scorsese on film

This interview, a film clinic really, with Martin Scorses is almost 20 years old but makes you want to go to the movie theater right now. Someone on IMDB has listed Scorsese's favourite films here. Have to admit I've only seen 7 of them; something to work on.

switchback brewing co.

Switchback is a small brewery in Burlington, VT that has been in operation since 2002. They only create a few beers, and you can only get it on draft (or small kegs) in about 100 mile radius of the brewery. OK made up that part but you only really find it in VT, NH and southern ME maybe. Their Switchback Ale is the standby; reddish-amber looks and craft beer pedigree with a non-agressive nor heavy taste. Just discovered it recently and can confirm that it tastes fantastic round a campfire. They describe it thus;

Five different malts, select hop varieties, and our own specially cultivated yeast create an ale which leads with hop flavors and a subtle impression of fruit (our yeast’s contribution), followed by a palate pleasing malty finish. Our process uses the yeast to naturally carbonate the beer, and we leave it unfiltered... This ale contains 5.0% alcohol by volume. IBU 28.

fridays are tie days -handlebar magazine

Handlebar Magazine (who do not seem to endorse nor ever talk about mustaches btw) have an article on ties; including a few quotes from yours truly. You can read it here.

somerville library book sale tomorrow and this weekend

I volunteer for the Friends. Will be manning the book sale Saturday and Sunday afternooons. Cheap, cheerful treasures. #alliteration

The Friends of the Somerville Public Library will hold their Fall Used Book Sale on Friday October 28th 1-4 PM, Saturday October 29th 10-4 PM, and Sunday October 30th 1:30-3:30 PM. The sale will be held at the Central Library located at 79 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA.

This year’s collection of books for sale includes most categories, but is particularly strong in the Arts, Science Fiction, Classic Literature, Cook Books, Children's Literature, Foreign Language, and lots of Audio-Video materials including vinyl records. There is also plenty of fiction.

All proceeds from the book sale are used to support cultural and educational programs at the library including the popular museum pass program. Leftover books will be donated to local non-profit groups and the Prison Book Program.

The Friends of the Somerville Public Library is a not-for-profit organization that helps the library and its branches to provide programs, services and materials not covered by the library's normal operating budget. If you would like to become a member of the Friends, or volunteer to help with the book sale, please contact the Friends by email at: FriendsSomervillePublicLibrary@gmail.com

pawlet game supper -nov 12th

The Game Supper is on. Saturday November 12th, 2011

The famous Pawlet Game Supper, will return to the firehouse (155 Route 133, Pawlet VT). Recently got to try elk (smooth as butter) but look forward to this stew-based freezer cleanout too. See our past coverage of the supper here and here. Plus it is a mindmelting view driving through the Mettowee Valley from Dorset to Pawlet around 5pm. Autumnal sundown. Fantastic.

Folks come from near, far, and even from deer camp for this event for good reason: it's a time-honored Vermont tradition, a great meal, and a fun time. The game will include bear, deer, and moose, and as always there will be an array of delicious side dishes and pies of all types baked by your friends and neighbors. All proceeds benefit the volunteer fire department, helping us provide emergency response for Pawlet and surrounding communities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We begin serving at 5pm. Hope to see you there!

Interested in donating meat or doing some cooking for the game supper? Please get in touch!

chestnut spread

Photo from an excellent product blog from the UK called -ABLES, not sure who the author is.

Chestnut spread... sounds more inviting as Creme de Marrons de l'Ardeche non?... From the Clement Faugier confection company, using chestnuts from the rural, south central Ardeche department in France. Some add it to ice cream, I just spread it on toast. This is the time of year to try it.

sam lovel's camps

Written by Rowland Evans Robinson in 1889, Sam Lovel's Camps (subtitle Uncle Lisha's friends under bark and canvas) was a sequel to his successful Uncle Lisha's Shop. I had not heard of it before... thought I was up on my 19thC Vermont writers, obviously not.

Robinson created a whole world built around the fictitious town of Danvis, VT populated with farmers, trappers, loggers and canucks. In many of the books (including here) he wrote the dialog in full-on Yankee dialect. Or French-Canadian drawl. Practically impenetrable. Read and enjoy the dry humored explanatory note below.


