Powered by Blogger.

Halloween on the Sidewalks of New York


Who you gonna call on Halloween? Ghost Busters!

I know decorating for Halloween has become very popular throughout America, but the trend didn't seem to catch on in New York City. It was rare to see a residential building that was decorated in Manhattan. But that now seems to be history. This year it seems that there are decorations on every block, and there is a street on the Upper West Side that takes Halloween decorations to another level. I read an article about it and Lonni and I walked over yesterday to see the "Halloween Street", West 69th Street between Broadway and Central Park West. 

Batman comes to Gotham City

Movie themes were popular and I really enjoyed seeing the different ways they were presented. The Ghostbusters vehicle caught my eye immediately and I enjoyed the Batman and Zootopia themes, too. I'm not a big fan of the ultra-scary and I liked the gentler, funnier themes.
 
Halloween with the residents of Zootopia 
 
But I know for many people Halloween is all about being scared. While I will visit a corn maze for fun, there are a dozen people searching for the eeriest haunted houses they can find. There were a number of scary themed displays, including this one. I was chatting with another visitor to the street who commented that this house looked like it was a setting for the television show, "Dexter."    
 


If there are zombie fans in Buttercupland -- which seems like an oxymoron -- this photograph is for you.

There were lots of spider webs and this one is my favorite.

This last picture seemed to be a good combination of all things Halloween and a good way to end this post.  It's just a little scary and a lot of harvest.  Just the right photograph for this blogger happily home drinking decaf coffee with pumpkin spice syrup.  

Happy Halloween!


Frankie Valli, I've Got You Under My Skin Pink Saturday


My adventure this weekend was seeing Frankie Valli -- without the Four Seasons -- in an extraordinary one-week Broadway show.  He is 82 and I am hoping I am going as strong at 72, let alone eighty-two.

His backup for the concert was the Modern Gentlemen, a handsome, lively and wildly talented group. There was also a nine piece band and I could happily have listened to the band for the evening. 


And the music! Though I wasn't a particularly strong fan of the Four Seasons in high school I knew just about every word to every song. The audience was encouraged to sing along and there was swaying, clapping and lots of singing. As you can see in the group in the far corner of this photograph, there was dancing, too. I felt as though I was at my high school reunion -- if my reunion was held at a Broadway theater, I knew only one other person there (my friend Lonni) and Frankie Valli was the entertainment. I was definitely right at home with my peer group and yes, it felt great.   

My clue in my Wedding Wednesday post was discussing the four seasons. I only realized I had left a hint after I wrote the post, but I liked the idea of a (very, very subtle) hint.

Lonni and I had a fabulous time and we followed up our spectacular evening with a walk to West 69th Street this morning. I think of it as the "Halloween Street" and I'll be sharing pictures tomorrow.

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a very merry Halloween Monday.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Halloween

Not a long post this afternoon. It's a beautiful autumn day in New York and I'm off to meet my friend Lonni at Grand Central Station. We've got fun planned for tonight. 

I'm getting into the Halloween mood. I'm not one for super scary things -- no scary movies or Haunted houses for Buttercup -- but I do like all the fun Halloween things and I liked this window a lot.

As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a great autumn weekend. 


Wedding Wednesday (on Thursday)

When sweet Margaret and Joe were married in Old Saybrook, CT last summer, her mother, my friend of very long standing, Lonni, and I decided we wanted to visit the Saybrook Point Inn in every season. We'd made a visit in the spring to make some plans for the wedding and spent a fabulous long wedding weekend in July. Our autumn trip to Saybrook took place two weekends ago. Sadly, the leaves hadn't turned at the time, but it was still beautiful.   
 
As we sat and enjoyed the view of the marina we had the good fortune to be a tiny part of the wedding that took place that day, and I captured a few photographs for this week's Wedding Wednesday. 


Beach chair, marina in the background and beautiful bride and handsome groom.
Happy is the bride and groom the sun shines on!

The marina was as lovely in the autumn as in the summer. Some of the boat slips were empty, perhaps the boats were already on their way south for the winter. But we sat in this loveliest of places, extending the bonds of friendship for another season. This trip included our dear friend, Joni, who also went to high school with us.
 
A trip to the Saybrook Point Inn would not be complete without at least one meal. I splurged with both the homemade potato chips -- with just a splash of malt powder -- and dessert. And what a dessert! I had apple bread pudding with caramel sauce and cinnamon gelato. Each element was the perfect complement for the others, so delicious and so perfect for fall.  Definitely photo worthy.

From year to year I forget how busy the fall becomes, especially after the slow days of August. I've been out every night this week -- not my norm -- and it's a lot more running around than I'm used to. It's put me way behind where I'd like to be in my blogging life. I had every intention of posting Wedding Wednesday on Wednesday, but traffic, a long train trip home and staying until the very end of a fun retirement party with my former colleagues kept me out until almost my bedtime. 

I have a very fun event coming up -- and I promise to post about it on Sunday. The hint to my event is in the first paragraph of this post. Happy guessing!

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a fabulous Friday.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Autumn

Finally!

