Blooming Boomer

You Remember “Service,” Don’t You?

smauralith — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:17:00 GMT

The last time I looked, the restaurant business was a “service” business. I’m not so sure, anymore. Allow me to illustrate. I was in midtown, last Saturday and it was early. You get the picture, 8:30, Saturday morning, midtown. Not exactly the busiest time of day or the busiest day of the week for any restaurant in that particular area. I’m going to have to be careful here. I can’t tell you where I went, or even the exact location. Restaurant owners and chefs are suing restaurant critics these days. I find that utterly absurd, but as a mere mortal, I certainly don’t wish to garner the ire of the dining gods. Anyway, there I was, in sleepy midtown, and I walk into this restaurant. It’s a small European chain here in New York, and I’d always enjoyed the food and the ambience in their various locations. As per the instructions posted on a sign at the entrance, I “wait to be seated.” The “hostperson,” or whatever they’re called these days, leads me toward the darker, rear of the restaurant. Please note the place is on a corner, framed with two grand walls of windows. I stop following and politely request any one of several empty tables next to those walls of glorious morning light. At this point, I’d say the place was, perhaps 30% full. I was immediately met with a not altogether pleasant attitude and a long winded and thoroughly unwelcome explanation about not burdening the “waitstaff” by putting too many people in one area and adversely affecting the “good service” I would otherwise be afforded if I sat where I was told. What I should have done was left the place, right then and there. But, I didn’t. I was hungry and ready for some of their excellent coffee, and didn’t wish to act in a rash manner. I was shown to a table against the wall. I suggested, again, I would rather sit by the windows. The hostperson looked at me, again with obnoxious attitude, and allowed I could sit there if I could “fit” between the closely placed tables. At this point, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you, not only could I “fit,” I did. But wait, it gets even better, or worse depending on whether or not you have a taste for second rate comedy.

Once seated, a waitperson took our order and we requested water. A rather long while later, a second waitperson came to take our order. When we explained our order had already been taken, the second person gave us a puzzled look and took it again. As yet, no water had arrived, via either waitperson so we repeated our request. By this time we’d been seated for at least fifteen minutes. After a reasonably brief wait, the second waitperson arrived with some of our order, coffee, two plates, each containing a croissant, and no water. We were served none of their exquisite French butter, and none of their luscious Belgian preserves, just two plates and two croissants, which needless to say, were not warm. When I requested butter, jam and water, I was met with a sullen look and the question, “You want butter and jam?” Considering one of the words in the very French name of this ridicules place is “Pain,” I certainly was not spared the irony. And, I can assure you, had I not wanted those condiments, I would never have requested them. Another five minutes ensued before everything we’d ordered, not once, but twice, was finally brought to our table, not to mention, apparently the place was rationing butter that day, not just water.

We laughed through what had become a truly memorable meal, albeit for all the wrong reasons. And we weren’t the only ones having the problem. Everyone around us was experiencing the same difficulties. We all kept nodding and smiling at one another. But, enough is enough. You can be sure I’ll never cross the threshold of that midtown restaurant, again, though I might be persuaded to return to their place near my apartment, after a reasonable cooling off period. I will add I’ve never experienced such unpleasantness at that location.

Having said all of this, the question begs to be asked, what has happened? I mentioned, in the beginning, the restaurant business, to my understanding, is a service business. One can make their own breakfast, lunch or dinner, to be sure, but once in a while, one feels like going out and having somebody else do the work. For that privilege, one has the option of paying for the “service.” It was never my intention to walk into a restaurant, be lectured about the overburdened “waitstaff”, be told to basically shut up and sit where I’m told, and then be abused by truly miserable “service”. There was a time when a customer who patronized an establishment was treated well by simple virtue of the fact that without customers, the establishment would go out of business. There are any number of boutique, self-sustaining, ecologically correct purveyors who offer a great cup of coffee, and even a decent croissant if I’m inclined to serve myself. Of course in those places, the “tip jar” is placed strategically in front of the register. What left is there to say? Welcome to Hell’s Dining Room!

Share this post: | | | |

Traveling with Children

IndyDJ — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:23:00 GMT

Many years ago I realized that I would never be able to offer my children what some parents can. For example, I’ll never be able to teach my children how to change an auto transmission or be much help with the chemistry homework. However, one thing I want to do is “show my children something.” I want to introduce them to the world. I agree with Marilynne Robinson who wrote in her novel Gilead, “This is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it."

But traveling with children, as rewarding as we all hope it will be, can be challenging and at times downright maddening. Of course, the dynamics change with the age of the children with whom you’ll be traveling and the relationship you have with them—are they your own flesh and blood? grandchildren? nieces or nephews?
To make your travels more rewarding for everyone consider these tips as you prepare.

Involve the children in planning
All of us feel more ownership when we are involved in the planning process. Unless you are especially adventuresome, there is no need to let the kids choose every place you’ll visit. However, perhaps there is a range of options you are willing to consider. If so, let the kids help make the decision. Depending upon his age, involve him in your budget conversations too. This is an additional opportunity to provide financial education and practical household management skills in a real-life context.

When possible, book non-stop flights
OK, I realize this is not always possible or practical depending upon where you’re traveling and the difference in ticket price. If you are traveling with small children or several children, you may want to avoid long layovers and several gate changes.

Give each child a backpack
Kids can keep track of one carryon with no trouble and a modest-sized backpack is probably the easiest thing to tote through an airport. On a number of long trips I made sure each of my four children had a decent backpack. In it we stashed a few snacks like granola bars and gummy bears. The rest was theirs: a book, games, a notebook, a favorite toy. I’m open to just about anything that fits in the bag and that will pass through security!
Of course, this is works for travel in cars, buses, and trains too.

Keep a record of all medications
It is a good idea for all travelers, not only young travelers, to have a list of their prescription medications handy should you lose them or run out during your trip. Keep a copy close by and, if possible, leave a copy with someone back home who knows your itinerary and whom you trust. Include the actual name of the medication and not only the marketed name. Pharmacies in other countries, for instance, will likely carry the medicine under a different name.

Speaking of medicine…
Know the health particulars of your child before leaving home. Parents will probably be aware of these details, but if you travel with a grandchild, be sure to have a detailed conversation with his or her parents about health issues.
By the way, a small package of Dramamine or a similar medicine for motion sickness, is worth carrying along even if you think you’ll never need it. Depending upon where you travel, even the most courageous stomach can be undone by bus rides on some of the roads in Central America. When your stomach is adjusting to the food from another part of the world, sometimes it can use a little help.

Give the kids a disposable camera
Unless she already has a camera this is an inexpensive and fun travel accessory, no matter the age of the child (and it fits in the backpack!). A camera is more than a diversion to occupy an otherwise bored kid. On a trip to Maine a few years ago, I was surprised by what my children felt was important to capture on film—I learned a lot about them. I was also reminded of their visual perspective. My daughter, three years old at the time, took all her photos at my waist level. She turns eleven soon and those pictures are still a source of delight.

Get plenty of rest
Family travel is often fertile breeding ground for the dangerous bacteria of “strife.” We adults can get cranky when we’re tired; that is threefold the case with kids. Be realistic and don’t overdo it. Go to bed at a decent hour, sit down and rest occasionally during walks in the woods (even if you’re not tired), stop for a drink of water and for some “people-watching” while trekking along Fisherman’s Wharf.

And a recommendation from my son: spend time with the kids
Sure, the kids are with you, but now you’re in an interesting place and you want to drink in the experience. I understand. But don’t forget about the kids; be sure to interact with them. They’re discovering some remarkable things and may need to think-out-loud. Family travel is an opportunity to spend large portions of time together, to explore our wonderful, strange, and delightful world. There’s no better occasion than this to talk about things that matter most to you.

Traveling with kids is worth it! Clearly, there are challenges when traveling with kids, whether yours or someone else’s. However, with a little preparation and thoughtfulness you’ll probably alter forever your child’s view of the world, and you may end up having the time of your life—at the very least you’ll have a dozen good stories to tell when you get back to the office.

Have fun, be safe, and send me a postcard.

David

Please visit my blog: Being Somewhere

I'm on My Space...and I'm here too: being_somewhere@yahoo.com

Share this post: | | | |

What Kind of Cook Are You?

BruceBrown — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:29:00 GMT

Do Recipes or Ingredients Rule?

“The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star.” - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)

With all respect to our busy lifestyles and easy-to-nuke foods, there are only two kinds of real cooks: recipe cooks and ingredient cooks. Successful recipe cooks follow instructions exactly and, assuming they start with good recipes, can knock out good food consistently. My conception of a very good recipe cook is someone who consistently has a well-stocked kitchen – or who shops a lot. Ingredient cooks, on the other hand, compose their own recipe. Ingredient cooks may start in the kitchen, preparing a meal based on what’s on hand, or at the grocery or market, wandering around choosing what looks, smells, and, possibly, feels right. Which type of cook are you?

I’d love to hear other views on this, or get a vote on how many people who actually cook consider themselves recipe- or ingredient-driven. I fall into the latter group. When I actually cook (which is not the same as “preparing” or “getting out a meal”), I like to start without a preconceived idea and let the universe guide the process. It turns out my universe responds best when I start the process by dolloping olive oil into a heated garlic-rubbed pan to set the mood. I particularly like to just start cooking this way and then scurry around our kitchen looking in cabinets and in the fridge and freezer to see what’s next to put in the pan or what looks like a great accompaniment to whatever will eventually come out of the pan.

