Darlings, The Monsters Aren't Just On Maple Street!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          Something about last night's "Unusual Suspects" program, "A Bike Ride To Murder," struck me as familiar. The minute I heard the name Amanda Gaeke, something clicked. And the minute I saw and heard the name David Webb Kim, I knew I had seen this case done before on some other program.

                           Amanda Gaeke was a sweet, innocent nine-year-old girl, going about the business of being a child in the North Park section of San Diego, California. On October 3, 1991, she never returned from a bike ride she set out on.  Eleven days later, in an outdoor area, her decomposed body was found--wrapped in a blanket. Examination showed she had been tortured, and sexually assaulted.

                            This case went cold for about 8 years.  Then, in 1999, a neighbor of the Gaekes tipped investigators off to another neighbor, David Webb Kim, an unsavory character, who was 16, at the time of the murder.  With no remorse, David told investigators calmly how he apprehended Amanda on her bike, brought her into his house, kept her prisoner under his bed for two days, drugging, torturing and assaulting her, before deciding he had to kill her. He strangled Amanda, then got rid of the body.

                                Oh, and while Amanda was imprisoned, though alive, David went about his business of going to school, just like any other 16-year-old.   What I want to know, girls, is where were the parents in all of this; because, let me tell you, if anything of a suspicious nature was going on in my bedroom, my parents would certainly have sensed it, most likely picking up on it from changes in my behavior.  It makes me wonder if the Kim parents should be charged too.  But hold on, because, remember, this is painfully familiar..

                                  On October 13, 1997, six years after Amanda, in Jackson Township, New Jersey little Eddie Werner, then 11, was murdered by his dangerous 15-year-old neighbor, Sam Manzie.  Eddie was selling products for his Scout troop, and, when he got to the Manzie house, Sam invited him in, where he raped, sodomized, and killed Eddie.  Then, like David, he dumped the body, in a suitcase, in the woods.

                                     In both cases, if people had been wise to the mental instability of the perps, these tragedies could have been avoided.  As well as the murder of Megan Kanka, on July 29, 1994 by sex offender Jesse Timmendequas.  Whose history no one had a clue to, and which resulted in the formation of Megan's Law.

                                        Yes, the monsters are out there, girls, but if they are not recognized in time, these senseless tragedies occur.  Poor Amanda.  How could she know of such evil, but why didn't David's parents recognize signs, and do something about him????????   Maybe they should not have been charged with Amanda's death, but I am sure, to this day, it rests on their consciences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Jesse, Sam and David are now incarcerated.  Society is safe from them.  Why did it take sacrificing three children's lives, to get them to that point?????????????????

                                              Watch out, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What A Difference A Day Makes, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Dinah Washington was absolutely right, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sunday, my friend Tom (aka the Cherub!!!!!) and I, joined by Monsieur, celebrated our joint (Tom's and mine) birthdays (he is November 4, I am the 18th!!!!!!!) at One If By Land, Two If By Sea, on Barrow Street, in the West Village.

                               We went there for Sunday brunch, which is much less expensive than having a regular dinner here, for budget conscious gals who still might want to partake of this romantic experience.  I have to say, maybe because it is Winter time, the absence of curtains does something for the windows.  I never thought that before.

                                  And what did we have???????  Monsieur and I began with a Bloody Mary, while Tom had beer.  I had an Autumn Salad, for an appetizer; we were all served muffins and scones.  Monsieur had a lobster roll, and Tom, I think, had the French toast. I had this Italian concoction, with poached eggs, tomato sauce, and it was luscious!!!!!!!!!!!  I had coffee--the others, I am not so sure--and I had a custard with orange red gelato desert, which was fabulous.

                                   Most important, from the time we walked in, till when we left, we were treated civilly, like human beings.  But, then, this place has been operating for over 40 years; they know what they are doing!  The crew up at Delemarchier clearly do not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    I have to hand it to One If By Land...girls!!!!!!!!!  It cleansed us of the horror we endured the day before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Make sure you visit this one, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, How Did This Not Get On Any Book Lists???????? At Least, Not The Ones I Have Seen????????

