Cracks In Sidewalks

Just a few things you might not know about our famous potato.

- Sweet Potatoes are a tuberous root.

- They were the main source of nourishment for American homesteaders and soldiers of the Civil and Revolutionary Wars.

- The American Indians were growing Sweet Potatoes long before the arrival of Columbus.

- Columbus brought the sweet potato back to Spain who then started exporting them to England.

- They are very healthy and full of vitamin A & C as well as potassium, calcium, and iron.

- Sweet Potatoes were first grown in Central and South America about 5,000 years ago.

- George Washington grew sweet potatoes on his farm in Mt. Vernon.

- With their skin left on a sweet potato has more fiber than a bowl of oatmeal.

- The sweet potato helped Scarlett O’Hara to keep her 19” waist.  Her nanny fed her sweet potatoes before going out so she wouldn’t get fat on party foods.

- They don’t like refrigerators.

- Sweet Potatoes are a part of the Morning Glory family.

- Sweet potatoes are good baked, mashed, or fried, and are also made into cookies, pies, soups, and chips.

- James Taylor wrote a song called  “Sweet Potato Pie.”  Below is a link to an old video of James Taylor performing his song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh60VmEOpCU

This time of year becomes my own little film festival, well actually for me and every other member of one of the theatrical guilds.  They used to start a little later as did most of the award shows and I preferred that.  It was a good way to pass the winter in NYC.  It also used to be easier to see any movie you wanted to see as all the theaters would just accept your membership card, but then the guilds got too big and it became an economical decision to tighten the ropes.  But the film companies still needed us to see their movies as they needed our votes for the awards so they started to go out of their way to set up more private screenings then in previous years, and with those screenings came Q&A’s with the actors, writers, and directors and for me this has become the best part of it all.  The only downside is when friends later in the year want to go see a movie or rent one, my response to most their selections is that I’ve seen it.

Last night I went to my first screening of the season.  I was very excited.  I can also bring one guest so that adds to the fun.  The screenings have been going on for several weeks but none until yesterday fit into my schedule.  I went and saw “Last Chance Harvey” with Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, who both participated along with writer director Joel Hopkins and a young actress I had not seen before, Liane Balaban, who plays Dustin Hoffman’s daughter in the movie, in a Q&A after the screening.

The Q&A portion of the evening began with Emma Thompson who was hoarse, imitating DeNiro “gangster” lines that Hoffman jokingly fed to her.  She was very funny!  What’s great about these Q&A’s is that they are very loose.  There is a moderator who leads the session and gets it started and then it is open to the room and their fellow actors and writers, etc.  Besides the moderator no press attends and no one is allowed to tape.  The nature of the screenings bring about an honesty that you won’t find elsewhere and you get to know the actors and their process a little better and in each Q&A I’ve attended over the years there are always special unexpected moments that appear like magic.  Two new things I learned last night about the actors were that Emma Thompson started by doing stand up and Dustin Hoffman wanted to be a jazz pianist and used to write music.

Later this week I am also attending a screening of the film “Milk” and Gus Van Saint, Emile Hirsch, and Josh Brolin will attend the Q&A that will follow.  Then soon thereafter is “Vicky Christina Barcelona” with Penelope Cruz, and a few days later “Revolutionary Road” with Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sam Mendes, and it goes on like this for the next month or two.  It is a definite perk and for me a very special experience.   During this time I appreciate even more the roads in my life that I have chosen because they also led to this place and these adventurers.

I finally joined Facebook this past Friday.  After numerous invitations from friends over many months I began to feel like one of the last holdouts of this social networking phenomenon.  Since Friday I’ve had so many people from different aspects of my life reach out to me.  It’s been great and a little weird at the same time.  All of the sudden I’m seeing unrecognizable faces from High School and hearing from people who I have not thought about in years.  I’m reconnecting with old friends from San Francisco, musician friends from both coasts, and people who saw me on other friend’s homepages and invited me to be their friend too.  I’ve also heard from friends of my nieces and have gotten a few Aunt Audrey letters.  I’m truly honored by those.

