Brooklyn Diner Dining And Doggy Bags

Having a meal out with The Dowager Duchess usually results in carrying home a doggy bag for a non-existent dog. The Duchess is a light eater and eating light is an impossibility at just about any Brooklyn diner (not to be confused with the brand-named "Brooklyn Diner" in Manhattan). A Brooklyn diner meal for one could easily serve three.

Our favorite nearby Brooklyn diner is the Parkview Diner on Cropsey Avenue. That's where last week's photo of the three of us was taken (click here). The Parkview Diner is also where you'll find photos on the menu of the Coney Island Parachute Jump along with the sailors my mother and her friend Harriet "picked up" in 1946. (Click here for that shocking story from The Duchess's past.)

IMAGES OF THE PARKVIEW DINER ON ONE OF OUR DREARY NEW YORK DAYS.

(CLICK THE DINER PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.)

THE TAKE-OUT MENU. AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE OVER-SIZED MENU.
(THE PARACHUTE JUMP AND THE DOWAGER DUCHESS'S SAILORS, BOTTOM RIGHT PANEL.)

My mother usually gets at least one meal at home out of what she can't finish at a diner. But, she's now in the habit of taking home things for Chucky (the Kid Brother), as well.

FREE STUFF... AND FREE REFILLS.
(AND, MY SPANISH FRIENDS, FREE REFILLS ON DRINKS, TOO!)

MORE FREE STUFF... ALSO BOTTOMLESS.
(EL GRECO DINER, IN NEARBY SHEEPSHEAD BAY, HAS PEPPERONI/CHEESE BREAD!)

The Dowager Duchess doesn't go anywhere without precision-folded plastic bags in her purse. If she notices there are crackers, bread sticks, or bread remaining in the bread basket, she says, "Give me that for Chucky." Left-over French fries? "I'll take those for Chucky." Extra dinner napkins (the paper ones), "Chucky likes those. Pass them to me." I asked The Duchess if Chucky would like the silverware. Her quick response, "He doesn't need silverware." (Then I got "the look.")

I ATE LIGHT ONE DAY... A FOUR-EGG OMELET AND HASH BROWNS (FOR TWO).
(THAT'S A 13-INCH PLATTE.R)

JUMBO BLACK & WHITE COOKIES WERE A FAVORITE OF MY SISTER DALE AND ME.
(I RESTRAINED MYSELF. BESIDES, I LIKED THEM BETTER WITH HARD ICING.)

Since San Geraldo never witnessed this kind of behavior during his childhood in South Dakota (it's the norm in New York), he usually looks a bit embarrassed. The Duchess tries to ease his embarrassment by saying, "Well, it's already on the table. They're just going to throw it out anyway."

On our flight to Dublin, we had lots of packaged items. I grabbed them all and said, "Save these for Chucky" (which would again have gotten me "the look" from the Dowager Duchess). Then, I ate them all. As they used to say on the Star-Kist Tuna commercials, "Sorry Charlie!"

SORRY CHARLIE!

Red Eye Express

We left New York Friday afternoon, arrived in Dublin 4:30 Saturday morning, and then made our way to Málaga a few hours later, arriving home around 12:45. By 7:15 p.m. we had already been out to dinner and home again. No 9 or 10 p.m. Spanish dining for us tonight. It's now 8:15 and I'm ready for bed.

I've never heard of a flight from New York to Europe being referred to as a red-eye. In the United States the term is reserved for overnight flights from the West to the East Coast. But, given what my right eye looked like when I woke up Friday morning in New York, any flight I took would have been a red-eye.

The eye is nothing to worry about. It happens to me every so often and will pass within a few days. I took the photo this afternoon and it already looked better than it had in the morning and not nearly as bad as it has on other occasions. Still, John Sebastian's song, "Red Eye Express," has been playing in my head for more than 24 hours. So, now it can play in yours, too. As John says, "It's the one all the boys in the band like best."





Stay tuned for just a little more from Brooklyn. Next up: "Diner Dining and Doggy Bags" (or something like that).

DUBLIN AT 4:30 A.M.

SO NICE TO COME HOME TO.  MÁLAGA BEFORE NOON. (CLICK TO ENLARGE.)

UNTIL NEXT TIME.  ANOTHER GLIMPSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL DOWAGER DUCHESS
(AND HER DEEP PURPLE NAILS).

Hot Dog!

The Kid Brother and I made our regular pilgrimage to Nathan's (the original Nathan's in Coney Island) for hot dogs and fries. The Dowager Duchess had coupons.

TWO DOWN. TWO TO GO.