                                       Joshua Henkin's "The World Without You" is too good a novel to be ignored. So, I am here, girls, to tell you--don't you DARE ignore this novel, or else you will miss a truly satisfying reading experience.

                                         We are in serious, and somewhat familiar territory--a New York family, the Frankels, have lost their beloved youngest son, to the war in Iraq (he was a journalist, which recalled, to me, the David Bloom tragedy!!!!), and, a year later, are gathering to hold a memorial service for him, and a gravestone unveiling.  Nothing unusual, there.

                                           However, Mr. Henkin's strong sense of empathy with all his characters--even some less likable, like Noelle's husband, Amram , or Gorgon Grandma Gretchen--immerses the reader in the goings on of these rather private people, facing not only this trauma, but upheavals in their own lives, cementing the idea that, even in the face of grief, things inevitably continue!!!!!!!!  And the skill and economy with which he keeps so many characters in focus--right down to Noelles' four, very individualistic, boys, speaks of his skill as a writer.  And when I reached the end, I was truly sorry--I wanted to know more--about Noelle, about Amram, Clarissa...so many others.  Everything is tied up neatly,so I don't think a sequel is in the works, but this is one of the few times where I have finished a work of fiction, coming away thinking about what happens to the characters, once the story ends.

                                              I am certain I can form my own conclusions, since we are given so much to work with.  Even more, having discovered the hitherto unheard of (at least on my part) Mr. Henkin, I look forward not only to his next endeavor, but to perusing his earlier works!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              I don't know what these book listers are thinking!!!!!!!!  I mean, silly, gimmicky graphic novels, in favor of soaring language and satisfying narrative???? What is the world coming to????????  I am telling you, girls, it is getting to where I sometimes think I would rather be in attendance at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party!!!!!!!!!!  Not that other Tea Party of bitches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 But, girls, teatime or anytime, Mr. Henkin's book makes for a perfect read. Don't let it be overshadowed  by other gimmicky, overrated twaddle!!!!!!!!!!  This is a real thing, by a real
author!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   Love your voice, Josh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Let Me Be The First To Tell You--Do NOT--I Repeat, Do Not-- March Yourselves Into Demarchelier!!!!!!!!!!

                                        But before I get to that, darlings, let me inform you, I am barely 25 pages into Julia Phillips' bitchfest book about Hollywood, "You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again," and already I have learned two very important things about when you are out in L.A.  So, if any of you girls are planning to go there in the near future, take note:

                                           1.  You have to have lunch at Ma Maison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                            2. You have GOT to get your legs waxed by Charlotte, at Elizabeth Arden!!!

                                          Now, for Demarchelier.  For the twenty five or more years I have visited the tree at the Metropolitan, strolling along East 86th Street both to and  from, I have passed this charming, cozy looking little French bistro, done up in red.    Which, even from above, you can see looks pretty charming!  And I can't resist the color red, anyway!!!!!  What kind of queen would I be,  if I did????????????????

                                            All these years, I would pass the place, thinking, "I've got to try this, sometime," but never did.  Truthfully, I just did not feel like going by myself.  It looked like  somewhere fun to go with others, whenever one happens to be in the vicinity, which is usually when one is visiting the Metropolitan!!!!!!!!

                                              You would THINK!!!!!!!!  But this is another story, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               En route to the museum, before meeting Auntie Alvin, Monsieur said he was hungry, and I said I had the perfect idea for where to go, if it was still there.  I was thinking, of course, of Demarchelier, and, as we got closer to Fifth Avenue, I was having my doubts as to whether or not it was still there.  You know how it goes, honeys; in this town, things disappear so quickly!!!!!!!!!!  And especially in this economy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But there it still was!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                So, after the museum, in we march to Demarchelier.  The front of the place, and the bar, were pretty full, but there were two adjoining back areas, which had ample space for us.

