Alexander Graham
Hold on to your Bell
Listen very closely to this tale we will tell.
4 out of 7 people walking on the street,
Faces we will never know,
No one we’ll ever greet.
The instrument you invented, that sat upon our desk.

Came alive with a Ding a Ling and oh, you know the rest.

An hello was the greeting,
The connection came so strong.

We got to schmooze and gossip,

Tell a joke, sing a song.
147 years later and
The world has gone to hell.

Oh, Alexander, we need to be saved by the bell. 

We are carrying, pressing and gazing at your namesake like no other. 

You brought communication from one house to another.

We chat with our friends and check in with each other.

If you could see the spin off, we are holding in our hands.

The newest and most modern always in demand.

You gave us communication, sensibilities though were lost.

In fear of missing an email, a text at any cost. We are talking while we’re walking, our stories overheard, 

Every Tom, Dick and Harry can hear our every word.

Let’s travel back in time, when a phone call cost a dime.

A party line was the norm and it all seemed just fine.

We couldn’t take a picture or play a word with friends,

It simple was a means to a very happy end.

Nora Johnson was an American novelist and a memoirist who wrote one of our all time favorite movies, The World of Henry Orient.The story is loosely based on her very New York City schooled at Brearley, lunched at Romanoffs life. With financial indulgences galore by luck and emotional limitations in abundance as a by product of a divorced home, she managed to balance a well integrated life. She had three marriages, several children and grandchildren and attained a great deal of success through her well received books. Her third, late in life relationship turned marriage came when she was 71 with a man who was 84. The net/net on their years together was best summed up by her. And I quote- He had said I was his last, loveliest adventure and he brought joy and magic to my life. He died when he was 91 and I was 78. Only then did I start to get old.”

Attached is a blog from April 27, 2016 – The World of Henry Orient.

APRIL 27, 2016 ~ AROSEBYANYOTHERNAME2016

The World of Henry Orient- our dream away movie starring Peter Sellers as an eccentric concert pianist and two young Brearley-esque ingenues who groupie their way around New York City. We had a crush on the entire movie. The friendship between Val and Gil served as the prototype for our best friendships and our shared tuna fish sandwiches with malteds stirred by pretzels. It was based on a book by Nora Johnson written in 1964. The movie directed by George Roy Hill also extrapolated the concept of infidelity.

We too had our own Henry Orient in high school. Mr. Schmoltze the Director of the all school musical was our Henry. The thread throughout illustrated how good friendships never go out of style. Stay in close touch with the friends that touch you deeply. Friendship and trust are synonymous. “We’ll always be bosom buddies, friends, sisters and pals. “I’ll always be Alice Toklas if you’ll be Gertrude Stein. Auntie Mame had her priorities in order at least when it came to the value she placed on her gal pals. I know cliche counters! Sometimes we call our friend just to hear her voice. There is a treasured certainty in knowing we haven’t thrown each other out after all the tales of woe we’ve shared. Our discussions so much cheaper than therapy. We paint a picture, create a collage or write a poem inserting a compilation of shared memories. We know we are the lucky ones who will never “Walk Alone.” Have a great Friday.

Norman Lear’s sentiments  in Carl Reiner’s documentary on aging “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast,” -exactly! His credo is find your “hammock” and live in the “now.” As he sees it the transition of time in between the “ok it’s over, to what’s next, is when his productivity kicked in. At the end of a writing project, leading with humor and sending a message -he kept hundreds of people in his audience laughing. And I quote- Go Beat that- Happy 100 years yesterday Mr. Lear. 

HBO launched the documentary, catch it if you can. Mel Brooks is hysterical , Dick Van Dyke glides across the dance floor, Norman Lear is brilliant, Carl Reiner orator extraordinare. They were all Nonagenarians -Mr.Reiner RIP -Mr. Lear Happy “100” omg years. 

A big take away message is if you spend too much time working off disappointments and complications you will be one miserable soul. Excuses hold no water when they are used without discretion. Limiting your “woe is me’s” gives you more time to go for the gold. Give hugs, get attention where the tariff is reciprocal and strong. 

The future might be an assumption but when you “find yourself in times of trouble ,” find your version of Mother Mary and become the ambassador of your estate. One thing the long “livers”had in common, whether or not chopped “liver” and french fries were mainstay’s, is that they fell in love with lots of things. They attached passion to their activities. They honed hobbies and had specific collections. Please pass the salt and pepper shakers -collection strong. Cole Porter, hit it- “The night is young, the skies are clear-So if you want to go walking dear. It’s delightful, it’s de-lovely, it’s delirious.” Make it a good Thursday you have a head start!

