My Photos on Display

This the last weekend that my photos will be on display at the Cafe at the Barnes & Noble Store on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, New York.  Thanks again to the management and staff.  I also want to thank all my New York friends and relatives who took the time to go and check them out.  The photos displayed in this blog can be found on my Shutterfly site by clicking on "Check out my photos" below.

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New York City

As I travelled from the Borough of Queens into New York City, the sky was a beautiful blue dotted with small clouds.  It was a picture perfect day.  Even though it was windy and cold, I decided to spend some time in the City instead of continuing on to Dutchess County. 

I walked north from Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue to 59th Street.  Then, I proceeded east to the 59th Street Bridge, now known as the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.  I had to speak with three traffic police persons to find out how to get to the walkway across the bridge.  However, eventually I did find my way.  The walkway is shared with a bicycle path so I had to be careful as I entered.  I quickly found out why as the first bicyclist passed me.  He was travelling at quite a clip.  However, I enjoyed being on the bridge.  The walkway is marked so that walkers and bicyclists are separated, but I noticed that the bike riders didn't stick to their side.

As I climbed the walkway, I could see the Roosevelt Island Tram passing by. Someday, I'll check that out since the cost of the ride is the same as the New York Subway System.  When the sun hits this bridge, it is a beautiful sight. The bridge takes on a golden hue. I've tried numerous times to get a good picture, but have yet to do so.  Perhaps I will from the tram.

After that, I walked to 59th Street and Fifth Avenue to check out a flurry of bird activity.  From a distance of a few blocks, it seemed like a possibly good photo, but when I got there they weren't flying around.  Then, down Fifth Avenue to 42nd Street.  When I arrived at Grand Central Terminal, since it was such a beautiful day, I decided to take the subway to "Ground Zero", the World Trade Center.  I haven't been there in quite a while, so this was a great opportunity.  I had worked in the building with the green domed-roof on the left until late 1999 and remember walking the plaza underneath the World Trade Center, sometimes spending my lunch hours gazing at the tall towers.   You can read my thoughts about September 11th in a previous blog.  Yesterday, the area was bustling with activity and construction seemed to be coming along nicely.  A reservation is needed to see the 9/11 Museum so I have to plan that for another time.

  I noticed a tour group with a guide explaining the artwork on the side of a building near the site,  I intend to go back and take that walk, as well as visit the Museum. 

That was the end of my roaming the City streets. Although the day was briskly cold and windy, it was a day well spent.

The Cup and Saucer Tea Room

This past weekend my granddaughters, their mothers, and I went to have tea at the Cup and Saucer Tea Room in Beacon NY.  I had given the girls gift certificates to this restaurant for Christmas.  The younger grandchild had been anxious to use hers since she had been there twice this year and enjoyed it.  The whole experience was completely new to the fourteen year old and her mother.

We made reservations for a tea party for five.  When we were seated, we consulted with each other on the teas we wanted to try.  This is always fun since the teas are not necessarily ones with which we are familiar.  The porcelain tea cups and the tea pots hidden under cozies created an atmosphere of days gone by.  It gave me an opportunity to tell the granddaughters how my mother served her tea.  One daughter decided to order Earl Grey tea because that is her favorite.  The other daughter selected Raspberry White Tea and Jasmine teas (definitely more venturesome).  The Jasmine tea smelled just like the flowers I pass on my daily walks in San Diego, CA.  I think this tea won out over the Raspberry White.

The food was served on a three-tiered tray.  The sandwiches on the bottom tier were cut in different shapes and ranged from egg salad with sprouts, a cucumber ( favored by one of the granddaughters) to a deviled ham with what looked like diced cranberries.  The next tier had different kinds of cookies.  The apricot one with powdered sugar was my choice.  The top tier held the delicious scones.  We felt quite full and satisfied with our meal.

I recommend this warm, cozy restaurant with its cordial waitress and owner.

My Photos

I'm so excited to announce that my photos are being displayed in the cafe of Barnes & Noble in Poughkeepsie NY.  

