Wednesday, December 1, lunch at Pangea and tempura/sushi/sashimi dinner at Mie before the latest episode of Star Trek: Voyager.  This is a good one with guest stars Martina Sirtis as Deanna Troi and the recurring character of Reg, also from the Next Generation series.  I enjoy these cross-program exercises although they’re often stretched to the limit.  This one works well beyond what I could hope for.

Thursday, December 2, I pick up Bryan around 6 pm, the first time the car has been used in a week.  Dinner is at La Balconata at 7 and we’re home after 9 pm.

Friday, December 3, drinks at Dick’s at 6, home at 7, Edmond Safra murdered.  What?  Yes, we’ve just heard that Edmond Safra, who has just sold Republic National Bank to HSBC, has been murdered in his Monaco residence!  Eventually, we find out that the intendee was one of his nurses even though there was plenty of motive considering his opposition to the Russian mafia.  Poor man; even though he sold the bank because of his increasing Parkinson’s there was no reason to rush the end of his life.  Funny, I’d always hoped that someday he would happen by Bryan and after a brief discussion my boyfriend’s star would rise and rise.  Oh, well, B always said he didn’t want to be a banker!

Saturday, December 4 and a Tony Appreciation Dinner at Haveli, the upscale Indian restaurant on Second Avenue near Sixth Street.  They’ve got a great dinner suggestion for two, just order drinks and they take care of the rest.  And they do, with many and various dishes of American-sized portions for about fifty bucks.  Plus, it’s not traditional Indian like most Americans think of it; in other words it’s a “classy joint” much like the Three Monkeys in Brixton England.  Yum, yum.

Sunday, December 5 … we decide on the 9th Street Market for “elevated home cooking and fine wine.”  Either get here at opening or make a reservation as there are only a half dozen deuces and a few four tops in the whole place and the food is truly good if a take on the traditional American fare.  This means chicken fried steak for Bryan and steak with green peppercorn sauce for me; it’s the appetizers that the restaurant takes more liberties with.

And there’s two dangling participles within a few sentences.  This could easily open a discussion on recent decisions by linguists to accept such verbiage as “sounding better” but …  Ok, I’ll stop there.

Monday, December 6 ... Bryan’s got a great idea; we’ve been meaning to try Havana Pies, “Finest Quality Empanadas” on 14th Street between Second and Third Avenues.  It’s fast food, but small Cuban pastry shells filled with various meats and vegetables sounds great.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t translate that way.  Indeed, I have grave doubts about the authenticity of any of it, particularly when you see our choices.

Basically, all the empanadas cost about two bucks, or around twenty bucks for a dozen; we sampled a Cubano (roast pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and mayo – yes, mayo), a Beef Picadillo (ground beef, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, olives and capers), a Pernil Asado (pork shoulder supposedly marinated in garlic, oil, oregano and dry chili salsa), a Jerk Chicken (supposedly with Scotch bonnet peppers, one of the hottest varieties) and – get this – a Pecan Duck (Long Island duckling with wild rice and pecan gravy).

To work backwards, we have no idea where this last one came from!  We think that it’s a mistranslation of Peking Duck with only knowledge of pecans used in Southern cooking – who knows?  Unfortunately, none of it mattered.  Indeed, at least the duck tasted good if completely unconventional; the rest of it just tasted weird or bland.  The Scotch bonnet peppers?  The mildest of all the empanadas!  And the first three all tasted funny; I really can’t even describe it except to say that we would forgive “different” – this was unpleasant.  Truly a shame, not even redeemed with a blueberry empanada (yes) that was really a blintz but at least would have provided me with a tasty dessert.  Return?  No, I think not.

Tuesday, December 7, we call England.  Our first call is to talk to Jude Goldberg.  This is our friend in Elephant + Castle, where Bryan and I have stayed while in England.  Our next call is to Matt + Paul and fortunately catch them at home as well!  Dinner at Pangea.

Wednesday, December 8, what planet rules food because it was out of alignment on this day!

First, I stop for lunch at Pluck U. for “wings and things” and the “best wings in NY.”  They even have a glossy hand out that is more stock promotion than menu.  But while they give a long dissertation about the founders turning their back on Wall Street for wings, they also claim “rated NY’s #1 chicken wings 4 years in a row.”  Um, there’s no documentation for this but worse than that is their wings – they suck!  There, I said it.  These had to be the most meatless wings I’ve had in a decade.  Plus the flavor of everything that I had was just terrible, just terrible.

