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What’s in a Name?

April 1, 2011 by pbenjay

The back story to this photograph is that my lovely daughter Chiara got married in June ’08 and although they were living in Boston, Tom and she got married in New York City.  So they weren’t really here much before or after the wedding.  They came in to get the license and left the day after the wedding for a two week honeymoon and returned directly to Boston.

Soooo, Chiara had a New York license from before when she lived here and it was in her maiden name;  It hadn’t expired so she kept it.  Time passes, one child is born, Finley Ray.  More time passes and another child is born, Francesca and still the license had not expired.  Chiara was still in Boston all this time.

This January they moved back to New York City, so she has been here for 3 full months, (can you see where this is going?).   She just had her 34th birthday last week and Tom bought her birthday cake.  I think the message is pretty clear – When the hell are you going to change your name?

Kiki's birthday cake, Chiara is 34, Chiara Berti Clark

Did You Get My Message?

Posted in BY THE WAY, Friends, New York Speaks, Only in New York, Smooth or Crunchy | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

10 Home Remedies That Really Work

March 31, 2011 by pbenjay

Thursday’s Top Ten

Colds and Fevers: Hot water with lemon or hot lemonade will help relieve cold symptoms.  The steam from the hot liquids will help unclog congested nasal passages.  Adding honey to your tea will soothe a sore throat.

Skin Care: Slather on petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to moisturize C skin cheaply and effectively.  A 1991 University of California study showed that petroleum jelly actually repairs skin cells.

Wrinkle Remover: Beat two egg whites to meringue consistency;  apply to your face and leave on for 20 to 30 minutes.  Rinse with cool water.  The protein in the egg whites temporarily tightens pores for a more youthful look.  You’ll be wrinkle-free for an hour and half before turning back into Cinderella.

Warts: Rub castor oil on flat warts with a cotton swab twice a day until they disappear.

Guard Against Infection: Use honey to help promote healing of skin wounds.  Clean wound thoroughly, apply honey, and bandage securely.  Unprocessed honey (straight from the hive) works best at killing bacteria.

Oral Care: Chew on a sprig of fresh parsley for fresh breath.

Canker Sores: Relieve the pain of a canker sore and help it heal faster by squeezing the excess water from a teabag that’s been immersed in a glass of tepid water and applying it to the sore for a few minutes.

Headaches: Rub a mentholatum  ointment on your forehead and cover with an ice pack on a cold wet washcloth to ease a sinus headache.  It’s soothing and it helps open up the nasal passages.

Hiccups: Swallow a spoonful of sugar in one gulp with no water.

Stomach Upsets: Sip strong chamomile tea (steeped 10-15 minutes) if you have an upset stomach.  Peppermint or spearmint tea also soothe tummies, or try adding a few drops of spirit of peppermint to water or food.

petroleum jelly, vaseline

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

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GIRL SCOUT COOKIES – They’re BAaacckkkk !!!

March 31, 2011 by pbenjay

Why oh why did I ever bring those cookies home?  I know why I bought them, I mean really whoever says, “No, I don’t want to buy your cookies”, “Now scram!”  Okay so I bought not one but three boxes (no accounting for lack of self-discipline).  Then I brought them home from the office last night and wouldn’t you know,  the same thing happened that happened last year!  (there’s no accounting for inability to learn from previous mistakes) – I heard them calling my name!  At first I thought I heard a faint voice in the distance and thought maybe it was someone out in the hall.  But then the voice grew stronger and stronger until it was perfectly clear to me that I was being beckoned!  And well you can guess what happened next, do I really have to admit it?  Nine cookies later, three from each box ( I wanted to be fair to all).

They’re evil.  Yes, Girl Scout Cookies are evil even if they don’t have any trans fats in them.  You might find these previous blogs interesting;  https://pbenjay.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/the-ten-retired-girl-scout-cookies-fans-miss-most-divine and  https://pbenjay.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/girl-scout-cookies-are-evil/ – I think you will have to copy and paste, I couldn’t seem to make the  links live.

I have to get them out of this house! So tomorrow, I’m going to invite my daughter and granddaughter over and as the benevolent Gigi that I am, give them ALL to them (well maybe I’ll keep a few lemon cremes).

Girl scout cookies, Girl Scouts, Lemon cremes, Lemon Chalet cremes

Just one more

 

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Lightning Strikes! Thundersnow!

