Let's Visit the Alamo

 

Welcome to the Alamo

Yes, there's an Alamo in New York City and you're looking at it. This is the Alamo aka the East Village Cube at Astor Place. This is one of my favorite sculptures, eighteen hundred pounds of steel that revolves. It's the work of Tony Rosenthal and was first installed in 1967 as a temporary installation. Because of community enthusiasm, it became permanent, and is still there almost 60 years later.  

This wasn't my plan for the day, but once I moved to do the errands on my list, I decided it was too nice a day -- no rain and very little humidity -- to be inside doing errands. And with a sudden pivot I found myself at Astor Place. I found the coffee kiosk and a seat under one of the umbrellas, and I settled in to enjoy an iced coffee. 

The cafe at Astor Place and source of my iced coffee today

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. I'm definitely not someone who is sad about getting older. I'm delighted to be getting older. It's a privilege that many won't have and even with the aches and pains, it's the best adventure I can have. 

I promised a birthday post and I'm not quite there yet for a long post. My thoughts on turning 76 are just beginning to emerge. There is one idea that has started to emerge. I need to keep trying new things. I'm not sure what those new things are, but I've started to see how easy it is to get into the same schedule every week. I love having activities to do every week and seeing friends at those places. I love traditions that are part of every season and holiday, but I think it's time to find a new activity (or two) and a new tradition (or two). As I learned decades ago in Girl Scouts, "Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold." 

As ever, thanks for visiting and keep cool.

  

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.    

  

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from Chelsea

As I wrote yesterday it's been a very rainy few days. Nonetheless I managed to get more than enough photographs to reflect (my) Halloween in Manhattan. After all, it's about the decorations, festive feel, and for the trick or treaters, the candy and costumes. I didn't make it to many of the neighborhood streets, but if the weather is good, I'll be out looking for decorations tomorrow and Sunday.  

The top photograph and these next two are from the Chelsea neighborhood, which is rich with historic buildings, including the brownstones in the pictures. The neighborhood was developed by Clement Clarke Moore, who may sound very familiar. The Rev. Moore was a professor of Oriental and Greek Literature at General Theological Seminary and the author of the beloved Christmas classic, A Visit from St, Nicholas.  The campus for the Seminary still exists and by a somewhat random chance I have a connection to it. I spent Wednesday afternoon there and will be doing a post in November. 

I love this raven themed decor. It's spooky and so creative.

I was back in my neighborhood this afternoon and found this fun spider. There were a number of inflatables going up in the courtyard, but I didn't have a chance to stay and watch. This is one of the spots I'm hoping to return to.  

Spiderman and I were both waiting for the subway this morning. I'm not sure why he was reading his phone in this position and didn't want to disturb him in case he was receiving a secret message.  

We'll end our New York Halloween fun with two photographs from my neighborhood, with two different decor styles for Halloween at night.   

 It's been a fun Halloween and I hope you've enjoyed seeing Halloween in Manhattan. October has flown by and I'm shaking my head at how quickly it's raced by. November seems like a sneaky month. It starts off and I think there's months to the end of the year, but those two months go by in a blink. There are three out of town trips before the end of the year, medical appointments, visitors from out of town and of course, the usual grocery shopping, laundry. the gym and walking. I'm 140 miles from my 1000 mile goal and I expect I will walk a lot of those miles seeing holiday sights all over New York.  

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy Halloween wishes. 

A Few Days in the Life of Buttercup

 

Yesterday's Sunset over the Hudson River

I've been writing about special days and vacations, but I decided just to catch up on a few regular days around the neighborhood. Because after all that's the majority of (my) life. Not pictured are a medical appointment, Zooms, endless hours of the Olympics and two visits to the gym. 

I love walking around the neighborhood and blissfully the heat has eased up for the last few days. I've gotten in some great walking and a visit to one of local independent bookstores. I know how fortunate I am to have three bookstores in easy walking distance and rarely miss an opportunity to stop in and browse book titles. 

