WTF-Beta

Happy birthday, Jodi!

They do have a following in various cultures.

NY Steinways are all so different from one another. I suspect the Hamburgs and other European makes are more consistent.

That is almost enough to get you a croissant in New York

Vive la France!

I didn’t believe any of this woo-woo stuff until I saw wine bottles mysteriously lifted, flying through the air, and smashed at a concert reception at Mills College in California. Everyone saw it.

Cool, good info!

Last year we had two basil plants. That was the first time we saw leaves that looked like they were chewed on. They’re usually pest-free. I wonder if we have snails or something.

@Steve-Miller Yes, the coastal area around NY City, including coastal New Jersey and Long Island, is in a warmer climatic zone. I don’t think we’ll ever have rosemary hedges like they have in California, but I’ve seen a small bush in a neighbor’s yard.

Where my rosemary is planted, it’s protected from wind on two sides by the garage and house, so that may help.

People grow fig trees here too. One place has a front yard of cacti!

The French tarragon is coming back beautifully (second year). The oregano will come back if I let it, but it's about 4 years old and taking over too much...think I'll dig it up. The rosemary came back last year, we'll see it if does this year. I'd like to cut the old ugly woody stems back and see it if comes up fresh from the root, but I don't know if it's safe to do that. This is the third year for the sage, which is a large-leaf varietal, and it grows too profusely, like a pest. Will definitely plant 2 or 3 flat-parsley plants. I want to try something more exotic like summer savory or more obscure herbs.

All this on again/off again stuff must be real comforting for companies trying to plan ahead

Here’s a new New York restaurant that shares your name.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/shirokuro-is-a-new-2d-black-and-white-restaurant-in-nyc-that-feels-like-stepping-into-a-drawing-040725?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com%2Ftimeoutnewyork%2Flibrary%2Fmedia%2F519820376&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0BMQABHqAfQJLQg6YtmKejiQFiS58XvPbbzCe-EQkgVRiZay2rB2WTUUb4NdyT8EBj_aem_kOD3rbfIpCG5n6Y8c9kJfg#mbkqgsdwzb6rp9efn01mjuhbopxurme

Good stuff, Bernard! I have done basically the same recipe using dried chickpeas. I’m sure there are many regional variants too. No question that making your own is superior to buying Sabra or some such.

Very nice playing, SK!

I’m practicing today, as I do most other days. I should post something when it’s ready.

I’ve been taking biotin to help strengthen splitting fingernails. Results are uncertain for that, but it’s nice to know there may be other benefits.

That’s sad. Department stores were conceived as grand spaces. Temples of consumerism perhaps. Pipe organs! Now we can peck out our orders of merchandise on our little keyboards.

I can appreciate tai chi but I think I need something more to address strength training. Probably both balance and strength are things I could do at a local gym, if I would get serious about it.

I was shocked that after 3 years off the bicycle (following my accident) I nearly fell over when trying to even mount the bicycle. I was afraid of losing my balance. So, even though I had been an active cyclist for 50 years, I took a beginner cycling class to overcome that fear. Now I’m back, but I am still a bit skittish in traffic.

Too much news.

Lovely bike ride in the park today. I think it was in the 60s. But it got windy too.

I've been reading it from my daughter's subscription. Notices appear that her sub expires in 3 days. Looks like she's not renewing.