Welcome to a Chronicle of Culture
Posted in Books, Music, Philosophy, Politics, Science on Aug 29th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: Aug. 29
Still no end to these awesome Upstate New York global warming mornings. The coffee’s on, last of the stuff from some island in the Flores Sea. First music of the day: Now is the Hour, Charlie Haden Quartet West.
1, In today’s lead [...]
Posted in Books, Life During Wartime, Music, Politics, Science on Aug 15th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: Aug. 15
The coffee this morning comes from an island off Sumatra. “You get a geography lesson with every cup,” said my coffee guy, Java Joe, as he filled my usual order for a pound of whatever beans he was roasting that day, and [...]
Posted in Cuisine, Philosophy, Politics, Science, Sports, Travel, Visual arts on Jun 27th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: June 27
I’m back to reading The Sunday Times for you, after a two-week absence that I’m blaming on barbecue and jazz. This morning, Miles Davis’ Miles in the Sky is drifting out the deck speakers, chicken thigh quarters are marinating in a Mexican [...]
Posted in Books, Cuisine, Music, Philosophy, Politics on May 16th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: May 16
1, The fascinating lead story of the day, “For Times Sq. Suspect, Long Roots of Discontent,” examines the man accused of leaving a bomb in Times Square. Faisal Shahzad was living a successful life in the United States, yet did not know [...]
Posted in Books, Cuisine, Music, Politics, Science, Travel, Visual arts on Apr 18th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to
First music of the day: June Christy’s Something Cool, a 1955 record that introduced the “vocal cool” period, and one of the excellent pieces of old vinyl that I picked up during my new favorite holiday, Saturday’s Record Store Day. “I don’t ordinarily drink [...]
Posted in Books, Cuisine, Politics, Sports, Travel, Visual arts on Apr 11th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to
Sorry this is late. I had to make breakfast for some house guests and get them to the airport, then pick up all of the guy stuff; cigar butts, champagne bottles and muscle-building magazines. Now, let’s see what’s happening in The Times.
1, Polish President [...]
Posted in Books, Music, Politics, Sports, Visual arts on Apr 4th, 2010
I read the Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to April 4, 2010
First music of the day: Morning Glory: The Tim Buckley Anthology. The coffee: Mexican Oaxacan, with the the slightest whiff of vanilla.
1, Happy Easter! Oh, but maybe not you, Pope Benedict XVI. Addressing the growing scandal regarding the Vatican cover-up of [...]
Posted in Books, Music, Philosophy, Politics, Science, Sports on Mar 28th, 2010
I read the Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: March 28
First music of the day: The Mozart opera Idomeneo. By 10 a.m., three chickens are being slowly oak-smoked on the grill. It will be a good day.
1, I’ve been waiting all week, like a kid the week leading up to Christmas Day, [...]
Posted in Literature, Music, Politics, Science, Words on Mar 7th, 2010
I read The Sunday Times, so you don’t have to
This morning, whole-grain bread dough is rising in the kitchen, and the music is a collection of Jelly Roll Morton. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” the jazz pianist intones, “if the women don’t get you, the liquor must.”
1, Far from suffering the consequences of their [...]
Posted in Cuisine, Life During Wartime, Literature, Music, Politics, Sports on Feb 28th, 2010
I read The Sunday Times, so you don’t have to: Feb. 28
Good morning. I made Grandma Spevak’s sausage yesterday, grinding the meat and stuffing the hog casings myself. Now the house still smells like garlic and pork fat. Let’s get to The Times:
1, Media reports immediately following Barack Obama’s Thursday health care summit left [...]