Sunday, July 12th, 2020
A Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) purloining from a single Drumstick Allium (Allium sphaerocephalon). It kept flying away to sample others in this cluster, and even my hand at one point, then returning to its steady focus. Today I learned these critters are nectar thieves—they don’t pollinate in return for their delicious dinner. Even worse than […]
Tags: hudson valley
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Wednesday, October 16th, 2019
Many moments here have recalled scenes from Fellini: being awoken by rattling trucks with mounted speakers announcing “mattress per a bambini!”, prerecorded service in a crazy rococo church, “Ma-donna!” exclaimed re: A’s height by his father’s new nurse, television shows wherein once famous actresses watch 1970s film clips of themselves, their older faces filmed in […]
Tags: italy
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Sunday, October 13th, 2019
We drove ten hours down the Adriatic coast toward Puglia. Lunch break in Senigallia, the seaside town of A’s childhood, was to be much-anticipated pesce at Uliassi, a 3 stelle michelin joint we’d been to some years back (then earnestly presented with “monkeyfish!” by a waiter happy to practice his english). Alas, we’d made no […]
Tags: italy
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Sunday, October 13th, 2019
Last views of Turin—Marco and Laura went wild for their American Halloween costume gifts (witch, wizard, various eared and tailed creatures), Alfonso went wild for espresso (even in unceremonious plastic cup), I went wild for this piazza— although I was harassed by this mustachioed gentleman. The wee lion last pictured did actually (semi-teasing, looking to […]
Tags: italy
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Friday, October 11th, 2019
In fourteen days, we drove roughly 2,250 miles (just shy of the distance from NY to LA)—covering the length of Italy’s boot from top to toe and beyond—to the island of Sicily. First stop: Turin, and a night walk with family to Torino’s biggest pizza. This was followed by Foggia, Castelnuovo della Daunia, Siracusa, Noto, […]
Tags: italy
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Tuesday, December 18th, 2018
Cookie monster. Spying on Carol Walsh, proprietor of Native Leather in the village since 1968 (a lost lease in 2017 meant a move from Bleecker to 46 Carmine Street). This week, she made my third belt in 20 years (still have the other two), and invented a gorgeous green stain to do so. Goddess! Tasty […]
Tags: new york
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Sunday, December 16th, 2018
The atelier of Margaret Braun: artist pictured above, art-inspired smooch stolen below. A couple views from favorite zinc bar of Cafe Luxembourg. 34th Street drizzly fog. Satanic messenger bag spotted at the Frankenstein show at the Morgan Library. Detail of Henry Fuseli’s The Nightmare. Smaller than I’d imagined it, but gothically grand. A lock once […]
Tags: new york
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