Cheese - Beemster Classic, Fromage D'Affinois and Gorgonzola with CA Reisling Wine

All good things must come to an end and this is the last of my cheese of the month club packages.  Beemster Classic, a signature Dutch cheese, which is listed on World Heritage and dates back to sixteen hundreds.  It is related to Gouda in taste, has a smooth creamy texture, followed by a sharp, salty taste due to extensive aging.

The Fromage D'Afinois is my most favourite French cheese in the Brie world.  It is in the double cream category, mild and buttery, I love this cheese.

Gorgonzola a tangy blue cheese made in northern Italy on the outskirts of Milan.  Legend has it that this cheese was first made there in 879 AD.  Americans love to enjoy this cheese as a topping for salad or in homemade salad dressing, while Europeans tend to find it more suitable with fruit.  Italians, in particular, love it with short pasta such as penne or rigatoni, also used as a pizza topping.  I like it as shown, with a good cracker, some grapes and I served all this with a California Reisling wine.

My cheese in the mail era has come to an end.  So will have to keep an eye out for those interesting different cheeses.

Christy

The Boy At His Awards Dinner MC3

The Boy last Monday evening at his Awards Dinner, it was buffet style.

Christy

Phillies - Let's Play Ball

Let me take you to the ball game on a perfect spring evening, the quintessential American pass time.  Here we are arriving at Citizens Bank Park it's about seven in the evening.  This stadium was completed in 2001 and replaced the old Vet or Veterans Stadium.  In fact they built two new stadiums in this area instead of having one, the other is for American football Lincoln Financial Field.

So on a Tuesday afternoon a week ago a gentlemen from an adjacent office comes in and asks if anyone would like free tickets for the game tonight as he can't use them.  So since I was able to go that very evening and was pretty sure Mr. B and the Boy could too, I accepted them.  Mr B and I worked out that we had not been to a baseball game in over thirty years and shame on us the Boy had never been.

I love the warmth in the above photo, and can say that I was impressed with the stadium, I love the red brick, CBP has a retro but modern feel about it.  I was happy to go just to see the new stadium, I knew the old Vet Stadium very well, as for many years I attended Conventions there.  It always reminded me of the Coliseum in Rome, being totally round and very concrete looking.  One of the first things I noticed is that you do not have to climb up to it, I know that sounds crazy but the old Vet had these long ramps you had to climb to get up into the main concourse of the stadium. where as with CBP the parking lot seems so much closer and you walk in from ground level.  The old Vet had all these giant metal statues around it, I wonder what they did with those?

I can say that CBP has such a warmth to it, far more audience interactive, for instance you have tables at which you can sit and eat or have a beer and watch the game, not just from your seats, and there are so many more concession areas, of course they make more money this way, but it felt like going to a ball game in the thirties, it's that kind of stadium from the past.

Of course with modern technology you have these wonderful screens telling you about the players, we saw the Philadelphia Phillies verses the Toronto Blue Jays, the Blue Jays won, oh well!  Music plays and builds up the hype.  All new to us.

We bought the Boy the obligatory hot dog at $7.00 a piece, well it was his first game.

The Philadelphia cracked Liberty Bell iconic symbol of American Independence.

Here is the Phillies mascot, the Phillie Phanatic

 

The Phillies are in white and red, the Blue Jays in grey and blue, I must say the white and red stands out more and that sums up my knowledge of baseball, no I know the gist of how it's played.

We had a lovely evening out together as a family and all the better as it was so unexpected.

Christy

Grand Central Station

Grand Central Terminal at least this station did not go to the wrecker's ball like Penn Station and here is someone else who feels the same as I do about the destruction of Pennsylvania Station.

That said here we have the beautiful interior of Grand Central Terminal in NYC.  I dashed in on my walk for a quick look, could have spent more time just here.  To my left is a restaurant that looks over the concourse and it seems there is also a famous Oyster Bar.  The Boy and I have become a fan of oyster's ever since we ate them in Apalachicola, FL.

