Dis place don’ stop–who dat!

MMM!  The good times roll down here in New Orleans, Louisiana 24/7/365. . .yes-indeedy-dee!  And we love to roll with them just a little bit each and every time we visit this singular town.  There is truly no other city like New Orleans…the vibe, the atmosphere, the history, the layout, the architecture, the food, the drink, and the people are all unique and most worthy of your attention.  I hope that all of you can visit here at least once in your lives and experience a little Creole/Cajun/African/French/Italian/Caribbean goodness before you move on–jaaaa!!

I send you the happiest of new year’s vibes from New Orleans–the Crescent City. . .feel them. . .they will make you shout “hot damn!”

To see more fascinating images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . . dive on in. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Happy New Year from NOLA–

BOOM!  Bloody Mary with a cherry on top at Mother’s and grilled oysters at Drago’s…the perfect way to begin our new year celebration down here in New Orleans, Louisiana–who dat!

The bloodys are delectable, the oysters are luscious, and the people all do their very best to make us feel welcomed during the holiday season.  This is the perfect time to reflect on all of the good that is around us: plentiful food, tasty drink, nourishing air, the sun and the moon, and the ever-present desire in humanity to attempt to do the right thing from moment-to-moment in our existence. . .things go up, things go down, wheels go round-and-round, and pendulums swing back-n-forth. . . same as it always was, and same as it always shall be…mmmm, aaaahh!

So, eat everything, sip good stuff along the way, and hug everyone close to you–even a few folks far away from you. . .now we are ready to move upward and onward with 2017 and beyond.

I send you delectable vibes from some of the good spots in New Orleans. . .feel them. . .they are oh-so-worthy of your attention.

To see more stupendous images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .so much to see and sooooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Bacon and sunshine–

BOOM!  We gotta gobble up some of the best bacon on planet Earth over at the Minetta Tavern in Greenwich Village and then soak up some sunshine along the Hudson River Park in the lower Manhattan section of New York City while the holidays are ringing in joy and the world is experiencing unease over the uncertainty that lies ahead. . .same as it ever was–jaaaa!!

Bacon=good. . .sunshine=good. . .uncertainty=not so bad.

The world is waiting for you to eat, see, and do something great in 2017 and beyond. . .so enjoy whatever holidays you celebrate, and then get back out there and hug this beautiful globe in every way that you can. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

I send you delicious and magical vibes from New York City. . .feel them. . .they are good for your circulation.

To see more stupendous images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .so much to see and sooooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

This…guy…can…cook!

 BAM!  Another tasty meal at Pao Walla in the Soho section of Manhattan on the corner of Sullivan and Spring Streets. . .plus, we get to chat with the mastermind behind this place: a dude called Floyd Cardoz. . .niiiice!

Floyd used to run a wonderful restaurant called Tabla. . .after many years of success he closed it to take a break and re-generate a bit.  He has returned with a bang at Pao Walla.  Floyd is from Mumbai, India, and this place is all about Indian cuisine with a focus on breads.  India has great bread, and you can sample lots of these here along with delicious chutneys, spreads, dips, and garnishes. . .plus lots of extremely tasty small plates and absolutely delectable larger plates.

Some of the things we gobble during this visit are dogfish cooked in a banana leaf Kerala-style, an egg and cheese thing on bread–TOTALLY MAGICAL, grilled cauliflower, crab casserole, black pepper shrimp, etc. and so on. . .everything is washed down with a nice dry reisling from Alsace–jaaa!!

Please make an effort to eat at Pao Walla if you find yourself looking for something tasty down in the Soho section of Manhattan. . .you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!

To see more magical images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .so much to see and sooooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Holidays in the big city–

POW!  December is quite possibly the loveliest month to be in New York City.  No matter which holidays you observe there is something uplifting and breathtaking about all of the lights and sights and sounds during this time. . .people are out and about checking out store windows, humming along to xmas tunes being piped into the streets, and generally enjoying the passage of time. . .not so bad to be a human moving around on this spot on planet Earth at this moment–mmm, aaaahh!  If only everyday could be this lovely and festive for all peoples in all places at all times…if only.

Famous things to see here in New York right now include the giant snowflake at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, the xmas tree in Rockefeller Center, and the display windows and lights on the facade of Saks Fifth Avenue. . .soak it all up if you ever get the chance–you will love it, I gar-ron-taaaayy!!

We send you scintillatingly festive vibes from the streets of Midtown Manhattan here in New York City. . .feel them. . .they are good for your posture.

To see more amazing images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

 

Sushi time…NYC–

BOOM! When we have a hankerin’ for wonderful sushi here in New York City we head on over to Sushi Seki on First Avenue and 62nd Street in the Upper East Side section of Manhattan. . .mmmm, aaahh–Seki ALWAYS satisfies!!

