Snow

Hi Mom,

This is probably the most snow New York will get this winter. It gets plowed to the sides of the road, where it forms knee-deep puddles my boots and I will wade through to cross the streets.

It's still not that cold out, which is nice. Especially for all those people standing in Times Square, who probably lined up at eight this morning to get spots from which to watch the ball drop.

As for me, I'm getting as far away from the center of the city as possible--I'll be in Brooklyn watching it on TV. Now you know I'm really becoming a New Yorker.

Happy New Year!

Love,
Karen

Kugel for everybody!

Hi Mom,

Whole Foods is now carrying kugel.

I saw it today near the check-out, alongside some soups. I was pretty surprised to see it there, as they don't do much by way of kosher meat (they have some frozen, haven't seen anything fresh).

I wandered over to their pasta salads and saw a sign up by the prepared foods, asking people looking for kosher offerings to check out the case.

The whole thing made me hungry, so I headed to a nearby deli and bought a knish.

Love,
Karen

Eggshell blue?

Hi Mom,

Went to Macy's today to browse with the holiday mobs.

The place sure was bustling, though I'm guessing most stuff was coming back in, not the other way around.

I happened to pop by kitchenware, and was, as always, taken with the mixers, blenders, crock pots and and various other cookware I don't have a kitchen big enough to own.

One day, retro-colored kitchen equipment will be mine!

Love,
Karen

Five hundred bucks worth of paint on the wall

Hi Mom,

Somewhere in the Lower East Side, just inside of a storefront you would barely notice from the street, Jon's cousin Zeke is going to be painting all night.

I'm still fuzzy on the details, but it seems like a couple of artists have parked themselves and their paint there for 24 hours of dizzying masterpiece creation.

See that piece on the wall? It's $500 bucks worth of color.

Nice work, Jon's cousin.

Love,
Karen

Onigiri

Hi Mom,

When my favorite place to get onigiri closed, I was sure my habit of paying $2.50 for rice wrapped in seaweed had been broken.

Not so, said the store I found just the other day. ALL they sell is onigiri! I stepped up to the glass counter and peered in at my options. Whoa. And suddenly I knew that my exploration of this most fabulous food had just only begun.

It's Andy's fault, really. I had onigiri for the first time when I visited him in Tokyo way back in college. Ever since, I've scoured the city in search of these strange, salty treats.

So you can imagine my surprise and great good fortune at finding myself here, with options galore and tasty pieces I've never tried.

Let's see, which one to try first...

Love,
Karen

Le latke

Hi Mom,

Went to the French Consulate tonight for a Hanukkah party. There was a speech in French, some menorah lighting, another speech in French...(picture courtesy of the Consulate, thank you Consulate)!

I met some new people, ate some dreidel-shaped cookies, and then headed back out into the blustery winter night.

Coming up tomorrow, night eight, and a Hanukkah party at Jon's.

Thinking of you here in the city...

Love,
Karen

Glue wine

Hi Mom,

Gluehwine is a cheap, warm and very welcome German holiday treat. It's red wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and possibly a bit of orange.

I last drank it in Berlin, at an outdoor Christmas market packed with locals. And some tourists (like me).

I had all but forgotten it existed before I stumbled upon it at the Union Square Holiday Market.

The market has really exploded these past few years. Bigger, better, and full of red wine? Let me find those mittens...

Love,
Karen

Very convenient

Hi Mom,

In Philadelphia there is a very good chocolate shop with an entire case of excellent chocolates and a massive list of hot chocolate flavors to choose from.

I went there with Bonnie just yesterday (thank you, Bonnie).

Directly downstairs from the chocolate shop is a gym, such that when you step out to use the restrooms, which are located outside the gym's entrance, you feel just a little guilty.

Should I be working off the green tea chocolate or the chocolate pretzel? Were there actually calories in my caramel chocolate bite? I'm not usually the type to trifle with truffle, but here the fitness is accidentally so tightly tied it makes me chuckle. And hence, I'm sharing the experience with you.

