Christmas music #9

We get an e-mail informing us that it's the 40th birthday of the Union Square Cafe in Manhattan. Back then we used to be regular visitors. In those distant days NY was ( alongside SF ) a foodie haven in a land of overcooked pork chops. We toyed with the idea of an apartment in the Flatiron building opposite but decided the druggies in Union Square would never leave and it wouldn't be a good investment. How wrong could you be ? Today the neighbourhood is much changed and decidedly more chi chi....and expensive :https://madisonsquarepark.org/art/exhibitions/larry-bell-improvisations-in-the-park/  

Thursday afternoon. Some hearty youngsters race onto the beach, tear off their clothes and charge -laughing- into the water. An end of exams celebration. Their immersion in the North Sea lasts all of two minutes before the water temperature makes them think better of it. They retrace their steps and head off to find warmer  ways to mark the event.

It's stopped raining which means the men who are installing the irrigation system on the Old Course can get back to work. Yesterday, it was too wet for them to do anything. Puddles the size of small lakes formed. The local duck population were delighted.

Angus thinks of getting 'The Font' an electric bike for Christmas. After half an hour with Greg the electric bike expert I'm less sure this is a good idea. They make a lot of sense in town but are less suited to those who live at the end of a long heavily potholed farm track. The suggested bike costs 50% more than the £1800 we paid for our first 'new' car in 1977. This was a stylish but eccentrically built Peugeot 205 GTi. Hit a bump in the road at anything over 30mph and the switches would pop out of the fascia. In those days we thought it was chic. Today I shudder in horror at how basic it was. More go kart than car .

The Tiger Woods-Justin Timberlake sports bar opens at five and closes at eleven. These seem to be rather staid opening hours. Half of the students aren't even getting into the swing of things by eleven pm. The manager thinks the lobby has a ' glitzy LA look '. Glitzy clearly has a variety of meanings. I'm also not sure that this is what a Californian would describe as an LA look. In fact with the exception of a marble front to the bar I'd say little has changed although two strands of red rope do hint at sophistication hidden inside.

After Storm Bram the weather has perked up and we  (briefly) get some sunshine. Parking is a doddle.

Christmas song #9 :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GZ47sSy5HY

A sensible response without descending into TDS :https://samf.substack.com/p/the-enemy-within

Routines are important :https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/p/why-your-brain-needs-everyday-rituals

Latin America :https://uvamillercenter.substack.com/p/the-new-monroe-doctrine

Good croissants in Edinburgh :https://www.lannanbakery.com/

Glass bottles are best :https://theconversation.com/the-hidden-health-risks-of-bottled-water-268513

Another example of 'civilizational erasure ? 'The Font' observes that of all the  embassies in DC the Norwegian has the most popular Instagram page. It is very popular with young ladies who work in the State Department :https://www.instagram.com/p/DPCeCSpkjh0/?hl=en