The main room is small…the sushi bar is somewhat cramped…the decor is a tad run down…but the staff are spot-on, and the fish is served with care and totally delicious.  This is the original Seki location and the one we recommend that you hit if you ever want to sample Sushi Seki…he has two other locations now, but they are a little too slick and impersonal for us. . .this place has soul and history and charm, and it feels somewhat like we are really in Japan.  Sip on a bottle of dry cold sake while gobbling these tasty pieces of fish, and you will be good-to-go for the rest of the evening–hai!

I send you delectable vibes from the original location of Sushi Seki…feel them. . .they will make your belly sing.

To see more stupendous images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

 

Midwest stroll–

BAM!  The snow is comin’ down here in Wiskonsen…the polar vortex is arriving in a few days…time for us to get the heck outta heeyaa–jaaa!

But before we leave, it is important to feel the serenity and joy that result from simply bein’ alive. . .here we are breathin’ clean air, there is no one bumpin’ into us–in fact, there doesn’t appear to be anyone anywhere doin’ anything of note–this weather drives one inside and inward to plumb the depths of our life energy. . .we are all so lucky to be alive right here, right NOW. . .lots more excitement and goodness to come. . .ain’t no weather anywhere that can tamp down this knowledge.

We stroll these streets in Mineral Point–the place “Where Wisconsin Began”–and we feel the vibes of all the Cornish folks who built this town, who mined the lead from the surrounding hills, and whose legacy of hard work and good livin’ carries on today. . .thank you, Cornish folks–we love you–mmm, aaaahh!

So snow away. . .snow as long as you want to oh father winter and mother nature…we ain’t goin’ nowhere just yet. . .in fact, we are just gettin’ started with fully appreciating our home away from home here in the great midwest of the U.S. of A.

To see more wonderful images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Ugh!

OK, here we go…winter is arriving in the great midwest of the U.S. of A., and we are counting the days until March arrives–83 to be exact.

Yes, the snow is pure-looking, invigorating, and somewhat magical. . .yes, the vistas around our house are quaint and charming. . .but we count the days along with many of our neighbors as we await the arrival of spring and the new planting season. . .snow is fun, but heat and warmth and green fields are more fun–jaaaa!!

The snow does send us into reveries regarding existence. . .it is cozy inside with endless cups of coffee and lots of good books to read. . .and it is wonderful to slow down just a bit and appreciate all of the good around us.  There is so much good. . .and just a little less-than-good–yet we keep moving upward and onward while enjoying the passage of time.

So, enjoy whatever weather is happening wherever you are. . .this, too, shall pass.

I send you warm thoughts from the first snow of 2016 here in the rolling hills of Wisconsin. . .feel them. . .they have the power to melt excessive ice build-up.

To see more stupendous images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Lao Laan-Xang–

MMM!  There is an extremely delicious southeast Asian restaurant on Willy Street here in Madison, Wisconsin called Lao Laan-Xang, and we are ecstatic that we finally get to experience this place. . .jaaaa!!

Lao Laan-Xang claims to be a Lao restaurant–food from Laos–but as we peruse the menu we see dishes that could be classified as Thai and Cambodian as well. . .so we just call this a wonderful southeast Asian joint–no worries.

They have tasty pork laab…delicious chicken muak cooked inside a big banana leaf…and delectable curries with pork, fish, and chicken. . .all of this stuff packs heat and is full of flavor–really-really good. . .and right here in the great midwest of the U.S. of A.–mmmm, aaaahh!

The space is cozy, the staff are sweet and switched-on, and the food is top-notch. . .we strongly recommend this place to any of you who may some day find yourself wandering around in Madtown lookin’ for some powerful southeast Asian grub to jam into your gullet. . .you will love Lao Laan-Xang–I gar-ron-taaaayy!!

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It’s lovely out there.

Brunch it up a bit–

OH YEAH!  We love eggs and biscuits and gravy and hot sauce and sausages and potatoes and runny egg yolks and spicy bloody marys served up in chill and serene old bars. . .one place that has all of these things and so much more is Mickey’s Tavern on Willy Street here in Madison, Wiskonsen–mmm, aaaahh!!

Mickey’s has lots of bar space and tables where we can really spread out and settle in for a good gobblin’ and sippin’ session. . .no one is gonna rush you to do anything here. . .no one is gonna bump into you here–there are lots of solid midwest manners in play here. . .and no one is gonna accept plastic for payment here…so bring a wad of cash, and you will be good-to-go.  Turn off your cell phone and no one will know you are here. . .no electronic payment trail, no GPS trail, and no Cloud backup–just like the good ole days–jaaaa!!

I send you tasty under-the-radar vibes from Mickey’s in Madtown. . .feel them. . .they are a good reset for your spirit.

To see more amazing images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you deserve a fabulous virtual trip right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.