Guest photographer Jeffrey Scott calls this image “Two Pears.” I found the photo in Black & White magazine, current edition. December 2025. He is from Greenwood Village, Colorado.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ. USA.
Jeffrey Scott currently lives on Long Island. Like me, he does both color and black and white. This image appeals to me because of the soft lighting. It is a simple still life with no pretensions. The feel of the image is sensual. The shades of gray complement the mood where the modest highlights on the pears agree with the rest of the gentle composition which reveals a handmade quality to the bowl with the background painted leaves and olives.
It looks like an image that I might try to make. (See my soft landscape below of Fletcher Lake)
Fletcher Lake. Ocean Grove winter, 2015. Paul Goldfinger
Below is a link to a Blogfinger post that features a fruit—a black and white image by the great Paul Caponigro:
Bethany works at “Hey Peach Bakery” in Bradley Beach. She is new and enthusiastic. She’d like to become a chef , but currently she’s a peach. Paul Goldfinger portrait. 9/3/26.Click once to enlarge. I go there to visit my French photographs, James, Erin, Mel and now Bethany. They’re all peaches. Eileen tagged along today and bought cream puffs for me and Stephen. Wow!
“Amor” by Eydie Gorme with the Trio Los Panchos. I bet that Bethany could play the rhythmic claves with the Trio.
Video below by Diana Krall, Yo-Yo Ma, and John Clayton: Album–“Songs of Joy and Peace” Grammy winner 2008. Song “You couldn’t Be Cuter” was written by Jerome Kern (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyric) in 1938 for the movie Joy of Living.
Paul Goldfinger photo and grandson. Nov. 20, 2020. Mallomars appear early September as a high mountain of boxes at Wegmans. They are $4.00 for two. (half price). This photo at Wegmans.
A box of Mallomars—one hundred years apart.
That’s me at Wegmans. 9/2/26. My favorite cookie just reappeared. Eileen bought 2 boxes. Eileen Goldfinger photo.
By Paul Goldfinger, Mallomar addict at Blogfinger.net
Mallomars are seasonal treats from September to March. It is a cookie with dark chocolate surrounding a cake base and the rest marshmallow. It is especially favored in the New York area, although it is made in Canada. The young man above was taking his first Mallomar on a test drive. He ate his and stole mine.
Two of those wonderful treats add up to 140 calories, but some of us Mallomar fans can eat an entire box at one sitting.
From NPR:
Many memories are about hoarding. People buy as many boxes as they can freeze, then carefully parcel them out during the off-season.
There also are a lot of stories about hiding cookies and stealing them from siblings. One man wrote, “I just hide in the closet and eat them.”
There are memories of a mother buying two boxes at a time, one for the family and one for her secret stash. There’s also a grandfather who hid them in an unused wood-burning stove.
What people don’t do with Mallomars is share.
They are about $4.00 per box, but who cares?
Enjoying these cookies is a passionate experience.
Jersey tomatoes are peak now and delicious. This is from Matt’s market Belmar. 8/20/26. They will be around into October.
Yellow white Jersey corn. Delicious Orchards. Colt’s Neck. Spectacular selections especially baked goods and a huge variety of produce. Also homemade soups and chocolates, candies, teas and coffees. Their field of sunflowers is in full bloom
Don”t forget the Asbury Fresh Farmers and Makers Market; Press Plaza right over the Jersey Avenue bridge from OG. Sunday 9-2.
Antonio’s Market on Sunset Avenue in Asbury. The best Italian delicacies including sandwiches on wonderful bread. They also have fresh octopus–great in Capri salads. For salads use olive oil from Italy. Closed Wednesdays.
Antonio’s Salumeria on Sunset Ave in Asbury. Blogfinger photo.
Wonderful display of fresh homemade Italian treats. Blogfinger photo.
“Hey Peach” bakery in Bradley. Spectacular selection. Try sour dough breads, croissants, cream filled desserts and so much more. Get there early. . Coffee is first rate. Acclaimed in NJ Monthly magazine.
Eileen Goldfinger, Blogfinger editor, travels from OG to stock up on “Hey Peach’s” wonders. Bradley Beach. This remarkable bakery is owned by two Grovers: Erin and James.
This is a French pastry called a palmier, made with butter, salt, sugar and flour. Light and flaky. We took one home with coffee.
Bethany is a barista at Hey Peach. She loves my photos, some of which are on their walls. He’s a Lucci guy.
Mel behind the counter at “Hey, Peach” Bradley Beach.
Vic’s in Bradley is still tops in pizza.
Uva’s is our favorite Italian restaurant. Bradley Beach.
ice cream try the Cookman Creamery in A. Park
Odyssey Coffee in OG has some special food items.