The Dowager Duchess always has coupons. Sometimes, she actually even has coupons still within their "use-by" dates. Nathan's hot dogs are now $2.99 a piece. But, with the coupons, we were able to purchase four hot dogs at 99 cents each. It's good we don't eat the way we used to. The limit was two per person and, in the past, we would both have eaten three ... or four. One time, I had six. We've got lots of time to get in shape for Nathan's annual hot dog eating contest. But I think we'll pass.

ONLY 234 DAYS UNTIL THE NEXT HOT DOG EATING CONTEST.

In this year's contest, the winner was Joey Chestnut (I'm not making that up); he downed 69 hot dogs (and buns) in 10 minutes without a "Roman method incident" or "reversal of fortune" — otherwise known as "vomiting," which is against the rules. Joey has the very apt nickname of "Jaws."

JOEY CHESTNUT WITH ONE MORE TO GO.

THE MUCH MORE "COUTH" KID BROTHER.
HE SAID, "LET ME SWALLOW FIRST!" 

Nathan's didn't have any indoor dining. I don't know if they'll set up tables inside for winter or not. They did last year. It was chilly and windy outside. We ate quickly. After lunch, the Kid Brother bought a really nice Coney Island, Brooklyn sweatshirt. More precisely, the Kid Brother said, "I need a sweatshirt." He picked out a beauty that looked great on him. As we headed up to the counter, I didn't see him reaching for his wallet. I asked, from experience, "Do you have any money?" He replied very matter-of-factly, "No." I said, "Why don't we just call it a gift," and then added, "You little shit..." 

I'll never learn.

ON OUR WAY BACK TO THE DUCHESS'S, WE PASSED THE CYCLONE AND I NOTICED
THAT IT OPENED THE DAY BEFORE THE DUCHESS WAS BORN.

THE DUCHESS HAS HELD UP A LOT BETTER THAN THE CYCLONE.

SOME OF THE DUCHESS'S OTHER COUPONS...
EXPIRATION YEAR: 1991

San Geraldo In The Hood

Today, we took a trip on the subway into "The City" and had the great joy of getting together with our friends Cesar and Daisy. We arranged to meet at Grand Central Station, where they arrived on the commuter rail from Connecticut, and we then walked from 42nd to 57th Street just past Carnegie Hall for lunch at The Brooklyn Diner. This was the coldest day of the year so far here in New York, so it was a long and chilly walk in the best company we could ever want. Cesar and Daisy are both native New Yorkers who have lived in Connecticut for a very long time. We became friends in the '80s when San Geraldo and Cesar both worked at the Yale Libraries.

On  our way out of Grand Central, Cesar led San Geraldo to an UP escalator while Daisy was leading me straight through the building. (After 9/11, the lower level had been closed off and Cesar didn't realize we could once again cut through.) Daisy couldn't get their attention until Cesar was on the first step of the escalator. He quickly jumped off. San Geraldo was already well on his way. He debated running down the UP but blessedly decided against it. When he got to the top, he made a dramatic crossing to the DOWN escalators. The last time we were there, Cesar led us (correctly that time) up the escalator; Daisy turned and led us back down, and then led us back up again. We get a lot of odd looks.

SAN GERALDO DOING HIS EVITA IMPERSONATION.
(CLICK TO SEE HIM IN ALL HIS GRANDEUR.)

It was 17F (minus 8C) when Cesar and Daisy left Connecticut in the morning; 45F (7C) in the city didn't seem so bad to them. I found it a bit raw, so you can imagine what San Geraldo was like. He wore long underwear, a T-shirt, sweater, hooded sweatshirt, and hooded winter coat. He used both hoods and complained that his feet were cold.

SAN GERALDO AS WE HEADED INTO THE "BITTER COLD."

YOU CAN SEE HOW COLD CESAR FOUND IT. (HE WORE GLOVES WITH HIS SWEATER.)

DAISY, DOING HER VERSION OF EVITA (OR THE VIRGIN MARY?), AS SHE REACTS TO SAN GERALDO'S GET-UP.
(HE HAD JUST PULLED UP HIS PANTS LEG TO REVEAL HIS LONG UNDERWEAR.)

SAN GERALDO WASN'T THE ONLY ONE "IN THE HOOD."

"BROOKLYN DINER.... THE FINER DINER." REALLY GREAT FOOD. MANHATTAN PRICES.

HEADING INSIDE.

UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS BROOKLYN LAGER.

INSIDE (THE CHILLY RESTAURANT) AND DOWN TO ONLY ONE HOOD. WHAT A MAN!

ACROSS THE STREET, THE ART STUDENTS LEAGUE.

THE 7TH AVENUE SIDE OF CARNEGIE HALL, SURROUNDED BY SCAFFOLDING.

