Culture
Winston Churchill in Contemporary America
Thanks to a lull between writing deadlines, I hold the luxury of returning to other creative activities, namely this blog. In a previous post, I shared my thoughts on Netflix’s The Crown, dedicating the majority of my words to the dramatic portrayal of Winston Churchill and the masterful acting of John Lithgow.
Where Have All the Nice Places Gone?
Several posts ago, I discussed the dearth of decent, new public spaces in Jersey City. This problem with new development and construction exists well beyond Jersey City (Alex Marshall analyzes this distressful pattern in a recent article in Governing magazine). My past discussion centered upon public spaces: parks, libraries, and government buildings. The architecture and…
Delightfully Frozen in the Past: Ocean Grove, New Jersey
During our recent vacation—too short, as always—my wife and I stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, right next door to the rowdy and famous Asbury Park. While Asbury Park tempts one with rock ‘n’ roll music, cheap drinks, and the hope of fast women, Ocean Grove offers quiet nights,…
Autumn and October at Albertine Books
The autumn is the season befitting deep thoughts and reflections, strolling through a neighborhood park fragrant with fallen leaves, and watching the nighttime sky on a quiet beach. Rainy and chilly days are perfect for patronizing museums, theaters, historic homes, and bookstores. The autumn awakens the mind and the imagination. A few months ago, I…
A Neighborhood Peach Pie Contest
This Sunday, the Riverview Farmers Market will host its (now fifth) annual Perfect Peach Pie Contest at the Riverview-Fisk Park in the Heights neighborhood of Jersey City. Any reader of this blog will recognize that I’m a proponent of localism, and it doesn’t get more local than a neighborhood baking contest. Unsurprisingly, I’m also a…
Albertine Books : a Sanctuary for the Mind and the Soul
Nestled inside the historic Payne Whitney mansion, a building designed by the legendary Stanford White, on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan’s posh Upper East Side, Albertine Books is a bookseller located within the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Clearly conceived as a physical medium through which to promote French language, literature, and culture, Albertine offers…
A Love Affair with Diners
With Fourth of July upon us, many denizens of the Garden State and America will hit the road for a deserved vacation, a weekend trip to the shore, or a visit to someplace novel and new. Along the way, they’re likely to pull off the road and find a place to eat. For many famished…
Stephen King in Jersey City
This past Tuesday, Stephen King entertained a sold-out crowd of casual and hardcore fans at the grand, historic, and simply breath-taking Loew’s Jersey Theatre. The event marked the release of King’s latest novel End of Watch and the beginning of his summer book tour. Yes, Stephen King’s book tour began in Jersey City, New Jersey.…
The Secret Agent: A Review
Published in 1907, The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad centers on the intrigue and plotting of Adolf Verloc, a political agitator and a paid informant for an unnamed foreign government, most likely the now deceased Russian Empire. This book differs from Conrad’s better known sea-faring short stories and novels: The Secret Agent is a work of…
Old Homes, Historic Homes: Why are We Drawn to Them?
My previous post discussed the Ballantine House in Newark, New Jersey and touched upon the fascination and attraction of such spaces. Why do people decide to spend their leisure time or vacations visiting historic neighborhoods and sites, especially houses and homes? Aren’t they just moldy, musty aging places full of shadows of (largely) dead rich…