Then, we don’t go out for dinner; instead, we get delivery from the Lunch Box.  This is a rarity, the last time being when I had the flu last January.  But the food is terrible, just terrible.  Just the normal conventional stuff like burgers, but every last item was just terrible.  Do you gather that it just didn’t taste good?  Terrible!  And even Star Trek:Voyager is a repeat.

Thursday, December 9, I work on Ecclesia.  Then it’s off to The Custom Shop for my Christmas present … from last year.  Yes, I finally used the gift certificate that Bryan had gotten me last year.

I like my Brooks Brothers shirts but B has persuaded me that I just don’t have the American figure for them; the Custom Shop will make perfect white and blue oxfords for me in the style of Brooks Brothers but without all the extra material.  From the moment of the fitting alone I could tell the difference and although it will take six weeks to receive them I’m quite pleased.  Dinner is at Mie after Friends and Frasier.

Friday, December 10, dinner alone at Tad’s Steak House near Union Square.  Yes, the down and dirty franchise; but what’s interesting is not the gristly meat but the seating arrangements, all small sections of deuces and fours which considering the few people there meant that everyone got their own dining area.  And be honest, these places sure know how to make a baked potato for some reason!

Saturday, December 11, and considering how few movies we get to (no excuse with three multiplexes within a couple of blocks), there is no rhyme or reason to our selections.  This one is Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow  with Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci.  What a beautiful movie; each frame could be mounted and shown in a museum.  I find the plot somewhat meandering, but it is a horror story at its core.

Sunday, December 12, around 4 pm, we eat at Pangea for combination lunch/dinner as I’m to meet our friend Andrew at 6:30.  This is our downstairs neighbor involved in Russian Imperialist art; he’s invited Bryan and I to a chi-chi gay party.  However, Bryan would prefer not to (he’s not the most social animal) while I feel it’s necessary for me to network so off I go.

It was the original intent to stay only a short while; indeed Andrew only seemed to know the hosts although the apartment itself had a wonderful view south of 27th and Second Avenue where it was located.  However, many vodkas later we were the last to leave around 9:30!

Monday, December 13, Bryan bowls.  I must say something about where we buy most of our ‘good’ decorations – it’s Matt McGhee at 22 Christopher Street, world famous.

Tuesday, December 14, I have a nice conversation with David Littler who recentlyent me this nice picture.

Next, after a drink at Pieces, Bryan has had his heart set on Mexican food so we decide on El Cantinero on University Place; the food isn’t bad and the people are friendly.

Wednesday, December 15, Bryan and I have a nice lunch at Salute! at 270 Madison Avenue.  This is a rather nice northern Italian restaurant for the business crowd but since Bryan is in his banker’s uniform and I look presentable it’s ok.  I have a superb glass of a Rutherford cabernet which I must remember even though they charged $9 for it, Bryan stuck with iced tea since he’s working.

We split lightly battered calamari ($13) which also has pieces of zucchini mixed in, much to my delight.  Then it’s orecchiette with sausage and broccoli ($14) for Bryan which turns out to be quite subtle, and linguine vongole with manilla clams ($16) for me.  And although the spaghetti is so al dente it would have sat like lead in my stomach if I finished it, the tiny clams are just perfect.

Thursday, December 16, starts off with an interesting surprise.  When I go to pick up the car at the lot, there are two men waiting for theirs.  But these two look awfully alike, indeed one could think they were identical twins grown slightly different looking through personal grooming.  And that’s who they turn out to be; I look at one of them and say “Don’t I know you from Boston?”

I always want to say that but it’s rarely true so why take the chance?  But today it’s real as he introduces himself as Doug Stearn and his brother, whom I remember as artists in Boston..  They are still artists; I thought they might be down for an exhibition but Doug told me they live here now.  That was fun!  And if I can find any information (I think I spelled their name wrong to start), this paragraph will change in the future.

Friday, December 17, it’s my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary and I make a quick morning call to say hello; for their anniversary they will make a special trip to the new mega-mall in Elizabeth.  Oh, wow.

Saturday, December 18, we’re both up surprisingly early for our trip to Boston with Scott and Susan.  I’m so glad to have found out that Dangerboy is such a good driver; he’ll be the pilot both directions this time and does a superb job.  It’s not often that I can fall asleep in the car!

We’re on the road by 11 am as Scott wants to exchange presents with his mom, who’s at work at Saks in Boston until 6 pm – therefore our deadline for arrival.  We made it into the Prudential Center by 5 pm giving Scott and Susan enough time to go in for a moment to see his mom.  By 6 pm, Bryan and I dropped them off at the Holiday Inn in Brookline, near Jeff and Alli’s, and proceeded to their apartment.  Later, we meet Scott and Susan at the Golden Temple to kill time before the party.

