The year 1917 in Russia marked a unique moment of history when art and revolution fused together into a mutual source of inspiration. The creativity and energy fed on each other for a short few years, to eventually vanish under the brutal repression and purges of Stalin to become an official and bland art form called "Socialist Realism." The exhibit "Red - Art and Utopia in … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Seeing “Red” at the Grand Palais
Columnists
The Movie Man: ‘Game of Thrones’ Has Ended — What Did YOU Think of the Finale? And Will You Sign the Petition??
“What is dead may never die.” In spring of 2011 I saw advertisements for an upcoming fantasy show on IMDb, Game of Thrones. I did not pay much attention to it, but it did not take long for me to see its effect on everybody else. It became a phenomenon. Two years later, South Park aired an episode parodying the affairs of Westeros with the imminent Black Friday as retail’s … [Read more...] about The Movie Man: ‘Game of Thrones’ Has Ended — What Did YOU Think of the Finale? And Will You Sign the Petition??
Reading Uncertainly? ‘Elastic’ by Leonard Mlodinow
This author writes, “ Today we consume, on average, a staggering 100,000 words of new information each day from various media, . . . a tidal wave of data . . . an unprecedented torrent of chaos . . . . “ It is his exploration of how human minds work when confronted with incessant and confusing change. He challenges us to consider new ways of thinking, ways to use our brains, … [Read more...] about Reading Uncertainly? ‘Elastic’ by Leonard Mlodinow
Talking Transportation: The ‘Port Jeff’ Ferry – Mass Transit Making a Profit
Public transportation is a money-losing proposition. But Connecticut is home to one of the few profitable transit companies in the US. It’s not CT Transit or Metro-North, both of which are heavily subsidized. No, the operation that’s squarely in the black is the Bridgeport – Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, a.k.a. “the ferry”. “If you tried to start this ferry company … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: The ‘Port Jeff’ Ferry – Mass Transit Making a Profit
A la Carte: Thinking Delicious Dessert? How About Date Walnut Bread with Buttermilk Sorbet?
This is a difficult time of year for me when I bake. I want fresh rhubarb, strawberries and blueberries (although the last I usually buy frozen because I don’t care for fat, cultivated blurriest, preferring Wyman’s frozen wild blueberries). With no fresh fruit, I made two lemon loaf cakes from Ina Garten’s recipe. I took the cakes to meetings and they were eaten in no time. … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Thinking Delicious Dessert? How About Date Walnut Bread with Buttermilk Sorbet?
Letter From Paris: As Notre Dame Burns, the World Mourns
On April 15, the world watched in shocked awe as the 850-year-old Notre Dame cathedral went up in flames. The emotion was immediate, intense and spread around the globe. Crowds of stunned people, who gathered on the banks of the Seine, many in tears, some singing religious hymns, gasped when the flèche (spire), consumed by the blaze, finally collapsed. The French president … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: As Notre Dame Burns, the World Mourns
A la Carte: So You Want to be Creative With Chicken? Add Chili and Citrus!
When I was maybe eight- or nine-years-old, if I ever felt a little “nauseous,” or a bit sick to my stomach, I would ask myself if I wanted a bacon, lettuce and tomato (BLT) sandwich. If I didn’t want one, I knew I was sick. When I was much older, a BLT is still my favorite sandwich and I will make an entire pound of bacon, let it cool on paper towels, then put all of it in a … [Read more...] about A la Carte: So You Want to be Creative With Chicken? Add Chili and Citrus!
Letter From Paris: Exhibition of Macke & Marc’s Art Unintentionally Makes Powerful Statement on European Current Affairs
The exhibition titled Franz Marc / August Macke. The Adventure of the Blue Rider (der Blaue Reiter) at the Musée de l'Orangerie is the exhibit to see this spring when in Paris. It is a festival of colors by two German artists, Macke (1887-1914) and Marc (1880-1916), who both died prematurely on the front during World War I more than a century ago. Long overdue, and … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Exhibition of Macke & Marc’s Art Unintentionally Makes Powerful Statement on European Current Affairs
A la Carte: Whether It’s Easter or Passover in Your Home, Lamb is Always Lovely!
It seems lately that Christian and Jewish holidays seems to happen within weeks, or days, of the year. For those who think that Hanukkah is like a Jewish Christmas, it is not. And Passover is nothing like Christian Easter either. Rather, the Jewish calendar and the Christian calendar (the latter is actually the Gregorian calendar) are not the same. I was born in the Jewish … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Whether It’s Easter or Passover in Your Home, Lamb is Always Lovely!
Talking Transportation: Tolls Are in Trouble
Governor Lamont’s tolling plan is in trouble. I knew it last weekend when I got a call from Dan Malloy. The former Governor and I know each other going back to his days as Mayor of Stamford, but he’s only called me once before (many years ago when he sought my endorsement in his run for a second term as Governor.) This time he was calling about my recent column about the … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Tolls Are in Trouble
Letter From Paris: And So It Goes On … Brexit, That Is
"Order, Order!" barked John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons before announcing the results of the third-time-around vote on Theresa May's Brexit "deal" . "The ayes to the right 286, the noes to the left 344, the left have it." It was that fateful day, March 29 - chosen by the Prime Minister as the deadline to decide on the "divorce" of the United Kingdom (UK) from … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: And So It Goes On … Brexit, That Is
Reading Uncertainly? ‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ by Yuval Noah Harari
“I’m not trying to predict the future,” Yuval Harari argued in an Edge (an international group of the curious – see www.edge.org) discussion with Daniel Kahneman (March 5, 2015). “I’m trying to identify the horizon of possibilities that we are facing.” Professor Harari, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an Oxford PhD, wrote this incredibly imaginative alternate view of … [Read more...] about Reading Uncertainly? ‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ by Yuval Noah Harari
Talking Transportation: State’s Transportation Strategy Solutions Are Remarkably ‘Déjà Vu’
When are we finally going to do something about our transportation crisis? That question has been asked for decades … but never answered, or more importantly, acted upon. I remember back in 2001 when then-Speaker of the Connecticut House Moira Lyons held a news conference about our state’s transportation mess. The six-term Stamford Democrat, who was long on power by … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: State’s Transportation Strategy Solutions Are Remarkably ‘Déjà Vu’
Letter From Paris: Present Pace of European Politics is Dizzying
The unity of Europe is being put to the test now more than ever: the deadline of the Brexit pushed back from March 29 to April 12 is heightening the uncertainty to an almost unbearable level, the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping to Italy, Monaco and France is preoccupying several members of the European Union (EU), and the populist votes in recent European elections are … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Present Pace of European Politics is Dizzying
Talking Transportation: Connecticut’s Hometown Railroad
You might not realize it, but Connecticut is home to the world headquarters of a $5 billion international railroad company on whose trains you’ll never be able to ride. In a small office building across from the Darien railroad station sits the offices of Genesee and Wyoming Inc, a “short line” railroad conglomerate. The original railroad, founded in 1899, hauled salt on a … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Connecticut’s Hometown Railroad