                                                I sensed disaster in the air, when I first sensed Auntie Alvin's discomfort over being in such a place, though it was far--FAR, darlings, I am telling you!!!--from high end.  The second sense I got was when our hostess, whom I shall dub Fucking Bitch, came over to us, did not really greet us or show us any token friendliness, like good service providers do.  She had this faux French accent that I could tell was straight out of something like Mrs. Santamatina's French class, and, though I would say she was in her mid-forties (you could tell by how tight her skin was!!!!), she had on this white frilly blouse, and pants, suggesting she was trying to emulate Shelley Plimpton in "HAIR," (she had her obviously dyed blonde hair in a pony tail; did she think she was Debbie Reynolds in "Tammy?") or something, even though, dolls, she was on the FAR side of the Age Of Aquarius!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                I think we would have gotten a warmer welcome from Leni Riefenstahl!!!!!!!!  Hell, with the attitude already on display, our hostess would have fit in great with the SS!!!!!!!
Bet she has read "In The Garden Of The Beasts," by Eric Larson!!!!!!!!!!  She was  some beast herself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 This is only the tip of the iceberg, dolls!!!!!!!!  We are seated; the busboy, or whatever lackey was on duty, took his time about cleaning and setting the table, which I did not like!!!!!!!!!
But we got seated, and our young waiter, whose only fault was pretentiousness, not nastiness, took our orders.

                                                    Let me say, in favor of the kitchen staff, the food was good, and reasonably priced.  I had watercress soup (appetizer) and coq au vin (entree).  The latter--actually both courses--were delicious.  Monsieur had an Express Lunch, consisting of a Frenched up version of a grilled cheese and ham (called Croque Monsieur) with salad and French fries, or, en francais, pommes frites.  Auntie Alvin, of delicate nature, had the poached eggs and salmon.  All well prepared, all deliciously edible!!!!!!!!!   Thank you, kitchen staff!!!!!!!!!

                                                      The front line staff were something else, and all should be fired!!!!!!!!!
Before the meal, Monsieur ordered coffee, and the first sign of trouble was when he had to scream, and practically flag down the server to get some.  THEN the server walked off, audibly mimicking, "More coffee, sir!!!!!!," which got both our goats!!!!!!!!!  He served the coffee--Finally!!!!--and begrudgingly!!!!!!!!

                                                        Let me back up, to say that while serving our main courses, the soup bowl and spoon from my appetizer had not been removed yet!  I had to shove it at the server, for fear he was going to just dump my entree on top of everything!!!!!!!!!  But NOW comes the piece de resistance!!!!!!!!!!

                                                          Our dishes are cleared, we are finished, and, clearly, our meals are to come with dessert and coffee.  The main menu did not feature desserts, so it was understandable there was a separate menu.  Fine!!!!!!!!!!!  But, when twenty minutes went by, and no one had so much as come over to ask us if we wanted anything more, I was growing impatient, and so was Monsieur, with this unprofessional service.  So, he got up (we were sitting at a banquette, and he was near the window, on the other side of which, by the bar, was the waiters' station), and retrieved a dessert menu for us, when the hostess made a scene.  When she heard the complaint of our waiting, she couldn't give a rat's ass, snarling, "I'll bring them over!"  Then, she flung them the menus down on the table, and that is when all Hell broke!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         Monsieur confronted Hostess, saying how poor the service was here. She shouted at him, , rather shrilly, "Well, you were seated right away!!!!"   Excuse me, what has THAT to do with anything????  Were you doing us a favor??????  Because, let me tell you, this was NOT Lutece!!!!!!!!