You feel good walking through here not herded along.  I have noticed many NYC buildings have a similar architectural theme.  I think the entrance to the Met Museum, NYC Library and this station are of a similar ilk.

Christy

Never A Dull Moment

I came out of work yesterday to find out that my car would not start, dead as a doornail.  I had been out in my car at lunch time and had no problem, but did note that a light on my dashboard was showing that some of my lights were on, but I've had problems before with lights on the dashboard being on and they've been connected to a problem with the computer.  All my light switches were turned off, I even looked at my lights outside and did not see any on, unfortunately the fog lights are set resessed under the front bumper and unless you bend right down you cannot see them.

A fellow workmate tried to jump my car, to no avail.  So I got a lift home and explained all the symptoms to my husband.  Totally dead no lights etc.  He buys a battery, goes over puts it in and voila we now have juice, but for some reason the fog lights are staying on all the time, even though they are switched off, there must be some short in the switch, the only way I can turn them off when I shut off the engine is to put my left turn signal on.  "So put left turn signal on, turn engine off."  It worked I did not have a flat battery this morning.

I did not feel like going out again after a day at work, so Mr. B. made a trip out to fix my car, and a trip out with the Boy to pick my car up.  The Boy could not go earlier because he was at an awards dinner at college.  "What is the award for?"  "I don't know," what's with teenagers?  At least he knew when he got home, a teacher had nominated him as an outstanding student, he doesn't even know what teacher.  He did say the dinner was very good, and went into different descriptions of what he ate and Mr B and I looked at each other, must be nice.

I spent all evening in the garden until the sun set.  Just trying to catch up with this spring clean up and planting. Did I say my rosemary bush also died during the winter, so now I have a big space to fill.

This morning I was up at 5:30 AM planting tomatoes, and cleaning up, then rushed to get ready for work.

Guess what, I turned the big 60, yes six decades on this earth.  You always hear things like thirty was hard, or forty was hard, but at thirty I was fine, and forty I had my wonderful Boy, and fifty I was happy with a ten year old, but sixty, yes that's the biggy.  So many changes.  Probably the hardest is that I did not think I would be working full time at sixty, in fact all my life I have always worked part time, so these last few years, where I had to step up to the plate and when one is older have been a challenge.  I'm glad that I can keep up with my job because it is demanding, but the lack of time for what one wants to do is tuff.  So therefore two hours in the garden last night and two hours in the garden this morning, snatched out of a full work day.

I think this has happened to a lot of people and I would love to hear your comments on this.  Changes for so many people in so many different ways, life sends you a curve ball.

So much baseball terminology, that must be because I got to go to a baseball game last week, will tell you more another time.

Christy

Trump Tower Has A Starbucks

Walking down 5th Avenue I took a rush peek in Berdorf Goodman just the jewelery on the ground floor, I didn't have time to explore anymore. I did see that they serve Afternoon Tea from 3:00 to 5:00 PM and that from the restaurant on the 7th floor, you have views of Central Park.  Has great reviews so I am thinking this would be a fun place to try on another visit to NYC.

I popped into Trump Tower for a tea at Starbucks which has a view over the entrance lobby.  To be honest I think it all looks eighties dated and I was not that impressed, but a chai latte and a sit down was just right.

Outside Abercrombie and Fitch people were lining up.

At every intersection you stand with a bunch of people waiting for the lights to turn, and it seemed I often heard a French accent, I guess it was a spring fling in NYC.

I went into Saks and tried a sample of the new Viktor & Rolf perfume, Bonbon which comes in a bow shaped bottle, very nice.  I also looked at a very lovely little clutch handmade in Italy, $3,600, yes I think I'll buy that.