Love,
Karen

Lotsa latkes

Hi Mom,

It's not my door. Not even close. But didn't my friend do a lovely job decorating her door for Hanukkah?

Me, I'm planning on chopping up some onions, slicing some potatoes, and making a giant mess and/or latkes.

Plus I'm going to hunt down a Chabad truck to get some candles.

Love,
Karen

Attn: Bo Peep

Hi Mom,

Here we have one sheep backpack/purse phenomenon. Don't know where it came from, can't tell you how it got here, but boy, what a find!

I was on the escalator at Port Authority earlier tonight and saw it, almost stopped the girl to ask her where she got it. Guess some of life's great mysteries have to remain unrevealed.

The only thing about it is it's not smiling. And I, like you, believe in the necessity of stuffed animals' most obvious jubilance.

Speaking of purses, remember that My Little Pony carrier I lost when I was five? I was just thinking about it today. And the pony that blinked. Go figure.

Love,
Karen

A very large cup of soup

Hi Mom,

A giant billboard claims that Campbell's has 32 feet of noodle in every can. I have to say, I'm skeptical. Those cans look pretty small.

I stopped by my neighborhood bodega to see if it was plausible. Even the biggest can didn't seem capable of such greatness. I figure maybe they sell tanks of the stuff to Panera or someone and are using that as their metric.

While I think other brands have a leg up in terms of flavor (and less salt, such that I don't inhale my daily sodium requirement in one bite)--I was deeply impressed that they managed to string something noodle-like from a top window AND inspire me to spend an entire day wondering about their soup.

Love,
Karen

Please stand in line

Hi Mom,

There was a line down the street that seemed to wrap around the corner. I craned my neck, trying to see if someone famous was playing, or a store was closing and practically giving things away.

Turns out, there were a couple hundred people lined up on a chilly December afternoon to get in to Abercrombie & Fitch. They don't all fit into the store at once. I asked the guy about it: he smiled and said it got like that some days.

So that means all these people were lined up for the chance to spend money. On Fifth Avenue. At Abercrombie. Makes quite the case for Twelve Oaks, doesn't it?

Love,
Karen

My Umbrella

Hi Mom,

Actually, it wasn't my umbrella at all. I had borrowed it from a friend. It was huge, this umbrella, and multiple colors, kept the rain off. It did everything you'd want an umbrella to do and then some. And then tragedy struck.

I went in to a restaurant, and they asked me to put the umbrella in the front, near the door. Now, knowing what a cool umbrella it was, I tried to argue. However, they were adamant in their requests that I leave it as opposed to taking it to the table.

I coerced a hostess into watching it for me, promising upon her first born child that she'd let me know if it moved.

After dinner, I went to get said umbrella, and to my chagrin, and nobody in New York's great surprise, it was gone. The whole way home I lamented my loss. And looked to see if anyone was carrying a suspiciously familiar-looking umbrella.

Love,
Karen

My money, please

Hi Mom,

I almost switched banks today. After trips to five branches and multiple conversations with wherever their call center is based, I still couldn't use my ATM card. It had been almost a week--a week since I first told my friends I would take their cash and put the whole thing on my card, a week since I'd been able to walk up to a wall and get money from it.

Did I mention that on some blocks there are two Chase locations, one on the near end and one on the far? And the service is really spotty.

Three times I was told it couldn't be done, that there was no problem, that I had to call/go to another branch, that it was fixed. Each time I'd run up to the wall, put my card in, and get a message that my request had been denied.

I told them what I thought the problem was, they assured me no such problem had transpired. I was going to a cash-only restaurant the last time I tried it, when I decided that if it didn't work, I'd change banks...

The guy on the other end helped me figure it out, finally, but from now on I'm keeping my money under my bed.

Love,
Karen

Barnsie the bear

Hi Mom,

Now they really sell it all. Went to Barnes & Noble for a book I wanted to read. Stopped by their CD section, greeting cards, cafe and references shelves before stumbling upon Barnsie the bear.

