Weekend Archive

Weekend Butler: The summer I learned to drink beer. Paul Simon dreams an album. Palm Beach: A Rolls-Royce destroys a Damien Hirst sculpture. Roast Tarragon-Cognac Chicken. And more! - THE SUMMER I LEARNED TO DRINK In my parents’ house, alcohol was for goyim. On rare occasions, my mother took a nip of Manischewitz Cream Red Concord — “a sweet but

Weekend Butler: The trouble in Israel (and here); a gifted artist in Paris (and here): The Ghost Writer (1) and The Ghost Writer (2) - Driving downtown, I saw that the police had closed off the street --- you couldn’t get near the mosque. I cruised by a synagogue: these police had a dog. American

Weekend Butler: The waiting really is the hardest part. The Queen’s prank. Country snark: “If you can’t do better than that, babe… I’ve got a problem with it.” From the vault: Judy Collins & Leonard Cohen. And more. - PHOTO: The imperial state crown sits atop the Queen's coffin on a velvet pillow. --- THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART My stepson, at 11, used to imitate me: “We have a half

Weekend Butler: The week’s insights (Both Sides Now/Fast & Steady). The Zucchini solution. Drink coffee for your health. A 128-page novel. The right song for the season. And more. - BOTH SIDES NOW/FAST AND STEADY When my daughter was very young, vacation meant hotels with pools --- and pool games. A favorite was “Tortoise and Hare.” I was the Hare. I'd

Weekend Butler: The woman on the red motorcycle. This weekend, read a teen book. Camera-ready criminals. Michael Jordan. Roast Tarragon-Cognac Chicken. And more…. - SUPPORTING BUTLER: You can become a patron of this site, and automatically donate any amount you please — starting with $1 — each month. The service that enables this is

Weekend Butler: This winter will be even colder than you may think. What will happen to Kanye’s stuff? A great use of an hour. A Halloween joke. Recipe: Porcini & Sausage Stew. And more. - WINTER APPROACHES…AND IT WILL BE COLD IN SO MANY WAYS The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts: For most of the western half of the United States, the almanac predicts a winter that’s “Wet

Weekend Butler: Time accelerates: How many issues of The New Yorker did you get this week? Movies for a rainy weekend. Kids aren’t sure: Is the world round? Surprise: Goodhearted people are healthier. Roasted Salmon Glazed With Brown Sugar and Mustard. And more. - GEORGE SANTOS (photo): An appointment in Great Neck.  Crossing the street, we noticed that George Santos, the disgraced first-term Congressman, has his office here. Naturally, this called for a photo

Weekend Butler: Timothy Snyder on the Hamas attack: Israel’s reaction is part of the plan. The answer to my Literary Quiz. The answer to weekend dinners: Beef Stew. A Louise Glück poem. Madonna’s secret weapon. A Leonard Cohen memory. - SUPPORTING BUTLER: You can become a patron of this site, and automatically donate any amount you please — starting with $1 — each month. The service that enables this is

Weekend Butler: Tina Turner’s salvation: Buddhism. Killer Orcas? Does Facebook have $ for you? Weekend movie from 1931: “Little Caesar.” Song of the week: Taylor Swift. One-pot spaghetti. And more. - TINA TURNER (1939 -2023:  “BUDDHISM LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE” A hundred million records sold. Eight Grammy Awards. The most successful singer in the history of pop music. All true. But those

Weekend Butler: TWO “must see” movies. Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Sauce. John Lennon’s night light. Would you travel 3,000 miles to see a play? Still the best new book. And more. - THIS WEEK'S MUST-SEE MOVIE: "THE FABELMANS" "The Fabelmans" is the story Steven Spielberg didn't think he could tell. From an interview in the Times: When the pandemic first hit, some of

Weekend Butler: Two airlifts, one evil, one historical, and an idea for a third. Movie preview: Whitney Houston. The wisdom of being early. A Mary Oliver poem. A joke. And Marcella Hazan’s truly effortless chicken. - PHOTO: THE BERLIN AIRLIFT In 1948, Soviet forces blockaded rail, road, and water access to Allied-controlled areas of Berlin. The United States and United Kingdom responded by airlifting food and fuel

Weekend Butler: Two love songs: John Prine & Iris DeMent, The National & Taylor Swift (Yes! Taylor Swift), Best Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving - TWO LOVE SONGS (LET’S START WITH THE CHEERY ONE) John Prine & Iris DeMent A glorious love song that could only have been written by John Prine: “In Spite of Ourselves” To listen

Weekend Butler: Vaccination Card Holders, Elton John, Marlon Brando, a gardener who grew children, and more - ELTON JOHN New CD coming. Many guests. And this teaser. You can't help responding to the song --- it echoes some of his greater hits. Even more, the animation is swoonsville.

Weekend Butler: Valuable advice from Steve Jobs; the best film to stream; a CEO who pays everyone at least $70,000, and a hot 130-page novel - THE IMAGE A man in Argentina planted a guitar-shaped forest of 7,000 trees, more than 1km in length, in memory of his wife who loved music. --- TWEET OF THE WEEK Once people get

Weekend Butler: Warm up with a thriller in Paris. A film masterpiece. The importance of paying attention. Snark from (yes!) Mahatma Gandhi. 3:54 of joyous exercise. Should married couples live apart? A unicorn event, and more. - SHOPPING ON AMAZON: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a modest commission from qualifying purchases. How does that work? You start on Butler, buy something on Amazon --- or Whole

Weekend Butler: Watch a derecho (know what it is?) Urgent fix for Facebook users! Sermon of the year: “Learn to handle ‘hard’ well. Gazpacho! A great movie! Song of the summer! And more! - DERECHO. KNOW WHAT THAT IS? From the Washington Post: A derecho (pictured above) is a horizontal thunderstorm that can travel hundreds of miles with the impact of a 100-mile-wide

Weekend Butler: Watching the eclipse. A POW camp: “We’re all Jews here.” Song: “I’ll never smoke weed with Willie again!” Thrilling sports movie. And… carrots! - SUPPORTING BUTLER: Head Butler no longer gets a commission on your Amazon purchases. So the only way you can contribute to Head Butler’s bottom line is to become a patron

Weekend Butler: What’s your Covid trauma? (I’ll go first.) NPR: “the best song of the last decade.” What prevents addiction? (You’ll be surprised.) And a great use for tomatoes. - ABOUT THE PHOTO: Rachel Maddow, high school prom. MY COVID TRAUMA...AND YOURS? When I meet a new person now, I want to ask about their Covid trauma --- the personal moment that

Weekend Butler: When politics and culture merge. Steven Spielberg watches “Lawrence of Arabia” with the director. A Mary Oliver poem. Steven Fry meets God. Seinfeld explains writing jokes. Apple and Butternut Squash Soup. And more. - WHAT'S HAPPENING IN IRAN ISN'T JUST POLITICS, IT'S CULTURE... AND ALSO MOVIES Reading about oppression in a distant country requires focus, which everyone I know is having trouble with this week.

Weekend Butler: Where I’ll be on 9/24. Still More Allbirds. “My Wife Thinks You’re Dead.” The Most Relevant Movie. Bob Dylan at 80. - WHERE WILL I BE ON SEPTEMBER 24? BOB DYLAN AT 80 When I was a tot compiling my first book, I arrived at the moment every writer dreads — many words to