Potpourri: NYC! A View from the Inside

On our recent trip to New York City, I had in mind to explore the city in a different way than I had in the past. I had seen the touristy, glitzy side of the city on a couple of previous trips. This time, I wanted to immerse myself in some of the neighborhoods and local hangouts, to get a sense of what it was like to be a New Yorker, to talk to everyday people about their lives there.

We learned a great deal by conversing with a United Nations of cab drivers, hotel staff members, and food service people; by visiting a couple of old friends; and by spending an afternoon with a couple of colorful Italians who are our coffee clients. I think we just scratched the surface in getting to know more about NYC, but it was a good start. Here are a few of our inside views:

A casual Italian restaurant with a take-out front shop, Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria, nestled in the old Bowery section, just down the street from our hotel. It seems to draw locals, as well as notable food celebrities. The food was mouthwatering.

A view from our hotel of the East Village skyline. Love the rooftop gardens you can spot here and there. Everything of interest here was on the outside. Our room was so small, there was barely room to walk around the bed.

Inside the magnificent Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The grandeur and architectural achievement take your breath away.

Of course, we had to feed my fondness for Rembrandt paintings inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The caricatures inside the dining room at Sardi's bring to mind the old movie days of Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and more.

How could we ignore the New York prices for coffee drinks at Sardi's compared to what we see here is the SF Bay Area?

More grand architecture inside the renowned Shubert Theatre.

Our favorite breakfast place, Gemma's, inside the old Bowery Hotel.

A view from inside Washington Square Park. Such a lovely environment in the middle of the concrete jungle and surrounding NYU.

This is the NY lifestyle I wanted to know more about . . . the quiet neighborhoods in the West Village.

Inside Gray's Papaya, a signature hot dog stop for locals and visitors alike.

Our Italian coffee clients,Lucca and Enrico, with Mike inside their Queens coffee shop, Triple Shot World Atlas Cafe.

The City, from inside a car crossing the Manhattan Bridge.

We enjoyed the fun decor inside Lily's Restaurant, an eclectic Midtown eatery in the Theatre District.

We couldn't leave New York without being on the inside of a powerful flash thunder/lightning storm at the South Street Seaport.

Lasting Story: A Song to Play with Me in Mind

Suggestions: Is there a song out there in the world of music that defines you as a person? Is there a special song, when all is said and done, that others would associate with you, making them smile when they think of you? Is it the same song you would pick for yourself? Have you carried a certain song with you as your "theme song" throughout your life thus far? Is there a song that you love far more than any other? Describe the feelings you have about this song and why it is important to you. Share this information with your loved ones so they know how you feel about it. Find out which songs others consider special to them.

You may develop your own format for writing about this subject, or you may use the handy MS Word Lasting Story Template that lives within the Heaven's Wait website at http://www.heavenswait.com/WriteHW.html. It includes guidelines to help you write your stories in a consistent format and file them in an efficient manner.

Visit the Heaven's Wait website for the accumulated Lasting Story Write Guide at: http://www.heavenswait.com/WriteHW.html

To receive Lasting Story Writing Alerts, join the Heaven's Wait Email Alert List at: http://www.heavenswait.com/FormEmailList.aspx

Has this subject prompted a discussion between you and your family or friends? You are welcome to share your thoughts or conversations by commenting in one of two places:

1. Click on "Post a Comment" below this Lasting Story blog post. Note: If you would like to go back and comment on a previous post, click on Lasting Story under Subject Blogs in the upper right hand corner of this page. Then scroll down to the subject on which you wish to comment.

2. Facebook users, see Heaven's Wait's Page, http://www.facebook.com/heavenswait. Comment under the Status entry for this Lasting Story subject in the timeline. Scroll down to comment on previous subjects.

Potpourri: More Summer Crop Recipes

Though my time was tight this weekend, I had to find time to process some of the bounty that is flowing from my garden, for fear it would soon go bad. The heat brought out a new surge of green beans; the zucchini is growing by inches each day; and the strawberries are out of control. And, I still had two overflowing cookie sheets of the plums we picked before our vacation.

Some recipes are good no matter how old they are. Often they're the best. So I decided to reach back to some simple tried-and-true recipes for both the green beans and the plums.



Stewed Green Beans
My mom has been making this recipe as long as I can remember. No tender-crisp beans here. They are soft and delicate, stewed in a simple tomato sauce that fills the house with a lovely home-cooked aroma.