March 30, 2011 by pbenjay

About a week ago, I was in the Grove and it was a miserable night.  It had been raining for a while and due to the bad drainage problem on our street, there was a river of water about 2 feet wide I had to cross or jump over to get into my car.  I needed to go to the grocery store and it was getting late.  When I came out of the grocery store, I was pelted with hail.  Literally marble size balls of ice were raining down on me as I tried to quickly get all the bags into the car.  Driving home the road was covered with these rolling pellets.  And then I had to try to leap over the river while holding grocery bags.

After I got all of the groceries put away, it started to thunder and lightning.  At the first sound of thunder, the cats disappeared up the stairs and under the bed.  THEN, a crack of thunder hit and the whole house shook and I knew those cats were gone for the night.  It was so loud and so close that I immediately looked out the front windows to see what if anything had been hit.  I couldn’t see anything and then one, two,  three and then four and five fire engines roared up Broadway and turned north on Central Ave.   I called Susan and Jim and asked if they could see where the engines went and I kept looking to the north sky for that dreaded orange glow.  Jim said he could see the engines and he would check it out.  I soon received a call telling me that a house had been struck by lightning on Embury Ave but didn’t seem to be on fire although all trucks ready and on standby.

This is what Mother Nature wrought upon Ocean Grove that night!

oCEAN gROVE, Embury ave, thundersnow, lightning

Lightning strikes

Embury Ave, Ocean Grove NJ, lightning strikes, thundersnow

Lightning bolt through the turret

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What is NOT QUITE an ANDROID? These Are….

March 29, 2011 by pbenjay

Some people think New York City is a lonely place and they couldn’t be more WRONG!  You never have to be alone in this city especially if you live in the East 40’s,  specifically Dag  Hammarskjold Plaza.  There’s always some art installations around the City.  If you think back, I’ve published photos of many.  such as the giant flowers on Park Avenue in the snow,  the fanciful creatures of   Tom Otterness and now there is a veritable crowd of not quite humans and not quite androids and they have taken up residence in this famous plaza near the United Nations.  They seem friendly enough although not great conversationalists!

Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, New York city

Back to Back

Dag Hammarskjold Plaza

Do you really mean it?

Can you tell me how to get to Bloomingdale's?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The sun feels good doesn't"?

The Thinker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I was just sayin' "

A bit nippy for the end of March

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All photos by Murray Head

It’s not Friday but these are some FAB FOTOS!

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Six Words Can Say It ALL – Six Word Memoir Monday

March 28, 2011 by pbenjay

Six-Word Memoir book cover image

"The Book"

It just goes to show you that begging and pleading does work!  I threw myself  on your mercy last week, tried a little guilt and YES, I did receive some great Six Word Memoirs and I’m sooooo happy!  THANK YOU, THANK you, thank YOU!

No entry; dog ate my homework – Gail

This bi-polar weather makes me nuts – Margaret

Snow cutting into my social life – Susan Celtic Lady (she’s in the Northeast)

Day after day, glorious blue sky – Heather (she’s in Florida)

March still roaring! Where’s that lamb? – Me

Nervous twitch is making a comeback – Weez

And some more inspiration from

My baby’s name was Sydney Jane – Margot Bertoni

Love the men.  Hate the commitment – Lindsay Filz

I grew and grew and grew. – Randy Newcomer

Starving artist. Lucky break. Life downhill. – Will Samson

Changing mind postponed demise by decades. – Scott O’Neil

My spiritual path is 100 proof. – John House

 


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Why Travel to India IF You Live in New York City?

March 25, 2011 by pbenjay

They don’t call New York City the Capital of the World for nothing…Diversity is Manhattan.  When I first moved to the City, I was amazed at the foreign faces I saw and the myriad languages spoken everywhere.   Now, well I don’t even notice except when a foreign tourist is holding a guide-book or map.  After a while you come to know that (and these are somewhat generalized), most nail salons are run by Koreans, the news stands are manned by Pakistanis or Bangledehis,  the dry cleaners  seem to be Korean and tailors are often Chinese, not to mention the numerous coffee shops throughout the City owned by Greeks and Deli’s owned and run by Indians.  You can also visit the enclave neighborhoods of Jamaicans, Haitians, Italians, Vietnamese, Hungarian, Polish, German, Irish, Hispanic, Romanian, Russian, Thai, Indians and dine on the best  culinary offerings from those countries!

