New Blog

I have started a blog that I will write alongside this one, on my life in DC during the 1990s. You can visit it at www.dc-diaries.blogspot.com. I will (try to) write in chronological order so it will be updated a lot more slowly than this one -- this one is in real-time!!!

It's a jungle out there!

Happened today near my house ....

Circus Tiger Escapes, Causes Scare in NYC

2 hours, 2 minutes ago

By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - After escaping from the circus, a white tiger alarmed picnickers and motorists Saturday on what for him apparently was a calm, half-mile stroll through an unfamiliar urban jungle.

The animal, named Apollo, was safely recaptured in the Queens section of the city — but not before the sight of him on the Jackie Robinson Parkway caused a multi-car accident. Four adults and one child suffered minor injuries.


When the tiger lay down on a nearby street, six police officers with guns drawn created a perimeter around it, Capt. John Durkin said. The tiger's trainer arrived and coaxed it back into his cage.


"They did some type of signal, and the tiger jumped into the cage," Durkin said. "The tiger was taken into custody without incident."


The 7-year-old, 450-pound tiger is part of the Cole Bros. Circus that was performing in Forest Park.


The cat was being transferred from a small cage to a larger one when the two enclosures separated, creating an opening big enough for him to get out, police and parks officials said.


Apollo calmly prowled through a section of the park, walking past Mary Mason and other people at a church picnic.


"We were all in shock," Mason said. "Here we are, out on a quiet Saturday afternoon picnic and all of a sudden, a tiger is walking past like he was on a quiet afternoon stroll."


Durkin said police followed the animal for about a half-mile from the park to a residential street near the Jackie Robinson Parkway. The tiger had apparently strolled through some streets and stepped on to the parkway before settling in on the street where the police found him, police said.


Durkin said authorities were investigating whether the Florida-based circus would be charged with anything. Circus officials declined to comment on the incident.


It's not the only time police have had to deal with a tiger in the city. Last October, police and animal control officers removed a nearly 600-pound tiger and a 5-foot-long alligator from a Manhattan apartment.


"Police have no special training on how to deal with tigers," Durkin said. "Based on this tiger and the last tiger, we may have to incorporate something into our training."

A moving Carnegie Hall

That is what I have dubbed the N train to and from Astoria to Manhattan. There is so much talent on it I don't know what to do.

Today we were serenaded by a guy playing Beatles songs on the accordian. Like the slimmed-down violinist (see "Fiddling while your fat burns" June 17, 2004), he too was blind. An accordian is apparently a cumbersome instrument to carry when you also have to use a cane.

ever more rats

I saw a guy on West 34th Street carrying two brown rats, which looked a lot like the ones running around the tracks of the Roosevelt Island subway station. Another guy looked at me and said, "WHY would anyone want those for pets?"

Because you care ....

I am having a "The Devil Wears Prada" moment at work. If any of you four readers are not sure what I mean by that, read "The Devil Wears Prada" by Laurie Weisberger and then you will know and your life will be complete!

No longer in the humiliating position

Last night at 11pm, the same stuttering man came onto the N train to Astoria. His spiel was a little different this time: he said he would appreciate food as well as money, pennies as well as dollars, and he apologized if his appearance was offensive, but he tried to stay hygenic even though he was homeless.

As the train was far less crowded than the other night when he walked through the train, I took out a dollar and gave it to him. And so did tons of other people, and he even got some Chinese food from someone. This is a marked improvement over the other night when he did not even get a glance.

It occurs to me that maybe no one is really scared of the guy who is begigng, we are scared of people seeing us be nice to someone because then they will mug us. 

You MUST conserve energy!

It is almost August, and the anniversary of the great black-out of 2003. Here are some tips on how to conserve energy and avoid a repeat of the event: 

- Turn off overhead lights in areas where daylight is sufficient or desk lighting is available;

- Turn off computers, copiers and other electric equipment when they are not being used;

- Set window air conditioners to maintain no lower than 78 degrees temperature;

- Turn off window air conditioners and lights when the room is unoccupied;

- Remove objects, such as plants and file folders, from the supply air outlets of window air conditioners to maximize air circulation;

- Keep window shades and blinds lowered and closed to reduce the heat and sun load at every window.

You look ghetto-faaaaaabulous, darling!

I went and got my hair highlighted at this place in Queens called Waterlily's. The service sucked so much I thought the two girls from the tombstone place must work second jobs here.

The guy doing my hair kept disappearing, so I read most of my book "Little New York Bastard" waiting for him to come back. It's 236 pages long and I am almost done now. I got up to use the ladies' room halfway through -- wearing a big black cape and with tinfoil on my head --- and passed him in the break room. He got all startled, like "Oh yeah!! I have a client!"

