The graceful figure of Venus poised in her shell, as depicted by Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, is so synonymous with beauty that even those unfamiliar with art can recognize her, such is her fame. What is less well-known are his paintings of the Madonna that share similar qualities of classical beauty. Throughout the Renaissance, artists…
Beyond Botticelli’s Venus: Transcendent Classical Beauty
The graceful figure of Venus poised in her shell, as depicted by Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, is so synonymous with beauty that even those unfamiliar with art can recognize her, such is her fame. What is less well-known are his paintings of the Madonna that share similar qualities of classical beauty. Throughout the Renaissance, artists…
How to Curb the Urge to Splurge
When it comes to compulsive tendencies, there’s no question I received more than the standard allotment. I can sit down fully intending to watch the evening news and end up owning a pasta machine. I can stop by the mall to just look around and come out with three outfits I’ll never wear, a gift…
A Twist on Traditional Italian Holiday Cookies
This crispy-on-the-bottom-and-chewy-on-the-inside gluten-free cookie recipe is a twist on a traditional Italian holiday treat, pignoli, or pine nut cookies. Look for almond paste—a mixture of ground almonds and sugar (available in tubes or sometimes tubs)—near other baking supplies in well-stocked supermarkets or specialty stores. Sweeter marzipan doesn’t work well in these cookies. Pignoli Cookies Active…
The Generals of Sequoia and Kings Canyon
“The big tree (Sequoia gigantea) is nature’s forest masterpiece, and, so far as I know, the greatest of living things.” —John Muir Giant Sequoias, the world’s largest trees by volume, are found only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. These majestic trees were the impetus behind the creation of the…
Christmas Lights-Obsessed Man Syncs Music and Bulbs for Eyepopping Symphony Show
Albuquerque resident Michael Coffing is a self-described Christmas “light bug.” He even bought his new house based on Christmas light dramatic potential and optimal viewing location. Every year, the 37-year-old dad puts on a Christmas light show like no other, incorporating his favorite musical tunes—music taking center stage in Coffing’s decorations—which he programs with lights…
Children’s Books: Christmas Stories to Read Together
What’s your favorite book to read with your children during the holidays? Here are some true-and-tested picks. ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ by Laurel Long (Dial Books) The classic English Christmas carol that counts the gifts “my true love gave to me” over the course of 12 special days comes to life through the stunning…
Let There Be Light: Christmas Lights Lift Spirits in Dark Days of Winter
When I was growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, the passage from Thanksgiving leftovers to packages under the tree started with my mother. On the first Sunday of Advent, she would assemble an evergreen wreath with four candles—three purple and one pink. Some years, she would attach satin ribbon bows to the base of…
2 out of 3 Sisters: A Creamy Bean Stew Built on Old Wisdom
“Foods that grow together go together,” so goes the old saying. It’s become the locavore’s anthem, your cue to coax whatever plant life you can from your home ground, and figure out how best to cook it all. And live happily ever after. The seed catalogs that will soon arrive in the mail will tempt you…
Film Review: ‘National Champions’: Should College Student Athletes Unionize?
December 10, 2021 | R | 1h 56m “National Champions” is a crackling, high-voltage, testosterone-intensive sports drama about college football, where nary a down of football is played, and yet you can’t look away for the entire two-hour runtime. That’s a pretty neat trick. So what’s the premise? Unionization. A recent presidential hopeful wanted to…
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