This and many of his other works can be read and downloaded at the Internet Archive. I found this Forest&Stream published first edition a little while ago; inscribed inside "to father, 1892". Take that Kindle...

His parents were abolitionists, and he wrote his best works later when he was blind. Further reading at The Atlantic Monthly who wrote a fantastic obit for him in 1901.

13 o'clock -alterna films

Winter is coming, some states have snow, some resorts are even open... You want to get fired up? Enough to start sniping gear on eBay to kit out your kids? Alterna shoots HD, in focus and tons of color. Featured them before on 10e. Yeah, wish this had a different song behind it honestly, but give it a chance; the mix of riding is great. You can buy the full movie from them here.

wham -back but thankfully they never left

You might have to be a child of the 80s living in Britain to remember Wham bars. And probably have to have lived in Scotland to remember Wham Brew Bars (basically Irn Bru flavoured).

Long short, McCowans confectioners with their small factory in Falkirk could not make the finances work for this top selling UK sweety, and so have gone into receivership. This sent ripples of nostalgia around some quarters [sweet shop reference -ed.]. The Wham legacy was however pulled from the fire by an English confectioner, who will begin to make them in York. The Skegness Standard tells me a few more jobs wil be lost as the old packing plant is closed too.

I asked Oma to go into a few sweet shops in Edinburgh and scoop up some of the (what I thought might be last) examples of these classic sweets. Finally, in The Toddle-In (featured on 10e before here)... well I'll let her words speak for themselves.

totally scored!
Wham Bars
Irn Bru
Highland Toffee Bars -no cows on the wrapper anymore (more like a chew bar ) ah well those were the days

got the lowdown on the takeover etc from guy in shop and he said we are "safe" for supplies for about 6 mths

classic old dear shop assistant eating her lunch behind the counter and totally ignoring me
so the guy served and gave me the latest
evidently McCowans were going to go in with Millers who are famous for Pandrops (Uncle Bill used to sneak us one in Aberdour Church as the sermon was about to start!)

you don't get all this buying online
even if it is grams now and not a 1/4 of whatever ---- and some of the packaging has changed

rhymes with borrow -thoreau

From Thoreau's Walden by Tim Smith.

I have spent the last few Saturdays in the Special Collections below the Concord Free Public Library (founded 1873). There is a mass of pre- and post-revolutionary information, and the archive is also a magnet for Transcendentalist research. I am not looking at anything to do with Walden, or related writings but you can't help but pick up this stuff by osmosis. Thoreau was addressed as thawr-oh in his time... (rather than tha-roh) so you can too.

no worries at the package store

how to tell the difference.... -via caught by the river

I hope this series continues. All illustrations by Jon McNaught for the excellent Caught By The River. Bit more info at the end...

How to tell the difference between a swallow, a swift and a house martin.

How to tell the difference between a grasshopper and a cricket.

How to tell the difference between a frog and a toad.

How to tell the difference between a primrose and a cowslip.


Cover illustration by Jon McNaug again. This new release An Antidote To Indifference is "the inky version of Caught By The River". If you dont have CBTR (to its friends) on your reading list, it began as a site passionate about angling, music, books, films, nature and pubs and has added everything from watching birds and urban rambling to poetry, art and gardening. Sound a little Radio 4 for you? It is fantastic. Really encourage you to take a look.

Anyhow, this printed work An Antidote To Indifference is basically a bionic fanzine. As they say; "Some of the pieces have appeared on the site before, a few are previously unpublished and any mistakes are unintentional – the budget didn’t stretch to a subeditor. As with here on the site, An Antidote To Indifference is all about the writing. Limited quantities of the fanzine will be available through the Caught By The River webshop. This is a one off print-run, once it’s gone, it’s gone!"

unofficial title sequence for 'the adventures of tintin'

I rarely reblog from the front of the vimeo page, but this is great. Featuring elements from each of the 24 Tintin books; music composed by Ray Parker and Tom Szczesniak. Conceived by James Curran (@slimjimstudios).

