Comedy man Mel Brooks shares stories
Bagels and Nova Scotia lox for the writing team’s breakfast while punching up the script for the movie “Blazing Saddles.” Earl Grey tea and English digestive biscuits while developing Gene Wilder’s idea for “Young Frankenstein.” Cottage cheese topped with fruit while hashing out yet another writer’s pitch for “Silent Movie.” Besides an uncanny memory for food, Mel... READ MORE
Greet 2022 with wit, whimsy and humor
The Bibliophile Resolve to start the new year by exploring new subjects and exercising your mental curiosity to the fullest. But don’t be weighted down by the gravity of the issues you contemplate. Lighten up and make learning a fun preoccupation. Cranial Fracking, by Ian Frazier, 180 pages, Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2021 Septuagenarian Ian Frazier has been delighting... READ MORE
He advocates for wronged WWII vets
Hours after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that sparked World War II, Japan began bombing U.S. bases in the Philippines. In response, Gen. Douglas MacArthur recruited Filipino soldiers to fight alongside American forces in the Pacific, declaring, “Give me 10,000 Filipinos and I shall conquer the world!” One of those Filipino fighters was the late father of Maryland retiree Jon... READ MORE
Lifelong carver prefers using chainsaws
In 2009, when Evelyn Mogren was in her late 40s, she attended her first chainsaw-carving festival. “I did laps around the exhibitors,” she remembers, “just bugging the carvers to death.” Finally, one generous carver offered to teach Mogren, right then and there. He placed a hunk of wood in front of her and a chainsaw in her hands. He told her to do what he did. “He would... READ MORE
The Carpenters and their music still shine
“Every sha-la-la-la, every wo-o-wo-o still shines,” the Carpenters sang in “Yesterday Once More,” their hit 1973 tribute to the songs of the past. It could be the tagline of a new book on the work of Richard and Karen Carpenter, which seeks to set aside the noise surrounding the duo and focus on their harmonic creations. Carpenters: The Musical Legacy (Princeton Architectural... READ MORE
Memoir’s chapters chart a life in music
Whether it’s the song that played when you fell in love, a trumpet fanfare that evokes images of gridiron glory, or a silly rhyme that takes you back to grammar school days, “The music evokes the moments, and the moments evoke the music.” So says Baltimore author Jack Gohn in his new book, What I Was Listening to When: A Memoir Set to Music. The book, a compilation of short... READ MORE
How to care for popular poinsettia plants
When you envision natural holiday décor for your home, you may picture cut evergreen trees, boughs and swags. However, your home will be even more beautiful with the addition of colorful, living plants. The poinsettia is the most popular flowering plant sold in the United States — with more than 70 million sold nationwide each year — and it sports some of the brightest indoor... READ MORE
Christmas Mother program spreads joy
Much of Blanche Moore’s life has been about helping others. Her parents both believed in giving to others, and they started encouraging her to volunteer when she was just eight years old. “My heart is full when helping others,” Moore said. For her devoted volunteer work, Moore was named this year’s Henrico Christmas Mother — the honorary leader of a longtime program that... READ MORE
Keeping up my end of the conversation
How does a marriage stay aloft for decades? Is it money that gets beneath its wings? Passion? Shared history? An agreement to fight only every other day? Well into my fifth decade of wedded bliss, I’d say it’s all of those. But I’d add the ingredient that my wife and I often cite, and chuckle over. We call it The Lauren Bacall Test. In her autobiography, the famed movie... READ MORE
Ideas for gift-giving this holiday season
The Bibliophile These three visually stunning coffee-table books embrace beauty inside and out, man-made and natural. They make perfect gifts for interior design enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, art collectors, nature lovers and armchair tourists. Life Unstyled: How to embrace imperfection and create a home you love, by Emily Henson, photographed by Debi Treloar, 160 pages, Ryland... READ MORE
Arts 2024
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