So enjoy browsing at Shakespeare & Co and having a coffee in their cute cafe

Next fall at Lincoln Center

I live just about a mile from Lincoln Center and walk past it at least twice a week. I enjoy seeing what's playing now/coming in the next season. I especially like the theater and dance offerings and the New York City Ballet's Coppelia next season caught my eye. 

I've also spent time sharpening my photo editing skills. I've got a lot to learn, but I'm learning. I'm working through a lesson plan friends have put together and I'm happy to report that I've completed the first beginner lesson. My goal is to do videos. It's a long road for someone who was raised with an instamatic camera, but I'm working on it. 

Pep and Baby Buttercup birthday greetings

We had two comments for the Paris magnet giveaway and I'll be sending them to Jeanie and to Jan H. Jan, please email me and I can get your mailing information. So glad to share these memories of Paris. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a great week. 

No, You're Not Hallucinating...

...Buttercupland is celebrating Social Media Spirit Week 

I don't remember celebrating Spirit Week any time during my school career, but I've enjoyed the pictures of crazy socks, Dr. Seuss hats and pajama days that friends have shared on Facebook. This week I learned of Social Media Spirit Week. I missed pajama day and crazy sock day, but I'm catching up with Christmas in March day. I still had a few holiday decoration on the mantel -- the Russian nesting dolls live there year round -- and all the time in the world to rearrange them and find the arrangement I liked the best. 

While I've been writing, tonight's (and several night's) dinner was cooking in the air fryer. Tonight is grilled chicken breast and my new favorite veggie, grilled garlic carrots. There's no need to worry about using too much garlic. The aroma is great and it's comforting to know that I've got dinner already prepared at 3:45 in the afternoon. One of my commitments is to eat healthy every day, and with a few glitches I've been succeeding. I'm using the fresh food and saving my stockpile of dried beans, tomato sauce and canned tuna for a later time. If I don't get to them during these Black Swan Days, I will have to buy a lot fewer groceries in the months to come.   

I know I've promised a book post, but I've had a tough time putting it together. My concentration is fine for getting day-to-day things done, but my serious concentration just isn't there. I'm not at all bored and have been keeping busy. I will be doing a post shortly about my new daily schedule. Any new activities that you have added? 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care of yourself. Much love and wash your hands!

Saturday in the Park With Jane and Howie

Pretty in Pink for Pink Saturday

I took the pictures for this post during a beautiful walk in Riverside Park yesterday afternoon with my dear friends, Jane and Howie. We ate lunch out at a local (uncrowded) restaurant and then enjoyed a perfect spring afternoon in the park in our neighborhood. Riverside Park is on the Hudson River and in the distance you can see the George Washington Bridge. 

But that seems a lifetime ago. Since yesterday afternoon it seems the entire world of New York City has turned upside down. Schools are now closed until April 20 and as of this evening all restaurants are closed, except for delivery and takeout. I started to write this post at least five times and then an alert would pop up or I'd get an announcement text. My concerns of yesterday -- should I go to the gym? -- now seem very far  away, and quite trivial. 

Spring flowers in New York City

If the apartment buildings weren't the backdrop, I might have been in the New England of my youth.

As ever, thanks so much for visiting. Know that you and your families are in my prayers. Take care and of course, wash your hands!

Join Me on the Livestream

Beginning yesterday, New York City declared a state of emergency. The lights of Broadway were dimmed, many museums closed and all programs with more than 500 people were banned. 

I belong to a very large and active synagogue with over 3000 members. Generally there are over 500 people at both the Friday night and Saturday morning services. As of yesterday, Sabbath services will still be held,  but attendance will be limited to prayer leaders, Torah readers and families of teens that are B'nai  Mitzvah -- the Jewish ritual for thirteen year olds.  The services will be live-streamed to the rest of the congregation, or anyone else who would like to be a virtual part of the congregation. 

We are still having daily prayer services, both mornings and evenings on week days and Sunday mornings. They are in the big sanctuary and the chairs are spaced out to discourage close contact. I went last night and there were about 30 people, instead of the usual dozen that go to evening services. I'm planning to attend all week-night services as long as we can have them. I would be honored to bring all prayer requests with me. Leave them in the comments or if you'd like, send me an email. 

