Tower of goodness–

BAM!  Here we are gobbling away on the 2-tier Grande Plateau at Balthazar located on Spring Street down here in the Soho section of Manhattan deep in New York Citaaaaay. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

This thing is delectable…it is full of mussels, lobster, clams, oysters, and shrimps. . .just drizzle it all with lemon juice and dive on in. . .fresh, crisp, and satisfying.

Balthazar was opened by Keith McNally twenty years ago, and it is still going as strong as ever.  Packed with tourists and locals all day long for breakfast, lunch, and dinner there is something here for everyone. . .definitely one of the most scintillating and uplifting dining spots in town. . .thank you, Keith, we love you veddy much–mmmwaaaaahh!!

We strongly recommend that you consider doing a meal of some sort here at Balthazar if you ever find yourself hangin’ in New York. . .you will love it, I gar-ron-taaaayy!

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It’s lovely out there.

Dinner, show, good–

Ok, so yer hangin’ in the big citaaay of New York…whatcha gonna do?

How about gobbling some tasty Japanese delectables at Aburiya Kinnosuke located on 45th Street?  Extremely good stuff here: the Japanese egg omelette thing, the grilled pork, the tempura sea urchin, the salmon collar, the fried chicken, any veggies, and the aromatic steamed rice. . .all washed down with soothing dry sake. . .mmm, aaaahh–HAI!

Then you can head on over to the Cort Theater on 45th Street where Clive Owen is starring in the revival of M. Butterfly. . .pretty good production…directed by Julie Taymor…well-performed for the most part–though not as magical as I remember the original production being way back in the late 1980s. . .ah well, still, yer in New York, so go see a show…M. Butterfly is as a good a choice as you can get right here, right NOW.

I send you midtown-dining/Broadway vibes from NYC. . .feel them. . .they will help you keep on keepin’ on.

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 do and sooooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

 

Oh, the things you’ll see…

…oot ‘n’ aboot in NYC.

When travelling to New York City the most dramatic views can be seen by flying into La Guardia Airport.  Sometimes the plane flies directly over Manhattan while making its approach to the runway. . .sometimes the sun is shining brightly. . .and all of the time this makes our hearts beat just a bit faster as the city snaps and crackles and pops below us. . .mmm, aaaahh!

Then when on the ground the sights and flavors remain as alluring and delectable as ever. . .sidecars, circus bikes, art by Ai Wei Wei scattered here and there, delicious glasses of Sancerre, bees and things and flowers, etc.. . .it’s all available to be enjoyed and savored.

The next time you find yourself hangin’ in the big citaaaay–aka, New York–be sure to get away from midtown and make your way to some new ‘hood that is calling your name. . .Soho, perhaps…Greenwich Village, even. . .we’ll all leave a light on for ya. . .jaaaa!!

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It’s lovely out there.

Camp Randall Stadium–

KAZOWY!  Here we are takin’ in a game at Camp Randall Stadium on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. . .go Badgers?…really??. . .how the heck did we get here???  Who knows…who cares. . .you just gotta keep rollin’ with it, baby–jaaaa!!

Camp Randall Stadium is built on the site of old Camp Randall from the U.S. Civil War…apparently this was a major outpost for training troops, caring for wounded, staging supplies, etc.  After the war ended, the university was founded and various stadiums were built on this site for games of all sorts. . .and now this is solely the home field for the Badger football team–nice lookin’ place…we are honored to be here.

Wisconsin football is quite good at the moment. . .the team is ranked number 5 in the country as I write this. . .not too shabby. . .plus, the campus is wonderfully situated on the shore of Lake Mendota and on the isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona–mmm, aaaahh!!

If you ever find yerself wanderin’ around in dese parts, then you gotta do your best to check out the U-W campus and pop on into a game if you hear the crowd roaring. . .you will love it all jus’ like we do–I gar-ron-taaayy!

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, do it, do it. . .the entire globe can be explored right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

On the waterfront–

POW!  The morning walk along the Hudson River in Battery Park City is uplifting and exhilarating every day…it’s nice when the sky is clear and the sun is beaming, but this is not required–we will walk in rain, snow, sleet, wind, fog, and/or locusts…the weather is not ultra-important.  What is most important is simply being here now in this moment and enjoying whatever is going on around us. . .

