There’s always room for good writing

Victoria Coit sent me a Facebook message of introduction, saying that she was a friend of Tina Hills and would like to speak to me about a project. Tina and her husband Ken were the owners of a restaurant in downtown Syracuse, I remembered, Sophistications, hosted jazz, very nice people. Victoria said she’s meet me…

Coming soon to a parking lot near you

The tiny sign off the side of the road caught my eye, over to the right, in front of the turn that takes you to where so many of my fellow city folks used to make their living crafting that fine Syracuse China. Ah, yes, I remembered hearing the radio ad and seeing the news…

Meet your new home, little Snow Fountain

Through heat and humidity and even a little drizzle, my dear wife Karen and I finished the weekend mission in the front yard of our Little Bitty in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood. All we needed was a spade, wheelbarrow, potting mixture, wanna, a metaphorical X to mark the spot and, the star of…

Blossoming crabapple and a good steak

I awoke to a good pour in the Little Bitty in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood this Mother’s Day morning. And the coffee pot is still brewing to fill the cup the size of my head. No, I’m talking about the rain that was falling down loud and proud to awaken me this Sunday.…

No irony-ing needed

The T-shirt caught my eye with a corner of olive peeking from the bottom of the shelf pile this warm and sunny Friday morning in Syracuse after a winter of neglect. My dear wife Karen had purchased it for my before my layoff from the big daily. Why, yes, I wore it to go view…

A beautiful Friday in May this second

The weather guy is calling for a record high on this Friday, May 8, predicting that it will reach 89º F here in Syracuse, N.Y. On “Today,” the stories from Al Roker and crew are of early tropical storms coming toward Myrtle Beach — first of the season, in particular, by the name of Anna…

I plead the Cinco

I sent the text to my dear wife Karen at mid-afternoon, figuring she’d warm to my suggestion when she’d find a moment to peek at her iPhone 6 at her job at SMG. How about keeping the meat loaf cooling an extra day in the fridge and taking a run out to celebrate Cinco de…

Avengers find Ultron formidable, but they’re still a marvel

You don’t just try the waters of the Avengers franchise by sticking your big toe into the pool a little bit. I joined the all-ages throng that filled the big theater at the Regal Cinemas at Syracuse’s mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex Destiny USA for the Sunday matinée of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” not…