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I've had a bad cold (or possibly allergies) for a few weeks, so I decided to quit smoking again. I gathered up all my half packs and tossed them in the trash. Don't worry though, I kept the tattoo lighter.

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This weekend was the annual Brooklyn Heights Association House tour. We took the opportunity to wander through the various multi-million dollar town and carriage houses. Two noteworthy sites were the house pictured above that is heavily featured in the new Coen Bros./Clooney joint, Burn After Reading. The other was the Bossart Hotel, shown in the thumbnail shots. It was once the "Waldorf of Brooklyn," but is now a residence for Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm not sure what that means, but it must include lots of dough, because the Italian palace facade of the lobby was well restored.

4 out of the 5 houses had marble-topped wine bars. Most had children's room. My favorite was a brownstone on Grace Court. The mlw loved a restored carriage house in an alley. That one had the only turntable I saw, complete with an original pressing 'London Calling' on it.

Like last year, the volunteers were courteous and friendly. Also like last year, there was a bit of snarky gawking on the part of the people on the tour. A few times somebody would guffaw, "Not how I would decorate!" Money doesn't buy happiness or taste. Not having money increases a need to point out that fact. I wanted to retort to that person, "It doesn't matter how you would decorate, you are poor and on a house tour," but the wife pinched me.

Links:

• - Better photos at the Brooklyn Heights Association House Tour page
• - Brooklyn Heights Blog coverage
• - Last year's tour

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The mlw got home from a week of traveling on Friday so we had white wine and order-in sushi while she caught up on "Dancing With The Stars." On Saturday after coffee and a lot of programming, we went on the Brookly Heights Association House Tour (more on that later). After that we trucked down to Carroll Gardens to have sangria on the patio at PJ's. We had eggs poached in red sauce at Savoia for Sunday brunch and then margaritas on the deck at Lobo in Cobble Hill.

I think I like Brooklyn. And drinking tequila.

I'm not a great son. A great son would have mailed the Mother's Day card that he bought a week ago before Mother's Day (a Sunday, so no mail anyways). However, thanks to the Internet, my mother can still see the card on Mother's Day. I love you, Mom!

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Just opened the office to a beautiful Spring day and shouts of protest from opponents to the Sean Bell case. More coverage here.