                                                          Auntie Alvin and I were still seated at our table!!!!!!!!!  Suddenly, I heard the hostess shout shrilly, "You are being SO rude!  I don't want to hear this!"  That did it!!!! I got up, because NO ONE insults my David!!!!!!!!!!  Alvin tried to brush it off; unfortunately, my anger got the better of me, and I shouted at him to shut up, for which I immediately apologized!!!!!!!!!  Then I marched out to them both, saying, "Listen, you fucking bitch (hence the nickname!!!!!!!!), YOU'RE the one being rude; don't you talk to him like that!" and then a free-for-all broke out, with the guy next to us, demanding his check, so he could clear out!!!!!!  I was hoping we would start an exodus of patrons leaving, and I think this is what they feared, because this guy (who may have been the owner or manager) came around from behind the bar, whereupon I threatened him with this blog, which I am making good on NOW!!!  Then these two dyed in the wool (as opposed to natural) blondes got into the act, and at that point I said, "Don't you start with ME, you Upper East Side bitches!!!!!!!!!"  Well, they were huffy, but they backed off!  I didn't want to pay or leave a tip!  Monsieur said we had to pay, and I am sure the trembling, equivocating Auntie Alvin (who, sadly, could not support us, even though he knew we were right!!!!) left a sizable tip!!!!!!!!!  Choke on it, you bitches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         Once on the street, I went back to the front windows, and gave the Upper East Side bitches "the finger!"  What I would have like to have done is rip their hair out by its unnatural roots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                            So, girls, do not EVER go to this dump!!!!!!!!!!  Oh, and once she got worked up, Fucking Bitch Hostess dropped her phony French accent fast, showing her true colors, that she was most likely a lowlife working class harridan from Bayonne, New Jersey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              Demarchelier, let this posting be your death knell!!!!!!!!! Just ask the former manager of Paris Commune, if you don't believe it!!!!!!  I hope the sprinkler system goes, and saturates everything in water, ruining the place!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I hope the Board of Health comes knocking at your door!!!!!!!!!!  Most of all, I hope Gojira swims all the way into Manhattan, stomps on the restaurant, and does a big, smelly poop in the middle of it!!!!  Then, I hope he picks up Fucking Bitch ,and, with his thumb and index finger, flicks her all the way across the Hudson, back into the fifth floor waterfront dive in Bayonne, where she lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              Down With Demarchelier!!!!!!!!!!  The actual real downtrodden of Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" wouldn't be caught seen there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                And that goes double for the Raving Queen!  Throw these phony French faux out onto the street!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                   "You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again?????"  No, darlings, I will NEVER eat ANYTHING here again!!!!!!!!  And don't you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                           

As Spiritual As Ever, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Who would have thought, girls, that yesterday would have turned out to be so much high drama,. especially since it began on a spiritual high??????????

                                               I am talking about my annual visit to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art Christmas Tree, a pilgrimage I have been making, I would guess, for at lead 25 years, if not  more.  And which never fails to move me.  For me, it is a truly spiritual experience, where I meditate, pray, express gratitude to God for the good things given over the past year, and hope for the next.  Like my birthday, this is one of the symbolic passages of the year for me, and, though it was the earliest I have ever visited the tree (though it was December, and it was the only free Saturday I have, because of my frantic schedule!!!!!)

                                               We were joined by our beloved friend, "Auntie" Alvin,and, with the visual, and the rich sounds of music piping in, it was a beautiful contemplative visit--another symbolic passing of another year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               So, why, David, did you have to buy that hideous three-headed dog??????????

A Dinner Turns Into A Literary Event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Friday night, girls, we met Mark (see above) and his charming partner, Frank, for our periodic dining get together.  We dined at Bistro Flatiron, located \at 920 Broadway, which turned out to be a trendy, atmospheric Italian eatery, with reasonably priced, and reasonably appetizing, food.

                                           Now, Mark, an author, himself, has just written the above, and is working on the second in what is going to be a mystery series.  Having heard about this for some time, my literary curiosity was aroused--and you know I LOVE  mysteries, darlings!!!!!!!!!  So I was curious to read Mark's book, but resigned myself that, until I got a Kindle (if, indeed , I did!!!) I would not have access to the text!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            As it turns out, I was given a Kindle for my birthday, but with so many things I felt I had to read, it might have taken some time before I got to this.  Fortunately, Mark, generous of spirit, and, like a good, self-promoting author (which I FULLY understand, loves!!!!!!!!) generously gave us an autographed hard copy of his book.  And I promise you, after the book I am reading now, I am going to tackle this, and I will give you a full report!!!!!!!!