TRACK REPAIRS REQUIRED US TO CHANGE TRAINS AT KINGS HIGHWAY.
JUST BEFORE NANOOK OF THE NORTH (AKA SAN GERALDO) PROMISED
TO NEVER AGAIN COMPLAIN ABOUT THE COLD OF FUENGIROLA.

Sweater Weather... Dammit

I've just got to say I'm pretty disgusted with "the weather man." "He" said it was going to be sunny and in the 50sF (10–15C) for almost our entire visit. Well, we haven't seen much sun. And, although we've seen the 50s a couple of times, we haven't felt it. The wind-chill (we didn't have windchill in Southern California and we don't have windchill on the Mediterranean) has been below 40F (4.5C).

But are we complaining? Well, yes, actually. Every chance we get. We were well-prepared, however. We have our sweatshirts, winter jackets, scarves, gloves, layers. No problem really. I just wish I still had my father's sweaters made by the Dowager Duchess (who was just a Duchess at the time). I'd be a lot more "stylin'." While scanning old photos yesterday, I came across this shot of another one of my favorite sweaters made by the Duchess. This argyle cardigan was made for my father in 1948. I inherited it in 1969 and wore it until I outgrew it in the late '80s. It was still in perfect condition. I wonder who's enjoying it now.

(CLICK TO SEE THE FINE KNITTING.)

The Certifiable Duchess

Oh, wait, I think maybe the title should have been the "certified" Duchess. Or maybe not even that. It's just that I gave my mother the title of Dowager Duchess only in the last couple of years, and now I've found proof that she held the title of "Duchess" at least 50 years ago.

The Dowager Duchess and I were cleaning out a couple of kitchen cabinets this morning. My mother had a set of "movie dishes" that she and her mother collected in the 1940s. Every time you went to the movies, you got a dish. They amassed five services for 8 and my mother kept two, one of which she gave to me for my first apartment. The Duchess's everyday dishes have been depleted over the years, and she won't use her fine china for everday use — not because she's saving her fine china for posterity, but because she has never liked her fine china. So she thought perhaps she could start filling in with some of the movie dishes — specifically large soup/cereal bowls. The dishes were stacked up in the back of an upper cabinet (above the broom closet) and the Kid Brother has never been in the mood to climb up and empty the cabinet for her. Every time she asks, he says, "Some other time." Even I at my "elevation" needed to use the step stool. The Kid Brother is about 6 inches shorter (although, even at that, he towers by that same amount over our Mother The Dowager Duchess).

Among the miscellaneous things — like a stovetop percolator from the year of the flood (and I'm not talking last year's Hurricane Sandy), and a first aid kit containing salves and ointments that expired in 1980 — there was a musty shipping box and a couple of thermoses. One thermos was last used in 1987 when my mother brought pea soup to the hospital for my father. It was his favorite, but by that time, he could only manage one sip. Still, it made him happy. The other thermos apparently belonged to The Duchess — although I can't imagine The Duchess drinking from a plastic thermos cup. But I know for certain it was her thermos because it's got her name on it — just like Queen Elizabeth's things are personalized with "HRH," this one is inscribed, "The Duchess."

THE PERSONALIZED THERMOS. (MY MOTHER IS EVEN TRADEMARKED.)

The musty shipping box was a mail order package to The Duchess from the Kraft Foods Company. The address label was for my parents' first home on Van Siclen Avenue in Brooklyn, which we left behind for suburban Long Island in 1956. I thought the age of the box was novel enough but then I noticed that I had doodled a bit on the box.

I said, "Oh, God. Look, I doodled on the box." The Duchess said, "You doodled on everything!" She's right, of course. She used to take pens out of my hands when we sat at the dinner table. I couldn't help myself. This was clearly one of my lesser works. There were very few sketches and there was still considerable surface area remaining to be covered. Inside the box was a set of stacking cake pans for making a layer cake. Along with the percolator, thermoses, and extra movie dishes, we have a load to be delivered to the charity shop down the street.

THE DUCHESS MUST HAVE TAKEN THIS AWAY FROM ME
BEFORE I COULD COVER THE ENTIRE BOX WITH DOODLES. 

THE DUCHESS AND THE SPANIARDS AT LUNCH FRIDAY.
(CLICK TO FEEL THE LOVE.)

On The Land, On The Sea, In The Air

We made it from Málaga to Dublin to New York and have been with the Dowager Duchess (who has dark purple nails this week — no photo yet) since Wednesday evening. It wasn't the greatest of travel days. Security followed by passport control followed by security followed by passport control followed by security followed by customs followed by passport control. Shoes off. Belts off. Pants falling down. Computers out. Again and again. Every time we fly, we say it's not what it used to be.

