sarah in nyc

Back in college when I was studying art history I remember feeling frustrated with the artist Edward Hopper. He kept painting that same view of Third Avenue over and over again. I remember thinking "Don't you go anywhere?? What's the point of just looking at the same thing over and over again?" I am older, and wiser, and have been on lock-down for too long to think about. I find that the views out my window are worth looking at over and over. Shabbat Shalom!

Late last week, Mayor de Blasio announced that some streets would be closed to traffic to allow pedestrians to walk and more easily maintain social distance. The last time I had been outside for more than a moment was April 6. A couple of Sundays ago I tried to take a walk but so many people were unmasked that I only made it three blocks before turning around and heading back home. Sunday I decided to venture out. It was a delightfully sunny day but after so many weeks inside, the world felt completely over-saturated in color.   The elementary school my kids graduated from welcomed me to my walk. I had space to walk and enjoy being outside without worrying about getting dangerously close to others. I loved feeling the sun on my skin. Friends had set up socially distant get-togethers. I loved seeing the kids drawing with chalk in the middle of the avenue. I loved how the shadows cast by the tree branches echos the leading in the pale blue window-lights. Someone had set up a bubble m...

Yesterday I got a call from my doorman. There was a bundle of fabric that had been left for me. I picked up the package that came with this note. I was delighted with the stash of ponte knit.  Ponte is the kind of knit that is used to make sturdy and comfortable garments that look dressed up but are hugely comfortable to wear. Ponte is a heavy weight knit that is kind to lumps and bumps. Ponte is kind of like stealth sweatshirt fabric that allows you to look serious and well dressed while wearing something as comfy as pajamas. I am delighted with this surprise haul of truly useful fabric. I do have a problem though. Nancy and I have had several delightful conversations during kiddush about sewing (among other topics). She took a sewing class at FIT and is a careful seamstress. Nancy's clothes are like her, quiet and elegant. Although Nancy and I have had many conversations, I don't know her last name so I can properly thank her.  I emailed one of my synagogue friends who knows...

Tonight is kind of a momentous Shabbat.  Our older son moves out on Sunday. He had signed a lease on an apartment uptown from us on April 1, but Corona Virus, and Passover had put a crimp in his plans to not just pay rent, but actually to live in his apartment with a roommate.  I'm delighted that he has a steady income and can move out. Unfortunately, once he moves out he is part of a different household and can't visit us unless he is masked (and us too) and socially distanced.  He goes off into the world an excellent cook and bread baker. If i play my cards right he may share his sour dough starter with me. I wanted to put a bit more effort into this meal. I made red chicken, that is chicken with smoked paprika, hot paprika, cayenne and black pepper. I massaged the spices into the chicken and cooked it on a bed of potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Here it is before cooking.  And after cooking... Despite the fact that getting food is still a little complicated, I want...

Yesterday was my birthday. Some years we celebrate with a family gathering. Other years we have gone out to dinner either as a family or just my husband and I have gone out on our own, sometimes to a fancy restaurant.  There have been years when we have celebrated by going to the theater.  For my last big birthday my husband threw me a bash on the roof of our synagogue.  Just as I have been avoiding counter the Omer this year, because counting the days between Passover and Shavuot would just reinforce exactly how many days and weeks we have been on lock-down I have also been avoiding thinking about my birthday. It just seemed like it wasn't going to be a very pleasant day so I may as well not thing about it. One of my sisters began asking me what I wanted for a gift. My initial reply was that I had no idea because I wasn't feeling particularly celebratory this year. Last week though my husband came up with a brilliant suggestion. He suggested that I set up a series of Zoo...

Between Passover and managing to get through Covid-19 I haven't focused my writing in this blog on sewing, either for work, or for pleasure, in a really long time. That doesn't mean that work hasn't been going on, although to be honest,  I have been less productive lately. Nevertheless, despite working with three other adults in the house three of whom like to work in the same space (my usual work space) it hasn't been all that easy. Max's bar-mitzvah had been rescheduled from May to November. It was time to pull out his tallit and see what still needed to be done. I wasn't thrilled with the letters I had embroidered for his pino t/corner pieces.   They are a bit chunky and clunky looking.They really do need a border to help clean them up.  The line of gold stitching helps. Unfortunately, I was having trouble focusing on the job. I was as distracted and fidgety doing the line of gold embroidery as an ants-in-the pants elementary school kid. When I am working tha...

Sheltering at home  When I was little we lived in a small house surrounded by trees. there were tons of bird that hung out in the tall hedge behind out house. I remember telling my mother how beautiful i thought pigeons were with their iridescent neck feathers. My other, a Brooklyn girl at heart scoffed and said something about pigeons being kind of gross.  I have been living in Manhattan since 1982 and I have come to adopt my mother's position that pigeons are essentially rats with wings. Our dining room and kitchen and the kids' bedroom all face a narrow courtyard between our building and the one just to the north of us. Pigeons like to hang out in the courtyard. they like to perch on the air conditioning units.  As I type this i am sitting next to an air conditioning unit. Pigeons like to hang out there cooing in my ear. i found the sound as unplasant as nails on a black board and shoo them away. i don't want the pigeons to ...