Category: Entertainment

Practicing Fear: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring

1/16/2018

When I checked the listing of concerts in Paris last weekend, one caught my eye: Rachmaninoff’s first piano concerto and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, in a big echo-y cathedral. Rachmaninoff is big and splashy and thrilling and swoony and if an orchestra and a pianist and a venue all agree that it can happen, it’s worth my time. The Rite of Spring premiered here in 1913 and caused quite a stir, and I was ready for the grotesque juxtaposition of music which depicts human sacrifice performed in a church.

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Movie Review: Beauty and the Beast

4/6/2017

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Whenever I see a movie being remade, I wonder if we really needed to remake the old one. Ghostbusters? Spiderman? Annie? Usually the answer is no. However, after seeing the new Beauty and the Beast, I can assure you that we need this new BATB.

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Life Lessons Learned from Downton Abbey

5/24/2016

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Now that Downton Abbey is over, my Sunday evenings (or Monday mornings, thank you DVR) are now a lot less interesting. I felt the loss keenly, so I decided to rewatch the whole series (thank you, iTunes). Here are some life lessons I learned from DA.

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Book Review: Dream Cities

4/2/2016

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What’s a book about urban planning doing in a travel blog? When I travel, I like to observe people’s way of life: their culture, their transportation, houses, markets. When you see what people do on a daily basis and where they do it, you get to know them. This book helps me understand people better, which is one of my joys of travel.

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Why I Bought Hotel California Four Times (So Far)

12/28/2015

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My mother bought me The Eagles’ Hotel California as a Christmas present when I was in junior high, and I played it on the record player in my room and on the big stereo in the living room. (That thing was the size of a coffin and had a turntable, 8-track player, AM/FM radio, built-in speakers, and space for knickknacks.) I loved the gritty, glamorous songs even though I didn’t have enough life experience to understand most of them. Playing the record before school in the mornings helped me steel myself for running the gauntlet of junior high in a small town.

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Introvert's Guide to Party Planning

11/27/2015

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10 Tips for Having a Good Time with Friends in your House (It’s Easier Than You Might Think)

Do you want to get the people you love together, but are too scared to throw a party? Do you like all your friends separately, but can’t imagine all of them staring at you at the same time? If so, read this helpful post and give it a try. With a few tips and a little practice, only your nearest friends will know you’re an introvert.

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My 12 Favorite Books about Travel

9/17/2015

There are lots of lists of good travel books out there, but this isn’t one of them because most of these aren’t travel books. These are books that made me want to travel not only to see the world, not only to experience new cultures, not only to eat all that food, but because the authors seem to understand my desire to just go. I get restless staying put, and these books enable me to go--they are my silent, literary cheering section. They get me. And I get them.

The Big Orange Splot

7/13/2015

It’s story time! Today, kids, I’ll be reading you a story that is an old family favorite. My children enjoyed this book immensely when they were little, and it reminded me to make my home a place that reflects who I am and what I love. If you’re an empty nester who loves to be at home, I hope this video inspires you, too!