Today is Sunday, June 9, 2024. If you were paying attention, you would have noticed I was absent yesterday from this forum. Everything is all right here; the reason I wasn’t here was that Elliot and I drove to Princeton, New Jersey, for the day since the weather was perfect for getting away. So we left close to 11 and didn’t return until sometime close to 10. Our return drive was hairier than our drive there because of some accident on the Grand Central Parkway that saw one of the lanes closed off for emergency vehicles. However, the day was quite pleasant, notwithstanding the three hours it took to get home.

The main reason for going to Princeton was to visit the Princeton Record Exchange, which is on South Tulane Street, right in town. This place has been around for many, many years. (I just discovered that it’s been around since 1980.) It serves as a discounted warehouse for music CDs, long-playing LPs, and even movies on compact disc. So whenever I visit this place, I always am successful in buying any number of items. This time was no different. Elliot allowed me an hour or so to spend there while he browsed the main commercial street, called Nassau Street. This was enough time for me to select three $1.99 music CDs and three records. One of the records was the second Beatles album, priced at $9.99. Another album was a compilation of Lennon and McCartney songs as sung by “the world’s greatest rock artists,” as the album cover boasts. Some of those artists include Elton John, Leo Sayer, Keith Moon, Rod Stewart, The Bee Gees, Tina Turner, and others. This comprised two records in one.

Instead of meeting Elliot at the Labyrinth Bookstore on Nassau Street, I discovered him walking through the aisles before I came up to the front to pay for my purchases. We then walked out of the store after the clerk complimented me on my Adventure Time short-sleeve shirt. This yellow shirt has many of the characters on it, but of course, I didn’t know the shirt harkened back to this animated series since I was just attracted to the color and the cartoon characters on it without knowing that they’re from the series. When I started getting compliments from people in their 20s, I became aware of the shirt’s import. I still haven’t watched the series yet; I believe it’s on Hulu.

After leaving the Princeton Record Exchange, we walked to the main commercial street and entered the bookstore. There we browsed for about 20 minutes or so. I fought against the urge to buy a new book, this time something called The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions by Jonathan Rosen. The book is a memoir of the author’s lifelong friendship with Michael Laudor who developed schizophrenia and, in his 30s, committed a horrible murder. I believe Rosen’s story was excerpted in The Atlantic not too long ago and this is his almost 600-page reckoning of his tragic association with his brilliant but mentally compromised friend. Not an easy read, you would say. So I didn’t purchase it in the final analysis.

We then moved on to Teresa Caffe, an Italian eatery with wood-fired pizza, vibrant bar, and outdoor seating, located on Palmer Square East, where we shared an entree, eggplant rollatini. As an appetizer, I sampled their meatballs which were very delicious. Our main entree was also quite delightful. It was very ample and I’m glad we shared it instead of ordering two full entrees.

Before long, it was time to leave Princeton and head home. That’s when it took us close to three hours to get back to Forest Hills. But the trip was worth it, I feel.

Today was a day of rest after yesterday’s long drive. I attended a street fair on Austin Street and my only purchase was a new coin change purse for $12. I didn’t feel many of the vendors too appealing, and I was not happy being in such crowds. The greasy food didn’t interest me, so I walked away from the bustle in just a few minutes. Elliot stayed indoors all day, by the way.

It’s another week. Wow!

Stay safe and be well.

I think this is Jersey City’s most impressive skyline. I shot it while a passenger in our car heading toward the Holland Tunnel.