If anyone would like to join us for any of our services, this is the link to the livestream. There  are downloads for music and attached commentary for the Torah portion of the week.  

Let me add a note about the sanctuary. Our congregation's present building, pictured above was built in 1919. It is our fifth building, beginning with a building in Lower Manhattan in 1825. As the population moved uptown, so did our congregation, eventually to our present site on the Upper West Side. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and thanks for being part of Buttercupland. Take good care and wash your hands! 

Black Swan Days Begin

Lower Manhattan, Looking North

I've had a lot of trouble finding a title for this post. But I saw a post from a friend on Facebook about a black swan. A black swan is an "unpredictable event that is beyond what is normally expected and has potentially serious consequences. They are extremely rare and have a severe impact." My deepest prayer is that Covid19 is as many have characterized it,  a "bad flu," but looking at data from Italy I am more concerned that it is a black swan. 

Buttercupland is not about to become a medical blog and I will make every effort to continue to write about positive and upbeat topics. But I most likely will be spending much more time at home and staying away from gatherings of large groups. The latter is on recommendation of my internist who I saw on Monday. There may be a lot more photographs taken in walking distance of my apartment, photographs taken in years past and lots of long delayed book reviews. 

I thought about what I will be doing in the hours I would normally be scheduling activities all over New York City. I will be blogging more, reading more and yes, working on the infinite decluttering. I will also be walking as much as possible as a way to keep fit and to burn off nervous energy. My building has a beautiful -- and little used -- roof deck and I plan to enjoy it more than usual this spring. 

Saturday my friend, Jane, and I spent the afternoon walking, taking pictures and then walking a lot more. My total for the day was over six miles. It was crisp, but sunny and we had a wonderful walk in Lower Manhattan. We stopped for lunch at Pier A, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1886 as the headquarters for the New York Harbor Police and Department of Docks and renovated several years ago. 

 An extraordinary view from Pier A. Alas it was too cold to sit outside for lunch. 

 The Oyster House is modeled after the classic fish house of New York City. It wasn't crowded

 for Saturday lunch, but during the week it's much more difficult to find a coveted seat at the bar. 

My day today was very average, but I enjoyed every minute spent outdoors and seeing friends at Weight Watchers. First stop of the day was Weight Watchers, my first day of physical therapy, a visit to the library to return an overdue book and a quick stop at the grocery. I'm pleased to report that there was more than adequate stock of both toilet paper and paper towels. How was your day, dear friends?

As ever, thanks for visiting. I'll be back tomorrow with thoughts on hand washing, our new global activity, and prayer. Take good care!

Manhattan Halloween

The corn maze of East 72nd Street

 

I started taking autumn/Halloween photographs about a month ago. It felt as though it was still summer, even though the calendar said it wasn't. I had a nice collection of pictures from different parts of New York City and was all set to display a variety of them in a post today. But on Monday I was riding on the bus on Madison Avenue and saw this extraordinary brownstone on East 72nd St. I exited the bus and made a detour to photograph this house. I nominate the corn maze house of the Upper East Side as my 2018 Halloween favorite.

 

 There are some fantastic Halloween decorations in Manhattan, but the careful attention to detail and the added bonus that every inch of this house was decorated, gave it first place. My neighbors on the next block also decorate extensively, but there are entire yards of their house without any decoration. This house is an A+ for complete decoration.

 

This is the view of the décor looking west. There's a combination of cemetery, skulls, ghouls and the corn maze. I doubt if I could have put so many Halloween motifs together. I'll be returning to East 72nd Street to see what their Christmas decorations look like and promise to post them.

 

 It's not all goblins and things that go bump in the night on the sidewalks of New York.

 

 I like this simple and pretty autumn look in a doorway a few blocks away. I especially like the array of bright autumn gourds and chrysanthemums. 

 

  One of my favorite neighborhood shop windows is Treat House, which I pass on my trips to the library. It's featured sweet is rice cereal treats and the decorations are beautiful. I passed a lot of pumpkin cookies during my walks around New York, and they were all enticing. But the food that captured my eye were here.

