Don't go here...249 E 55th St. on the corner of 2nd Ave...Good Nature

Here's the scoop. I bought the NY Times here yesterday. $5.00...but I bought it. Ok. This morning I realized there was no...MAGAZINE SECTION. Why else buy it??? (Not true...but that is a big reason to spend the money) I went back to the place I bought it(Good Nature...ha!) The girl at the register was beyond nasty. I then spoke to a man (manager???) as they spoke Spanish to each other. I asked them to speak English so they just stopped talking. His take: I read the paper and want my money back. How insulting... I did not bring the paper with me! Obviously I will not be going back. The same sort of deli is one block away on 56th and Second...(I stopped going to Good Nature when I realized they charged $.25 more for a quart of milk than the place at 56th and 2nd...and they are very nice there, too. An added bonus!) I went in for the paper because I was right there on my way downtown...my mistake.

Good Nature...not even close!

Sponge Dinosaur roams earth searching for food....xoxoxo

Food, food, food....dinosaur hungry...dinosaur...eats grapes. Good dinosaur...eat, eat, eat.

Yummy grapes...

More yummy grapes...mmmmm.....

Only f'in grapes...why only grapes? Sponge Dinsaur want meat...give me meat...I eat you...grrrrr...

Breakfast today. I walked to the westside to go to Roni Casting with some of my charm models and, as usual, got very very hungry. I walked on to M&J Trim for some ribbon and a lovely salesman sent me to Jimmy's American at 990 6th Avenue. The Yelp reviews are frightening. Most reviewers went for dinner. NOT a dinner place. I had a lovely omelet and...the waitress was spectacular. She could not have been more attentive and lovely...

Need an eye opener? Not a problem...

Their lovely sign...small, yet oval....

My yummy omelet...feta and spinach...I eat this a lot for breakfast...feta...I think of Greece...we did have fun!

And then one has to pay...not too bad.

A RATING SYSTEM

xo=eh

xoxo=ok, just...ok

xoxoxo=really ok

xoxoxoxo=yes+I'd go back

xoxoJaneoxox

A 'NOW YOU SEE IT' day...if you don't look, you won't! xoxo

I have, for some time, taken pictures of things I see that aren't really there. I want to put them in a children's book...but will I? I've thought about this for YEARS...well over 10. I haven't made much headway but I'd love to show you some! 

And then there's brunch. I didn't take any photos but they were so nice I have to mention: Brabant Belgian Brasserie at 316 E. 53rd St. (near 2nd) I had poached eggs smothered in a wonderful cheese sauce. Yummy potatoes, on the side. The bread, served first, was wonderful. Not for the faint of heart or the high of cholesterol! This meal included a choice of drink...mimosa or bloody mary or bellini...and maybe more??? Or...coffee or tea. All for $19.95...Lovely. Really...

A RATING SYSTEM

xo=eh

xoxo=ok, just...ok

xoxoxo=really ok

xoxoxoxo=yes!+I'd go back

Not a bug you'd want to meet in a dark alley! Or on the street where you live...

The Ghost Truck...ooooooo....I took this photo of a passing truck, through my car window...I did photoshop the sky...Isn't this scary???....

xoxoJaneoxox

Today I ate breakfast and lunch out...a banner day.

Pain Quotidian for breakfast. The Red Rooster for lunch. 

I waited quite a while for my breakfast. I think of Pain Quotidian as a lovely little chain restaurant...speedy service included. The waiter made excuses. Very nice fellow and apologetic to a fault. Kitchen's fault...too many orders, one chef? Can it be? The older man sitting next to me left a dollar tip. I think he must have waited longer than I did...or he's not from this fair land...and is just a cheap jerk. Don't punish the nice waiter!

Isn't this lovely? $3.50 for a pot-of-coffee...sweet.

I know this is blurry...the reason it's here is so I can say...
CLEAN the damn menu before you give it to me! It is plastic...not too hard. Come on....

My omelet: Mushroom and Goat Cheese Omelet. Pretty good. Too much food. Do I really need salad on my breakfast plate? Takes up space...

A RATING SYSTEM

xo=eh

xoxo=ok, just...ok

xoxoxo=really ok, really

xoxoxoxo=yes+I'd go back+I really like it, I really do

I actually cut out every article I could about this place and was very anxious to eat there...Lovely street scene...

The lovely street scene....it is lovely if you are sitting where I was sitting!