The end result is usually edible. As the years have gone by I’ve gotten better at preparing food people can actually eat. And every few years I am guided to create a meal that works well enough that I later capture it on paper so I can re-create it and share it with others. This article is about such a meal; based on a recipe we later called “Vineyard Chicken”.

In 1996 I came up with a chicken dish that had several twists. I considered calling it Chicken Surprise, but that sounded too much like dorm food and had scary implications. My first suggestion for a name for the dish was Chicken Gimmick since I thought it a bit “gimmicky”, but my wife thought that would turn people off. So, since we had a place on Martha’s Vineyard at the time, we named it Vineyard Chicken, and it’s been a family favorite ever since.

Vineyard Chicken

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken *** with all fat removed, cut into chunks or strips
2 medium plum tomatos, cut into chunks
2 oz. Feta cheese
1 Granny Smith green apple, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
minced garlic
coarse black pepper
fresh or dried sweet basil
oregano

Heat some olive oil in a large pan on medium heat
Add minced garlic and chopped onion, cook for a bit
Add chunks or strips of chicken *** and cook till no pink showing
Add black pepper, basil, and oregano (be generous)
Add apple and tomato chunks, cook for a minute or two (don’t overcook!)
Drizzle on more olive oil
Add chopped green pepper, cook for another minute or so
Stir in feta cheese, cook for just about another minute

Serve over rice or grits or with pita bread.

Serves four restrained eaters, two enthusiastic ones.

Tip: Once you’re sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly, turn up the heat a bit. Don’t overcook the apple, tomato, or green pepper, their respective textures make the dish an ok meal or a raging success.

Share this post: | | | |

Strong Economy = Rising Rates

BruceBrown — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:51:00 GMT

With both U.S. and world economies improving, the bittersweet result is that residential mortgage rates have risen to higher levels. Concerns about inflation and rising bond rates resulted in 30-year fixed rate conforming mortgages rising to an average of 6.84%. While a slight further increase in rates won’t be a surprise, the recent tightening is not interpreted as the beginning of major rate climb.Combined with softening housing prices in much of the country, this is a great time to be a buyer, even with the slightly higher loan rates. In the greater Wilmington area, the buys, especially on or near the barrier islands look like great bargains in many cases compared to the prices in comparable or the same properties in 2005.

Share this post: | | | |

The Ins and Outs of Annuities

BoomerStaff — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:20:00 GMT

Annuities are issued by life insurance companies to provide benefits during your lifetime. An annuity in the payout phase provides a guaranteed income that you can elect to have start either immediately after purchase or at a future date. You don’t have to pay federal income tax on any accumulated earnings until payouts start. But you should keep in mind that withdrawals are taxable and, if you are under age 59 1/2, may be subject to a 10% tax penalty, in addition to your regular income taxes.

Payout, when the time comes, may be in one of several forms:

Straight Life Annuity - You receive an income for the rest of your life. However, no payments are made to anyone, even your dependents, after your death. This is sometimes called a “pure” annuity. This type of annuity is often recommended for a person who needs the maximum amount of income and either has no dependents or has taken care of them through other means.
Joint and Survivor Annuity - Payouts are made for as long as either you or your designated survivor lives.
Installment Refund Annuity - Payouts are somewhat less than a straight life annuity, but they will at least equal the amount paid in premiums, regardless of when you die; any refund is paid to your beneficiary in installments.
Life Annuity with Period Certain - Payouts are made to you for your life. However, this type of annuity features a “guarantee” provision. This means that if you die within a certain period after you start receiving income, usually 10 or 20 years, your beneficiary will receive regular payments for the balance of that period.

Because annuities have many different features, there are a number of factors to examine before you buy. For example you should ask if there are charges for early withdrawals. Are there gradually decreasing withdrawal charges over a period of years? How much can you withdraw at any one time without a charge?

Annuities are a popular product, providing an important retirement savings vehicle for many Americans. Consumers should consider carefully their options when purchasing an annuity. Generally, annuities are available as either variable or fixed contracts, and there are expenses and fees associated with the contracts.

A variable annuity is a long-term investment vehicle used for retirement savings. Assets allocated to your chosen investment divisions are subject to market risks and may fluctuate in value.

A fixed annuity is also used for retirement savings, but has no corresponding investment divisions. Instead, funds in a fixed annuity contract are allocated to a fixed account with a competitive interest rate, and that money can accumulate over time, providing a nest egg from which you can withdraw. Some immediate fixed annuities can provide you with a guaranteed income stream, as well.

Please note that the guarantee associated with an annuity product is subject to the claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company.

For more information on any of these products, please contact John Travan NYLIFE Securities LLC Registered Representative, Registered Representative for NYLIFE Securities LLC (Member NASD/SIPC), at 576 Broad Hollow Rd. Melville NY 11747, 631-391-2900 for a prospectus. Review the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money.

To obtain a copy of the prospectus, please contact your NYLIFE Securities LLC Registered Representative, or call 1-800-598-2019. Investors are asked to consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the investment carefully before investing. Both the product prospectus and the underlying fund prospectuses contain this and other information about the product and underlying investment options. Please read the prospectuses carefully before investing.

For more information about insurance and other financial products, contact John Travan, Agent, New York Life Insurance Company, at 631-844-3004

New York Life and its agents do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult with your professional advisors regarding your particular situation.

*This amount increases to $3,500,000 by 2009. In 2010, the estate tax is repealed for one year only. It resumes in 2011 at $1 million.

Share this post: | | | |

These Five Insurance and Financial Mistakes Can Cost You Dearly

BoomerStaff — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:16:00 GMT

Everyone wants financial success for themselves and their families. The dreams that we spend long hours working toward— whether it’s a first home, a college education for the children, or a retirement home some place warm —are all goals on the path to financial security. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to stumble on the way to your destination. I’ve compiled a list of what I’ve found to be the most common errors people make in achieving their insurance and financial goals. They’re all potentially costly, and they could mean the difference between financial success and failure.

1. Failure to Plan — An old saying goes, “Most people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.” This is particularly true when it comes to insurance and finances. If any planning is done it’s on a piecemeal basis, but that’s just not enough. To have a shot at accomplishing what we want, we must first set our goals, analyze what it will take to achieve those goals, and then implement a plan. The plan should include everything from savings and checking accounts, to longer-term vehicles like annuities, CDs, and IRAs, and the protection provided by life, health, and disability income insurance.

2. Insufficient Diversification — Another old adage still rings true: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Diversification is generally considered a key to reducing risk and enhancing potential return. Some people believe that because they have CDs in three different banks they’re properly diversified. True diversification cuts across product types, lengths of maturity, and asset categories. With a well-diversified portfolio, you’re never too dependent on how well one product performs.

3. Insufficient Life Insurance — We’re quick to insure our cars and our homes, but too often we overlook our most important asset — ourselves. With mortgages, tuition, and bills to be paid, it’s important to have proper coverage on all income earners. Some people may have group term life insurance through their employers, but this alone may not be sufficient. Be careful not to be overly dependent on group term, for these plans can be inflexible, may not be portable, and may not be available when you need it most — after age 65. Look into purchasing individual coverage to suit your particular needs. How much life insurance is enough? That depends on a number of personal factors including income and number of dependents. It’s best to sit down with an insurance professional to go over your needs and look at the available options.

4. Inadequate Disability Income Insurance — Your earning power is the generator that keeps the wheels of your household running smoothly. But what if that generator breaks down? The risk of disability, as well as its potential cost, is simply too great to ignore. Once again, a company-sponsored plan may be too limited for your needs. Typically, disability income insurance plans will cover 50 – 60% of your annual income for a pre-determined period of time. You’ll want to study the policy carefully to understand all of the provisions, including the definition of disability, the waiting period following disability before you can collect, and the length of the payment period.

5. No Estate Plan — Some people have the impression that estate planning is just for the rich. Unfortunately, that view can be costly to their heirs. Your estate includes such items as your home, cash, investments, personal property, and other assets you and your spouse may own jointly or as community property. These may add up to a lot more than you thought you were worth. Federal estate taxes apply to estates valued at more than $2 million in 2007 and 2008*, and can climb to over a 45% tax rate for large estates. Add in state death taxes and final expenses and your death can be quite costly to your loved ones.

You owe it to your family to have an estate plan in place. An effective will, a trust arrangement, and adequate life insurance are some of the options available to you to help your heirs get what they deserve.

“To err is human” is yet another pearl of wisdom. Sure, everyone makes mistakes, but all of the ones outlined above can be avoided. With proper insurance products and financial strategies you can steer past those costly blunders and be on the road to financial success.

For more information about insurance and other financial products, contact John Travan, Agent, New York Life Insurance Company, at 631-844-3004

New York Life and its agents do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult with your professional advisors regarding your particular situation.

*This amount increases to $3,500,000 by 2009. In 2010, the estate tax is repealed for one year only. It resumes in 2011 at $1 million.

Share this post: | | | |

Which Primary Emotion Rules Your Life?

BruceBrown — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:15:00 GMT

Life doesn’t have to be complicated, although most of us are pretty good at convoluting most if not all parts of our existence. If you take the time to figure out what’s running you, what’s important to you, and how you feel about your daily and lifelong existence, the process can be greatly confusticated by the need to sift through layers of emotions that surround and cover much of what we experience. But it needn’t be all that confusing.