We flew Aer Lingus, which we do find very pleasant. According to our itinerary, we were scheduled to leave Dublin at 3:15 p.m. and arrive New York around 6:30 p.m. When we boarded, the flight display at our seats indicated that we'd be leaving at 3:15 p.m. Dublin time and arriving 10:15 a.m. New York time, which by my reasoning meant we had already been in New York more than 5 hours. What a relief. When we pointed this out to the flight attendant, she was thrilled to know she'd have an extra day for fun in New York. But she then suggested it could also mean we'd be arriving 10:15 the next morning. Burst my bubble! The screen corrected just before we took off. We weren't set to arrive Thursday morning, but to my disappointment we weren't already there either. A little under 7 hours to go. Oh well. I had the wonderful, charming, and always entertaining company of San Geraldo.

WHAT A SURPRISE TO GET ON THE PLANE IN DUBLIN AND DISCOVER
WE HAD ARRIVED IN NEW YORK HOURS AGO.

We had a good meal onboard. The dieting San Geraldo (41 pounds/18.5 kilos!!!) had ordered in advance so he could be guaranteed a suitable meal. He passed to me whatever wasn't on his diet, which meant I didn't go hungry. In addition to my own meal (which included roll and butter, cheese and crackers, and ginger cookies), I had his roll and butter, his cheese and crackers, a little bottle of red wine, and chocolate/caramel mousse. After dinner, San Geraldo asked if he could stack my tray on top of his larger, more elegant tray and keep them both in front of me momentarily. Many "momentarilies" later, while I sat trapped under the stack and unable to raise my video screen, reach into the seat pocket in front of me, or do anything more than snap pictures from one position, I looked over to see that San Geraldo had one leg crossed over the other, and was comfortably (well, it's relative) reading his Kindle. I might not have noticed so soon, but he had bumped me with his elbow as he adjusted in his seat and thoughtfully asked if he was crowding me!

"AM I CROWDING YOU?"

THE SHAMROCK... UP ABOVE THE CLOUDS.

The Kid Brother arrived Thursday morning at 8:15 a.m. and suggested it would be a good day for the "racetrack," which in Kid Brother parlance means the casino next to Aqueduct Racetrack. He and San Geraldo are cut from the same cloth. The Dowager Duchess and I agreed, selflessly, to go along. We all won. Quite a lot. However, The Kid Brother and San Geraldo will I'm sure want to go again. Will we all be lucky twice?

Sunset Thursday Night Over Coney Island

(RIGHT) THE CYCLONE ROLLER COASTER, THE WONDER WHEEL,
NEWLY LIT PARACHUTE JUMP BEHIND THE CENTER BUILDING.
(CLICK ANY PHOTO TO "ENLAHGE.")

ONE DAY, THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA... ANOTHER, THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

GI Joe, Duchess Style

This morning in one of the guest rooms, I noticed The Kid Brother's old GI Joe action figure (i.e., doll) from the '60s sitting where it has sat for years. The Kid Brother hadn't been very easy on GI Joe in his mock battles. His army uniform has been gone for years. (I think he had covered it with red ink to make it look like blood.) The Dowager Duchess, being The Dowager Duchess, couldn't stand the thought of GI Joe sitting around naked. And, rather than purchasing a new uniform, she found instructions in McCall's magazine for a knitted "outfit." He could possibly be the only original GI Joe with his very own hand-knit, turtle-neck onesie! Typical of the Dowager Duchess: When I showed her the photo and told her I was going to have some fun at her expense, she said, "Has he always had that necklace?" (It's dogtags...)

FIGHTING MAN FROM HEAD TO TOE?
(ATOP ONE OF THE DUCHESS'S HAND-CHROCHETED DOILIES.)

P.S.: We're sitting at Starbucks. A woman a table away has been Skyping in Russian with someone. She's talking so loudly and shrilly that everyone around has been staring and muttering. Another customer just walked over and told her nicely in Russian that she needed to speak more softly. She immediately did so. I just waved and thanked him. "Gracias," I said.

Sunrise, Sunset (And Vice Versa)

Sunset over Fuengirola Monday. These photos are unenhanced and unretouched. What we saw is what you're seeing. So sorry there are so many. I culled and culled and thought I was pretty hot when I reduced to a mere 16 (8 sunset followed by 8 sunrise) from the original 85. (Click any image to see why I wanted to share everything with you.) 

FROM THE BACK.

FROM THE FRONT... ETC.

Sunrise Tuesday.

TWO FROM THE BACK.

Thursday morning, we'll watch the sunrise over the Atlantic from the Dowager Duchess's windows. I'll be broadcasting from New York for a little while.