March 9

Kenneth Grahame was born today in 1859; I absolutely must give him my Sustaining Award for his Wind in the Willows; here's an excerpt but note there are spoilers in the first one so do skip that one unless you already read the book (or listened to one of its superb audio versions -- I've enjoyed a couple audio versions and have read it twice including with various charming illustrations):

"Ratty, my dear little man! Come along in, both of you, at once. Why, you must be perished. Well I never! Lost in the snow!"…The kindly Badger thrust them down on a settle to toast themselves at the fire, and bade them remove their wet coats and boots. Then he fetched them dressing gowns and slippers, and himself bathed the Mole's shin with warm water and mended the cut with sticking plaster till the whole thing was just as good as new if not better. In the embracing light and warmth, warm and dry at last, with weary legs propped up in front of them, and a suggestive clink of plates being arranged on the table behind, it seemed to the storm-driven animals, now in safe anchorage, that the cold and trackless Wild Wood was miles and miles away, and all that they had suffered in it a half-forgotten dream.

"We are an enduring lot, and we may move out for a time, but we wait, and are pateint, and back we come. And so it will ever be."

"For others the ausperities, the stubborn endurance, or the clash of actual conflict…; he must be wise, must keep to the pleasant places in which his lines were laid and which held adventure enough."

It's also Barbie's birthday! She turns 53 in 2012 but really doesn't look it!

Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Bavarian Cabbage Salad (a type of slaw with cooked mustardy dressing).

March 8

Another Middle Earth holiday! A scary one that made so much better.

Aragorn Takes the Paths of the Dead

The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Potatoes au Gratin. Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Vienna Nut Torte, using almonds, and flavoring it with brandy and wine and lemon.

March 7

Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is Austrian Apple Strudel.

March 6

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born today in 1806 -- and way before her, so was Michelangelo Buonarroti, in 1475.

March 5

Another restaurant option, though I'd have to ask them to change their air-quality policy. Otherwise a lovely option...It's La Lettre, from 1908, by Jean Beraud:


March 4

Antonio Vivaldi was born today in 1678. How beautiful his music is.

It's national Pound Cake Day -- I discovered pound cake as a very young woman with her first cookbooks -- I like the recipe in Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery.

March 3

 
"The lobby bar is serving Prohibition-era cocktails, an old Hollywood movie plays on miniature screens in the elevator, and I have just been assigned a butler. This is The Chatwal in New York City…a stunning 76-room luxury hotel."
-- Marybeth Stanley in "1920s Glamour Meets Modern Technology" in the first magazine in a long time I'm seriously considering getting a subscription to -- Intermezzo -- Vol. 9 Issue 27. Check out The Chatwal at their http://www.thechatwalny.com/ .

And you can check out Intermezzo at http://intermezzomagazine.com/ .
  Ents Conquer Isengard

-- another Middle Earth holiday! What a month! And what a cool thing happened -- persons who'd not realized their strength in a wider world certainly did...

March 2

Dr Seuss was born today in 1904.


It's another Middle Earth holiday! One to remember how we can get over dreadful people.
 Théoden is Healed



It's national Banana Cream Pie Day! Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Jewish Shallet, which seems to be a two-crust apple pie seasoned with cinnamon, lemon, white wine, nuts, and raisins.

March 1

It's a great day to check out spring fashions.

It's a holiday you may not have known of!
 Aragorn's Birthday

Some lovely musicians were born today -- Harry Belafonte in 1927 and Glenn Miller in 1904.

February 29

Ooo, Leap Year! Today is Dinah Shore's birthday; she was born in 1916.

And of course it's also a big Middle Earth holiday:
Meriadoc and Pippin Meet Treebeard

February 28

A guest entry from my mom, via a letter...

Daddy and I had a pleasant weekend. Saturday I cooked all morning, and went with my sister and her granddaughter to attend your cousin's baby shower in her new home. How fun, I took a few pictures and shall perhaps send a couple when I print them. Her son is now weighing in at 10 pounds, and was loved by all of us as he slept totally "at home" in anyone's arms, a dear contented little fellow. The house is very nice, it went from a condemned house to a cared-for home for our family, thanks to a gentleman who was truly into redoing a sad house into a home for a family.

Dad worked on a puzzle I'd gotten at the Senior Center, and we finished it by late Saturday. He sent a few puzzles with me to my sister, she loves them too.

I had baked a cake that Saturday morning, from a cookbook that always gives excellent results, made one of Marge Clark's chocolate cakes from The Best of Thymes, kind of brownie-like, with a cup of strongly brewed coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and the normal ingredients otherwise. We enjoyed, and gave one of your brothers the remainder after we enjoyed with banana split ice cream yesterday evening to take to work today to share. We all agreed we didn't need more calories, but it was yummy :). Your brother and lovely sister-in-law brought Daddy neat items for bicycling: a compact pump in case he needs air during a ride, a beverage container, and 2 safety lights to attach. We're just waiting for those spring days now! I believe I told you how his gifts we got from you were delightful including the three-wheeled bike :). He has read most of his almanac I'd found at that bookstore with you both before we enjoyed those treats your husband bought us :).

And I think those slippers are SO fun! What a multitude of choices!

Give your new kitty a hug from us.
-- Mom and Dad

The slippers are from a site I had sent to her,
http://bunnyslippers.com/
My favorites today are the pink flamingoes!

February 27

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born today in 1807.

It's national Kahlua Day. Thankfully we just discovered a beautiful wine/liqueur shop near our new home.

Perhaps this lady just celebrated that. It's "In the Cafe" by Emile Vernon:


The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Sugared Sweet Potatoes (cooked sweet potatoes topped with butter, salt and pepper, and white sugar, then baked a bit probably to carmelize the sugar).

February 26

Victor Hugo was born today in 1802.

The menu suggestion for a fancy dinner this week from 52 Sunday Dinners from 1913 is

Tomato Soup

Roast Guinea Fowl with Giblet Sauce and Rhubarb Sauce
Potato Soufflés
Eggplant With Fine Herbs
Dressed Head Lettuce

Orange Ice
Chocolate Jumbles (which sound like chocolate doughnuts except they're baked rather than fried)
Coffee

February 25

Pierre Auguste Renoir was born today in 1841, what a beautiful day for art.
 
It's national Chocolate-Covered Nuts Day!

February 24

Wilhelm Grimm of the Grimm Brothers (Fairy Tales) was born today in 1786.

Let's visit a library in his honor, shall we...


February 23

George Frederic Handel was born today in 1685.

It's national Banana Bread Day!

February 22

Today's birthdays: George Washington in 1732 and Frederic Chopin in 1810.

Happy national Margarita Day! We just discovered a nearby Mexican restaurant, thanks to some great new neighbors, that has delicious food and margaritas.

Speaking of restaurants, here's a painting from 1907 by Charles Hoffbauer, "In the Restaurant":

February 21

I'd like to start a new "series" -- Choose Your Dream Restaurant -- where I'd dream of what would be my favorite restaurant ever. Lots of the images are from
http://www.artistsandart.org/2011/06/cafe-paintings-19th-and-20th-centuries.html

-- though the first is of a restaurant that exists today, in Amsterdam, called D'Vijff Vlieghen. In the words of Intermezzo's issue 27, the restaurant "occupies 5 interconnecting 17th-century houses and is a mini-museum of rooms filled with period furniture, antiques, and paintings." See more at
http://vijffvlieghen.nl/en/Home

Speaking of food, happy national Sticky Bun Day!

Some of my favorite entertainers were born today -- Nina Simone in 1933 and Erma Bombeck in 1927 and W.H. Auden in 1907. It's also when the first issue of the New Yorker was published, in 1925.

February 20

Russel Crouse who collaborated on The Sound of Music and wrote other stuff was born in Findlay, Ohio, today in 1893.

February 19

I'm fascinated by old magazines. One I especially love reading through is The Modern Priscilla -- and many thanks to my mom for knowing me so well and putting her copies by my bed in their guest room! From it I saw that there were some "modern" lifestyle helps back then that look like they made especially homekeeping easier in a few ways than it is today! It of course has really cool old ads, and handy tips like how not to waste coal, and also keeping in touch with one's loved ones during war time. Here are some sites I discovered that show you some of its (and others') old issues:
http://library2.usask.ca/earlywomensmags/home
http://www.magazineart.org/main.php/v/womens/modernpriscilla
http://uwf.edu/dearle/enewsstand/enewsstand_files/Page333.htm
One can also do a google images search to discover more...Here's a cool-looking blog:
http://allvintageinspiration.blogspot.com/
and for more info:
http://www.magazineart.org/links.html
from October 1913:
from September 1918:
From September 1923:


From March 1925 : )

Hmm, almost looks science fiction -- January 1928:


Wow, and how about this other magazine, Home Arts; this is from September 1938:

It's national Chocolate Mint Day!