Sawdust on the Floor, Hot Pastrami on Rye, Six Foot Sandwich and Send a Salami

Katz’s Deli in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

My sister took me there for lunch on Thursday. We shared a hot pastrami on rye with both fresh and pickled pickles. I’d never been to Katz’s before but would definitely go again. Everyone gets a ticket upon entering. You have to show it when you leave and pay, even if it is blank like mine was as Mary treated.

I sat at the table while she got in line for the carver to carve the meat. I can tell you the sandwich was delicious. as were the accompanying pickles.

A huge menu and lots more to order but half a sandwich was plenty. A nice woman let me photograph her matzoh ball but I didn’t think the photo looked good enough to post.

Before we went, Mary answered my query by googling and finding the chow hound telling the difference between pastrami and corned beef.

While we were there she pointed out the sawdust on the floor. Lots of celebrities photos and neon beer signs from floor to ceiling.

I’d heard of the slogan- Send a Salami to Your Boy in the Army but didn’t remember the song which is also my sister’s reference. Thanks Mary.

A popular spot for lunch. Fellow diners at the deli.

Hot Pastrami on Fresh Rye as photographed by my iPhone.

Two kinds of pickles. both delicious, iPhone shot again.

You can order a six foot sandwich to go for $275

(Took this with the Canon 5D 50/ 1.2L lens, no flash)

Packing up the six footer in a special box. Plenty of muster and mayo went with it.

Send a Salami to Your Boy in the Army

Who You Gonna Call When Your Neon’s Ailing? The Neon Doctor

Neon. An inert gas. 2/3 the density of air. When put into electric signs it glows, catches your eye. You can read about Neon Signs here.

Not sure how much neon signage you have in your neighborhood but there’s a lot around the city.

I was filling up my car’s gas tank and looked across the street.

After I screwed on the gas cap, I got my camera out of my school bag. I had the long lens.

Another day I’ll go and visit the interior and ask if the Neon Doctor is in.

Good to know there’s a place that can restore and repair the neon signs.

From across the street. Shot with a Canon 70-200 lens L series.

Cropped shot. I will get energized and go and actually visit the place after school one day.

What Laura and James Found While Digging in their Garden

It’s gardening season finally. Planting grass seed. Thinking about what vegetables to plant. James and Laura were preparing their garden and found this Old School original Fisher-Price Little People® girl. Wooden head. Wooden body.

I think she got transferred from my son and his wife’s house to my daughter and her husband’s house. Not by a bird but a grandchild. Will have to check and see if the same girl is living in two homes.

Awhile ago I did a post on the various generations of the Little People® I’d come across at the family’s house in Columbus.

No worries about choking hazard when these were manufactured. And here’s the crazy part. I discovered a site that identifies the Little People®.

From what I could determine she’s from late 60s early 70s. On the site she is listed as Occupation: Girl.

I think they are a match!

Here are the three generations from the October 2011 post

Black Pussywillow Branches Cast Wall Shadows

When we lived in Germany, we’d get Pussywillow with fuzzy gray shapes along the branch and hang wooden eggs and rabbit ornaments to make an Easter Tree.

Add MediaI’d never seen Black Pussywillows until Wednesday night at my friend J’s home. I was to take a photograph over to her and the evening turned into an impromptu supper. My crazy part is I went over without the picture I was to take. J followed me back to my house after we ate and got the photograph to take back to her own home but she didn’t seem to mind.

A great blog post about this unusual looking plant is here. The Latin name (Salix gracilistylus ‘Melanostachys’)

I can’t remember the name/type of ceramic vase holding the branches. (Taken with the iPhone)

A Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt and Friend- Remembering Theresa

Theresa Simok McDonald.

She is going to be sorely missed. Wednesday and Thursday the family gathered in at Aunt Linda’s and Uncle Frank’s house. One neighbor next door brought over nut horns and apricot and cherry cookies, and the neighbor on the other side brought a Jell-o salad. There was ham and bean soup and a tray of baked stuffed shells, haluski, a chicken, hoagies from the Triangle Bar and lots of salad and fruit. There was laughter and tears and stories and sifting through the pictures of growing up. A round of hugs and kisses and fresh tears at every greeting and farewell. The family drove in from Ohio this afternoon. Doing schoolwork at the kitchen table, the little ones watching a dinosaur movie in the family room. Aunt Linda making everyone welcome with food and drink and hospitality.

A wonderful woman Allison at the Waterfront COSTCO printed an 8×10 memorial portrait just before closing time.

Friday the family will gather together at the Memorial Service.

Family and friends will be received from 10- 11:30 a.m. on Friday at the THOMAS L. NIED FUNERAL HOME, INC., 7441 Washington St., Swissvale. A Blessing Service will be held at the funeral home on Friday morning at 11 a.m.
http://www.niedfuneralhome.com
Send condolences at post-gazette.com/gb

Theresa, the sister of my daughter-in-law Erika’s mother, Marlene.

Theresa had a great sense of humor and a beautiful spirit. She adored her granddaughter. And one thing about Theresa, she spoke her mind!