When it comes down to raw, basic feelings, there are only two: Joy and Fear. Our intellect adds nuances, degrees, perspectives, and shades of meaning to pretty much everything in our lives and pops into overdrive when attempting to interpret emotions, but the simple fact is that if you reduce feelings to their core or essence, Joy and Fear are what are left.

“But what about love”, you ask? “Isn’t love the highest emotion?” Love is marvelous, love is great, and most of us seek it, but love is a secondary emotion to the primary emotion of Joy. Is that reduction of place a bad thing? I don’t think so. Think of it this way, many people wonder about love, they wonder if they’re in love, or feeling “real love”, or ever going to be in love. Certainly understanding “love” can be confusing. But it’s supposed to be a good thing, right? Well, whoever doubts or questions whether or not they feel Joy? When something is Joyful your intellect doesn’t even have to be involved, you just know it because you feel it. Joy is pure. If you’re truly in love you know it and can tell it for sure because it brings you Joy. Does that work for you?

And on the dark side (we won’t stay here long) is Fear. Some think anger is a primary emotion, or perhaps hate. Nope, those bad feelings only arise from basic Fear. Fear isn’t good and it’s not likely that feelings of Fear confuse people. Few try to understand too many nuances of hate but clearly it comes from Fear. You’ve likely heard of people trying to “justify anger”, which from the get-go sounds like convolution; pure emotions should need no explanation. Therapists know that if patients or clients present Fear, to look for anger, and if they present anger, to look for Fear. This could be a never-ending cycle except that, without Fear, there’s nothing to be angry about.

Is it simplistic to suggest that our lives are ruled by one primary emotion? It sounds that way, but check yourself out. I’ll bet that most people (how’s that for science?) know right off whether their lives are ruled by Fear or Joy.

Me? I claim Joy as my primary emotion. I’m a grateful guy with plenty to be thankful for. I have much Joy in my life and I enJoy almost every minute. I hope you do, too.

Share this post: | | | |

Nano Technology

The Eagles 56' — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:22:06 GMT

For those who do not know about nano-technology, it is technology working so small that very high powered microscopes are used just to construct everything. Of course with any form of technology there are positives and negatives. The positives are they these new forms of technology can help individuals who may be deaf, blind or going blind.

There is something new which is being worked on at the moment. It is a chip which is implanted into the eye where it can read the different forms of light and pass it onto the brain, which skips the part of the eye which is damaged. This is great for individuals who can not see, maybe in the future they will be able to see. There is also new technology which is still in the trial basis. It is implanted into the brain of an individual who is a paraplegic and controlled by certain brain waves, where that individuals can control specific computer programs. It is hopefully going to be able to help these people bypass broken nerves etc...to where they can control those unusable body parts again.

Now these technologies are great. They are also creating an almost wallpaper television screen. To a point where it will be laid/rolled on all the walls and you can control everything with a touch of a key, even the color of the room. These are great new technologies, but when will it stop. How far will this go. Are we going to turn ourselves into cyborgs?

I know that sounds like a reach, but think about it. Think about 30 years ago the technology we had, now look at today. That's a huge jump. What will the next jump be?

Share this post: | | | |

How Often, How Long, and How Hard?

BruceBrown — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:47:00 GMT

Which Matters Most About Exercise?

It's a rare baby boomer who wouldn't like to be healthier and in better physical condition. Whether it's for vanity or health, we're the generation that wants the good life and most of us want to be around a long time to enjoy it. So we work at eating correctly, we try to curb our bad habits, we try to get enough sleep, and we make attempts at establishing and holding to varied exercise programs. You can join health clubs, set up your own home workout room, or find amiable workout partners, but many people still have questions about how often, how long, and how hard they should work out. Most fitness professionals know the answer and get just as frustrated as their clients do when they see them start and stop, start and stop exercise programs. Just like yo-yo dieting, on and off exercise doesn't help much, in fact it can actually hurt you.

As a former personal trainer and substitute aerobics instructor (when I was in my early 50s) I've long been an interested observer in my own and others' exercise patterns and practices. The stories of injured weekend warriors who ride desks all week and then end up in urgent care facilities on Sunday afternoon with pulled, strained, sprained, or broken body parts are common but that's not the focus of this article.

If you're beginning a new workout program and trying to decide how long to walk/ride/run/swim, how fast, or how often, stop right here and get one important principle. Frequency matters, more than duration, more than intensity.

Yeah, it's great if you can run really fast, bike for long distances, or swim laps for two hours. If you can, kudos to you. But what I'd want to know is, how often do you work out?

For long term benefit and health, think of it this way: Frequency trumps Duration, Duration trumps Intensity.

If you work out every day, it won't take too long before you won't feel good if you don't work out, even just for a little while. When you get to that point, maybe after just a few weeks, where you can look back (or better yet read in your workout journal) that you worked out every day of those few weeks, then maybe it's time to think about increasing your workout time, or trying to go faster, or harder, or to lift more, or whatever indicates relative intensity in your exercise of choice.

If you don't make exercise a daily habit, it won't stick. You can't make up for missed workouts by going longer or harder - in fact don't do that because that's the easiest way to hurt yourself.

Remember, work out regularly, preferably every day. Find a comfortable pace to get started and just stay right there for a few weeks until you have made it a habit. Later on you'll have plenty of time to take on the miles or the hours or the laps. Increasing duration and intensity are great, but hold off till you can honestly call yourself a frequent, regular exerciser. That's the way to live longer and live healthier.

Share this post: | | | |

What Type of Investor Are You? It’s as simple as A, B, C

BruceBrown — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:34:00 GMT

It seems most everyone talks about real estate investing. Housing booms, market slowdowns, changing demographics, geographic shifts, upsizing, downsizing, baby boomer buying patterns, interest rates, speculative house flipping, chasing foreclosures, 1031 exchanges, renovating and rehabbing, multi-use developments, and the differences between condos, townhouses, and patio homes are just a smattering of the common conversation topics touching on the U.S. housing market, but ears perk up and juices start flowing when someone starts to get specific about a successful real estate investment. Everyone may not be a real estate investor, but it certainly appears that the majority of adults in our country with any disposable investment income talk about investing in real estate and more people have opinions than first hand knowledge.

This disparity in experience and lack of real knowledge often confuses or overwhelms folks who could benefit from well chosen investments in real estate. Many people stop before they even get started because someone who may or may not know what they’re really talking about shoots down a particular investment opportunity because it doesn’t meet a specific objective or match a particular characteristic. A wealth builder, for example, could be highly critical of someone who invests for cash flow, who in turn might turn up her nose at someone who wants only to “flip” properties. (If you clearly understand the former sentence and the ramifications of each investor’s bias, you can stop reading here . . . otherwise, read on.)

The fact is there are a wide variety of real estate investments and, fortunately suppose, there are also many different types of investors, with different needs, goals, resources, and expectations. You don’t need to know all there is to know about every type of investment and, particularly if you choose your investment team wisely, you don’t necessarily need to know everything about any one type of investment property. What you must do, however, is identify your goals and the type of investor you are.

But how do you find out your investor type? It doesn’t have to be difficult. As a real estate broker who specializes in working with experienced and novice investors on a daily basis, I’m used to helping people sort out what type of investors they are. We’ve developed a short 10-question, self-scoring quiz that helps our clients. You can do it, too, in less than 5-10 minutes. There are no right or wrong answers.

Real Estate Investor Quiz

Read and consider each of the following questions about residential rental real estate investments. On a separate piece of paper, record an A, B, or C for each question, choosing the answer that best matches your opinion, preference, or experience.

1. How long do you foresee owning any specific investment property?

A. For as long as it can be expected to increase in value.
B. As short a time as possible, I’ll sell it as soon as I can make a good profit
C. As long as it keeps making me money.

2. How important is it to you that investment property breaks even monthly or has positive cash flow?

A. Not too important. I don’t mind paying some extra money each month as long as the property continues to grow in value.
B. It doesn’t matter at all because I’ll resell it before I even think about getting a renter, and hopefully before the first mortgage payment.
C. Totally important. Cash flow rules! If it’s not going to make money I don’t want it.

3. How important is it to you that property appreciates over time?

A. Long term appreciation is most important to me. I’d love buying in a new or under-valued area that increases in value over the years, doubling in 6-8 years or less. B. Super important but I want appreciation right off. Ideally any property I buy will increase by 50-100% within one year at most.
C. It’s not that important as long as I keep making money year in and year out.

4. Which of the following sounds most like an ideal residential real estate investment to you?

A. A new home in an entry level neighborhood in a growing area.
B. A run down dump in a depressed area that is about to turn around.
C. An apartment building.

5. How long would your ideal tenant plan to stay in investment property?

A. Two to three years.
B. 0 time, I don’t want to have tenants before I resell.
C. 10-15 years.

6. How much of a risk are you willing to take on a real estate investment?

A. It’s all a calculated risk, but I want investment property that clearly makes sense in the long term.
B. No risk, no great rewards. If it looks good I’m going to jump on it!
C. I don’t take risks, I invest with known returns.

7. Which of the following management tasks suits you best?

A. Property management
B. General contracting – managing construction or renovation.
C. Financial management.

8. How quickly do you make and act on investment decisions?

A. When the right opportunity is presented, I react in a timely manner.
B. If you snooze, you lose. I’m ready to act fast for the right deal.
C. I take my time to be sure it all “pencils out”.

