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Smoke ’em if you got ’em.

[Picture by Beth Hoeckel via MPD]

Appetite for China gives Shanghai Noodles. 

Friend of mine in London sent me the following. Taken from Maiden Speech by Eleanor Brown, published by Bloodaxe in 1996:

Bitcherel

You ask what I think of your new acquisition;
and since we are now to be ‘friends’,
I’ll strive to the full to cement my position with honesty.
Dear – it depends.

It depends on taste, which must not be disputed;
for which of us does understand
why some like their furnishings pallid and muted,
their cookery wholesome, but bland?

There isn’t a law that a face should have features,
it’s just that they generally do;
God couldn’t give colour to all of his creatures,
and only gave wit to a few;

I’m sure she has qualities, much underrated,
that compensate amply for this,
along with a charm that is so understated
it’s easy for people to miss.

And if there are some who choose clothing to flatter
what beauties they think they possess,
when what’s underneath has no shape, does it matter
if there is no shape to the dress?

Its not that I think she is boring, precisely,
that isn’t the word I would choose;
I know there are men who like girls who talk nicely
and always wear sensible shoes.

It’s not that I think she is vapid and silly;
it’s not that her voice makes me wince;
But – chilli con carne without any chilli
is only a plate full of mince…

[Images by Katrien De Blauwer]

Happy Birthday to the Old Penn Station. 

That’s Life.

It looked like a cruise-control win for the Yanks, 6-1 lead going into the 8th inning. Robinson Cano had 3 hits, and Brett Gardner had a couple including a 2-run triple. The 4 runs the Yankees scored in the 4th inning gave C.C. Sabathia all the cushion he’d need and while he wasn’t dominate, he looked good. But after a few batters reached base he was replaced by David Robertson who had nothing and before you knew it, it was 6-5, tying run on second and here comes Mo.

Rivera was one pitch from loading the bases when he got a generous called strike 3 to get out of trouble. Hey, sometimes being a Legend helps. He retired the side in the 9th–flyout, groundout to the pitcher, and line drive to Alex Rodriguez–without breaking a sweat and the rest of us, who were, by that time, sweaty, felt great relief.

Yanks 6, White Sox 5.

[Featured Image: Bolenowe Moor; Photo Credit: Rich Schultz/Getty Images]

It’s C.C. against a rookie. 

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano DH
Curtis Granderson LF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Austin Romine C

Never mind the standings: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Mica Angela Hendricks makes art with her daughter. 

Used to be able to buy this 1963 record at Phillips 66 gas stations.

Came with a booklet and everything.

This morning I saw a boy with blond hair sitting on his backpack. He was next to a covered garbage can on 7th avenue. Another bag rested next to the backpack. Kid must have been 10. His outfit was a jumble of day-glo colors. Above him was a weathered-looking man in shorts and a hooded sweatshirt. The guy could have been a fisherman. He leaned on the garbage can and smoked a cigarette.

I waited for the light to change and wondered what their story was. Then the man said, “There she is,” and dropped the cigarette to the ground even though it wasn’t half-way smoked. I looked back. A crowd of people exited the subway and were coming our way. A stumpy woman with peroxide blond hair and dark sunglasses emerged from the group. The boy ran to her and almost jumped into her arms. They embraced and then walked to the corner where the man handed her the boy’s bags. He then hugged the boy.

The man and the woman didn’t exchange a word. They did not look at each other. The boy left with his mother and the father disappeared into the crowd.

[Photo Via: iPhoneography NYC]

From Food 52: “A perfect grilled cheese needs no filter.” Amen to that.

Been awhile since I’ve had a grilled cheese. Hmmm….

The Bass-heavy, rah-rah brothers from BK featuring Heather B.

sss

Sure the White Sox are a lousy team but with their ace Chris Sale in good form tonight this has to go down as one of the most satisfying wins of the year for the Yankees. Hiroki Kuroda was better than he’s been recently but it was still a struggle for him. An error by Eduardo Nunez in the first help lead to a run and Kuroda had to get two outs with the bases loaded. He left a pair of runners on in the second but then got through the next two innings without incident. Another mistake, this one from Robinson Cano when he botched the tag on a stolen base attempt with no out in the fifth, set things up the White Sox who broke a 1-1 tie with two runs. They added another in the seventh and that looked to be that.

Chris Sale, a true sidewinder if there ever was one, had his way with the Yankee lineup (his bending breaking ball to the lefties, Gardner and Cano, was unfair). But Cano got a fastball he could handle with one out and Jeter on first in the eighth, and lined a double to left.

That knocked Sale out of the game and then the Yankees went to work, chipping away, nickel-and-dime style–memories of the late ’90s! A single by Lil’ Sori drew the Yanks to within a run, a 3-2 base hit by Alex Rodriguez, and then a pinch-hit single by Curtis Granderson tied the game. All three hits came with two strikes. Mark Reynolds whiffed on a full count pitch, another tough at-bat, and then Nunez dropped the hammer on an inside pitch, inside and low, and pinged it to left for a double. It was the kind of hit that you never thought would stay fair. But it did, skipping down the left field line.

That gave Mr. Rivera a two-run lead. He struck out the first batter on a back-door cutter. Struck him out looking. Went out there on the 2-2 pitch, missed, and came right back to the same spot, made a better pitch, and got his man. A weak ground ball to second counted for the second out and then another strike out, again freezing the batter on a back-door cut fastball, ended the game. That’s the 9th time he’s recorded 40 saves in a season, tying a big league record.

We may only have a month left of Mariano, folks. No time like the present to savor it.

And this one here is a win to savor, ain’t it?

Final Score: Yanks 6, White Sox 4.

p.s. Girardi announced after the game that Hughes is headed to the pen; Huff will start in his place.

Our man Hiroki looks to stop his slump.

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Vernon Wells RF
Mark Reynolds 1B
Eduardo Nunez SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind the two previous beatings, Hiroki, go git ’em and:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture via This Isn’t Happiness]

The A.V. Club’s 2001 interview with KRS-One. 

[Picture via Up North Trips]

[Picture by Bags]

Over at River Ave Blues, Mike Axisa offers three options of what to do with Phil Hughes and David Huff.

Why mess around? Here’s the whole damn album:

Summer ain’t over, not just yet. Smitten Kitchen gives us popsicles: pink lemonade, butterscotch pudding and key lime pie.

This Saturday, my gal Shannon’s movie is being shown here in New York. Worth checking out if you’re around.