Back & Bored #5

My little Millerton became Pandemic Popular.

Strays from far and near who have forgotten the basics of crossing a road now gather mid-town on weekends and wander into traffic like deer on the Taconic. A recent NYT article would indicate that picturesque Millerton, before The Great Panic, was populated by pitchfork carrying rubes who would possibly eat your dog raw and needed out of town citiots (like myself) to motor in and save the place from itself.

It didn’t.

I watched today as an out of towner reversed blind from the Diner car park into a passing white Ford Bronco. It looked like lots of body shop work in some local’s angry future and possibly some body work needed by one weekender sooner. I moved along as the fireworks began.

My go to spot for the past 20 years of Millerton weekends is the Oakhurst Diner (the owners have changed over the years). I take my usual stool at the counter, overlooking Main Street, and have my usual healthy bacon egg and cheese on ciabatta (it’s organic) and multiple coffees. Theirs is the best in-house coffee in town and the friendliest most welcoming of staff. The outdoor seating gets a bit tricky – bee problems in the sun.

Irving Coffee have their roastery close by and runs a popular shop in town. Their bean variety is excellent – I get my grinder stock there (the coffee type). Irving has a decent limited breakfast and lunch menu and has a relaxed hang around and work on your laptop comfort. I’m not that douchy. They get a nice little gas fire going in the winter.

Harney Tea is worth dropping by if you’re one of those chamomile drinking hippies, or just like tea. I don’t.

As the ultimate consumer I’ve replaced all my favorite films on Blu-Ray over time. The local Library benefited. I recently dropped off a couple of hundred duplicate DVDs to add to their limited town collection. Masked at the time I laid on the accent double thick. What’s the point of being charitable if no one recognizes you and thinks you’re marvelous afterwards? Begorrah.

The local towns have done a spectacular job cleaning up and extending the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. The converted walking and cycling pathway now extends from Millerton to Wassaic, on one end, and Bash Bish Falls in the Massachusetts direction.

The trail kicks off in Millerton right by Tarot’s Italian Restaurant. Unlike Ohioan pizza Tarot’s crust is very good. They do still have a ridiculous cash only policy so attach a tender filled fanny pack to those show it all bicycle shorts if you’re feeling peckish after your trail spin.

Charlotte Taylor is still the best spot in the County when you need to pick up an impressive little gift. I’ve gotten pressies there ranging from handmade cloth toys to colorful cheese knives. All big hits.

I’m still spending vast fortunes in Oblong book. But whenever Uncle Karl plans a visit to the Westchester clan, I also get to splash out in their toy store. Oblong has an eye-popping dazzle of stocking stuffers and a welcoming sit down and read children’s book section. It’s a beautiful location to browse and always fun to talk to the well versed bookstore staff.

The Millerton Saturday market, located in the church yard, hosts a scrappy selection of local merchants flogging their home scorched wares. Lots of organic. I got apple strudels the size of Rhode Island there recently. Meh. It’s still more scrappy than selection and usually features a local off-key musician selling self-labeled CDs. Harken to Ramblin’ Rita’s acoustic rendition of Nights in White Satin for the full fair experience. Or some dude with a banjo.

Millerton packs quite the variety into a quarter mile Main Street.

Movie Stuff: The Many Saints of Newark

When you try to serve two masters you end up with two unhappy bosses – or mob bosses in this case. The Many Saints of Newark attempts to appease long time Soprano fans/fanatics (like myself) and viewers coming in blind. It lets down both groups.

Where The Sopranos told the big stories from the limitations of a small screen Saints aims big, sprays blanks in all directions, and shits a hospital load of beds. It starts as an Oedipus story and ends as a pinky shake Michelangelo, taking in the Newark riots and a smattering of Frank Lucas with little reason. Even without the Sopranos link this film would be a weak, stereotypical, convoluted let down.

The casting is dreadful – particularly the clown playing Silvio. All the uniqueness and intelligence of The Sopranos is lost. Any one of the plots in Saints (and there are lots) could be dropped, and the movie would only improve. That includes losing young Tony Soprano and demented Livia. No trope is left untroped, no family eating event left overfed, no great gangster film left un-borrowed from. The use of Liotta & Liotta is irritating and just plain silly.

Many Saints split the room 50/50 (telling that even the thumbs up found the Newark riot inclusion pandering and unnecessary).

But man, my shackles stood up when the Alabama 3 theme song kicked in.

On the upside I’ve finally found a name for my new band – Venus Di Milos Douchebag. I’m giving this film a big rinse.

I’m psyched for next week’s movie. My Good buddy and multiple time host Sally Regan will be presenting Taxi Driver.