Today I’m mourning the loss of a dear old friend. I just found out that Lee’s Art Shop in New York City will be closing. Over the years whenever I was in the City, I’d always make it a point to drop by. I loved walking in a catching the first whiff of the Sennelier oil pastels that pleasantly permeated the shop. I loved checking out all of the new pens looking for something new to take back and try on the strip. I was a little kid in the best art store in the world and I would happily stand in Senneliers in Paris to declaim that. There was that certain je ne sais quoi about the joint that was just a little more than perfect. Even more will I miss the friendships I made with the employees there. New York City will never be quit the same without this bustling store to give it some heart.

The Funky Winkerbean 5K for the benefit of the Lisa's Legacy Fund at University Hospitals is this coming Sunday ...