Back to an Earlier Time

 

One of the beautiful historic homes in Salem, MA 

I had trouble choosing a title for this post. Though I was only in Salem for a very quick three days, it felt that I'd gone back to the Seventeenth and Nineteenth centuries. And as quickly as I'd gone back in time I was catapulted back to the present the moment I stepped off the train in New York City. 

I spent my time in the past via my college class mini-reunion. I attended two colleges and both have mini-reunions -- small off-campus get-togethers between the standard five year reunions. I've traveled to a half dozen different places, made new friends and caught up with friends from college days. It's been an extraordinary privilege and Salem was one of the best. 

The House of the Seven Gables

Before my visit Salem brought two ideas to mind. One was the Witch Trials of 1692 and the other was this beautiful Seventeenth Century house in the picture above that inspired a novel. I gained so much knowledge of both from tours, lectures and museum visits. I was delighted to find that that Salem was a treasure trove of beautiful colonial and Nineteenth Century architecture. I was also delighted that lilacs were everywhere in Salem and it was the perfect week for them to bloom. 

Lilacs on beautiful Chestnut Street, one of the loveliest streets in Salem

  

It wasn't all seminars and lectures, there was time to chat during our walks and leisurely meals. I especially enjoyed lunches with friends at Red's Sandwich Shop, which had the friendliest staff, great coffee and delicious omelets. I liked it so well that I went there for both lunches during my visit. 

 

Samantha, from Bewitched

Our group chose to visit Salem in the spring, before the crowds arrive in the fall for Halloween festivities. The streets and restaurants weren't crowded and the weather was beautiful. It's highly unlikely that I could have taken this photograph without dozens of people in the picture in October, when over a million visitors -- including 90,000+ on Halloween -- come to Salem.  

I returned home and back to this century with great memories, new friends, photographs and a miserable cold. My nose has been running and I've had a cough that sounded like a barking seal. I've taken it easy for few days -- 95 degrees and lots of pollen -- and I am barking a lot less. I'm still tired, but feeling better and am beginning to get organized for my trip to England in just a few weeks.  

As ever, thanks for visiting, and as our tour guide in Salem wished us, have a magical day.  

Return to Coffee Time

 

My new coffee discovery, Think Coffee

In 2016 I did a series for the A to Z Blogging Challenge about coffee. In the ten years that have followed I've often written about coffee. Sometimes it's the coffee I enjoy in New York and sometimes it's coffee I've enjoyed all around the world. But I noticed lately that my coffee posts have tapered off. I have done only one coffee post in 2026 and I think that needs to be rectified.

I took the cup's advice and thought good thoughts, both about the coffee and the play I saw at the Sheen Center around the corner. Last Saturday I enjoyed Miracle on South Division Street. It was a sweet, funny and touching play about a family in Buffalo, circa 2010. Today was the end of the run in New York City, but be on the lookout to see if it's coming close to you.

One of the treats of the afternoon was meeting George. He sat quietly near my feet and was a great addition to my latest coffee afternoon.   

I'm on the lookout for new coffee places in New York City and when my traveling. My next travel adventure begins tomorrow morning when I begin a quick trip to a college mini-reunion in Salem, MA. I'm looking forward to exploring Salem, spending time with classmates and finding a new coffee place, or two. 

I had planned to do this post and a separate Mother's Day post, but the day -- in a good way -- ran away from me. I spent lots of time outside and even made a trip to Times Square. I usually find the area too busy and noisy for me, but somehow today it just felt like fun. I sat outside and watched street performers and had a great time. I've got a lot of pictures from my excursion and hope to share them in a post. I hope that the rest of Buttercupland had as an enjoyable day as I did. 

Now it's off to finish getting organized and packing for Salem. I'm mostly done, but still figuring out my shirt selection. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and good wishes for the week ahead.    

