Thumbs Up For A Real Bronx Tale

While in the Bronx we went to Borgatti's, a pasta shop that's been around for almost 80 years.  I'm pretty sure if someone has been making pasta since 1935 (and before, since they were making it for themselves before they opened a shop to sell it), I'm going to want to eat it.  

When we walked in, Chris Borgatti was feeding pasta dough through a pasta machine similar to the one his father and grandfather used.  In fact, the photo on the wall behind him depicts his father standing in the very same spot he's standing, doing the very same thing.

I didn't ask who the older woman behind the counter was, but I'm pretty sure she was probably family.  She's the one who sold me my box of cheese ravioli.  Which I'm savoring.  Just knowing I have an emergency supply of ravioli in the freezer makes me squeal inside with delight.

I love all these little stores.  And I wonder what it would have been like growing up in a neighborhood like this, where you go see Mr. Borgatti to get fresh pasta.  Whenever you want.

I was born three miles from this section of the Bronx but moved to "the country" (the Catskill Mountain area) before I was five years old.  My family still lived in the Bronx, and they talked about this area and shopped here often, but this was my first visit.  Even my family upstate would make food pilgrimages to the city for items they couldn't get in the sticks.  My step-father would talk about the Italian bread from the Bronx in such a way, you'd think they baked gold nuggets inside the loaves.

From what my Aunt and Uncle said, the area has changed a bit in its appearance and the makeup of the neighborhood residents, but the shop owners still speak to you and each other in Italian and give advice and suggestions on items you're planning to buy.  The neighborhood is even still dotted with Italian social clubs, where men go to drink coffee, smoke cigars and bullshit with their friends.

What a nice life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: A Mountain City Fit For A Queen
2012: Sprinkle Of Seaweed, Anyone?
2011: Shopping To The Maxx
2010: Ed Unloads An Oil Platform
2009: You Never Know When You Might Need It
2008: Eddie Climbs A Wall Friday
2007: What Showing Off For Your Kids Looks Like
2006: What’s It All About?
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

A Spontaneous Slumber Party And An Italian Feast To Go

Last night we took my Aunt and Uncle out for dinner for my Uncle's 65th birthday, which is today.

He put up a fight - no self-respecting Italian man lets someone else "treat" them to dinner - but we finally wrestled the bill from his hands.  It was easy to do once we threatened that we'd embarrass him in front of the other people in the restaurant if he didn't let us pay.  He broke out into a sweat, but he finally acquiesced.

Before dinner we stopped at the truck to pack a bag to sleep over, so once our bellies were full we headed back to put our pajamas on and spend a few hours talking over coffee.

This morning, my Aunt put out a breakfast spread worthy of Hilton HHonors Diamond Status (shout out to M and MacG!) - and even made Ed eggs and pancakes! - then this afternoon, took us to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.  We went a little crazy shopping at all the little Italian grocery stores and the open area market.

We bought prosciutto bread and several loaves of Italian bread and a big chunk of provolone and hard salame and mixed olives...

And dark chocolate covered figs and sfogliatelle and palmiers and cannoli and coffee...oh, my god, so much awesome stuff.

After we shopped, we did what any good Italian would do - we went to eat.  Antipasto, a great veal parmigiana, gnocchi, more bread, and tiramisu and coffee to wrap it all up.  They treated us to this meal.  I knew we wouldn't get away without them paying for something.  Dammit, they're so tricky.

It was the.  best.  day.  I felt like it was my birthday.

Can't wait to come back!  We're going to need to restock the truck at some point.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Bright Spot On The Mountain
2012: Thinking About Adding A Few More Wheels To The Rig
2011: Cooled By The Ocean
2010: Oh, Mother!
2009: Eddie Adds Culture To His Day
2008: One Armed Bandit
2007: 614
2006: Having A Good Reason
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Beauty And The Bleak

A reader recently commented on the bleak winter landscape of Nebraska.  It's bleak in other parts of the country too.

Here's a black and white landscape shot (through the window, with an iPhone, in a moving truck) from somewhere in Virginia.

