Personal Yummy #91
The overwhelming smell of fries, burgers, pasta, wings, steak, and ribs taunts me, and my stomach growls—earnestly—hoping tonight will be like some other nights, when Tommy or Mary Ellen pushes a dish toward me, saying, “You want this Reuben? The customer decided he didn’t want it after I had already started making it” or “I misread the slip and put the wrong kind of sauce on this pasta. You want to take care of it for me?”
Continue reading “Hungry”Personal Yummy #90
I take a leisurely walk to New York City’s Carl Schurz Park on a Saturday afternoon in August.
What a gorgeous day.
It is hot and sunny…dry and breezy.
I have been to this Upper East Side park—lining the East River—many, many times in the past, but today I am in an exploratory mood and decide to follow a slightly different route.
And it is so worth it.
Continue reading “Peter Pan in the Park”Personal Yummy #89
It was my favorite place to have a glass of red wine in the city.
Cabernet, Malbec, or Merlot…
On a white-and-red–checkered tablecloth.
With a little clay bowl of black and green olives dressed in oil and red pepper flakes, of course.
Continue reading “My Beloved Saju Bistro”Personal Yummy #88
“Damn it!” Diana yells—rather explosively, in fact—a scowl appearing upon her face, a tempting iced café mocha resting in her hand. “I guess this will just have to wait.”
Continue reading “The Flying Iced Mocha”Personal Yummy #87
Personal Yummy wishes you a sweet and loving day!
Personal Yummy #86
I’ve always thought that she has the name of a movie star.
Just pronouncing it—Bianca Blume—sounds beautiful and rich.
Continue reading “The Grill on Murray Avenue: Bianca”Personal Yummy #85
As a student of literature at Chatham College in Pittsburgh, PA, during the early nineties, I read and studied many of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s works, including his tales, sketches, and novels. His writing style, and the themes present throughout his writing, appealed to me.
“Rappaccini’s Daughter,” Hawthorne’s intriguing tale of an Italian scientist who uses his beautiful daughter, Beatrice, as the focus and instrument of a cruel experiment, especially affected me. It is a story of complex and multiple themes, and, therefore, one that lends itself to various interpretations.
Continue reading “For Lovers of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Conceptions of “Rappaccini’s Daughter””Personal Yummy #84
“Hey, Shane,” Nick says, as he leans over the end of the bar and comfortably rests his forearms on top of it. “Are you the early-person-out tonight?”
Shane, busy doing his side work, stops with his hand buried inside a white plastic container of bright blue, yellow, and pink sugar and sweetener packets. He looks up expectantly. “Yeah, I sure am, Nick,” he replies.
“Well, why don’t you get going then? It’s nine—a little early—but there’s no use sticking around here any longer tonight.”
Continue reading “The Snowstorm”Personal Yummy #83
It’s late and I’m behind the bar drawing a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from the tap when Craig walks in, looking cute as always in jeans, a white button-up shirt, and cowboy boots. I glance at him and smile.
“Hi there, Jenna,” he says, rather softly. “What? Are you bartending tonight?”
Continue reading “A Night of Illusions”Personal Yummy #82
Deciding to try one more time, I somehow drag myself onto a bus. About twenty minutes later, I wind up at Gullifty’s restaurant on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill.
“I wish I could help you,” the nice-looking elderly hostess with the smart glasses tells me, “but we already have a waiting list for this summer of about forty.”
I just look at her blankly.
Continue reading “The Wisdom in Persistence”
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