Happy Halloween!

Welcome! Come on in. Have some punch. Everyone's here.

What a great costume you have! Let's look at the others. The first three pictures depict Party Poison from the comic Killjoys by My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way -- and that's Megan Mae underneath! The next picture is Gerard in the Black Parade era, portrayed by Megan's father. Following that one is our beloved blogger Kezzie whose Doctor Who cosplay is eternally amusing; here she's the Doctor's companion Romana. Then our favorite fashionista, Sheila, shows off her pretty Hallowe'en dress. Ciciley, my friend in Tennessee, is Agador Spartacus as a combination of Lucy and Ricky (from "The Birdcage"). Bringing up the rear is Harley Quinn, brought to life with enthusiasm by, um, me!

If you want to be included in this post, send me a picture and I'll add it ASAP.

Have a Happy Halloween!

Birthday Trip

At some point you realize experiences are more valuable than objects. That's why, for my birthday last year, I suggested a weekend stay at the fabulous TWA Hotel in lieu of a tangible gift.

This year I'm following the same path and taking Robin to Hudson, NY -- the chic-ist town north of Manhattan. Most inhabitants and store-owners there are originally from the City. Vogue magazine -- VOGUE, of all magazines -- just published an article saying Hudson is the place to go during the pandemic. The town closes main street to cars on weekends and creates a pedestrian paradise. 

Since my birthday is next Tuesday we're leaving Friday for the weekend. Saturday is Halloween so bopping around then should be a blast.

Have a happy holiday!

Syracuse

Here are more amazing buildings I saw in Syracuse.

Hiking With Aimee

My friend Aimee is super-strong. She's a country girl who chops wood, lifts boulders and walks faster than anyone I know. This weekend Aimee led us on a fun hike along a turbulent river with treacherous cliffs and slippery leaves. It was fun -- when you weren't scared to death. Afterward, we had a delicious meal with her best friend, Dakotah. 

Potsdam is far from home but this is why I go back there often.

Art Deco

I was going to sail through Syracuse on my way to Potsdam today but my friend Jaime encouraged me to stop in the city and check out an Art Deco masterpiece. I'm glad I did.

This dramatic building was built in 1932. It was headquarters for Niagara Mohawk Power Co., then the nation's largest electricity company. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's a stunner. On the sixth floor is a 30-foot high sculpture called "The Spirit of Light." It symbolizes the new "Age of Electricity." You can learn more details about the building here.

While I was taking pictures an old man walked by. He stopped and told me he's been waiting his whole life "for that winged guy to fly away but he never has." 

While visiting Syracuse's City Center I ran into other amazing old buildings. I'll show you them in future posts. By the way, did you know Syracuse is the fifth largest city in New York? I had no idea. I just thought it was a snow-magnet.

Can You Say Skaneateles?

I think I found the BEST of the Finger Lakes. I arrived yesterday. 

Skaneateles has a vibrant downtown with cool stores, boutiques and galleries. The vibe is cosmopolitan and relaxed. There are over twenty restaurants in town.

I saw several vintage automobiles and many motorcycles. The place is full of visitors which is surprising for late-October. The lake is scenic and has pristine water. Most amazing of all are scores of gorgeous lake-side homes. Beautiful architecture.

I'll definitely come back to Skaneateles Lake, assuming I learn how to pronounce it. :-)

"The Trial Of The Chicago 7"

Aaron Sorkin wrote this movie a decade ago but couldn't find financing. That was a blessing in disguise because today the film resonates in ways it wouldn't have in 2007. Its topics -- governmental oppression of political dissent; police brutality; judicial corruption -- are visible in today's racial justice protests, connecting us to the Sixties.

Sorkin treats that tumultuous time with wide focus, not narrowing it to any particular character's view. That's a smart choice because it describes the Sixties in a general, accurate manner.

Sasha Baron-Cohen plays Abbie Hoffman, a mischievous Yippie. Back then, I bought and read Hoffman's famous work, "Steal This Book." My parents were aghast but the book taught me valuable lessons in living outside the box of social convention. The book was self-published after being rejected by 30 book publishers and many retailers refused to carry it. Canada banned the book entirely. Which made it all the more attractive to young readers at the time.

NYC, Different

 I had to go into Manhattan yesterday. It was weird. 

The buildings are the same, the subway runs fine... but there are no crowds. Just a handful of workers. Being in places that are normally congested, without crowds, feels odd. It's comfortable if you forget why the city is empty.

I'll never forget the experiences of this year.

My Holga Week Entries

Last week was Holga Week, a time when crazy photographers use cheap, old cameras to take pictures. Did I mention the cameras are completely plastic and barely functional? That's Holga. 

I find the deficiencies of the camera increase the challenge of getting good photos. And I enjoy a challenge.

We're entering our pictures in friendly competition. Here are my submissions. Do any appeal to you?

 

My Halloween Costume!

 Here it is! 

What are you dressing up as this year? Send me a picture and I'll post it on Halloween.