I still don’t really know how this all works and I need to look at other people’s home pages and see how they’ve used this tool.  How much information do most people share and what do they keep private?  Where to put things and how?  Kind of like this blog, it can be so much more if I only understood the process and knew how to truly facilitate it.

Besides reconnecting with old friends and friends of friends I’m also hoping it will help promote this site as this is a big part of what I’m doing right now and of course it would be nice to know that what I’m writing is actually being read and of interest and value to some folks.

The history of Facebook, is well-known to most, so what I will do instead of sharing that history is from time to time share with you my experience of participating in its process and ask you for your feedback.

If you haven’t already joined and are interested in doing so, go to: www.facebook.com

So far this fall season I’d have to say my favorite brand new show has been Steven Bochco’s “Raising The Bar.”  The creator of such hits as “LA Law,” “Hill Street Blues,” and “NYPD Blue,” has in my estimation struck gold again with his newest series “Raising The Bar,” that premiered this fall on the TNT network following one of TNT’s other hits, “The Closer.”

Pitting young Public Defenders against their young District Attorney counterparts all of whom are friends, the show brings up the legal moral battles and questions they each face.  It showcases their ambitions, what they will do to win, and how far they will go to achieve their win.  It touches on their lusts and loves and in some cases lack of love, how their professions affect their persons, the type of lives they lead, and the personal issues they deal with both at work and at home.  Taking place in NYC the show demonstrates a bit of the grit that one would think would come with jobs like theirs in an urban environment of that proportion.  It also displays the unexpected goodness and humanity that can sometimes be found in that same large urban environment.

The series starts with a difficult Judge named Trudy Kessler, an aspiring but closet gay law clerk with whom she’s having an affair and obviously doesn’t know he’s gay, an antagonistic tough District Attorney, and aspiring young Assistant DA’s.  Then on the other side is the Public Defender’s Office with their head played by actress Gloria Reuben, and several younger idealistic attorney’s who work for her, most notably the handsome I will do whatever it takes lawyer, Jerry Kellerman, played by actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar who I hadn’t seen before this series but will soon surely be well-known to many.

Gosselaar and Reubin play the moral compass roles in the show and the others seem to be the reflections of that always do right code playing off these two characters and discovering where they stand, at times shocking and disappointing one another with the favors they ask.  Whichever side of the fence they land, they each do “their” job as best they can, given their own priorities.  Many times on the other end their friends cannot comprehend how one of their own can take the stand that they have taken, especially given their personal backgrounds.  These obstacles surface through their friendships and often over drinks at the bar where the young lawyers gather weekly.

The moral dilemmas the shows characters face and dynamics are juxtaposed in such a way to create weekly interesting and compelling friction amongst the different attorney’s and Judge Kessler, while at the same time showing the humanity of each.  Having recently finished their first rounds of episodes you can go to the link below to find out more about the show and to watch full episodes so you can be up to date when the next season begins.  I think you’ll enjoy “Raising The Bar.”  It is much more than a courtroom drama.  When you have some time check it out for yourself and tell me what you think.  And if you’ve already been watching the show, feel free to leave a comment below expressing your opinion.  I’d love to know how others are viewing Bochco’s new drama.

To access the link below, simply cut and paste it and put it into your browser.

http://www.tnt.tv/series/raisingthebar/

The wonderful actor Ed Harris is a big support in every film in which he acts whether he’s playing a supporting role or a lead character.  He’s one of my favorite people to watch.  He always seems so intense and studied.  I first became aware of Ed Harris when he played the role of John Glenn in the movie “The Right Stuff.”  From that day forward I have been following his career and career choices believing him to be one of the top actors of today.

Oscar nominated several times over, Harris spent many years as a somewhat unknown.  Getting his first Oscar nod in 1995 for his supporting role in “Apollo 13” he went on to be nominated again in 1998 for his supporting role in “The Truman Show,” again a Best Supporting Actor nomination in 2002 for his part in “The Hours,” along side Meryl Streep; and finally a Best Actor nomination for his role portraying the artist Jackson Pollack, in what was also his directorial debut, the movie “Pollack” that came out in 2000.