The owner...right rear. Looked much too serious the entire time I sat and, on occasion, looked up to see his sweet face. Let a smile be your umbrella...at least when patrons are around and paying for so so food! My friend and I shared not-very-good corn bread. How is that possible? It was heavy and not very tasty but very greasy. I've eaten enough corn bread in my day...so take my word for it! We had catfish. It was spicy. Unbreaded naked catfish...at first I thought...this is ok. Blah. Needs to be fried and crisp. Welcome to the world of the thin...Radeberger beer was excellent.

A RATING SYSTEM

xo=eh

xoxo=ok, just...ok

xoxoxo=really ok, really

xoxoxoxo=yes+I'd go back+I really like it, I really do

xoxoJaneoxox

ANOTHER DAY...ANOTHER DINER! and a bike tour.

WESTWAY DINER

I walked to the westside of NYC and joined my son for breakfast in a diner, of all places. 

I am convinced I am either invisible or don't speak the same language the waiter hears. I said, loud and clear, I thought...no potatoes. So why were they lying next to my spinach and feta very very well-cooked omelet? Why? The waiter was friendly...enough.

 I managed to muster up enough will-power not to eat them! Go Jane!!!
Now for the tour...xoxoJaneoxox

I took my own advice and got up and out. What a great day. I met my son at 46th and 8th. Ate (you will see where...) and walked to the westside, by the Intrepid and proceeded north. We walked to past the Boat Basin back down there (79th St.), headed east through Central Park, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art...and got in a cab back to the westside to EAT. At that point in time...I was spent!!! Nary a picture of lunch...yummy meats and bruschetta with sardines and cheese...xoxoJaneoxox

Lox and eggs and onions with fast friendly service...
Not beautiful (where have I posted that is beautiful...asks
I....)

Broadway Deli & Bagels, New York 
515 W 42nd St (Hell's Kitchen), New York 10036   (212) 564-0503

This morning in NJ...to the dentist.

Breakfast in New Providence...Lovely little place. Wonderful owner...who is about to be a daddy...awwwww.................a baby girl. Lovely

PANINI CAFE

ME...'QUICK'

The year I was born....

Three brothers.Two came before me; one after me. I was told "be a teacher". (There were some intervening years between birth and 'be a teacher' but that is not 'QUICK'. So I cut to the chase...two 'brilliant, special, walk-on-water brothers (and I don't, in fact, disagree), one lost soul brother, and the 'pretty', be a teacher, get married, girl-me. Life's tough. I became a teacher. (art and shop...no less) Not really my thing but I do Love children. Married, had three children...and Fresh Air Fund Children, Big Sister, Foster Children. Did I mention I love children? ADD was not on the horizon 'then'. My diagnosis came after three children and two years in therapy. Hah. Surprise...tried drugs. Hated drugs. What difference does it make especially when I'm not driving others crazy? (I only drive them crazy when I'm with them..but not ALL THE TIME!!!) Separated...for years now. (Still have 3 children) 


I have a million ideas...I've sold my 'things'.... Different things. Did I mention ADD? Lack of commitment and confidence. I do love my ideas. I love how they come to me. Any time any place. I close my eyes and 'see' things that aren't there or are they there? What do you see when you close your eyes? I've tried to get some manufactured...begged and pleaded, smiled and smiled some more. One guy even ripped off an idea...in his own crappy way...QVC no less. Jerk. Well...I give up. My ideas will appear here sooner or later because I'm NO business woman and I just don't know how...but I'm always game...


HELP! Here's what I need...Imagine a small box (2X2ish). You want to light up the inside of this box with small bright lights with a power source and switch. The switch should be outside the box, small and sweet. Any one out there? If you know your bulbs and switches
your my 'man'...

xoxoJaneoxox

On my walk with my daughter to work...we got hungry!

Esa-a Bagel
I haven't gone here in years. I didn't go because the people working there, years ago,
were...nasty. Enough said. I got hungry. We were going to walk right by so what the heck. The fellow behind the counter was a doll. He even smiled. The cashier and I are not on a first name basis but he too was...ok. Perhaps I'll go back. The place was packed. I guess that's a good sign. Yes?

Yummeeeeee.......in the....I'll spare you the rest. 

An Ugly Sign...but a sign none the less...
831 3rd Ave
(between 50th St & 51st St) 

xoxoJaneoxox

Rancho...Soup Nazi? The only Soup Nazi was on TV

The nice patron at the table watched me cough coffee quite

a distance and his reaction was "....this happens to every

one." I found the friendliest place in NYC this morning!

After walking for 1/2 hour...fast...as fast as one can walk with lights at every corner and after going to Staples I was really hungry so...I stopped at the big sign that said breakfast served here..Rancho. The gal that waited on me was AMAZING! Could not have been nicer.  I ordered The Champion BUT with changes. I should just give up but I cannot. We want what we want. Right? Over easy, 1 egg got me eggs scrambled.