10e vs aaw over at esquire

Esquire has run a few of these blogger showdowns online, that is pitting 2 opposing voices over some sartorial matter; are bows ties too much? can you wear white after labor day? is a summer suit ever necessary? etc...

This time I sparred with Guiseppe of AnAffordableWardrobe over western wear. (G is the guy that puts on the TopShelfFlea at the VFW in Davis Sq. -next one Oct 23rd btw, see you there right?) You can read the pithy back-and-forth here.

I do infact know G in the real world, not just blogosphere, and the coolest part was we bumped into each other this a.m. just walking down the road. Somervillage ftw.

somerville public library book sale -Oct 28, 29, 30

The Friends of the Somerville Public Library will hold their Fall Used Book Sale on Friday October 28th 1-4 PM, Saturday October 29th 10-4 PM, and Sunday October 30th 1:30-3:30 PM. The sale will be held at the Central Library located at 79 Highland Avenue.

This year’s collection of books for sale includes most categories, but is particularly strong in the Arts, Science Fiction, Classic Literature, Cook Books, Children's Literature, Foreign Language, and lots of Audio-Video materials including vinyl records. There is also plenty of fiction. All proceeds from the book sale are used to support cultural and educational programs at the library including the popular museum pass program. Leftover books will be donated to local non-profit groups and the Prison Book Program.

The Friends of the Somerville Public Library is a not-for-profit organization that helps the library and its branches to provide programs, services and materials not covered by the library's normal operating budget. If you would like to become a member of the Friends, or volunteer to help with the book sale, please contact the Friends by email at: FriendsSomervillePublicLibrary@gmail.com

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This is a great book sale. Highly recommend. Add the event now via FaceBooks

the shred remains

Is The Shred Remains title a nod to Led Zep's The Song Remains The Same? Not sure. Have not met any of this VT based company, but have been watching them w/ great interest. Really liking this trailer, with its almost-doable-if-you're-good shredding. Reminds me of the old Mack Dawg vids and mean that as a compliment.

reblog -a celebration of facial hair in the (massachusetts) legislature

"Changes in facial hair styles have a long history, and until recently were primarily guided by the ruling monarch or clergy, some even specifying in law or edict which class of men should shave and which should grow their beards. The last true heyday of facial hair in the United States occurred in the last half of the 19th century when, heavily influenced by European trends, men grew all styles of moustaches, sideburns and beards...

As shaving technology advanced (led by Massachusetts-based King C. Gillette) beards began to fall out of fashion. By the early 1900s a safety razor with disposable blade made it easier, safer and less expensive for men to shave regularly.

Today there is a resurgence of men growing full and intricate moustaches and beards. With the second annual National Championships of Beard Team USA set for this weekend in Lancaster, Pennsylvania I thought it appropriate to comb [OH! -ed] our digital collection for a few fine examples of beards and moustaches from the past. Please click over to the State Library's newest Flickr set, "A Celebration of Facial Hair Trends in the Legislature" to see some amazing styles and learn a bit about the men who wore them so elegantly."

- Lacy Stoneburner, Preservation Librarian

Photo and text reproduced with consent from the excellent State Library of Massachusetts blog.

make your own lightbox in 30 seconds

1. Open Powerpoint.
2. Hit F5
3. Fold laptop open and flat.

peru fair 2011 -wrap up

2 weeks ago we headed back up to Peru, Vermont for the annual (30th now) town fair.
Remember Tropical storm Irene? This is all post-Irene, but we didn't see too much damage till we got to Jamaica.


There used to be a bridge here. The detour takes you down Water Street,
past some half demolished houses. This video shows what happened.


Half of the fun for me is hanging out with the fire department as they cook the 3 pigs for the Saturday BBQ.
As you walk towards it you get a massive noseful of smokey bacon. Rule: you gotta flip them every 30 minutes

Fat dripping. Mmmmm

Or else they get dry. Oh wait, no they don't...

Next day. Headed down for the parade. Burma shave signs at right.