Now, I understand people wanting New York bears--stuffed Statue of Liberty bears, Build-A-Bears in Yankee costumes, but "Barnsie?" I don't really go to Barnes & Noble for their signature stuffed.

Apparently he has been around for a while. I found him in a green cable knit sweater back from 2007 and in a gift bag, seemingly still available, online.

So there you have it, the story of Barnsie. When it comes to my giant bookstore, I'm still much more excited about the fact that they now have free Wi-Fi.

Love,
Karen

Knodel?

Hi Mom,

Ever heard of a knodel? Me neither. But today I passed by a place in the Lower East Side that's making a business of selling them.

They're allegedly dumplings--somewhat like matzo balls, the guy working there said--filled with everything from liver to sweets. It's a Czech-Austrian place I may have to check out.

For today, I was just passing by (128 Rivington between Essex and Norfolk, in case we're looking for it sometime).

Love,
Karen

PS The "o" has two dots over it; authentic, but hard to reproduce in a blog post with limited symbol capabilities.

Bar baby

Hi Mom,

Went to a bar on a chilly November afternoon, grabbed a spot and found myself next to two young moms with 12-week-old kids strapped to their fronts in those cute little carriers.

A man at the bar saddled over and bought both grownups drinks, which they accepted graciously.

One woman started breastfeeding her kid as we sat there, in full view of the bartender and everyone else there.

I guess on one hand, why give up bar night, but on the other, does that mean this kid's first memory could be of hollering in his little hat next to a rum and coke? At least there's no smoking in bars in New York City.

Love,
Karen

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi Mom,

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thinking of you, pumpkin pie, stuffing, and those mushrooms you make with the turkey (but mostly you, of course!).

Remember when we used to watch the parade on TV? And the year the marching band almost marched here? Way back when New York City seemed far away and my dreams of living here just a pipe dream...

Well here I am, watching it live from somewhere in the 70s on the Upper West Side. The floats are huge, the place is packed, and a bunch of small children have taken over a tow truck for a better view.

Love,

A very thankful
Karen

Lindsay

Hi Mom,

Lindsay and her DECA kids are back in town!

I love it when she comes through. We usually wind up at a Starbucks somewhere, like we did this morning. It was early; we were in Times Square, watching the crowds mill past.

I saw her pictures--in three days, she has managed to take the town by storm, from the M&M store to Jekyll and Hyde to running around the Financial District. She even found time to see West Side Story and get her kids backstage. No idea how she does it.

I'm trying to convince her to visit when she doesn't have to work, so we can actually hang out in longer than one-hour bursts. See our annual picture above.

Love,
Karen

Pinkberry

Hi Mom,

Pinkberry is invading. So is Red Mango. TCBY, my old Orchard Mall standby, is not apparently trendy enough for New York City. And so, we have five dollar fro-yo.

It's tasty. The stores are futuristic-looking. And topping-wise, I've traded frozen gummy bears for mochi bites. These places tout fresh fruit, throwback cereals (Capt'n Crunch and Fruity Pebbles) and fancy pomegranate seeds. But aside from the trendy, show-people-this-place factor, would I be better off at the Mister Softee truck?

Hard to say. But I'll tell you what, as they drizzled pomegranate juice on my mango/blueberry/raspberry covered concoction, I thought, this is some fancy ice cream.

Love,
Karen

One large ring

Hi Mom,

I was walking through the Port Authority on my way home today when I passed a woman in a wedding dress standing next to a giant ring. It was a very unusual sight, even for Port Authority. So I did what most people would do, and went to talk to her about it. Props to my friend who pointed me in her direction (thanks, yo).

Turns out she's a student and it's for a project she's working on about marriage. I told her I thought she should get the ring re-sized. I wrote down her email address somewhere and should have more information for you when I find it.

Love,
Karen

Fur Elise

Hi Mom,

The Atlanta airport is one classy place. Though some Nordstrom stores have discontinued their live piano playing, the tradition is still alive and well in the Atlanta airport's food court. So I plugged in my computer (the terminal has free internet, yay), charged up my cell phone, and listened to Michael B. play like I was at Carnegie Hall. If you're ever there, it's in Terminal E.