BUT what brings all the countries together in the City are the PARADES! There’s always a parade somewhere.  Today I’m featuring photos from an Indian Festival Parade.  The festival is HOLI;

Holi and the following day, Dhuleti, are known as the Indian Festival of Color. Playing Holi or sharing colors is a highlight of this holiday. Gifts of sweets or Holi colors are common and greeting cards are often sent.

The holiday is observed all over India and celebrates the harvest of the winter crops as it welcomes the beginning of Spring. Holi is called Dol Jatra or Dol Purnima in Bengal, Rangapanchami in Maharashtra, Kamavilas, Kaman Pandugai or Kaman-dahanam in South India.

In Northern India, the Raas-Lila dances celebrate love in the Spring and honor Radha and Krishna. In Southern India, Kamdev, the Love God, and his wife Rati are the focus of the stories and songs.

No matter which part of India the festivals are in or which gods are involved, they are feasts of color and usually involve sprinkling colored waters and gulal, brightly colored powders, on the gods and on the other revellers. Balloons filled with colored waters are splashed on friends and anyone else who happens to be near.

Holi Festival of colors, New York City, parade

Ready to Celebrate

HOLI, Festival of colors, Indian holiday, Indian parade, New York city

Even the drums are colorful

Holi,Dhuleti, New york city, parades in NY, Indian festival of colors

Incredible India

new york city, Indian parade, HOLI, Dhuleti, festival of colors

Celebrate

HOLI, Dhuleti, festival of colors, new york city, Indian parade

Colorful HOLI Dancers

Dhuleti, HOLI, festival of colors, New York city parade, Indian festival

Just Do What I Do

Festival of Colors

Dhuleti, Indian fesstival of colors, new york city

Jumping for Joy

All photos by Murray Head

Posted in Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, Only in New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Thursday’s Top Ten -Elizabeth Taylor’s Best Movies

March 24, 2011 by pbenjay

Screenshot of Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman...

Maggie and Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Everybody has an opinion and as readers, you know I certainly do.  I thought it would be apropos  post my favorite Elizabeth Taylor movies.  Probably there’s been hundreds of articles written in newspapers today but I have been working all day and have not seen the news or a newspaper.  So here’s my list not in alphabetical order:

  1. A Place in the Sun – A triumvirate of talent; Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Cliff, Shelley Winters.  Taylor portrays Angela Vickers,  gorgeous and sophisticated.
  2. Butterfield 8 – Elizabeth is beautiful fashion model, Gloria Wandrous who has an illicit affair with a married man.
  3. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Maggie the cat, Elizabeth starred opposite Paul Newman.  Hard to tell who was more gorgeous!
  4. Cleopatra – Offered this role, Taylor said she would only do it if they paid her a million dollars and 10% of the gross.  And they did so she did.  And she had Richard Burton to toy with on and off the screen.
  5. Giant – Elizabeth is joined by a star-studded cast including Rock Hudson, James Dean, Rod Taylor, Chill Wills, Carroll Baker, Sal Mineo and Dennis Hopper.  I loved this movie but not because of Taylor, this was all about Dean.
  6. National Velvet – Velvet Brown is portrayed by the young Elizabeth Taylor who once again is surrounded by strong actors; Mickey Rooney and Angela Lansbury.  This movie was probably the turning point in her career.
  7. Raintree County – Susanna Drake, a lovely Southern belle who also happens to have inherited the crazy gene.  And again, Taylor is in a movie with lots of talent including Agnes Moorhead, Rod Taylor, Lee Marvin, Eva Marie Saint, and one of her favorite (and mine) co-stars, Montgomery Cliff.
  8. Suddenly Last Summer – Another triumvirate of talent; Liz joins Montgomery Cliff again and Katherine Hepburn.  This time her character, Catherine Holly is driven to insanity.
  9. The Sandpiper – A twenty-something free spirit with an illegitimate son whom she home-schools and lives with  on the beach in Big Sur.  She plays the seductress who leads the minister astray.
  10. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Saving the best for last (I think) Elizabeth Taylor relishes her role as the castrating wife, drinking herself into alternative rages, seductions, and pitiful slobbering denial.  She was at her best in this movie and the Academy knew it.  She walked away with Best Actress Oscar for this stellar performance which was enhanced by her co-star Richard Burton and Sandy Dennis and George Segal.
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A Legend is a Legend – I’m Just Sayin’

March 24, 2011 by pbenjay

Liz Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor legend, Richard Burton, Eddie Fisher, Michael Todd, Michael Jackson, Rock Hudson, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, National Velvet, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Paul Newman, White Diamonds, violet eyes, Cleopatra, Richard Burton

A True Hollywood Beauty

They made a song celebrating the deaths of Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens – The Day The Music Died.  Elton John wrote a song honoring Princess Diana when she was killed in a car accident, A Candle Blowing in the Wind. They dimmed the lights of Broadway for the likes of Paul Newman and Natasha Richardson , Ron Silver and Jill Clayburgh. When Michael Jackson died, his music was aired both on radio and TV for days.