  

May the Fourth Be With You

 

May the Fourth Be With You

We celebrated our first Star Wars Day/May 4th four years ago. It was totally new to me and I had to ask what it meant. I quickly learned that it was taken from the Star Wars saying, "May the Force be with you." I've had a quick and steep learning curve and from one Baby Yoda in 2022, there are now six that are part of the Butterland Crew. One was rescued from a TJ Maxx in Oklahoma City, but the other five were gifts and they fit right in with Pep Le Monkee -- looking spiffy in his Jedi outfit -- and the teddy bears that have long lived here. 

A number of years ago my dear friend Vivian, of blessed memory, gave me some advice. I met Vivian through our synagogue and we both belonged to a monthly study group. Vivian was closer to my parents' age and yet was as fun and lively as anyone I knew. I asked her what was her "secret." She told me  I needed to have younger friends. If I lived a long life many of my friends would pass away and I needed to keep up with people who had more energy and different interests. She was a wise woman and I took her at her word. 

I came to a group of younger, lively and fun friends via this Baby Yoda in the photograph. I somehow -- not even sure how it began -- started following the Baby Yoda community on Instagram and met the liveliest, most fun group all over the world.   Mail goes back and forth, meetups are planned and enjoyed and the chat groups are lots of fun. In the depth of the Pandemic I never could have dreamed it, but what a gift of friendship and laughter. 

A few weeks ago I traveled to meet up with some of the more local friends at a Tulip and Dinosaur festival. It was cold and windy, but we had a great time. Dinosaurs, tulips, friends and a visit to a favorite New Jersey diner. 

I'm not sure who put together the combination of tulips and dinosaurs, but it was fun. 

It's been a beautiful stretch of spring weather here. I made my way to the East Village on Sunday and discovered a great new coffee place and today's treat was seeing the flower festival at Rockefeller Center. I took lots of photographs of both and hope to do posts in the next few days. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and May the Fourth be with you. 

Z Is for Zimbabwe

 

Join me at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

We're finishing up the A to Z Challenge with a spectacular "Z." Last year at this time I was getting ready for a trip to Southern Africa. It was definitely a trip of a lifetime and while it's difficult to choose one high point -- so many great moments -- seeing this double rainbow over Victoria Falls stands out. I still look at this photograph and have trouble believing that I actually stood there and looked out and this was what I saw. But I did and there's no AI involved. 

I was so excited/inspired by the Falls that I did something the next day that I said I would never do. I took a helicopter trip over the Falls. It was much less scary than I imagined -- it wasn't scary actually at all -- and my reward, besides this amazing vista, was the rainbow on the left of the photograph. I have no desire for another helicopter trip, but I'm glad I took this one. 

Selfie at Almost Seventy-Five 

This isn't as spectacular, but it's one of my favorite photographs. My friend, Betsy, and I traveled together and we celebrated our mutual milestone birthdays with tea on the veranda of our hotel, the Victoria Falls Hotel. Built in 1904 and originally imagined for the workers on the Cairo to Capetown Railroad. It's a lovely, classic hotel and its distinguished by a view of the Falls from the hotel and veranda. If I turned to the left and took a photograph the Falls would be in the distance. We saw so many amazing natural sights -- animals in their natural setting, the sand dunes of Namibia and the view from the Cape of Good Hope at the tip of South Africa -- but the rainbows over Victoria Falls floats to the top of my mind when I think of this visit to Africa.  

Are there sights you've seen while traveling that hold a special place in your heart?

It's April 30th and we're wrapping up the A to Z Challenge. I appreciate everyone who has stopped by and commented. I will be visiting and commenting over the weekend and look forward to catching up on posts. Thanks so much, friends of a few weeks and friends of long standing. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and here's to a happy May. 

T Is for Tulip

 

I've been remiss about a lot of things in Blogland this month, but I've been especially remiss about omitting a post about the annual neighborhood Tulip Festival, at the West Side Community Garden.  The Garden, a quiet oasis just a few blocks from where I live, is a gem in every season, but it totally shines during the brief, but spectacular tulip season. As ever, 2026 did not disappoint me. 

