Jackson Free Press

We're up in New York for a long weekend while I study at a Columbia reporting seminar called "Let's Do It Better," a workshop on covering race. (I met Henry Louis Gates, Jr.!) I'm also studying extremely hard, as you can see below the fold.

This is the Cuban punch from Cafe con Leche, a Cuban restaurant from which we used to order takeout all the time when we lived on the Upper West Side, but that we rarely actually went to.

Cafe con Leche is right around the corner from our hotel, so we ate dinner there on Friday. My favorite: the sweet plantains.

The drink was literally served in a carved pineapple; our dinner companions got their drinks in hollowed-out coconuts. (Todd had a beer...in a glass bottle.)

Previous Comments

ID

112708

Comment

You must be having one heck of a cram session if that's what you call studying. :) Have a great time and get me one of those shirts that say "Somebody went to New York City and all I got was this lousy t-shirt".

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-05-05T21:20:26-06:00

ID

112709

Comment

All hail McLadd Thane of McJackson Thane of NewYorkus Thane of hereafter or is it Thaneness?

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-05T23:23:38-06:00

ID

112710

Comment

You met THE Henry Louis Gates, Jr.???? Holy Toledo! Did you take any pictures of/with him? Jealousy doesn't even begin to describe how I feel right now. :-)

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-06T17:11:29-06:00

ID

112711

Comment

Donna and LW, did y'all not know the Queen of England is in town? Why no article or blog in her honor? I've been on my best manners since she been in town hopeful of gaining an invite to the White House dinner in her honor. However, my feelings about her has been captured by Debra Mathis, a brillant writer and thinker. "For me, she is the embodiment of much, if not most, of what I resisted and resented since childhood - elitism, privilege by heirloom, conquest and colonialism, exploitation, prudery, hypocrisy, detachment and absurb wealth in hands that don't bother to so much as turn their own door knobs. It was repugnant but only appropriate that the country's official greeter would be Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne. They must be besides themselves to be in the company of someone who has actually lived the life for which they so dearly lust -- a life where the rich do not mingle with and need not suffer the annoyances of the poor or lesser-thans, whose rank, in their minds, includes practyically everyone." Hell the Queen!

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-07T08:51:06-06:00

ID

112712

Comment

I meant she's in the country.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-07T08:52:18-06:00

ID

112713

Comment

wake up on the wrong side of the bed did we? You're being almost as grouch as I am.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-07T08:55:03-06:00

ID

112714

Comment

Hell the Queen? Gee. She's not that bad: is condemning her to Hell really necessary? :) And she did make an appearance at * our beloved Kentucky Derby. So she really isn't all bad. *Our = Kentuckians, like me!

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2007-05-07T09:55:59-06:00

ID

112715

Comment

Well, Lady, some of our Queen is Aretha Franklin. He, he, he. I didn't mean that she goes to hell. I forgot how to spell that other hail. Smile. My wife likes or respects the English power structure or system and was a big fan of Diana. I don't know how I wounded up with a woman of such questionable taste. I don't like any of the systems of that type. I prefer the illusion that anyone can be President of the United States of America. With George Bush it's not as much of an illusion as it used to be.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-07T10:58:57-06:00

ID

112716

Comment

the Prince is going to Iraq, did not try to get out of his duty as an officer, and already has a 650,000 dollar bounty on his head. It might seem quaint to some people, but I think that is pretty brave.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-07T11:10:25-06:00

ID

112717

Comment

I'd have more respect for the war and the persons who caused/authorized it if we could get the children of our congress person who voted for the war to go to war, too, as infantrymen or front line marines taking artillery and bullets just like kids of no status or so-called political relevance. I hope the Prince winds up a better hero than Tillman was/is.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-07T11:29:41-06:00

ID

112718

Comment

several of the leading neocons such as Elliot Cohen who did push for the war do have children who either are in it or have been in it. however, I'm sure we don't want to take this thread about Donna's trip onto yet another Iraq debate. Hot tea and scons at 3 O Clock Ray. You should try them some time. We'll make a subject out of you yet. Before you know it, you'll sound like Lennox or Donovan.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-07T11:44:39-06:00

ID

112719

Comment

I knew what you meant, Ray. I just like to give a hard time to people I like. :)

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2007-05-07T13:51:00-06:00

ID

112720

Comment

Donna, bring back some materials on how to ride the subway without getting lost, shot, mugged or intimidated. I was supposed to be there for a meeting 2 months ago but backed out since my New York friends couldn't be available to help me navigate the terrain and get to and from the airport. Bring material also on how to get over your phobia of millions of cars and people moving hurriedly to get every place. I won't even mention how to not look or stare at the "skyscrappers and everythang."

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-07T14:29:36-06:00

ID

112721

Comment

Ray, as a former New Yorker, you really don't have to worry about getting mugged on the subways unless it's really late at night, and maybe not even then. (I fell asleep on a car once at 3 a.m. after a few too many woke up at the end of the line, unharmed and unrobbed.) The plain truth is that there are now so many police officers in the cars (many of them plainclothes) that it's a really stupid place for would-be muggers to operate. Actually figuring out what train to catch is another matter, though. I have no FREAKING idea why they use the "system" they do. For instance, when I was there (and they are always changing the lines' designations too, just to make it harder), the red 1 was express, while the red 9 was local. The green 4 was express while the green 6 was local. The blue E went to Queens while the blue A went to Inwood. Now if you live there, you figure this out relatively quickly and you've got no problems, but it's an absolute night mare for tourists. Why not make all the red lines 1, for instance, and then simply put an 'E' or an 'L' at the end to indicate whether they are express or local? Anyway, to sum up, the subways are safe, but don't be surprised if you catch the wrong line.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2007-05-07T14:53:42-06:00

ID

112722

Comment

Oh, I was there for about 5 days a couple of weeks ago. Although I didn't eat at the same place as you, Donna, I did have a couple of slices from my favorite Famous Ray's, which was just around the corner from my hotel. Now, my drink wasn't served in a pineapple, but one of my slices HAD PINEAPPLE ON IT!!! Small world, eh?!?! And I wasn't there for classes. It was a work thing. But there's always some play in NYC, too, isn't there? And speaking of plays in NYC, I hope you had a chance to see Spring Awakening. I saw it and thought it was FAB-U-LOUS. Hope your trip was as marvelous as mine!!!

Author

thespis

Date

2007-05-07T15:20:53-06:00

ID

112723

Comment

No shows this time, thespis. Too busy sitting in workshops (three full days) during the day and seeing old friends at night. The weather was just gorgeous, though. Perfect crisp spring days. I just love the city. It will always be one of my adopted homes. Good to be back to my real home, though, even if the weather isn't quite as glorious. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-08T08:44:40-06:00