Thanks, Barnes & Noble.

If you are in that area, stop in and take a look.  They will be on display through January 31.  Enjoy!

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Driver's License for Advil?

My son-in-law purchased Advil Cold and Sinus this week. In order to do this, he had to provide his driver's license to the store clerk. What's up with this? Isn't this just one more example of over-regulation?

So I did a little research on this.  There were a few complaints by individuals that they had to not only provide a Federally recognized form of identification, but that this information was loaded into a database.

The regulation in question is 21 USC Section 830.  I'm cutting to the chase here, but the regulation is very wordy. The following sections are what seems to affect the average American citizens.

1.  "Pub. L. 111-268, Sec. 1, Oct. 12, 2010, 124 Stat. 2847, provided
    that: "This Act [amending sections 830 and 842 of this title and
    enacting provisions set out as notes under section 830 of this
    title] may be cited as the 'Combat Methamphetamine Enhancement Act
    of 2010'."

2.  ...."The seller maintains, in accordance with criteria
          issued by the Attorney General, a written or electronic list
          of such sales that identifies the products by name, the
          quantity sold, the names and addresses of purchasers, and the
          dates and times of the sales (which list is referred to in
          this subsection as the "logbook"), except that such
          requirement does not apply to any purchase by an individual
          of a single sales package if that package contains not more
          than 60 milligrams of pseudoephedrine.

Each Advil Cold and Sinus liquid-filled capsule contains 30mg of pseudoephedrine so it falls under the purview of this regulation.  Ridiculous....

Also, the Energy Independence and Security Act 0f 2007, which apparently was scheduled to go into effect on January 1. 2012, will not be enforced  "until Oct. 1, 2012, according to a rider attached to the $915 billion spending bill signed to avoid a federal government shutdown" as reported by Stacy Jones / The Star-Ledger.

Coupled with attempted regulations of what we can feed our families, I ask the the following question.

Why are we paying the salaries of 535 people who are supposed to be representing us, but instead are, in my opinion, over-regulating us?  Also, why are we paying their staff, approximately 15,000 people as of 2009,  according to the website, "Government Policy", to assist with writing the laws that are too wordy and difficult for the average citizen to read?

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Christmas Greetings

May you be blessed in a special way during this Holy Season.

 

Merry Christmas 

and

Happy New Year

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Check out my photos at:

http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/PhotosbyCathi/Scenery

 

Santa Claus at La Gran Terraza

On Sunday, I accompanied my daughter and grandchildren to brunch with Santa Claus at the La Gran Terraza at the University of San Diego.   The food ranged from shrimp cocktail and crabs legs, to breakfast items like omelets (made to order), waffles, bacon and sausage, and on to assorted enticing salads and hot entrees.  These included a carving station for ham and prime rib, grilled salmon with pesto and gourmet vegetable dishes.

I love buffets because I can have a tablespoon of whatever foods appeal to me personally.  I enjoyed a little shrimp cocktail, followed by an omelet with herbs, bacon, a sliver of ham and small piece of the salmon.  At the carving station, I requested "a small sliver" of the ham and it was graciously served to me.  Everything was delicious and the salmon with pesto was especially tasty.  My daughter enjoyed the pumpkin soup with apple and goat cheese.  As I chose mostly breakfast items, I just didn't have room for another bite except, of course, dessert.

In the center of the room was a long table with sumptuous desserts.  There was such a variety, it was hard to choose.  I tried a small piece of chocolate mousse.  Delicious.  The grandchildren enjoyed decorating their own gingerbread cookies on a table set up in the corner of the dining room.  Then, on to sitting with Santa Claus.  The big surprise was getting small gifts from Santa.  The children were delighted.  The memory of this day was captured in a photograph of Santa with the children for Mom.

We had a wonderful time, thanks to Chef Nathan and the wonderful staff.  You would do well to experience this restaurant for yourselves.

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Check out my photos at:
http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/PhotosbyCathi/Scenery