Murder, mystery, writing

My bedtime stories are murder mysteries. It started with the British writer Dorothy Sayres and her Peter Wimsey series – Lord Peter Wimsey, a debonair style and an easy manner – gracefully transporting a reader back to another era. Because I live in Cuenca, Ecuador, when I reached the last page, I had to rely on a traveler bringing a book into Carolina Bookstore and wanting to exchange it – and hoping that book was written by Dorothy Sayres. One day I almost did a dance around the store when I spied the name Dorothy Sayres; because, yes, there on a bottom shelf was a thick Peter Wimsey hard cover book with a number of short stories. Never mind that I was already carrying three bags of mostly fruit – pineapple, papaya, mangoes, avocadoes, tomatoes, along with a few pounds of onions, I’d no intention of leaving that book behind. It turned out that it was worth the extra burden. I can’t imagine how anyone could write a more gentle murder mystery than Dorothy Sayres did. sayers.org.uk

So then, the time came to choose another mystery writer. And it was when I visited Otavalo that I came across a small shop with a smattering of books, and only a few written in English. Though there stood out one book by the writer Dorothy Gilman – one book from her Mrs. Pollifax series. I always need a book – not just any book –  so I took a chance on Mrs. Pollifax, and she was a delight. Well, imagine a widow in her sixties, bored with garden clubs, and one day becoming so utterly bored that she somehow manages  to get a job with the CIA. Dorothy Gilman has Mrs. Pollifax traveling around the world (this writer  was a world-wide traveler) as a CIA special agent. And that she has a brown belt in karate adds to her charm. Neat, eh? And so, little by little, I managed to find five Mrs. Pollifax books at Carolina Bookstore in Cuenca. Good bedtime murder mystery reading! But, all things come to an end, and the getting of more Mrs. Pollifax books, or any book by Dorothy Gilman, in Cuenca reached that end.  mrspollifax.com

And in lieu of not finding any more of Dorothy Gilman’s Mrs. Pollifax, I decided on the well-loved and respected murder mystery writer P.D. James., and her Inspector Adam Dalgliesh series – it was time I introduced myself to him. She, P.D. James, is a descriptive writer, and every step of the way, a detailed one, and very quickly the reader gets pulled into Inspector Adam Dagleish’s life and . . . job. P.D. James, I like her style! randomhouse.com

I’m now on the hunt for another murder mystery writer – one having that certain indescribable something. Here in Ecuador I’m slowly developing the fine art of patience! – but, when it comes to finding a great murder mystery writer, patience thins quickly!  ; – )

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walking, always walking 👞👢👠👟👡

Today I decided to walk back from Cale de Queso which is located on Baltazara de Calderon 3 – 76 y Gran Colombia where I bought a few of their delicious rolls and some cookies. It’s not easy to leave with just that skimpy bag, when (see below) scream to be bought . . . but, I did it . . . this time around.

It’s always nice walking along Simon Bolivar passing interesting places along the way. Hostal Posada del Angel on Estevez de Toral 8 – 91 y Bolivar, and its restaurant, Mangiare Benne, is one of those delightful places where a few of us (remember Emi and Minesh?) had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner last year (minus the turkey). www.hostalposadadelangel.com

Still walking, I reached Hermano Miguel where I turned right and came to Calle Larga. Then down the 88 steps to Tres de Noviembre where halfway over the bridge I noticed this lovely rainbow –

IMG_1913.JPG Grant you, I could have taken a fuller picture, but I could also have fallen into the Rio Tomebamba while holding an umbrella, two heavy bags of fruit, and a phone on a rainy evening.

When I looked up after taking the picture, I noticed a large group of bicyclists at one end of the bridge traveling along Tres de Noviembre, and at the other end across 12 de Abril at Parque de la Madre, adjacent to the Planetarium, there was lively entertainment. I love when Cuenca is busy having fun.

Whew! It’s been a long walk . . . forging ahead on 12 de Abril I finally reach my friendly neighborhood restaurant, Common Grounds at Paucarbamba 2 – 75. This is where crossing four lanes of highway gets tricky. Cars were in full force . . . but . . . tonight apparently gracious drivers were, too. Thank you!

Then along came a foot race on 12 de Abril – I had lots of company on the last leg of the walk.

 

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Wherever you are, be totally there. – Eckhart Tolle

dr. seuss

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@TheRealPsychics: “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!

I really like the above quote. Oh how the memories return of how much fun it was to read his books to my children.
www.seussville.com

a brief encounter with grace

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Yesterday as I was walking along Calle Larga, a busy street in Cuenca, looking for Bananas Cafe, I saw a lovely twenty-something woman with a hula hoop. She was dressed in clothes made of long, soft flowing fabric. She, tall and delicate-looking, was one with her hula hoop. Ever so gracefully she was performing in the middle of the street seemingly without a care in the world. It was mid-afternoon, and, at that particular time, everything around her briefly stopped. Then the light changed and we all woke from what seemed a dream.

