Lap Dance
I’ve been in more laps than a napkin. MAE WEST[Mary Jane “Mae” West]American actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and author1893—1980She Always Knew How: Mae West, A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler Baby Mae Born in Brooklyn, New York, to a corset and fashion model mother and a prizefighter turned policeman and private investigator father, perhaps Mary Jane […]
The Art of Eating
When a man is small, he loves and hates food with a ferocity which soon dims. At six years old his very bowels will heave when such a dish as creamed carrots or cold tapioca appears before him. His throat will close, and spots of nausea and rage swim in his vision. It is hard, […]
Short Stack
The cheery noise of bubbling pancake batter was as plainly heard as the singing teakettle every morning of the year in our house. I often lifted the cover of the batter crock to look at the bubbles, which reminded me of the eyes of animals. Ulysses Prentiss HedrickAmerican botanist, horticulturalist, and writer1870—1951The Land of the […]
Boo! Beer and Babies
Good ale is meat, drink, and cloth. A Compleat Collection of English Proverbsby JOHN RAYEnglish naturalist and collector of proverbs1628—1705 Boo! Beer and Babies Musings For those parts of the world influenced by European conquest and culture, the calendar’s final three months are holiday central. From autumnal beer to Halloween to Christmas, this edition of […]
Election Cake
Election Cake of Days Gone By Three cups milk, two cups sugar, one cup yeast; stir to a batter and let stand over night; in the morning add two cups sugar, two cups butter, three eggs, half a nutmeg, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one pound raisins, a gill of brandy. Brown sugar is much better than […]
Lunch, Lattes, and a Touch of Tartrazine
When in doubt, eat your neighbor’s lunch. KEVIN HEARNEAmerican fantasy author1970—Trapped: The Iron Druid Chronicles As the school year and autumn begin in the northern hemisphere, musings keeps step with the season. This edition of musings looks at school lunches around the world and something to consider before putting those chips into your kiddo’s […]
Blowin’ Smoke—The Art of Trading Cards
Blowin’ Smoke and Brushing Up on History It’s 1885 and you’re sitting in a marketing meeting at the Richmond, Virginia, offices of Allen & Ginter. The tobacco company needs to stand out from its U.S. competitors. But those Brits!—They are the real competition for you and your fellow American tobacconists. Allen & Ginter has already […]
Winner! Winner! Sunday Dinner!
A man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner. SAMUEL JOHNSONEnglish poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic,biographer,editor, lexicographer, and author1709—1784The Life of Samuel Johnson Apparently Google agrees! Musings starts this edition with a look bread and cheese news from Europe then brings us to the 2024’s Google Doodle winner […]
Let Them Eat Cake!
Let them eat cake! MARIE ANTOINETTEAustrian archduchess and last queen of France1755—1793 Marie or Not Marie? That is the Question! To answer the question: Not Marie. First, there’s the questionable translation of what was a quote attributed to a variety of royals long before Marie Antoinette ascended to the throne: Qu’ils mangent de la brioche! […]
One More Drink …
Dorothy Parker Dorothy Parker, American poet, writer, critic, and satirist (1893—1967), was renowned for her sharp wit and often acerbic jibes—sometimes self-deprecating. Given the era and places in which she lived, the social dinner and party circuits were part of the package. Parker’s penchant for drinking in excess was not a secret. Her biographer, Marion […]