It was a bad sign that he touched the chemicals on my head with his bare hands. (Of course, when his skin peels off, he will remember not to do that.) Then, in order to prove to me that the highlights actually took to my hair, he took a handheld mirror and made me go outside with him to the sidewalk. We had to lean over someone's crappy car so he could prove that, in the sun, it looked like he did some actual work to my hair.  

I actually liked it (what I saw in the sun, anway) and went to pay. He gave me a price, and I gave him my credit card. He said, "Oh! Have to pay tax on credit card!" I said OK because I assumed I would pay taxes anyway. Guess how much the tax was? $2.40! WHO CARES, Tony???? I just took a dollar off the (cash) tip he was just barely earning at that point and left.

But I do like my hair, so all is well that ends well, even if you paid the tax.  

 

A little shopping on my lunch hour

Today during lunch, I walked further up Queens Boulevard than I have ever walked before, and came across a store called "Sprung Monuments". They sell tombstones, so I went in to browse because frankly, the ones they had in the window were pretty nice. 

Per usual for every store I ever walk into, the service was terrible. The only employees were two stupid girls in their 20s talking loudly about their uninteresting love lives and not even bothering to acknowledge the one customer, living or dead, in the store (me). I thought maybe I should lie down, face up, in front of one of the headstones and tell them I was "just seeing what it looks like" if either of them ever had the presence of mind to come see how I was.

Anyway, the monuments were largely for those of the Jewish faith as they had Stars of David and menorahs carved on them. Particularly interesting were that a lot of them had names and dates already on them, like Wurtzel, which made me think of the author of "Prozac Nation" and all the drugs she does. But there was no first name on it so it was probably not ordered for her. 

in the humiliating position

At 11 pm last night, I was on the N train back to Astoria when a man entered the train and said with a stutter:

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am in this humiliating and degrading position in which I find myself three times a week for th elast two months. Believe me, at the age of 52, I don't like a minute of it either."

At thi spoint, he pauses for 5 minutes (I think if you that length of time constitutes "stopping" rather than "pausing") before he began again.

"I utilize your generosity to buy my one meal of the day at McDonald's. Have a safe life and God bless."

He then walked up and down the train to collect money. I would have given him some money, but something told me I better not open my wallet on the train at that time of night unless I wanted a host of characters following me down the street after I got off at my stop. Charity does begin at home, after all. 

Little New York Bastard

That's the name of the book I am reading right now. It takes place in Flushing, Queens, which is by where I work. It's a memoir, about this angry 22-year-old named M. Dylan Raskin. The first sentence is "I hate people". So you know it's going to be a good book! YEAH!  

kebab update

I have been back several times to the corner of West 34th Street and Broadway looking for the kebab vendor who was, shall we say, depressed from the NYPD (see "In search of a kebab", June 17, 2004). He is no longer there. In fact, except for a Mr. Softee ice crem truck on one occasion, NO ONE is there.

But fear not -- he was probably just moved by the city. Street vendors have to apply for a permit to set up shop and have certain guidelines they must follow (ice must be at a certain temperature, carts must have wheels, the entire cart must be set up by 9 am -- the rules differ depending on the city.) Permits include very specific instructions on what spot on a city block the vendor may set up his/her cart, and the location can be changed by the city as well.

This particular vendor may have been moved as his cart was blocking the entrance to the subway. There are still plenty of kebab vendors in that area, and he is probably just on another block.

As for why I know so much about vendors, I interviewed a bunch of them once for a project on community health in grad school --- our professor told us that people who work in a similar industry count as a community.   

foot fetish epidemic

Ever since I started living here, I have noticed women constantly check out each other's feet -- or, more precisely, shoes. I was walking down the street near Columbia University a few days ago and I felt someone's eyes on me. A girl was sitting in the window of (where else?) Starbucks and was looking at my feet. (I was wearing black open-toed flats from DSW --- Discount Shoe Warehouse.)

People say "Hi" to me while looking at my feet. I am getting used to it. They must be thinking "ugly shoes" because no one ever says "Nice shoes" even though they are looking right at them! Hello -- my eyes are up here!  

A door to the stars

There is a doorway at 11 West 42nd Street (across the street from the NY Public Library) that stands out from all of the others on its block.

It is in the shape of an arch, with a stone relief of the different months and the zodiac sign that falls through most of that month (i.e. May is Taurus --- carving of man with a bull).

It is next to my favorite bookstore in the city Coliseum Books -- even better than Barnes & Noble or Borders! That's how great it is!!!

The magic word

I got off the R train at Woodhaven Boulevard this afternoon. As the train was about to close its doors to pull out of the station, a man came running down the stairs, yelling to everybody and anybody, "HOLD THAT TRAIN!!!!" 

