“Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous” — and Smart

July 28th, 2010

I’m sitting in Barry’s Bagel & Deli in Clifton, New Jersey enjoying a scrambled egg, cheese and taylor ham sandwich, and right in front of my eyes (actually elevated on the wall) is a television set tuned to News 12 New Jersey.

Esther Blum (http://www.livinggorgeous.com/), a practicing New York City Registered Dietitian and Holistic Nutritionist, is the guest. The author of Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous: A Nutritionist’s Guide to Living Well While Living It Up, she’s being interviewed while a bowl of broccoli sits in front of her.

What she and the host are preaching on this day (and obviously living daily) is good nutrition and smart health, which includes proper nutrition and correct portions, and interval cardiovascular and strength training.

The end goal? Being “gorgeous”, inside and out.

Would I sound foolish if I say I KNOW that, when I work out and eat properly, I feel “gorgeous”? Okay, how about smart? When it comes to health, you are either keeping an eye on it and doing something consistently, or you’re just existing.

Sometimes I just “exist”, and I’m sure Ms. Blum would insist that’s NOT a good thing.

I finished the sandwich and left Barry’s, thankful for the fact that Lucille, Stefanie and I at least walk the walking track in Brookdale Park in Bloomfield five days a week. But I also knew that it was time to, maybe not turbocharge it, but start thinking and being smarter.

Obviously Esther Blum would agree.

Steve

Saturday Bageling, and Youth and Aging

July 24th, 2010

I had done my early morning cardio walk and, while driving home, I passed this bagel place. Then it hit me: I needed (wanted really) coffee to aid me during my blog creating and a rewrite today.

Barry’s Bagel & Deli (10 Market Street, Clifton, New Jersey, 974-472-2435) is pretty comfortable. There is a huge selection of sandwiches, wraps, and platters. Barry’s is home of (in their words) “The Finest Hand Rolled Bagels”.

When I dragged my sweaty, tired body through their front door, I was greeted by two workers whose hearty enthusiasm matched the brightness of the place. This, folks, is exactly as it should be. I ordered a scrambled egg, taylor ham and American cheese on roll, and sat at the last table in the corner by the front window. Pretty good stuff served in a nice, clean atmosphere. The only thing missing in front of me was the New York Times, and it and others daily newspapers were there for purchasing.

There is something that I enjoy about small eateries. Yes, big ones are nice, but the tiny — especially the family owned ones — touch a special chord in me. Barry’s appears it may be this type of place.

Also, I have to add that the Crape Myrtle in our yard has grown to 10′. It’s about six years old, and when it will cease growing is beyond me. It’s the newest bush\tree in our yard. Two others that are still flourishing were there long before I bought my house in 1987. Young and old, adding great beauty to my little acre.

And with aging comes, inevitably, our leaving this world. With all the talk about New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner and longtime public address announcer Bob Sheppard passing away recently, the trumpets sounded a wee bit softer in the case of Ralph Houk, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 90. “The Major” managed the Yankees from 1961-1963, and then again from 1966-1973. He was there during the last of original glory years, and then presided over a club that crumbled as much as ancient Yankee Stadium prior to its mid 1970s rebirth. It’s ironic, too, that I just this week started reading a book written by Houk and Robert W. Creamer titled Season Of Glory — The Amazing Saga of the 1961 New York Yankees.

I’ll enjoy this new breakfast and deli place, enjoy my Crape Myrtle, and enjoy my book, recalling when I used to watch Houk and the Yankees of my youth in aging Yankee Stadium on WPIX Channel 11.

Steve

 

Great Food In Fairfield

July 21st, 2010

I wanted affordable, good food this past Monday. You see, as a freelancer I currently survive on a certain income, so I’m always on the lookout for a nice place which is affordable.

I found it.

Tucked into a tiny strip mall in Fairfield, New Jersey, O’Sarraceno (24 Little Falls Road, 973-287-6191, www.osarraceno.com) was my destination for a takeout order. It’s a tiny spot that is open Monday through Friday, with a few tables for those choosing to dine in. I had an eggplant parmigiana sandwich for $6.00, and Lucille and Stefanie had the cheese ravioli and homemade veggie lasagna pasta dishes respectively for $8.00 and $9.00. All three were superb, as was the service.

I have a saying: “Gems are found in strip malls.” Here it applies. This is a tiny place with some pretty good foot traffic from local businesses, and residential customers like me.

But what I admire most of all is the effort and kindness here. Down-to-earth people and restaurateurs making it happen. I love it.

Next time in I’m dining in and having the stuffed chicken with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and spinach. I have been told that the pizzas are excellent as well, and one look at them in the case on the counter verifies the appeal.

Steve

“Fiction and Poetry Saturday”

July 17th, 2010

Maybe.