Tomorrow the leftover bags of candy will be half-price and the stores will become red and green overnight. Buttercupland observes the rule of waiting until after Thanksgiving to begin posting about Chanukah and Christmas and this year is no exception. I may break from the rule to post about several very talented friends for the annual Buttercupland Fair. The focus of the Fair are items made by my friends that are gift ideas for the season. Please let me know if you are a citizen of Buttercupland and are interested in being featured.

As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a bright November.
 

Still Feels Like Summer to Me

I think Vermeer would agree. I know the Girl with a Pearl is enjoying her ice cream cone.

 

I've been taking pictures of every pumpkin and pumpkin food I can find in anticipation of my first autumn post. But it was a very pleasant and balmy 77 degrees today. The weather was just about the same yesterday and tomorrow's forecast is also the high seventies. I did wear a sweater for a few days last week, but this week still feels like summer to me.

 

Since it feels like summer, I'm going to enjoy a few more summer days. The actual summer was hot and I didn't do all the things I'd hoped to do, so I'm enjoying summer fun, even though it's October.

Not that I need warm weather for a reason to eat ice cream, but warm weather encourages my ice cream cravings. One of my plans for the summer was to get to  Odd Fellows Ice Cream Co. in the East Village. It takes a little planning -- either a subway and a bus, two subways or a combination of transit modes and a lot of walking -- to get there. I chose the latter and I wasn't disappointed.

 

This cute monkey greeted me

 

I had a difficult time choosing a flavor. There are twelve flavors and as good as I am sure the vanilla tastes, I wanted to try something more unusual. I felt the same about rum raisin and coffee crunch. The server recommended Saffron Passionfruit sorbet, but after a taste I went with toasted sesame nutella. Nutella was the deciding factor, but the toasted sesame was a great addition. 

 

This scoop was definitely worth the trip to the East Village.

 

If anyone is visiting from out of town and wants to take a fun trip to East 4th Street, or anyone local that wants to join my ice cream sampling project, I'm eager for another visit. What ice cream sampling project, you may ask. It's the project I've just created. New York has become the home of a good number of gourmet ice cream shops. I've only tried a few, but I haven't been disappointed with any of the ice cream I've tasted. I'm hoping to try a different shop every month and of course, I will report on my discoveries. Ice cream fans, you're invited to join me.

 

My relaxed summer schedule has come to an end. Without any special effort my calendar is filling up, and for the most part, it's all good things. In addition to my regular yoga, walking and strength training, there are visits from friends from out of town, museum going, and getting ready for my trip to Tennessee in two weeks. My other project is repair of my living room wall. I came home last week to discover a hole in the wall from the renovation next door and this week it's being patched and next week it will be painted. 

 

As ever, thanks for visiting. Hope to bringing you pumpkins and autumn soon!



Drum Roll, Please!

A big oops! I missed joining bloggers all over the world in the A to Z Theme Reveal. Yes, the official date of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal was Monday, March 19. But there are still ten days until the Challenge begins and there's time for the momentum to build up. 

After considering any number of ideas -- drum roll, please -- we're going on a subway tour of New York City. Some of the stops will be old favorites. I would be remiss to leave out Times Square or Grand Central Station. But other posts will include stops I've not been to before. There are 469 subway stations in New York City and I've probably only been to half of them, so I'm looking forward to exploring New York, too. We will be in four of the five boroughs, as Staten Island isn't part of the subway system. There will be sightseeing, there will be history and there will be coffee. We're starting on Sunday, April 1 -- no fooling! -- at Astor Place and plan to complete our tour around the city on the Z line on April 30. I hope you'll join me for the ride of the year.

I'd mentioned to friends that I was going to do a post about coffee mugs. I didn't finish the photographs and my friend, Donna, texted me and asked if she missed the the mug post. Donna, I'm sorry to have let you down. I hope to get the "mug post" up tomorrow. There's also a book review coming and a Pink Saturday post featuring spring fashion on Madison Avenue.  

After yesterday's snow and sleet the temperature rose and as you can see from the picture above, not a drop of snow remains on Broadway. There is still patches of snow, but from this picture it's impossible to think that just 24 hours before it was snowing and the sidewalks were icy.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.