Born in New Jersey in 1950 Ed Harris started out as a star athlete and jock rather than an artist actor.  He played football in High School and while attending Columbia University.  It wasn’t until his family moved to New Mexico and Harris transferred to the University of Oklahoma did Harris begin to study acting and appearing in summer stock theater.  He later moved to Los Angeles to continue his education by enrolling in the California Institute of the Arts.  In 1984 Harris met and soon married the actress Amy Madigan while working on the film “Places in the Heart,” along side actress Sally Field.  Madigan and Harris have one child together.

Some of my favorite films for which Ed Harris is best known besides the previously mentioned movies include “The Abyss,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “The Firm,” and the Clint Eastwood directed film “Absolute Power;” also “A Beautiful Mind,” “Buffalo Soldiers,” “The Human Stain,” “A History of Violence,” and his role in the HBO mini-series adaptation of the book “Empire Falls” which co-starred Helen Hunt.  Playing both villainous and sympathetic roles this intense blue-eyed actor is one to keep an eye on as his performances are usually flawless and almost always electrifying.

With the holidays creeping up on us I decided right now not to think about presents, but instead to think about fun holiday activities and events taking place this upcoming season that we can share with loved ones and friends.  Below is a small list that might give you some additional ideas of things to do and see.

1)    Go Ice Skating.  Places to go include: The Pond in Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, Wollman Rink in Central Park, Lasker Rink in Central Park, the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers, Riverbank Ice Skating Rink on the Hudson River at 145th Street, and the Kate Wollman Rink in Prospect Park.
2)    The West Village Chorale sponsors several events.  On Saturday December 13th a Scandinavian festival of lights, on the 15th a sing-along of Handel’s Messiah, and on the 19th you can join the West Village Chorale and go caroling.
3)    At St. John the Divine almost finished with their renovations and ready for their unveiling on November 30th, you will find a tree with 1,000 paper cranes, Paul Winter’s Annual Winter Solstice Celebration taking place on the 18th, 19th, and 20th of December as well as a New Year’s Eve Concert for Peace.  And if you’re lucky you’ll be there during a time when the Great Organ can be heard again.
4)    The Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting will take place on December 3rd this year.
5)    Walk up and down 5th Avenue from Rockefeller Center to the park checking out the wonderful window displays.  Then head over to Barney’s on Madison as their windows are always pretty fabulous too.
6)    Watch the lighting of the World’s Largest Chanukah Menorah at 59th St. and 5th Avenue and join in the celebration each night of Chanukah.
7)    Take a trip to the N.Y. Botanical Gardens and see the “Holiday Train Show” which begins November 23rd and while you’re there you can also visit the “Henry Moore” outdoor garden exhibit which has been extended until some time in early January.
8)    Make a trip to the Museum of Natural History.  The butterflies are back!  You can go to the Butterfly Conservancy and while you’re there visit the museum’s Origami Christmas Tree.

Then there is the annual Tuba Christmas at the Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink.  That takes place at 3:30pm on Saturday the 13th.  They are celebrating their 35th year.  And of course there is always the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, George Ballanchine’s “The Nutcracker” by the New York City Ballet, and how can one forget the parade that kicks this all off, the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Over the next several weeks I’ll keep my eyes open and ears to the ground looking for additional perhaps more unusual things to do this Holiday Season if you live in or are going to be visiting the NYC area.  And if you know of something special that you would like to mention, simply add a comment at the bottom of this post for other readers. Also for unusual cards and gifts this year don’t forget to check out the “Cracks In Sidewalks Online Store.”  There is a link at the top right of the homepage.  I’ve created some fun items and cards that you won’t find anyplace else.

