The New New York Skyline

Going up...

A growing Manhattan.

Manhattan is in the midst of an unprecedented boom in tall buildings, nationalgeographic.com reports.

Before 2004, Manhattan was home to 28 skyscrapers 700 feet and taller. Since then, an additional 13 have been built, 15 are under construction, and 19 are proposed—47 more in all, according to nationalgeographic.com.

To see how these additions are rapidly—and radically—changing the skyline: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/new-york-city-skyline-tallest-midtown-manhattan/

Photo: nationalgeograhic.com.

Start off Your Week with Some Fun

Fun...

If this thing would only stay still.

Start off your week with some fun.

-- VW: We forgot Dave: http://www.tvcommercialspots.com/automobile-transport/volkswagen-sign-then-drive-holiday-sales-event-christmas-tree-shopping-wait-we-forgot-dave-is-the-test-drive-over-yet-das-auto-volkswagen-dasauto-happyholidays/

-- VW: Meet the family: http://www.ispot.tv/ad/AwNG/volkswagen-sign-then-drive-event-gifts-for-the-family

-- GEICO; Fisherman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfBSPyCPVsE

-- GEICO: Reunion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9qcWljsT7s

-- Optimum: A good 10 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqz-PJpO1uI

Musical Moments: Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade

Great...

Late autumn beauty.

A classic to go with this Thanksgiving weekend: Rimsky-Korsakov's great, Sheherazade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNymNaTr-Y

Gif: tumblr.

Darien Sees Slower Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

Late autumn.

Darien saw a slower residential real estate market in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Three new listings of property for sale;

-- Two price changes;

-- Two accepted offers;

-- One property going under contract, and

-- No closings.

For more: 

Los Angeles Auto Show: New Cars From A to Z

Neat...

Porsche GT4

New cars and concept vehicles from A to Z were featured at the recent 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.

For a neat bloomberg.com video: http://bloom.bg/1I774nI

2016 Mercedes SL

Photos: Pinterest.

Saving Thanksgiving Dinner

Happy Thanksgiving...

"Adele" from Saturday Night Live.

Millions of Americans will gather with family and friends for Thanksgiving tomorrow. They will then try to avoid discussing politics, an effort inevitably undermined by the aunt who “saw an ISIS” at the supermarket or the grandparent intrigued by the “very interesting trend” of transgenderism, Sharan Shetty reports on slate.com

In a recent SNL sketch, those familiar tiffs and tensions are resolved by a single uniting force: Adele. Turns out you can prevent the stray racist comment just by blaring “Hello” in your dining room.

For a laugh or two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2zyjbH9zzA

See Adele's reaction to the skit:  http://www.today.com/popculture/see-adeles-priceless-reaction-snl-thanksgiving-sketch-spoofed-hello-t57616

Chef Daniel Boulud: Three Great Lobster Appetizers

Triple play...

Daniel Boulud.

Celebrated chef Daniel Boulud invites you into the kitchen as he prepares the ultimate cocktail party appetizer: lobster salad, three ways, bloomberg.com reports.

Whether curried on a pappadom crisp, elevated with smoked paprika on a crostini, or simply dressed on a mini bun, the “the wonderful array of taste, texture, and color” makes for an upscale twist on a buffet-table classic. Plus, it’s easier than you think.

Here's how he does it:  http://bloom.bg/1X7ZwCP

Photo: Pinterest.

New from IBM: Shopper's Helper for Your iPhone

New app...

Shopping help in your pocket.

Over the past few weeks, you’ve been inundated with news about Thanksgiving, Christmas and Black Friday sales events, Jacob Siegal reports on brg.com.

It can be overwhelming, but thanks to IBM’s new Watson Trend app, you can begin planning your shopping excursions based on items you need to pick up first, before anything on your list sells out, he wrote.

IBM said the new mobile app “distills the sentiment of tens of millions of online conversations by scouring 10,000 sources across social media sites, blogs, forums, comments, ratings and reviews,” Siegal wrote.

With this information, users will be able to determine which products are flying off the shelves and which products are falling out of favor. So whether you’re a parent desperately searching for the perfect toy or a single adult in need of a killer HDTV, you’ll find what you’re looking for in the Watson Trend app, according to Siegal.

For more, including a video:  http://bgr.com/2015/11/18/ibm-watson-trend-app-black-friday/

Photo: technewstoday.com.

A Fun Way to Start the New Week

Smile...

Rehearsing for her closeup with Mr. DeMille?

Start your new week off with some fun videos:  

-- TDAmeritrade: Need some help: http://www.ispot.tv/ad/A7_S/td-ameritrade-andrew-luck-tries-to-help-with-your-portfolio

-- Three Brothers Moving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTiiS3Ze_GY

-- GEICO: Small New York apartment:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKtMe8nFFq8

-- GEICO: Horror movie:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ-hlcux66s

-- Nespresso:  I want in:  http://www.adweek.com/agencyspy/george-clooney-teams-up-with-danny-devito-in-mccanns-training-day-for-nespresso/96531

Gif: Pinterest.