I have a hula hoop. I’m practicing. She’s my inspiration.

Are you enjoying the day?

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“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” – Seneca

“Expose yourself to your deepest fear;
After that, fear has no power,
And the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes.
You are free. – Jim Morrison

bob olson and james van praagh

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When I clicked on to www.afterlifetv.com a little while ago, there was an impressive list of videos, and when I saw the name, James Van Praagh, the medium and writer of many books, I smiled. I once saw him at a workshop, and had a feeling the interviews would be highly informative and entertaining because he has a relaxed way, is quick to laugh, and has years of experience as a medium.

Bob Olson’s easy style, and his passion about the after life comes through on every interview. He’s also delightfully expressive which makes watching fun. It’s obvious that he wants to get very clear on the subject before the interview ends, and so he always seems to leave no stone unturned. Because of this, watching and listening to him is very satisfying.

If you want to learn more about the after life, and get comfortable with it, click on and listen to the two videos with Bob Olson and James Van Praagh. I’m betting you’ll enjoy and be glad you clicked.

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From a tweet: “You are creative and powerful. Let go of your fixed ideas, change ur inner pictures, & give yourself control over your own life.” – James Van Praagh

Can you say your weekend was wonderful? And say thank you whether it was or wasn’t? Thank you either way . . . because if it wasn’t . . . “Your soul is given many opportunities to develop and expand by living through adversity.” – James Van Praagh

 

bdgs at gramercy park and eataly at the flatiron district

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This past Sunday found Emi and Jessie having six carefully chosen and funny comics for their show Bad Date Great Story at Gramercy Theatre. www.baddategreatstory.com Are you thinking: Of course they’re “funny”? Well then, I’m asking: Have you ever watched an unfunny comic? I have, and it’s a rather agonizing experience because you feel for the struggling unfunny comic. Happily, that wasn’t the case this past Sunday. Which is the reason I want to say thank you! for the laughs, and fun, to: Joe DeVito, Katina Corraro, MadDog, Charla, Christie Walsh, and Matt Mercier.
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My cousins, Pauline and Diane, came from New Hampshire to watch and enjoy the BDGS show. They decided to drive to the outskirts of NYC on Saturday, find a hotel there, and come into the city Sunday morning. I met them then, and we meandered around waiting for the theatre doors to open at 1:00pm. Though while waiting for me to come in from Philly, they saw a street festival on Broadway between 23rd and 14th Streets, and thoroughly loved eating their way to 14th Street – and back. If you met them you’d wish they were your relatives, too.

And as we were meandering around the neighborhoods, I said to my cousins: “The show is a little on the risqué side; are you all right with that? Their uproarious laughter was followed by Pauline’s tongue-in-cheek humor: “No, we’re not; we’re two virginal sisters, and you’ll have to explain everything to us.” – the laughter continued. And I know in my bones that that question of mine will haunt me, and bring lots of laughter to our family. Whatever was I thinking? I’m prepared; it’s okay, laughter is good for mind body spirit.

It’s not possible to be in the Flatiron District and not go to Eataly, at 200 Fifth Avenue. www.eataly.com it’s an impressive “50,000 sq. ft. Italian marketplace.” And to say it’s impressive is an understatement. For this we have to thank Mario Batali, and his business partner Joe Bastianich, along with their partners, Lidia Bastianich and Oscar Farinetti.

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I made a mental note that, sometime during the day of the next Bad Date Great Story show in June, I’ll meander over to Eataly to take in a little more of the eating and shopping experience. That sounds like a wonderful plan to me.

I’m wishing everyone a lovely full-of-laughter and fun kind of day.

philadelphia at south street between 10th and 22nd streets

Have you been to Philly? If not, come. A lot of changes have and are taking place. In the four years I’ve been here there are new restaurants, shops, the Barnes Museum Foundation is now in Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, more people are moving here, and though it’s a city, it’s small and not overwhelming. Travelers say that they actually enjoy flying into the Philly airport whether to visit, or to transfer to another flight, because it’s easy to get around. I agree; it has the easiness of being able to get one’s bearings which is not always the case at airports, and yet it’s well-organized.

With all that’s developing there’s a good feeling in the air. When I first moved to Philly, South Street between 10th and 23rd Streets was in the throes of, well, I don’t quite know of what. Truthfully, except for a few stores, it was uninspiring. Not anymore; it’s alive now. Here we can find an array of restaurants preparing delicious ethnic foods, and plenty of small speciality shops. People who are moving into this area and opening shops are excited about being a part of the neighborhood. When walking along and passing restaurants, I hear a whole lot of laughter.