Looking downtown in Lower Manhattan
 
I took a walk in Lower Manhattan on Sunday and enjoyed the first sights of autumn. There were leaves crunching underfoot and some color in the trees. I walked from Tribeca to Soho to Greenwich Village and it was a perfect day to enjoy New York City.   

I walked on West Broadway past one of my favorite stores, Laduree Soho, and enjoyed their Halloween decorations.

Autumn colors for sale. The composition of these bouquets caught my eye. I may need to make a return visit -- only a subway ride away -- and take home these beautiful treasures.

Pepe gave the privilege of choosing the giveaway winner to Miss Fluffy. Miss Fluffy, all decked out for Halloween, and Random Generator chose blogger Crystal Collier. I think you will enjoy visiting Crystal's blog. Lots of books and Halloween fun.  


 
I'm off to a book adventure in Lower Manhattan. Tomorrow we've got some Wedding Wednesday fun to look forward to in one of my favorite places. Please stop by!
 
As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a terrific autumn Tuesday. 

A Walk in the West Village


I discovered these beautiful bird houses in a tiny park off Seventh Avenue. 

One of my on-going goals is to walk at least six thousand steps a day. I know the goal for many walkers is ten thousand steps and I do try to get that many. But some days it's less feasible and I am content with six thousand. I do as much walking as possible in my neighborhood doing errands, but when my errands are done I pick a different neighborhood to in which to walk. This afternoon I returned to one of my favorite areas, the West Village, for my afternoon walk.

The West Village is the area of Greenwich Village below Fourteenth Street and above Houston Street on the west side of Manhattan. There are still small neighborhood stores and restaurants, a number of parks and for the most part, the buildings are relatively low, so there is lots of light. It's one of my favorite parts of New York and happily it's only a short subway ride from home.
 
One of my stops was a visit to a terrific stationery and stamp store.  I loved the Halloween window.


The neighborhood still has many nineteenth century brownstones. There weren't many that were decorated for Halloween, but I will be back in December to look for Christmas decorations. 


Another favorite are the fall displays at local florists. I especially enjoyed this one on Eleventh Street.

All this walking and looking gets a blogger hungry and I stopped for a snack at Dominique Ansel Kitchen on Seventh Avenue. I had a fabulous fennel salad and by some enormous stroke of willpower -- and the knowledge that I had just discussed my medical tests with my internist -- I abstained from the pastries. My tests were fine, but in an effort to keep them where they should be I am being very disciplined. There are beautiful pastries all over Manhattan, but this collection was calling my name.   



I was entranced by the croissants and will happily return for a treat when I have out of town guests. It's going to be a very difficult choice. Dominique Ansel is responsible for the cronut, a croissant/doughnut hybrid, which is for sale at the Bakery, at a different location. 

Dear friends, please come and visit soon!

Lots of walking, lots of reading and some long delayed errands -- that seems to be my schedule this week. I'm not sure where all of these errands come from, but as soon as a few are crossed off my list, a few more pop up to take their place. Do any of you have ever-multiplying errands, too?

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care!  

It's Not Monkee Sweater Weather...


But it is time to have a Halloween giveaway!
 
 
Despite eighty degree heat in New York today Pepe Le Monkee could not be persuaded that it was too hot for him to wear his Halloween finery. Once he knew he would be presenting the Buttercupland Halloween giveaway, a DVD of Trick or Treaters, heat or no heat, he changed into his Halloween sweater. He does make a very handsome Halloween monkee.
 
Thanks to our friends at Anchor Bay Entertainment, I'm happy to host a giveaway of a family friendly and very sweet DVD. Trick or Treaters tells the story of an orphan, Tiffany, who is traveling to the home for orphans run by her unpleasant aunt in the mountains. During her journey she is held by three robbers. She makes them believe that she is a princess from India with a treasure in jewels.  During the film Tiffany teaches a lesson about kindness and love. 
 
This is a quick giveaway. Please comment by 6:00 pm on Sunday, October 23 and I will announce the winner on Sunday night.  If I get an address quickly I will mail it out on Monday, October 24 for maximum pre-Halloween enjoyment. Please leave a comment about your favorite Halloween tradition and be a follower of Buttercupland on Bloglovin', Google + or Google Friend.  Easy Peasey and lots of Halloween fun.
 
It's difficult to believe that Halloween is only less than two weeks away. It is summer in New York. I wore a t-shirt and shorts today -- which I thought I wouldn't need for months -- and wasn't cold at all. I need new winter boots and half-heartedly went looking, but could not make myself focus on anything with fleece today. 
 
As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
 
Please note: I have been given a copy of Trick or Treaters by Anchor Bay Entertainment for this giveaway. The opinions are all mine.




When In Austin, Eat Doughnuts


Actually that's a motto that's good for any city. While I visited Austin for BlogHer Food 16, I did some sightseeing and sampled some of the delicious food that Austin is known for. One of my stops was at Voodoo Doughnuts on Sixth Street. The Austin branch is part of a legendary small chain of handmade doughnut shops that began in Portland, Oregon. I didn't know that I was visiting one of the iconic doughnut shops in America and stopped in because the signage drew me in. I had just had a nice, reasonably healthy lunch, but once I set foot inside I knew I would be trying a doughnut (or two). 
 