A girl walking with her friend looked at him and said, "Please."

Startled (but still running), he said "Oh yeah, right. Please! Hold that train!"

He made the train.

and that's no bull

Not much to report today except I have noticed an inordinate number of bulldogs in New York between last night and today. Were they the fashionable breed at some point? Anyhow, despite their jowliness, they are actually very friendly dogs.  

a puzzle

I read that at the Democratic National Convention in Boston next week, they will give out giftbags with Gillette razors in them (Gillette is based in Boston.)

While it is a good idea to support local businesses, what is the point of all the security checkoints if you are only going to hand out razors once people actually get inside?

It's like how you still can take lighters on airplanes -- I noticed that years before seeing "Fahrenheit 911". Rather than (or maybe in addition to) checking everyone's shoes, they should have just confiscated the lighters.

Just another day in the life of a spinster

I  recently started being more active on a service called friendster.com. It has its disadvantages -- some random guy in Bangladesh e-mailed me stating he is looking for someone who is "simple to marry."

I really don't think that was reflected in the profile I wrote for myself!!! But I think (and hope) "simple" means something different in Bangladesh than it does in the USA.

At any rate, I won't be accepting the proposal.

subway signs for sale

Haven't you always wanted an old sign from the NYC subway for your house? You know you do -- stop lying! Anyway, below is the website to buy such signs and other subway memorabilia.

http://www.mta.info/nyct/materiel/collectsales/index.html

I personally try to repress memories of the subway as much as I can.

On the subject of labels .....

I was at the Y last night and there was a guy who was obviously looking for somthing he had lost. He asked me if I had seen a pair of shades. I said No, and asked if he could describe them to me.
 
He yells "They were a pair of (Name of some designer I don't recognize) shades! They cost $250!!" He leaves the room yelling "F***!" which highly amused everyone who witnessed this. Apparently, this is abnormal behavior even for New York.
 
I don't think everything I have lost in life so far totals $250. And that is why I buy sunglasses for $8 from Wet Seal.  

Grosser than a subway rat

I read the following in the August 2004 issue of Glamour magazine. I haven't picked up a fashion mag in ages and now I remember why. I wanted to throw up at the title of this entry of a column called "Dating Diary":
 
Term of the month: Weapons of Mass Destruction. Definition: That top, that look when you feel your sexiest!
 
Back to Astoria: HELLO?????? WMD is the piteous falsehood that we went to war over and killed thousands of innocent people with our own WMD (and no, I don't mean that top or the thigh-high Pretty Woman hooker boots everyone wears.)  That is just gross to take that term and apply it to something so frivolous.  
 
 

definition of karma

Everyone talks about karma, so I have decided to look up exactly what it is.  
 
(Actually, my car's name is Karma.)

karma
\Kar"ma\, n. [Skr.] (Buddhism) One's acts considered as fixing one's lot in the future existence.
 
There are some people for whom I am very happy, becasue they will have great things in their future existence. For certain others, I hope your karma gets you so hard in your ass that you can't sit down for a year.

Obey thy postcard

I always collect those free postcards that you find at Barnes & Noble and other such establishments. Today, I actually used the information from one and joined an NYC social network. (This is on account of how I don't really know anyone except for the colorful characters in my neighborhood who don't remember that they have already hit on me once that day.)
 
www.socialcircles.com
 
They interview you in person before you join, which sounds good to me!  
 
By the way -- I think I like Barnes & Noble better than Borders, even though they sell the exact same products.

a lovely loo

By the way, Tiffany's has a very nice ladies' room (which they call "Ladies' Lounge"). No jewel-encrusted handles on the stall doors or anything like that, but clean and full of mahogany wood.
 
But it still doesn't beat the ladies' room at Harrod's in London, where you have your choice of designer hand lotions after you wash your hands! Now that I think of it, that is an excellent way to make people wash their hands after using the "lounge".  

Taking a break at Tiffany's

I went to Manhattan after working at Shea Stadium today and decided to go into Tiffany's when it started to rain a little. I hadn't been there since last November.
 
In November, even though they were surrounded by jewelery worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, the two saleswomen asked me where I got the pin on my coat. It's a golden owl with jade green eyes --- I got it for $8 at a fleamarket in Washington, DC in 1991. 
 
BTW -- I inquired about getting a seasonal job there for the Christmas season -- it would be an interesting experience, to say the least! If any of my 4 readers would like such a job, you have to fax a resume (there is no application form) to either of the following numbers:
 
212-230-6633
 
212-230-6666
 
And remember -- all that glitters is not gold, and labels can't buy you class.

