Books Archives - JOTS & JAUNTS

Carolina Capers: Trailblazer & Food

March 31, 2024March 31, 2024 JWF 1 Comment

I’m still enthusing about spring here and reveling in the beauty of droopy, fragrant Chinese wisteria (header photo), early azaleas, and the lovely slim branches of the redbud trees.

A SINGULAR WOMAN

Becoming Madame Secretary by Stephanie Dray

If you spend any appreciable time in mid-coast Maine, you are likely to become aware of Frances Perkins, first Secretary of Labor and first female U.S. cabinet secretary. She was originally from Newcastle, Maine, and served for 12 years in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s cabinet. Her homestead is now a designated historic site and open to the public certain times of year. The Chief Penguin and I learned about this site and a few years ago briefly met her grandson Tomlin Coggeshall who was instrumental in establishing the Frances Perkins Center.

Up to now, I only thought of Miss Perkins, as she was known professionally throughout her life, as a devoted and dedicated unmarried public servant. Stephanie Dray’s historical novel presents a much more rounded, fuller portrait of this woman while also detailing her critical, essential role in creating, advocating for to Congress, and implementing the Social Security program. Many of us benefit from this program today.

A reserved New Englander, Perkins was ambitious, smart, and an astute judge of people. Her initial encounters with FDR were off-putting as she found him shallow and too full of himself. She was friends with Sinclair Lewis before his success, got to know Eleanor Roosevelt a bit, and ultimately married Paul Wilson, a wealthy economist. Theirs was a love affair later disrupted and strained by his mental breakdowns.

Frances kept her personal life extremely private and shielded her daughter Susanna as best she could from the worst of her father’s illness. Her later encounters with FDR were more fruitful as Frances began to work with him in the New York State government and then during his presidency. It was a partnership that benefited both.

There are several biographies of Frances Perkins, most of them written 15 years ago or more. What Dray does so very well here is capture what this woman was like outside the office. Relying on documents and letters, the novel is written from Frances’ perspective. But being very thorough, Dray provides an in-depth afterword stating where she has deviated from the historical record and made novelistic assumptions. I found this a totally engrossing depiction of a trail-blazing woman and heartily recommend it!

Related Works

Earlier I enjoyed very much both Dray’s The Women of Chateau Lafayette about a historic castle in France and My Dear Hamilton. She makes history and these individuals come off the page.

As a footnote, I was somewhat amused to read this week in the Boothbay Register that a Maine woman, Ruth Monsell, has written a new biography, Frances Perkins: Champion of America’s Workers, that will be released mid-April. It will be interesting to see if this work covers new ground. (~JWFarrington)

ADVENTUROUS EATING

Bosphorus

Earlier this week, we joined a group for lunch at Turkish restaurant in downtown Cary. In existence since 2006, Bosphorus is a welcoming small restaurant. Service was friendly, and the Chief Penguin and I ordered the lamb shish kebab and the chicken shish kebab, respectively. Each came on a bed of bulghur pilaf with a house salad of lettuce, cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes plus a cucumber dip. The portions are generous and tasty. Turkish tea was offered for dessert along with baklava.

The menu also includes a selection of appetizers (hummus, tabouli, stuffed grape leaves et al ), wraps, salads, and Turkish pizzas. The dinner menu is similar to that at lunch. A casual place with good food.

Note: Header photo and redbud tree ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Carolina Capers: A Novel & More

March 23, 2024March 23, 2024 JWF Leave a comment

THE BIG MOVE

After a decade of retirement living on the west coast of Florida, the Chief Penguin and I moved to eastern North Carolina! We spent two days on the road with a night in Brunswick, Georgia, before arriving in our new state. Move-in day was just a week ago, but we’ve made great progress toward getting settled.

We have a spacious, light-filled apartment in a retirement community. The daily calendar offers a raft of activities and events plus a complete range of exercise and fitness classes—if you’re bored, it’s your own fault! Among the several dining venues, we have become fans of the small plates and tapas in one area. In another venue, stations for salads and sandwiches, wok offerings, pizza, and soups provide additional tempting fare. With so much good food and all the choices, there’s the risk of adding a “freshman fifteen.” Not part of our plan!