I want to put in a plug for my neighborhood veterinarian, Janet Ficarra, at Downtown Veterinary Clinic.  More and more it is becoming less frequent to have a neighborhood anything independent.  Everyone and everything seem to be merging.  In some cases it’s not bad, but at the same time I like having someone close by that I can establish a relationship with and whom over years I can learn to trust and entrust in that person the well being of my little furry loved ones.  I’m happy to say I’ve been fortunate to do that in Dr. Ficarra and her clinic where she serves as its sole veterinarian.

Between myself and several of my friends who go to her as well, I know at times she has been confronted with some perplexing cases.  What I like about Dr. Ficarra, or one of the things I like about Dr. Ficarra is that she is inquisitive and if she doesn’t know something, she’ll ask around and read until she does, or she’ll find you the best specialist to consult with about your animal.  Either way I always feel my animal is being well looked after.  She also doesn’t sugar coat things, if she thinks it’s time for your animal to go to animal heaven, she’ll tell you.  Obviously it is your decision but she’ll let you know when she feels she has used up all reasonable options in the care of your pet.  Always tough to let go, her truthfulness for me in the past has proven to be a comfort.

When talking to Dr. Ficarra recently, I asked her as a vet, “what is one of your biggest frustrations?”  She didn’t blink but immediately started talking about rescue dogs and cats.  Loving animals as she does, and having rehabbed more then a few, she went on to talk to me about the overcrowding of the shelters and animals being put down.  She wanted to plea with pet owners who have to give up their animals, to please put up a post and to deal with it one on one.  “Take responsibility to find your pet a good home.  Don’t rely on the shelters.  They just don’t have the room.”  As a vet she feels it’s important for those who can, to adopt pets.  “With the economy in the state it is in, many people are giving up their pets and the shelters can’t handle that many animals so they are being put down.  I want people to really think about adopting an animal or at least consider fostering a dog or cat.” She continued by saying, “anyone who hasn’t had a cat for a long time or any pet, will feel how nice it is to relate to someone directly, some little one who relates without a cell phone, without a computer, and who’s reliably in the moment.  The reward is tremendous!”  If nothing more what she would like is for people to rally and be proactive. Adopt, foster, and most importantly if you love animals, step up and do something.

What I would like from this post is to emphasize the importance of supporting your smaller neighborhood vet before we’re left without a choice, in my case that’s Dr. Janet Ficarra and Downtown Veterinary.  I know for me Dr. Ficarra has not only taken good care of all my pets since coming to NYC, but she has also been an invaluable resource.  And if you live in Chelsea, the West Village, or the Flat Iron District, I highly recommend her services.  Located on 9th Avenue and 19th St. she is somewhat centrally located to all.  And for those animals and people who need the service, the good Doctor Ficarra will also make house calls.

Downtown Veterinary
148 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY  10011
(212) 463-8705

http://www.downtownveterinaryclinic.com/

Today is our Presidential election and everyone says that this election in particular is and will probably be the most important election of our lives.  It’s been a long two years since the campaigning began and now we’re down to the wire.  My original first choice is not on the ballot, but I’m happy to say I do not fall in the category of undecided.  Actually it’s hard for me to imagine anyone being undecided in this election, the candidates, their philosophies and platforms are at such polar opposites that I don’t understand the confusion or how anyone could not know by now which side of the fence they’re on,

They say there is going to be a record turn out.  That the states that allow early voting have already been saddled with overcrowding and long lines.  My sister who lives in Ohio cast her vote early.   She went with a friend to avoid the November 4th lines.  One of them voted Republican and the other Democrat, canceling each other out making it impossible for me to know which way the state is going to go, blue or red?  But when they were through casting their ballets, they decided to put their political differences aside and go out for a drink, celebrating the fact that they could vote and that they had exercised that privilege.

I’m looking forward to voting today, New York does not have early voting, and I’ll wait as long as it takes to get in the booth and I hope you will too because every vote counts whatever your beliefs.  Many of our citizens throughout our nations history fought hard so that “all” of us could have a voice.  It took a long time for the black voice of our nation to be listened to in our political process; it was years before women were allowed to be heard; and it wasn’t until our sons between the ages of 18 to 21 were fighting and dying in Vietnam did the United States decide that if someone was old enough to die for our country they must be old enough to vote.

