The Christmas trees on Park Avenue glow golden as the afternoon darkens, pedestrians are bundled up tightly against the chill wind, and there is a bustle and much anticipation as folks prepare for Christmas Day.
Holiday berries
At our son’s place, presents galore are piled underneath the perfectly shaped tree. Younger granddaughter F has sussed out all her gifts, even counted them, examined each and everyone, and made guesses at the contents.
The little blue and red bowl on the coffee table has been filled and refilled with candy cane kisses. Three bags’ full, they have consumed, she excitedly proclaims. She and her older sister have made gifts for all the family and done elaborate wrapping and labeling of them, even adding decorative elements to the gift paper.
Tree in Bristol Plaza lobby
HOLIDAY CONCERT
On Thursday, I was one of the lucky grandparents at the middle school winter concert, presented primarily by the 5th and 6th grade classes. There was a handbell group, two pieces played on recorder, and many songs. E sang with her classmates, and they sang with the men’s chorus on selected numbers. The men’s chorus, made up of the girls’ fathers, is a long tradition at Brearley, and one everyone enjoys.
Playing at home
Also of note, the middle school orchestra (5th through 8th graders) played the Jupiter section from Holst’s The Planets. E is one of a handful of French horn players in the ensemble. All very impressive!
(The lower school also had a winter concert, but the hall was just large enough for the girls’ parents.)
MAGIC OF THE SEASON
Even if you don’t get to view the tree at Rockefeller Center or admire midtown’s festive facades, there is magic to be found. For two decades, residents of 73rd Street between Second and Third Avenues have draped their street trees in soft lights from Thanksgiving through January. It’s truly a wonderland to behold!
With music and lyrics by the Gershwin brothers, this classic of American musical theater was an afternoon of romance, some hijinks, and lots and lots of dancing! In 1930 in a dead-end town in Nevada, earnest Bobby Child tries to revive the theater he’s been sent to shut down. Captivated by Polly Baker, the town’s postmistress, and indulging in some theatrics of his own, he and the cast tap dance their way to a successful finale. Along the way are some all-time favorite songs such as “Someone to Watch over Me” and “Embraceable You.”
(Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
It isn’t profound drama, the plot is simple and predictable, but overall, it’s uplifting and a great respite from the politics of today. If you’re local, see it before it closes in early January!
SOME FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023
(courtesy Basmo)
I liked many of the books I read this year, so it’s hard to choose, but here are a few that have stayed with me. Happy reading to you!
NOVEL ABOUT A HOT BUTTON ISSUE
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer. F. Boylan
NOVEL BY A FAVORITE AUTHOR
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
NOVEL BY A NEW AUTHOR
Lessons in Chemistryby Bonnie Garmus
NOVEL THAT READS LIKE A MEMOIR
Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls
MYSTERY
Exiles by Jane Harper
Runners up: Small Merciesby Dennis Lehane
And White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
HISTORICAL NOVEL
Horse by Gwendoline Brooks
Runner up: Bookbinder by Pip Williams
NOVELLAS
Fosterby Claire Keegan
And Small Things Like These, also by Keegan
NONFICTION/MEMOIR
Enough by Cassidy Hutchinson
Runner up: Giving up the Ghost by Hilary Mantel
To all my readers, best wishes for a most happy, healthy holiday season!
Note: Header photo of open book courtesy of Unsplash.
Gardner Portrait by John Singer Sargent, 1888 (Gardner Museum)
The Lioness of Boston by Emily Franklin
I’ve long been a list maker: lists of to-dos, lists of TV series and films to screen, lists of places to visit. Before we moved from Cambridge, MA, many years ago, I made a list of things the Chief Penguin and I should do before we left. I made a similar list of activities and outings in 2006 before we moved from six months in London back to the U.S. On my list for Boston was a visit to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Filled with art and books, it’s a treasure trove of a collection.
Emily Franklin’s The Lioness of Boston is an intriguing portrait of Isabella Stewart Gardner. Born in 1840, Isabella was an unconventional woman who wanted to do something significant, to be known as something other than a society wife. Frustrated by the strictures of staid Boston’s social scene, she chafed at the retiring role she was expected to play. Comfortably married to Jack Gardner, and then mother to a son, Belle still sought more outlets for her interests and her energy.
She cultivated friendships with Charles Eliot Norton (first art history professor at Harvard), Henry James, Bernard Berenson, and others. She got allowed into lectures at Harvard, began traveling abroad, and sat for John Singer Sargent for her portrait. Her interests in rare books and art blossomed, and she became both a collector and a supporter of artists. The museum she created is her legacy.
This is a novel, not a biography, and its narrative arc is shallow focusing primarily on Gardner’s friendships and relationships and imagining her interior life. Leisurely paced and enjoyable! Now I must make a return visit to Boston. (~JWFarrington)
VIEWING—FAVORITES RETURN
Chelsea Detective, Season 2 (Acorn)
Max & Layla (VitalThrills.com)
Detective Inspector Max Arnold who lives on a houseboat is back for another season, this time with a new sidekick. DS Layla Walsh is much younger and keeps him on his toes. Between solving a gruesome murder or two, Max remains entangled with separated wife Astrid (she’d like to get on with her life) and with his somewhat interfering, but doting Aunt Frances. Set in the tonier section of London, it’s less gritty than other British crime series and as engaging for the human relationships as for the murders. There are four episodes in the season.