We’ve been out and about on foot to the new downtown park and then on to the noteworthy La Farm Bakery. The bakery stop was a must for the Chief Penguin, and it passes muster. Just a few miles down the road by car are both CVS and Walgreens and a Harris Teeter supermarket. Thus far, we are most pleased with this new adventure!

NOVEL OF THE WEEK

Leaving by Roxana Robinson

Leaving is Roxana Robinson’s latest novel. I thoroughly enjoyed several of her earlier works including the highly praised Cost. This book too stayed with me. Sarah, a museum curator, is divorced, lives in Manhattan, and has two grown children. Warren, an architect, is from Boston, married, but unhappily so, and has an adult daughter. Theirs was a college romance which Sarah broke off without seeming to give him a reason. When they meet again thirty years later, they reconnect and have an affair.

Emotions can be messy and when they become entangled and entwined with an existing family, the fallout can be disastrous. How much sway should adult children hold over the actions of their parents? How obligated is a spouse who wants a divorce to heed the wishes of an adult daughter? What are the consequences and conflicts of being the other woman?

Sarah and Warren are depicted as decent people, individuals with a conscience. Sarah knows she’s involved in an adulterous affair but rationalizes that she’s continuing a relationship that began long ago. Warren is a man of honor with a strong moral code.

The events of the novel unfold over several decades with a twist at the end; it may surprise some, but I thought it was in keeping with these characters. Recommended! (~JWFarrington)

SHOUT OUT TO ARTS & CENTRAL

This is for my Florida friends. Arts & Central is a hot new dining venue in Sarasota’s Rosemary District. We dined here with friends just before leaving the area. It’s an expansive space with great patio seating, a large interior with scattered tables, and a long bar with plenty of seating for walk-ins. Lots of wood and some metal make for a casual slightly industrial vibe.

There are fish, beef, and other entrees, but we mostly stuck to the small plates for sharing. The lamb sliders, piquillo peppers with goat cheese, and sticky ribs were all excellent. We also sampled the Brussels sprouts and the green goddess shrimp salad. Only real disappointment was the tater tots. Only open for 3 weeks, the place was full! We wouldn’t hesitate to return, so make a reservation if you’re tempted.

Note: Unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Tidy Tidbits: A Book & Dining Out Options

March 10, 2024March 10, 2024 JWF Leave a comment

BOOK OF THE WEEK

All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley

In a time of family illness and subsequent loss, Patrick Bringley found a job and solace in a place he first visited as a child with his mother. Mired in grief over his older brother’s death and only 26, he began working as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum. He loved the quiet, almost uninterrupted, stretches of time it provided, and he took in the art in a studied way.

His book is both an account of the inner workings of the museum’s security force: the various gallery assignments and the rotations that happen in each workday, and a portrait of some of his fellow guards and the friendships he made. He also provides detailed discussions of some of the paintings, sculptures, and objects he particularly likes or was struck by. Some of these works are illustrated by delicate black and white sketches.

Bringley was a museum guard for ten years. During that time, the reader experiences his growing maturity, his marrying and becoming a father, and when he reaches the point he felt ready to leave the Met’s cloistered world.

Having read this, I doubt I will ever view museum guards the same way, and I will appreciate the Metropolitan a bit differently on my next visit. I would recommend this to art lovers in general, but particularly to anyone who already has some familiarity with this museum. Thanks to my friend Gale for sharing it. (~JWFarrington)

EATING OUT—BRADENTON-SARASOTA FAVORITES

As I get ready to leave Florida, I thought I’d share a list of some of the restaurants the Chief Penguin (my favorite dining companion) and I have enjoyed over our years here.

BRADENTON & CORTEZ

Bonefish Grill—close by at 75th Street, a chain restaurant, but consistently very good! We love the sinful Bang Bang Shrimp and I, their shrimp and scallop combo with two sides.

