Tim Carroll, Doctor and Renaissance Man, Leaves this Earth
I am a habitual reader of obituaries and was struck today by a familiar name of a local doctor who just passed away. Part of the obituary fascination, that I’m sure I share with many others, is looking at the age of the deceased. It’s either really sad they died […]
Lend Me a Tenor at the Granite Theater, a Ribald Delight
On a sultry summer night, we approached the doorway to the Granite Theatre, just as it was being lit by the brilliant rays of the ebbing summer sun. There once was a steeple in this 1860s church, but it was lost in the 1938 hurricane. Today it’s the home of […]
Please Donate Stickers…Just Don’t Make them Too American
I’m escaping the heat this weekend by heading to Rhode Island’s South County, where I will make a rendezvous at 11 am with a friend who has a sailboat. Last night sure convinced me this was a good plan, as I tossed and turned in sweat soaked sheets. An annoying […]
Please, Please, Take a Vacation
If you could have unlimited vacation days from work, how many would you take? That’s the question asked in a story by Sue Shellenbarger in the WSJ, when she visited companies who have adopted a policy of letting employees take as much time off as they want. Not surprisingly, most […]
Honey for Oshun: Returning to Cuba to Find Long Lost Mom
Last night’s late night Netflick took me to Cuba, where Roberto, who left as a child, had returned to try and find his mother Carmen. The movie juxtaposed black and white footage of boats fleeing the country with the scene of his arrival in Havana, passing by the Fidel billboards […]
Wanda Jackson Learned to Sing Rock from Boyfriend Elvis
Yesterday morning on Monte’s show on ‘RSI, he played a recording of one of the highlights of the Green River Festival. Funny, I too had recorded the same slice of the show as I stood near Wanda Jackson below the stage. The tiny singer, who is in the Rock n […]
GRF: Find Places Like This and Go There!
This weekend I spent my days in a place where everyone was happy. Happy to share their food, their drink and space on the lawn, happy to be right there, on that summer day, under the sun listening to great music at the Green River Festival. One of the performers, […]
Kermit Ruffins Blows His Big Horn in the Energized Arts Block
Last night I felt like I was in the right place at just the right time. Driving up to Greenfield with two old friends, our first stop was Hope and Olive, where the friendly maitre’d Jim as usual made us feel welcome. Greenfield had an energy last night, a confidence […]
What Man Wouldn’t Want to be The French Gigolo?
I am a sucker for a good French movie. And how can I resist a title like “The French Gigolo?” In this 2008 movie, a very attractive fifty-something woman television producer decides that to take the path of least resistance…and hires gigolos every month or so. We meet Patrick, (who […]
Who Do You Run Into at the Green River Festival? Everyone!
This is an exciting week in the Valley, because the best musical event of the year happens on Saturday and Sunday. You may already have your tickets to the two-day Green River Festival, if not, I highly recommend you put this community extravaganza on your calendar. The festival began 25 […]
Ben Garfield Would Go Fishing Every Day, Even If It Wasn’t His Job
With seagulls as alarm clocks and the sea all around us, it’s damn hard to stay in bed here in Camp Ellis. Yesterday morning I thought for sure it was 7 and it was just 5:30 am. Time to get out to the porch and check out the sea. We […]
After Beach and a Shower, I’m Officially on Vacation
We’ve arrived, and are officially on vacation. As per my custom, I only really feel that I’m on vacation after I’ve spent a little time on the beach and taken a shower. Emerging at 6:53 pm with the sweet summer light reflecting off a distant rock jetty, yeah, now I’m […]
Crime is Down 40% Since 1990, Since Everyone Has a Cellphone
Last night I picked up a new iPhone 4. What a change from the olden days. I actually have had a cellular telephone since 1992. I bought the first one from a guy in Hadley, and it came in a little plastic basket, and had a corded handset. I remember […]
If Your Phone is Charged, You Can Open Your Hotel Door
I read a story in the International Herald Tribune at the airport that described a smart idea…using cellphones to unlock doors at hotels and vacation rentals. With the amount of time people spend looking at their phones, it seems to make a lot of sense. In Stockholm the Clarion Hotel […]
A Sultry July Morning that I’ll Think About in February
From Bordeaux After 30 hours of transport, nothing feels better than hitting the pillow of one’s own and very familiar bed. Even though it took another hour to fall asleep, I came home to a new housemate living in our house. A dog, adopted from my sister, who is named […]
Part of What Makes a Place Special and Beautiful Is Being Able to Share It
I often try to get at least a short ride in wherever I visit. So this morning after breakfast in the kitchen, I borrowed a one-speed and pedaled off down the road. As I was advised, I took the quick left and the road soon became quite narrow, passing by […]
Two French Women Who Make Food for the People
We drove out into the countryside today to meet two people who are very involved with the local gastronomy. This is a big part of the appeal of France, that there are so many people who love food and live lives that are involved with producing great food. Our first […]
Learning About Life as a British Expat in the Lovely French Countryside
Tonight at the Chateau La Thuiliere, dinner was served table d’hote. Which means, all of the guests assembled in a grand banquet room to dine at one big table. There was a couple from Japan, reticent and on the far end, a French couple from Toulouse making their first foray […]