Online: Check “Goldbelly” to order authentic NYC deli foods such as pastrami from Zabar’s.
“There are absolutely no credible scientific studies that support the safety and efficacy of non-physicians practicing without physician supervision. None.”
This quote is from a new book. (2022) by Niran Al-Agba, MD and Rebekah Bernard, MD. It is called “Patients at Risk: The Rise of the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant in Healthcare”
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, FACC
I was a young doctor in the 1970’s when “physician extenders” (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) appeared on the scene. It was a great idea, but I was certain that it could only succeed if these healthcare professionals would work under the supervision of physicians.
Over the years, these “mid-levels” began to push for the right to open their own practices without supervision by physicians.
They have been growing in numbers and they have gotten permission in an increasing number of states to cast aside physician oversight.
These battles have been won due to politics and not medical wisdom or (see above) scientific proof.
Running parallel to these new mid-level rights to practice alone there is a new revolution which will change the practice of medicine forever.
Coming to a town near you, big corporations such as CVS, Walgreens and Walmart will be opening in-store clinics which will be staffed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants who will be on their own without physician oversight.
They will act like primary care doctors and will mostly see simple everyday disorders such as sore throats, rashes, and musculoskeletal complaints. And they will do well with such complaints, but what happens if a difficult diagnostic problem shows up? They may miss the problem and leave the patient with the risk of dangerous delayed or absent care.
A related phenomenon is the explosive growth of urgicenters which are usually staffed by doctors, but now, more often, are staffed by PA’s and NP’s.
None of these facilities will accept the responsibility of following someone for chronic conditions as doctors’ offices do. One shot diagnosis and treatment is a recipe for trouble.
And in some states mid-levels can open their own offices to diagnose, treat, and prescribe. These “doctors” are sometimes allowed to do and interpret xrays, ecg’s and other critical procedures such as ultrasounds. The PA’s want to jettison the “assistant” name in their title.
I took a relative to a local ER for a painful knee. A young man with a white coat and no name tag came into the room, and I watched him carefully. He did a terrible job of taking a history, ignoring her medications and failing to ask necessary questions.
He barely conducted a physical exam and he quickly ordered an xray. I asked him who he was, and he admitted to be an NP. I asked if a doctor would see her, and he said that he “can do what a doctor does!” His approach was amateurish and he was about to miss a serious and unusual diagnosis and waste time with an unnecessary test until I intervened. An ER doctor came in and corrected the situation.
These mid-levels tend to be delusional over what they are capable of. Their training cannot compare to the years and hours spent becoming a physician, where the depth of inquiry into a situation can only be achieved though years of experience (medical school and residency.)
In some states, mid-levels can get licensed without ever examining a patient—all teaching being done on-line.
Yes they can treat a cold and order a blood test on their own, and they can even order a prescription drug. But they are more likely to make a mistake and threaten a patient’s life than with a physician in charge.
Lately even doctors offices are having mid-levels take their place in certain situations. I have seen that in action including failure to take a blood pressure properly or obtain an appropriately in-depth history.
You will hear more about these issues very soon. We all need to be aware. And these new and unsavory ways to practice medicine will force some primary care doctors out of business.
As a physician, I am horrified. We will soon need more malpractice lawyers.
It used to be said that “doctors bury their mistakes” but there is a great deal of oversight of doctors especially in hospitals. I have long complained about lack of oversight in doctors’ offices, but if I needed an office visit, I will take an appt. with an MD any day over one with a PA or NP.
But turning healthcare over to unsupervised mid-levels will be dangerous to all. Try to obtain your care from physicians. For example if you want an urgicare visit, call ahead and make sure that your care will be supervised by and provided by physicians.
The two physicians who wrote this book open with this:
Patients at Risk: The Rise of the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant in Healthcare“exposes a vast conspiracy of political maneuvering and corporate greed that has led to the replacement of qualified medical professionals by lesser trained practitioners. As corporations seek to save money and government agencies aim to increase constituent access, minimum qualifications for the guardians of our nation’s healthcare continue to decline—with deadly consequences. This is a story that has not yet been told, and one that has dangerous repercussions for all Americans.”
So, here’s a truth for those mid-levels in their white coats who want to provide unsupervised care: “You can’t be a beacon if your light don’t shine!”
2026 Editor’s note: The situation has worsened since hospitals are now run by huge corporations with tentacles in all directions, and mid-levels playing doctor in many medical functions. And the same is true in doctor’s offices and urgicenters. I have seen this in action locally, and I will have more to say about it.
The AMA is on this as well as scope of practice invasions into the work of physicians. This is a quote from them;
“The AMA defends the practice of medicine against scope of practice expansions that threaten patient safety and undermine physician-led, team-based care.”
THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA: (From the Imus Ranch Record II)
