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Year of the Metal Rat

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Hey, June…I mean, July

А что вы тут делаете, а?

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Back

from Florida.

It is, indeed, a sunshine state.

That’s one of the very few positives I can say of the past week.

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Houston Disaster charities, FYI

Hurricane Harvey: How You Can Help

Full list  – in the article @ Houzz.

I donated to charities who provide immediate, face to face relief: Greater Houston Community Foundation and Nechama Jewish Response to Disaster.

Also, one one my vendors – R.D.Weis flooring company – offered to deliver your donation of new/newish clean clothes down to Houston. Go thru your closets, pack your donation and send it to them to the address provided. I filled two bags: one with clothes, one with footwear (rubber boots, etc) and will bring it to their NY office on Tuesday.

Thank you for your help.

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Rooftop cinema,

last in season

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Floating party

Climbing up (or back, as our timeline demands) the stair, we plop right in the middle of breathtaking panorama

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Perfect beach day

The idea was to get to the 7:15 ferry from Bay Ridge to Wall st, and in 7 min to hop on the Seastreak to Sandy Hook – it’d be their first trip of the day, and round trip ticket cost $30 (later ones jump to $46). Naturally, I’ve overslept and then took too long brewing espresso and packing my beach bag. I ran the last blocks to the Pier 6 and still missed the ferry boat by 5 min!

The new ferry service from Bay Ridge to Wall st started in June, I took it once before (pics forthcoming, if you so desire), as a trial ride. The boats are all new, sparkling clean, and very fast, although 5 intermediate stops add to 50 min ride. It takes me 20 min of brisk walk to get to the pier (which is good for my daily 10K steps goal). Despite the over an hour commute I’d gladly take it to/from work if only MTA included the cost into their monthly card.  A ride cost $2.75, just like the subway’s, and it is now additional $2.75.  As I’m already paying ~$120 for the Unlimited metrocard, including buses, it’d be too dear to double the monthly price if I’m to add the ferry.

However, I love being on the water and welcome the option of taking ferry to the beach on summer weekend.

As it happened, my being late for the Seastreak and thus missing the Sandy Hook ride was a blessing in disguise for my wallet. As it turns out, the NYC ferry service now runs all the way to Rockaways! What’s more, the Rockaways’ line stops at Sunset Park pier (which is 1 stop from Bay Ridge, see map at the Ferry’s link above), and the transfer is free!

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making a list & checking it thrice

I really do need a vacation. Exhausted, slept all Saturday – and the week wasn’t anything special, just a regular step-forward-two-steps-back annoyance. So I have to tick off  all chores on the list in one instead of two days.

Weather in Hungary and Slovenia is unseasonably cold, I now have to be very selective and pack carefully. My layover in Helsinki is only 40 min, so I am not taking a big case, only carry-on.

My itinerary is complicated: starting by 5 days in Budapest (Pest side), then on the 29th taking an overnight train to Ljubljana (transfer in  Saltzburg), then at 6:30am taking a ride-share van by company called GoOpti to the Adriatic coast, to resort town Portoroz, where I booked 4 nights at spa hotel. Between salt scrub massages and sea mud body wraps I hope to take a ferry across the waves to Venice – no ticket yet. Then on the 4th at 4am – GoOpti van will pick me up and return to Ljubljana train station, this time for a day-long ride back to Budapest, this time to Buda side, where all the famous baths are spread around the Castle and couple of museums. Morning of May 6th should find me at the hotel’s lobby waiting for a shuttle ride to airport, then British Airlines will fly me home.

Frankly, I feel a bit uneasy re: whole enterprise. Logistics have been difficult, and the chain can break at any link, ruining the whole sequence. Doesn’t make for relaxing mood. But…too late to cancel, and all I can do is to wait and see if my nervousness justified or, hopefully, not.

I’ll say good bye now  – and you tell me what do you want me to bring from my travels.

 

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Suddenly, Spring

…and so is my cry di jure: Where to go on vacation?

Actually, I do know this time: Magyar! But will be appreciative of recs, suggestions, tips and advice. Have any?

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Happy Coming NY’s Eve!

I have broken with tradition to celebrate  the newborn year at home, under Christmas tree, surrounded by bowls of salad Olivier. I am joining Jesse’s party at Gander. Planning to take pictures until defeated by open bar.

Where will you be partying at midnight? I wish you all, rare readers(c), fun evening and a prosperous new year ahead!