2 Tbsp olive oil
2-4 Tbsp chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 lbs. green beans, snapped and stringed
1 8oz. can tomato sauce or 5-6 fresh tomatoes, chopped
Chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add green beans and tomato sauce. Stir. Add enough chicken broth to just about cover the beans. Add basil and season to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer until beans are very tender, about 45 minutes. Add more broth if needed. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Plum Jam
This recipe comes from an old Homes and Gardens cookbook. Plums have enough pectin in them that there is no need to add more. I don't do formal canning. I wash jars and lids in the dishwasher right before using them so they are still steaming hot. Then I keep jars of jam in the freezer until I use them. Once I open them, I refrigerate them.

5 cups processed plums (pitted and coarsely chopped in food processor)
4 cups sugar

Combine plums and sugar in a large, heavy pot. Allow mixture to sit for 1 hour. Boil hard, stirring often, until jam sheets off of the spoon, 12-15 minutes. Immediately fill hot jars. Makes 5-6 half-pints. *I used 6 cups plums and 4.25 cups sugar, and got almost 5 pints of jam. Secure lids tightly once jam has cooled.

Lasting Story: The School Day I Remember Most

Suggestions: Most people can pinpoint a school day in their lives that stood out above the rest. Which day stood out for you? Was it a day of discovery or excitement or inspiration? Was it a day of sadness or disappointment? What do you remember about that day, and how did it impact your life? What would you like your loved ones to take away from your experience on that day?

**For me, it was a sad day, the day JFK was assassinated. I was in a junior high school class when the announcement came over the intercom. Teachers and students alike were reduced to shock and tears. Friends became hysterical while others became soothing caretakers. Parents and relatives sobbed in front of their TVs for days. The wounds to a beloved president cut deeply into the trust and innocence of my youth. But they taught me how shared grief and compassion can heal heavy hearts.**

You may develop your own format for writing about this subject, or you may use the handy MS Word Lasting Story Template that lives within the Heaven's Wait website at http://www.heavenswait.com/WriteHW.html. It includes guidelines to help you write your stories in a consistent format and file them in an efficient manner.

Visit the Heaven's Wait website for the accumulated Lasting Story Write Guide at: http://www.heavenswait.com/WriteHW.html

To receive Lasting Story Writing Alerts, join the Heaven's Wait Email Alert List at: http://www.heavenswait.com/FormEmailList.aspx

Has this subject prompted a discussion between you and your family or friends? You are welcome to share your thoughts or conversations by commenting in one of two places:

1. Click on "Post a Comment" below this Lasting Story blog post. Note: If you would like to go back and comment on a previous post, click on Lasting Story under Subject Blogs in the upper right hand corner of this page. Then scroll down to the subject on which you wish to comment.

2. Facebook users, see Heaven's Wait's Page, http://www.facebook.com/heavenswait. Comment under the Status entry for this Lasting Story subject in the timeline. Scroll down to comment on previous subjects.

Imagination and Writing

As I continue to work on Book 2 of the Heaven's Wait! Tales from Vowella Series, Innocents, I shake my head at the fact that all of the characters, their community, the world in which they live, and the tales that have thus far emerged have come from a place inside my head. Innocents is a reworked compilation of tales I wrote several years ago. I look at the stories now and think . . . Where did all this stuff come from? How did I ever think up these oddball characters? How did I decide on their particular personalities? How did I come up with their stories and overall theme? Most of my friends, at one time or another, have questioned my sanity in developing it all, and I don't blame them for that.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines Imagination as: an act or process of forming a conscious idea or mental image of something never before wholly perceived in reality by the one forming the images (as through a synthesis of remembered elements of previous sensory experiences or ideas as modified by unconscious defense mechanisms); also: the ability or gift of forming such conscious ideas or mental images especially for the purposes of artistic or intellectual creation.

Successconsciousness.com defines Imagination as: a creative power that is necessary for inventing an instrument, designing a dress or a building, painting a picture or writing a book. The creative power of imagination has an important role in the achievement of success in any field. What we imagine with faith and feelings comes into being. It is the power beyond creative visualization, positive thinking and affirmations.

I can only be thankful for the places my imagination has taken me. It has allowed me to explore my creative side in ways I never thought possible. It has allowed me to develop and write about a whole community of otherworldly characters that are in many ways like my children. I feel a responsibility to guide them through their learning experiences and give them challenges to conquer while they are on their way to becoming purposeful individuals. And just as children do, the characters have already taught me more than I have taught them. They often write their own stories, based on what I first imagined. I simply do the dictation.

I can't imagine what my life would have been like without my imagination, which has so graciously guided me along my unexpected writing journey.