• "Bring a friend; bring your kin.
• Get barbeque sauce on your
• Chinny chin chin.
• Our clowns and whimseys
• will make you grin.
• The 30th Peru Fair is about to begin."

Just walk up and down . Lose your friends. Meet other friends.




THIS is how you light some coals...

$10 well spent. Cider included.

If you want the pink monogramming like Sis here, you'll have to call LLBean specially...

Crackling. Hand stamp. Leather trimmed cuffs. Pops.

After paint your own cookies, awesome hot dogs, a magic show, roast corn and more cookies the boys retreat.

*******

Last thing. A few years ago at the Peru Fair they had some demos and we met an old gent that made 3 tine hay forks, basically from 1 piece of wood split and shaped.

An onlooker said "So how many do you think you have made?" to which he replied. "2,116..."
"How can you be sure?" the onlooker asked.
"Because I write the number on each one..." came the dry reply.

He said his first job as apprentice was to make the tools (wooden mallets etc) that he was then to use for the rest of his career.

red heart the ticker

Tyler Gibbons and Robin MacArthur above form the band Red Heart The Ticker. Admit, I don't love every single thing they've done but you cannot deny their provenance; Robin's grandma Margaret was a famed oral historian and folklorist who recorded traditional and folk ballads around Vermont and performed them as well. She was called a "living art treasure of New England" at one time.

This idea of keeping saved works vital definitely gels with current archival thinking. RHTT have brought out an album of these songs; try Locks And Bolts below and preview the rest here.
Locks and Bolts by Red Heart the Ticker

The late Margaret MacArthur of Marlboro [VT -ed.] made a life's work out of collecting and reinterpreting songs that Vermonters sang.

She saw old songs not as museum pieces but as things kept alive by constant use - made to be picked up, reshaped and performed.

That's why collecting songs was only part of MacArthur's life's work: Performing them in recordings and in front of audiences was equally important.

(Robin MacArthur) "We actually got a Vermont Arts Council grant to record this record, and what we said is if songs are going to survive, part of the folk music process is to change and evolve and fit the times, so that they can reach new audiences."

For the album, she spent time going through the original field recordings her grandmother made, which are kept in the archives at the Folklife Center.

(RM) "Most of it was unaccompanied by instruments and the singing was very different from the way she sings them, and she added dulcimer and harp and guitar and had family members sing along, so she changed them in her own way, so we've just taken that another step into the future."

(RM) "A lot of them are written by women and from the perspective of women, so its kind of this oral-literary legacy from this place that otherwise is forgotten. Singing these songs myself has really changed the way that I feel and relate to the landscape around me."
-via VPR

when life has even run out of lemons -2

When M. poured him three fingers from the frosted carafe Bond took a pinch of black pepper and dropped it on the surface of the vodka. The pepper slowly settled to the bottom of the glass leaving a few grains on the surface which Bond dabbed up with the tip of his finger. Then he tossed the cold liquor well to the back of his throat and put his glass with the dregs of pepper at the bottom, back on the table.

"There's often quite a lot of fusel oil on the surface of the stuff -- at least there used to be when it was badly distilled. Poisonous. In Russia, where you get a lot of bath-tub liquor, it's an understood thing to sprinkle a little pepper in your glass. It takes the fuel oil to the bottom. I got to like the taste..."
-Fleming, Ian. Moonraker. New York: Macmillan, 1955.

Don't think the movie versions ever did this. If you are a literary type this quote will be well known to you though. Not harsh atall, and taste really opens up as the cracked pepper sinks down after a minute. Provides a warm glow on the tongue. Tiny bit of smoke. Had been meaning to try this for years.

tintin -new trailer

Must be Dangerous Book for Boys day... found via @Vintagekidsbook. Still not 100% over the mo-cap but no doubt once into the movie it won't matter. Like the Saturday serial/Indiana Jones vibe. Still think Haddock going to steal the show.

life -young salts at sea

In April of 1947 these Sea Scouts rowed the 30 miles from Monomoy Point on Cape Cod over to Nantucket. Then rowed back again. The full story via the Life archive. Dinty Moore beef stew for dinner apparently...