                                            Imagine, darlings!  A couple of gay, older Hardy Boys!!!!!!!!  Well, not siblings, thank God!  What tickles me is the suggestion, made by both, that the two lead characters are based on them, which should give me some interesting insights into Mark and Frank!!!!!!!!!  Just like the insights you can glean into moi from reading these postings!!!!!!!!!!  Toadstools to the left, darlings!!!!!!!!

                                             But I was thrilled with Mark's gift, and I look forward to reading it, especially this way, since it will remain a keepsake, and, even though I love the Kindle, it will never completely replace hard copy for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               I mean, would the Brontes read on a Kindle???????????????

                                                But, thank you, Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"St. Bridget, Deliver Us To Beekman Place!!!!!!!!!"

                                        Well, darlings, today we welcome in December--can you believe it??????
But why a depiction of the Cast Album cover of "Mame???????"  I know some of my girls out there, and most Theater Queens extant, know the answer to this one!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Aside from having one of the most noted secular Christmas songs--"We Need A Little Christmas!"--according to the liner notes on the back (or folded inside, if you have a CD), under the heading of "St. Bridget", it says--and I write this from memory--

                                             "December 1, 1928. Into the brilliantly blinking Manhattan
                                              night wander two lost lambs from Des Moines, Iowa--
                                              newly orphaned Patrick Dennis (Frankie Michaels), age
                                              10, and Agnes Gooch (Jane Connell), faithful Nanny
                                              delivering her charge to his only living relative, a certain
                                              Mame Dennis of No. 3 Beekman Place."

                                        Yes, dears, the story we all know as the musical "Mame" kicks off on this date!!!!!   And in past years--just like "Frank Mills" at the Waverly on September 12-- after work, or
in the evening, I would walk to St. Patrick's Cathedral, stand in front of it, and sing "St. Bridget!"
And I won't be too far from it today, lambs, as we are going to see the Christmas tree at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art.  So, who knows what might happen?????????

                                           Today is also an anniversary, and a day of circularity, pointing, once again, to how my life seems to run in a series of circles.  Just like "The Windmills Of My Mind," darlings!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             On this day, 29 years ago, my father and cousins piled all my worldly  possessions into a U-Haul truck, and drove me to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn,, where I moved into my small, but cozy, apartment, at Bergen Place!   That's Bergen, not Beekman!  You want to hear something poignant???? That eve, after everyone had left, I was alone,and watching, on TV, the holiday classic, "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer!"  Tears began cascading down my cheeks, not over the program , but over the fact, that, much as I had wanted to be on my own, I was now alone!  What I did not know, till much later, was my father (not watching 'Rudolph!!!!!!!') was having the same reaction, back in Highland Park!!!!!!!   Far from Beekman, but nice.  Based on the trajectory of what had gone before, and coming from a family who did not just plant roots, but embedded them, I thought, "Well, here I be for the next 50 years!!!!!!!!"  I also thought--I really did think this, girls--that, at the age of 29, if I am here for 29 years, by that time, I would be 58!!!!!!!!!  And, of course, that was a long, LONG time from now!

                                              Well, guess what?  Today is 29 years, and I am 58!!!!!!   How fast did that go, darlings??????????  Faster than I ever thought!!!!!!!!!!  And today, while I am not at Bergen Place, I am, happily, back in Bay Ridge, so who could have imagined that??????  Especially when there was a time, not too long ago, when  I felt I would never get back here, much as I wanted to!

                                               "Circles of hope, turning and yearning," darlings!!!!!!!  And here we are with 24 days till Christmas, just thirty days to go in 2012, with a constellation of Holiday Happenings ahead!  I wish the same for you, girls, and lots of Holiday Happiness!

                                                   Welcome, December!  And don't run over Grandma with a reindeer!!!!!!!!!!