I think it's beautiful.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Don't Even Ask
2012: Click Mouse, Make Money
2011: Buttons Beware. There’s Someone Cuter In Town!
2010: Eddie Dials Up The Lunch Order
2009: Trucking Superhere And Sidekick
2008: I’m Just A Goy In Love With A Boy
2007: When Pork Goes Pornographic
2006: Now Where Did I Put Those Underwear??
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Dreaming Of Blue Skies And Swaying Palms

This photo of Florida palms is for my Aunt and Uncle who are toughing out the winter in New York while dreaming of moving south.  In due time, as my grandfather would say.  In due time.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  They Never Ask If You Have Invisible Ink
2012: I Didn’t Break A Leg, So I Guess I Can’t Regret Doing It
2011: Why Couldn’t It Have Been The Canola??
2010: I Like To Call Him The Kite Master
2009: Talk About Making Good Use Of Your Time
2008: Don’t Three Feet Equal One Yard?
2007: New And Improved
2006: Maybe I Don’t Need To Know Everything
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Eastern Influence In A Southern State

A beautiful mural by artist Juan Salgado gracing one of the walls in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.


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2013: The Wegmans Cheese Tour
2012: Balls In The Air
2011: Branded
2010: Don’t Lose The Fun
2009: I’ll Get To It As Soon As I’m Done Churning The Butter, Dear.
2008: Trees At Sunset
2007: Giving Directions To This Place Is Easy
2006: A Cloud Of Words
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Award Winning Plan

My plan for the day:

Sleep.

Eat.

Watch The Oscars.

I haven't seen all the movies, so I'll be guessing who I think will win.  The movies I have seen are Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club and Gravity.  I'd like to say that I feel fairly confident that Gravity will win nothing.  If they do, I'll be in shock.  And I'm also pretty confident Jared Leto will win Best Supporting Actor - he was very good.  The rest are up in the air.

BEST PICTURE
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Christian Bale (American Hustle)
Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Amy Adams (American Hustle)

Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Judi Dench (Philomena)

Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)

Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)

Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)

June Squibb (Nebraska)

See the nominees in other categories here.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Watch Closely Now
2012: Mission Of The Sacred Heart
2011: Vintage Photo And Clothing
2010: Just How I Like It…Cold And Colder
2009: Snagged
2008: The Writing Is On The Wall
2007: Eddie Waits For A Ride
2006: Truckers And Travelers Know Good Food
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Into The Mouth Of A Lion

You'd never know it from this picture of the rising sun somewhere in Texas - who ever really knows where they are in Texas, it all looks the same - but March is going to be coming in like a lion this year, with winter storms from west to east.

We are heading into an east coast snowstorm and I couldn't be happier.  Reports say anywhere from 3" to 12" are expected.  Woo hoo!!

I prefer a sunrise over a sunset, but as always, I'm happy to leave the west behind me.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  A Barn Serving Steak Good Enough To Eat
2012: A Quick Update
2011: It Takes Nothing To Win A Contest
2010: Sorry, no post for this day.
2009: The Hags Hit The Big Time
2008: One Thing At A Time
2007: Snaking Across Broadway
2006: Psssst! Wanna Buy A Hot Dog Truck?
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

I Like Big Boteros And I Cannot Lie

A Botero sculpture at the Gary Nader Gallery in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.

As soon as I saw the sculptures out front, I shouted "A Botero!"

Ed said, "A what?"

"A Botero.  The sculptor who did that piece - his name is Botero."

It's probably the only sculpture I can look at and identify the artist.  The other is Jeffrey Koons, but I don't like his stuff, I was much happier seeing a Botero.

Fernando Botero has been called "one of the most successful artists alive" - successful painting and sculpting fat people.  Maybe that's why I like him.

When asked why he paints fat people he said, "I fatten my characters to give them sensuality. I’m not interested in fat people for the sake of fat people."  That's okay with me.  He still puts fat people - really round, really fat, really plush people - on display for the whole world to see.  And the world loves it.

