The Serendipitous Rendezvous

Okay, name that tune!  It's from the '60s, is pure Motown sound, and was sung by a girl band. 


The answer:  "Stop! In the Name of Love."  You knew that, didn't you?
( You Keep Me Hanging On... )

This is a posed photo!  We met this gentleman sitting alone with a chess board in Bryant Park, and he eagerly asked if any of us were up for a game.  It's been years since I've played; I think Bojojr used to play, but I'm sure it's been a long time for him, too.  We politely declined, but we struck up a conversation, and he told us stories about famous players and fabulous moves.  He told us about a player so legendarily good that he could win games by playing with only pawns.  As I started to snap a photo, he wanted to set the board up to make it look as though Bojojr was making a clever move.  I was happy to take the posed shot, but I enjoyed shooting some candids, too. 

( I love New Yorkers; they get a bad rap. )

The title of the post is the official name of Saint John the Divine, although it is teasingly referred to as Saint John the Unfinished.  Designed in 1888 and begun in 1892, the structure was to be built in the customary cathedral shape--a cross--in the Byzantine-Romanesque style.  Immediately, construction ran into difficulty trying to reach bedrock for a firm foundation.  It was finally hit 72 feet below surface.  Rather than change location, J.P.Morgan, a trustee of SJtD, donated a half million dollars to continue construction.  In 1899, the first services were held in the crypt--the only part of the cathedral completed at that point--after an expenditure of $2 million dollars, a staggering amount of money in those days (I plugged in the numbers in an inflation converter, and the same would cost $51 BILLION today, if that can be right.)

( Read more... )

So, dearhearts, to recap our visit thus far to Kansas City:  we ate, visited the Kansas City Public Library, ate, visited the used bookstore, and ate (we also sat in a great many cars which we had no intention of buying and a couple with potential).  So, what to do on our last day?  We were tired of eating out, so it was a fend for yourself day in the kitchen (mmm, cold cereal).  Afterward, we headed to Oak Park Mall.  Which has the nicest Barnes and Noble!


This is the jaded smile from a non-reader who has been dragged to too many bookstores and photographed excessively (in her opinion).  The Glitterati get a bit testy with the paparazzi from time to time.
( < $9 for books all weekend, honest... )