Category: Pioneer Valley

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Re-Writing History

Anita Hill is to speak at Mount Holyoke College 2020 commencement.  They will have a real ceremony later this year rather than hold a virtual one now as many colleges are doing. Biden’s treatment of Hill at the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing will be replayed over the next months as Biden struggles to garner votes from #MeToo feminists.

Speaking of #MeToo. Susan Faludi twisted herself into a pretzel in a NYTimes piece pretending that it wasn’t Believe All Women in an effort to dismiss Tara Reade’s accusation. We saw what they did to Kavanaugh, Susan. You can’t re-write recent history. Hypocrisy pure and simple.

And. June Cleaver is clutching her pearls. Eddie Haskell won’t be down for breakfast.

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New Play List

Riveting How To Fix a Drug Scandal. Documentary set in Northampton, Amherst, Springfield, and Boston Massachusetts. Also, Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood is entertaining with great acting and clothes. Both Netflix.

Downton Abbey movie on HBO starting tonight. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt movie with originals and Daniel Radcliffe on Netflix. Adapted from one of my favorite books, Defending Jacob by William Landay, now on Apple+ with Michelle Dockery.

May 15 Reunions album by Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit.

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Throwback Saturday

On a Side Trek in May of 2016 happened upon this house in Hatfield, Massachusetts with two lawn signs side-by-side. Trump. Bernie.

Today Bernie Sanders is in the lead in Iowa polls. Trump is a defendant in the Senate trial accused of obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. Yet. Will likely be acquitted and run for re-election.

The more things change. The more they stay the same. In November 2016, I wrote in Mike Bloomberg for President. Let’s hope he’s actually on the ballot in 2020.

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Pigs Spotted

The Spotted Pig, trendy mainstay of the West Village has been the fodder for recent #MeToo due to bad behavior by restaurateur duo Mario Batali and Ken Friedman. Friedman’s chef co-owner April Bloomfield has parted ways with him after pretending to be oblivious to the debauched behavior in the venue’s after-hours-upstairs. Drugging and raping staff. Allegedly.

News today that another woman is going to partner with Friedman to revive The Spotted Pig. Gabrielle Hamilton, author of Blood, Bones & Butter and decades-acclaimed chef owner of East Village gem Prune. A renegade rebel from lobster fiascos at upscale camps in the Berkshires, to line chef at Curtis & Schwartz in Northampton while at Hampshire College, as told in Table’s Edge. This is an interesting decision. But. Hey. Go Gabrielle! You are a true survivor.

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Collateral Sadness

Bea and Ariane. Kate Spade’s and Anthony Bourdain’s daughters. 13 and 11. They are the true victims of their parent’s suicides this week. Their loss is exacerbated by a future of questions and abandonment. Whether intended or not. Also feel for Eric Ripert who found his pal Tony. It’s not something he’ll ever forget. Guilt. Remorse. Who knows. For other family and loved ones as well. These acts take such a toll.

Bourdain’s poetic storytelling was masterful. He brought people from far away cultures into our homes. His joie de vivre was contagious. It seemed. But, his dark side crept out in many journeys as he recalled past demons of substance abuse. Credit him with shining a bright light on the opioid epidemic in Western Massachusetts. It was a catalyst to delve into the rural crises which became a national focus in the 2016 campaign.

Parts unknown. Indeed. Sad sad days.

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White Wolfe

Author Tom Wolfe. His books stand the test of time. No one ever coined cultures better. Social x-rays. Limousine liberals. Radical chic. The ME generation. University athletics as centers of corruption. Astronauts as heroes of a generation. Wolfe’s white suits and literary legacy live on.

I Am Charlotte Simmons. Bonfire of the Vanities. The Right Stuff. Back to Blood. All-time favorites on the Book-Treks shelf.

It seems that Tom’s first job in journalism was as a reporter at The Springfield Union, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

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Gone to the Dogs

BROKEN RECORD ALERT!

Okay. I surrender. Dogs win. If you are allergic to them, you are screwed. Now it seems my alma mater Mount Holyoke College and many others are allowing “comfort” pets in dorms to soothe the nerves of snowflakes. Forget that some poor kid is anxious about having an asthma attack or getting mauled. And. Unless human passengers can prove they can fly without having a medical reaction, they are dragged off the plane. The dogs stay.

Allergies to cigarette smoke, peanuts. Totally accommodated. Allergies to pets. Nope. Sorry. Not politically correct.

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Sap Flow

DSC_0010-3The sugar maples are running. Dark amber flow. DSC_0002-5

Just as we have a new dynamic duo. Tweedle Don. And. Tweedle Christie. Lots of sappy soundbites. Hillary wants love and kindness. Nice. Bernie’s run was good while it lasted. Lost its glow.

Oscars show. Can Chris Rock the house? Brooklyn syrupy. Bridge of Spies. Stellar. Rylance and Hanks. Gorgeous attention to detail. Marmalade moment. What The Big Short was not. Still fave Spotlight. Ruffalo.

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Bats in the Belfry

On this most horrible of all holidays. If you care. Try these costume party stand-outs on for size. If like me you hate All Hallow’s Eve. Put cheap candy in a bowl on the porch and re-watch the Republican debate. Or Hillary’s 11-hour Benghazi hearing. Or Boehner’s tearful farewell. Redundant.

Or. Spend Halloween night chugging shots in between handing out Kit Kats to trick-or-treaters at the door. Apologize for your plaid pajamas. For your Vampira meets Bride of Frankenstein updo this year. Sorry about no pumpkins on the porch. Nor scary lights. They’ll get over it.

Can we get through one more?