You can read a little more about the artist and see more of his work in this blog post I found, written by a 14-year-old who travels the world with his mom.  Pretty cool stuff.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: The Young Never Have Trouble Screwing
2012: Making Tracks Across The Country
2011: Eddie Is The King Of The Dome
2010: Do It For Half An Hour A Day
2009: Sipping In Nyack
2008: The Tink Tink Tinkle Of Recycling
2007: Ralph’s Service Station
2006: The Isle Of Capri
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Some Links Are Sexier Than Others

Another great collection of links from FlipBoard.  Have a gander...

How many of these places have you been to?

I sent this recipe to my best friend, she made it, and she confirmed its deliciousness.  She's making this one next.  

I'm all about being lazy, but this is taking it a bit too far.  Why rent a bike?  Why not just get a cab?

Even I don't have time to look up this much shit.  And I've got a lot of time.

Faahhh-reaky.

Ever wonder what goes on in a pig pen when you're not around?  

Holy mother of God.  Can Beyonce be any sexier?  I think right about now I'd crown her the sexiest thing on earth.  

I have friends who've actually been here.  Not above the clouds, but still.  

Lego photographers?  When I was a kid, Legos were just blocks, not people.  

I know my "slope hitting" has only consisted of snow tubing - and I even got hurt doing that - but I don't need to ski to stay in one of these places.  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Who Says I'm Spoiled?
2012: So That’s How It’s Done
2011: Sunny Bright Yellow Moments Ahead
2010: Loaded
2009: C’mon, Just Do It Already!
2008: Counterproductive
2007: If You Need A Reason To Cook More Often, I Think I Have One
2006: Warning: May Contain Traces Of Nuts
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

¡Bienvenido!

Wall mural in Little Havana - Miami, Florida.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: We Couldn't Catch Him
2012: It’s Vital For My Existence
2011: Boxed In By Hills
2010: Ask A Trucker
2009: Getting Our Truck Tweaked While Making New Friends And Enjoying A Free Lunch Pie*
2008: Sunglasses Also Required Here
2007: Windows Vista, Trucker Style
2006: Being A Girl Again
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Higher The Hair, The Closer To God

I saw this lady in the Little Havana section of Miami, walking across a parking lot.  I nudged Ed and said, "Hurry up, I want to catch up with her and get a picture."

We were on the way to a shop Ed wanted to look at and she was headed in the same direction - so I could snap a few pictures of her as we turned the corner.  I loved that everything she had on was chartreuse - shoes, purse, pants, blouse - topped with HUGE blond hair.  And she was walking fast, with purpose.

And then, just before we got to the store Ed wanted to check out, she ducked into a beauty parlor.

I suspect she was going to have her huge hair made even bigger.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: My Two Cents On Oscar Fashion
2012: A Little Nip Of A Love Affair
2011: It’s A Serious Addiction
2010: Why Play Fantasy Football When You Can Spend Your Time Making Lists For The Halle Experiment?
2009: I Hope There Isn’t Going To Be A Quiz
2008: Sunglasses Required
2007: Golden Eye
2006: Making A List And Checking It Twice
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Dinner And A Show

After we delivered in Miami last week, we spent two days getting the radiator on the truck replaced.  They finished on Friday - I was shocked, counting on Monday instead - so we headed a few hours up the coast to visit with our best trucking buds for the weekend.

In exchange for doing three loads of laundry at their place, I cooked dinner.  I would have cooked a feast if it meant I didn't have to spend two hours in a hot laundromat in Miami.  It was quite the deal for me.  And the key lime pie Marlaina got for dessert topped off the night.

Last night we all went out for dinner - there were five of us since Marlaina's longtime friend was also coming - at a place named Jetty's, a waterfront restaurant situated on the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter, Florida.  The outside dining area had a view of pelicans, passing boats, and the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse.  

The place was pretty popular and even though we were there early, the wait for a table was an hour.  Usually, I dislike waiting more than 10-15 minutes for a table in any restaurant, but the time flew by as we sat with drinks, chatting away and watching the snowy egrets plunge their thin orange beaks into the water to catch their meals.  It gave me time to think about what I was going to eat for mine.

We were seated at a table on the outside patio which was really nice and not at all hot or humid, a big plus for me.  Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals, I know I liked mine - a broiled seafood platter with stuffed shrimp, scallops, and an incredibly delicious lobster tail.  I haven't had one that good in a while.