See what's on 5th Avenue, NYC

Christy

Lilacs and Lunches

My weekend was busy as usual, nice change in the weather though, it was sunny and up in the eighties.  Saturday the boy made breakfast for us and then we went over to get our PA driving licences renewed, fun, fun, lines and bureaucracy.  We walked in at #92 and we were #14 and #15.  My picture taking and getting it completed went well, but it seems The Boy hadn't completed his card on line so we were sent over to another building to fill out a form, which we did only to get up to the girl, who mumbled something The Boy didn't understand, pointed, sign, money, very monosyllabic.  No, no credit cards, no cash, only checks.  By then without a check book we left and Rob said he would do it on line get the camera card and try again.  fortunately he has some time to do that.

Here are a couple of lunches, strawberries, cucumber, spinach and cheese.

Nice Tuscan bread, toasted, spread with a little mayo, sliced avocado, mushrooms and cheese melted under the broiler and I like my pepper.  Doesn't that green look great with the yellow?

Several things have died in the garden over the terrible winter that we had, after being in my garden a long while.  All my butterfly bushes died, along with my rosemary bush which has made it through many winters, my white and purple lilacs are looking worse for wear.

The Boy made this jug in pottery class, it is very heavy, and has a crack but high enough up to hold enough water so that I can use it as a vase.  Unfortunately because of some oversight my teapot never got put in the kiln for firing, which is very disappointing, I hope he brings it home still.  I do like the blue glaze on this jug.

I did get out to the nursery and bought two flats, one of pinks and one of marigolds, along with a beautiful pink hydrangea, to plant where one butterfly bush will need to be dug out and another orchid, this one is yellow with a purple center.  Now on thinking about it I do like the butterfly bush because of getting to watch the butterflies, will have to think that out.

Stopped at a friend's and got tomato plants, peppers and some herbs.  I did get some flower planting done, but no veges.  Always so much to do and so little time.  I did get my passion flower out of the Simla room and into the great outdoors, we will see if it revives, I do hope so.

Got to sit down and read Journey Into The Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzburg, it's on the Persephone list, I think this title is a little different as it is the American addition.  The follow up to this is Within The Whirlwind.  An autobiography about her eighteen years in various Russian prisons and Gulags, under Stalin, during his despotic era.

Hope you had a great weekend.

Christy

5th Avenue Side of Central Park

I know that I left you half way up Central Park, now I'm going to bring you down, walking south on the 5th Avenue side. Above photo is on 5th Avenue, and by now I was getting pretty tired, but when I've got an agenda and things to see I do not give up.

The often filmed little boat lake.

Some welcome seating, and in the far distance a person with their dogs, a common sight in the park.

The entrance to Central Park Zoo

The Lehman Gates

Designed by Paul Manship, the renowned sculptor of Prometheus at Rockefeller Center's skating rink, the Group of Bears at the Pat Hoffman Freedman Playground, and the Osborn Gates at the Ancient Playground.

It depicts animals, birds, and boys playing panpipes in a fanciful art Deco scrolling lintel. The whole composition is a lovely commentary on the interaction between children and animals, fitting for the zoo entrance. The Lehman Gates were donated by Governor and Mrs. Herbert H. Lehman in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary upon the opening of the Children's Zoo in 1961.

They were restored by the Conservancy in the 1980s.

Almost at the south end of the park.

The sculpture of General William Tecumseh Sherman is one of the finest sculptures by the talented American sculptor and New York City resident Augustus St.Gaudens. In 1892 St. Gaudens modeled a bust of the general who lived in New York after the Civil War. He then created the equestrian sculpture in Paris, France, completing it in 1903. After much discussion, the sculpture was placed at the main entrance to the Park, befitting such an important historical figure and monumental work of art. When the Pulitzer Fountain was designed in 1913 for the southern half of Grand Army Plaza, the Sherman Monument and surrounding landscape were moved so that the two halves of the plaza could be symmetrical. Sherman was restored and regilded in 2013 by the Central Park Conservancy, who will also restore Grand Army Plaza.