I spent a goodly four hours in that airport yesterday thanks to fog in Detroit. Delays in Detroit meant missing my connection, which meant waiting for the next connecting flight. Makes perfect sense, well, Detroit to New York via Atlanta being such an intuitive route to begin with...

I can't complain, really. It was super cheap. Thank you, Air Tran.

And after 12 hours in transit, New York City's bright lights were on the horizon.

I took a cab home.

Love,
Karen

No hands

Hi Mom,

This is a picture of Biz and her baby, Dean. She also has a little girl, Ani. They live in St. Louise but were in town visiting her in-laws, so after three years of phone updates, we finally got to catch up.

My first memory of Biz is her teaching me to ride a bike, no hands, in front of our old house on Edinborough. I remember how easy she made it look, how my bike wobbled when I tried it. Oddly enough, her first memory of me is my insisting I wear my bike helmet even though it made me look dorky. I don't remember being an especially careful child, but there you have it.

So we're sitting in the living room, talking, her daughter coloring and her son trying to jam a tupperware tub in his mouth. "Mommmyy" comes the scream from the crayon-covered table. "Mommyyy." Biz looks at me with a grin. "That's me, I'm Mommy."

I must be getting old.

Love,
Karen

Pinball Pete's

Hi Mom,

Good pinball machines are hard to find these days. Luckily, there is still a whole row of them at Pinball Pete's. I was up in Ann Arbor and stopped by the arcade to play just one game. But they had my old favorites like Medieval Madness and some new ones I'd never tried, so I had to give it a go.

I changed a bunch more dollars and spent a few hours in the whirl of the lights and the ping of the flippers hitting the small metal ball. Then I had a Jimmy Johns sandwich (#4, Turkey Tom) and felt very nostalgic.

It was a great fall day for walking around town.

Love,
Karen

Gill's Wedding

Hi Mom,

Gillian got married yesterday! It was up in Milford--a nice service, a lovely luncheon, and then glow in the dark mini-golf at Fountain Walk. If you haven't tried it, it's great fun. Novi has decided to take on laser tag's former reign over black lighting at the Putting Edge, where for about ten bucks, you (wearing white), the ball and the scenery all light up.

It was awesome to see everyone again, both in fancy form (for the wedding) and glow-mode later on.

I stayed up until almost 4 a.m. in a hotel room where those of us from out of town had gathered to play a familiar hand or ten of Euchre. It was a very quality mini-reunion.

Love,
Karen

PS I stole this picture from Katie Weber. It was better than the one I took. Thanks, Katie!

Hanukkah come early

Hi Mom,

Though the Christmas display isn't up yet, the dreidel corner is already in full force (as full force as it will be) at Twelve Oaks. I sat on a couch nearby, remembering when Ealy Elementary's choir sang Frosty the Snowman and other seasonal specialties in the atrium.

It was a big deal: a bus trip, the mall, our outfits, the works. Someone was out sick one of those concerts and I got to be Frosty, if I recall correctly.

We sang Hanukkah songs back then, too. Though I'm not sure I remember there being a whole dreidel display. I remember trying to visit Santa, candy canes and gingerbread houses...the season may be upon us (in November).

Love,
Karen

Origins of a party

Hi Mom,

So according to the locals in Mobile, Alabama, they had Marti Gras first. Went on a tour of the Mobile Carnival Museum today. They fed us moon pies and told us all about the costumes and culture of one of the south's most historic celebrations.

The whole thing seems to work like a Homecoming court, where there are kings and queens and all kinds of amazing outfits. The picture you're looking at is one of the robes--apparently they get commissioned to be made out of all kinds of elaborate materials--worn during Marti Gras, and then donated to the museum.

Our tour guide was a lovely man who had met his wife at one of the related balls. He told us that she had been queen of the celebration and was now "queen of the kitchen." I hear she's a really good cook...