Bugging people at Shea stadium

Well, actually, they were all pretty nice about it. And I should have suspected the job had little to do with the actual Mets.
 
I showed up at Shea Stadium at 8:30 am to be a survey-taker for a sponsor of the Mets. I had to wander around the perimeter of the stadium for 5 hours asking people what kind of car they drove. I used the fact that I had lived in so many places to get people to talk to me and signed up. It worked! Especially since the Mets were playing the Phillies, and I grew up 40 minutes away from Philadelphia. I also talked to a guy from Rutland, MA  (as I used to live in Malden, MA) and a few from the DC area.
 
All in all, not a bad way to spend a few hours on Saturday and make some cash. It could have been worse -- it could have rained! Instead, I was just hot, but I had brought some water with me, instead of paying the $4 in the stadium for a bottle. (Not an exaggeration.)

An atypical audition in New York

I forgot --- I did do something this week! I had an audition in Manhattan! 
 
However, it was off-off-off-off-off-Broadway, so far off that it was actually at 92nd & Lexington at the 92nd Street Y (mentioned in posting "It's fun to stay at the YMHA!" July 9, 2004. Hey -- this blog actually has references to previous posts!!!)
 
I gave a trial workout to the fitness coordinator so he could see how I am as a personal trainer. Here are the exercises so your lazy behind can do them as well:
 
1. Legs -- squats on BOSU. (The blue thing that looks like a half-ball on a flat surface)
 
2. Biceps --- preacher curls on physio-ball (can also use preacher curl bench)
 
3. Triceps - single-arm tricep dips; tricep push-ups on Smith machine
 
4. Back - Push-ups on Smith machine; dead-lift with Olympic bar; bent-over row with Olympic bar   
 
5. Chest - Incline bench press 
 
6. Shoulders - front and side raises with  hand weights 
 
7. Abs - crunches with 19-lb body bar
 
There you go, a total-body workout free of charge!  And yes, I got the job!

hmmmmm .....

All I did today was review different kinds of media. I am sure something will happen soon. Oh yeah --- I am working at Shea Stadium for the Mets this weekend! So Monday's post should have something I actually did in life!!!
 
(No recipes! I promise!)

Aforementioned Book, Recommended

A book review as follow-up to the posting: And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls (July 7, 2004)
 
When Friendship Hurts: How to Deal With Friends Who Betray, Abandon, or Wound You by Jan Yager
 
From Publishers Weekly
 
Sociologist Yager (Friendshifts) has been studying and writing about friendship since the 1980s. Drawing on the results of 180 questionnaires, as well as earlier studies she conducted, Yager focuses here on what to do when friendships go bad. Successful friendships, according to Yager, are marked by trust, honesty, empathy and commonality characteristics that may be compromised when a once-supportive relationship turns sour. When this happens as it inevitably does in the course of one's life friends may become self-absorbed, overly dependent, highly critical or even betray one another. Underlying childhood issues, such as low self-esteem, intense sibling rivalry and abusive parenting often prevent adults from forming satisfactory friendships. The author outlines a variety of coping techniques that committed friends can follow as they work through negative patterns that are eroding their relationship. She also explains how to recognize a friendship that is so destructive it must be ended (e.g., if a friend isn't there for you when your parent dies, it's a sign the friendship's over), how to actually end the friendship (try saying "I'm busy" when the friend asks to get together), how to detect "harmful" people before you become friends with them (examples are the "taker" and the "one-upper") and how to deal with friendships at work (Yager is convinced these friendships should remain casual). This valuable book will be a rescuer to all readers struggling to deal with an ailing friendship.
Copyright 2002  Cahners Business Information, Inc.
 
About the Author
 
Jan Yager, Ph.D., is a sociologist and the author of Friendshifts®: The Power of Friendship and How It Shapes Our Lives. Recognized as the number one expert on friendship in the country, she has been seen and heard on Oprah, The View, The O'Reilly Factor, and NPR, as well as on numerous other national television and radio programs. She lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Another note on Fahrenheit 911

The lady from Spain in the yellow tent in Lafayette Park by the White House, who talks to the lady whose son was killed in Iraq, is famous in DC because she has been there 24 hours a day since 1981. She was not posed there by Moore -- she is really out there holding a vigil for those killed in war. She is giving her life for what she believes in as well.  
 

another website recommendation

www.slate.msn.com
 
I first discovered this online magazine about 5 years ago when I read that Al Gore's eldest daughter, Karenna, was a staff writer.  

Fahrenheit 911

I saw "Fahrenheit 911" last night at the movie theater by my place in Queens. I liked it a lot. What amazes me is -- why is everyone so mad, even BEFORE the movie came out? Michael Moore basically recapped everything that was in the newspapers for the last four years. I have been reading the Washington Post for several years and all of this has been printed and in the public domain.
 