. . .actually a nice way to approach all things that we encounter: assess the approaching weather system and don the appropriate gear–coats, jackets, shorts, leggings, gloves, hats, etc….AND the appropriate frame-of-mind–openness, warmth, empathy, perseverance, fortitude, curiosity, etc.

Please do a walk or three along the Hudson the next time you find yourself hangin’ in New York City…it will set you right in every way possible. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

To see more magical 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 see most of the globe right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Dinner and a show–

BAM!  Here we are hangin’ in Spring Green, Wisconsin: hometown of Frank Lloyd Wright and home of the American Players Theater, one of the sweetest outdoor theaters in the midwest of the U.S. of A.

Frank was actually born in a town called Richland Center about 20 miles from here, but the Lloyds and the Wrights owned lots of land in the Spring Green area on the banks of the Wisconsin River, and this is where Frankie-boy spent most of his childhood and subsequently lots of his adulthood.

As this area became a big tourist and architectural pilgrimage destination in the mid-20th century, some forward-thinking folks decided to build an outdoor theater here that is now called the American Players Theater.  APT presents a full line-up of plays every spring, summer, and fall that run in repertory.  They do lots of Shakespeare, Shaw, and French and English farces, as well as some contemporary dramas and comedies with a permanent company of players.  The setting is lovely in the woods near Taliesin–Frank Lloyd Wright’s nearby home–lots of picnic areas for patrons, lots of bug spray to make sitting outside bearable, and lots of facilities for a top-notch theater experience during the day or at night.

One of the main restaurants to visit in Spring Green pre-theater or any time is The Shed…a relaxed, simple, middle-of-the-road place where you can gobble a burger or fried fish or pasta, sip on delicious home-brewed iced tea, and soak up the vibes of America’s Dairyland and descendants of the Lloyds and the Wrights all while waiting to see an APT performance.

Please consider checkin’ out the American Players Theater and The Shed the next time you find yourself toolin’ through Spring Green, Wisconsin. . .you will love it all–I gar-ron-taaayy!!

To see more magical 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.

Bike and sky–

The sun continues to rise and shine…the clouds continue to form and flow…the breezes continue to blow and cleanse…and the motorcycle gods at Harley-Davidson continue create and exhilarate. . .mmm, aaaahh!

Riding along the open roads of southwestern Wiskonsen is magical…this is prime Harley country. . .no traffic, tons of golden fields, and miles-upon-miles of rolling hills and winding roads that make a Softail Slim open up and go, “yeah, baby!”

Why?…what?…where?…who?…how? all dissipate into “whatever.”  All is the same as it ever was…only faster and more easily accessed now.  The light always exists with the dark, and where it all ends, nobody knows–ambiguous, mysterious, magical, and reasonably unreasonable…we jus’ gotta accept it and flooooowwwww!!

So, keep ridin’ your ride. . .enjoy this moment and this one and this one, etc.  We are all lucky to be here now.  And if you ever find yerself toolin’ around in Wisconsin be sure to grab a bike of any kind, bop from town to town, sip an occassional warm beverage or three, and ROLL WITH IT ALL, BABY!

I send you uplifting and stimulating vibes from the heart of America’s Dairyland. . .feel them. . .they can help you do good today.

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 nice virtual trip today.

It’s lovely out there.

The cycle continues…

The sun comes up, the sun goes down, and we gobble din-din. . .same as it ever was.

The sunrises and sunsets are particularly wonderful here in western Wiskonsen…with rolling hills, wild grasses, vast farmland, and hearty people who know how to raise and cook beef correctly. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

The chef above works in the main restaurant of The Charmant Hotel in La Crosse right on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. . .stop in some time if you ever find yerself wanderin’ around in the midwest of the U.S. of A….he will be happy to cook up whatever you are cravin’, and he will cook it real good-like, I gar-ron-taaayy–jaaaaa!!

I send you satisfying vibes from The Charmant Hotel in La Crosse, Wisconsin…feel them…they will hold you through the night.

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. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.