Didn’t mind if you didn’t agree with her point of view. She’d present strong arguments for her stance.

Love and sympathy to all who loved her – dear daughters Shannon and Jaclyn and to her dear granddaughter Parker Rose.

And to her sweet sisters Linda, Marlene and Georgeann. Rest in Peace, Theresa.

Ready to go to the wedding. Mother of the Bride Theresa

The Four Sisters Picture L to R Georgeann, Linda, Marlene and Theresa

at Jaclyn and Mike’s wedding

I love this photograph. Don’t know who took it. Left to Right- Theresa, The Four Sisters’Mother Marion, Linda the Bride, Marlene and Georgeann

Growing Up- Mother Marion with Linda in the middle and Theresa on the left and Marlene on the right

I took this one at Erika and Mark’s home

Theresa with her daughters, Jaclyn and Shannon

With Granddaughter Parker Rose at her baptism.

Raggedy Duo in Public Domain But Does Anyone Play With Them Nowadays?

Never used nowadays lately but had to look it up to be sure I spelled it correctly.

While in Ohio this past weekend, I was helping sort through some toys in the playroom. Matchbox cars here, a duffel bag of puppets, strollers and baby dolls and a whole tub of action figures like Batman and Star Wars light sabers. A box of wooden blocks.

The grandchildren are growing up and many of the younger toys aren’t being played with and room needs to be made for new ventures.

These Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls were gifts from Great Aunt Bobbie when Anna(9) was born. They looked exactly the same way they have smiled at me for all these years. No change in expression. Just grinning. They looked almost brand new.

I took them upstairs and set them up in my father’s old oak rocker which is now in Mark’s office. They didn’t object to being photographed. I started thinking about rag dolls and how they aren’t trendy and I wondered if people are still buying them. These are lovingly handmade in Kansas City and I think of them as classics. Nostalgia sets in. Continue reading “Raggedy Duo in Public Domain But Does Anyone Play With Them Nowadays?” →

Studio 35- Oldest Independent Cinema & Drafthouse, Hosts Free Oscars Event in Clintonville

On my way to Laura and James’ house, I saw this cool theatre, Studio 35, and read the marquee. Pulled over to the curb and got out the camera. Thought it sounded like a fun evening. Took the shot from the car and the day was a gray one.

This theatre looks l like the ones I knew growing up. No theatre in Pittsburgh serves beer as far as I know.

My DIL was teasing about my getting home to watch the Oscars Sunday night, live stream on a computer as I have no TV that gets any channels. It is always fun to see the best and worst dressed though. A lot of hype in the media. But this image evokes nostalgia for me. One of these visits to Columbus I am going to have to go watch a movie here.

Continue reading “Studio 35- Oldest Independent Cinema & Drafthouse, Hosts Free Oscars Event in Clintonville” →

You Can Submit a Photo of a Photo to Dear Photograph

Today I received an email from my son’s FIL, Donald, about a photo concept and website- take a picture of an old photograph in the same location where it was taken. He must have seen it and knew it would be something I would enjoy looking at. Boy, I’ll say……………..

The website is Dear Photograph and now that I’ve gone and read about it all, I must be the last to hear about it.

Dear Photograph is all over the news. It was even on the TODAY show. There’s a book of photographs using this concept that the young author/photographer Taylor Jones has authored. Simple and satisfying. Touching and fun.

So I looked at what was done and thought I would dig out a few photographs and give it a try. I just skimmed the tip of the iceberg as I limited my search to one box and a single framed photo – the one of the family in front of the house is Fall 1991, the year we moved into the house. Laura was in the third grade, Matthew fifth and Mark a Sophomore in HS.

And then I tried it. I found it tricky to hold up the photo and shoot with one hand. These are shot with the iPhone camera. I’m sure with a bit of balancing and practice the outcome could be improved but it was fun and I enjoyed trying to capture the photo of the photo.

Here are the results. Thank you Taylor Jones for the cool inspiration. I know the blogging community probably knows all about you and your website already but I’m glad Donald sent me the link to your website this morning. See what you can come up with using your old photographs. Having moved9 times in 16 years, there are a lot of photos of places I can’t return to and take the shot.

My pans have changed a bit from the Farberware to the All-Clad. Not totally but the rack is the same. Different stove. I still have the vase, too.

Swivel Stools and Ice Cream Counter at Yetter’s in Millvale

It gets dark early these days. The interior of Yetter’s caught my eye after we parked and headed down Grant Ave to Sedgwick Street.

Steve and I were on our way to Panza Gallery for an art opening reception last Saturday night. Do you remember Millvale Days when I didn’t bring my camera and had to shoot with my phone? Well, we headed for the art opening and all I had was my phone to capture this scene at night.

Yetter’s is known for their homemade candies which you can mail order online although I must confess I have never eaten a chocolate covered potato chip. Just an old fashioned place with fresh candies and ice cream and delicious milkshakes.

Retro Storefront- Men’s Shop

New views on the way to school.

Brownsville Road, Mt. Oliver (which is a “borough surrounded entirely by the city of Pittsburgh.”)