  

The 'you cannot miss me' awning to the entrance.

I've passed this place a million times...this is 

finding nice people in...fun, places.

They did leave off the cheese and left the ham...! Scooped out...almost. I asked if there was 

decaf. I thought she said yes. She did not. I drank MORE coffee...never good. But the 

place was clean, the service polite and friendly and the food ok. For $4.60 I got 2 scrambled eggs/ham/bagel/coffee....3rd Avenue...NW side of street...between 

55th and 56th St...I think. You can't miss the awning!

xoxoJaneoxox

A Charmed Life and other matters...

I started three 3 III blogs! This is the one 1 I... I will pursue...The others, xoacharmedlifeox  and
Now You See It...Before You Didn't (see it!)

and A Charmed Life

will only exist in my imagination and on this blog, for the moment. Get ready for my imagination...bring yours!

Now You See It refers to scenes like the one in this picture. LOOK AROUND! The HEART is on the GROUND! All AROUND there are interesting shapes to be found! Look UP and DOWN (perhaps not while you are texting or driving or reading e-mail...that's enough to get you killed!) and LEFT and RIGHT, interesting scenes are in your SIGHT.

(Oh, I do love rhyming...so do kids...be a kid...)

xoacharmedlifeox™(and A Charmed Life) will, I hope in the nearish future be a website on which I will sell...charms, necklaces, etc.! Yes...another jewelry site. Mine is better. Stay tuned...More food, photos and...more.       

Have a lovely day! xo                                                       
oxoxjanexoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

It's raining...Lunch at the John Dory Oyster Bar...

John Dory Oyster Bar
http://thejohndory.com/info.html

My son and daughter and I stopped in for lunch. I think I might have been looking, for a change, at apartments, in the neighborhood.

You have to love the floating-in-the-air fish tanks. I think my kids liked the oysters. Tall tables, young, fun area....Check out the restaurant and the bar at the Ace Hotel, next door...

An oyster bar...

The other side fish tank...

Cafe Jia 

37 W 46th St

(between 5th Ave & Avenue Of The Americas)

http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-jia-manhattan

Well...I asked for one egg scrambled on a scooped out toasted sesame seed bagel (only in NY!!!) I got two eggs scrambled on a toasted un-scooped toasted sesame seed bagel. I repeated the order 3 three tres times! The counter guy looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. I guess I was! The upside: $2.45 WITH a small cup of coffee. Can't beat that...Oh well...This place was filled with cute guys in hard hats and, I imagine, is a zoo at lunch time as they offer tons of options.

Some of what they offer...tons of choices here....

I am writing in green so you will see this post...I must branch out. I have 16,000+ photographs that I've taken. Many in NYC and elsewhere in this great and glorious world. I love to fiddle with Photoshop and I am sure that within the next couple of decades, I'll be fairly well versed in it. I LOVE digital everything! I love technology! God bless APPLE!!! (He/She has...haven't they...) Life is not just about food...and I wonder why not??? xoxoxoJ

A slice of heaven in Califon....

Visit Bex Kitchen

Main Street, Califon, New Jersey
908.975.3334 for directions, etc.

A charming little bistro in a beautiful part of the world. The service is warm and friendly as are the owners. Leave NYC behind. Relax. I went today, for brunch. DELICIOUS! Fresh food. Fresh air.

Joan, an owner and the loveliest waitress
west of NYC!

A YUMMY PLATTER....

FRESH BAKED GOODIES...I drool....

Drive around this part of New Jersey...you won't be
disappointed. It's not called the Garden State for nothing!

If you come Monday through Saturday (I hope) you can eat AND buy lumber right next door. Sunday...you just eat. You know that's what you want! Oh how I love lumberyards!!!

La Baguette

Yesterday I was walking in the morning...as I try to do on a daily weekday basis...and got hungry as I do on an hourly basis...so I thought I'd eat out at the first diner/cheap (looking) place I came across. This was it. Avoid the place. Enough said.

Sarah's Kitchen...give it a shop

Sarah's Kitchen 725 3rd Avenue

I think I am going to wander Monday through Friday morning (give or take a day or two) and eat breakfast out...somewhere new every day. Cheap(ish) This is NY City after all. I could use some suggestions...I went to a pretty awful place yesterday. Sarah's Kitchen might put some Salt and Pepper and Napkins UPSTAIRS where one eats in. I know it's expensive...but in the grand scheme of things...come on.