The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.  Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains.  Spelling out the word “HOLLYWOOD” in 50-foot-tall (15.2 m) white uppercase letters and 450 feet (137.2 m) long, it was originally erected in 1923 as a temporary advertisement for a local real estate development, but due to increasing recognition the sign was left up, and replaced in 1978 with a more durable all-steel structure.  Among the best-known landmarks in both California and the United States, the sign makes frequent appearances in popular culture, particularly in establishing shots for films and television programs set in or around Hollywood.  Signs of similar style, but spelling different words, are frequently seen as parodies.  The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce holds trademark rights to the Hollywood Sign but only for certain uses.   Because of its widespread recognizability, the sign has been a frequent target of pranks and vandalism across the decades.  It has since undergone restoration, including the installation of a security system to deter mischief.  The sign is protected and promoted by the nonprofit "The Hollywood Sign Trust", while its site and the surrounding land are part of Griffith Park.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Sign    

Licorice root/licorice/ liquorice/ sweet root/gan cao/gan zao/Chinese licorice is cultivated throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.  It is used as a flavoring in candy, other foods, beverages, and tobacco products.  Many “licorice” products sold in the United States do not contain actual licorice.  Anise oil, which smells and tastes like licorice, is often used instead.  Licorice root has a long history of use, going back to ancient Assyrian, Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures.  https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/licorice-root#:~:text=Licorice%20root%20is%20cultivated%20throughout,licorice%2C%20is%20often%20used%20instead.   

As an adjective, the word just is widely and variously used to discuss lawfulness, fairness, and morality,

The use of just as an adverb—does ultimately emerge from those original “fair” adjective senses of the word.  As an adverb, just has many applications.  Just as we need to pay attention to our physical health, so we need to take care of our mental health.  But the passive-aggressive just—the one that is increasingly grating people’s ears through overuse in personal and professional requests—is specifically used as what some linguists refer to as a politeness marker.  Politeness markers are words and phrases meant to create cooperation, show deference, and well, avoid being mean and bossy while living in a society where we all have to get along but still need things from each other.  https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/words-to-use-instead-of-just/   

Korean Bulgogi Pork by Joanna Cismaru  Bulgogi, literally means “fire meat”.  It is a “gui” (meaning grilled dish) made of thin, marinated slices of beef or pork grilled on a barbecue or on a stove-top.  Commonly, the main ingredient is meat:  beef, pork, or chicken.  But occasionally the dish can include vegetables other vegetarian ingredients, making it pretty versatile.  Serve over noodles or rice, a salad of your choice, or serve in a lettuce wrap.  Cauliflower is a great alternative to rice--or creating noodles from zucchini--aka “zoodles“, peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli.  Find recipe at https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/bulgogi-pork/   

The Brooklyn Bridge connects Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights.  Known for its stone arches, the Brooklyn Bridge supports six lanes of vehicles (no trucks) and a shared pedestrian and bicycle path.  As of 2018, an average of over 116,000 vehicles, 30,000 pedestrians and 3,000 cyclists travel over the Brooklyn Bridge each day.  See pictures at https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/infrastructure/brooklyn-bridge.shtml 

The Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883.  See also https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/brooklyn-bridge/ and https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/june-12/

The River Café is a Michelin starred restaurant located on a former coffee barge in the East River under the Brooklyn Bridge.  It has offered its own ferry service from Wall Street.  Opened in 1977 by Michael O'Keeffe, who has also owned several other New York City restaurants, it was one of the first fine dining restaurants in the city to promote locally sourced and organic food, American cuisine, and high-end California wines.  Heavily damaged due to Hurricane Sandy in fall 2012, it reopened in February 2014.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_River_Caf%C3%A9_(Brooklyn) 

There is no remedy so easy as books, which if they do not give cheerfulness, at least restore quiet to the most troubled mind. - Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, author (26 May 1689-1762)   

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com   Issue 2675  May 26, 2023