Love,
Karen

If the South had won

Hi Mom,

Hurricane Katrina is still on everybody's lips in the south. At Jefferson Davis's house, we stood where the buildings had been before the storm, and learned what would be there next. We saw the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier, and had the chance to buy every kind of souvenir to have ever had the Confederate flag plastered on it.

They do Civil War re-enactments once a year (maybe more, I forget) at Jefferson Davis's house as well, allegedly a large spectator sport in which the South sometimes even pulls a win.

Love,
Karen

Happy Halloween

Hi Mom,

I had stew in a pumpkin. Shabbat-o-ween lunch, what a great idea. Met a bunch of cool people, ate terrific stuff, and then walked through this very costumed town.

Halloween started about a week ago around here--when it became appropriate if not welcome to run around in costume. Ever since, the streets have been packed with little kids in bumblebee suits and women wearing not much.

They don't have houses here, really, so the kids trick-or-treat in apartment buildings. It's very strange. They don't have to pull a jacket over their costumes, and miss out on walking around in the crisp night air. On the bright side, they get candy every five feet.

Some people go all out with decorations. And all night long into the next morning you can watch people stagger home. I was headed to the airport this morning and people were STILL dressed up...

Love,
Karen

Pets in costume

Hi Mom,

So in New York, people go beyond getting their kids dressed up for Halloween. They dress their pets.

Some of the costumes for pets are more elaborate than what I'm planning on wearing. This dog is dressed like a lobster. I saw another dog in a workout suit. And a third in a tutu.

Time to go figure out my costume. I used to think I was too old to participate in this great American tradition (lifted from the pagans, who at some point had some rather unmonotheistic-sounding ceremonies), but then I realized that here--not that you need a reason to wear something strange in the streets of New York City--it was just an excuse to wear something silly.

Love,
Karen

To know how to sew

Hi Mom,

I'm getting pretty crafty these days. Today I was down in the garment district--that's where all the designers go to get bolts of shiny fabric to line their runway dresses. There are stores that just sell fasteners, stores that only sell trimming, one or two that promise to teach even people like me how to sew. I tried to Google them; apparently it's more of a find-as-you-stroll kind of thing.

I mostly like the giant bolts. They lean against the walls in store after store and I wonder how hard it would actually be to make something wearable out of them. The people making purchases seem pretty confident, but I'm not so sure. I may be better off just going to H&M.

Love,
Karen

Yarn Wall

Hi Mom,

Making a scarf in New York City is more expensive than buying one. I went to a store that sells more colors, textures and genres of yarn than I had ever imagined possible. It was like a Disney World for yarn.

In the back, a table full of people were learning how to make sleeves, necklines and hems. At the register, women and men held bags full of yarns, ringing up hundreds of dollars in potential mittens, sweaters and baby booties.

A corkboard at the front of the store listed events for learning special stitches, classes at hundreds of dollars apiece. There were groups for men, movie knit nights; a whole community full of knitters.

Me, I think I'll stick to buying the stuff they sell on tables out on the streets. I don't have the attention span for this particular hobby, anyhow. But it sure looks impressive.

Love,
Karen

Mom Monet

Hi Mom,

Guess whose famous Water Lilies picture I saw today?

That's right, your favorite impressionist, Claude Monet. A whole room full of Monet is currently at the MoMA.

I thought of you and your easel.

Love,
Karen

Frosted inspiration

Hi Mom,

Look. I was given an inspirational cake. Very motivational. And it tastes good, too.

Bonus: I hear its pareve. How is that even possible? Tasty chocolate cake that goes with everything...

Love,
Karen

Carnegie Hall

Hi Mom,

Thought of you tonight. I went to Carnegie Hall and saw an amazing performance by Murray Perahia, one of Soojung's favorite piano players. She heard him in Korea at some point and jumped on the tickets as soon as they went up for sale. It's a good thing, too, because the place sold out.

I was waiting to pick up my ticket at Will Call. "I'm here for the piano player," I told the guy at the window. He handed me my ticket with a smile. "He's not just a piano player," sniped a woman in the lobby. "He's Murray Perahia, and he's famous." How nice of her to clarify.