9. At which of the following skills are you most successful?

A. Seeing future value in an area, detecting the “path of progress” and rise and fall of values.
B. Figuring out how much it will cost to fix something in a house
C. Managing cash flow.

10. Which would you rather be?

A. A wealthy owner.
B. A wealthy trader.
C. A wealthy landlord.

OK, now tally the A’s, B’s, and C’s. Chances are you have some of each, although you may have all of one letter.

If you have all or mostly A’s – your primary investment goal is Wealth, so you are a Wealth Builder. We’ll call you a Mogul.

If you have all or mostly B’s – your primary investor goal is Profit, so you are a Profit Maker. We’ll call you a Trader (if you’d rather be called a Player, that’s OK, too).

If you have all or mostly C’s – your primary investor goal is Income, so you are an Income Builder. We’ll call you a Landlord.

What if you have a mixture of A’s, B’s, and C’s? Well, that’s very common, so just figure out which letter you selected most and that’s your primary type. If you have a tie, than do it alphabetically and don’t worry about it, you can be two types; you just have to be careful to separate your goals whenever you consider a potential investment property purchase.

When we give talks or run seminars we ask three questions at the very beginning. “Who wants to build wealth?” “Who wants to make a profit?” “Who wants income?” Usually almost everyone raises their hands in response to each question. The problem is, if you think you’ll get all three (long term wealth, profit, and income) from any one property, you’re bound to be disappointed. That’s why it makes a lot of sense to figure out what kind of investor you are and what your goals are before you get down to evaluating and selecting a specific property.

Once you know your primary investor type, you can start your short, medium, and long-term goal planning. Many of our investor clients have plans to build portfolios of 10-20 investment properties, usually over a period of years. By knowing how strong their relative type preferences are (wealth-focused, profit-focused, and income-focused) we can help investors decide the balance of property acquisitions that will best help them meet their goals and stay in their comfort zones.

Share this post: | | | |

Five Helpful Travel Sites

IndyDJ — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:02:00 GMT

The Internet is bulging with travel sites, some useful others ridiculous scams. Many of you have already stumbled onto a search site that "works for you." Great. Return to it again and again. However, as you know, the Internet is like a huge shopping mall and sometimes loyalty to one site may mean you'll miss a better price or better service elsewhere. If you haven't discovered them yet, here are five sites to explore next time you're out surfing.

Farecast

This site offers airfare predictions based upon fare histories and, according to third party evaluations of the site, the forecasts are about 74% accurate. Here's how it works: enter departure and destination cities (at this writing there are about 75 cities available, all US) and you'll see a listing of various flight options, similar to other search platforms such as Orbitz or Expedia.

When you type in city names or airport codes, a list will appear and some airports will be in green letters. These have predictions associated with them. The same is true with the popup calendar. Dates printed in green will have a price forecast.

The site will recommend "buy" or "wait." For example, I queried: Indianapolis to Ft. Lauderdale from August 17-25. The recommendation: buy because "Fares are likely to rise or stay about the same within the next seven days." But, for the same travel dates, a search for tickets from Indianapolis to San Francisco resulted in a recommendation to "wait," because "lowest fares steady or dropping. Current low is $30 higher than average." This site is rather new and so it needs to season a little we make conclusions about it, but it looks promising.

Booking Buddy

If you want to do some comparison shopping, type in departure and destination information, dates, and you'll have a bank of major travel sites to select from. Select one, select another and another and compare to your heart's content. While this provides you with some control over the particular search sites consulted, there are other sites that function essentially the same, but so so automatically.

Side Step functions similarly to Booking Buddy but it doesn't require navigation through each site separately and, as a bonus, Side Step skips the booking fees connected to other sites like Cheaptickets.com and Travelocity. You are sent directly to the individual airline's site whose fares and schedules satisfy you. You book directly from them.

Many of the airfare search sites also allow you to search for hotels and rental cars. This remains an advantage of sites like Expedia.com. Remember, booking everything together at one time frequently yields a better price; however, seeing the total cost for everything all at once can be a shock!

Depending on your tastes, requirements, and your tolerance for adventure, hostels are an reasonable and often surprisingly interesting lodging option. These places have character and there is a a hostel in nearly every city across the globe. Two search sites in particular are helpful when searching for and booking a reservation at a hostel: Hostel World.com and Hostels.com.

I'm a fan of hostels, but based on my experience I ALWAYS verify reservations before hand. Actually, this is a good idea for reservations of any sort. One hostel in Tegucigalpa, Honduras no longer existed by the time I showed up and another in Mexico City was...well, let's just say I'll never stay there again! However, I've had good experiences domestically and internationally with hostels. In fact, there is a delightful place in San Pedro Sula, Honduras that I prefer to just about anywhere else in that city.

These five sites should be able to get you to just about any spot on the planet, close to home or far away. Try them out and let me know what you think. The earth is a wonderful, strange, and delightful place to live. See as much of it as you can!

Have fun, be safe, and send me a postcard.

Share this post: | | | |

How The Oil Tycoons Keep Their Power

The Eagles 56' — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:44:02 GMT

With so many advances in technology and science, how have we not found a way to use alternate energy to power our life styles without using oil. The reason is that these Oil Tycoons buy out the ideas of other individuals who create these new alternate forms of energy. By doing this they are able to minimize the chances of them loosing all of their investment money.

In today's society power is based on money. Money is based on the different forms of acquisition to gain it. With this being said, for these individuals to keep their power and integrity they make sure that their money is always increasing with minimal losses. To do this they eliminate the competition. When individuals create these new alternate forms of energy which could power automobiles, households and even cities, they choose to invest their money into buying out this idea. They then choose to patent these ideas and put them away for every. By doing this they are able to keep their power and grip on the current society.

These tycoons are the ones who hike up the gas prices when ever they feel it be necessary. If you think about it, why are the prices going up? A week ago there was enough oil that we were able to have a price of ex.2.00$ a gallon. But this week it is now 2.50$ and increasing. What are the reasons for this ? So these individuals can gain more money?

Money is not even the only issue. By burning these fossil fuels we are destroying the earth. These chemicals which are constantly burning are going up into the atmosphere and causing Global Warming, which is a serious issue, enough to call a UN Meeting. Then why do we still continue to use this form of fuel? Brazil is self sufficient by using their corn oil to run their society. By being self sufficient they are able to use more money for build inward on the country. Why would we not want to do the same thing?

Share this post: | | | |

I was walking through the park one day….

smauralith — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 19:56:00 GMT

In New York City, when heading to “the park”, an appropriate question begs to be asked. Which park? According to NYC & Co., New York City’s official tourism website, New York City is the “greenest” city in the United States. Out of a total 197,696 acres, 52,938 acres are green. This means 26.8% of New York City is parkland. There are parks everywhere in New York City. From Manhattan to the Bronx, from Brooklyn to Queens to Staten Island, there exist enclaves with grass, trees, waterfalls, benches, flowers, reflecting pool, manicured Japanese gardens, even zoos, and so much more! No Borough is without its special places, set aside for rest, reflection, enjoyment and escape. In this twenty-four hour town where concrete, and glass and steel canyons have come to define the landscape, there are certainly plenty of opportunities to stop and smell the flowers.

Today, I’d like to guide you through an extraordinary park on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Carl Schurz Park is a picturesque little get away which runs from 90th street to 84th street. It is bordered on the west by East End Avenue and on the east by “Hell’s Gate”, a maelstrom of crashing waters where the Harlem River, the East River and the Long Island Sound converge.

According to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the property on which the park sits has gone through multiple hands over the years, beginning in 1646 when the land was granted, by the Dutch West India Company, to a Dutch national, Sybout Claessen. What was originally East River Park in 1876 was combined with the Gracie Mansion property in 1891. Gracie Mansion, by the way, is the official residence of the Mayor of New York City. The renowned landscape designer, Calvert Vaux and his partner at the time, Samuel Parsons redesigned the combined properties and that park was opened in1902. It was in 1910 the Board of Aldermen named what we now know as Carl Schurz Park for “the soldier, statesman and journalist Carl Schurz (1829-1906).” Should one be curious as to Mr. Schurz’s likeness, there is a statue of him, designed by Karl Bitter in 1913, located at 116th Street and Morningside Drive. As these things go, the park was redesigned, yet again, in 1939, by Maud Sargent when the East River Drive was being constructed along the water. With many thanks to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation for all the tidbits which they have so generously provided us, we shall now move from the factual to the actual.

Cupcake, my Smooth Fox Terrier and I usually enter the part at East 89th street. A broad set of stairs takes us up, past the back of Gracie Mansion, along a small, rolling hill surrounded by various shrubs and plantings, and back down to the Promenade which runs the entire length of the Park along the river. There are dogs, everywhere. This pleases Cupcake, no end. Carl Schurz Park is, in fact, a haven for our canine friends. There are two fenced dog runs, one for the smaller pets, one for the larger, and the powers that run the place are emphatic in their dedication to them. The park’s maintenance crews use only pure salt to melt winter’s ice as the chemical varieties can damage the pooches’ paws.

Several small, formal planted gardens dot the Promenade and separate this concrete boulevard from the main park. Regardless of the time of year or temperature, one can always find a die-hard sun worshiper sitting on one of the many benches, eyes closed and chin up, facing the warming rays.

