D. Salinger is back in the news.
Braised Hake. RecipeDetours.
Fifty years since MLK’s Dream. Let Freedom. As the country becomes more khaki with every generation, it may be achieved. Meanwhile, there’s a tea party faction chiming in on impeaching the first Black President. For what reason?!
Perfect weather as a wedding carillon sang out at Helen Hills Hills chapel in Northampton. Love & laughter for R&JB. Birthday wishes ringing for sister CindyJo. Golfing queen. Julie Harris, “The Belle of Amherst” sadly gone. Mount Holyoke College and Emily Dickinson extoll her perennial portrayal.
Pristine scene as Lady Liberty looms over every green at the Barclays. Manhattan skyline beyond clear as a … well. Bon weekend.
Arab summer. Is it a coup yet? Democracy in Egypt denied? A murky question amid chaos and bloodshed. You know it’s a confounding situation when FauxNews pundits agree with Obama and Kerry’s laissez-faire policy.
What’s even crazier, is that Newt Gingrich starts making sense. Calling for Republicans to come up with their own ideas. In Boston? Wow. Is the world imploding in August? There isn’t supposed to be any news until September.
Anyway, been Dufnering ever since the ill-fated PGA. Hay fever hit early. Goldenrod go away.
First. Tiger no Woods. Keep them out of the bag. At least the driver. You never hit it well. Ok. Rarely. Irons. Fairways. At least you’ll have a shot at the green.
Second. Majors are few marquee events of the sport. Why no live television coverage for entire PGA Championship? GolfChannel. What do you cover? Oh. Golf. TNT starts when Tiger’s round is over today. Half the time, even on the weekend, we have to wait for the gap between cable and network broadcasts.
Yes, I am watching on pga.com. But, the online announcers are morons who talk about their children and everything but the game. Why did we get that big screen? To watch golf. I know. I need to get a life, but geez. If you can’t air the entirety of major tournaments, don’t contract for them.
Art Bell returns to midnight radio from the high desert in the Kingdom of Nye. SiriusXM September 16. Crystal Gayle. White Bird. It’s A Beautiful Day. Pretty Ballerina. Bumper music. No call screeners. Uncensored and unafraid. If you’re not a fan, you won’t get any of this. He disappeared in 2010. Long dry spell.
Art’s overnight show kept us sane starting in 1994 when we moved from San Francisco to Northampton. Sleepness nights, getting up at 4:45 a.m. Boston commute. When we found him, he was warning listeners about “noise” in the heartland. Militia militants planning a sinister plot against the government. Predicted something bad was afoot. Oklahoma City followed soon thereafter.
But, it was the crazy callers who compelled us to stay up so late. UFO’s, alien abductions by lizard people and grays. Witches. Yeti. Chupacabra. Yay!
Back from a quick round trip. Headed downtown. High-summer fare on Washington Square in Old Greenwich Village. Blue Hill. Not as good as last time. Shockingly short on seasonal produce. Otto Enoteca, Italian train station pizzeria. Gone is the elegant One Fifth, art deco ship’s bar of yesteryear.
New York in the 1860’s, BBC’s second season of Copper is a good one. Five Points, what is now lower Manhattan in the days leading up to Lincoln’s assassination. Corrupt cops, spies, slavery, counterfeiters. Mount Holyoke’s Czitrom historical consultant. Better than Newsroom. Watch that on a different day, as well as Masterpiece’s Endeavour. Sunday nights chock full of choices.
Great reads about old New Amsterdam from 1600’s to the Civil War~ City of Dreams, Beverly Swerling. HeyDay, Kurt Andersen. Downtown, Pete Hamill.
JeanJean won $30 at the Saratoga track. Birthday horse came in.
Ogilvy got the ETrade account. Happier babies now. Congrats.
Motown’s Jesse Nager hugged NYGiant-Strahan. Upset JoeyPa(n)ts.
Lucky little Prince has a Grandma Carole. Like mAdBen and his cuzins.
Hope BoyGeorge won’t stutter. No matter. He’ll still give a good speech.
Carlos’ weiner not so dangerous it seems. Still won’t leave the hot dog stand. Moose loose in next town, Easthampton. Sweet squash from Merry’s Mum garden. Zucchinetti Colitti tomorrow.
Under the Thunder Full Moon, on the last day of Cancer, July 22, Prince of Cambridge arrives. His Daddy Wills was born on the first day of the Sun sign, June 21. Kate a bit late in changing the weekend mood on the links in Scotland. But, baby was smart enough to emerge on a famous GemQueen’s royal birthday.
Name roulette. Francis is Kate’s father’s middle name, as Frances was Diana’s. Pope beat them to it. I’m going with George William Philip Windsor.
Side Trek . NYC 