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