Each season presents an entirely new palette of color on which our eyes can feast. The autumn sets the park ablaze, from fading shades of dark September green to every imaginable combination of yellow, orange and gold. On one recent cold afternoon, I was struck by how many levels of grey exist in the spectrum. Set against a clear blue winter sky, the panorama was breathtaking. The spring explodes with those extraordinary chartreuse buds who promise the flowers yet to come. And then, there’s summer. Is summer the most glorious time in Carl Schurz Park? I really cannot commit to a favorite season, but summer in this park is truly one of a kind. From early March through October, something is always abloom in the park. As the trees burst into full flower, I never cease to be amazed at the feeling I get of stepping into an Impressionist painting.

The park is maintained by a professional staff, but volunteers, friends really, can be seen year round, raking beds, pulling weeds, planting bulbs, many with their dogs lying in the sun as they toil.

Barring terrifically cold weather, which we abhor, Cupcake and I can be found, most afternoons, strolling through Carl Schurz Park. Should you find yourself uptown or, in from out of town, I urge you to come and join us for a walk in the park.

Once again, I thank the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and offer their website, www.nycparks.org for information on this and all of New York City’s parks. Many thanks, as well, to NYC & Co., New York City’s official tourism website, www.nycvisit.com.

Share this post: | | | |

Will, Bill, and Me

IndyDJ — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:50:47 GMT

by David L. Johns

I have a friend called Bill and I drive to his town to visit him as often as I can. He’s at least twenty years older than I am. Although we never talk about our age difference, it might be among the first things you notice when you see us together in a restaurant.

Bill retired last summer after teaching literature in the university for over forty years. I’ve been teaching for about fifteen years, which means I’m only a third of the professor Bill is.

He’s living an active retirement, playing double Bridge, taking piano lessons, and visiting his family who live on both coasts. He traveled to Austria last year on a Mozart tour. I’m envious. But I had to work, so I couldn’t go with him.

Bill regularly attends theatre productions in Stratford, Ontario, in Chicago, and at the Globe in England. He’s still writing theatre reviews and offering arts commentary on a NPR affiliate.

So, no matter what people think when they see us chatting over lunch, I’m glad to be with him.

We talk about many things, but always the subject turns to Shakespeare. And, since we talk about Shakespeare, of course, we talk about everything worth talking about—life, love, sorrow, betrayal, desire, ambition. Last summer we attended a performance of Much Ado About Nothing. I sat next to Bill, which meant I had the best seat in the house.

“I just saw the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre’s production of King Lear,” I told him. “The staging was striking and brilliant, in a minimalist way,” I said, trying hard to sound like one of his reviews. He smiled at my effort. “I cried when Lear realized it was his daughter Cordelia who loved him truly.”

Bill has seen more stage productions of this one play than Liz Taylor has had husbands, so he can draw comparisons I can’t.

“It left me a little cold,” he said. “But, every Lear has to live up to my first.” This was my first Lear.

Bill taught Shakespeare for years, he’s acted in the Bard’s plays, he’s even contributed to the prestigious, Shakespeare Quarterly and the Riverside Shakespeare. He knows his stuff. But this isn’t shop-talk; this is Shakespeare in the skin and deep in the belly—not “will-this-be-on-the-exam?” It’s wisdom from someone nearly four hundred years dead passed along to two real men eating quiche in a restaurant, one a senior, the other middle aged.

That’s the way it is with great literature—it fires the imagination. It makes friends out of strangers by showing that there is more uniting humanity over the ages than some care to admit.

Which brings me back to Bill and me eating lunch talking about our friend Will.

Have fun, be safe, and send me a postcard.

David

A blog about Being Somewhere

I'm on My Space...and I'm here too: being_somewhere@yahoo.com

Share this post: | | | |

My Dinner at Rao’s

smauralith — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:14:00 GMT

Well, dear reader, it actually happened. I ate dinner at Rao’s, the Rao’s, the almost mythical Italian restaurant in Manhattan on 114th Street and Pleasant Avenue. I had first heard of Rao’s in the late seventies or maybe it was the early eighties. Anyway, it was a time when Wall Street was hemorrhaging money and everybody was claiming to be somebody. Rao’s was, due to an exemplary review by Mimi Sheraton in the New York Times, the hottest ticket in town. Reservations were impossible, particularly for mere mortals like me. The restaurant has only eight or ten tables, after all, and one has to be particularly connected to obtain one. The rumors were flying. People “owned” tables which, with the owner’s “approval,” could be “lent” for an evening, etc., etc. I’ve been a food and restaurant lover forever. I’ve dined in a number of extraordinary places over the years, in New York and elsewhere and there are many yet to be tried. But, I knew Rao’s was off my radar. I’ve never been one to set myself up for disappointment so I simply accepted this fate. The moment Rao’s Cookbook was published, I bought one. At least I had that, and it’s a terrific book. The recipe for Frankie’s Artichokes is sublime!

My fork and I marched on. I will say my restaurant karma has always served me well. I’ve managed to snag tables at great spots without reservations. It just takes patience. I’ve never had a problem parking myself on a bar stool, ordering a cocktail, and waiting to see if a table becomes available. It’s all part of the New York restaurant experience. But I digress. This time, the restaurant gods were truly smiling on me. It wasn’t my reservation, mind you. Dear friends, dearer still having included me in this auspicious expedition, phoned and invited me to join them. I was dumbfounded. I was going to go to Rao’s, after all.

The big was night finally upon us. We jumped into a cab and wended our way up town. The cab stopped on the corner, in front of the legendary entrance. My mind kept screaming, “You’re going to Rao’s!” We walked through the red double doors. It was like entering a sacred shrine. I stopped short of pinching myself. I looked around, as casually as I possibly could. Everything was there, all real, exactly like the pictures! I glanced up at the pressed tin ceiling. The walls really were covered with photographs of everybody who actually was somebody. There were the Christmas decorations, the tiny bar, and the wooden booths. But, the most amazing thing of all, there was the smell. It was ethereal. I had arrived. I was having dinner at Rao’s.

My mouth was already watering as we were shown to a cozy booth. We had a 7:30 reservation, but the place was already packed. They must all be regulars, I imagined, as people really do “own” their tables at Rao’s. Waiters slipped effortlessly between the closely spaced diners carrying huge trays loaded with the exquisite food. The aromas were overwhelming. It was all so amazing, and we hadn’t even ordered a drink yet! I could feel the magic as one of the greatest dining experiences of my life was about to begin.

We ordered cocktails and tried as inconspicuously as possible to look around. Everybody looked familiar. A silver haired gentleman in an elegant suit came over to our table and introduced himself. It was Frank, the Frank Pellegrino, one of the owners of Rao’s. He was genuinely warm and welcoming. Our drinks arrived and we toasted our particular good fortune and our hopeful return. Another beautifully dressed gentleman came to our table, pulled up a chair and sat down. He was none other than Ron Straci, the other owner of the establishment. There are no menus at Rao’s. Ron sits with you, tells you what’s cooking and waits patiently, pad in hand, while you decide what you wish to eat. Everything, he explained, is served family style. Everybody gets to taste everything.

Dining at Rao’s is as close to a marathon this happy chow hound will ever come. Let me tell you, this is my kind of marathon! One simply sits, fork in hand, as waiters ply you with food. First they bring the antipasti. There were four of us but, as I recall, we ordered only three because we were afraid we’d get too full. Naturally, we did get too full, but that certainly didn’t stop us. After the antipasti came the pastas. And so it went. It was crazy, a literal foodathon. From there, we moved to the main courses and side dishes. We didn’t eat dinner that night, we dined! We dined on some of the best seafood salad I’ve ever eaten. We dined on penne alla puttanesca, we dined on stuffed veal chops. There were so many fabulous dishes. Even gauging myself, trying to take it slowly, only having a forkful of this, a taste of that, it was a Herculean feat. I was so intoxicated by food, when it came time for dessert, I could barely nod yes to espresso and no cheese cake.

It was eleven o’clock when we came down from Olympus and reentered the world of the mortals. As we stepped out onto 114th street, I was overcome with emotion. Rao’s was now officially on my radar. This is an enormous responsibility, I thought, as we strolled down the street. As full as I was, I knew I was going to have to go back. We hadn’t ordered Frankie’s Artichokes!

Share this post: | | | |

Ode to the Subway?

smauralith — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:42:41 GMT

There I go. I compose a lovely little riff for the world's greatest underground railway system and what do I get?

I jumped on the train on Saturday to go downtown to my favorite butcher. I'll tell you about that another

time. Anyway, things were going rather well, I changed trains in midtown, and was in the Village in no

time. I did my shopping, and hopped back on the train, assuming I'd be home in a jiffy. Guess what?

When I changed in midtown, things went sour. I sat for over 35 minutes, waiting patiently as the

platform became more and more crowded. Finally, a train came lumbering into the station. Needless

to say, it was jammed. I squeezed on anyway, at this point, only wanting to get above ground and get some

air. If you'll recall, Saturday was particularly hot and humid. So, there we were, smashed together like the

proverbial sardines, when, as the doors were closing, the gravely, incomprehensible voice of the conductor advises

us not to crowd as there is a train right behind this one. Oh well. What can I say. I still love the subway!

Share this post: | | | |

A Simple Travel Plan

IndyDJ — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:59:00 GMT

A rule of thumb in home remodeling is that a project will take twice as long and cost double than was planned. This can be true with travel too, if you hit the road without a basic plan.

Let’s avoid the word “budget” because it’s too much like the word “diet.” Often just uttering the word spells defeat. Besides, planning for travel is much more than a question of money. Finances are important, of course, but there are other things to consider too.

