Author Archives: therealtamara

For an opinionated woman such as I, blogging is an excellent outlet. This is one of many fori that I use to bloviate. Enjoy! Comment on my commentary.

Creativity once it’s unlocked cannot be shut up again.

I have never posted these tree houses before because they are from the other side of the street. It seems I had not walked this side until this hot oppressive morning.

The “creativity” I refer to, by the way, is of the designer of these birdhouses. I also note that some of these are not big enough to actually house a bird.

East 30th and a short mini-tale

Ivy 30 and accompanying buildings along a strip of 30th Street 🍷🍸🍹🍺

I was at the dentist at NYU today. On my way home as a “treat” I decided to stop for lunch.

I was passing a bar that was clearly a genuine drinking man’s watering hole. It was obvious there was no air conditioning since all the windows and doors were open. The regulars were hanging at the bar, flys accustomed to the heat.

I sat myself at a table in a chair so commodious as to be too comfortable. The menu was delivered, and I proceeded from there. Hot but tolerable as it turned out. My drink of choice is water and it was good and cold without loads of ice to get in the way of sipping.

I chose a quinoa veggie burger which came with such a pile of fries as to be an embarrassment. All good with the crispy fries offsetting the gooey soft burger and its bun.

This whole mini short story is by way of saying I hate heat and some days, I submerse myself in it. To prove the point.

A city palette

This flashy automobile created a tableau vivants by parking in front of this colorful little garden.

This rustic machine, though sufficiently muscular, hardly seems up to the task of taking in change and cash transactions.

A bay window is designed for peering out onto the bay, aka a body of water.

There’s a miniature suburbia in the window displays of the doll house store and a kind of genuine suburbia on the ramp leading to the 59th Street Bridge.
I admire construction machinery like this “Vermeer.” This island of what once was also intrigued me in passing.

This is America to me

My walk in America started when my parents brought me here in 1954. That’s long enough ago for me to feel like a native.

My time as a citizen of the USA has flown by as time has its wont.

For the most part, I have walked among you and with you with pride. Events in our country’s recent history have given me pause.

This year’s hope for a happy 4th comes also with the wish that we will strive for better. May the 4th be with us.

Food

What’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten?

Wild strawberries is the short answer. In Italy. Long ago.

But I suggest you think of food while traveling as a distillation of memories, delight and pleasure.

Meals abroad are different from those we take at home.

Our senses are heightened, and we tend to pay closer attention.

There were sardines in Portugal. Yes, sardines. Langouste somewhere by the ocean.

Still, it was the wild strawberries that summed everything up.

They provided the dessert course for my fond recollections, too.

Looking around

Patriotism can easily be conflated with backyard picnics and ceremonial fireworks. I would doubt that this tattered flag fits the profile.
As I was walking about, my eye was attracted to the tops of buildings, some of which peek out.
Some fellow had his face plastered [literally] at the tip of the roof. I assume this was his building.
There are those among us who are rich enough to own and maintain a New York brownstone. I passed many one family homes both extant and for sale.
Speaking of maintaining a property, the number of contractors at work on these Upper East Side blocks is remarkable. It feels a little as if a spring cleaning is in the works.
Electric with bike in tow!
I just liked the juxtaposition of the built and the in-progress.
1&2. Lush as if it were July. 3. This cash register is window dressing.

It’s like the East Village of the 60s is in every other storefront.

This is not a construction site, it seems. Demolition is all that’s called for here.

The only remaining Häagen-Dazs store in the City? Could be. I have seen so many disappear. New brands take over like Van Leeuwen.

Flowers are looking late summer lush early this year.

Signage

This is new. There are many signs strewn here and there in the city.

When this one popped up, I muttered to myself, the Soviet Union had nothing on us. It is part of the era of mindfulness in which we find ourselves.

We are tiptoing to avoid hurt feelings, but not averse to a cancel or two.

Will dog owners be offended at the suggestion that dog poop might be objectionable? It’s for the greater good.

None of the many campaigns to have doggy doo removed from underfoot has completely succeeded. We soldier on. The municipal authorities keep trying. Bless them for that.