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Weekend Butler: Jon Stewart. Walmart expansion. Tracy Chapman & Annie Lennox. Mary Oliver. Foo Fighters. Pasta Alla Vodka. And more…
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Published: Feb 07, 2024
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Weekend
PEARL KORNBLUTH: “THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING MORE YOU CAN DO”
My mother, Pearl Kornbluth, died in 2020, at 103. Her birthday was this week. One of the perks of being the sole proprietor of a website is that there is no boss who can tell you “no.” So here is the tribute/obituary I wrote for her.
JON STEWART: NATIONAL TREASURE
So many good reasons. But this is Exhibit A.
WHAT DOES WALMART’S EXPANSION MEAN?
from Axios: “Walmart will open over 150 stores in the U.S. over the next five years while remodeling 650 existing ones across 47 states and Puerto Rico — ‘creating tens of thousands of jobs,’ the retailer announced Wednesday.”
Yes, Walmart is doing record business. And now it’s increasing managers’ salaries and announcing a stock split so workers can afford to own a sliver of the company. I see something more: Walmart understands that many middle-class Americans will become “gig workers” — they won’t be allowed to work 40 hours a week and qualify for benefits and unemployment insurance. In a word: Ignore the outrage over “excessive” CEO pay — the middle class is being decimated. Remodeled stores with better lighting will make bruised Americans feel good about themselves; in the new America, Walmart will be… Bloomingdale’s. Walmart revenues, already at a record level, will increase dramatically. And you? You’ll buy the stock.
YOU SEE IT — BUT CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
THE GRAMMYS: TRACY CHAPMAN AND ANNIE LENNOX
The absolute high point of the Grammys was Tracy Chapman singing “Fast Car” with Luke Combs. Runner-up was Annie Lennox’s tribute to Sinead O’Connor. My personal favorite: this ancient rehearsal of “Under Pressure,” a duet with Lennox and David Bowie. Shall we talk about intensity?
THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
This photo captures the rare moment just before a star’s death in pin-sharp detail. If you were analyzing that photo, Dr. Jung, what do you see?
WEEKEND POEM
Mary Oliver, “When Death Comes”
When it’s over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.
WEEKEND MUSIC: SHANE HAWKINS ON DRUMS
His father was a longtime member of the Foo Fighters. His father died. For one night, Shane Hawkins — his teenage son — took his place. Please be clear. “There goes my hero, watch him as he goes” isn’t about a bold-face name, a celebrity; it’s about an unknown guy who does the right thing. Please pay close attention to the looks Shane exchanges with Dave Grohl. I mist up, every time.
ANOTHER GOOD MAN
from Facebook: Dan Gill, 75, is a middle school teacher in New Jersey. Thirty years ago he began the practice of placing a chair slightly off to the side of his classroom. It is never occupied and he doesn’t discuss it until the Martin Luther King birthday holiday. He then tells his class about an incident from his childhood.
Gill and a friend had been invited to a birthday party. The hostess opened the door to admit them, then told Gill’s friend that he couldn’t come in because there weren’t enough chairs. Dan Gill is White; his friend was Black. The boys went back in tears to Gill’s house, where his mother treated them to ice cream.
The empty chair? Gill tells his students it’s a promise that no one will ever be denied a seat.
WEEKEND READING AND STREAMING: “THE LEOPARD”
Giuseppe di Lampedusa’s only novel was rejected by Italy’s most distinguished publishers, so he died in 1957 without learning that “The Leopard” would become the best selling novel in Italian history — the Sicilian “Gone With the Wind” — and that it would be named by The Observer as one of “the 10 best historical novels” and that Luchino Visconti’s 1963 film adaptation would win the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Fun fact: Luchino Visconti filled the drawers in the bedroom set with bespoke silk shirts tailored specifically for Burt Lancaster. Incredulous, Burt pointed out no one would see them. Visconti: “But you will see them. You are portraying a prince and you must feel like a prince.”
WEEKEND RECIPE
Pasta Alla Vodka
from the NY Times: “There’s no need to order takeout from your neighborhood restaurant when this beloved, easy-to-assemble Italian-American classic gets dinner on the table in no time. Adding pancetta brings a salty smokiness, but if you leave it out, you’re still in for a quick and flavorful dish. If you’re feeling ambitious, the pasta is delightful with Caesar salad or garlic bread, but it’s also satisfying enough to take centerstage. Put on some Puccini, open up a bottle of red and you’re guaranteed a more relaxed dining experience than the one you might get at the local red-and-white checkered-tablecloth joint.”
4 to 6 servings
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces diced pancetta, optional
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
¾ cup vodka
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water). Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet or pot over medium. Add the pancetta, if using, and fry until crispy, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the vodka and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and then fill the can halfway with water and swish it around to loosen up any leftover tomatoes; add a quarter to half of the water to the pan. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 10 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer your sauce a little looser, go ahead and add the remaining water and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to low, add the cream and cook, stirring, until the sauce becomes an even pinkish-rust color, about 1 minute.
Stir in the cooked pasta and ¼ cup cheese; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, top with additional cheese, if desired, and sprinkle with the oregano and parsley.