Saturday is normally a “down” day for me. I do PC maintenance, keep track of and\or update my invoices and social sites, take a look at my goals and update them, etc. It is also the day I, according to my weekly goals sheet, “Work on fiction or poetry”.

Doesn’t always — if ever — happen. A shame, really, because I actually enjoy that aspect of my writing life, and have had works in both genres published. I have one short story which The New Yorker (a mistake by them, yes?) and another publication rejected. The editor of the latter magazine sent me the a nice note, telling me my story had “merit,” and my writing style was “commendable.”

Last year, I actually wrote a 192 page first draft novel that I’ve shelved for personal reasons, but it was a true joy to write. Amazing it was that the characters, at times, took on a realistic life, and the story wrote itself. Does that make sense?

So today, I push on, hoping to submit eventually some fiction and poetry somewhere.

Do any other freelancers “escape” to write fiction or poetry?

Have you had a novel, short story, play or poem published?

 Steve

 

 

Dining and Rocking in Ocean City, New Jersey

July 14th, 2010

Okay, what can possibly be better than walking the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey?

How about dining on that very boardwalk, and enjoying a super concert as well?

Okay, call me a sadist (I guess?), but I drove 260 miles round trip this past Monday to see the Little River Band (”Reminiscing”, “Lonesome Loser”, etc) in concert at the ancient Ocean City Music Pier. Lucille, Stefanie and I have never spent substantial time in Ocean City, so we were thrilled to experience a new Jersey shore spot.

We dined pre-show at the Ocean Cafe at the Boardwalk (720 Boardwalk Avenue, 609-398-1400). “We’re Italian and American cuisine,” said Alex, the counter barista and a special guest here during the summer from Russia. Stefanie and Lucille both had barbecue chicken flatbread topped with grilled chicken, barbecue sauce, red onion and provolone. Me? I devoured the sausage offering with roasted peppers, onion, marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella. Our server was Roman, also from Russia, who was extremely congenial.

After that, we strolled to the ancient Music Pier for the show. Having never attended a show there, I was shocked on entering to find that it was, not a true concert hall with stadium seating and plush seats, but an auditorium filled with folding chairs, neatly lined.

This all added to the charm of the evening.  From the opening number, “A Long Way There” to the “Lonesome Loser” encore, the Little River Band — Wayne Nelson, Chris Marion, Greg Hind, Rich Herring and Mel Watts — were superb. What made the evening even more special were two things. One we sat next to an open door and enjoyed a cool ocean breeze, and in the distance could see the lights of the amusements and rides lit up in the nighttime sky. Also, after the show, the band itself stayed around in the back of the Music Pier and signed autographs and had nice conversations with those who chose to remain. Lucille and I got our tickets autographed by the band, and Stefanie had a small 8×10 photo of the group signed.

The best thing? You know it. Being there with my wife and daughter – with whom all my best times are spent.

Steve

I’m Happy To Be Me

July 10th, 2010

“I’m happy to be me.”

How often can and do we say that?

I say this every morning when I do my meditations and prayers. The field of freelance writing can sometimes (okay, maybe more than sometimes) be risky and scary, but I wouldn’t have my life any other way. I wake up everyday anxious to go to “work”, and opportunity abounds each and every day. Have I experienced failure? Yes. Have I enjoyed success? Yes.

It is perhaps apropos that I specialize in food and dining writing, because a restaurant owner one time responded to questions of mine by comparing our two fields. I asked him if he ever has any bad days, or if there is anything wrong on his side of the fence. “No,” he responded. “Let me ask you something. When you wake up every day, how do you feel?” He peered at me for a few seconds, then said, “It’s exciting!”

Enough said.

Another thing that the writing life does is (most of the time) afford you the pleasure of making your own schedule. This past Wednesday afternoon, Stefanie, Lucille and I enjoyed a Wednesday ONLY $9.95 “All You Can Eat” buffet at Romeo’s (http://romeorestaurant.com/) in Port Monmouth on Route 36 North. Nice people, good food. And last night, Stefanie and I stopped on Route 202 North in Wayne at the three week old Piero’s Ristorante Italiano, met and chatted with Piero himself, and were treated to a pizza-size focaccia bread to go.

Are YOU happy to be YOU?

Steve

I’d Rather Be Writing — Right Now, Anyway

July 7th, 2010

With temperatures sunny and hitting 103 degrees yesterday in northern New Jersey — and a promise of an equivalent today — I’m exactly where I want to be: in my basement.

I’m currently working on stories about Christmas, one of my writer’s groups, writing one of my dining columns and preparing for a feature, in addition to awaiting the go-ahead on a few projects, and doing my marketing and querying. The coolness of the cellar, I have found, is conducive to my writing life.