Oh, the party!  A great mix of people and how to remember them all?  I had a real chance to spend quality time with most everyone which is a nice change from being dragged all around and never really talking with anyone.  To start with, though, Oedipus showed up with my resume and spent a good deal of his time there sitting with me and going over the changes he would make in it and other career management ideas.  I was very surprised and very appreciative.

Bill and Alice Abbate were there early as Bill had a sports show the next day.  Albert O is under the weather so doesn’t show; unfortunate, as we’d have loved to see his pregnant wife Jen as well!  Brother Cleve and the Lady Diane are there; if we’re really lucky it would be wonderful to meet them in Miami in mid-January for the Art Deco weekend. Jeff Berlin and Robyne Tanner come mainly to see me (I hope!) but know so many people that they spend as much time socializing with others.  Ellen brings her sister again, Shari Sklar is dressed in a beautiful dress.

More?  Radio personalities Neal Robert and Lori Gale from WFNX and Steve Strick and Shred from WBCN.  Also seen is Robin Lane of the Chartbusters with her daughter and friend in tow.  Numerous personal friends of Jeff and Alli who shall, for the purposes of this public diary, be appropriately anonymous although many are public figures.

But I do think that I can mention Hugo Burnham and his pregnant wife Carol.  Yes, Hugo was the drummer for the Gang of Four and later was associated with Shriekback during a tour that led to a dinner him, Bill Abbate and myself among others.  So it was rather fun to see how our personal lives had occasionally intersected over the last twenty years.  He and his wife are currently living in the Boston area near her family (he’s obviously English) after many years in New York and Los Angeles (where they met at Virgin Records).

Have you been waiting for the food report?  As usual, there were the Marshall staples – loads of shrimp cocktail, cheeses and pates (both liver and sun-dried tomato), individual-sized lobster quiches and more; this year he also added spicy crab and artichoke dips (from recipes of Alice Abbate), blue cheese poppers, delicately marinated ‘riblets’ (just about an inch long of perfect bites of beef rib) and a new piece-de-resistance – asparagus and prosciutto wraps in a creamy tomato-basil vodka sauce.  Yes, the food probably rates as high a billing as the guests!

Along with flowing rivers of Chandon 2000 Millennium Champagne there was a full bar of exotic liquors which got larger and larger as more guests brought more in!  As for bringing in, we brought our normal Christmas decorations for them.  This year we gave them a red and a green glass mirror ball, each boxed in a color-coordinated Chinese take-out box; also another pair of balls in this year’s newest idea – translucent globes with a puff of smoke in them along with a pair of chocolate ‘dessert plates’ and a set of water glasses with the nutritional information panel printed on them.  Nothing very special, just fun.  I’m sure there’s numerous things you’d like to know about the party and maybe even Jeff and Alli but you’d better check with them.  The last person finally left around 2 am and after chatting with Jeff for awhile I crashed also; Bryan had gone to sleep earlier.

Sunday, December 19, we’re on the road with Scott and Susan by 10 am and on the way back to NYC.  For more on what Jeff and Alli do when they're not throwing one of the year's best parties?  Just go to the Monolyth website - it's their record company!

Our only stop along the way is Rein’s NY Style Deli Restaurant right off exit 65 on I-84 in Vernon CT.  Rein’s has been around forever and, yes, they really are in the tradition of Jewish delicatessens although this one is huge!  Less than an hour later and we’re on our way again, arriving in the city around 3 pm, giving me just enough time to change and head up to Lincoln Center.

I’m joining my cousin Lorraine Dizzia, her husband John and their daughters Maria and Gina along with four of their friends to see the Big Apple Circus.

The circus was much more fun than I expected, probably because of the small and intimate nature of the tent; plus with only one ring to concentrate on it’s a little less crazy.  They had the normal jugglers and trapeze artists, dogs and elephants and Bello Nock, a cute clown with a blond mohawk and not much makeup.  The show was presented in two one-hour segments with a 15-minute intermission.

By 7 pm, we were headed downtown for dinner at “the music lovers rendezvous” - Asti’s at 13 East 12th Street.  Yes, for years failed opera singers have found employment as waiters at this Italian eatery.  We actually have a fun time (although I’m not sure Bryan loved having his hair mussed by a rather large and vampirish diva/hostess).  Of the four friends, one works for a division of IBM, one is a bond trader (both from Manhattan, I believe), another friend in from Chicago and a film student friend of Maria’s from San Diego.  We have lots of food and lots of good wine (ok, the wine was much better than the food but it’s the nature of the beast, I fear).