Online Commerce: Beware of Tax ID Scams

As I finally work my way toward opening Heaven's Wait's online store, I must shake my head in disgust at the creative ways people try to take hard-earned dollars from unsuspecting new business owners who don't quite know the ins and outs of completing the bureaucratic processes. Fortunately, I've learned a few things, since I've gone through the business startup process several times in the past.

Once I finally got past the LLC application process with the State, I went online to apply for an EIN, Employer Identification Number. My Google search of EINs gave me a variety of options. I went to the top option because the web address began with IRS. I completed the basic form for obtaining an EIN. When I went to submit it, I was sent to a billing information form. WHAT? I knew there was no fee involved in obtaining an EIN. At the bottom of the form, there were two options. The fee for obtaining the number was $179.00 for standard delivery in 3-5 business days, or $247 for rush delivery within 1-2 hours of submission.

At that point, I knew it was time to cancel the application. But wait! When I hit the back arrow, I was taken to a page that offered me some time sensitive deals with a coupon code and everything: $97 for standard delivery and $197 for rush delivery. Wow! How nice of them!

I closed out the tab and went to the official IRS website, where I quickly found the correct application, which by the way asked for the exact same information. I submitted it and immediately received my number online, along with an official IRS confirmation letter verifying the submittal and receipt.

There is no reason anyone should ever use such a company to apply for an EIN. They are not doing the work for you; there is no convenience factor. You still have to provide them with the necessary information. I'm surprised the government has not shut down such operations.

Lasting Story: The Best Part of Being a Kid

Suggestions: As you write your Lasting Story, don't forget to include an entry describing what you most loved about being a kid. Was it the freedom you felt? Perhaps it was a special friendship you had or an attachment to where you lived. Or maybe it was the thrill you felt as you experienced new things. Write about the precious childhood moments that will always remain in your heart. Share your thoughts with your loved ones.

You may develop your own format for writing about this subject, or you may use the handy MS Word Lasting Story Template that lives within the Heaven's Wait website at http://www.heavenswait.com/WriteHW.html. It includes guidelines to help you write your stories in a consistent format and file them in an efficient manner.

Visit the Heaven's Wait website for the accumulated Lasting Story Write Guide at: http://www.heavenswait.com/WriteHW.html

To receive Lasting Story Writing Alerts, join the Heaven's Wait Email Alert List at: http://www.heavenswait.com/FormEmailList.aspx

Has this subject prompted a discussion between you and your family or friends? You are welcome to share your thoughts or conversations by commenting in one of two places:

1. Click on "Post a Comment" below this Lasting Story blog post. Note: If you would like to go back and comment on a previous post, click on Lasting Story under Subject Blogs in the upper right hand corner of this page. Then scroll down to the subject on which you wish to comment.

2. Facebook users, see Heaven's Wait's Page, http://www.facebook.com/heavenswait. Comment under the Status entry for this Lasting Story subject in the timeline. Scroll down to comment on previous subjects.

Return to Writing: Everyone Has a Back-Story!

I just returned from a vacation to the East Coast, where I delighted in exploring not only some fascinating nooks and crannies of both New York City and Boston, but also in observing the interesting people who define those urban cultures. My everyday quiet lifestyle of work, creativity, gardening, and family does not usually afford me an opportunity to people-watch or meet new folks.

My observations and interactions didn't hesitate to remind me that all people have stories that have brought them to where they are today. I visited a dear friend who, though having suffered a tragic loss in her life a few years back, has somehow found her way to a bright new purpose and a meaningful new love. I talked to a Pakistani cab driver who attributes his series of heart ailments to sixteen stressful years of driving in NYC. I met one of our coffee customers who told us tales of his wild introduction to the U.S. upon his arrival as a naive youth from Italy. And I reminisced with a former elementary school classmate about our eclectic life journeys, which somehow led us to reconnect for breakfast in NYC.

I spent my last morning in Boston sitting on a shady park bench in the Boston Common, observing people: an elderly Asian man who was struggling with the operation of his cell phone; a young woman who was so pregnant that she waddled along the path - yet she was out enjoying the day; a middle-aged man who was sitting alone on a bench doing nothing but smoking one cigarette after another for the longest time. I wondered what their back-stories were and how they came to be in that time and place.

My observations reminded me that every character in a fictional story needs a history. So if I wish to write effectively, I must create a back-story of each of my characters. I don't have to include all of their information in the story, but I must understand the characters' unique histories so their relevance to the story is clear, not only to me but also to the reader. Before I dive back into writing Book 2 of Heaven's Wait! Tales from Vowella, I think I'll go back and review the back-stories of the characters I've already written into Innocents.