Vinnie and Howard, at Vinnie’s house, a “few” years ago A guitar immortal succumbed to human mortality this week, but his music will long outlive him. Legendary studio guitarist Vinnie Bell (Vincent Gambella) passed away on Thursday, but left us an unsurpassed legacy in scores of hit songs, movie soundtracks and even advertising jingles in […]
Former U.S. Consulate, Leningrad We had a mini-emergency a few days ago in our senior community/mobile home park in Santa Rosa, California. In the dead of night, the pump that supplies our homes with well water tripped a circuit breaker. In order to be on time to a 7 o’clock meeting the next morning, I […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Lgrad-consulate-1.jpg540598Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2019-09-29 18:18:432019-10-19 20:31:33Déjà Vu All Over Again
Nat Daniel, at 80+ years, clowning around with champagne cork cages at a birthday party If my dad were still alive, he’d be marking his 107th birthday tomorrow (he was born on Sept. 23, 1912). Nat Daniel was a smart, innovative guy. He was also very funny. So I’ll celebrate on his behalf by regaling readers […]
Rosslyn’s most notable edifice. The Foreign Service Institute was housed in the glass-walled building at left. Trigger Warning: The following post may offend your religious sensibilities. In a little over two months, Sandra and I will be joining our son Adam and his family in the Washington, D.C., area for Thanksgiving. In beginning to think […]
Niagara Falls — Horseshoe (“Canadian”) Falls with Hornblower boat as close as it dares It’s back to the East Coast (well, almost — we didn’t get much past Lake Erie) this week, as I wind up this intermittent series on what Sandra and I did on our summer vacation.1 After an al fresco breakfast at […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IMG_2788.jpg30244032Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2019-09-08 19:42:442019-09-08 20:45:10What I Did on My Summer Vacation, Part Three
Stockmann, Helsinki Here’s a vignette from the time I was posted to the U.S. consulate-general in Leningrad, 1976-78. Sasha, one of our Soviet-citizen drivers,* had just been granted a passport, a privilege that very few Soviet citizens enjoyed. This allowed him to drive the consulate’s truck (a vehicle very much like a UPS delivery van) […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Stockmann2.jpg960960Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2019-09-01 20:06:172019-09-02 15:29:04A Soviet Citizen’s Reaction to a Western Department Store
World’s first oil well, drilled in 1859 by Edwin Drake in Titusville, Pennsylvania Reflecting on my visit to Pennsylvania1 last month, I had an epiphany — that there is a special connection (though of course not a geographical one) between the Keystone State2 and the Aloha State. Let me begin with the conclusion I’ve reached about the […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/PA-Drakes-well.jpg30244032Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2019-08-25 16:59:172019-08-25 17:11:03What I Learned in Pennsylvania About Saving Hawaii’s Whales
The “whole fan damily” — well, almost! Think back to your school days and a typical assignment on the first day back in the classroom — being asked to write that dreaded essay, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.” Here’s mine. Sandra and I went traveling. No. Not to an exotic “garden spot” like […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/PA2-July-2019.jpg30244032Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2019-08-18 17:33:372019-08-18 18:08:12What I Did on My Summer Vacation, Part One
Pierogi On Thursday evening (Aug. 8), Sandra and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary* at one of our favorite restaurants, Tisza Bistro, just two miles from our home. Yesterday, after getting a request to comment on our dining experience, I wrote a glowing review. I’m supplying a link to it here because I want to demonstrate […]
Among the many criticisms leveled at Facebook and other social media is the amount of time so many of us spend watching cat videos. To human eyes (and brains), cats are wonderfully entertaining. Years ago I watched a feline performance, in person, that still makes me smile whenever I see a cat rub against someone’s […]
Vinnie Bell, July 28, 1935 – October 3, 2019, RIP
/0 Comments/in Danelectro, Recollections /by Howard DanielVinnie and Howard, at Vinnie’s house, a “few” years ago A guitar immortal succumbed to human mortality this week, but his music will long outlive him. Legendary studio guitarist Vinnie Bell (Vincent Gambella) passed away on Thursday, but left us an unsurpassed legacy in scores of hit songs, movie soundtracks and even advertising jingles in […]
Déjà Vu All Over Again
/0 Comments/in North Bay, Places I've lived, Recollections, Santa Rosa /by Howard DanielFormer U.S. Consulate, Leningrad We had a mini-emergency a few days ago in our senior community/mobile home park in Santa Rosa, California. In the dead of night, the pump that supplies our homes with well water tripped a circuit breaker. In order to be on time to a 7 o’clock meeting the next morning, I […]
Speechless!