Chateau 13—in our opinion the best fine dining restaurant and the most sophisticated in the greater Sarasota-Bradenton area! Small plates as well as full-size entrees. I loved the stuffed piquillo peppers and the French salad. Menu changes seasonally.

Cremesh—Over in restaurant row on Manatee by Publix and Staples, this Austro-German restaurant serves delicious hearty fare. Think schnitzels, beef goulash over noodles or mashed potatoes, or a salmon picatta. Simple décor and friendly wait staff.

Cortez Kitchen—One of the first casual places we tried here. It was the essence of funky with its mix of snowbirds, tourists, and regulars plus live music on the weekends. The food was good, not superb; we liked the coconut shrimp and the mahi sandwich. Cindy with striped hair was our favorite regular waitress. Now Cortez Kitchen has been taken over by the Swordfish Grill owners and gussied up.

New tables and chairs, including some of those awful high tables, but an enlarged seating area and more protection from the elements. The humorous signs are gone (“If you’re here to forget, please pay first” and “Time spent drinking beer is not deducted from your lifespan”), but we had lunch there recently and were delightfully surprised. My mahi sandwich was truly excellent, the Caesar salad very good, and the C.P.’s Cuban sandwich a treat. Worth visiting!

Clam Factory—a roadhouse on Cortez Road serving delectable fried fish, a mean meatloaf special, and, if you’re a fan, fried clams, of course! Additional seating outside.

Mean Deans—The name is misleading. This is a casual place, but the food is better and more interesting than you might expect. Good salads, lovely swordfish, and nightly specials. Watch for New England or New Orleans weeks with an appealing mix of land and sea options.

Modern Chop—Next to Blake Hospital this steak house also serves fish. It’s a step up from Mean Deans in décor and ambiance and is good.

Pesto—Sitting on Cortez Road almost at 86^th St. West, this cozy Italian eatery serves generous portions of pasta and meats. Outside seating on a pleasant evening can be a welcome change from inside.

Swordfish Grill—Since they covered their tiki deck, Swordfish is now more appealing in almost any weather. Fish, of course, calamari, salads, and sandwiches; it’s an extensive menu. Food is good, but in my opinion, not outstanding. Go to be at water’s edge!

Tide Tables—A family favorite of ours. Their grouper and mahi sandwiches and baskets are wonderful with cole slaw or baked beans on the side. Very fresh! As a special treat, the homemade key lime pie is luscious! On the water so you can see boats and walk on the short dock.

Thai Palace—One of several restaurants on Cortez Road we like. Small inside, but attractive, and one of their curries always satisfy my Thai yen.

ANNA MARIA & LONGBOAT KEY

Mar Vista—One of a handful of restaurants where you can enjoy a table on the sand. Other options are inside tables or on the partially covered patio. Fresh fish, great salads, and their trademark tater tots!

Whitney’s—Who would have thought a gas station would have a second life as a casual seafood restaurant! Seasonal fare, a bit more elaborate preparations than the usual (fish with rice entrée, for example) and very tasty! No reservations, so go early, especially during the season.

Shore—A date night, special occasion place just down the road from Whitney’s. A big place with lots of seating, some open air, and often a bit noisy. Food options are varied and with some creative twists.

SARASOTA

Beso—One of Sarasota’s newest eateries offering a wide range of tapas. It’s in the Mark complex and looks to have a lively bar scene as well as dining. We’ve eaten here twice and enjoyed the shrimps in olive oil, patatas brava, and other small plates.

Duval’s—A longtime favorite on Main Street. Duval’s serves lunch and dinner and their fish is some of the freshest around. Décor is traditional to slightly dated, wait staff is friendly and competent, and we’ve enjoyed many good meals here. Wide choice of sandwiches and salads for lunch and entrée portions at dinner.

481 Gourmet—Located in the Rosemary District, 481 is a fine dining venue with both indoor and outdoor seating. Their menu includes pasta, scallops, shrimp scampi, duck, lamb, and of course, beef.