 

Pink Saturday Goes to a Winter Wonderland

 

Central Park via Snapseed

After a complete day spent in my apartment building on Thursday because of the snowstorm, it was a mental and physical health necessity that I get some air and exercise on Friday. There was less than a foot of snow, but I'm not a model of balance and I dread slippery sidewalks, piles of snow where there should be crosswalks and mini-mountains at bus stops. Nonetheless I planned my route via subway to the Time Warner Center where I could walk indoors and then easily cross the street -- there's a lot of foot traffic in this area -- and visit Central Park. 

The temperature had warmed up to an almost balmy sixteen degrees by the time I got to Central Park. I had on enough layers for almost any (brief) outdoor activity, including a hat and my coat hood and hand warmers and really enjoyed being out of doors.

The view of Columbus Circle, looking east, taken in the Time Warner Building  

I also enjoyed my visit to the Time Warner Building, which is a very nice shopping center. Being inside and passing just about every store -- many sales -- was a great temptation during No Spending January. I was especially tempted at Sephora, but was I content sampling several very upscale hand lotions. It would have been nice to get a makeover, but I didn't think I had the fortitude to resist more makeup that I don't need. Hand lotion sampling for the win.     

This is the same view as the photograph above from a different angle.

Central Park is directly across the street.

 

Today was still cold, but the sidewalks were clearer and getting across streets was easier. I ventured beyond my immediate few blocks and saw "The Post," which I enjoyed a lot. I may even take the bus across Central Park in the next few days and visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and of course there will be pictures.

Once again, I'm delighted to join my friends at Pink Saturday for weekend fun. I hope you had fun this weekend, too, whether it was keeping cozy from the cold or enjoying being outdoors.

Thanks for visiting and take good care!
 

Pink Saturday Goes Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Broadway and West 73rd Street, Manhattan

 

 I was walking along Broadway after study group this afternoon with my friend, Nora. It was twilight and I looked to the right and saw this tiny park brightly lit and glowing. I asked if we could stop for a minute so I could take a picture. She replied yes, and added "I expect I'll see this in your blog." I told her I hadn't thought of using it, but since she asked for it, I would. As I continued home, I thought, "Why not?" I've been focused on capturing the iconic Christmas scenes in New York and was overlooking the beauty close at hand. So, tonight we take a Pink Saturday in my New York neighborhood.    

When I got home tonight it had gone from twilight to evening and the snow covered the street divider on Broadway. It set off the white lights that decorate the trees and made for a very local winter wonderland.
 

I took this picture on Friday at West 86th Street and Broadway, just a few blocks from the photograph above. I've probably walked by this store a dozen times in the last few weeks, but didn't notice the goodies in the window. But as I waited for the traffic light to change the t-shirt in the center caught my eye, "I'm only a morning person on December 25th." It's definitely true for me. Is this the case for my friends in Buttercupland?

"But the prettiest sight you'll see is the holly that will be

On your own front door."

When I started to write this post this phrase from "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" kept going through my mind. So I close this post with a photograph of holly from the grocery a few blocks from my house. It's not quite my own front door, but it's in a corner of my heart and world.

Tomorrow we return to the iconic sights of New York City with perhaps the most iconic. Any guesses?

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a weekend filled with blessings at your own front door.
 

Pink Saturday Goes to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

 

Before the Elf is on the Shelf

For the last twenty five years I've wanted to see the balloons in the parade before and while they're being inflated. I live less than a mile away, but in the past work, cooking, cold and snow or simply inertia have kept me away. I decided that this year would be different. I had done my cooking, I don't work anymore and though cold, it was clear. I stopped by on Wednesday night and the balloons were "closed" for security concerns. But Thanksgiving morning I was up and out after 7:00 a.m. and finally I was able to see the balloons before the parade began. 

One of my reasons for making this balloon excursion was to take photographs to use in a blog post. I did a post with one picture on Thanksgiving Day and then the novelty of the Christmas decorations pushed Thanksgiving out of my mind. When I saw the poster below in a subway station this week, I realized I'd was time to do my Macy's Parade post and what better time than Pink Saturday!