What will they do to honor Elizabeth Taylor?

She was a star for over 50 years and that’s a hell of a long time to be in the public eye.  As a child actress, she was as good as Margaret O’Brien and Shirley Temple BUT she was able to make the seamless transition into adult roles.

She was beautiful that goes without saying;  She had a luscious curvaceous body, an exquisite face with the forever-famous violet eyes.  She could embody the role of a country girl, a vamp, a drunken sot, a conniving bitch, a regal empress – you name it, she probably played it.  Clearly a Hollywood legend.

Loved and admired by her fans and friends, Elizabeth Taylor was known to be a kind, honest, generous and a loyal friend.   We all know about her steadfast relationships with both Rock Hudson and Michael Jackson proving just how loyal she could be.  She was also an entrepreneur who knew way back when before the term branding was being tossed around that she herself was a brand to be marketed;  White Diamonds made her a fortune.

On the other hand, she was self-indulgent, a drunk, a junkie, guilty of at least 5 of the 7 Deadly Sins, a heart-breaker, a home-wrecker and 8-time divorceé, proving either she was not a good wife or she made very bad choices or perhaps she was incapable of truly loving another person.  She was condemned from the pulpit of Catholic churches for her roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.  I remember sitting in  Sunday Mass at St. John’s RC church in Middletown, CT  when Father Miller delivered a hell fire and brimstone sermon condemning Cleopatra and warning parishioners that going to see “that movie which was playing down the street ” would be a sin!

When it’s all said and done and “at the end of the day” as my daughter, Chiara, likes to say;  Elizabeth Taylor was a legend, a title appropriately conferred and not lightly given.  Thank God, for the preservation of films and let’s hope (if they haven’t already planned it) that TCM has a week of Elizabeth Taylor films.


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President Obama is REALLY a Master Hypnotist!

March 24, 2011 by pbenjay

The "Second Revolution" flag, first ...

There Must Be A Revolution Going On!

CONSPIRACY THEORY WEDNESDAY

Just when you think you’ve heard them all, rest assured you have NOT!  Conspiracy Theory Wednesday is in full swing because the Tea Party Movement is chock full of conspiracy theories.  As long as they spout them, I’ll print them.

This one is a doozy!  Both Democrats and Republicans agreed that Bill Clinton had great charisma and charmed crowds but…hypnotizing ??

I have copied this article from Mother Jones. Dave Gilson,  senior editor at Mother Jones posted this article in April 2009.

The Conspiracy: Barack Obama is not just an unusually eloquent speaker; he is an expert in mass hypnosis (hopenosis?). By tapping into the sinister techniques of neuro-linguistic programming, the president subliminally convinced Americans to elect him—and who knows what he’ll make us do next? Among his “trance induction” tricks: “extra slow speech, rhythm, tonalities, vagueness, visual imagery, metaphor, and raising of emotion.” And his “O” logo was even designed to look like a crystal ball.

The Conspiracy Theorists: The Obama-as-brainwasher-in-chief theory was first presented in an unsigned 67-page document posted on an Arizona libertarian’s website last October. It was picked up by conservative blogs, message boards, and Rush Limbaugh, who told listeners that “a bunch of surgeons and doctors” had diagnosed Obama’s “hypnotic effect.” “The people most susceptible to neuro-linguistic programming are young people and highly educated people,” he explained. “I find it interesting, too, that many Jewish voters are supporting Obama…Maybe it is hypnosis.”

Meanwhile, Back on Earth: We elected a president who uses rhythm, tonality, and visual imagery in his speeches? My God, what have we done? Does that mean that red-staters are immune to his awesome mesmerizing powers? And why can’t he use self-hypnosis to quit smoking?

I think it’s important to inject some humor into our week, don’t you?  Thank the Tea Partiers for this opportunity to laugh out loud at your computer screen.

 

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