She must be from New York.

Love,
Karen

Always looking for tiny cups

Hi Mom,

They're having a sale at Fish's Eddy on these small cups. I walked in, saw them and thought, they're the perfect size for honey.

Guess I've been well-trained. To be fair, they're actually a little bigger than you might want for something like that, but if you think they look like the size you'd like, let me know. I think the sale runs through Friday.

Love,
Karen

Banana

Hi Mom,

I had stopped to buy a banana from my friendly neighborhood street fruit vendor when I realized I had no cash on me. "Hello," he said. "How are you?" I mumbled something about being an idiot and forgetting to carry change (a whopping 35 cents, I mean shouldn't I have that just rolling around the bottom of my purse?).

He smiled at me and pointed at the cart. "No problem, no problem," he said. "You can pay me tomorrow."

That was nice.

Love,

Karen

Museum of Higher Art

Hi Mom,

A group of little kids sketched with great diligence. They looked up at the large, abstract picture on the MoMA wall and scrunched their up their tiny faces, intensely concentrated on making most perfect, pad-sized replicas. "Teacher, teacher, does mine look the same?" The woman with the volunteer sticker on smiled at the little girl, who happened to be adorably missing a front tooth.

I thought to myself, this is a job I could do. But then I found out, it's not. I asked.

The volunteer explained that most people who work with the kids have PhDs in art. Or at least, a Master's. Barring that, it would be unlikely that you would get to interact with the kids, she explained. I know who Dali is, and I'm not sticking a pencil up my nose like the little boy in the back of the group, I thought to myself. I FEEL qualified. But then again, I guess people do send their little kids to art class to actually learn from people who know about it, and probably want reassurance it won't just be well, someone like me. Back to the drawing board. Literally and figuratively.

Love,

Karen

Books on shelves

Hi Mom,

Once upon a time, a little while ago, before Kindles and iPhones even existed, there were libraries. 

I went to one today, the Brooklyn Public Library, and was reminded why libraries are so great. They smell just like I remember them. 

Book dust, juice boxes and librarian hairspray all rolled into one. And even better, they're full of books.

I used to go all the time as a kid, remember? I'd emerge with stacks taller than I was and gobble the books up in a weekend, then go back for more. The main media room these days--it's called a media room because people go there for media maybe even more than they do to look for books--was full on this particular Saturday afternoon. I felt compelled to look up kids' books I liked, and then checked to see if they had grown-up ones I hadn't read and wanted to borrow.

If I could ever remember to return the books on time, I'd start checking them out again. For now, I think it's still cheaper for me to buy.

Love,

Karen

Charlie

Hi Mom,

This is Charlie. She was at the Brooklyn flea market today in the cold, telling fortunes for a quarter. She was quick to explain that she sells bracelets as well. Good marketing, but I only had a quarter, and a borrowed one at that. 

You ask her any question and she gives you a fortune in a clear plastic ball, which has either "yes" or "no" written on it. I asked if one day I'd have a fabulous career doing exactly what I loved for lots of money. She said yes. Good enough for me. 

Bonus: hot chocolate, chili and cupcakes were on sale at the market, too. I may have sampled some or all of the above. Except for the bacon-flavored cupcakes. They sounded strange. 

Love,

Karen

Haunted

Hi Mom,

First there was trick-or-treating, then there was haunted housing.

After years of being a regular at the white-trailer-turned-haunted-house next to K-Mart, I graduated in high school to haunted houses in Milford, Pontiac and other hard-to-find venues. We'd all pile in someone's car in costume and see where adventure took us.

In New York, they've taken it to a whole new level.

Went driving out into Pennsylvania somewhere to a combination haunted cornfield, hayride and house fiasco. They really left no rock unturned, and must have employed at least 150 people between the caramel apples and the ghouls leaping out from, well, everywhere.

To their credit, the haunted house's elements were much more Disney's Haunted Mansion than they were Freddie versus Jason. The special effects were neat, and the makeup well done. Apparently the team that runs it usually does staging for shows.