So, how can we build a travel “plan?”

1. How much time do I have?

There are many good first questions to ask, but I think this is one of the best. It’s possible to avoid a lot of disappointment by not over-doing it and being honest with yourself. If you have only a weekend then obviously backpacking through the Alps is out. There are plenty of interesting, relaxing, and fun things to do close to home. Be sure to consider some of them if time (or money!) is short.

Before a trip I often make a list of all the things I would like to do or see when I arrive. Next, I prioritize them: which ones are most interesting, which ones are “must sees” and “must do’s.” If my list is still too long I’ll mark off one or two items toward the bottom. It’s not easy, I realize, so I cheat a little: I make a list of those items and keep them somewhere handy (just in case), but I don’t put them on my itinerary.

2. Are special preparations necessary for this destination?

Traveling is different depending upon the destination. Sunscreen or parka; a novel or a phrasebook? As important, of course: will I need a passport? In the past, passports were not necessary for travel to Mexico; now they are. The US Department of State website outlines current regulations for passports and for travel in general. If you don’t have a passport and need one this website is the place to begin.

How about immunizations? The Centers for Disease Control provides comprehensive lists of health related requirements and recommendations for travel anywhere imaginable. More than an account of diseases, this site provides valuable tips on staying safety and healthy and what to do should you get injured or sick while out of the country.

It’s an unfortunate reality, but there are some places more dangerous or challenging than others, and this changes without much warning. The US Department of State publishes travel advisories and restrictions on their website. When traveling internationally it’s wise to consider the political climate as well as the weather.

3. Allow time to relax.

Relaxing is not only for the beach! Frequently travelers underestimate how tiring the process of travel can be. A day of flying (waiting in airport lines, changing gates, etc.) can be as tiring as two full days of driving. Depending upon how far you travel it may be a good idea to allow some time to simply relax and get acclimated before visiting sites. A couple hours relaxing in your hotel room is not wasted time. It can be as important as packing enough socks. Also, don’t forget to allow for some “re-entry time” when you return home.

4. How much money will I need?

The truthful answer to this question is: “it depends.” Sorry, but it’s true. It depends on many things, for instance, where you are going. Ordinarily, a week of hiking will cost less than a cruise, and a week in San Francisco is going to cost more than the same week in Indianapolis (unless it’s during the Indy 500). It also depends on your style of living and relaxing. It’s quite possible to spend time in Mexico City “on the cheap” staying in hostels or modestly priced hotels. But the city also has many top-flight hotels whose costs revival luxury hotels in US cities.

Susan Breslow Sardone has provided a useful vacation budget worksheet (the word “budget” is hers, not mine!). Her worksheet provides a helpful summary of the many categories to consider when planning the money portion of a trip. Remember, thanks to ATM’s, it’s possible to have access to funds without carrying a wad of cash.

My rule of thumb about money is: “be realistic, not optimistic” and bring along a few extra bucks just in case.

5. Be ready, but be flexible.

Be ready for a few surprises, but be flexible. Many of travel’s best moments are the surprises we didn’t anticipate. In other words, be ready to throw out the plan when serendipitous moments arise. Unless your trip is a business trip with numerous appointments, there is little reason to keep the same kind of schedule you have at the office.

Traveling in Thailand many years ago I allowed myself a little time each week time for “getting lost,” my way of staying open to interesting opportunities. In the grand scheme of things, taking time to explore an interesting side street or showing up late for an event, is not going to throw the planet out-of orbit.

Regardless of the reason for your travel—business, pleasure, or a hybrid of both—a simple and flexible plan can help keep you solvent and sane.

Have fun, be safe, and send me a postcard.

Please visit my blog: Being Somewhere
I'm on My Space...and I'm here too: being_somewhere@yahoo.com

Share this post: | | | |

A Camera for My Trip

IndyDJ — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:36:00 GMT

By David L. Johns

I’m shopping for a camera to take on my trip to Honduras. Somewhere along the way, while planning this international jaunt, I convinced myself that I need a digital camera. It’s much smaller and will travel better than our 35 mm camera. It will take clearer images than the camera I have now. Besides, I can email vacation photos to anyone who sends me Viagra advertisements.

I don’t need a digital camera; I realize this. I just think I do. But, I’ll probably buy one anyway.

I have mixed feeling about toting a camera of any kind on this trip. I’m not afraid that it will be stolen. I’m not even afraid that, like I’ve done with a dozen umbrellas and hats, I’ll leave it on a plane.

I’m worried about what I’ll miss while “capturing memories.” It’s hard enough to experience all that is happening around me. It’s more difficult when I try to experience the world through a one-inch square, or even the enormous three-inch viewfinder of the camera I’m probably going to buy.

I do enjoy having something to look at after a trip and I even have moments of nostalgia when I’ll thumb through a couple dozen photographs. However, what usually happens is this: I look through the pictures immediately after they’re developed. I do this in the store parking lot. I pull out one or two to send to family, and throw away a couple blurry shots of my shoes. I stuff the rest into a musty antique trunk that is nearly overflowing with photos from two lifetimes.

Several years ago at the Cleveland Zoo, I watched someone take a picture of a family. Mom and dad were haranguing the children trying to rein them in for a pose. The kids were tired and wanted to ride the camel. The bellowing from this family was embarrassing to those at the zoo who were supposed to be the wild animals. However, on the count of three, there were six beautiful orthodontured smiles. After the camera clicked, the group dissolved back into chaos.

What do they remember when they look at that photo? Do they remember the public bedlam? Or, do they only recall the 1/500 of a second when all was serene?

What do we believe about images of our own past—our memory of it, or the photograph? How soon does the photograph replace our memory so that all that remains of our vacation, or our senior prom, or of our aunt Mabel is a 5x7 with a smudgy fingerprint in the corner? But how much would I have forgotten without a few snapshots through the years?

I’ve made up my mind to buy the camera and I’ll take plenty of pictures. But I’ll try to keep my eyes open and not squeeze the world into a three-inch box. It’s not what I stuff in the trunk when I get back that will be important, but what settles into my heart.

Have fun, be safe, and send me a postcard.

David

A blog about Being Somewhere

I'm on My Space...and I'm here too: being_somewhere@yahoo.com

Share this post: | | | |

What Television Can Teach

Karen Amato Schwartz — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:22:00 GMT

As a baby boomer, I grew up with exactly 4 television stations-what is now equated to prehistoric times!

Little did writers realize what an impact they would make on our developing young minds, and I think we walked away with a whole lot better than discovering the egos of model wanna-bes and reality show back-stabbers. To this day, my awareness is broadened in areas I would never have visited on my own. Here are my favorite shows in terms of what they’ve imparted:

The Marines = ”Gomer Pyle, USMC” I never forget the chain of command as a result of this show, and the terms drill sergeant, maneuvers, sentry duty and weekend pass invoke very specific images! None of the other military shows even came close, except for M.A.S.H.

Alaska = “Northern Exposure” This may be the first and only show to present Native Alaskan culture and it did so wonderfully. (Now I know about the Shaman.)

Sr. Citizens = “The Golden Girls” The series held no interest for me when young, but now, I can disregard the unrealistic glamour and romantic lives of the leading ladies to see inherent wisdom. Older adults’ goals, hopes, and bonds are even more impassioned than those of youth, and getting past the double-entendres provides refreshing insight of the place where we will (hopefully) be someday.

Assorted Quirks = “Seinfeld” and “I Love Lucy” In my opinion, the best and funniest shows ever! From watching Lucy reruns as a young child, I learned that grapes were stomped and candy was wrapped by live people, and my first impressions of Hollywood and Europe were through Lucy’s slightly skewed views. Seinfeld did a great job to assure us that we are pretty much all on the same page concerning the minor, but very annoying, issues in our lives-like double dipping and being Master of our Domains!

I wish I could be so carefree about what my daughter is seeing on cable and the internet. It seems that today’s entertainment is a far cry from the past in opening up other worlds (well, except for “House”), so thank goodness the old stuff is still around!

by Karen Schwartz

Share this post: | | | |

Mad About the Ave

smauralith — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:04:00 GMT

Writing is such a divorcement from life. Such was the sentiment of Jay Presson Allen, according to her obituary in the “The New York Times” last May. The writer lives a solitary life. Even our miraculous computers offer only a limited connection to others of our species. What are the options for the writer whose hard wiring is that of a true pack animal, utterly social and continually desirous of companionship? For this writer, the answer is Madison Avenue.

Regardless of the season or temperature, or even time of day, the sidewalks of Madison are always mobbed. Sales people and moguls, messengers, royals and even mere mortals like me can all be found hurrying in one direction or meandering in another. Whether one’s goal is window shopping or power spending, business, recreation, or in my case, an inspiration or social intercourse, Madison Avenue offers everything for everyone. Listening to the languages of the crowds is like having a direct link to the General Assembly. Perhaps it’s the time in which we live, but the dress codes of other eras no longer apply, and that’s not altogether a bad idea. Who would have imagined, years ago, walking into “Bemelmens Bar” at the Carlyle Hotel, in blue jeans? For those of us who live in such attire, it is really a blessing!

