We saw Willie Nelson, an American icon, Monday night on a warm breezy night in an open southern field.  It was truly a vintage Americana experience with people sitting on blankets and lawn chairs along with us surrounded by friends in the cheap seats.  There was sweet marijuana in the air and cold beer in my hand.  It really doesn’t get any better than that.   Willie is a soon to be 87 year old self made Texas original and his two sons Lukas (the more talented)  and Micah are...

We are all affected by politics. But this strikes closer to home than most….. I am enrolled in Global Entry - the travel program that allows easier movement through customs and security entry when you return to the U.S. Recently, New Yorkers have been rendered ineligible for the program. Without debating the reasons, they have nothing to do with me. My Global Entry expires in August. I was anticipating beginning the renewal process when the ban on New Yorkers was ...

  This was our very intellectual conversation over dinner Saturday night. When it comes to soup – do you eat or drink? My line in the sand has always been tied to the utensil used. If you use a spoon, I say you are eating soup. If the soup is in a mug or a cup, then it is drinking. Help please. Do you agree with me?  Or do you have some other distinction?...

  I recently read that January 21 is officially Break Your Resolution Day. That being, the day by which most people have broken their New Year’s Resolutions. So, now we are over one month past that date.       I made two resolutions this year, to control my cursing and to put my phone away when I get home from work. I recently admitted in a blog that within two days of two days of New Year’s Eve, I broke my first resolution. I was back to cursing within two hours of return...

President’s weekend honors our first and 16th Presidents. Why not honor them by extolling public and community service? Many we know toil in government gigs at all levels. Next time your see them or speak to them (or email or message them), just thank them. Many of them and many of you also perform some community service. Describe something better than doing giving back in that way. It makes a difference. It makes the community better. It makes life better. It makes the world...

Grand Central Terminal was totally cleared out for a romantic date.   The married couple, Macy and Spencer Wise, in the image won a contest to have an early Valentine's dinner from a Michelin-rated restaurant at the empty Terminal with live music.   Quite an experience don't you think? It was sponsored by the MTA and they even received a SWAG bag afterwards.   I'm wondering what this guy is going to do next year......

Some say that Valentines Day is a Hallmark Card day and, sad to say, to some extent it has been commercialized.   Nonetheless, it can and should be a special day on which to express love, devotion and affection to your special person.   St. Valentines Day is an annual festival celebrating romantic love, friendship and affection. And that’s just what I plan to do with Joanne, my life love and friend with whom I share those feelings!   I hope you all make this a special shari...

The only certainty is change; how do we handle change? We checked into Ink48, a favorite hotel of ours in the City, on Friday, January 31st. As we checked in, we were advised that, as of midnight, the hotel would no longer be part of the Kimpton hotel chain. We had always known it as a Kimpton. Will we be going back to Ink48? Does the change give us the opportunity to explore other options? Coincidentally, Ink48 was not the only hotel to recently change its brand aff...

“Barn Kitty” earned a new name. “South Paw.” He survived the surgery and now has 1 less paw. It hasn’t stopped him from his cat-like grace. Rest and cuddles help in the recovery process, along with physical therapy sessions, raw meat and filtered spring water. Ginger faces, green-eyed sweetness and one less left-hook. He’s gonna be paw-right. If anyone in Gotham wants to write a children’s book about this beautiful story, I’m game!...

  It was supposed to be a quick stopover in Baltimore on the way back to New York after some relaxing time in Florida. But that plan soon changed. A young woman and her three young children boarded the plane. She most definitely had her hands full. A flight attendant commented almost in passing about the baby’s flushed face. Innocently, the mom responded that the baby had been getting over a fever. That was the moment that changed everything. The young woman and her chi...

  I love watching the Oscars. I enjoy watching the show to see the different gowns the people in the audience will be wearing. I am also interested in the awards themselves, to see whether I will agree with “The Academy’s” choice of best picture, best actor etc. And, if I haven’t seen a movie that received awards, I will tend to see it after the Oscars.       I am also an avid reader of movie reviews. Often, when a movie is first released, I will read the reviews before deci...

Often my first show of the season involves a Gotham connection. Last year, it was a show at My Father’s Place that Shelly and I attended with Vincent and Susan Russo. Often, The Gotham Battle of the Bands® (“BOTB”) works out as my first show of the year. This year, definitely not to be. Marisa and I take in the Eagles later this month at MSG. A few weeks back I already outlined here the state of my concert plans. Besides the band above influenced by my favorite band Poco and ...

Two people can have the same exact experience but walk away with totally different feelings.   Think about the last time you went to a movie with a friend or a loved one. Or maybe had a meal together or witnessed an event. Did you feel the same afterwards? Maybe one person just acquiesced and agreed with the other so as not to cause conflict.   It’s fascinating to me, especially when I'm teaching. My class is always filled with an assortment of people from a variety of backgr...

John is my favorite Beatle  Keef is my favorite StoneLive Aid is my favorite memoryYankees are my favorite teamJudge is my favorite YankeeJFK is my favorite POTUSSword fish is my favorite mealSashimi is favored over SushiBiking is my favorite transportation Patron (Silver) is my favorite drinkBlogging is my favorite creative outletCharcoal is my favorite puppyThe Godfather is my favorite movieMarilyn is my favorite Movie StarKey West is my favorite ParadiseJoanne is my favori...

May this blog not be a jinx. So far, this winter (in NYC) has been very tolerable weather-wise. I don’t like heavy winter coats but the ragged coat in my closet needed to be replaced. So, I did. I am beginning to wonder whether I’ll ever need to wear the new coat this winter. As I walked the streets of the City recently, I saw a full range of winter clothing from sweaters and jackets to down parkas and more. I’ll always opt for the lightest coat I can — with an ap...