/0 Comments/in Danelectro, Humor, Recollections /by Howard DanielNat Daniel, at 80+ years, clowning around with champagne cork cages at a birthday party If my dad were still alive, he’d be marking his 107th birthday tomorrow (he was born on Sept. 23, 1912). Nat Daniel was a smart, innovative guy. He was also very funny. So I’ll celebrate on his behalf by regaling readers […]
Streetcorner Blasphemy
/0 Comments/in Humor, Places I've lived, Recollections, Uncategorized /by Howard DanielRosslyn’s most notable edifice. The Foreign Service Institute was housed in the glass-walled building at left. Trigger Warning: The following post may offend your religious sensibilities. In a little over two months, Sandra and I will be joining our son Adam and his family in the Washington, D.C., area for Thanksgiving. In beginning to think […]
What I Did on My Summer Vacation, Part Three
/0 Comments/in Recollections, Travel /by Howard DanielNiagara Falls — Horseshoe (“Canadian”) Falls with Hornblower boat as close as it dares It’s back to the East Coast (well, almost — we didn’t get much past Lake Erie) this week, as I wind up this intermittent series on what Sandra and I did on our summer vacation.1 After an al fresco breakfast at […]
A Soviet Citizen’s Reaction to a Western Department Store
/0 Comments/in Places I've lived, Recollections /by Howard DanielStockmann, Helsinki Here’s a vignette from the time I was posted to the U.S. consulate-general in Leningrad, 1976-78. Sasha, one of our Soviet-citizen drivers,* had just been granted a passport, a privilege that very few Soviet citizens enjoyed. This allowed him to drive the consulate’s truck (a vehicle very much like a UPS delivery van) […]
What I Learned in Pennsylvania About Saving Hawaii’s Whales
/0 Comments/in Hawaii, History, Thoughts, Travel, Uncategorized /by Howard DanielWorld’s first oil well, drilled in 1859 by Edwin Drake in Titusville, Pennsylvania Reflecting on my visit to Pennsylvania1 last month, I had an epiphany — that there is a special connection (though of course not a geographical one) between the Keystone State2 and the Aloha State. Let me begin with the conclusion I’ve reached about the […]
What I Did on My Summer Vacation, Part One
/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Howard DanielThe “whole fan damily” — well, almost! Think back to your school days and a typical assignment on the first day back in the classroom — being asked to write that dreaded essay, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.” Here’s mine. Sandra and I went traveling. No. Not to an exotic “garden spot” like […]
The Restaurant Review You’ve Always Been Tempted to Write
/0 Comments/in Humor, Recollections, Travel /by Howard DanielPierogi On Thursday evening (Aug. 8), Sandra and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary* at one of our favorite restaurants, Tisza Bistro, just two miles from our home. Yesterday, after getting a request to comment on our dining experience, I wrote a glowing review. I’m supplying a link to it here because I want to demonstrate […]
Cats!
/2 Comments/in Places I've lived, Recollections /by Howard DanielAmong the many criticisms leveled at Facebook and other social media is the amount of time so many of us spend watching cat videos. To human eyes (and brains), cats are wonderfully entertaining. Years ago I watched a feline performance, in person, that still makes me smile whenever I see a cat rub against someone’s […]