Sunday, June 5, 2011
The Mappist
I've just finished listening to a reading of "The Mappist," a story by Barry Lopez read by Joe Spano on Selected Shorts. Remarkable. It doesn't seem to be available in an online archive, but it's in print. Should be read out loud.
Info at http://www.wnyc.org/shows/shorts/2009/dec/06/.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Highlights of an east coast/west coast January
My six weeks of adventure time is winding down; by next Tuesday I'll be back at work. So what have I made of my time off this winter?
Christmas in Brooklyn was certainly memorable: a blizzard, good eating at numerous restaurants--some new and some familiar. A visit to the High Line in winter. It was a particular pleasure to return to Mogador for dinner with Anna and Kate. Mimi's Hummus was a welcome discovery on Cortelyou Road. Frankie's in Carroll Gardens was a revelation and a snowy brunch at The Farm on Cortelyou.
Mid January in San Francisco was also rich--four days in North Beach and then six more in Glen Park. Much warmer-than Ithaca weather although the locals were complaining. Hey, what's not to like about 50s and low 60s during the mostly sunny days? The Slanted Door in the Ferry Building was memorable. A day trip to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach was a major highlight. Muir Woods is overwhelming. The mass, old redwood trees, the mounds of dead leaves and branches, and the canyonate lighting, rich patches of brilliant sunlight in the darkness of midday. Compelling.
I also enjoyed the Italian stone pines in Washington Park. The eucalytus were in bloom around Coit Tower. The air was full of Anna's hummingbirds, parrots, and warblers. Wow. Lots of trees and shrubs in bloom during the winter coolness and damp.
Christmas in Brooklyn was certainly memorable: a blizzard, good eating at numerous restaurants--some new and some familiar. A visit to the High Line in winter. It was a particular pleasure to return to Mogador for dinner with Anna and Kate. Mimi's Hummus was a welcome discovery on Cortelyou Road. Frankie's in Carroll Gardens was a revelation and a snowy brunch at The Farm on Cortelyou.
Mid January in San Francisco was also rich--four days in North Beach and then six more in Glen Park. Much warmer-than Ithaca weather although the locals were complaining. Hey, what's not to like about 50s and low 60s during the mostly sunny days? The Slanted Door in the Ferry Building was memorable. A day trip to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach was a major highlight. Muir Woods is overwhelming. The mass, old redwood trees, the mounds of dead leaves and branches, and the canyonate lighting, rich patches of brilliant sunlight in the darkness of midday. Compelling.
I also enjoyed the Italian stone pines in Washington Park. The eucalytus were in bloom around Coit Tower. The air was full of Anna's hummingbirds, parrots, and warblers. Wow. Lots of trees and shrubs in bloom during the winter coolness and damp.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Yard Boy Snowed in in the Big City
Jane and I were in Brooklyn with Kate and Anna for a week over Christmas where we got an up close experience of a nor'easter that spawned a mighty, windy snowstorm.
The storm started about 10:30 Sunday morning the 26th. Blizzard warnings were up. We were in Manhattan shopping and visiting the Met until 12:30 or so. When the snow started, it was steady but fairly light. Back in Brooklyn about 1 pm the north wind and the snow started increasing in intensity. After a fine late lunch at the The Farm on Cortelyou Road, we headed to Kate's 5th floor apartment to wait and watch. By dark the wind was howling and the snow flying by horizontally. Traffic had a ground to a halt as the snow continued to pile up. Visibility was minimal. Thirty-five mph winds gusting to fifty blew the snow into 4-foot drifts and howled at the window.
When we walked to our B&B late Sunday night, I taped plastic bags over my running shoes to wade through the snowy streets. Never thought to take my snow boots.
Streets were blocked by abandoned vehicles of every description. A city bus was crosswise on Cortelyou Road. Taxis, cars, vans, ambulances--the impassable streets were filled with stuck vehicles. The wind blew the snow into long streamers; on the downwind side, parked cars were buried in deep snow.
Monday morning the sun came out. The snow was over but the wind blew as strongly as ever. Only the major streets--Coney Island Avenue and Ocean Parkway had even an occasional motor vehicle. Everything else was frozen in place. Hard to tell how much snow fell because of the wind--easily 18 to 20 inches, though. Everything was simply buried. People walking on the unplowed streets passed by high on a causeway of snow.
Tuesday was little different from Monday--cars buried, streets unplowed, wind howling and blowing and drifting the snow.
We had planned to leave on Tuesday, but nothing could move on the side streets where we were parked; traffic was barely moving on main arteries that were barely passable.
The stalled MTA bus in the background blocked Cortelyou for three days. Every other vehicle visible in this view was stuck, too.
Early Wednesday morning, a snowplow cleared Rugby Road. After breakfast and a final shovel job to clear the snow between our car and the snowplow track, we headed out of town, back to an Ithaca with just a trace of snow on the ground, our blizzard adventure over.
The storm started about 10:30 Sunday morning the 26th. Blizzard warnings were up. We were in Manhattan shopping and visiting the Met until 12:30 or so. When the snow started, it was steady but fairly light. Back in Brooklyn about 1 pm the north wind and the snow started increasing in intensity. After a fine late lunch at the The Farm on Cortelyou Road, we headed to Kate's 5th floor apartment to wait and watch. By dark the wind was howling and the snow flying by horizontally. Traffic had a ground to a halt as the snow continued to pile up. Visibility was minimal. Thirty-five mph winds gusting to fifty blew the snow into 4-foot drifts and howled at the window.
When we walked to our B&B late Sunday night, I taped plastic bags over my running shoes to wade through the snowy streets. Never thought to take my snow boots.
Streets were blocked by abandoned vehicles of every description. A city bus was crosswise on Cortelyou Road. Taxis, cars, vans, ambulances--the impassable streets were filled with stuck vehicles. The wind blew the snow into long streamers; on the downwind side, parked cars were buried in deep snow.
Cortelyou Road Sunday night:
Monday morning the sun came out. The snow was over but the wind blew as strongly as ever. Only the major streets--Coney Island Avenue and Ocean Parkway had even an occasional motor vehicle. Everything else was frozen in place. Hard to tell how much snow fell because of the wind--easily 18 to 20 inches, though. Everything was simply buried. People walking on the unplowed streets passed by high on a causeway of snow.
Anna waded into one of the drifts:
Tuesday was little different from Monday--cars buried, streets unplowed, wind howling and blowing and drifting the snow.
We had planned to leave on Tuesday, but nothing could move on the side streets where we were parked; traffic was barely moving on main arteries that were barely passable.
Our street on Tuesday morning:
The stalled MTA bus in the background blocked Cortelyou for three days. Every other vehicle visible in this view was stuck, too.
Early Wednesday morning, a snowplow cleared Rugby Road. After breakfast and a final shovel job to clear the snow between our car and the snowplow track, we headed out of town, back to an Ithaca with just a trace of snow on the ground, our blizzard adventure over.
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