Ward and June Cleaver you really did good.

Raising the two best boys in the hood.

Eddie Haskell, the prototype of the two faced dude.

His behavior you worked so hard to exclude.

The garage door was always opened real wide.

After his very white collar job,

Ward could be found woodworking inside.

When 6:00 came around,

Larry “the apple” Mondello, Lumpy and Tooey would leave to go home.

The place from where Wally and The Beav would never much roam.

As part of the era of the Ozzie and Harriets, Donna Reed and Cosmo Topper too.

The Beav and big bro Wally would learn a thing or two.

Gin Martinis, Duplicate Bridge,

Meat Loaf and Apple Pie.

An Archetypal family with hardly a cloud in the sky.

Wally was very wavy hair cute.

Looking after the Beaver, his main pursuit.

So much a part of after dinner T. V.

We thought of you as neighbors,

And part of our crew.

Farewell Tony Dow.

A heartfelt Adieu. B” H

Living without mommy- and then it happened. The fear, the sorrow and the ultimate in never mores- Square in the face, the pain sits quivering. Hey, Soph your words of advice and guidance still feel freshly delivered from center stage. We repeat them aloud to you, as you are the only face staring back at us in the dark.

Focusing on your words gets us through on the murkiest of days. They have rolled in at rapid fire speed as of late. We try to turn disappointments into lessons. Gornisht Helfen, Looking forward toward the prize in the “just have fun” way is our biggest take away from our life long dialogue. Ok, hold on mommy we’ll be back with an update -BH

From the Madeline Murals at the Carlyle, and foie burger at Minetta Tavern, We Love New York. 

A stroll through the Modern

buying clocks with big numbers at the gift shop. Sharper Images.

We Love New York!

With euphoric recall we remember the Days of Comedy Clubs and “Arthurs“ jazz club , two drink minimums, laced with “sunshine and sodas and beer.” Oh the crunch of multi colored leaves as we strolled across the park in Autumn to have lunch at The Boathouse. No, it’s closing.

Ah, yes NYC. 

From Drinks at the bar at The Four Seasons before the variegated visuals of the flowers and soufflés at Grenouille, we Miss our Golden New York. Memories of dancing at El Morocco and Le Club before backgammon in the backroom at Cavalleros, priceless. We closed the night before with an early breakfast at The open all night Brassiere. How about the days of sitting on an auxiliary seat in the back of yellow cabs with leg room, en route to an underground Allen Ginsburg poetry reading in a dive on Astor place near Tompkins Square Park. Run on sentence counters, I know. ”I took a deep breath and listened to the bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am.” Poems by Sylvia Plath inspired us to walk down to the Hip Bagel. An infamous, artistic guy named Shelly Fireman had a vision we jumped onto. We heard about him and his multifaceted interests. A perfect panoply of his Peter Max Art, knowledge of herbal cures i.e. Dr. Giller and his cocktails known as ACE (adrenal cortex extract) and the smoked fish from Barney Greengrass. We couldn’t help but prophesize that he would find a unique recipe for success through the perfect antipasto in the most lyrical of neighborhoods. He would breathe garlic into locations housing music, art and the sounds of Placido Domingo. Good guess, indeed. Moving on now to the long ago delights of Steak Diane at Quo Vadis before it became The Post House. A little black jack and throwing dice at a private after hours gambling joint in a townhouse on 72nd and Park. Brass, red carpeting and pink walls added to the late night fantasy of downing Harveys Bristol Cream. Bromo- seltzer set up on our nightstand could have served as the back drop of an Andy Warhol painting. B. Altman’s, Rita’s Blue Tent Dress Shop on Madison Ave and accessories and Mini Dresses at Bendels was our idea of a perfect Saturday shop around before lunch at Yellowfingers or Daly’s Dandelion. Sunday Mornings of counting Ninas on the cover of The Sunday Magazine section through the distinct brilliance of Al Hirschfeld, was the precursor to lunch at Maxwell Plum’s. Oh those Eggs Benedict and mimosas under the kaleidoscopic stained-glass ceilings imagined and realized by Warner LeRoy. Pre- Tavern on the Green. What a treat before grabbing the latest Woody Allen film at The Paris Theater on 59th Street. In the way, way back of the memory bin, the Pate at Brussels, anything at Le Bernardin- and the pasta at Joe and Rose (favorite of the Kennedys) were all pieces of our we Love New York Days. Everything and Anything prepared at Christ Cellas on East 44th Street- no menus and house charge ready.

So just for today, we will brush off our blue suede shoes, pick out a paisley blouse, grab an old hermes belt, add a touch of Shalimar and dream of the Date-nut bread sandwiches at Chock Full o’ Nuts. Make it a memorable “Monday Monday.”