What I’m saying is that when you’ve been to all the tourist sites don’t stop there cause you ain’t seen nothing yet. Uh-oh, maybe I shouldn’t write that. Well, I did. Philly is small, walk over to South Street and meander over to 10th Street where Whole Foods can be your landmark, then head west. I’m only going to name a few places, as you’ll easily discover the rest. Remember, Philly is the city of Brotherly Love so don’t hesitate to ask to be pointed in the right direction.

The Philly Magic Gardens at 1020 South Street will be waiting for you. If you have flowers and plants in mind, instead think mosaic. There are events, tours, workshops with Isaiah Zagar, celebration of special occasions, and more, more. Check it out: 215-733-0390 – www.phillymagicgardens.org

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Next let’s go to Harry’s Occult Shop at 1238 South Street. Harry’s Occult Shop was started by Harry Seligman a pharmacist in 1917. He was a registered pharmacist and the business started as a pharmacy, most of his clients were people who had just arrived from the south and would ask him for occult powders and oils. His interest was aroused and he began researching the occult (Occult means hidden, unseen, unheard). Occult products are used to create positive energies to help bring about changes according to the intention. The upstairs rooms are used for treatments and readings. Harry’s Occult Shop: 215-735-8262 – www.harrysoccultshop.net

You were hungry and perhaps stopped at a restaurant. if not, you’re hungry now. Don’t be concerned as there are a lot of restaurants along the way to 22nd Street. First though I’d like to tell you about Mushmina at 1540 South Street, or because they can do it so much better than I can – you’ll feel their passion – I’ll let the first paragraph of their website do the telling:

“The story started with two sisters who wanted to make a difference in the developing world. One joined Peace Corps Morocco to help rural women develop business skills and the other traveled to Mali to research traditional weaving and metal-smithing techniques. Six years later, Mushmina was born. Our name Mushmina, is an endearing nickname that to us means ‘little sister’.

“Artisans we love
In Morocco we work with over 9 different regional artisan groups, employing over 75 artisans, both men and women. While we are a cottage industry business (where many women work in their homes) the Mushmina Workshop and atelier is coming soon!”

Katie O’Neill is one of the sisters, and you’ll find her at the Mushmina shop. Her face nicely expresses that she loves what she does, and is well-able to talk about any item in the store, and tell its story. I was there and I’ll be back to buy a birthday gift. Pictures also tell a story, and the website can show you the beautiful selection of bags, scarves, clothes, jewelry, shoes, slippers, etc., and of the interesting ways the sisters are growing their business. Check it out: 215-732-5500 – www.mushmina.com

 

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It wasn’t easy choosing only three shops to write about. From here I hope you continue onward, and, if you’re so inclined, send a comment about an interesting shop you happened upon, or a restaurant, yoga place, bar, cafe, a great story you heard on South Street, etc. What caught your attention?

It looks like a lovely summer day. Let’s thoroughly enjoy.

park slope, baddategreatstory, soba-ya, st. mark’s place

I just returned from Park Slope, Brooklyn where talent, passion and creativity are delightfully displayed in the many excellent small speciality shops lining every block. And recently it was daughter Emi’s birthday and family and friends gathered to celebrate with her. Happy, Happy Birthday, dear Emi! Before we did though there was a show on Friday evening in the East Village related to co-creators Emi’s and Jessie’s website www.baddategreatstory.com that daughter Sumi and I finally got a chance to see. It wasn’t the usual way I spend my time; but the extracting of laughs from bad date angst can be wildly entertaining. Sorry to say this if you’re newly bruised from a bad date, but you just might have a great story to tell, and let’s face it, it’s probably a funny story that will put things right – if you let it.

Before stepping in to watch the show, Sumi and I had dinner at Soba-ya at 229 East 9th Street. This could be the place for you if you are an appreciator of quality. Sumi had been there before, so in we went, and not for a second did we regret ordering from the day’s specials. www.sobaya-nyc.com

Your imagination will fill you in on how the following six comedians: James Alexander, Will Garre, Rachael Parenta, Jessie Male, Alix Mansbach, and Jason Salmon got a lot of mileage in the telling of their own bad date great story experiences, and, one after the other, kept us all laughing.

Emi and Jessie, you both put together a very entertaining show.

After the performances Sumi and I walked along 8th Street and pointed to all the places where once upon a time stood shops we really liked and now are gone. That’s Manhattan, people and places are always coming and going.

It was now time to duck into the subway station and head back to Park Slope. The evening, well, it was a very lovely one.

And now it’s time to blend an avocado, apple, freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped ginger, chia seeds, stevia, Navitas Cacao Powder, and 1 cup of water (because there’s no almond milk, rice milk, or coconut water in this apartment at the moment) for a nutritious and delicious smoothie.

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I hope you enjoyed the day and that the evening is all you want it to be.

