I first heard the song “Little Girl Blue” when I was in high school, sung by Nina Simone. My high school boyfriend introduced me to her records, and I was immediately taken with her unique musical style. No one sounded … Continue reading →
I think the sorrow a lot of people feel on Queen Elizabeth’s death is that, even for those of “mature” years, she was always around. I was a tiny child when she was crowned, and I’m certainly a child no … Continue reading →
[NOTE: I have a very busy day and will be in and out of communication, so I’m posting this thread in case something dramatic happens with Queen Elizabeth, or if you just want to discuss the situation.] Here’s the story … Continue reading →
I had the enormous good fortune to see Baryshnikov dance in person many many times, and he fully lived up to all the hype. To this day, I have never seen a more exciting and yet Apollonian dancer – an … Continue reading →
Fangirl here, wishing Sir Barry Gibb a very happy birthday number 76 and wedding anniversary number 52. In honor of the occasion, I offer the following video of Barry singing “Stayin’ Alive” at Glastonbury in 2017 at age 71 . … Continue reading →
A lovely lady with a lovely voice. Here’s a tribute. I knew that Newton-John had experienced a cancer recurrence, but I thought perhaps she’d cheat death one more time. But it was not to be. Newton-John was British but was … Continue reading →
I was raised on The Weavers, the folk-singing singing group of which Seeger was an important member – that, plus Tom Lehrer, Flanders and Swann, Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Mikado” and “HMS Pinafore”, and every Broadway musical from the mid-1940s to … Continue reading →
…had actually already happened when I was there, around 2008. The docents were already droning on and on about slaves and Sally Hemmings, almost as though those were the main points of Jefferson’s life. This NY Post article describes what’s … Continue reading →
[NOTE: The following is a somewhat revised version of a post that has appeared previously on this blog.] Unbelievable that it’s been thirteen years since commenter FredHJr died suddenly and tragically. As time passes, the number of readers here who … Continue reading →
I distinctly remember watching a moment or two of her coronation on TV when I was very small. What I recall is her back as she walked down the aisle, and the incredibly long train: Young, pretty, happy: The Queen … Continue reading →
Roger Angell, noted baseball writer for The New Yorker, has died at the age of 101. I had no idea he was still alive, but I used to read him regularly during the thirty or so years when I had … Continue reading →
Otto von Bismarck certainly had a way with words. For example: “Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.” “God has a special providence for fools, drunkards, and the United States of America.” (I’d heard that one … Continue reading →