Musical Moments: Grieg, Piano Concerto

A doozy...

Red autumn.

Musical Moments features music and artists I've enjoyed over the years.

Today's selection is Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto, which was described the other day by an announcer on a New York classical music station as a real doozy, which must be some sort of new musical technical term: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO-H37t1fQQ

I hope you'll l enjoy it.

Photo: Pinterest.

Darien Sees Quieter Weekly Real Estate Activity

Happy Thanksgiving...

Ready for dinner.

  

Darien saw quieter residential real estate activity in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-       -- Four new listings of property for sale;

n      -- One price change;

n     --  Five accepted offers;

n      -- Two properties going under contract, and

n      -- Five closings.

For more:  

BMW Unveils Four New Models

Race-ready...

Dramatic tail light on the new BMW M4 GTS.

BMW introduced four new models at the Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday.

Bloomberg's Matt Miller described the hot, new M4 GTS as race-ready right out of the box.

For a video of Miller discussing the new cars and more with BMW North America CEO Ludwig Wilhelm Willisch: http://bloom.bg/1NDQ8BE

Photo: BMWblog.

Calvin and Hobbes Strip Marks 30th Anniversary

Wonderful pair...

First Calvin and Hobbes strip.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the first “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strip, the beloved cartoon series by Bill Watterson that featured the friendship between a young boy and a tiger, Julian Glum reports on ibtimes.com.

 “Calvin and Hobbes” ran for about 10 years, ending Dec. 31, 1995, but not before it spawned a passionate readership and appeared in more than 2,400 newspapers, Glum wrote.

 Watterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes” books have sold more than 30 million copies and resonated with readers all over the world, Glum added.

The first strip appeared Nov. 18, 1985. In it, Calvin catches Hobbes, whom readers later learn he sees as a real tiger and everyone else views as a stuffed animal. "I think that's how life works," Watterson once said. 

"None of us sees the world exactly the same way, and I just draw that literally in the strip. Hobbes is more about the subjective nature of reality than about dolls coming to life," Watterson added, according to Glum.

For more, including several Calvin and Hobbes strips:  http://www.ibtimes.com/calvin-hobbes-anniversary-2015-best-strips-bill-watterson-30-years-later-2186853

Photo: ibtimes.com.

St. Petersburg: Russia's Window on the West

In memory...

Saint Isaac's in the snow.*

One of the places I would like to visit is beautiful St. Petersburg.

Today's presentation is in memory of the many lost in Russia's Window on the West during World War II and those on the Russian passenger jet last month over Egypt who were homeward bound for St. Petersburg.

Thanks to my friend Ernest Badalian for letting me know about this video on the city:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGC_fAkApY4

For a brief introduction to some of the city's splendors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAxf-05NTRY

For a virtual tour of the city and descriptions of its sights:  http://www.saint-petersburg.com/virtual-tour/

* Saint Isaac's Cathedral, or Isaakievskiy Sobor in St. Petersburg, is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in the city. It is also the largest orthodox basilica and the fourth largest cathedral in the world, according to Wikipedia.

Gif: Pinterest.

Coffee Linked to Longer Life

Moderation...

Nothing like a good espresso.

Your coffee habit may be doing more than keeping you awake during a long work day, Ashley Welch reports on cbs.com.

New research adds to growing evidence that coffee has protective health benefits and suggests that it may may even reduce your risk of dying from heart disease and other chronic illnesses, Welch reported.

In the study, published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, researchers looked at the coffee drinking habits of a large sample of U.S. adults and found that those who drank moderate amounts of coffee -- less than 5 cups per day -- had a lower risk of deaths from cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases, type 2 diabetes and suicide, according to Welch.

For more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/coffee-drinking-linked-to-a-longer-life/ 

Photo: Pinterest.

Tributes Around the World for France

Solidarity...

Eiffel Tower.

Many around the world have united to express their sorrow, anger and support in the wake of Friday’s terrible attacks in Paris.

Landmarks across the globe, including the London Eye, the Tokyo Skytree, and the White House, turned red, white, and blue, the colors of the French flag. Candlelight vigils spread across the world. Even sports matches paused for silence, Anne Most reported on time.com.

For more, including a video of examples of solidarity: http://time.com/4113809/paris-tribute-france-world/

Photo: Pinterest.

Musical Moments: Debussy, Reverie

Toujours Paris...

A time to reflect.

Tonight's Musical Moments' selection is in honor of the many victims of yesterday's attacks in Paris.