Monday, December 20, Christmas week starts quietly; it’s gotten very rainy.  But by the time we go to Pangea at 7, it’s all fairly calm.  They have a special appetizer, mussels in saffron cream, that is just superb – I hope they do it again; then both Bryan and I have the crab cakes which are quite good if somewhat standard tonight.

Tuesday, December 21, I see Dr. Diamond; my viral load remains undetectable and t-cells remain stable at 170 (actually surprising seeing as how I seem to do nothing for it).  After visiting her I head off to Hoboken, by that point it was 1 pm and I decided to eat there.  Walking around I was surprised to find Arthur’s Tavern; this is a famous New Jersey steakhouse with cheap prices.

Their primary seller is steak but other than a filet mignon special one’s choice is limited to a 24 oz. steak for $14 or a 48 oz. steak for $28 – much like Peter Luger’s.  There aren’t baked potatoes but it does come with their version of home fries which are greasy and good.  Their garlic bread however was soggy from sitting in a tin foil wrapper too long.  Obviously volume is key here.  But for the price it’s hard to beat and I take more than half of the steak home.  How was it?  Again, like Luger’s, the meat seems to be marinated for a long time as opposed to aged but it’s tender and quite tasty – and again, for the price, who’s to complain?

Wednesday, December 22, I meet Bryan and my cousin Maria Dizzia for lunch at Giggles on 40th Street.  B and I had lunch there recently but today was a disaster; first they sat the two of them alone because I hadn’t arrived yet.  That didn’t matter since they hadn’t given their order so we just switched tables with the ‘permission’ of the busboy.  But another twenty minutes would go by before anyone took our order.  By that point I wasn’t hungry anymore and when informed that Manhattan clam chowder was substituting for the seafood bisque, got a side salad which remained untouched to prove a point.  Other than that, Maria’s steamed mussels smelled great and B’s antipasto was so-so (the cold cuts had stayed sliced too long in the refrigerator).

is my destination on the way home – yes, B+H Photo at Ninth Street at 34th Street.  Yes, he's getting the new Canon Elph 2; it's actually a millimeter smaller than a pack of cigarettes.

I hope he'll be excited as I don’t think it will come as any great surprise to him.  But the surprise is giving it to him today instead of waiting until the Poconos or next week.  We’ve never gotten the Christmas spirit together and haven’t put up a tree (particularly since most of our decorations are gone); I don’t think we have to stand on the date.

Bryan is having his Christmas office party in Little Italy, at Puglia.  From what I gather, he felt that the food was touristy but plentiful and the wine cheap but flowing.  Plus he had an enjoyable time at what might be a last xmas party for them and definitely is as Republic.

Thursday, December 23, drive to New Jersey and the Christmas party of the Diocese of NJ in Trenton.  The Diocese is having its office party at Freddie's, a local restaurant; it should be very easy to find.

So off I go, making pretty good time at just over an hour but I cannot find the restaurant even after a half hour of driving around.  But I do see some amazing areas once I give up trying.  Within a five-minute walk from each other is the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich as you can see from the pictures.

Around 2 pm, after driving back to the Diocesan House and finding no one there (of course, they’re all at the party) I get the restaurant on the phone and find out that I’ve been missing a crucial leg – basically I should have gone past the insane asylum and the deaf school instead of turning back.
 

But as luck would have it, the last person there was Fr. Glenn Druce who is chief of staff for the diocese and basically my boss (he approves everything while funneling it through Angelin).  So we had a nice twenty minute conversation (ok, stop, I talked for 19 minutes – shut up!).
 

I enjoy putting together Ecclesia but I’m more than willing to do more or less depending on what is needed; I’d certainly like to work there as well as in Manhattan but I’ve no particular agenda.  He clarifies his position that it’s the bishop’s forum but recently becoming a vehicle for the Diocesan Council and the Standing Committee, the groups most responsible for the shift in bishops.

On the other hand, if they’re the power behind the throne, I guess it’s like the British monarchy.  And yes, I know exactly what I’m saying.

And BTW, the cheeseburger with fried onions and fries was particularly greasy and good (yes, it's that kind of month).  By 3:30, I make a quick stop back at Diocesan House where I get to see Ann Notte; she’s my main production connection and a good connection all around I would think.

Now it’s back to NYC, and soon Bryan and I are at Mie.  It’s hard to beat feeling like part of the family; upon entering, the sushi chef (a mini-sumo wrestler) commented to our regular waiter that he had ebotai (‘butter fish’) which I seemed to order whenever he had it.  Wow.