The woman who is the model for this painting does not eat a lot of Voodoo Doughnuts. 


I was very taken with the pink products, but since it was my first day in Austin restrained myself from going wild buying things. I was especially tempted by the cute mug.

Now on to the doughnuts. At the top of the display is the Voodoo Doll doughnut. It's filled with raspberry jelly, coated in chocolate and a pretzel is the stake. The doughnut directly below is called the Loop and pays homage to Fruit Loops. On the far right is the Voodoo Bubblegum Doughnut, adorned with bubblegum dust and garnished with a piece of bubblegum. For this doughnut fan, it was a difficult choice.  

Because my doughnut excursion followed lunch I wisely only chose one reasonably unadorned doughnut, the Lemon Chiffon. It is a French cruller with vanilla frosting, lemon dust and three mini marshmallows. I don't think it was the best choice I could have made. The cruller is a light doughnut and the very sweet vanilla frosting overwhelmed it. It was pretty, it was sweet and it was good. But was it iconic? Not so much. Was I disappointed? Yes. I eat doughnuts so rarely -- though I wish it could be more often -- and I hope my choices on those infrequent occasions will be more than good.

I'm back in New York and catching up on a million -- that's what it feels like, but probably no more than a dozen -- projects. I've got plans for a general post on BlogHerFood16, my visit to see "the bats under the bridge" and a Halloween giveaway for this week. I hope you'll stop by later this week for all of the fun.

I could be writing about autumn in New York, but the minute we get a day of autumn, summer returns. It was at least 80 today and that's the forecast for the next few days. I put away the last of my summer clothes when I got back from Austin and actually took one dress out today. I'm not longing for snow, but I'd be happy for actual seasonal weather soon.

As always, thanks for visiting and have a terrific Tuesday.
 

Happy Birthday, Mom

My mother and me, January 1951
 
 
I'm back from a too quick trip to Austin, TX and the wonderful BlogHer Food 2016. I'm still sorting out my thoughts and photographs of the conference, but I promise at least several posts on the conference, Austin and the food of Austin. Definitely the coffee of Austin will be featured. But tonight Yom Kippur -- the Day of Atonement and remembrance -- begins and today is my mother's birthday. I'm going to delay my posts on Austin and focus on remembering.   
 
It's hard to fathom that my mother would be 102 today. She died twenty-six years ago, but her voice goes through my mind often. I no longer reach for the phone to call her, but I think of things throughout every day that I'd like to share with her. Alas. I can't in person. 
 
Once again, today and every day, I remember my mother with so much love. I am a very fortunate daughter.
 

Wishes for Peace

In just a few hours the year 5777 will begin. My tzimmes -- root vegetable casserole -- is once again baking in the oven. And as I did last year and will most likely do next year -- if the opportunity presents itself -- my thoughts go to family and friends. Some I can no longer send greetings to and others are no further than a phone call or text message.


I spent time this morning looking through my grandmother's collection of greeting cards. Most were sent between 1910 and 1920 and they are well loved and well worn. My grandmother looked through them often, remembering her young life and the family and friends who filled it. I doubt if any museum would be interested in the collection. They are torn, stained and discolored through decades of handling. But they are as precious to me as any of the treasures I saw at the Metropolitan Museum.

As I've shared before, my mind wanders during the next two days of services. I've found bringing a list of prayer requests with me helps me focus and to remember my friends and family. Please feel free to leave a request in the comments and I will be honored to add you to my prayer list for 5777.

May 5777 bring peace to our hearts, peace to our homes and peace to our world.  

Jerusalem Exhibit Pink Saturday

 
Two of my favorite people at one of my favorite places. 

This week's visit to Pink Saturday takes us to the  Metropolitan Museum of Art and the exhibit that just opened there, Jerusalem 1000-1400, Every People Under Heaven. I had the great fortune to share this visit to the museum with my dear friends, Lura and John, during their visit to New York City. Lura and I met over five years ago via our blogs and our friendship has become one where we have had the opportunity to spend time together, both in California and very recently, here in New York. 
 
We chose a visit to the Metropolitan Museum and were fortunate that the day we were there included a preview of this exhibit. We had the opportunity to time travel to Jerusalem in the early part of the last millennium and view an extraordinary array of artifacts from the period.

The array of pieces on exhibit was drawn from collections all over the world. This beautiful piece is the Chasse of Ambazac. Though made in Limoges it was chosen as it evoked the Middle East.

This display featured both jewels and glass pieces. I especially was enthralled by the glass on display. It had survived centuries and in many cases pieces had been painstakingly put together.

This French knight of the d'Aluye family dates from 1248.
 
Each item on display in the exhibit was well worth seeing. There were pieces from the Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions and we spent several hours visiting the exhibit and didn't see everything. I know I need a return visit and only wish that Lura and John could join me, but they are now back at home thousands of miles away.

 
Thanks for sharing our museum day. As ever, thanks for visiting and have a sweet Sunday!