Debussy's moving, Reverie:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXu4LPi1l8E

Photo: Pinterest.

Darien Wraps Up Quieter Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

An autumn welcome.

Darien wrapped up a quieter residential real estate week today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:  

-- Three new listings of property for sale;

-- Three price changes;

-- Three accepted offers;

-- Two properties going under contract and,

-- Two closings.

For more: 

First Windows Update Arrives Today

Mega-update...

Windows 10 on the job.

Windows 10 is getting its first mega-update today, money.cnn.com reports.

After updating your Windows 10 PC, your computer will boot faster, your photos will be clearer, reminders will be easier to set, and your PC will perform more smoothly, according to the news service.

But it's a large update, so it takes some time to install.

For more:  http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/12/technology/microsoft-windows-10-update/index.html

Photo: Pinterest.

A Salute to Those Who Served

Veterans Day...

That says it all.

USAA is airing a nice tribute to mark Veterans Day again this year.

Here it is...with thanks to those who have served:  http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7sN8/usaa-veterans-day-thank-you-to-those-who-dared-to-take-the-oath

Photo: Pinterest.

Viral Video: Flying in Formation Above Dubai

Team work...

Emirates Airbus on takeoff.

See how an Emirates Airbus and Jetman Dubai flew together in this video that has gone viral since its release a few days ago:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFCQJ5sYGtI

Emirates Airbus about to touchdown at home in Dubai.

Photos: Pinterest.

Taking a Peek at 2016, the Year of the Monkey

What's ahead?

Now, where did I put that get out of hot water app?

Journalists get nervous when you ask them to predict the future - after all, the predictions we remember best tend to be the ones that completely miss the mark, bloomberg.com reports today.

And yet, thinking about what could happen in the future is part of human nature, and sometimes it can even be fun.

So, risking great personal and professional humiliation, 30 Bloomberg reporters have given their predictions for what will happen in the year 2016, the year of the monkey.  

For a look at what they foresee: http://bloom.bg/1WIy3MV

Photo: Pinterest.

Fun Way to Start the Week

Smile...

Beauty and the beast.

Some fun and interesting videos that I hope will bring a smile or two to start the new new week:

-- Letgo:  Shoes:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LulvPOrfLC8

-- BMW: Heads up:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4jkQKInQbo

-- HP: New beginnings:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afRfSv6qVw4

-- GEICO: Peter Pan:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9qcWljsT7s

Musical Moments: Clapton, Autumn Leaves

Beautiful season...

Autumn near its peak.

Musical Moments features music and artists I've enjoyed over the years.

Today's selection is Eric Clapton's Autumn Leaves as the beautiful season nears its peak: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U11LtakMbSE

Darien Ends Week with Steady Real Estate Results

Weekly update...

Darien in autumn.

Darien closed its latest residential real estate week today with steady results across major categories.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Six new listings of property for sale;

-- Nine price changes;

-- Four accepted offers;

-- Two properties going under contract and,

-- Four closings.

For more:  

How You Can Help the Sunshine Kids

Make a difference...

This little one isn't letting illness get her down.

Like to help some brave kids in their fight with cancer?

You can make a difference with a contribution to the Sunshine Kids, a foundation dedicated to helping young cancer patients.

Berkshire Hathaway has been a sponsor for many years.

Its nearly 100 real estate agents in Darien, Rowayton and Norwalk are hosting Cocktails for a Cause, a fund-raiser for the children on Nov. 17 at the Darien Nature Center.

A similar event last year raised nearly $7,000, according to Liz Bacon, manager of the Berkshire Hathaway offices in Darien and Rowayton.

Bacon said there are two ways to make a contribution to help the kids:

-- Attend the fund-raiser at the Nature Center on Nov. 17, which runs from 5 to 7:30 pm

  or

-- Call her at 203 655-5144, or Nancy Pantoliano, manager of the Berkshire Hathaway Norwalk office, 203 846-1611.

Fund-raiser tickets are $25 per person in advance; $30 at the door. For details or to make a reservation, contact Leslie Caruso at lesliecaruso@bhhsNE.com, Bacon said.

Photo: Pinterest

Success: It Takes More Than Just IQ

Three qualities...

Grit.

When it comes to what determines success, many would put their money on a high intelligence quotient. 

There’s no doubt IQ plays a role in academic achievement, but acceptance into an Ivy League school far from guarantees professional success, Thai Nguyen reports on entreneurpeneur.

CEOs who’ve recruited the brightest graduates become puzzled at the bell curve of performance—after all, shouldn’t all geniuses perform at an elite level?

Not surprisingly, researchers have found that IQ plays a far less significant role in success. 

It’s three qualities, under the radar and often overlooked, that make all the difference when it comes to success. 

For more:  http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242173

Gif: lunaton, tumbr