Friday, December 24, Christmas Eve by 1 pm, we were out of the house and off to our first stop, Balducci’s (Sixth Avenue at Ninth Street).  At Christmas-time they make up large baskets of goodies, generally a pasta-based one that requires cooking and a dessert-based one filled with Italian ‘dried’ desserts like cookies and panatone.  I got one of each to drop off at my parents as I won’t be there for Christmas dinner.  Their tree is perfect this year, just what Bryan and I have been talking about – short and fat.

It doesn’t take long for us to get to the Rainbow Mountain Resort, it’s just over the border between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  We were there less than a year ago, over the February 5-7 weekend if you'd like to see more pictures.  By 6 pm, we’re totally checked in and having a drink at their authentic 50s bar.  There are new owners this year but most of the staff seems to have stayed, including their chef.

As part of the package, the Rainbow Lodge also includes dinner and while not of the level of New York restaurants it’s a quite adventurous menu.  And since it’s included why not?  For appetizers, I have a spicy southwestern cheese and onion soup while B has bacon wrapped chicken in bbq sauce.  For entrees, it’s surf (steak in jack daniels sauce) and turf (shrimp in pastry shells).  We have some cake and coffee and then go back to the room to change.

There are four main areas to stay; cabins above are only open in the summer season, there are rooms in the main building that are quite small, a side building has two floors and small, but authentically 50s decorated, and finally a small eight room motel obviously added to the compound in the 60s by previous owners.  That’s where we stayed this time as the rooms are very large and equipped with cable television, a requirement of Bryan’s, and the view out the back is lovely.

Then off to a large barn on the property which has been converted to a disco bar upstairs and the Lizard Lounge, a karaoke bar downstairs.  Since it was Christmas Eve, only the karaoke was open and with only four other people besides us.  But one of them was certainly cute and everyone was in a good mood.  But no, neither of us sang this time!  By 1 am, we were tired and retired to sleep.

Saturday, December 25, Christmas Day. Merry Christmas.  In keeping with our plans, we did nothing special for Christmas.  For breakfast, we went down the hill to the Yankee Doodle Diner, another exercise in 50s extravagance.  But also one of the few places to eat in all the Poconos because of the holiday.

For most of the day, then, we just toured the area since no stores were open except, interestingly, for the Beauty Calls ‘Nostalgic’ – subtitled ‘Community Shopping Plaza and Southern Fixin’s Deli.’  Quite unusual; I think the woman and her children are Caribbean; the store itself (not really a plaza!) is a fun flea market/antiques store.  We find a pair of aluminum lamps with matching shades ($20 the pair) and then a spot a pair of McCoy bowls; although they’re not matte white but slightly glossy (and therefore now part of my kitchen collection!) which the woman throws in for free!

Now that we have a small purchase under our belts, Bryan’s addiction is somewhat satiated and we continue on our way towards Shawnee Mountain.  B wants to check it out for the future as there is no snow, except man-made and poorly at that, in the Poconos.  But it’s really beautiful area and we stop at the Shawnee Inn to make dinner reservations.  As one of only four major restaurants in the area to serve food on Christmas Day, reservations are required so we wanted to check it out.

Then a nice drive back and a short rest before heading back for dinner.  All the restaurants are serving buffet style, the question is quality and variety.  This one looks to be the best but of course all things are relative.  It’s basically ‘cover every meat and fish group’ and lots of it, so it’s carved roast beef and glazed ham, chicken marsala and turkey tetrazinni, pasta primavera and penne vodka … you get the idea.  Plus salad and dessert tables in a very large and well-appointed room.  However, we were over-dressed in slacks and sweaters!  They certainly don’t dress here.

By 8 pm, we were back at the lodge and ready to out again.  Earlier in the day, we drove by a small bar on rt. 209 with rainbow flags flying over it.  As it wasn’t listed in the Damron, nor mentioned by the lodge (surprise, surprise), we knew nothing about it and hadn’t noticed it the last time we were here.  But we had stopped in at 5, just while they were setting up and decided to return to see what the clientele was like.

From what they told us, they had about twenty people on Christmas Eve; wow, we had missed the action!  But when we arrive around 11 pm, after drinks at the lodge’s bar, it’s populated by about twenty … senior citizens!  Ok, ok, that’s rude but the average age was probably around fifty-five.  Someone later told me that the bar (called Secrets) drew off all the people over forty from the lodge and that seemed rather accurate.

Which isn’t to say that they weren’t nice people and having a good time (and there was that hunky truck-drivin’ cowboy).  But not enough to keep us and we spent the final time at the lodge with Bryan attempting to get drunk enough to sing karaoke.  He should have tried it, particularly as they all seemed to be good-natured about it.