Some of my favorites at the height of Tulip Season

At the beginning of Tulip Season

When I first moved to the neighborhood there were a number of issues that I considered. One was the apartment itself and the building. A second was access to transportation and if the subway was convenient. Was there shopping nearby? The apartment checked all the boxes, but having a garden just a few blocks away was a complete bonus. It's one of my favorite places to sit and enjoy nature and I am so grateful for my neighbors who plant and weed there. 

This has been my skimpiest season of posts for the A to Z Challenge, but I'm going to go out with an exciting "Z" post tomorrow. We're returning to one of the most exciting/wonderful places I've ever been. It wasn't easy to get to, but so worthwhile. 

It's been a quiet week, but I've managed grocery shopping, (some) walking, physical therapy, Instagramming, and a field trip to see "Dinofest" in New Jersey with friends. I've also been putting details in place for my trip in June to England, Ireland and Scotland. Is anyone in Newcastle on Tyne or Edinburgh? There's time for a scone and a get together. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and see you tomorrow for Z.

 

R Is for Raphael

Welcome to Raphael: Sublime Poetry

My big adventure for last week and the latest post for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge is a visit to an extraordinary exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I took a bus across Central Park and immersed myself in Renaissance Italy. If you're in New York City, thinking of visiting New York City or love the idea of immersing yourself in Renaissance Italy, this is the exhibit to see. 

When I thought of Raphael (1483-1520) in the past I only thought of cherubs and the Madonna and Child. But I found there was so much more than fluffy angels to one of the great painters of the Renaissance, and actually of all time.  

      This beautiful angel is a fragment from an altarpiece, 

painted when Raphael was only seventeen. 

       The Alba Madonna, borrowed from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC

If you look very carefully, you can see halos around the heads of the Virgin Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist. There are also tiny violets around the feet of Mary, which are strongly associated with her and symbolize her humility, modesty and faithfulness. 

Part of the "Stanze," painted for a suite of rooms for Pope Julius II.

One section of the exhibit that especially intrigued me was the recreation of the frescoes in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. I've been to the Vatican twice, but with all the art work there, especially the Sistine Chapel, I don't remember seeing these paintings. It was an extraordinary treat to be able to  enjoy them in a relatively uncrowded setting. 

This is just a very small sampling of the riches of the exhibition. It's going to be there through June 28 and I plan to make at least one more visit. I am so grateful to be able to enjoy so many of Raphael's paintings that I wouldn't have had access to without this exhibit.  

Otherwise...Not sure what kept me away from blogging. It was definitely not intentional, nor was I all that busy. I do find sitting and typing is a finite activity these days and I plead spinal issues, one of the many unexpected gifts of older age. I do have a very fun excursion planned for tomorrow which will be a perfect post for "T."

As ever, thanks for visiting and sending lots of good wishes.    

G Is for Grand Central

 

Grand Central Terminal at night

I've written about Grand Central Terminal many times, and probably will again as long as I keep  blogging. The first time I wrote about it was in 2009 and I used it for "G" in Blogging from A to Z in 2018. It's been one of my favorite spots in New York City since I moved here in 1975. Though I've never counted I've been here at least 2,500 times and probably closer to 5,000 times. When I was working our agency headquarters was in a building that connected to the Terminal and I was here for meetings for at least once a week for twenty years. 

A typical non-rush hour moment at Grand Central

One of my favorite scenes at Grand Central are weddings/wedding photographs. I don't see them often, but every few years or so I look around and see someone in a bridal outfit and I'm mesmerized. I've also seen wedding photography sessions at the Philadelphia and Kansas City train stations. Those are fabulous sites, too.

 Kansas City, 2023

I'm adding "H" to this post for the three rail lines that run from Grand Central, Harlem, Hudson and New Haven. That still doesn't catch up on the letters that I've missed for the A to Z Blogging Challenge, but I'm happy to add another letter.  

The spring is lovely in New York this year. We've had beautiful weather and I'm reasonably sure that my down coat is put away until December. It's not quite shorts weather but it's getting there. The magnolias and the tulips are in bloom and just walking down the street is special with every walk. 

 

As ever, thanks for visiting and hope your spring days hold moments to treasure.