stonehenge farm.

stonehenge farm on five mile road in michigan. family farm since the mid 1800s. grampa collected stones and boulders and made stacked stone walls around the property. dad drew the picture and aunt betty made it into a beer can etching.

white christmas

annapolis, sunday evening.

mio polaroids by mike 2002.

nascent novel notes.

my friend frank's great new blog. all subjects tangential to writing a detective novel set in mid century (now lost) scollay square boston.

solstice eclipse photos from pixie blog. link below.

solstice eclipse. east village. from pixie

vintage 1940s/50s/60s tweed, leather and plaid from thrift stores and flea markets. freelance boots.

mummy b, ed burgess' mother, made these appliqued and embroidered cotton stockings for tina and me 50 years ago when we were born and we still hang them out every year.

christina's christmas dinner menu from last year. looking forward to something like this in a few days.

santacon

a couple of years ago we (predominantly mike) were in bill cunningham's on the street column in the new york times. mike was "santa anna" and i was a polar bear.

another glimpse of santa anna in this fantastic video- SantaCon NYC/08 - Staten Island Ferry

christmas in harlem

"christmas comes but once a year,

and to me it brings good cheer,

and to everyone who loves wine and beer."

- bessie smith- at the christmas ball

christmas tunes-

• louis armstrong: christmas night in harlem
• bessie smith: at the christmas ball
• james brown: santa clause go straight to the ghetto

we always wanted to see james brown do a show at the apollo theater 3 blocks away. when we had the chance, something interfered.

james brown made his last appearance at the apollo for his own wake a few days after his death on christmas day . to hear some reportage from that event click on the jb 45 icon in the right hand column.

good bloody marys update.

the mermaid inn serves a scrumptious bloody mary. the rim of the glass is coated with old bay seafood seasoning and it comes with a whole shrimp garnish.

army of one. anti war street art by army of one/jc2

army of one wheat paste/graffiti. usually it's "grenade boy" an appropriated & modified figure from an iconic diane arbus photograph. photos from manhattan and brooklyn.

north end christmas tree.

spur of the moment thanksgiving in harlem with marc and katya

roast chickens stuffed with lemon slices rosemary sprigs and and garlic cloves, ground black peppercorns and grey sea salt (no turkey.) wild rice olives walnuts roast parsnips turnips carrots red onions pan juice basted. moroccan style sliced caramelized carrots with tarragon and lots of cumin (no sweet potatoes.) brussels sprouts halved pan roasted then oven roasted. sliced beets with red onion slices marinaded in salt and balsamic vinegar, romaine, crumbled gorgonzola (no cranberry sauce.) a pitcher of pan juices- vermouth de-glazed and reduced (no gravy.) red wine champagne mimosas bourbon absinthe and such. marc- thanks for the photos!

we always seem to have thanksgiving in new york. either at home or at balthazar. there's a live poultry place a block away on 128th so one thanksgiving morning i walked down there and stood in line for a bird. i wasn't sure what to get- goose, gunnea hen, ducks... but after talking with the man behind me i decided pheasant. the poultry guy pulled the bird out of the cage and stuffed it live into into a cardboard box. not the way i was hoping to get it. there was a language barrier and confusion. but the man behind acted as translator; box went in the back and ten minutes later i had the bird ready to cook in a grocery bag. at the front of the poultry place several cashier guys hang out behind bulletproof glass. they have a tv back there and were watching cock fights.

alternatively, balthazar's like going back in time during the holidays. the huge antique mirrors are trimmed with evergreen garlands and twinkly white lights. pretty!!! really new yorky feeling on thanksgiving.