I also read newspapers from other countries to get their perspective on our going to war with Iraq so quickly and with disregard for the UN. You know, this might surprise some Massholes I know, but people from other countries don't care if they are called un-American when they voice their opinion. It's kind of understood to be an oxymoron!
 
What I found most interesting was a scene where Navy recruiters in full uniform approached young men -- one who was only in the 9th grade --- as they entered a mall in an effort to recruit them into the armed services. I found this especially interesting as only the day before (July 14), Marines in full uniform stood outside the McDonald's by Woodhaven Boulevard subway station in Queens, across the street from the recently-opened Queens Center Mall, trying to recruit young people who were buying CDs from the vendor sharing the same bit of sidewalk. I had thought it was an odd place for them to set up shop, so to speak, but now I see it is no longer a coincidence.     

so stooooopid

I was once out on Saturday night in Washington, DC with a Masshole and she asked if I wanted to go to Kelly's Irish Times bar by Union Station (we had just come out of a Mardi Gras party at the Capital Brewery a block away.) I said I didn't really enjoy Irish pubs. She called me a racist. Pretty ironic considering what comes out of her sister's mouths when it comes to Chris Rock.

As it is: I said I don't like Irish pubs, not that I don't like the Irish. I don't drink and I don't feel like crying over memories of a country I have never even visited (I know that doesn't stop tons of other people from "remembering" but I just can't do it.)

How can you be racist towards an establishment?? If I don't like museums, am I a racist? How about train stations? Or movie theaters? Or parks? WHATEVER!

It's a new one for me too

I came across a sign for a new class at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan:

SENSUOUS PILATES

Despite having 8 years' experience in the fitness industry, I have no idea what they do in that class. It's enough that I am willing to get my ears candled, that's all I can say!

Starring George W. Bush!

I just listened to fandago.com and it said "Fahrenheit 9-11, starring George W. Bush and Michael Moore." I never thought of Bush as the male lead, but I guess he is!

I proclaim thee to be ghetto!

My co-worker has dubbed me "ghetto" in that I use an empty Folger's Classic Roast coffee jar as a pencil holder and an empty Starbucks frappuccino bottle as a vase. I say that 1) I really love coffee and 2) I like to recycle.

website recommendations from a friend

He writes: just wanted to let you know these are the websites I visit daily these days

http://athensastoria.blogspot.com/
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/index
http://onion.com/ every Wednesday
http://www.kryptonsite.com/
http://www.protonradio.com/
http://www.michaelmoore.com
http://www.cnn.com
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
http://superherohype.com

I write: Thanks!!!

slave to fashion

I am wearing these beautiful shoes I bought in Naples, Italy on a brief stopover on my way to the Pompeii ruins in 2000. They are satin mules, a soft light yellow with a design of violets, pink and yellow day lilies and green leaves. I get compliments from strangers every time I wear them.

Unfortunately, they are half a size too small as that is all the store had left that day! But that's OK --- some all-American band-aids will take care of those blisters! And I am sure I will make some podiatrist fantastically rich in the coming future.

Creamsicle cats

This morning around 7am, I walked down 31st Avenue in Astoria. I saw a man sitting outside a shop with 5 adult cats around him, including one looking out from a door in the sidewalk. They were all orange, or orange and white, with orange eyes. That's a lot of orange!

I petted the friendliest one, the one who approached me and meowed -- he had short flat fur except for his tail, which was fluffed out like a toilet-cleaning brush.

"Are they all brothers and sisters?" I asked the man.

"Yes," he said as an unbelievably skinny orange cat came out of the shop. She was bulging in the stomach though.

"The mommy! She is pregnant for second time!" he said.

So basically, she had a litter of 5 a year ago and all the cats stayed on till adulthood. And now a new bunch are on the way.

If he could train them all to do some kind of trick, I would pay to see all 10 orange cats and their mom perform.

Ear candling is on hold

The lady who specializes in ear candling at the salon is out sick for a few weeks. So I will have to wait till August to have wax dripped into my ears.

Och, aye!

At 12:30 pm today, in a parking lot on Junction Boulevard in Queens, a man was practicing the bagpipes under a tree. He was pretty good!

I take this as a sign to go and visit Scotland, which I had been already contemplating.

kefta is the shizzel!

Kefta is just a word for kebabs, and it tastes so great!

Seriously, I think that eating the authentic spicy savory foods of Middle Eastern origin is a big factor in why I don't really like Italian food, even though everyone else raves on and on about it. To me, pasta is what you ate in college because it was only 38 cents a box and you only had to know how to boil water. There is no reason to pay upwards of $80 for a meal for two at an Italian restaurant when all it does is remind you of how broke and hungry you were in your salad days.

