When Earl Proulx died in March 2002 at age 88, he’d written Yankee‘s “Plain Talk” advice column for 22 years. Jamie Trowbridge, Yankee Publishing’s president, wrote about him on his passing. Even then, Earl Proulx was able to offer advice to readers. “Earl taught me that you should never buy a piece of glass. There […]
Yankee
In diner lingo, a “splash of red noise” is tomato soup, and “burn the British” is a toasted English muffin—just the tip of the iceberg of gastronomic information you’ll discover at the endlessly fascinating Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University. This carefully curated collection showcases the varied elements of cooking and cuisine across […]
Yankee
Book Review | Turn & Jump
We all know what time is, but when called on to define it, we can’t. Benjamin Franklin said time is money. For Howard Mansfield, time is people. For example, he begins by introducing us to Ebenezer Edwards, who fought at Concord’s North Bridge in the first full-scale battle of the Revolutionary War. But Mansfield is […]
New England hard cider was once a fixture in every farmhouse basement. Now, brands like Farnum Hill Ciders are ushering in a comeback.
Magazine
Here in New England: My First Day
I wanted to be early for my first day on the job at Yankee Magazine, so I came in at 7:30 a.m. Robb Sagendorph, founder, publisher, and editor, had already been there for an hour. It was Monday, September 15, 1958, nine days after my wedding. “Look at this, Jud,” said my Uncle Robb, holding […]
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A Night of Jazz | Mary’s Farm
A thin breeze blew up off the lake as I parked in front of the old manse. It was late summer; most all the summer folk had left, but there were a few hangers-on who hadn’t, as yet, drained the pipes and cleared the pantry shelves for the winter. I let myself in, walked through […]
I came to Yankee 31 years ago this October, and even then the magazine was so ingrained in the life and culture of the region that it was hard at times to know whether New England was shaping Yankee or whether the magazine was somehow defining how people saw New England–probably a bit of both. […]
Magazine
The Iceland Diaries, Part Seven
Iceland, when I was there, had no trees. None. A naked land. I was told that the reason there were no trees was because of the sheep, which ranged free all over the country at that time, and because of the wind, which I knew stunted the growth of trees on places such as Cape […]
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The Addison Gets a Makeover
No one has ever been able to satisfactorily explain to me why a traditional New England prep school boasts an art museum that would be the envy of most colleges, but the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts is just that. The Addison has been closed since 2008 for a […]
Here’s a life list of 75 essential things for anyone who loves New England, native and visitor alike. How many have you done?
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Three Visions in Rockport
The old fire barn that houses the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in the village of Rockport, Maine, is filled top to bottom with three wonderfully satisfying solo exhibitions between now and September 25. CMCA was on the financial ropes last year and appeared on the verge of collapse, but with new director Suzette McAvoy […]
Yankee
Blowing Up Maine
A decade ago, Scottish painter Peter Davies painted two famous paintings “The Hot One Hundred” and “The Hip One Hundred.” Both paintings are simply colorful lists of important artists. Alex Katz made both paintings. He was No. 90 on “The Hot One Hundred,” but he was No. 4 on “The Hip One Hundred.” Since the […]