 
 

 

The balloon lineup on West 77th Street, shown with their handlers. Each balloon has a group of "handlers," who are trained to keep the balloons from going astray.  



 

Besides the handlers, there are hundreds of clowns -- not a bit scary -- who walk alongside the balloons and add to the fun. The Half-Baked Holiday Clowns graciously posed for the camera. There were many cute costumes, but this group was my favorite.

It's another clear night in New York City. After this post is completed I'm off to visit one of my favorite holiday sights. I'll leave the destination for a surprise, but I definitely need pictures at night.

Thanks for all of the get well wishes. My cold is better and there's only a cough or two now and then. I think/hope I will be ready for the gym on Monday.

Please be sure to stop by and visit Pink Saturday. It's always a fun visit and this week one of my photographs is being featured. Thanks, Beverly!

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a great rest of the weekend.

 

The View from my Recliner

Actually, it's a view of my recliner.

 

 

One of the things I've wanted to do for awhile is create a cozy reading nook. As the years have gone by my former cozy reading space, my couch, is not quite as comfy. It's quite low -- something that didn't matter to me when I bought it several decades ago -- but makes getting up more difficult. I've been looking at recliners, the chair of those who are retired, but didn't see anything I especially liked. Most of them were too big for my living room. In the thousand Black Friday and pre-Black Friday emails this chair caught my eye. It was extremely well-priced and the item most criticized in reviews was that it was small. Finally, a chair just my size -- 5' 2" and not getting taller -- for my small space. It arrived last week and I love it. It's comfortable, cozy and I like the way it looks.

 

My scratchy throat turned into a full cough and I spent most of the day looking out from my recliner. One of the things I did was choose a winner for our Maker Media giveaway, Brianna Y. Brianna, wishing you and your family lots of happy music making.

First card of this holiday season.

My other observation from my recliner was my first holiday card of the season, from a favorite author, Marie Force. If you're a fan or romance novels and like them a little spicy, her books are for you. They are a tad spicier than I generally prefer, but they are fun and totally indulgent reading. Thanks, Marie and company for your happy greetings.

I had hoped to be out taking more photographs and enjoying New York City, but I've learned taking care of myself is the best thing I can do when I get a cold/cough. I hope to be back to running around New York later this week and stop by some of my favorite places decorated for the season.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.
 



Pink Saturday Goes to the Double Dutch

Though the thermometer says it's still summer, it's autumn whenever I can find it. 

I wouldn't say I'm in a rut -- lots of new things on my schedule -- but I do have a pretty consistent pattern. The library, synagogue, Weight Watchers and the gym are all within a mile from where I live. This area includes two movie theaters, groceries and Central and Riverside Parks. But on Saturday I joined friends who live north of my mile area for coffee on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, which is the continuation of Central Park West, north of Central Park.
 

Per my friend Jennifer's recommendation we went to Double Dutch Espresso. Though it's October we were able to sit on the garden patio -- a luxury in Manhattan -- and enjoy good conversation and iced coffee. Though I haven't written about coffee very often this year, I'm still sampling new coffee places. There's an infinite array in New York City and I have a good dozen new places that I've enjoyed this year.  
 

I was reading a review of Double Dutch that criticized the array of coffee drinks. The last is more than adequate for me and I had my usual iced coffee. It was a solid B+ and worth the extra travel. My hairdresser is only a block away, so I'm actually in the neighborhood often enough to stop by and enjoy the brick wall ambience.  

I haven't seen "It," but the sign in front of the shop paid homage to the book and movie. 

A semi-selfie on the sidewalks of New York

 



It was a great weekend. Perfect weather, enough errands to feel caught up, time with friends, services and lots of good coffee. I even checked off flu shot from my list. I stopped at the walk-in clinic near my building first thing this morning and was in and out in less than ten minutes. I hope everyone else had a chance to relax and recharge this weekend, too.

 

I'm joining my Pink Saturday friends. Please stop by and meet some of the nicest bloggers in Internet Land. As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a happy week.