Here is a recipe for lamb kefta! Flavorful and good for you, served on a bed of basmati rice. It is indeed the shizzel!

Lamb Kefta (Lebanese Lamb Kebabs)
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Source: Better Homes and Gardens
Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons snipped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 of a small peeled and seeded cucumber (optional)
3/4 cup plain yogurt (optional)
Thinly sliced cucumber (optional)
Salt and pepper (optional)



Directions:
1. Combine onion; bread crumbs; garlic; parsley; cilantro; oregano; mint; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; cinnamon; crushed red pepper, if desired; and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add lamb; mix well. Divide mixture into 8 portions. Shape each portion around a metal skewer, forming a log that is 6 inches long and about 1 inch wide.

2. Place skewers on the rack of the grill directly over medium heat. Grill lamb skewers for 10 to 12 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat registers 160 degree F, turning once.

3. In a small bowl, stir together cucumber and yogurt, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, sliced cucumber, and grilled lemon wedges, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Tip: For grilled lemon wedges,cut a lemon into 8 wedges. Place on the grill rack next to the skewers that last 2 to 3 minutes of grilling, turning to brown evenly.


Nutritional facts per serving

calories: 397 , total fat: 26g , saturated fat: 10g , cholesterol: 220mg , sodium: 451mg , carbohydrate: 6g , fiber: 1g , protein: 33g , vitamin C: 9% , calcium: 6% , iron: 17%

Bon jour du Bastille!

Happy Bastille Day!

This is not right

This came out in today's New York Times.

July 13, 2004
An Immigrant, a Terrorist List and a Day Trip Gone Wrong
By SETH KUGEL

At 12:01 Thursday morning, Irfan Ahmed, a 35-year-old Indian immigrant living in Forest Hills, Queens, left on a bus to Montreal for a whirlwind visa renewal tour. His plan was to arrive at the United States Consulate for his 8:30 a.m. appointment, wait for his paperwork, then take the 4:15 home to New York and be back at his city job the next day. He had done it twice before, with no glitch.

But yesterday, four days later, Mr. Ahmed was still in Montreal, hoping to clear up an apparent case of mistaken identity after his name came up as a match on a government watch list. That delayed the renewal of his work visa, which can be issued immediately only by an American consulate in a foreign country.

At the consulate, a visa officer handed him a letter that stated, "Please be aware that this review may take one month or more to complete," and he was advised not to leave Montreal.

His story is hardly extreme - he was not thrown in jail, just stranded in a French-speaking city that he barely knows but that is home to the foreign American consulate that is closest to New York.

He is exasperated and panicked, however, to be away from work as a computer consultant for the city's Human Resources Administration and to miss classes at Mercy College, where he is studying education.

"What's the big deal having a name Irfan Ahmed?" he said in a phone interview. The name is common among South Asian Muslims. "Everyone has this name. Irfan Ahmed is like John Smith." (to read the rest, visit www.nytimes.com)


ASTORIA: Unfortunately, he is far from the only one who is going through some sort of discriminatory action. Last night, a 54-year-old Sikh man was beaten up by a 26-year-old named Salvatore Maceli who yelled at him to "go back to his country". They showed him on the news, his face was so swollen his eyes were shut.

Seriously, if you hate someone, just keep it to yourself. And keep your hands to yourself and your mouth shut, take it home to your mama and see how impressed SHE is with your bullshit.

Help a School

This past week, I answered an ad on craigslist by a kindergarten teacher who needed donations for her incoming class and had a severely small budget. I sent her 30 8-packs of crayons because that was always MY favorite thing to get on the first day of school. I ordered them off staples.com and had them sent directly to her house, and she wrote me a very nice thank-you note.

Chances are, there is a school near you that also needs something. Call them up and see if you can help them. They probably won't expect your call, but will be glad you made it.

It's all in your head ....

... and it is so very gross.

There is a salon called Casablanca Hair Salon on 30th Avenue in Astoria that has a sign in the window proclaiming they do "ear candling". Now what exactly is that, and why would you want it done to you???

So a little research reveals that ear candling is a centuries-old ear cleaning technique used by the ancient Turks, Greeks and Egyptians that can cure tinnitus (ringing in ears), vertigo or dizziness, allergies, sinus congestion, ear infections and hearing loss. The benefits include improved mental clarity, better growth of hair and nails, and better lymphatic circulation. Apparently, the webiste goes on to say, jumping on a trampoline will also improve your lymphatic circulation.

Basically, they drip candle wax into your ear canal, then pull all the crap out. They say it's painless, but since bikini waxes hurt, then shouldn't an ear wax be far worse. particularly since it's on the inside???

