Monday, November 26, 2012

If You Want to Go to London, Read This...

My blog has moved to www.satisfyingmycuriosity.com.  If you've enjoyed this blog, please check my new site out for other interesting comments on culture, book reviews, and music.


I've got two pieces of advice for you if you're going to London:  either go on an expense account or go on an all inclusive tour.  I don't like tours.  I'm not into the pack your bag every day and be with 30 strangers, some of which can either be really obnoxious or are repeatedly late or are chronic complainers.  But London is so expensive, I'd give it a shot.  London isn't the most expensive city in the world.  That honor, according to CNN, is Oslo, Norway.  New York ranks 6th.  But when the equivalent of 1 GBP (British Pound) costs $1.60 US, you're losing money like crazy.  That's why it's so expensive for travelers who use US dollars.  We got a discount at a JW Marriott, The Grosvenor House, which included breakfast.  I'm not going to say how much but it was reasonable enough not to figure into the overall expensiveness of the city.  We didn't eat at overly expensive restaurants but still ended up, for 3 people, with restaurant  tabs of $250 or more (includes tip).  And we're not big wine or mixed drink drinkers.  By the way.  I do like my martinis, vodka thank you.  They pour ONE ounce!  Sometimes at 10 GBP or $16 US.  We did eat at some great restaurants though.  One fun one was Bone Daddies on Peter Street in SoHo.  They specialize in ramen noodle dishes.  We had three bowls of ramen soup at 10 GBP each or $16 US.  The soup was delicious and I would highly recommend the place.  It's hard to find.  Peter street is a very short street and most people don't know where it is. I had to laugh.  It was like a phone commercial.  I walk up to five people standing in front of a bar.  No, this is not the beginning of a joke. I asked them if they know where Peter Street is and Bone Daddies.  Two of them, at the same time, say, let's race and begin to frantically look on their phones to see who can find my info the fasted.  We were at the restaurant 5 minutes later.  Read more:

Monday, November 12, 2012

Books to Give for the Holidays


It’s been a very good year, in my opinion, for the publishing world. It was buoyed by The Fifty Shades Trilogy.  Some authors seemed on auto pilot while others tried a different tack.  And as usual, we have many old characters back:  Jack Reacher, Harry Bosch, and John Corey, just to name a few.  The *-***** stars are provided by Amazon.com readers. I'll also designate TR, to read, or otherwise assume I read it.  

So here’s a list of books I have either read or I will read.    Read more...

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Will I Always Remember Christian and Ana? Depends...

My blog has moved to www.satisfyingmycuriosity.com.  If you've enjoyed this blog, please check my new site out for other interesting comments on culture, book reviews, and music.



Hah!  Suckered you in!  This is a blog on memory.  Although I must say that I will probably always remember Fifty Shades Fifty Shades of Grey as well as I remember reading my first "adult" fiction at the tender age of 13. And I do remember it, The Golden Hawk by Frank Yerby.  It was one of those bodice rippers with the hunky sea captain thing going on.  Forward (didn't I just see that word used in some campaign? How soon we forget.) then to the topic.   On Feb. 22 of this year, I wrote a blog entitled: Every memory soon becomes fiction. It's a quote from Ernest Hemingway.   I found this article in the Huffington Post and I thought I'd pass it on because so many of us baby boomers are worried about Alzheimer's.  We'll walk from one room to the next with a purpose to do so and by the time we get to the other room...realize we have forgotten that purpose.  Not to worry.  There's a reason for it and many of the other worrisome memory lapses we might have.  Hopefully this will relieve you of some of your anxiety.    Read more...

Monday, November 5, 2012

AAMOI: TAFS (Translation Below)

My blog has moved to www.satisfyingmycuriosity.com.  If you've enjoyed this blog, please check my new site out for other interesting comments on culture, book reviews, and music.


As a matter of interest: texting acronyms for seniors.  :-X.

I bought this little flip book, Texting Dictionary of Acronyms.  I'm not into this stuff like the kids of today are.  Mostly I use the LOL or LMAO with a smattering of :)) or :((.  But apparently there is a whole new world of language out there that scares me.  Scares me because I love the English language and all of its nuances.  Here's a lovely texted nuance: EPADY.  Want to guess what it stands for?  Eat poop and die you. Very nuanced.  I'm convinced that as our world evolves all our progeny will have on their hands are little thumbs to type on tiny keys.  Since my readers are mostly, not all, but mostly a little older, this little handbook does have texting acronyms for seniors.  So here goes TWS (texting while senior):   Read more...