This Irish crime series flips back and forth between the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) team in Limerick, Ireland, and the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) in Antwerp. If you haven’t watched the first season, you should, as this is a continuation of an ongoing story of smuggled goods, bombs, murders, and the Belgian port.
There is a new principal in Ireland, Claire Wallace, who replaces DS Emer Berry. Emer had a solid working relationship with Christian De Jong, her counterpart in Antwerp. Now, Claire and Christian must forge a new partnership to be jointly successful. The stakes are high, politicians are involved, and it’s fast paced. I’ve now watched three of the six episodes. Highly recommended!
HOLIDAY WEATHER
December is a month for socializing and parties. This week we caught up with a friend over lunch at Mean Dean’s in Bradenton and celebrated a birthday dinner at another friend’s. On Saturday, we enjoyed our community holiday party—this year a brunch. It was a lovely day. The air was softly warm, and the sun was shining.
From now until May, Florida weather is perfection. If not perfect, then at least wonderful and magical much of the time. No need for coats or jackets, gloves or hats, let alone boots. Sandals and short sleeves will suffice. Living here this season is a treat!
Note: Header photo is of the courtyard at the Gardner Museum, courtesy of the museum.
We spent Thanksgiving week in North Carolina. I was pleased to see burnished fall colors on the trees as we landed at RDU. That’s something I miss about living in Florida. But it was a cold week, and this Florida wimp wore many layers to stay warm, even on the afternoon we explored a new park in Cary.
There was plenty of warmth on Turkey Day with several generations of family celebrating. Our granddaughters and our son and daughter-in-law, my two sisters and spouses, along with nieces and spouses and one other kid. We toasted with mimosas and sparkling cider and nibbled at an assortment of fine cheeses, jalapeno popcorn, and chips before attacking the table’s bounty. With roast turkey and a ham, tasty sides (including mac and cheese), and a choice of pecan pie, apple cake, and yummy cookies to finish, there was no cause for complaint. We had much for which to be thankful—not least the sheer joy of being together.
As an antidote to turkey, many of us decamped to Magone Italian Grill the next day for dinner. This unprepossessing place appeared casual in the extreme. It looked like they focused on takeout business. I explained that we were going to be 10 people and was it possible to have a table. The young waitress quickly sprang into action, leading me toward the back, pushing two tables together, and offering to bring water for everyone.
The menu is long and extensive, making one initially wonder if they would deliver on quality. We were not disappointed. My chicken piccata with angel hair pasta was delicious, while others enjoyed shrimp with pesto over penne, a pizza with pepperoni and fresh basil, and other classic dishes. Throughout, our server was pleasant and helpful. It was a relaxed dining experience, and I’d happily return!
The Chief Penguin and I had a favorite Spanish restaurant in San Francisco, Coqueta, near the Ferry Building. In Manhattan, we were regulars at family-owned El Porron until they closed due to the pandemic. Consequently, we were delighted to read about the opening of BESO (kiss in Spanish), a tapas restaurant in The Mark in downtown Sarasota. We had dinner here with friends and were wowed by the food, the space, and the service.
Had I not been so involved in sampling what we ordered, I would have taken a photo or two. As it was, we tried the patatas bravas (best I’ve had), mini pork & chorizo meatballs, shrimps in garlic oil, croquetas, fried artichokes, and bread with olive tapenade. Portions are small as tapas are meant to be, and we happily shared what we ordered among the four of us.
The menu includes a variety of Spanish wines by the glass or bottle, cocktails, and, of course, several flavors of sangria. For those who want a more leisurely experience, it’s possible to order one of three paellas (allow 45 minutes.). I can easily envision this restaurant becoming a favorite! It fills a hole in the local dining scene.
Nan in center with her compatriots (Hollywood Reporter)
Loosely based (very loosely) on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name, The Buccaneers is an exuberant series of high emotion and high society. The time is the 1870’s. Five young women, daughters of rich American fathers, have journeyed from New York to London. They have hopes of snaring a duke or a lord as a husband. Unlike the more reserved English girls, these Americans romp and run around outside, feet off the ground, arms high in the air.
The central focus is on Nan (Annabel) who attracts the attention of two worthy men, one a duke, the other simply impoverished. Nan has a rich father, but she is not entirely whom she seems. One friend, Conchita, marries quickly and just as quickly discovers marriage is not all that she expected. Her British in-laws expect her to be demure and subdued.
Jinny, Nan’s sister, follows with a wedding to Lord Seadown, a controlling figure. Others in the group are not sure men are what is needed in their lives. What begins as balls and parties and gaiety soon dissolves into the messiness of life and unrealistic or unfulfilled expectations.
The gorgeous costumes, the lavish settings, and the modern musical soundtrack provide a wonderful backdrop to the dramas being played out.
The series runs to 8 episodes with new ones released weekly. I have watched the first four episodes, enjoying the series more as the five women are more individually defined. Indulgent, fun, and occasionally poignant! Recommended!
