Rona Jaffe’s novel The Best of Everything may have been written in 1958, but its astute portrayal of the joy and grit of New York life rings true even 50 years later. The five very realistic main characters, all young women seeking success in the worlds of publishing and
Judging a book by its cover is usually a recipe for mistaken impressions, but one glance at a Hard Case Crime novel and you know exactly what you’re getting: guns, grifters, gumshoes, and gams. The publisher trades exclusively in hardboiled crime, and its titles include reprints of classic noir
Poinsettias are beautiful plants, but as far as Christmas gifts go, they lack some creative thinking. The variegated jade, despite its intolerance to cold, is one wintry-lookin’ succulent that's off the holiday radar. With its blend of deep greens and eggy whites, the variegated jade evokes a
Winter is the season for great books and drink. A nearly unbeatable combination is J.P. Donleavy’s picaresque masterpiece The Ginger Man accompanied by a few bottles of Old Peculier. The paired influence of the heady brown ale and protagonist Sebastian Dangerfield’s tragicomic misadventures will have you ready
Those $150-per-gallon fancy-schmancy coffees have nothing on French Market coffee, whose motto is: “The essence of New Orleans in a cup.” Chicory gives it a strong nutty taste, and also offers numerous health benefits, according to the American Coffee Co. Hey, I’ve been drinking it since
Joss Whedon’s Serenity, just released on DVD, was easily one of the best movies of the year. Unlike most sci-fi flicks, this space western relies more on smart writing than CGI to engage your imagination. The film’s intergalactic smugglers speak a cowboy English peppered with Chinese expletives
Living in Charlottesville, Va., I sometimes have felt far away from the world’s cultural centers. And then I discovered the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, Va. Top-quality repertory in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley? Believe it. Performing in the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s original
When people ask me for a book recommendation, wanting a good page-turner, I love to push Michael Malone’s Uncivil Seasons. It’s the opening segment in his Justin and Cuddy trilogy about two oddly matched detectives in North Carolina, and Malone produces a very rich reality to get
Podcast, schmodcast. I’m not sure what the hubbub is about—it’s just a bunch of audio files. While you’re waiting for the next installment of Johnny Dollar, Insurance Investigator, I’m already listening to all of Steve Martin’s Pure Drivel. I can dork out with tales
Ever wonder what the Vikings did for fun when they weren’t out raping and pillaging? The answer: kubb. Occasionally called “Viking chess,” this Swedish lawn game is a bocce-Jenga hybrid in which teams try to knock down opponents’ wooden blocks and shelter their own from attack. Fashion your