The Rosemary and Thyme—A slightly pricier restaurant, The Rosemary shares a patio with 481. Menu options run the gamut from some intriguing appetizers like escargots and a Chimichurri kebab to halibut, grouper, and steak frites entrees.

Pho Cali—Also on Main Street, Pho Cali is the essence of straightforward Vietnamese cooking. Extremely casual serving super noodle dishes and stir fries. Very popular at lunch time. I occasionally crave my favorite, chicken with broccoli stir fry with rice, to which I add a trace of hot pepper.

El Melvin Cocina Mexicana—Hankering for a good margarita and some guacamole and chips, this place is perfect for lunch at a sidewalk table. Follow that with enchiladas, a quesadilla, or even some tamales and you’ll soon be satisfied.

Note: Header photo of courtesy of Toast.

Tidy Tidbits: Read, Watch, Get Ready!

February 11, 2024February 11, 2024 JWF 1 Comment

BOOK OF THE WEEK

While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence by Meg Kissinger

Author Kissinger (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Meg Kissinger, a noted journalist who spent several decades covering mental illness issues, bares her soul and that of her family in While You Were Out, a candid and raw account of her family’s travails. Children of the 60’s, she and her seven siblings lived with alcoholic parents and a mother who was also subject to depression. Life in their household was chaotic yet punctuated by moments of fun and levity. Problems were never discussed and no one’s behavior or issues was ever really questioned.

When several of Kissinger’s siblings had their own mental health problems, treatments were tried, but nothing much changed, and there was no chance to query or understand the what and the why. Even after a self-inflicted death, no talk or therapy was undertaken.

This can be a hard book to read at points. To her great credit, Kissinger presents each of her siblings as a multi-dimensional individual with pluses and good traits as well as shortcomings. It is a tribute to her own strength of character that Kissinger navigated through this thicket of surrounding illness to create the successful life and journalism career she has. Highly recommended! (~JWFarrington)

MY LATEST VIEWING

POLITICS OF FARMING AND BIG AGRICULTURE

Circles of Power (PBS Passport)

Circles of Power, a recent French series (2022), is sometimes more like a documentary than a drama series. Claire Lansel is an investigative journalist for Quotidienne, a daily newspaper. When a class of school children visits a grain silo in the north of France, several of them become overwhelmed and collapse. Thus begins a focus on what caused their sickness. Small independent farmers, a large agricultural cooperative, the minister of agriculture, union leaders, and a rabble-rousing group of young environmentalists are all players in this many-threaded story. I wondered if it were based on real incidents, but couldn’t find an answer to that.

This is a drama of painstaking research and difficult interviews with affected individuals, many afraid to speak out. Add in mothers with sick babies and the human side plays out against the politics of likely corporate greed. The pace is measured with lots of scenes of Claire driving through the countryside, but it kept my interest as I rooted for the “good guys” to prevail.

NEW ADVENTURES AHEAD

Next month, the Chief Penguin and I will begin a new adventure. We will move to a retirement community in North Carolina. We didn’t anticipate making this kind of move this soon, but the right opportunity presented itself and we accepted.

Now, we’re deep into downsizing: identifying which furniture pieces will work and in which rooms; going through decades of scrapbooks and memorabilia deciding what can go, what to digitize, and what to just toss; winnowing down and culling kitchen equipment (how many fry pans does one need?); reviewing cherished fine china and glassware to either pass on to family or give up; and making umpteen lists about what to take in the car, which vendors need to be notified, and so on. Some of it is a process of reducing “clutter,” although one would never call these “precious” items clutter!

We look forward to living in an urban area where we will be able to walk to stores, restaurants, parks, and the public library. And a first-class bakery! We will have family nearby, and, as long as we can, we will travel both here and abroad. And yes, I plan to continue Jots & Jaunts (www.jauntingjean.com) with regular posts once we get settled. I’m not signing off yet!

Category: Books

Carolina Capers: Trailblazer & Food