It would be impossible for one to go hungry or thirsty on Madison Avenue. The street abounds with tea salons, watering holes of every sort, and restaurants for every taste bud in every mouth. The baskets of breads served at “Pain Quotidien” and “St. Ambroeus” are ethereal. Dr. Atkins would not have approved, but for me, those citadels of carbohydrates, offering imported butter, pots of hand made jams and bowls of cappuccino are as high on my list as a tin of beluga and a mother of pearl spoon. When eggs over with a side of bacon and hash browns are more suitable to your diet, innumerable coffee shops line the Avenue. There is a decidedly international feel to all the cafés, whose tables spill out onto the street when the weather permits. French bistros serve sushi. Italian ristorante offer exquisite steaks and they all supply, for our continual enjoyment, every conceivable type of libation ever fancied by the human throat.

There are those who claim there is no such thing as “writer’s block.” Everything is copy, they say. I find myself, over the years, agreeing. Then again, I live only a few blocks from Madison. When I’m stuck, or befuddled or bored or sick of sitting at my computer, I walk over.

My love affair with this glorious boulevard began when I was a very little girl of four, perhaps five. My mother and I had just exited B. Altman on the Madison Avenue side. My mother threw her arm in the air, and there, stopping directly in front of us was a taxi. And, not just any taxi, mind you. This cab was a Checker! I was truly amazed as my mother unfolded the little seat in front of her, I took my place, and we wended our way uptown. Surely, I had arrived.

Way back when, I never could have imagined the variety of things available for purchase along Madison Avenue. In those days, B. Altman that old dowager was as incredible an emporium as anything I could imagine. Today, it appears there is nothing that is not for sale on that crazy street, legal and perhaps otherwise. Naturally, clothing shops abound, along with stores which sell every form of accessory, luggage, enough diamonds to refill Solomon’s mines, furs, even a place where you can buy espresso machines and the “pods” with which one makes the coffee.

Some time ago, in, dare I say, the late seventies, with all the talent and attitude a twenty-something could muster, along with a huge plaster cast on my leg, I landed a job at a small boutique advertising agency. I was a receptionist, soon to be copywriter at a real, live, advertising agency on Madison Avenue! I’ve been taking inspiration from that fine, old, north bound thoroughfare ever since.

One evening last fall, after working late, I phoned a friend and asked her to meet me for dinner. We met at “Island” on upper Mad in the nineties. Considering the hour, the staid neighborhood and the fact that it was the middle of the week, I assumed we’d have no problem procuring a table, even there. It was a lovely, warm autumn evening and, as we approached, we noticed the tables on the side walk were all filled. I walked in the restaurant and asked for a table for two. At this point, it was nine forty-five, perhaps a bit later. I was told there would be at least a thirty minute wait to be seated. Fortunately, there were several more places within just a few blocks. If my memory serves me, we were seated somewhere by ten thirty. This is my Madison Avenue, regardless of the season or temperature or even time of day.

Share this post: | | | |

Mortgage Notes

BruceBrown — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:56:00 GMT

The U.S. economy is measured in many ways, with factual data assigned different meanings based on the best analysis, tools, and often the bias of the observers. What is clear from recent reporting in the national media, at least from our viewpoint, is that the economy isn’t going into a steep decline nor is it soaring quickly to record heights. We’re somewhere in the middle, holding fairly steady. Gross domestic product data from earlier this year points downward, but employment, consumer spending, durable goods orders, and non-residential investment numbers are all higher, pointing to a rebound. So here’s a fact: mortgage rates for 30-year loans averaged 6.42% last week, according to nationwide mortgage source Freddie Mac. Loan rates remain attractive for both residential and investment loans. While are not at the historical lows reached at times during the past four years, mortgage rates are still low enough not to be a barrier for most people.

Share this post: | | | |

Ode to the Subway

smauralith — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:48:00 GMT

I have occasion to travel by subway several times a week. In that I work at home, I am not subjected to a daily commute, so perhaps my somewhat limited exposure does not give me license to wax poetic about this particular mode of transportation. But, I must. I love the subway. Surely, you’re thinking I’ve taken leave of my senses. After all, why would anyone love the subway? It is because of my senses I love the subway so.

This love affair began with my sense of wonder. I originally started traveling by subway, on my own when I was a mere girl. That notion seems utterly improbable now, in these “post September eleventh” times. Things were different in the pre-apocalyptic world, or so my parents thought. Anyway, I was twelve or thirteen and terribly grown up, or so I thought. A subway token set you back fifteen cents in those days, but oh, how far it could take you!

I would zip over to the West Side on Saturdays to attend the Young People’s concerts, hosted by Leonard Bernstein at Lincoln Center. I would bop down to Greenwich Village with my terribly grown up girl friends to sip real coffee (espresso) in real coffee houses like Café Reggio and Café Figaro, as we patiently people watched, hoping to spy Bob Dylan or any number of musicians and poets whose words and music called to us. As time marched on, I ventured further. There were junkets to Brooklyn, with friends, to dine at those glorious Middle Eastern places on Atlantic Avenue. There were trips to China Town in Queens. Some nights, we’d return to Manhattan at 2 or 3 in the morning and get off the train at the Brooklyn Bridge station. From there we’d walk to the Fulton Fish Market to take moody black and white photos of that exquisite middle of the night commerce, then climb the stairs to Louie’s to slurp down bowls of chowder and discreetly gawk at the grisly fishermen young and old, who would, occasionally, allow us photograph them. I’ve traveled to Yankee Stadium, the Botanical Gardens, the Bronx Zoo, Prospect Park, Coney Island and the New York Aquarium, even Far Rockaway, by subway. Far Rockaway was, in fact, so far one had to place another token in the turnstile to exit the station.

The subway is one of those peculiar entities which combine far out imagination with down to earth utility. It’s so very Jules Verne, so futuristic in a solidly mid-nineteenth century fashion. Imagine the minds which conceived the idea of burrowing deep beneath the teeming metropolis, to transport its masses, unimpeded by the surface traffic of the day. It works, for the most part, so well. A cab from my apartment to Union Square can take as few as twenty minutes, and as many as forty-five. The train takes ten to fifteen minutes. Naturally, there are delays and other issues which can make underground travel less than ideal. This article is not about those.

There is nothing quite like the sound of a subway train entering or leaving a station. What a glorious noise! How can I describe it? It is a sound as forlornly hollow as it is resonant and echoes wistfully through the tunnels. The unintelligible squawk of the conductor’s voice, barely heard over the p.a. system merely adds to the cacophony. Even in the near silence of an empty station, the sound of water dripping from an overhead beam becomes eerily musical.

Of course, what would the subway be without the crowds, bumping, pushing, touching? The subway was designed, specifically, to transport those crowds. And, transport it does, those masses of humanity, as they dash into stations to catch particular trains, or pour from the platforms to the world above ground. This all adds up to a particularly well controlled form of outright chaos, entirely crazy and utterly wonderful.

I would surely be remiss as a correspondent if I did not address the smell of the subway. I speak not of those nasty odors imagined by people uninitiated, but of the actual smell of the institution. The subway has its own, unique smell. Is it something mechanical, like the odor of oil and heat and machines, or earthy, like the odor of damp earth? I would have to say, it’s probably a little of all those things. An olfactory experience like no other, it must be witnessed to be perceived.

The subway is no longer fifteen cents. In fact, it’s no longer fifty cents. The subway is two bucks a pop these days. The tokens are gone, but a ten dollar metro card gets you six rides. It’s still one of the bigger bargains in town. One can travel for miles on the subway, and through time, itself. Cole Porter, in his song, “Manhattan” said it best. “We’ll take Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, too….” All the boroughs are accessible via subway. Okay, one must board the Staten Island Ferry to get to Staten Island, but the ferry is considered part of the system. The subway can get you to Queens and Brooklyn, as well. It’s a massive transportation system, and, I believe, the only one on the planet which runs twenty-four hours a day. That’s correct, kids, twenty-four hours a day. The Fulton Fish Market has moved to Hunt’s Point and Louie’s is long gone, but the subway lives on.

The past several of decades have seen a massive refurbishment of the subway system in New York City. The work, while not complete, continues. I am relieved to know the truly remarkable art and architecture of the system is being protected and cherished. Rumor has it, the Second Avenue Subway, an urban legend of mythical proportion, is actually, finally going to be built. (I’ll believe that when I see it!) Having said all of this, I must take the liberty, one more time, of quoting Cole Porter, “the subway charms us, so…” The subway certainly has charmed me.

by Laura J. Gelfand

Share this post: | | | |

Who Are the Cultural Creatives? We Are!

jamesgormley — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:33:00 GMT

Sociologists, psychologists and magazines are always trying to understand people better, sometimes through examining trends or patterns. In line with this, it now seems clear that a new subculture is emerging.

Based on 100,000 responses to questionnaires and hundreds of focus groups, Paul H. Ray, Ph.D. (a macrosociologist) and Sherry Ruth Anderson, Ph.D. (a psychologist) have attached a story to this subculture that was dubbed the "The Cultural Creatives" by Dr. Ray in the early 1990s.

According to Ray and Anderson in their book, The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World (Harmony Books/Random House, 2000), Cultural Creatives can be identified by: a serious attention to "planetary perspectives," commitment to spirituality and psychological development, disaffection with the large institutions of modern life (including traditional politics) and rejection of materialism and ostentation.

Some of the lifestyle markers for Cultural Creatives are:

Desire for authenticity: they lead the rebellion against things that are "plastic," fake, imitation, poorly made, throwaway or synthetic.
Foodies: they like to talk about food (before and after), experiment with new kinds of food, cook with friends, eat out a lot, do gourmet/ethnic cooking and try natural/health foods.
Holistic everything: They "are the prototypical innovators in, and consumers of, personal growth psychotherapy, alternative health care and natural foods [...] what ties these interests together is a belief in holistic health, body, mind and spirit are to be unified."