Sunday, December 26, not as bad of a hangover for Bryan as he thought he’d have.  Nonetheless, it’s simple bagels and coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts before we say good-bye to the roosters and head off on our day.  I’d gotten up around 9 am, Bryan around 10 and by 11 am we were at the Foxmoor shopping outlet mall.  Gee, six or seven stores including an Army Navy store with a manual on gun silencers positioned right when you come in.  We’re out of there in about five minutes and off to the Christmas Factory Store to start collecting anew.

The internet site says: A visit to one of the two Christmas Factory Stores [we were at the one on Business Route 209 in Marshalls Creek] is like entering a holiday fantasyland!  This is truly one of the largest and most completely stocked holiday stores in the U.S.  For those of you who celebrate a bit of Christmas each day, the Christmas Factory will be like heaven on Earth!

And yes, we do find some nice things including some purple mercury tear drops that the clerk allows us to take off a decorated tree as they are the very last three they have.  Exquisite.  Next up is the Pocono Candle Factory; why pay twenty dollars for a candle that disappears in a day?  They have them here for three dollars; the markup on candles is amazing.

The internet site says:  The Poconos are known for several candle shops and outlets, but none compares with Pocono Candle.  Pocono Candle are the candle specialists; they have been crafting and selling candle products for more than 25 years.  Their candles are available in more than 150 different scents; visitors can literally watch candles being made on the premises.  Pocono Candle can be found on Business Route 209, just 5 minutes off Exit 52 of Route 80, where Marshalls Creek and East Stroudsburg meet.

And yes, we stock up here as well, but also for Bryan’s boss Michelle.  Finished with Marshalls Creek (the specific name of the town we’re in), we continue down State Route 209; this road seems to be the lifeline between the local communities and is a great way to check out antiques stores.

For instance, Vitale’s Antiques is two blocks off it and is our first stop.  We’d been there before, particularly as the name is the same as my surname (have you noticed that?).  Anyway, great stuff – high prices.  We continue through Stroudsburg and then after another hour or so decide we’re hungry and head back to Everybody’s Café, near Vitale’s.  The description on the internet says:

Everybody’s Cafe III ($$ • 905 Main Street, Stroudsburg • 570-424-0896) This lovely restaurant is in a beautifully appointed, restored Victorian house on Upper Main Street.  The decor is rich and warm-looking with deep greens, cane-backed chairs and Victorian print wallpapers in each of the intimate dining rooms, centered around fireplaces with blackboards above announcing the specials of the day.  Outdoor dining on the front porch is a treat for those who love to enjoy the fresh air as they dine elegantly.  There is a very exciting vegetarian menu here as well as some tempting continental items.  There are some great tastes in “pocket” foods: pitas, baguettes, gyros, tapas and so on.  Dessert tortes are also quite tempting.  It’s closed Monday but open for lunch and dinner the rest of the week.

And are we surprised.  Every other place we’ve seen has had pretensions of cuisine; this place looks set to fail as the menu is huge and the variety (somewhat French with forays into Indonesian and Mediterranean) staggering.  Guess what?  They succeed quite well.  My only complaint is a niggling one: for my entrée I have the pasta puttanesca.  Most of the time that I have had it, it’s a fish-paste (or anchovy) based sauce with capers and black olives and onions.  Now, the menu specifically stated that peppers, followed by artichokes, were the two first ingredients; I think that green peppers were specified by name in other descriptions misled me.

I thought the pepper referred to was red pepper flakes, not uncommon in the dish.  So if I had heeded the menu; as it was, green peppers were the predominant flavor which, since I really don’t care for it, led me to pick at the pasta.

Again, though, that was my fault and we found that everything we received, and everything we could see at other’s tables, looked and smelled wonderful.  Inside the Victorian house are three dining rooms all perfectly laid out in white linen.  If you’re in the area, this is the one and possibly only place to try to get to.  Reservations are strictly required if what we saw was any indication.

By then it was 6 pm and time to head back into NYC; I take a ‘shortcut’ which leads us into Bayonne (I think) and especially upon a pair of rowhouses each dressed spectacularly for Christmas.  Unbelievable.  After this LSD trip of Christmas decoration, we’re glad to be back in the city.  Driving music was provided by Patti Smith (‘Horses’) and the B-52s (‘Cosmic Thing’).

Monday, December 27, a quiet day; there’s no bowling because of the holiday.  I pick up Bryan at 5:30 pm and we have a snack at a pizza joint near the new cineplex in Union Square.  We’re seeing Dogma (featuring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) with Dangerboy and Susan at 7:15.