Only one way to really find out. Watch this space ....

Get checked for breast cancer

I just received this bulletin from the NYC Dept of Health and thought I would share the information with all 4 of my readers, as it is good valuable information.

Get Checked for Breast Cancer
Mammograms save lives.

Breast cancer kills more than 1,200 New York City women each year.

It kills more non-smoking women than any other cancer.

Regular mammograms can detect breast cancer early enough for it to be successfully treated, well before lumps can be felt in the breast.

Women 40 and older should get a mammogram every 1 to 2 years.

The Breast Cancer Health Bulletin http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/pdf/public/dohmhnews3-06.pdf tells you what you need to know about Mammograms, Breast Cancer risk factors, and other information about preventative steps and treatment.

Omni Parker House -- let the good times roll(s)!

This past weekend I went to the Omni Parker House at 60 School Street in Boston.

Opened in 1856, this is the oldest continually-running hotel in the USA. Bill Clinton, FDR, JFK, Charles Dickens, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Judy Garland are among those who stayed here. In fact, every president since Ulysses S. Grant has stayed here.

Emeril Lagrasse (BAM!) worked here as a chef, as did Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese revolutionar (at different times, of course). Malcolm X was once a busboy in the restaurant.

The hotel is also famed for several dishes, including Boston cream pie (official dessert of MA) and the Parker House roll (recipe below).

Ingredients:

½ cup scalded milk
½ cup boiling water
1 tsp. Salt; 1 tsp. Sugar; 1 tsp. Butter
½ yeast cake dissolved in ¼ cup lukewarm water
3 cups bread flour, enough to knead.

1. Place milk, water, salt, butter, and sugar into mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Add yeast.
3. Then add flour till it is enough to knead.
4. Cover and let it rise to double its bulk, shape into balls, put into buttered pan and cover.
5. Let it rise in a warm place again to double its bulk.
6. With the floured handle of a wooden spoon press the balls through the center, almost cutting it in half.
7. Brush one half with butter, fold the other half over and press together.
8. Let it rise again and bake in a hot oven 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
9. Brush the tops with butter after baking.

Yield: 2-dozen rolls.

It's fun to stay at the YMHA!

Last night, I went to the 92nd Street Y (92nd Street & Lexington Avenue). Founded in 1874, the Young Men's Hebrew Association is the oldest Jewish community and cultural centers. It offers over 200 programs every day.

The 92nd Street Y has the only pool in New York disinfected primarily with ozone. Unlike chlorine, ozone prevents bathing suits from fading, skin from drying, eyes from stinging and pool water from having a pungent smell

That gym is incredible! It has a boxing room, a spinning room, 2 basketball courts, 3 raquetball courts, a cardio room, and multiple weight rooms and aerobics studios.

They also have an indoor track that circles the top of one basketball court, you can watch the game as you run (yes, there are railings to prevent runners from falling into the basketball game.)

In addition, they have a cultural center where Elie Wiesel has presented his series "The Fascination with Jewish Tales" at the 92nd Street Y for over 30 years. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma made his New York recital debut at the 92nd Street Y in 1974. And much much more!

So now you know!

gotta pay the bills

Last night around 7:20 pm, I was in the Lexington - 59th Street subway station waiting for a train to Astoria. There was a busker (musician for money) playing "Brown Eyed Girl" on the guitar. Behind him were some handwritten signs written in blue magic marker.

Sign 1
My name is Kevin.
I drove my motorcycle here from Alaska.

Sign 2
Drawing of United States and part of Canada, with a little trail of dashes from Alaska to New York.

Sign 3
I play music to make $$$ to pay for food, gas, lodging.

Sign 4
Student loans $60,000
Bike repair $300
Grey's Papaya $2.45

Looks like Kevin is going to be playing his guitar for a very long time.

(I have no idea what Grey's Papaya is.)

Astoria Historical Society

http://www.astorialic.org/

I am sure everywhere I have lived has its own historical society, but thisis the first time I have actually come across a website for it.

Below is the quote on the site's homepage:

NOTABLE QUOTE
The true New Yorker secretly believes that anyone living anywhere else has got to be, in some sense, kidding.

--John Updike

water water everywhere

Not much has happened since my last post, so I shall bore you with some facts!

New York City uses 1.2 billion gallons of water a day. Without water, the evil empire of Starbucks would fall, as you need clean water to make grande half-caf caramel macchiatos and the like.

So if you like your Starbucks (and even if you don't), then you have a vested interest in conserving water.

elevator talk

Seriously, why do people in elevators think you can't hear them, especially when they don't even bother to keep their voices down? It is an even smaller space than a regular room, and you stand much closer to strangers than you would normally!

