Looking over the Edge and the Final Word
Chilly times ahead but keep the warmth in your heart
Welcome back, Substack friends to the start of a new weeks where the January chill is full in effect (especially if you live on the upper East Coast like me).
Even though the winter cold may not be your thing, at least in your mind you can imagine sitting in a tree on a comfortable spring day reading your favorite book.
Along with the cold January, snow eventually comes, so why not learns some surprising facts about snow, thanks to BBC America:
Did you know snow isn’t white? It’s the light reflecting off it that makes it appear white with the many sides of the snowflake scattering light in many directions, diffusing the entire colour spectrum.”
Snow can also keep you warm. “Because snow is comprised of 90 to 95 percent trapped air, it means it’s a great insulator.”
Last weekend I went to The Edge, which is 1,000 feet above Manhattan at Hudson Yards.
“NYC. It All Starts At Edge. A marvel of innovation and design, offering panoramic views of the city we all love. Your adventure starts with a multimedia experience before heading up over 1,100 feet above the city.”
The Edge might be a little pricey for some ($40 + tax a ticket for adults, less for children) but you can stay as long as you like, where the views of NYC were amazing, such as these pictures I took. If you’re visiting NYC and love views at way too high, The Edge might be what you’re looking for. It’s also in an awesome building where you can shop, eat and explore.
Have you heard of the Brooklyn bakery that allows you to set the price what you want to pay for their bread? From the Sunday Times:
“They actively promote their “name your price bread” — a concept created by Tony Yarema, a baker, and the owners of Bakery By Textbook in the Bedford-Stuyvesant district.
So how do they make this work? And why?
Yarema, who opened the bakery this summer, calculates that 70 per cent of customers pay full price for their loaves. On a $9 sourdough, if a person pays $1 he loses $2 to $3.
The bakery makes up for its losses on loaves by selling coffee, sandwiches, muffins and other seasonal pastries. Yarema estimates they make about 100 loaves every day: focaccias, sourdoughs, pita and Persian noon bread.”
Sweet Potato Bacon Chowder sounds like the perfect meal to warm you. The Kitchn has the recipe:
All you need:
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium stalks celery, diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (about 13-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
3 ounces baby spinach (about 3 cups)
1 cup frozen corn kernels (do not thaw)
All the awws for this kitty who loves tickles.
This week’s book recommendation is from 2015- The Veiled Heart by Elsa Holland.
Lady Miriam Rothbury has never known desire …..And Lord Maxwell Worthington, well even from afar, he’s always burned for her …
After a cold and cruel Victorian marriage, Miriam rejects the foibles of her class and is determined to help London’s fallen women. A fleeting brush with a handsome stranger at the scandalous Velvet Basement creates a chance encounter to sin. Surrendering once could be forgiven, but what happens when this dangerous game promises to extend beyond one unforgettable encounter to a passion that to threatens the very foundation of her world?
Max, is delighted at the invitation by the veiled visitor to the decadent Velvet Basement. But the flammable seduction turns world-shaking when the veil is torn and reveals the woman who has always haunted him. Can he play a dangerous game and win the heart of the woman he wants? Or will discovering his true identity push Miriam far out of reach forever?
Why the recommendation? The Veiled Heart (The Velvet Basement #1) by new-to-me author, Elsa Holland is a steamy and hot Victorian romance that has a slight comparison to Robin Schone, but it's not as dark and disturbing as Schone's historical romances tended to be. The heroine has endured a marriage to a sadistic and psychotic man who enjoyed hurting her just for his pleasure. The hero is the complete opposite of her dead evil husband, who shows the heroine that sex can be very pleasurable and enjoyable. Elsa Holland can sure write some uber hot love scenes! *fans self*
The Veiled Heart packs quite the punch in terms of emotion and character dimension. Miriam is the tortured soul here, but a survivor. Max is a dream of a hero, a gentleman in public, but a tiger under the sheets. He gives Miriam everything she wants, offering his heart to her, knowing she may reject him forever because of his association with Freddy. There's also a another twist in their relationship that's very sweet. The way Max avenges Miriam is wonderful.
"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."- Martin Luther King, Jr.