Today we got the truck washed and was planning to have an error code on the generator looked at, but a juicy load popped up and Ed jumped on it.

So the fun is over for a few days while we get back to work.  After a quick stop at home at the end of the week, we'll be heading back to the east coast.

I hope they save some snow for me.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Everything You Need To Live A Bountiful Life Is Inside Of You
2012: From A Bodyguard, To Men Of Honor, To Good Deeds
2011: Just What I Need
2010: Waterfront Dining
2009: The Best Is Yet To Come
2008: It’s Not Just A Medicinal Oil After All
2007: Tracy Hilltop
2006: Calming The Flatulent Tiger
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

La Ventanita

Billed as "the world's most famous Cuban Restaurant", Versailles has been serving locals and tourists for over 40 years.  La Ventanita - the little window - is where most of the action is, as with many of the Cuban food places in Miami.  It reminded me of the coffee bars in Italy.  They seem to be the only place you'll find a group of men comfortable sipping from a delicate demitasse cup.

Their website states that after opening, it quickly became the gathering place for Miami's Cuban exiles.  The restaurant has seen the likes of everyone from celebrities to Presidential candidates.  And the media considers the place to be so important, that the major networks have already secured a spot to report from when Castro dies (if, as my friends pointed out, he isn't already secretly dead).  

We each had a Cuban Sampler platter.  Ed had The Classic - White rice, Black beans, "Picadillo" Ground Beef, Roast Pork, Sweet Plantains, Ham Croquette, Cuban Tamale, and Cassava with Cuban Mojo.  I had The Criollo - Yellow Rice, Black Beans, "Ropa Vieja" Shredded Beef in Tomato Sauce, Fried Pork Chunks, Ham Croquette, Sweet Plantains, Cuban Tamale, and Cassava with Cuban Mojo.  The food was okay, but not as good as Little Havana.

We completed our meal with cortadito which was deeeeeelicious (and very tiny), and brought home a few pastries from the bakery.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Big Fat Proof Of Your Weight
2012: This Could Be Very Confusing For Men
2011: The King Of Thrift
2010: Dances With Sheepskin
2009: The Seat You Offer Your Arch Enemy
2008: The Man With The Silver Handbag
2007: Silver Snowscape
2006: Let Go Let Flow
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Shades Of SOBE

More shots of SOuth BEach, Miami.

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2013:  Set In Stone
2012: How To Make A Mustache Famous
2011: Homemade Dessert Is The Bombe
2010: Olga And Eddie Travel The Country Viking Style
2009: They Say
2008: Eddie Lounges In Cozumel Friday
2007: I Think I’m Dating A Narcoleptic
2006: Groundhog Surprise
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Puttin' On The Fritz

Last night we stayed at The Fritz Hotel in Miami's South Beach.  Our room was on the top floor overlooking the ocean.  The four windows on the top left, and the sliding door next to it that opens on to the little balcony belonged to our room.

Driving up and down Ocean Drive, all the hotels pretty much have the same look - colorful Art Deco designs with a restaurant, bar or cafe in front.  We sat at one of those cafes looking at hotels on the iPad, trying to decide where to stay.  All the pictures looked great, but it was late and we were undecided so we headed back to the car.

When we got to the car, we realized it was parked right in front of this hotel.  Ed went in to see if they had any availability while I stayed in the car and tortured myself by reading online reviews.  Turns out, some of the reviews were right.  The suites were huge - like a large apartment with a spacious living room, roomy kitchen, huge bedroom and walk-in closet, big bathroom, and a balcony facing the beach - but they were showing their age.

It was kind of cool to stay right in South Beach at a hotel on the famous Ocean Drive, but it wasn't really the best hotel I've ever been in and I wouldn't stay here again.  I think it would suit young people who don't care where they are staying, who just want to be near the beach and the beer, and who often have several people in one room anyway.  It just wasn't up to our standards.  

Being on the top floor and having a little balcony, which faced directly east, did afford use a nice view of the Atlantic Ocean over the tops of the palm trees.  It was a nice vista to wake up to.  Ed took his coffee on the balcony.  