So, just now, when I returned from my coffee break, the elevator had a fair amount of people in it. Two guys were having a loud conversation:

Guy One (not real name): Remember when we came out of Julian's Billiards and that 18-wheeler hit that guy?

Guy Two: Oh yeah. It was just grinding his leg off! Gross!

Oh. My. God.

And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls

I was on the Manhattan-bound N train at 7:45 pm last night. I noticed someone had written the word "PRAY" in gold marker on the black rubber that lines the window. They had also written the same word in black letters on the edge of the white plastic seat.

They didn't say to whom you should pray, or for what. I guess you have to come up with those answers yourself.

I went to Borders and bought a book called "When Friendship Hurts" by Jan Yager. The cashier looked at my purchase and told me she needed to write down that title so she could read it too. Apparently, the fiancee of her friend, whom she has known for 17 years, told him not to see her anymore, and he listened.

So my first prayer is for her, and my second will be for myself. There are a lot of mean selfish people out there who are only too glad to take advantage of you if you are dumb enough to be nice to them. That's life, unfortunately.

If you have a college degree, then you can walk my dog!

It's official --- America is "degree crazy". I thought this was only true in Washington, DC, where you seem to need a Ph.D to open the mail at a non-profit organization. But these are the job requirements for a dog-walker as listed on craigslist - New York:

* Comfortable with dogs of all sizes
* Able to Run at least 5 miles daily
* Own a cellphone
* Have a clean criminal record (for bonding purposes)
* Available for work between 11am-3pm M-F
* Hold U.S. citizenship or legal working documents.
* A college graduate (preferred, not required)
* Available to begin working immediately

I kid you not.

Register to vote!!!

John Kerry just announced that his running mate for the White House is John Edwards. Whether you plan to vote for them or not, it is important that you vote, period.

It's only July but before you know it, it will be November and time to vote! You can't vote without registering first, so make sure you do! Here are instructions on how to do just that:

How to register to vote

1. Log on to www.stepupwomensnetwork.org

2. Click on “Step up to the Issues 2004” link

3. Fill out the one-page registration form and print out. A sheet of paper which can be folded into an envelope, with the address of where to send the form already printed on it, is included.

4. Photocopy driver’s license or other proof of person and address (there is a list of acceptable ID on the registration form)

5. Enclose all information, seal and stamp envelope. Put in mailbox.

The entire process takes less than 8 minutes.

Rio in Astoria

My parents and I ate at a really good Brazilian restaurant on 30th Ave in Astoria yesterday.

Sabor Tropical
3618 30th Ave
Astoria, NY 11103-4360
Phone: (718) 777-8506

The inside is painted a cool coral color, and the front wall is a window that can be opened. Despite the heat yesterday, it was very comfortable in there.

There aer also original oil paintings of scenes in Rio de Janeiro, including the Copacabana Beach of which Barry Manilow sings.

For an entree, I highly recommend the Frango Gelhado (grilled chicken).

They serve the sodas in champagne cups with ice and a straw. Very elegant!

A shout-out to America

Happy 4th of July!

Go Greece, go!

Greece beat Portugal 1-0 and won the European Championship today. They won a game the other day and there was a party in the streets of Athens Square Park, complete with cops and everything. People were driving their cars, honking horns, singing the national anthem of Greece and waving the Greek flag. One guy even wore the flag as a cape as he rode his motorcycle down 30th Avenue.

The great thng is everyone was celebrating, Greek, Pakistani, African-American, Chinese. It was great! Opa!

a tree grows in Astoria

Yesterday, I took a different way home and passed on 35th Street a house with an actual peach tree in front (I am not putting the exact address here.) The tree had to have been growing for quite some years as it was pretty tall, and was chockful of ripening peaches. Amazing that in the confines of New York City, an actual fruit tree is thriving so well without an orchard worker in sight.

don't need no baggage

Today on the R train to downtown, a three-part harmony group entered the train and began singing a hymn.

Just get on board!
Just get on board!
Everybody is waiting
For the train that's coming!
You don't need no baggage
Just get on board
And praise the Lord!

It was really well done, and I was even going to give them a dollar, except as soon as they finished singing, they started cursing loudly about all the cheap mothers on the train who didn't give them a dollar.

Rats! Again!

I was walking in Manhattan yesterday around 7pm. On the corner of W. 29th Street and Broadway, I saw a woman in a tank top and cargo pants, smoking a cigarette and petting a large white rat on her shoulder. She was talking to a man in a business suit, saying "Yeah, when they get old, they get yellow."

Personally, I think that particular rat might get yellow from all the secondhand smoke being blown in his face. That is my only theory on rat health.