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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 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, Sports, Visual arts on Jun 6th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: June 6
Nine days without a blog. Sorry! I’ve been busy. The barbecue team, The Smokin’ Dopes, stunned the Memorial Day competition here with a first-place finish (more on that in a day or two). Bob Dylan’s 69th birthday was noted with a deranged [...]
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, Politics, Sports, Travel, Visual arts on May 9th, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: April 9
I’m planning on smoking ribs slow over mesquite wood this morning, starting at maybe 11 a.m. But as of now, 7 a.m., snow is whirling past the windows and settling on the deck, at the feet of the Adirondack chairs. The scene [...]
Posted in Books, Life During Wartime, Music, Philosophy, Politics, Science, Visual arts on May 2nd, 2010
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: May 2
It is a morning of scents here. A salmon, for my friend Frank’s 70th birthday later today, is in the smoker on the deck. The lilacs have peaked, the flowering crabapple tree is an explosion of white blossoms.
1, No one’s shouting “Drill, [...]
I read The Sunday New York Times, so you don’t have to: April 25
First music of the day: Bill Frisell’s Have a Little Faith, with his typically beautiful, slow guitar bringing melancholy life to music by Aaron Copland, John Philip Sousa, Bob Dylan’s “Just Like a Woman” and even Madonna’s “Live to Tell.”
1, Got any [...]
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, [...]
I read the Sunday Times, so you don’t have to: March 14
First music of the morning: Orenda Fink’s gothic folk, Ask the Night. WARNING: There won’t be a reading of The Times here next Sunday. Instead, starting Wednesday, I’ll be filing fresh, daily blogs from the SXSW Music Conference in Austin, Texas.
1, With the job [...]