Threats for the Space Force to consider: nesting doll satellites!

Russian nesting dolls

I was reading something about the U.S. Space Force, and the threats that exist in outer space, and some of the details caught me by surprise, or rather, they were ideas that seemed like science fiction that in fact are real now. The one that grabbed my attention was the existence of Russian “nesting doll” … Read more

An unidentified bronze sculpture at Asbury Park

bronze sculpture in the back of a pickup truck in Asbury Park, NJ

I was visiting Asbury Park today, just wanting to enjoy the boardwalk and the ocean, despite being too cold to spend any time sitting on the beach. As I was approaching the boardwalk and the Convention Center area, I noticed this pickup truck parked in front of me. The guy was busy unwrapping and unloading … Read more

Casa Magazines as a world unto itself

Inside Casa Magazines NYC

When I was in NYC recently, walking around and enjoying a beautiful fall day, I ran into an old favorite place that I had forgotten about: Casa Magazines, a corner store at 8th Avenue and 12th Street that is only 400 square feet in size but is crammed full of over 2,500 different magazine titles! … Read more

Growing brains: a collection of Lithops, Living Stones

Lithops Living Stones succulents

I was in NYC last weekend and was walking around the West Village, when I happened upon The Old Yew Plant Shop on Horatio Street at 8th Avenue. They had a lot of cool plants, unusual varieties, but then I noticed what looked like a collection of little brains, and I was intrigued – I’d … Read more

Art: where does it all go and what happens to it?

view of an artist's studio with storage racks for paintings

It was a busy weekend of viewing art. First up was Art Fair 14C, taking place in Jersey City, which I visited on Saturday. The show had 80 exhibition booths, with exhibitors including art galleries, arts organizations and individual artists. I saw some really great art, some mediocre art, and some which didn’t interest me … Read more

A slightly surrealist seascape painting at an antiques store

thrift store seascape painting

I could go into any number of antiques stores and find weird, strange, and bad paintings, but every once in a while I’ll see something really good, which then begs the question: what’s the story behind this painting and the artist? I happened upon this painting in an antiques store just north of Poughkeepsie (which … Read more