So please let yourself be heard today.  Vote!  Vote!  Vote! This is an election where the people really need to speak their mind.  I pray my candidate wins but I know you pray that yours does too.

A friend of mine told me about a perfect little “Cracks In Sidewalks” spot in Brooklyn.  It’s a jazz bar/ restaurant called “Annabelles.”  She told me it was in Red Hook and I had to go with her and check it out, so this Monday night I finally did.  Actually it was a bit of an adventure because I have to say I had never been to Red Hook before.

Red Hook is getting a lot of attention these days.  The big European furniture store IKEA opened up its first New York City store earlier this year and it is located on the water in Red Hook.

They actually set up a free ferry from Pier 11 in Manhattan to lure those of us who don’t own cars, which is the majority of the population, to their store.   Our plan was to take advantage of the ferry to get to Annabelle’s and then have a friend from Brooklyn with a car bring us back into the city.  Annabelle’s is conveniently located only about two blocks from where the ferry drops you off at IKEA.

Annabelle’s is this great bar/restaurant whose character you can start to sense as you approach its entrance.  There is a vibe you get and if you’re like me, you know you’re going to like it.  When I walked through the door, I was immediately charmed by the at home feeling of the place.  It felt worn, in a good way.   With its old mahogany bar and friendly bartender it projected a neighborly vibe, a place that I could frequent often with friends or feel comfortable entering solo.  I’m not certain how old the building is in which it is housed, but by the tiling on the floor I would have to say fairly old.  I liked the quality and character of the place, and if I wore a hat I could see hanging it there.

Monday night is a jazz jam night and it started off with a hired trio as the core band, keyboards, upright bass, and drums.  Later other horn players sat in and a woman on keyboards who was quite good.  Actually they were all good players.  Not having eaten dinner we decided to order some food.  When I got the menu it was much nicer then I had expected, not your typical bar food.  That’s when I learned that they share their kitchen with well-known Brooklyn chef Neil Ganic of “Petite Crevette” fame.  He actually owns the restaurant that is connected by way of kitchen to “Annabelle’s.”  His new restaurant is called “La Bouillabaisse.”

We ordered several things to share.  First came Oysters on the Half Shell, next a Beet salad with Goat Cheese, and after that, Mussels in White Wine Garlic Sauce.  It was more then plenty for two people as the portions were quite large and before taxes and tip it came to only about $34 total.   In New York I consider that a bargain, especially given the quality of the food and its terrific taste.  I also discovered a wonderful back garden area with a little pond that must be great in summer.

So if you’re looking for some place new to go, some place fun to discover, I suggest taking a trip to Red Hook and discovering Annabelle’s for yourself.  If you live in the city and don’t have a car, try timing it so you can take the ferry over and then a car service home.  The ferry gives you some spectacular views on the way over.  And if you have access to a car and live anywhere close by, make the field trip and enjoy not only a great meal and drink, but maybe some good music too.  I also hear that they are hosting a Halloween Costume Party tonight, so if you don’t have any plans, perhaps tonight is the night to make the trip?

For more information about Annabelle’s below is a link to their website and also their address and phone number.

Annabelle’s
44 Beard St.
Brooklyn, NY  11231
(718) 643-1500

http://www.annabelles-nyc.com/

Saturday Continued, A Slight Detour:

As we drove out of Albany it started to rain, then it started to pour, visibility was not good but we were taking it all in stride as we knew Sunday was supposed to be a beautiful day.  Listening to music and enjoying our conversation, all of the sudden in the middle of our lane in front of us lay the entire wheel from a large tractor-trailer truck that had been ahead of us.  Going about 60 mph I knew there was nothing for us to do but crash.  It was so scary as we were in the left hand lane on Interstate 90 and there was traffic in the lanes next to us, and oncoming traffic coming in the other direction.  As we braced for the inevitable, hoping we wouldn’t get hurt or killed, my friend swerved a little to the left so only half the car would go over the wheel.  I could feel the car slanting as we went over the wheel full force.  The airbags deployed, the windshield cracked, and the wheel went under the belly of the car and me.  Then I felt us on the ground gliding forward, my friends hands still on the steering wheel, arms wrapped around the airbag, trying to keep the car from going over the divider.  We landed.  Able to unbuckle my safety belt as it was now cutting into me, and noticing the car was smoking, both of us miraculously uninjured we jumped out of the car afraid it would explode, into the torrential rain.  Unfortunately the car did not fare as well as us.  It was totaled.