My favorite part? Clearly the carmel apple.

Love,
Karen

In the white dress

Hi Mom,

The lady in the white dress is standing randomly on 21st street behind a building, her lips pursed and then pouty. She turns away from the handsome 50's-style guy standing next to her. "I don't want anything to do with you," she mouths dramatically. Ten cameras flash. They thank him very much and he continues on his way down the street.

It's lunchtime and they are doing some kind of dress shoot. I know this because I ask them, and they look offended that I've asked, which is strange because I waited until they were done shooting. Or at least, on a break. I think I overheard them saying it was for Vogue. Anything's possible around here.

I wonder how they picked this street in particular. Looks just like most of the others in the area. Especially from the loading dock side. That's today's New York moment.

Love,

Karen

Two hot dogs, with love

Hi Mom,

At noon today I ate two hot dogs in honor of Deborah Weisserman.

She was a really rare sort—what she built in terms of her family, her business and her relationships never ceased to amaze me.

I feel so lucky to have worked at the store with her, Harold and Maureen, to have eaten cinnamon rolls, bagels and melba toast with tuna salad from the bathroom/kitchen, and watched her make everyone’s occasion so incedibly special.

They really made me part of the family.

Deborah had chutzpah, class and so much love. I loved the stories she told, the way she told them, and how at the end of the day she decided it was just as easy to write on the computer tower as to type on the darn machine.

Plus, as she always used to say, she raised good kids.

Two hot dogs, all the fixin's. And many fond memories.

Love,
Karen

Union Square, the hut

Hi Mom,

All Chabad had to do was put up a little hut, and suddenly it's all anyone in Union Square can talk about.

It has outdone the kittens for adoption, the art made of photographs from the 70s, the whole bit. That's some solid sukkah marketing.

"Hey Joe, aren't you Jewish? Shouldn't you be in that hut over there?" Two construction workers sat on the edge of the concrete fountain adjacent to the sukkah. "Nah, I'm not a Jew, but maybe Mike is. Hey Mike, you a Jew?"

The little kids with payas, NYU students shaking the lulav and the general ruckus of the market all rolled into one--just what holidays were made for. I'm going to get a sandwich.

Love,

Karen

Follow them where?

Hi Mom,

These days, everyone is on Twitter, Facebook, you name it. And they want me to follow them. From the treats truck (I get it, it's mobile) to the Scrabble Club, they want to let me know they'll be there for me whenever I want them to be. The rest of the time, too.

But when WHOLE FOODS wants me to be its friend, well, there I might just have to draw the line. Unless they're planning on keeping me up to date on their line, like the nice people at Shake Shack, I'm not sure what being "friends" with my overpriced neighborhood grocery store will do for me. It has a few tastings here and there, maybe they're getting into more events and want to let me know when they are, but in general, I go there to buy produce, when I go there at all.

The chalkboard was cute, I just don't know how up-to-the-minute on my groceries I need to be.

Love,

Karen

Hot chocolate

Hi Mom,

At City Bakery the hot chocolate cups are about as tall as shot glasses. At first glance you'd think, well, they're just trying to stiff me the hot chocolate and save themselves some money. Then you take the first sip and almost double over from the intensity.

I don't know how they make it. They keep it in a vat they seem to stir intermittently. If you sit at the top of the stairs on the tall stools and look over the railing, you can see them ladling it out. It's thick like syrup. I've never made it through a small cup; they also carry regular sizes. I'd never dare to order one.

Instead, I'm happy to take small sips and debate if it'll be a pretzel croissant or the world's largest, most buttery chocolate chip cookie for snack. Oh, choices.

Love,
Karen

Pickled

Hi Mom,

You are looking at a platter full of tongue/beet skewers. Beautifully presented, but tongue/beet skewers all the same. Third Ward, which hosts artsy events and cheap beer nights at its location out in the middle of Brooklyn, had a Last Supper event. Can't tell you why it was called that, but we donated money to get in and then got to eat some art. They also had spoken word and short films.

