NY Times Puzzle – Thursday, July 12, 2012

Theme:  Between Two Hard Choices

The answers to the main clues are expression for having to decide between two unenviable choices.

24A. With 37-/46-Across, difficult things to be “between” = The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
3D. With 30-Down, difficult things to be “between” = A Rock and a Hard Place
10D. With 33-Down, difficuolt things to be “between” = Scylla and Charybdis

I ran into a little difficulty with 10D. I got “Charybdis,” so I knew what the other part of the expression was but couldn’t remember how to spell “Scylla.” The second “l” and the “a” came easily, but the rest stumped me. I got the correct spelling by filling in the other answers in that section of the grid.

9A. “Give me _____” I kept thinking “a break.” But one too many letters. And besides, I knew the answer to 12D. Close in Hollywood = Glenn. Correct Answer: “a Sign.”

16A. Strand in the water? Answer: Ecoli Hmmm….

19A. Former Baby Bell. Answer: Nynex. Easy.

21A. Dion who didn’t sing with the Belmonts. I got stuck because I was thinking Dion as a first name. The light bulb finally went off. Answer: Celine. Tricky!

Other interesting answers:

9D. Source of the line “Each of us bears his own Hell.” Answer: Aeneid.

11D. Ancient land SE of Lesbos. Answer: Ionia

37D. “The forbidden fragrance.” Answer: Tabu

44D. Four-time Pro Bowler ______ Samuel. Answer: Asante

NYT Sunday Puzzle – July 8, 2012

Title: Make the Change

Theme: I easily figured out the answers to the theme clues, common expressions where DE is substituted for the word THE, thus forming silly expressions. However, I was stupidly clueless as to how the title was related. I checked Rex Parker. His substitute, Pam the Puzzler, was just as clueless. One of the commenters supplied the explanation. Make THE change. Duh!!

22A. So happy you can’t see straight? = Blinded by Delight
34A. Argument about a fork-tailed bird? = Swallow Debate
50A. Circle above the airport? = Put off Descent
70A. Making one’s way down the corporate ladder? = Going Through Demotions
88A. Breed hatred in? = Teaching to Detest
110A. Womean who’s the very best at saying no? = Queen of Denial
122A. Really enjoy giving specifics? = Live to Tell Detail

Some interesting answers:

18A. Capital city formerly behind the Iron Curtain. Answer: Tirane. Even though I’m pretty good at geography, I’d never heard of this city – the capital of Albania.

30A. “Sk8er ___,” 2002 top 10 hit. Answer: Boi. Never heard of it. Via Wiki, written and sung by Avril Lavigne. Never heard of her either. A YouTube video confirmed that it’s definitely not my kind of music.

49A. Bear’s cry. This was in the last unfinished section and had me going. I kept thinking of the animal. The double “L” for the last two of the four letters was correct, so I wrote in “yell.” But the “y” wouldn’t work. It finally dawned on me. This this “bear” is on Wall Street. Answer: Sell. Too clever!

Two Yankees-related clues:

14D. Old Yankee nickname. Answer: The Babe (Ruth)
55A. Manager with four World Series titles. Answer: Joe Torre

Two clues about movies, neither of which I’ve seen:

105A. Ed Wood player in “Ed Wood.” Answer: Depp (Johnny)
107A. “Steel Magnolia” actress. Answer: Parton (Dolly).

July 4, 2012 – At Home

A lovely day spent with J. and the P.G. It rained very early in the morning.  But then the sun came out around 9 a.m. remained out the entire day, and the possible thunderstorm predicted for the evening happily never materialized.

Our tradition on July 4th is franks and baked beans for lunch. It wasn’t too beastly hot, so we ate on the patio.

Watermelon was a refreshing dessert.

We had dinner indoors. The menu: hamburgers, Missouri-style baby back ribs, NJ corn on the cob, and “Clairmont Diner Health Salad.”

In honor of the occasion, dessert was red, white, and blue: strawberries and blueberries with homemade strawberry and buttermilk ice creams.

I also baked cookies. The recipe for these “Saturday Night Meringues” is in Maida Heatter’s Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (published in 1995). They’re gluten-free.

To see all the photos from our July 4th lunch and dinner, click here.

Dining Out: April – June 2012

April
New York City
Dinner:
NoMad (2)
Dragonfly

Lunch:
Don Antonio
Sarge’s Deli
Eleven Madison Park

New Jersey
Dinner:
Ama

Late, Late Supper:
White Castle

May
New York City
Dinner:
Alison Eighteen
Eleven Madison Park
Vitae
Benoit
NoMad
Adour Alaine Ducasse
Campanile

Lunch:
Minetta Tavern
Eleven Madison Park
Zero Otto November The Modern Dining Room

Dessert:
Grom
Madison Park Eats – Steve’s Ice Cream/Stuffed Artisan Connolis

New Jersey
Lunch:
Barb-B-Que Pit & Grill

Philadelphia
Dinner:
Bibou
La Croix at the Rittenhouse
Vetri

Lunch:
Kanella
The Dandelion

Snack:
Capogiro

June
New York City
Dinner:
Jeanne & Gaston (2)
Ai Fiori
Eleven Madison Park
Corton
Byblos
Lincoln
NoMad Rooftop

Lunch:
La Grenouille
Tocqueville
NoMad

Dessert:
L’Arte del Gelato
Dominique Ansel Bakery

Tarrytown, NY
Dinner:
Blue Hill at Stone Barns