And I think we all like it; the only difficulty is with director/writer Kevin Smith’s obsession with Roman Catholic theology.  But for all his use of words like ‘hermeneutics’ … let’s just say one shouldn’t use it around those who might know what it means.  And for those that don’t it’s just a meandering plot device that dulls the otherwise acerbic wit of the movie.  In other words, he tells a good joke.

Tuesday, December 28, and your morning lesson on Ottarino Respighi (1879-1936); did you know that the new release of Fantasia by Disney will contain a Respighi piece?  Unfortunately either the Pines or Fountains of Rome; at least it’s not The Birds.  Two works that often go undiscovered are the three suites that comprise the Ancient Airs and Dances and the Trittico Botticelliano.

So let me recommend some particular pieces by this former composition student of Rimsky-Korsakov.   First, a triptych, a meditation on three paintings by Botticelli; I heard Hugh Wolff conduct the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (Teldec 4509-91729-2) this morning on WQXR.

This led to pulling out alternate versions, such as Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with two-fisted accuracy (at Abbey Road Studios, twenty-five years ago).  Oh, one finds this piece on a double EMI disc (5 69358 2) along with him conducting the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra around the same time with all three suites of the Ancient Airs and Dances.  It also includes a bonus disc with The Birds, both the Pines and Fountains of Rome and even the Overture to ‘Balfagor’ (Respighi also produced nine operas).  Wow.

Or get only the Ancient Airs and Dances on a single disc for about a dollar or two less as an Angel re-release.  Yes, same music.  Caveat Emptor.

The double disc is a great introduction to the music; a youthful Marriner leads both orchestras with metronomic precision.  Each note hangs in the air as the maestro, known for his interest in early instruments, keeps the orchestration as lean as Respighi had specified.

A decade after, Andrew Schenck would lead the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in performances of The Birds, the Trittico and the middle suite of the Ancient Airs and Dances.  The orchestra almost sounds earthy, the performances thorough.

But just three years after that (in 1991), Jesus Lopez-Cobos and the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (oui, Suisse) lets the baton follow the beat of his heart.  When I first heard his interpretations of the triptych and the all three suites of the airs (Telarc 80309) … well, I didn’t like it.

I could almost score the Marriner pieces; this sounded like the skeleton had been ripped out of it.  Multiple listenings have convinced me otherwise.  Only the soul is left, the merest thought of the pieces.  Stunning.

Wednesday, December 29, 3 pm ... Michelle Petersen’s friend Carole from Switzerland arrives; until recently she has been working for the International Red Cross in such places as Moscow and Cameroon.  She is surprising Michelle by showing up for dinner tomorrow night; originally she was going to stay with her new boyfriend but the relationship didn’t last that long!

So we’ve taken in a stray for a couple of nights.  But she’s really nice and pleasant and after we pick up Bryan at 5 pm, we change and head out for sushi at Mie.  After a stop at the apartment at 9, B takes Carole out drinking at Pangea and Dick's.

Thursday, December 30, a relatively normal morning except that I must have lunch with my mother which probably flavors everything.  I drive B to work and then take Carole to breakfast at the Cooper Diner.  Thank goodness it’s a morning when they’re quick and tasty.

Then I drive up to midtown to pick up Bryan and deposit Carole to shop Fifth Avenue; our next stop is Cranford.  We stay for about ten minutes at the house, long enough to see the tree and presents.  My cousin Carol has given B and I relishes from Harry and David; thank you!  For lunch it’s the Olive Garden.  Yes, home of the endless breadstick or some such thing.  At any rate, Bryan and I have always teased each other about this chain.  So of course that’s where we wind up and of course everything takes longer than one hopes.  It’s far too late after to go to the new location of Goldman’s Treasures as it’s far north in Ridgefield NJ.

I drop him off at work and then we stop at Pier One after work to get most of the presents for Danger and Susan and for Michelle Petersen.  Yes, we’re having dinner at the Cornelia Street Café with her, her boyfriend Art Tsavaris, me and Bryan, and Carole – who is the surprise guest.

And it works; Michelle is not only thoroughly shocked but thoroughly pleased; and once again, the food does not disappoint.  We’re seated at a large table in the center of the front bar room; there’s smoking there and it’s actually a great location.

We have a variety of appetizers (once again, I had the smoked salmon over blini and crème fraiche) and entrees ranging from perfect steak frites to a mushroom risotto for Michelle and seafood cakes that seem to make Bryan very happy.  And then desserts, wines, coffees and unbelievably a bill of only $200!  So with a tip of $50, we were able to split it five ways equally and extremely cheaply.