I ate gingerbread walls off of miniature hi-rise buildings and sampled kale made by volunteers. They grilled corn out back and apples in a basket appeared from nowhere.

I think people come from far and wide to attend these parties, though I simultaneously get the feeling a lot of attendees are from the nearby up-and-coming areas. Reconfirmed: I'd make a lousy hipster. I do, however, really like their events. Last one I went to was a Bluegrass festival on their patio. Reminded me of when I was a country fiddler back in the music camp days. I still can't believe I memorized all those songs!

Night was great. Tasted, listened, watched and then went home.

Love,
Karen

Barbara sings here

Hi Mom,

I had never heard of the Village Vanguard, but apparently I'm about the only one in New York who hasn't.

I had stumbled upon a very excitable crowd. Apparently Barbara Streisand was performing a private, one night only concert inside. I hadn't realized she was still so popular. Or ever so popular.

Polling the crowd, I discovered that indeed, she wasn't. Rather, a bunch of famous people had showed up to see her perform. Hence, the group gathered outside was a mish mash of fans of hers and fans of her fans. Get it? It took me a minute.

I didn't stick around, but there were cameras and limos and lights and professional looking badges; the works. Next time someone famous comes to town, I'll have to figure out how to get tickets ahead of time.

Love,
Karen

Cheers to that!

Hi Mom,

Remember these earrings you like, the ones that dangle that we bought together at the street fair? Well last night at a bar, a fine young man turned to me and said by way of greeting, "Hi, I like the way your earrings flow into your hair."

I hadn't thought about it before. I guess they probably do flow into my hair pretty nicely. Flattering AND original, I thought from my barstool. That got an A+ for creativity in my book, though I didn't wind up giving him my number. He was a writer, a poet and a scholar of some sort who lived vaguely in the area. I drank a Blue Moon, a lovely Belgian beer if you haven't tried it.

The bartender was from Ireland, the owner from Texas, and me from Michigan. The fun fact of the evening--apparently in Ireland, the bartenders are Asian. Go figure.

Happy Friday, Mom.

Love,

Karen

At the theater

Hi Mom,

Graceful is not my thing. I took dance, as you recall, for a brief moment, inspiring audiences near and far with my interpretation of "Pretty Little Angel Eyes." That was the start and end of my illustrious career.

Luckily, the performers in Fall for Dance have been doing it way longer and are way better at it. I got tickets to the sold out event from a friend--most people stood in line for hours to attend--and found myself on the main floor, orchestra seating not even all the way back.

From the ballet to the tap dancing all the way through the lounge that sold $2 wine, it was quite an event. It was the opening night to boot, so I got to hear the speeches, the welcomes, and a partial history of Capezio shoes, which in some way seemed to be a sponsor.

Fun things to do in New York City.

Love,

Karen

Back at my desk

Hi Mom,

After nearly a week away--conference, holiday, etc, I return to my desk.

It's just the way I left it.

Since leaving, however, I have eaten my weight in gefilte fish, chicken soup, spaghetti, and cowboy cookies.

My chair sags a little lower.

It was great fun being home, seeing you and helping put together enough food to feed an army. I still don't know how you do it.

Love,
Karen

Facebook friends

Hi Mom,

Today I had the rare opportunity to genuinelly surprise someone--Bonnie's sister Katie. As it happens, Maureen, who I've known for years, is directing a play that Katie is in.

How did I find this out, you ask? Facebook! I was somewhat reluctant to join the internet age as far as letting everyone snoop around my life, but so far, Facebook has yielded me sources, Scrabble partners, and now, the chance to actually astound Katie, who I've known via Bonnie since college. So what if a few unflattering images make their way into cyberspace?! This was way worth it. :)

She came flying my way from the other side of the auditorium seats. I was there to see the play rehearsed, since I won't be in town when it actually runs. You should go see it--she's playing the ditzy girl. Plus it's a Mitch Albom script...

We got to catch up, blitz Bonnie with pictures...all in all, a success!

Love,
Karen