According to these authors, Cultural Creatives do not want to live in an alienated, disconnected world. "Their guiding images refer again and again to a sense of wholeness," explain Ray and Anderson. "They say that each of us is a living system within a greater living system, a kinship connected to each other in more ways than we can fathom."

Share this post: | | | |

The Finger of Blame

Nancy Miller — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:30:00 GMT

When I was growing up I knew that pointing the finger of blame just didn’t pay off. It never failed that the accused did his or her fair share of pointing back. Mama, not knowing who the offending party truly was, reverted to the form of decision-making referred to in the military as “Kill ‘em all, let God sort ‘em out!” She reckoned that if she got both of us then the guilty party would be suitably punished, whichever one it was. It might not have been fair but it was effective.

The concept of blame has always existed. We, as humans, do not always accept responsibility for our mistakes and we definitely don’t accept responsibility for others mistakes. Since Cain asked God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” we have tried to divert attention from our wrongs. It didn’t work then and it doesn’t work now.
But we keep trying. Take a look at the paper or the television news. Every day in this country we are faced with problems that need solutions. Real solutions to real problems. But instead what do we see? A group or individual assigning blame. They are not accepting the problem as simply existing and moving on to tackle it. Instead the finger pointing starts. Blame must be assigned. Why?

Are they trying to divert attention from themselves? Or are they rallying for time to dig around and figure out what kind of a spin to put on the situation? Every pointer wants to have better press than the pointee. Anyone who has ever watched an episode of “West Wing” knows that you never admit guilt, especially if you can diffuse the situation by assigning blame. Done properly, you can even come out on the plus side.

In the meantime the problem goes unsolved. Studies are done; lawyers put hours on the clock; tempers flare; words are said—none of them pertinent to the true situation. Our attention and our energies get diverted from affirmative, positive action and become mired in a Mobius strip of blame.

In the situation of the torture of prisoners in Iraq, the International Red Cross says they told officials about the inappropriate behavior before the news broke. Okay so now we can’t say “Where was the Red Cross when all of this was going on?” The Pentagon differs responsibility to the next guy…they didn’t know it was going on. Even the female soldier who held a leash on a prisoner said she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gee, that excuse never worked with my mama.

Mama would have gone through the halls of that prison and given everyone the dickens. Nobody would have come out unscathed. And in this situation she would have been right. It wasn’t just one or two pictures, it was hundreds. And it wasn’t just one or two people, it was many. My husband is retired Navy; we both know that nothing happens on a base or station that doesn’t find a way to leak out to the other crewmen. People knew what was going on and they just didn’t tell and I will guarantee that the person who did tell was rebuked for it.

That prison and others like it need a good house cleaning but we are still hung up in the assigning blame. The soldiers messed up. It won’t be the first time in history or the last. Go in, punish the offenders, and get back to business.

This is an international example but the problem exists on all levels. Just look in our community. A problem arises, a call is made, and the mobius strip starts turning- “Well, your child did this…And your child did that…” the fight goes on but the problem just festers. Eventually one of several things will happen- tempers will blaze and both children will be punished more severely than if the problem had been dealt with rationally; others will be brought in and the problem will spread beyond the original boundaries; or it will simply be forgotten.

None of these solutions provide a clear-cut response to a stated problem and none of them are effective. We spend so much time and energy on doing our little tap dance around the issue that we lose our ability to solve it.
It would be refreshing to hear the next time blame rears it’s ugly little head, “That’s nice, now what do we do about it?” It’s like in baseball; you have to keep your eyes on the ball.

Written by Nancy Miller

Share this post: | | | |

Is That a Stone in My Soup?

smauralith — Thu, 31 May 2007 20:34:00 GMT

Perhaps you recall the story of “Stone Soup.” Its origins, I would imagine, date back to medieval Europe, where villages were bleak and their inhabitants, suspicious. So the tale goes a handsome though somewhat tattered stranger enters what appears to be an empty village. Unknown to the stranger, people are peering at him from behind shuttered windows. In the village square, he pulls a large cauldron from the pack on his horse. He fills the cauldron with water from the village well, builds a fire and places the cauldron on top of that fire. The stranger begins to speak to no one in particular as the square is empty. “Ah, stone soup, my favorite dish.” He then looks from side to side, cautiously removes a sizeable stone from his horse’s pack and carefully places the stone in the boiling cauldron. The villagers are aghast at such a sight and begin, slowly, to emerge from their dwellings. The stranger greets them. “Oh, so you’ve never had stone soup. Well, it’s a shame I have no cabbage for the broth. Cabbage seems to make stone soup that much better!” With that, one of the villagers runs to her house and reemerges with a small head of cabbage. As the stranger encourages them, the villagers produce a potato here, a carrot there, some bits of dried meat from one, an old hen from another and so on until the aroma of the exquisite “stone” soup is unbearable. The villagers set up a table in the center of the square and everyone partakes of the seemingly magical effort of this stranger. Naturally, the villagers beg the stranger to stay with them. He declines and thanks them for their kind hospitality. With that, he retrieves his precious stone from the now empty pot, returns it to the pack on his horse, and waves to the people as he rides out of town.

While there are probably as many versions of that story as there are recipes for soup, the bottom line here is collaborative effort. There’s no magic, really, in making a delicious, simple soup from even a minimally stocked larder.

I’m a writer and I live and work in New York City. My apartment is small, with even less space for storage. And while New York is a food town with almost limitless dining options depending on the girth of one’s wallet, there is probably no food which cannot be delivered, or, in a worst case scenario, retrieved from a particular purveyor. All of this is great, to a point. Even New Yorkers get sick of eating in restaurants. There are times when I crave something simple and home made, you know, something that conjures wonderful memories and satisfies not only my stomach but my soul. One problem is I never feel like pulling out pots and pans at seven or eight in the evening. That is simply too late to begin cooking a meal. But, it’s not too late to heat up something delicious, which happens to be sitting in my fridge of freezer.

Several weeks ago, it was particularly cold, and I was utterly fed up with eating out and ordering in. Armed with my memory of “Stone Soup”, I took stock, if you’ll pardon the pun, of my larder. Needless to say, it was practically bare. I had a carrot, some okay looking stalks of celery, a half head of cabbage, some fresh thyme, a rather lovely hunk of imported parmesan and some beautiful Danish butter. They say you can tell a lot about a person by what’s in their fridge. We’ll save that for another time. Anyway, what at first appeared to be a not very promising situation bloomed into one rich and tasty. As time is always an issue, I went to the small market around the corner from my apartment. Because this had to be a relatively simple endeavor, I took advantage of some of the more convenient comestibles available. I grabbed two boxes of fresh, cleaned, sliced mushrooms, a bag of fresh, cleaned baby spinach, a parsnip, two small leeks, a package of eight chicken thighs, two boxes of prepared chicken broth, a tin of diced tomatoes, a container of fresh, peeled garlic, a box of frozen Italian green beans, a bag of frozen, chopped collard greens and a decent looking baguette. In as much as there are no really great markets in my neighborhood, I felt reasonably satisfied with my purchase.

Back in my kitchen, I cleaned the carrot, parsnip, and leeks. I chopped them, along with the celery and a stray onion I found in my fridge in my food processor. I poured about a half cup of some good Spanish olive oil into a large soup pot, heated it for a few minutes and dumped in my veggies. After a few minutes, I added the sliced mushrooms and about thirty trimmed cloves of garlic. I’m a garlic lover so you should trust me on this one. In the mean time, I pulled the skin and fat from the chicken thighs. After a few minutes, I added them to the pot and tossed them around in the cooking vegetables. Once I let those ingredients cook for a few minutes, I added the two boxes of chicken broth, the entire tin of tomatoes, and enough water to fill the tomato tin about half way. I allowed the mixture to come to a boil then turned the heat to low and covered it. I chopped a good tablespoon of the fresh thyme and added it to the pot. I also added some freshly ground pepper and the rind from the hunk of parmesan. I let the entire thing cook for about an hour. The aroma was sublime. I added several cloves of crushed garlic, tasted my soup for salt and added what I felt it needed. I left the lid of the pot ajar and while my soup simmered, I cleaned and sliced my cabbage, nuked the frozen collard greens and green beans and dumped them all into the pot. I also threw in the spinach leaves. I stirred everything together, simmering the whole thing without the lid for about half an hour more. While the soup was cooking, I toasted several slices of the baguette, spread them with the Danish butter, sprinkled them with the parmesan, and ran them under the broiler until the cheese was melted and they were sizzling. I didn’t even bother to make a salad as the soup was chock full of all of those wonderful, health giving veggies. All told, it probably took two or so hours to complete the task. It was, however, well worth the effort. I enjoyed two gorgeous meals of my soup and had enough left to fill two containers for my freezer.

While there is no handsome though somewhat tattered stranger (much to my chagrin) in my tale, the moral, if you will, remains the same. A collaborative effort, albeit not with suspicious villagers, but with my fridge, my local market and me, really paid off. I invite you to try my recipe. We don’t have to grow our own vegetables to make a really good soup. We don’t even have to clean and slice our own mushrooms! We all work hard doing many different things. Even here, in New York City, I find there’s nothing like a delicious, home cooked meal, especially when it’s readily available to me after a long day. Did I mention you don’t really need the stone?

Share this post: | | | |