From Pearl Oyster to Hank's Oyster

I used to live across the street from famed Pearl Oyster Bar in Greenwich Village.

Now I'm in a historic art deco building with a view of just the tip of the Washington monument across from Hank's Oyster Bar. I'm here until I leave, so come visit, because you never know when that'll be. ;)

When life deals you a lobster roll, you've got nothing to complain about.

Baby E4

My sister is about to have the first grandchild in our family! We're calling him


Just had the baby shower -- tea and lots of great goods.
Three kinds of sandwiches, tomato quiche, spinach and cheese quiche, scones with mascarpone and jams, mini banana nut cupcakes with coffee buttercream icing, and chocolate covered strawberries.

Voice crush

"I think it's smashing," he said with a very light English accent, of my first name. I was talking to the customer service representative of my credit card. I had to dictate my name, since it's pronounced unexpectedly different than the way it's spelled. He asked me what it meant but I explained that my mom made it up. And then I explained how all my siblings have weird names too, to which I received his compliment.

I love the way you can hear someone smiling on the other end of a line. And how sometimes, you just make a sweet connection with a stranger, say goodbye, and think, there are still plenty of kind people out there.

Peace. Happy New Year. And more peace. We know we need it.

The nicest people live in New York City.

Just returned from a ridiculously fantastic two weeks in the city. I ended it the best possible way, by having dinner at my old neighborhood joint, the Blue Ribbon Bakery. I thought I was last there in June but just checking, it was Labor Day weekend of 2005 when everyone in New York was being so nice to me.

Eric, the manager there was gracious as ever, and is always super kind (he never corrected me when I'd been calling him by the wrong name forever). Jai, who has known me since I was seven years old met me there after his dinner date. I was starving, hadn't eaten especially well all week, and I asked him to join me so I could treat myself to a good last meal. Despite not having been there in 14 months, Eric remembered me, and offered us dessert on the house. He also knocked off Jai's soda, double espresso, and discounted our bottle of wine. Needless to say, I left a 30-something% cash tip and hope next time I could leave more (once I start working again!).

I've good reason to send the dozens of people I've sent to that place. And you should go, too.

P.S. I have always been a little unsure that Eric's name is really Eric, especially after I discovered I'd been calling him Ed for several months when I first met him. If you have any insight, please, share it! But for the time being, I'll keep calling him Eric. Besides, I think he hasn't quite figured out how to say my name either. :)

I'm not a serious drinker

And Peter has a way of making it very un-serious.

I started the evening at Fanelli Café in SoHo with Robert and Vera with a sapphire and tonic, extra lime. Headed to dinner in Brooklyn at their new digs. Parting with R&V, I left for Peter's place in the Heights. We started with a bottle of champagne. Gibsons followed with the last of the vodka. And we topped off with a bottle of sake, which he warmed in batches as we worked through it.

Luckily, I hold my liquor rather well for someone under a hundred pounds.

chased by the NYPD

I helped my friend Patti set up a new Mac, wireless network, printer, the works, going till just after midnight. Being on the way east side, she sent me home with cab fare and I walked over to First Avenue to pick one up.

First sign of wrecklessness, the cabbie I flagged down crossed four lanes and cut off others to get to me. I climb in. He doesn't know where my cross streets are so I just tell him to get me down near Washington Square Park. No big deal. Partway through, we're westbound somewhere down in the teens. In front of us are three other cabs and a tow truck. My guy decides he'll cut everyone off on the left and speed through the light. Just as we're getting to the front of the line, the tow truck begins to turn left in front of us. A slamming of brakes, arms waving and lots of cursing. It's an NYPD tow truck. My cab driver jumps out of his car and starts waving and screaming with total belligerence at the uniformed cop. The officer says to him pretty nicely, "Wait right here." Goes back to his truck. Comes back and asks for license and registration, adding that if the driver didn't comply, they'd have a problem. Cabbie cusses him out instead. Backs up (since the tow truck is across our front), and then takes off! I told him "You really need to stop the car." He told me to ignore the guy, he's not a cop.

NYPD truck chases us. Tries to cut us off again. Cabbie says to me, "You see? This guy is crazy!" Finally, the officer blocks us off again. He gets out, he waves at me to get out of the cab. I open the door and begin to climb out. The cabbie TAKES OFF AGAIN while I was getting out, so I shut it and slide back in. Cabbie says, "He's crazy! You're my witness!" The officer gets back into the truck and chases us some more. The cab gets me two blocks from where I need to be. I just want to get out. The tow truck cut in front of us one more time, totally blocking the cabbie. The officer comes out, waves me out. I'm ready this time, and jump out of the car as fast as possible. The officer tells me to get in his truck, he'll drive me home. The cabbie starts screaming at me for his fare and the cop just looked at him and told him he wasn't getting it. He clears off the messy front seat for me, and I climb in. He drives me around to where I needed to be, and says "That guy's crazy. He's going to be arrested."

I ask him, "Would you please wait for me to get inside before you leave?"
"Sure."
And he does.
And I figure I ought to get Patti her cab fare back.

Brooklyn Museum of Art

Currently playing at the Brooklyn Museum of Art are the Annie Leibovitz (through January 21) and Walton Ford (through January 28) exhibits.

New Year's Eve in the Hamptons

Teresa called me to come out to the Hamptons for New Year's Eve.
So I did.

Their house and the view from the deck.

We followed up with a delicious dinner at the Blue Room in East Northport for some seriously good eats, lots of champagne of course, a fun brunch in Southhampton, and a luxury bus ride back to the city.