rakemag Maybe the Fishing Hat Bandit could have picked up a dame if he hadn’t had such a dumpy fashion instinct. Because, according to the movies, girls go for bank robbers in a big way (see Bonnie and Clyde, above). French director Benoit Jacquot does an erotic thriller take on this attraction with the story of … Read more
Even on her deathbed, Eudora Welty was a classic Southern lady. When her doctor asked if he could do anything for her, she replied, “No, but thank you so much for inviting me to the party.” As genteel as she was in life, however, in her short stories Welty created some of the strangest and … Read more
Bakelite was invented in 1907, cellophane in 1913. Thus emerged the age of plastic, a substance that has since thoroughly invaded our kitchens, cars, and body tissues. But utilitarian doesn’t have to mean ugly. The best designers have used this medium, in its seemingly endless variety of forms, to create sleek, colorful gadgets that bring … Read more
This is what you get when the kitchen chemistry works out just so. Three women who once worked at the Loring have opened a jewel of a bakery/café that achieves a sweet balance between contemporary and cozy. Its apple-green walls and substantial chairs invite you to sit down, relax, and get to know one of … Read more
Pining for a lazy river day? Since 1867, people who want to spend time with the languid St. Croix have headed to the Afton House Inn. The casual Catfish Saloon and Café serves hearty burgers and pizzas to fuel an impromptu stroll along the river. Also on the premises is the Wheel Room, a white-tablecloth … Read more
It’s awfully tempting to be a diva when you’re born with such a sweet soprano. But the Twin Citizen Janis Hardy has managed to become a key opera export with minimal incidence of temper tantrums. She regularly takes her pipes on the road, performing with the Houston Grand Opera, the San Francisco Opera, the Boston … Read more
I agree that it is ironique to unveil an establishment eighteenth-century period room at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on Bastille Day; a day on which the establishment was overthrown [Broken Clock, July]. But that was 216 years ago. Sure, the MIA can use that day to celebrate all things French, but most of the … Read more
Perverse it is to deny the post of the poet laureate [Good Intentions, July], which began in England with the bard. Queen Victoria appointed William Wordsworth as poet laureate after he had retired to his garden. He refused. She then sent out the prime minister to persuade him, and during one of her galas, Wordsworth … Read more
T.D. Mischke’s description of selfless acts, as described in his 9/11 comments [“Old-Fashioned Cutting-Edge Radio,” July], might also describe him on most days. When I was at a very low point in my life and had trouble coming up with the money to pay the rent (a story I shared on the air with Tommy), … Read more
Recently, I had rather a serendipitous experience with the Mischke Broadcast. While driving home at 10 p.m., on roads hazardous as a result of a particularly brutal March snowstorm, I tuned to the Mischke Broadcast and heard silence. Tommy finally spoke, however, from a pay phone at the intersection of Lexington and Grand. His car … Read more