Ecuador

At this time of the year many of us, for different reasons, leave the bright lights and merriment of our own hometown to travel abroad. We go for various reasons: we don’t want to be alone in familiar surroundings, we’re thinking that, at this point in time, we’re not compatible with family, we’re grieving and want to get away, or we simply enjoy the sheer pleasure of traveling. I’ll be going, too, in imagination – to a sweet, small country called Ecuador where celebrations in the streets are happy, lively, and colorful. If you haven’t yet formulated your traveling plans, you might want to consider Ecuador.

I’m reminded of Ecuador for two reasons: I receive information from International Living and lately their focus has been on Ecuador, and I’m in the midst of organizing papers and came across a box filled with memories of five months spent in a beautiful place; a place so enjoyable that it’s perfectly understandable that people from different parts of the world are wanting to buy and live there.


Ecuador’s centuries old buildings and cathedrals have plenty of history. And now I’ll generalize and say that the people are kind and helpful, the hostals are clean and have a nice array of travelers, it’s easy and pleasant to get around (a little knowledge of Spanish is helpful), the food is excellent – north, south, east, west – there’s plenty to admire, fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful in the large markets, it’s inexpensive, and additionally, this is a chance to buy a Panama hat. If you haven’t read THE PANAMA HAT TRAIL by Tom Miller you might want to take it along. It’s a good book about Ecuador; it’s witty and informative.


I’d like to tell a simple story because it was a sign of how it would be for me in Ecuador – one helpful person after another. In Quito, the capital, I checked out of one hostal for no particular reason other than another was highly recommended. I wandered the unfamiliar streets and wondered where oh where could this place be. Suddenly next to me stood a high school boy. He asked in English if I needed help. That sounded like an offer, and it was too good to refuse. He took my suitcase, and away we went walking and talking right to the door of the lovely mother and son operated hostal. He wouldn’t accept a tip. He said that he wanted to practice speaking English. Very nice, I thought. Though being an American, I’ve yet to understand how people know one when they see one. Quito, the capital, has what many big cities have, its own history, museums you don’t want to miss, historical sites, and culture. The following are a few places to consider:
www.lacasasol.com
www.cafecultura.com
www.magicbeanquito.com
and Hassan’s Cafe, located at Reina Victoria No 24 399 Y Colon, Tel.: (02) 223-2564
You’re probably saying, I’m not going to Ecuador to eat Lebanese food. And I’m saying, Ah, but this is very tasty Lebanese food, and it’s a good chance to mingle with the locals.

Let’s leave the big city of Quito for the beautiful colonial city of Cuenca; we can always return. In Cuenca many of the hostals have wonderful old, big, beckoning courtyards. It’s a joy to walk along the streets and come upon small museums, old and well-used churches, restaurants, markets, the Tomebamba River, etc. and finding history in all of it. it’s a walking city and with a map, quite easy to navigate. One of the places I stayed at was the utterly charming Inca Real. Finding a hostal or hotel is not a problem, or, if staying a while, an apartment for $200-$250/month with kitchen and full bath.
www.hotelincareal.com.ec


A good guidebook and intuition helps when walking along Cuenca’s streets. Eventually Raymipampa Restaurant on the main square will appear just when it’s time to eat. And also El Maiz Restaurante although it’s a little out of the way, is not to be missed,


Now for a hair-raising bus ride from Cuenca south to Loja and then Vilcabamba. It’s worth the bus ride because it’s a chance to see the land and the people in a different way, and that’s all I’m saying. Loja is a good stopover for the night. Time to get acquainted with this interesting old city, and find a place to stay, and enjoy the evening before leaving for Vilcabamba tomorrow to savor the mountains. It’s tomorrow already? To the beautiful mountains by taxi or bus. Perhaps staying at Le Rendez-vous Hostal owned and operated by a couple from France who built it after touring South America and deciding to make Vilcabamba their home. Time to hear about what’s happening in Vilcabamba from Serge and Isabelle. Or check out other places to rest and revive; what makes one person happy, doesn’t necessarily make another. – a soft mattress, a hard one, maybe a hammock; it’s all there waiting.
www.rendezvousecuador.com

So much to see, the coast, the city of Guayaquil, the Galapagos, the Amazon, and north to Ibarra, Otavalo, Cotacachi, etc. Ah, yes, another time, perhaps.

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The pleasure in traveling consists of the obstacles, the fatigue, and even the danger. What charm can anyone find in an excursion when he is always sure of reaching his destination, of having horses ready waiting for him, a soft bed, an excellent supper, and all the eases and comfort he can enjoy in his own home! One of the great misfortunes of modern life is the want of any sudden surprise, and the absence of all adventures. Everything is so well arranged.
– Theophila Gautier, WANDERINGS IN SPAIN