Afterwards, we find that Michelle and Art spent an hour wandering the area; it would make a great area of town for her in the future.

Friday, December 31, New Year's Eve ... we say our good-byes to Carole at 9:30; she has been a great guest and is now on her way to Washington DC for the celebration.  What a spirit.

Bryan works while I pick up pastries at DeRobertis (176 First Avenue at Eleventh Street); Phil Rizzuto says they have the best cannoli in the city and it’s also a favorite of our hostess this evening.  As the housekeeper arrived at noon, I took the subway to Grand Central Station and joined Bryan for lunch at Pronto Pizza and shopping at the Pier One near his office to get the remainder of our gifts for Scott and Susan.

Then I drive to Hoboken ... mid-afternoon on New Year’s Eve.  Anybody out there?  Not a soul; I’m up and down Manhattan and in and out of New Jersey all day and no traffic.  Strange but who’s complaining?  Seems like more people than expected are doing just what Bryan and I are doing - small dinners close to home.

I pick him up at 3:30, we grab a quick drink at Dick’s (I don’t know why but I tried a Stoly raspberry – vile) and then back to the apartment for final wrapping and making sure we have everything.  Our hosts have asked us to bring dessert and champagne flutes so let’s see … one basket, somewhat Indonesian in style and about the size of a good spaghetti pot, filled with amaretti cookies on the top level, toblerone and sweets on the middle level and then rock-candy swizzle sticks on the bottom for the coffee.  And as usual the basket takes center stage which is the idea – but one cannot just leave it empty!

Champagne flutes were easy; on the way back from Boston they asked if we had any extra flutes for the champagne toast, they only had four.  Light goes on – “but of course we can bring flutes.”  And very nice ones we get; mouthblown in China with a delicate blue tint.  I’ve washed and Bryan has boxed six of them; we bought seven in case one ever broke – well, the cashier packing them had taken care of that one!

Ok, now where’s the pastries?  From DeRobertis, we bring two pounds of mixed biscotti, one pound of mixed Italian cookies and two pounds of Italian miniatures.  All boxed nicely and sitting in their own bag.

We don’t know how Dave and Jen will feel about cameras so I leave my bulky Mavica at home and Bryan brings the Elph 2.  Good, time for one quick drink at Dick’s where I realize that we’ve forgotten one item … the 1988 Veuve Cliquot ‘Le Grande Dame’ in it’s own wicker carrying case (purchased separately).

Back to the apartment and then a taxi to Scott and Susan’s where Dave and Jen are there already and munching on appetizers.  To start, they have scallops wrapped in bacon, shrimp cocktail, pate, three types of cheese from tart to creamy, and sliced pieces of soppresata, a thicker, juicier form of prosciutto.  And then, after feasting on these delights … and I pause to point out that if such great attention to the individual items had not been paid, I would not have indulged as voraciously ...

... the piece de resistance – dozens of mussels in white wine sauce.  It sounded like it was the first time Susan had tried it, and perhaps with Jen’s help, but these were perfect, each and every one.

About the same time, two friends of our hosts arrived, Jim and Michael … very nice and very cute, and yes, of course I asked if they were lovers!  I’m so bad, it was somewhat obvious they were both straight but they were both easily teased.

Then, the wines!  Along with drinks beforehand, there must have been six or seven types of red wine to be had, from Cotes du Rhone to Zinfandel to Chateauneuf-de-Pape!  Oh, how we drank and enjoyed; obviously Dave is an expert on wine which really made it a pleasure.  It was like an educational wine tasting followed by ‘Le Grand Dame’ at midnight in the new flutes.  Mmmm … pop, in this case.

But we must back up as the entrée was perfectly cooked ham with scalloped potatoes and a great salad.

At midnight, the new Waterford ball dropped on Times Square, we toasted each other and moved onto desserts, coffee and conversation until almost 2 am when Bryan and I departed for home.

So to Dangerboy goes the Jeff Marshall Annual Party crown (ok, it’s a $1.99 copy we got at Woolworth’s); from now on it is his duty and honor and privilege to host an annual New Year’s Eve party.  Cheers!

We stopped for a traditional ‘last one’ at Dick’s before entering the apartment and pulling up the drawbridge.  So ends 1999, differently than last year in London but wonderful nonetheless.

this month's question ... are you named in any of the diaries? ... would you permit a link to your website or e-mail address? ... just tell me and i'd be honored if you'd let me ... thank you

home

doing church newsletters?  check out the parish pump (link sent to me by David Littler)