OMG! Baby, it’s cold outside. The deep arctic freeze is upon us and all I can say is button up your overcoat. Although the snow doesn’t accumulate like it used to, nothing has stopped the winds blowing off the Arctic ice from swooping down on us.
Keeping it warm and cozy were Denise Shaw and mate Kevin Scott, who hosted an intimate New Year’s Day dinner at their warm and cozy pad. Kevin is a superior chef and Denise the warmest and loving hostess. So when you are lucky enough to be invited to their home, you know it will be a real treat. On the menu was baked ham, sweet potatoes with Indian spices, meatless collard greens (I won’t give away his secret for this one but they were good.), barbecue chicken, cornbread and of course black eye peas. One secret I will share if it’s OK with Kevin is that he uses a convection oven. Fueled by water that is poured into the tube inside the chamber, the oven basically steamed the food, yet it was still crispy, tender and delicious. The cooking time for any meal is cut in half. Everything was so good, and once you taste a convection oven meal, you might never go back to the conventional oven. Well, unless we go out and buy a convection oven, which, because it runs on electricity, not gas, we can’t put it in anyway, we are stuck with the conventional oven and glad to have one. Traditionally speaking, it is hard to take the leap, but one day, I just might drum up the courage. It will be out with the old and in with the new. It’s always nice to have something to look forward to.
One way to keep warm of course is to think warm thoughts. Most recently I saw photos of some friends who just returned from spending New Year’s Eve in Jamaica, West Indies. Hard to believe it was so hot. That was evidenced by everyone wearing next to nothing and lounging poolside on New Year’s Day. I can only imagine what it was like in Barbados, where so many of the old-timers used to go right after the Comus, and stay through the month of February. Oh, do I want to be like them when I grow up!
Speaking of traveling, as everyone who travels on the Grand Central Parkway knows, and then some, LaGuardia Airport is undergoing massive reconstruction. Although I imagine it will be fabulous once finished, in the meantime one can really enjoy the Marine Air Terminal. The Marine Air Terminal is the rectangular looking building that sits just to the side of the main terminal. Again, privy to those photos, I was surprised to see what a work of art the building has become. Although the façade is squarish, the remaining structure is circular, and somewhat of a rotunda. On entering, one can stand in the middle of the building, under the suspended model airplane, and turn in circles, amazed by the walls, which are a visual delight. Clean, bright and airy, the terminal has historical landmark status so there might be upgrades but no demolition, which is good because its history is fascinating.
The terminal was first designed in 1939 for the purpose of housing seaplanes. Today, it is the only seaplane terminal in the United States that is still active. I find that extremely interesting because I have never seen a seaplane at LaGuardia Airport. Still, it’s good to know they still exist. Among the artists’ display is a mural measuring 12 feet high by 237 feet long entitled most appropriately, “Flight.” Commissioned as part of the Works Progress Administration during the 1940s, it chronicles the history of the seaplane. Other works depict peoples’ fascination with air travel, a wonder that never ceases.
The terminal, over the years, expanded in purpose and became home to Delta Airlines shuttle service. Now do you know the building I am speaking of? Well, you will be glad to know that Delta has consolidated its services within the main terminal, and the Marine Terminal has now become home to JetBlue. According to Lisa Reifer, vice president, infrastructure, properties and development, “The Marine Air Terminal is LaGuardia’s secret oasis and full of historic charm— perfect for JetBlue customers traveling in and out of LaGuardia.” Good to know.
What else is good to know? There is a new book out called “Packing for Travel,” by Karen Klopp and Hilary Dick. Klopp is the founder of what2wearwhere.com, a site that “helps today’s busy women shop for life’s events, sports, workplace and travel.” An excerpt from the book reads, “The voyage begins on the plane, so dress for it. Save your sweat suits for the gym, and please, no pajama-looking things. We have all seen our share of inadvisable travel wear, and have concluded that there is no reason to look anything but chic and stylish. Start with items that have a little stretch, such as knits. Cotton knits work well in the summer and wool and heavier fabric when traveling to and from colder climes. We recommend pants with some Lycra, a knit top paired with a jacket or cardigan and a scarf or pashmina. It is a good idea to wear your bulkiest items on the plane. We cannot overemphasize the importance of layering, as cabin temperatures can be frosty, even in summer. For footwear, we like flats, wedges or small heels in either shoes or boots.” The key is to keep it simple.
I personally like carrying a stylish backpack. It frees my hands and I can easily keep my itinerary, a magazine and other little essentials. I also like carrying a roomy tote or shoulder bag (preferably shoulder that I can put crossways). In it I can put my wallet, phone, passport, headphones, glasses (both for sun and reading) and maybe a good romance novel, all easily accessible. Of course, there is the suitcase, undoubtedly on rollers. I haven’t become accustomed to carrying a small bag that fits into the overhead because I like to have a large suitcase to pack all of my stuff, with a little room left over for the items I pick up along the way. What can I tell you? I’m a shopper.
An interesting piece of trivia concerns the birth of LaGuardia Airport, which comes from the Queens Gazette. It was1934 when then-Mayor Fiorello La Guardia was flying back to his home in New York City. Upon landing at Newark Airport, the mayor refused to leave the plane. “Faced with his adamant refusal, the airline finally flew him to an airfield in Brooklyn, whereupon descending from the plane the mayor declared that New York needed its own airport, newer and better. And he had it built.” All aboard!
Until next week…kisses.