The next four hours were surreal.  People stopped to see if we were OK.  Eventually we realized the car was not going to catch on fire.  We got inside to protect us from the rain but it did not protect us from the other traffic as our car was not completely out of the left hand lane but was not drivable either.  I was nervous and it was weird because there was no place safe for us to go until help arrived.  Eventually a State Troopers showed up and pulled up behind us with his flashing lights.  I felt much safer with him behind us.  About a half hour later a giant tow truck for the state showed up.  He towed the car and us too, to the Avis Rental office at the Albany airport.  We filled out reports and an hour later we were given a new car.  A bit shook up having realized just how lucky we were after listening to our own possible outcome scenarios, and those of strangers, we decided we should continue on our journey, enjoy the fact that we were in one piece and able to do so, and that’s what we did.

We arrived in Lake George in the early evening.  Being that it is not season, we knew we’d be able to find a room.  We drove a couple of times through the center of town eying the various accommodations and chose a place on the lake called “The Georgian,” that looked like it would be good for us.  Just happy to stop and lie down for a bit, it was what we needed most of all.  About an hour later we went to a place recommended to us called “George’s,” and ordered some nice seafood and wine.

Sunday:
The next morning it was just as beautiful as they predicted, hard to believe that the day before had been so rainy and messy.  Stepping outside our room I saw Lake George and the Adirondack’s for the first time.  I love arriving places in the dark and waking up to a beautiful surprise!  They say there is nothing like a New England Fall (see Lake George photo).  I don’t know if that is true but they are spectacular.  This time of year is really wonderful.  Although it is off season I suppose many others were there to check out the color’s too as the hotel seemed to be full.

Leaving the “Georgian,” we wanted to do a little walking around the lake to get a better view of things.  Being short on time we decided to do so near Ft. William Henry (photo above), an old fort that is on the Southern tip of Lake George and dates back to the French and Indian War in the late 1750’s.  Sometimes I forget how much of American history is so close by.  A little later we were driving and wanted to take the car on a ferry and cross over to Vermont, but the ferry was closed for the season.  While driving to the bridge we caught another old fort called, Fort Ticonderoga.  It too has a history dating back to the French and Indian War continuing through the Revolutionary War.

We spent most of the day in Vermont driving through the mountains, marveling in their countryside, buying gourds, little pumpkins, and maple syrup from farmers, me snapping lots of photos and all and all being good tourists.  Driving through Bennington we said our farewells to our beautiful fall day in Vermont.  Soon we crossed over into Massachusetts, later Connecticut, then New York and late Sunday night NYC.

So the title of this piece is “5 State Fall Foliage” and I’ve only mentioned 4 states.  The 5th state was New Jersey.  The way the states are shaped in parts and how they built the freeways, you sometimes have to leave NY to get back into NY.  Giving Jersey its due, their leaves were beautiful too.

It turned out to be a long two days.  It was really a three-day trip, especially given our accident.  But it was beautiful and come next fall if you get the chance, if you don’t live in the area, try to catch a New England fall.  Make reservations early as things get booked, and also perhaps go a little sooner then we did, although spectacular we were a little late ourselves particularly further north.  And if you’re looking to go to Lake George, I can recommend “The Georgian Resort.”  We didn’t eat there, but the rooms were nice and comfortable.

To find out more about the Lake George Adirondack area or tourism in Vermont either click on the links below or cut and paste them into your browser.

http://www.visitlakegeorge.com/

http://www.travel-vermont.com/