This is the Ritz Carlton Hotel (see where the 1% of the 1% stay) on 5th Avenue at the south end of Central Park.

Christy

The Art of Being You and Personal Branding

I ran across this while reading Canvas April 2014 magazine.  An article by Tara Kachaturoff, - Personal Branding Coach.  The Art of Being You. 

I thought it was so very pertinent in Blogland and also ones who sell on Etsy, Big Cartel and other such venues.  One loves to read a personal story and when added to a product that has a person and passion behind it, then you are moved and motivated.

Here are some quotes from the article:

The Art of Being You

What’s the true secret to telling your brand story today?

It’s revealing the ordinary.  In fact, it’s in the ordinary that you find the extraordinary, and when you truly connect with the hearts and minds of people.  When telling your brand story it’s the tale of who you are – your point of view, your version and values, your ideas and aspirations.  The key to telling your story is in revealing yourself as you are.  That’s it.  You’re unique.  There’s no one with your mix of ideas, thought, talents and perspective.  That’s what people really want to know about.  That’s how they connect with you.  The secret is to just be you – naked, honest and authentic.

Define the art of personal branding.

The art of personal branding is the manner in which you choose to unfold the story of who you are, what you do and what makes you different from everyone else.  It’s how you weave together all the pieces of your body of work that represents your expertise and your thought leadership.  From your brand plan to your marketing plan, from your writing style and tone of voice, to your personality quirks, how you tell the story of you is the true art of personal branding.

Christy

March to May

Where did April go, it almost seemed like a continuation of March as the weather was so cold and chilly.  Forget April showers it was April floods on Wednesday, as a huge storm came up from the south and deluged us.

It is meant to be nice this weekend, I do hope so.  I have not been out to look at my planted seeds and what I did in the garden last weekend.  Two weeks ago I planted seeds in my little plastic green house thing and they should be sprouting.

Still getting in quotes for a new furnace, it's a slow process, you think people would be happy for some work.  I think it's getting to crunch time though, because Mr B. has to go down there every morning and turn it on just to heat the hot water and this morning it took several goes to get it to turn on just to heat the water and you know once you have no hot water you will not wait around for weeks while people try and figure out if they want the job or not.  We haven't needed heat and have used other sources if it has been a bit chilly.

Mr. B was down in the basement having a sort out, because our ginormous 1950/60s furnace will have to come out, along with the oil tank that is in the basement.  We are going to replace this with natural gas.  We already have a gas line to the house, we just hope it is large enough for the heating system, at the moment we just run the stove in the Simla room off gas.  Actually it will be more cost effective as I am already paying a fee to just have the service of natural gas run to my house, whether I use it or not, so that is not an extra charge for me.  So with the efficiency of a new furnace I am hoping to save at least $1,000 per year.

Can you believe that old furnace has been working in this house for at least sixty years if not more.  I doubt if a new furnace will work for more that twenty to thirty years, tops.

I am thinking of my trip to Hawaii I know that it is way off in November, so I will have a long time to look forward to it.  Most trips seem to rush up on me.  Packing these days has to be very minimum because of the airlines and their limitations.  I packed very light for Florida and it worked out fine, I had plenty of clothes, of course it's all warm weather clothing and you do not need all those heavy items.

In Hawaii, we plan to see the sunrise from the top of Haleakala Crater, Maui.  This is 10,023 feet high and is very cold up there, so will need a warm jacket for that.  You have to be on the road at 2:00AM to make it up there in time.

I also think Hawaii is not going to be as hot as Florida was.  So I've been thinking of a travel wardrobe.  You know like TravelSmith that put's together these combinations of tops and bottoms, which you can mix and match for a trip, along with some dresses.

Usually I just route through my wardrobe and come up with combinations, may just do that again, or make something, depends on if time is good to me.

Well the weekend is here, and should be a sunny one.

All you dear Folk do have a wonderful weekend.

Christy