There is nothing groundbreaking about Dune (think special effects or storytelling). But every technique invoked was done in the proper manner. I was beyond satisfied with every choice made in production. Cinematography, music, acting, editing … it was all done right. I cannot emphasize enough how pleased I was with this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel. While … [Read more...] about The Movie Man: A Ticket to ‘Dune’ is Worth Every Penny
Columnists
A la Carte: Lee Offers a New Twist on Vegetables … With a Bit of a Kick!
A few weeks ago, my refrigerator was filled with tomato sauces and chicken. I had made that huge, seven-pound chicken, which I ate for at least five days (sandwiches, tacos, chicken salad.) As for the tomato sauce, Judy Robertson gave me some from her garden and two other condo friends gave me her mother’s recipe for sauce with chicken while another gave me some topped with … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Lee Offers a New Twist on Vegetables … With a Bit of a Kick!
A View From My Porch: Continuing the Tikka Saga — with Slides of Trips to the UK
Clearly, we all need a break; this lighter essay is mine. In August, LymeLine published a recipe for chicken tikka masala from Lee White cooked in an "Instant Pot.” We made the dish, pictured below, with her recipe and found it to be an authentic and tasty interpretation of the “British staple.” Christina and I enjoy the aromatic spices, and have some “history” with … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Continuing the Tikka Saga — with Slides of Trips to the UK
Reading Uncertainly? ‘Troubles’ by J. G. Farrell is a “Compelling Read”
When a world is collapsing all about us, how much are we willing to recognize? J. G. Farrell’s description of a veteran of the World War I trenches going to Ireland to rejoin a young lady he had met only once in London during the War is an allegory on human inertia and lethargy in the face of rapid change. In 1919, Major Brendan Archer travels from London to Kilnalough, … [Read more...] about Reading Uncertainly? ‘Troubles’ by J. G. Farrell is a “Compelling Read”
The Movie Man: Craig is Captivating, Seydoux is Stunning, But ‘No Time To Die’ Fails to Live Up to Expectations
Special to LymeLine.com This is a special review for me. My first ever published piece as a writer was a review for the previous Bond film, Spectre. Much has transpired since then, both for me and the world. But the appreciation of the art of cinema, manifested in many forms, remains as we struggle with whatever trouble life throws our way. Paraphrasing Mel … [Read more...] about The Movie Man: Craig is Captivating, Seydoux is Stunning, But ‘No Time To Die’ Fails to Live Up to Expectations
A la Carte: Dinner in Less Than 30 Minutes? Try Sheet-pan Gnocchi
I have always assumed that people use coupons when they go to supermarkets. I am a newspaper and magazine freak, and I always clip coupons (and try to remember to take them with me, too.) In my much younger days, before I knew how to cook at all, I clipped newspapers coupons not only to save money (my ex-husband was a student and I was the full-time … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Dinner in Less Than 30 Minutes? Try Sheet-pan Gnocchi
A la Carte: Roasted Chicken Under Garlic Bread Offers Taste of Autumn, Hint of Winter Meals to Come
Oh, no, it’s chicken again, I thought, as I looked at the last column I wrote weeks before I left to see my daughter in California. But during the many days I spent there, I thought about all she’d cooked for me—tacos on Thursdays and nachos on Friday (both made with a roasted chicken she’s bought at Costco.) I guess the acorn doesn’t fall from the tree. In addition to … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Roasted Chicken Under Garlic Bread Offers Taste of Autumn, Hint of Winter Meals to Come
Reading Uncertainly? ‘Seven Brief Lessons on Physics’ by Carlo Rovelli
Is it really possible to describe the mysteries of physics in 81 pages? Richard Feynman tried it in the 140 pages of Six Easy Pieces, published in 1994, but some afterwards described it as “Six Difficult Pieces.” Carlo Rovelli, the Italian theoretical physicist, has raised the ante. His work is a jewel of both brevity and clarity, especially to my curious mind that barely made … [Read more...] about Reading Uncertainly? ‘Seven Brief Lessons on Physics’ by Carlo Rovelli
A la Carte: Two Columns This Week and a ‘Nibbles’ Too! Enjoy Eggplant Parm Panini, Clam Chowder with Corn & Chorizo
A la Carte-1: Creamy Corn and Clam Chowder with Crispy Chorizo It was a really nice week. My oldest Troy childhood friend in the world visited for two days. (Her name is Rosalie. She is about a year older than me and, no, I was not named after her.) We ate lobster rolls at Captain Scott, I grilled steaks on the grill and we had sweet corn and a big salad, and the last … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Two Columns This Week and a ‘Nibbles’ Too! Enjoy Eggplant Parm Panini, Clam Chowder with Corn & Chorizo
A View from My Porch: Not Your Grandma’s Community Hospital
The healthcare landscape has changed remarkably in Connecticut. You may have noticed some name changes, new signage, and that “opportunities” for care have increased to a level that rivals access to coffee. In this essay, I’m going to review this new landscape, and consider why it developed. My goal is to help the reader make sense of Connecticut’s new, and still evolving, … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Not Your Grandma’s Community Hospital
Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for August, ‘The Sunday of Summer’
August has always been one of my least favorite months in the garden; but plentiful spring rain this year has resulted in bountiful fragrance, bloom and foliage. We have such a short blooming and growing season here in New England that any extra time to have a good-looking border is much appreciated. However, by this time in the season, there are always a few gaps to fill in … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for August, ‘The Sunday of Summer’
A la Carte: Too Many Tomatoes? Lee Has All Sorts of Solutions for You
A couple of weeks ago I went to a small party at Washington Park in Groton. It was held outside in one of a half dozen “cabins,” each of which have concrete floors, a few dark-stained columns, good sturdy roofs and wooden picnic tables with attached “chairs.” It was a very casual party, with pizza, already-barbecued chicken wings and coolers of beer, wine, soft drinks and … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Too Many Tomatoes? Lee Has All Sorts of Solutions for You
A View From My Porch: An Extra Inning for ‘I See Great Things in Baseball’ — The ‘Phenom’ and More Thoughts
This has been an unusual summer. Christina and I have been very “COVID – cautious” and, of course, fully vaccinated. We’ve postponed or canceled trips, missed Brimfield, both May and July, and probably Sept. And so, I retreated to my secure baseball space, and drafted this essay. There’s a lot of baseball jargon here. In 2019, LymeLine published a series of essays on … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: An Extra Inning for ‘I See Great Things in Baseball’ — The ‘Phenom’ and More Thoughts
Suisman Shapiro Atty. Kyle Zrenda Now a Member of Mohegan Gaming Disputes, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Courts
NEW LONDON/OLD LYME -- Attorney Kyle J. Zrenda of Suisman Shapiro Attorneys-At-Law was sworn in Aug. 11 as a member of the bar of the Mohegan Gaming Disputes Court. Atty. Zrenda is a resident of Old Lyme, Conn. As a sovereign Indian Nation, cases related to the gaming enterprise of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut, including claims for personal injuries that … [Read more...] about Suisman Shapiro Atty. Kyle Zrenda Now a Member of Mohegan Gaming Disputes, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Courts
Reading Uncertainly: ‘Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel’ by Carl Safina
What are they thinking? Do we deliberately misunderstand other animals? And what is the result of this “miscomprehended relationship”? Carl Safina, a professor at Stony Brook University in New York and a most curious student of other species, writes a thoroughly loquacious and engaging view of some other sentient creatures whose consciousness may well equal or exceed our … [Read more...] about Reading Uncertainly: ‘Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel’ by Carl Safina