Definition of Recidivism-a tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior; especially relapse into criminal behavior. Is there a fine line between addiction and recidivism? Let’s consider how popular prison romances are and seem in no danger of dying out. One theory is that prisoners create a literal wall against closeness. Conjugal visits preclude hanging out Sunday morning with Russ and Daughters and The New York Times. They certainly eliminate variegated activities i.e. strolling through The Whitney and eating french toast at Bubby’s in TriBeCa. Delving into a veritable pantheon of theories that depict the profile of personalities enraptured by the incarcerated is a thesis unto itself. Far from the cover for every pot concept. We recently viewed for the second time Jacob Ephron’s documentary on his mom Nora Ephron. Oh, Nora you hated your neck but we loved you. We so related when Harry met Sally and they were “Sleepless in Seattle.” We followed as Julie and Julia “Got Mail.” When your character Rachel Samstat, a successful cookery writer found out her husband Mark was having an affair -we too got “Heartburn.” Your self deprecatory humor was comforting and relatable. And I quote “when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” The converse rings ever so true. When you understand that burnt pot roast doesn’t necessarily taste good, negating that we grew up eating it, you throw it out and start again. Sensibility does not kick in by chance. Don’t wait for the next ship to come in to carpe diem.” Seizing opportunities and disregarding discouragements our modus operandi.

I know cliche counters, it is one of those self help days. Nora Ephron we were “Bewitched” by you. Make it a cool Sunday.

You’re Not Gonna Believe This! T.S.

With two silver wings
on either side.
He blow dried and sprayed it
himself.
Woody Allen frequently cast
him.
His Black Velvet Track suit a
look in itself.
As chief henchman to Tony
Soprano.
Paulie Walnuts clearly had clout.
A germophobe, whose aunt was
his mother.
With a pillow he snuffed her
friend Minn Matrone out.
He claimed he saw the
apparition of The Virgin Mary
one night.
The famous Bada Bing was the
sight.
Tony ran it by Dr. Melfi and
asked Carmela her take.
She called out his name so
familiar,
And told him she thought it was
fake.
David Chase cast him as “Paulie
Walnuts Gualtieri.”
Cause nuts fell off of a truck.
His t.v. chair was covered with
plastic,
When he got up he often got
stuck.
The resemblance between fact
and fiction.
Was so absurdly dead-on.
Tony Sirico had lived his
character.
Early
in life he did “stuff.”
Not everything was always real
kosher.
Hence Satriales Meat Market,
The infamous scene of the
crime.
Paulie Gualtieri beat Shlomo
Teittlemans son-in-law.
In a room on the upper floor,
shot from behind.
As we binged all 86 episodes.
We really got to know why,
He threw Christopher Moltisanti
out the window.
And ate a ketchup pack in The
Barrons of Pine.
Known for cracking jokes at just
the wrong time.
RIP-Paulie Walnuts, so salt
peppered with flare.
Your character was ever so
compelling and one we will hold
ever dear.

Time sprints…

It seems as if watermelon and new keds sneaker season lasted ad infinitum. Brand new blue loose leaf folders, colored tabs to divide social studies from algebra and colorful pencil holders already? Do you remember new commercials for Fall tv shows advertised in July? Did Ginsburgs and Wechslers sport alpacas and madras blouses in July? Do the street lights go on so much earlier now than they did back then? Father Time, slow down dude, we need to take a breath and “relish” (hello Rutts) every last barbecued hot dog,

We wonder when self help books turned into “recalibrating the soul” GPS style. Zoom class your way out of persistent mishegas? Peloton, Pilates and “we”ll stretch you” stretch clinics now replace Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons and Jazzercise. Lululemon and  Sweaty Betty updated Danskin leotards and leg warmers. Hot rock massages, bikram yoga and acupressure lead the way to mojitos, Sweetgreens Guacamole Green Salad and red velvet cupcakes. Vic tanny vibration exercise machines- what?

I wonder where the days of climbing the monkey bars, wearing very tight white rubber bathing caps to ward off the chlorine effects when we swam and ring dings went? 

If the line was busy you called your friend back to tell her about the new colored bangle bracelet and lady bug pins you got to match your new outfit to wear to Temple for the holidays. 

So let’s hold on tightly to July. Treadmill our carvel dipped ice cream cone calories off and cherish our yesteryear memories.

We know we are blessed to have had foundations where Sly had “hot fun in the summertime,” and when the sun beat down and burnt the tar on the roof- we could go “Under the Boardwalk,” and be confident that the Lion would sleep tonight. Have a fun Sunday!