Steve Holtje: February 3, 2008

Non-music Top 10

1. Mary & Jack have a baby

   James Burton made his entrance early, on Saturday. Congratulations to the proprietor of this website and his now-lighter wife. As our friend Catharine said, “That should be one good-looking baby, coming from those two.”

2. My wife’s art on exhibit

   Chie’s painting of our cat Seamus is on display at the Miwa Alex Salon, 24 East 22nd Street in Manhattan.

3. Mets get Johan Santana

   Replacing Tom Glavine in the rotation with the best pitcher in baseball should put the Mets into the playoffs.

4. Giants 17, Patriots 14

   Second-greatest upset in Super Bowl history! (Because of its historical context, nothing will ever top the ‘69 Jets.)

5. Italo Calvino – Mr. Palomar (Harcourt Brace)

   It’s hard to believe that Calvino’s last novel is 25 years old this year. It’s a philosophical work yet also prose poetry (like Francis Ponge’s writing, but more wry). Dry yet involving, it’s ultimately quite disturbing in its personal implications.

6. Lawrence Ferlinghetti – A Coney Island of the Mind (New Directions)

   One of the funniest books of serious poetry is 50 years old this year.

7. Gorgonzola cheese on sourdough bread

   Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

8. Smithsonian magazine

   The article about the Parthenon renovations in the February issue is great.

9. Wakatake Onikoroshi

   My favorite Daiginjo sake, AKA “Demon Slayer.”

10. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

    I finally watched the two sequels on DVD, expecting to be disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised.