Tom Ricks was on Fresh Air this week. (The podcast may be heard below.) I’ve always enjoyed his interviews, but this portion of it, when the subject of Fox News came up, made me sit up and take notice: GROSS: You must be wondering what’s going to happen at Fox News now, especially after the …
Month: May 2017
Tuesday eating from your yard tip~Mint comes in many varieties all with different tastes to compliment our food and aid in digestion. My walking partner, Maria Baher-Olomi, serves baked slices egg plant with a yogurt and spearmint sauce~pure heaven! Mint is also an important ingredient in the cucumber yogurt sauce served with gyros and falafel. …
On the occasion of the San Francisco Giants’ annual visit to Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon said the following regarding their victory in San Francisco last year in the National League Division Series: “I’m telling you, man, Game 4 pretty much won the World Series. I did not want to see Mr. Cueto …
On the way to forging his own way in music, Van Morrison penned a sentimental ditty called “Brown Eyed Girl.” Sung with gusto over a simple, three-chord melody, the song remains Morrison’s biggest hit 50 years later. “Brown Eyed Girl” is still sung around campfires and is an oldies station staple, but I think it’s …
If you have any open dirt you most likely have lambs~quarters. Consider it a free gift to fill your tummy. The cooked leaves and soaked seeds are edible. The young leaves are tender, but like all of us get tougher with age so pick them when they are below 8 inches. Roger Welsch in his …
On my visit to AT&T Park last month, I was watching the Giants take batting practice when I noticed something important: players would come to the end of the dugout to sign autographs. Armed with this knowledge, I arrived early enough to be one of the first people in the gates when they opened and …
A couple weeks ago I was working up an acoustic arrangement of Van’s song, “Crazy Love,” for May May and me to sing with another couple. After a few passes at it, I abandoned it for a different song by a more harmony-inclined band. Despite the catchiness & simplicity of “Crazy Love,” it just isn’t …
Last Friday, the San Francisco Giants played the Cincinnati Reds in a game that went 17 innings and ended after midnight, when Buster Posey hit a home run and allowed everyone remaining to go home and get some much needed sleep. I stayed for 14 of those innings, leaving only because I didn’t want the …
Onion chives are one of my top five herbs. Both the leaves and flowers are edible. The flowers especially have a subtle onion flavor making them both visually and pallet pleasing. My friend Chong Knievel said that in Korea they eat chives in the spring to clean their blood. With that in mind first thing …
Mavis Staples is one of the very true American voices left. She sang with the Staples Singers and had many hits with that group. Mavis early on became the featured singer there given her unique sound. Her voice was low and passionate and the only one of its kind. Mavis is a national treasure. I …
Thursday May 4 I had the esteemed privilege of seeing punk rock cover band Me First & the Gimme Gimmes. Me First, for those of you unfamiliar with them, are a punk band who turn non-punk songs into punk songs. “Songs like Leavin’ On A Jet Plane,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” etc. Jay Bentley on …
The album cover art is easily the winner for the world’s worst cover art released by a legendary musician, but damn, I love the Etta James Live From San Francisco album from 1981. She can even make this Eagles tune sound genius. – Pat Thomas is the author of Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds …
On Saturday night after spending all day at the Punk Rock Flea Market selling my wares, I headed to the Tractor Tavern in Seattle’s old Ballard neighborhood. Playing was the Reverend Horton Heat doing a (semi) solo acoustic show without his long-time sidekick Jimbo on bass and no drummer. I arrived just after eight (did …