Beautiful Images

I readily admit to being unusual. Despite (outwardly) being a mature man, I regularly dream about life as a teenage girl. And an adult woman. And a female child. All of the above.

Which explains why, when shopping at my local vintage store this week, I bought a 50-year old paint-by-numbers kit. Its appeal lies in the beauty of feminine painted images. They're adorable, don't you think? Which is your favorite?

I plan to display this as a home-decoration. Looking at it makes me smile.

Summer At The Beach

I rode my motorcycle to the beach today (Sunken Meadow State Park). The ocean, sun and air were wonderful.

Do you go to the beach? Or, if you're in New Jersey, "down the shore"?

A Weekend To Remember

Robin and I had a wonderful long weekend. We rode up to Hudson, NY, which is where all the cool kids go. Proof of that is a cute, young couple of British actors we met at our B&B. In their early thirties, they live in NYC and took a train up to escape the city in Summer. We'll be looking for Chris in some TV commercials he made.

Our B&B, built in 1840, was lovely. Beautiful accomodations and charming hosts. They made us delicious breakfasts every day with herbs from their garden.

Hudson is full of artisans so Robin had a field day shopping for earrings. She ogled many hand-made pairs and, fortunately, selected ones that cost only 3-figures and not 4-figures. It was a close call.

Perhaps the best part of the trip was visiting Olana, a historic site combining art, history and nature. The most famous landscape painter of the 1800's, Frederick Edwin Church, was lucky enough to become rich during his lifetime and he built his dream-house in a spot offering the best views of upstate country. Church filled his house with artwork and artifacts collected while travelling around the world; much of it is rare Middle Eastern and Asian objects you seldom see here. The views were magnificent. Pics below.

Fate smiled on us when, after touring Connecticut backroads today, we slid onto the Bridgeport ferry one minute before it set sail. Ferries often give preferential treatment to motorcycles (we were pulled ahead of a long line of cars) because they can squeeze us in spots no car can fit. A perfect way to end a perfect trip!

Jumping In The Saddle

Last year I discovered a fabulous place hidden in upstate New York -- the small town of Hudson. I'm leaving on my motorcycle right now for another trip up there. I'm hoping for a relaxing long weekend.

Hudson is just below Albany. Despite its rural location, the town is populated by hipsters who left New York City for a better environment. These ex-pats from Manhattan and Brooklyn bring urban culture with them and create an rare phenomenon -- city sophistication in upstate NY. Normally this area lacks that, relying instead on its bucolic countryside. It's nice to have both.

Hudson has exceptional restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and parks. My favorite spot here is a motorcycle-themed coffee-shop ("Moto"). Moto has real bikes, partially-disassembled, in the midst of fake repair. At first I thought the machines were actually being repaired but learned they're simply decorations for the expresso-drinking crowd. The shop sells motorcycle t-shirts and the coffee's good, too. Some pics from my last trip are below.

What are you doing this weekend?

It Started With

... a necklace. My last outfit started with a belt; this one began with jewelry.

I was browsing my favorite retail store (Fox's). They sell designer-clothing at discount. I spotted a necklace -- chic, modern. A style I've always wanted. It reminds me of female elegance in the Sixties.

I pair the necklace with a garment I've never worn before. They go well together.

What do you think?

Magazine Letter

My friend Emma, whom I just visited, is an editor of a magazine (Columbus Monthly). She wrote an article for the magazine and I commented on it at the magazine's website. The print version of the magazine just came out (August 2018) and surprisingly my online comment is included!

In the article, Emma describes exercising with a bungee cord which is a new fitness trend. Her article can be found here. My response is shown below.

It's always exciting to see your name in print.  :-)

Hannah Gadsby

Hannah Gadsby is a lesbian comic from Australia who is performing a powerful piece on Netflix ("Nanette"). Her show starts off as comedy but, half-way through, it gets deadly serious. She rages -- with justification -- at "gender-normal" advocates (e.g., most people) and how they harm the lives of those who are different (like me).

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn. See it. Really.

Some reviews:

New York Times

The New Yorker

Baseball Legend

Tonight I went to a baseball game which honored one of my childhood heroes, Bud Harrelson. Bud was a New York Mets player and later coach. He also founded the Long Island Ducks, a minor-league team. He orchestrated the building of a new stadium for the Ducks and promoted them for the past two decades.

Harrelson played for the Mets from 1965 to 1977. That period includes the year the "Amazing Mets" won the World Series (1969). I remember that season vividly. Harrelson was the heart of team.

Today's ceremony was touching. Harrelson was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease two years ago and is losing the ability to remember words. He was surrounded by family and friends at the ceremony but didn't speak. I'm sure he didn't want to embarrass himself by being unable to find words. Despite that, he looked happy. The Ducks retired his number (3) and all players wore the number in Bud's honor. 

I had great seats four rows behind the dugout. The Ducks won the game (9-3) and afterward there was a terrific fireworks show. Pretty good deal for a $13 ticket.