This view is also from the balcony, looking north up Ocean Drive.  The construction site ruins this view a little bit, but I chose to overlook it.  And you probably would have too if I didn't just point it out.  

I do have to say, South Beach is pretty with all the colorful buildings and store fronts, palm trees and luxury cars.  And I didn't see Justin Bieber or any of the Kardashians.

I consider myself lucky.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Proof That A Snowball Does Have A Chance In Hell
2012: I Just Want Tiny Little Elephants To Massage My Earlobes
2011: App-solutely Crazy
2010: NCIS Investigates The Kitchen Aftermath
2009: Sometimes There Are FOUR Sides To A Story
2008: Made With Pride
2007: Coke Crushes The Competition
2006: Tired And Mute
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Art Deco Color

The Art Deco District on Ocean Drive in Miami's colorful South Beach.  The Colony Hotel has been around since 1935 and is considered an Art Deco treasure.


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2013: Formed Around A Grain Of Sand
2012: Pinwheels, Cartwheels, What’s The Difference?
2011: Maybe You Left It On Mars
2010: The Art Of A French Cooking Friend
2009: Eddie Supervises Friday
2008: Squeaky Clean
2007: Rushing No More
2006: My Constant Gardner
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Seek And Ye Shall Find

We found our Cuban food by way of a nice little Cuban mechanic at Freightliner.  We brought the truck in to have the radiator replaced - small leak - and while waiting in the shop, Ed inquired about a good place to get Cuban food.  We were sent to the Little Havana Restaurant.  

Ed had the Roast Pork which had a crispy piece of pork skin with it, and I had a classic Cuban dish, Vaca Frita in Mojo Sauce, which is pan-fried shredded beef.  Both dishes came with rice, black beans, and fried plantains.  The serving was ample and everything was insanely flavorful.  It's not a location one could get to in a truck - we have a rental car - but it's definitely a place we'd make an effort to return to.

There are very few places in the country we've found Cuban food, let alone good Cuban food.  We came across a place in Key West and we had a pretty good Dominican meal in New York that was similar in to Cuban, but Miami does it best for us.

Vive la Cuba!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Frantically Trying To Get Back To Indonesia
2012: I’d Like Some Snow For Dessert
2011: Getting A Little Carried Away
2010: On A Need To Know Basis
2009: Something Has Gone Terribly Wrong
2008: Flying Into The Sun
2007: Riding The Rails
2006: Keeping Me Quiet With A Chocolate Snap
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

What A Difference A Day Makes

Yesterday we were here:

 Today we are here:

We chose a hot load, that had to get from Watertown, New York to Miami, Florida as soon as humanly possible.  And we did it.

1,523 miles in 26 hours.  We even kicked up our speed from our usual 58 mph to 65 mph.  We rarely do that.

We arrived at 6:15 pm and the freight we were hauling had to be on a plane leaving at 8:00 pm.  The freight forwarders didn't have much time to dismantle the pallets and get it to the airport, but that's wasn't our problem.  We fulfilled our part of the deal, so once we unloaded, we waved goodbye and headed out to find dinner.

Ed is happy to be back in warm weather, I could have used a few more days in four feet of snow.

Tomorrow we hunt for Cuban food.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: The Inner Path To The Outer Banks
2012: The Greatest Love Of All
2011: Step It Up
2010: It May Not Be EVERY Day You Learn Something New, But It’s Certainly True Of THIS Day
2009: Dreams Of Do-It-Yourself Dolloping Come True
2008: Rest In Peace Sweet Green Eyed Beauty
2007: George And Ira
2006: Zip It Up!
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Winter Water Running Through Watertown

The Black River in Watertown, New York.


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2013: The Pretty Pink Sailor
2012: Many Thanks To Those Of You Who Come To Peer Through My Window
2011: And I Thought My Feet Were Big!
2010: ABC. Easy As 123. As Simple As Do Re Mi, ABC, 123, Baby You And Me
2009: Under The Black Palm Tree
2008: The Zoo In Stateroom 7377
2007: Pillars
2006: Fiori Di Como
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!