The above all being said, it says a wee bit about the writing life, but it also says something about me as an individual. I like to be busy, working on a number of assignments or projects, conversing with colleagues and clients — aka in the trenches.

This evening, Lucille and I will visit Crave Restaurant and Lounge in Fairfield, New Jersey. I wrote an earlier listing for them for Dining Out New Jersey, and we’re looking forward to it.

They feature a great new outdoor tiki bar, bit I know we’ll be dining indoors.

Steve

Intimate, Patriotic Beauty in New Jersey

July 3rd, 2010

It’s a thing of beauty.

You often hear about the nightly lowering of the flag and patriotic hymns in Cape May at Sunset Beach, but what you rarely hear about is the likewise emotional Sunset Tribute Ed Segall conducts at Sandy Hook’s Seagull’s Nest.

Honoring our nation, off of Garden State Parkway exits 0 and 117.

I recently described the latter nightly event in my “View From The Center” column for Ed Hitzel’s Restaurant Magazine, http://www.sgswrite.com/PDFs/VFTCJune20101.pdf, and to see it in person — as we did this past Thursday evening — rain or shine, one person on the dining deck or a crowd, is very moving. The timing was strategic and perfect. The 82-year-old Segall took the microphone, asked those present to pray for and thank our men and women in uniform, then asked all to stand, face the sunset, hold hands, and sing along to “God Bless America.”

“Louder,” Ed encouraged everyone, “let them here you in Afghanistan,” and everyone raised voice. Minutes later, the sun dipped below the horizon.

This beautiful evening we enjoyed some good food. Lucille had a hot dog (truly American, correct?) and chicken caesar salad, Stefanie a grilled chicken sandwich and coconut shrimp, and for me a tuna sandwich on roll.

As we readied ourselves to leave, Ed Segall approached Stefanie and told her, “Our freedom is not free.” He then look at my wife and I. “My brother died at 18 on the first day in Normandy.” He then looked back at my daughter. “Whenever you see a man or woman in uniform — a serviceman, even if its a policeman or fireman — shake their hand and thank them.”

On a daily basis, we read and hear a lot of really unimportant (for me, anyway) stuff. Where is the star free agent in the NBA likely to sign? What he or she wore to an awards show. This celebrity is divorcing that one.

Who cares? Is it really that important?

Over 230 years ago our nation’s freedom was won by an army dressed in rags, their bleeding matching the color of the English army’s uniforms. Outnumbered, our tiny nation survived and won, and here we are now, celebrating with fireworks and cookouts.

Thank a man or woman in uniform. Pray for those who currently protect or have died for our nation.

The United States of America — the best!

Steve

All In The Family

June 30th, 2010

Is our tiny home big enough for TWO freelance writers?

You bet!

Stefanie officially started her freelance writing career with her first job yesterday, doing a restaurant review for the local Montville Patch. The 50 year old Red Barn Restaurant is located on Route 202 south, in the Towaco section of Montville, New Jersey. She brought home some leftovers that were pretty darn good. The Nibbler sandwich, which consists of taylor ham, American cheese, and home fries on a roll, was fantastic. She also sampled a variety of waffle offerings.

Little did she know that, as she was feasting, so was I — a few doors down in the same complex. Eli’s Corner Gourmet Bagel, a nifty little spot, prepared a quick taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwich for me, to go along with a large cappuccino (hey Stef, maybe we should have our cholesterol checked :)

Both eateries were super friendly as well, which (in my opinion) is first and foremost in the dining experience.

All in all, it was a super day yesterday, and it’s great to have another freelancer in the family.

Steve

Juggling Assignments (Or Not Placing All Your Eggs In One Basket)

June 26th, 2010

We attended last night a reading of great new play called The Jag. Written by playwright Gino DiIorio, it was presented by Premiere Stages of Kean University in Union, New Jersey.

After the performance, DiIorio fielded questions from the audience, and one of those questions pertained to his current workload. Not verbatim, an attendee asked if the playwright was working on more than one play right now, or ever works on more than one thing at a time. DiIorio immediately responsed yes, he always works on more than one thing at a time, and then alluded to the fact that it’s better than putting all your eggs in one basket.

Wise advice. An example. This past week, I worked on first drafts of my two dining colmns, finished a rewrite for a newspaper piece, wrote up some restaurant news and listings, followed up on two website projects, and marketed.

Oh, almost forgot — I also wrote the Wednesday entry for this blog.

I once heard it said that we’re happiest when most engrossed, especially in our work. “Get happiness out of your work,” Elbert Hubbard stated, “or you may never know what happiness is.”

A few questions for others out there. Are you happeist being a “one at a time” project person? Do you always make sure you have something, or two (or three) to work on? Can you ever be TOO engulfed with work?

Steve