Final Fall
These Precious Days, The Little Salumi, Orpheus, Dusty Baker, Cadaverous Couple
Welcome to my weekly newsletter. I hope you enjoy the picks and pics.
Fave Five 5: Final Fall. Ann Patchett essays (These Precious Days), Good Eats/Good Treats/Cool Peeps in my little town (The Little Salumi), RIP Bruce Arnold (Orpheus), the quest for a managerial ring (Dusty Baker), and a Cadaverous Couple.
Fall is fading fast. On Saturday I walked the entire Edward Hines Drive for the second time. Last year my late friend Max Bromley joined me. This year his wife Sandy walked with me for the entire 17.5 miles, and my son Roger joined for part of the walk.
Game 3 of the Fall Classic is tomorrow, with the Astros and Phillies tied at one game apiece. I’m unsure of which team to support. Max and I spent two months in Houston in 2000 and enjoyed dining out together at the many great restaurants there. My Houston friends include the late Ross Hartz, his wife Gail Hartz, and Roger’s former basketball teammate, Mike Salciccioli. The Astros have two former Detroit Tigers — pitcher Justin Verlander (2005-17) and coach Gary Pettis (1988-89) — and one Wayne State alum, Hunter Brown.
I also have friends and family who are Philly fanatics, including former work colleague Sean Mellody, music buddy Bill Gardiner, and Roger’s wife Cristi. The Phillies have one former Tiger, Nick Castellanos (2013-19).
Along with many other baseball fans, I am hoping that Dusty Baker will finally win his first World Series as a manager. He is this week’s featured Sports Star.
Book Best Bet
These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett
Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her books and eagerly look forward to each new one. When Roger was an entering freshman at Kalamazoo College, she spoke at the welcoming event, and she returned as the commencement speaker when he graduated in 2007. This collection of heartfelt personal essays is great.
From Amazon: The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays.
“Any story that starts will also end.” As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart.
At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self.” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both.
A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be.
From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo’s children’s books (author of The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz’s Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author’s grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time.
Restaurant Recommendation
The Little Salumi Panini and Wine Shop - 137 East Main Street, Northville, MI, 48167
Opened by Jessica Poole, whose family once ran Poole’s Tavern in Northville, this tiny establishment provides “Good Eats, Good Treats, and Cool Peeps.” A grab-and-go shop, it offers panini, homemade dips and sweet treats, made-to-order charcuterie, drinks, and unique local products.
On a recent Saturday night, Barb and I headed to our nearby downtown, which was hopping with visitors walking the streets, attracted by the Skeletons are Alive displays. We picked up our phone order from The Little Salumi and enjoyed eating in the Town Square, where we got the last available table.
I had the Muffaletta (Hot Capicola, Mortadella, Salami, Provolone Cheese, and House-made Olive Salad) and Barb had the Ham & Chedda (Ham and Cheddar Cheese with a House-Made Dijon Aioli). Both sandwiches were well-prepared and tasty.
If you are in downtown Northville and fancy yourself a good sandwich, a bottle of wine, grab-and-go snacks, charcuterie board, or a great conversation, come on down.
Marvelous Musicians
Bruce Arnold died last week. He was a band founder, guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He split from his co-founders, resulting in Orpheus and Orpheus Reborn. The original Orpheus was founded in 1967 by guitarists Bruce Arnold and Jack McKennes, bass guitarist Eric Gulliksen, and drummer Harry Sandler. All members contributed vocals and instrumentals. The group had a very successful run through the end of 1969, recording three albums and four singles for MGM Records.
I first heard Orpheus in 1968 on a live music PBS TV show based in Pennsylvania. My brother David and I liked their sound and I bought their first album. We would play drums along to some of the songs. I subsequently bought their next two albums and became a big fan. My favorite Orpheus songs are "I've Never Seen Love Like This," "I'll Stay With You," "Can't Find The Time," and "I'll Fly." I recently was surprised to hear the instrumental start of “By The Size Of My Shoes" in a television commercial.
Sports Star
Dusty is both a great former player and a great manager.
A career .278 hitter, he was a two-time All-Star, won two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove Award, and became the first NLCS MVP, which he received during the 1977 National League Championship Series. He also made three World Series appearances.
Dusty is the first MLB manager to reach the playoffs and win a division title with five different teams, having accomplished both feats with each team he managed. He is the ninth manager to win pennants in both the American and National Leagues, leading the Giants to a World Series appearance in 2002 and the Astros to appearances in 2021 and 2022. Baker has the most wins among managers who have not won the World Series.
In his 25 years of managing the Giants, Cubs, Reds, Nationals, and Astros, he has nearly 2,100 wins. As a player he won the World Series in 1981, but so far, winning one as a manager has proved elusive. This may finally be the year, and I hope that he gets it this time.
Picture Pun
Did you ever notice the longer a couple stays together, the more they look alike?
