It was a spectacular art heist, memorable even today, twenty-three years later: the theft of thirteen works of art valued at a grand total of five hundred million dollars, but actually priceless because they are irreplaceable. There was this rare … Continue reading →
To all who donated, a huge and heartfelt thanks! Every bit is appreciated, and helps me continue this blog. And thank you to all my readers.
Continue reading →…to meet the faces that you meet: Backstage Beauty at The New York City Ballet from Racked.com on Vimeo. Such a contrast between the relatively drab starting point and the very glam finish. And false eyelashes are only a little … Continue reading →
I love these stories when they have happy endings: “I had him in my arms and still screaming over and over. Then I ran outside. I saw two boys playing across the street, and I yelled, ‘Go ask your parents … Continue reading →
[NOTE: In one of yesterday’s posts I reproduced some photos of people when young alongside the very same people considerably older. Then I offered—without any commentary—one of my favorite poems, “Spring and Fall: To a Young Child” by Gerard Manley … Continue reading →
Sometimes I don’t like to confront the fact of aging. Sometimes it’s okay with me (not that anyone’s asking). These before and after photos—a person young, the same person older, in the very same pose and similar clothing—are heartbreaking, heartwarming, … Continue reading →
It was the other guy. Obama’s tendency to pass the buck was one of the very first things I ever noticed about him. It’s one of his strongest and deepest character traits, and one of his least attractive. But apparently, … Continue reading →
“Concerto Barocco” is one of George Balanchine’s greatest—and oldest—ballets, and one of my very favorites. This first video gives you a general idea of the piece. Note that the dancer says, “Everything feels right and I couldn’t imagine more perfect … Continue reading →
When I was nine or ten years old I was given an individual IQ test by a family friend who was getting her PhD in child psychology, and having to administer the test to a certain number of children was … Continue reading →
Here’s another of those perennial articles listing the blockbuster books that were initially rejected by publisher after publisher. I remember I used to own a book that was a collection of editors’ rejection letters for great classic and popular works. … Continue reading →
I first heard her sing when I was in college. I had some friends who’d been to Europe and had brought back a few of her records. I didn’t much care for her music and promptly forgot about her, until … Continue reading →
[NOTE: It’s been a long time since I took any classes in music theory, and even back then I never learned very much of it. So I’m uncertain whether I’ve used the right musical terminology here when I compare major … Continue reading →