The iconic bar visit

Today I learned about this bar, and decided I want to visit it:

The Library, in the NoMad Hotel in Manhattan, is a two level library with fully curated volumes that cover everything from the history of New York to the history of classic cocktails. 

It is #3 on this list: Welcome to the World of Library Bars (there are some other neat ones too)

Post script: this one fooled me. It's in a new hotel, they filled it with old stuff. Still interesting, but hardly iconic - yet!

I have sought out and visited a few iconic and historic bars in my travels, and have found the experiences to be memorable. And definitely worth the effort:

Here are my blog posts about a few:

Harry's Bar in Venice, where they invented the Bellini.

The Campbell Apartment (in Grand Central Station) in New York City, which is in Grand Central Station.

A little less intentional, and not even named in my blog post about it, was my birthday in Le Jules Verne in Paris.

Serial podcast and Adnan Syed

I listen to a lot of podcasts, and lately I've been expanding my repertoire. Thought I would share some of what I am listening to.

I'm inspired to do so as a result of my fascination arising out of the podcast Serial.

Serial host Sarah Koenig and her team won a
Peabody Award for the program

I only came across the Serial podcast a month or two ago, and it's interesting to see what it has lead to. I'm late to the story, as Serial broke records in 2014 as the fastest podcast ever to reach 5 million downloads on iTunes.

In a nutshell, Serial is a podcast that examines real life cases, largely defined by the focus of Season 1, the case of Adnan Syed who was convicted in the 1999 murder of Baltimore high school student Hae Min Lee.

I haven't even listened to Season 2 of Serial yet, as there is so much surrounding content in the form of podcasts about the Serial podcast, and developments in Adnan Syed's case, some as recent as this week. It's fascinating, as it's a story with no clear end, no clear answers, just a lot of conflicting and confusing information, and a seemingly obvious miscarriage of justice.

The Innocence Project is now involved, there have been new hearings with witnesses who were passed over initially, missing evidence, and more. I can even see that there is new news this week about a hearing for a new trial (the judge is considering his decision)... (I'm fighting the temptation to delve into the latest, or to continue listening to the evidence...).

About Serial
Podcast: Serial - Season 1
Podcast: Serial Serial
Podcast: Undisclosed - The State vs Adnan Syed
Podcast: Crime Writers on Serial

April 12, 2018: New Trial Upheld for Adnan Syed of ‘Serial’ - great news that the request for a new trial has been granted. I know nothing about guilt or innocence in this case, but I do know there were errors and mistakes, and lingering doubts. Hopefully a new trial will see justice served.

new digs

 

I wonder if the folks who invented stand-up desks ever pictured one atop a fridge? Well, that's where I am right now, as it's about the only place to put a laptop in my new digs. Except my bed, which has been a combination office, reading zone, sleeping zone, eating zone for the past week. It's a small apartment fridge, so not too high (about 5'5"?), about chin height for me. A bit high, but a good stretch on the calves standing here, and a welcome change from the horizontal.

 

Yes, I have moved, and I have my own place for the first time in almost 7 years. There's been lots of good in those years, and I chose it all, but I sure have missed the simple bliss of my own place. When I'd left my last apartment, giving away almost all I owned, and taking off to Europe for a year or so, I had been living alone for most of the previous 30 years, so it's how I know myself best.

 

I drew the above a couple weeks ago when I learned I got my new place, and I picked up the keys a week ago. Yesterday, I got wifi - yeah! Otherwise, I have my new-to-me king-size bed (bought after spending 1 night on an air mattress (and the realization that I am not 37 anymore!). I've bought a few things over from the house, but will probably camp out here until we do the big move, or 2, as we whittle down what's left in mom's house. It's sold, and we have a couple of months to transition.