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А у меня…

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Neige, neige

Покраденая у жж-левконои картинка Хирощиге – для привлечения внимания.

Вон та бедолага в мокроступах по слякоти – это я и есть. Но без зонтика. Взамен –  с 2 обьёмными баулами для сдачи в Salvation Army: L с 2 подушками, R с зимней курткой и крупповской эспрессоваркой. Все предметы в приличном состоянии, просто надоели за много лет отношений.

Ну и наряд у меня был немного другой: после благотворительного долга намеревалась попотеть в gym-е; соответствуще обулась в кроссовки. И как вышла, добрела до 2го перекрёстка, покрытого снежной жижей на фут, так и повернула обратно. Не героиня, нет. Вместо культурного тягания гирь займусь домашней накачкой мускулов: стирка-уборка-готовка, вот это всё. Благотворительный долг отдам через неделю, не прокиснет.

А так-то да, за окошком с утра было красиво. Первый снег. Зимняя сказка.

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Шило

Не поехать ли мне куда в гости, размять кости? Хочется разговоров за чашкой, прогулки по бодрящему морозцу, разделённых мнений, хлеба и зрелищ.

А вам? Мой диван, борщ и уши к вашим услугам!

‘Tis the season to be hospitable – and to visit. I’d like to take a train somewhere mid-continent, meet friends (known on or off line), take comfort in shared opinions, food and long walks.

Even better – to see you here, in my humble abode, to introduce you to my borsch and my festive city. My guest sofa’s at your service!

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Long Beach

Все ходят-бродят-бегают-рассекают на разнообразных устройствах по деревянному бордвоку. Туда-сюда, полный круг, половину, но главное – серьёзно, шутки неуместны. Это такая работа, что у населения, что у приезжих; ну и я тоже поучаствовала, да раза по 3 в день.

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Decline

How is it that design professionals, arbiters of taste, guru of sacred Fundamentals of Manners and Beauty –  corrupt most basic premise of etiquette?

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Away at Rockaway

It was a nice day…but too short for me to properly relax. I need at least 7 of those, uninterrupted…

See more @my Flikr.

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Завтра/tomorrow

срання на пляж. Гори оно огнём, всё брошу и поеду на кораблике на целый день. Кто со мной?

come with me to Sandy Hook. not that SH, the one in NY harbor. gay beach, nudie beach, bird sanctuary, a boardwalk. Quietude and waves. Anyone?

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…and now about weather

79F which feels 84F. Humidity, too, 84%

That’s all you need to know how I feel today

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Настоящее лето

A ведь когда-то практически весь ЖЖ был таким. Откроешь ленту – а там сплошное упоение.

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Atlantis/ Атлантида

Пшеминело з вятром/Gone with the wind:
Lwov and Warsawa nightlife and cabaret of 1920-30th. Note, more than half of the artists – singers, lyricists, musicians, composers – were Jews.

[I’m in a Lwow-nostalgic mood. It happened before; it’ll pass.]

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Ветер, ветер…

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You’re one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you’re two months back in the middle of March.

(с) Robert Frost via arpad

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Will it fall?

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Snow

One word is enough!*
We’ve been waiting for the stuff since beginning of winter – and hoped against all weather prognoses (or is it “prognosi”?) for White Christmas…then White New Year…then “at least once this season”. And that last one won!
Just 2 hrs after I talked to my family in MidWest, them complaining about chill, snowstorm, wind and damnable driving conditions, and me – of absence of white in my urbanscape – and hurray! Beautiful slow white powder descended from above and covered everything with fresh starched promise.

*Yes, I know about 50 (or 100, or 1200) words for “Snow” the Eskimo have. No, it is not true.

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New year, new Coursera

This was the first email in the new year: Coursera reminded of the many new courses they have.  And if I’m not in a hurry to learn about economic strategy from Tomsk University (doctor, heal yourself), other courses on offer sound interesting.

For instance, the one by University of Edinburgh, entitled “Sit Less, Get Active“. Pity it starts all the way dawn in May – after 3 weeks of gastronomic excess I feel the need to be enlightened, literally (about 15lbs would be enough, thank you). So I registered for the course.

Anybody with me? It’s more fun to push the pedals in good company.

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Miami: South Beach

On the 4th day I moved closer to the plage: to South Beach hotel on Collins Avenue.

[See more @Flickr album, here]

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