Last night I watched Ace of Cakes on the Food Network, one of my new favorite shows, and my inspiration to be a baker/welder all in one. For anyone who has not seen Ace of Cakes yet, it features Duff Goldman, baker extraordinaire who is both handy with a cake and with power tools. He is my new hero, and I highly recommend the show for anyone who enjoys baking a good cake. I definitely plan on visiting Charm City Cakes if I am ever in the Baltimore area. What makes me appreciate Duff most is that his bakery appears to be an awesome workplace. He has an open mind to individuals working there who possess more of a creative vision versus a hard core baking background. They all seem like family up there in Baltimore. So Duff, call me if you ever need an apprentice, I'm there!
Although Ace of Cakes raised my spirits last night, I have been saddened by a recent announcement that the radio program "Breakfast with the Beatles" is going to air its final show on September 3rd. There is nothing better than sitting down with some baked goods on a Sunday morning and letting the sounds of the Beatles fill the room. Below is my letter to the Program Director Jack Silver at KLSX, requesting that he do anything within his power to keep the Beatles on the air. If you would like to make a similiar plea, get more information on how to do so here. My letter includes a little ode to Paris, so for those of you who are down with France like I am, I hope you especially enjoy.
Dear Mr. Silver,
I am writing to tell you that the Breakfast with the Beatles program needs to stay on the air.
As a 22 year old resident of Southern California, the daughter of a baby boomer, and a loyal Beatles fan, I have been listening to Breakfast with the Beatles for as long as I can remember. A weekend fixture in my family's home, Breakfast with the Beatles is on every Sunday as we eat our breakfast. I grew up with this program, and every Sunday it nourished me along with my first meal of the day. My pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, or toast were all made infinitely better by Deirdre O'Donahue, and then after our loss, by Chris Carter. Both of these hosts seem like they became friends to our family, as they filled our home with their insightful commentary for so many years.
Sunday morning breakfast with the Beatles is a time for family. Despite the largest and most significant world events, this program would find its place into our existence. On a fairly recent Sunday this summer, the energetic and fierce international cacophony of the World Cup was silenced by Chris Carter's friendly and familiar voice on the radio, as we opted to turn down the volume of our television while watching the competition.
There is something special about this program, something that allows generations to come together and listen to music that is real and powerful. I am unaware of anything else like it on the radio, which I rarely lend my ears to for musical fulfillment (with the obvious exception of Breakfast with the Beatles!). Of course there are programs and stations that feature the Beatles, but none with as much credibility, as much enthusiasm, or as much true knowledge of what the Beatles were all about and why their music continues to mean something to the world.
Recently I traveled to Paris and visited the Cite de la Musique museum, which was featuring an extensive exhibit on John Lennon, his life, and his music. In one section of the exhibit, they had built a replica of the Beatles old studio, which you could view from behind glass. In the same room, there was a dimly lit area with some couches, where museum visitors were gathering to reflect, relax, or simply listen to the sounds of the past. At the same time that the studio scene and even the sounds of the music were historical, those who were gathered there were very much in the present. The people in this room were not merely of one age bracket, but were young, old, French, American, and who knows what else, all bobbing their heads and tapping their feet to the same music in appreciation. Perhaps the music may have touched them in different ways depending on their age, but it is music that clearly remains lasting and influential in their lives. Others within the exhibit crouched by a small table, so low to the ground and crowded that it was almost uncomfortable, only to read a few report cards from John Lennon's days in grammar school.
To see the appreciation of these museum visitors is to know why Breakfast with the Beatles belongs on the air. I don't know how many other 22 year old baby boomer daughters there are out there, but I think I am safe to assume that I am not the only one. The audience for this program is not always obvious, but there are those of us out there (everywhere) who know the Beatles must be, and always will be, a part of our lives. If they could stay a part of my Sunday, along with Chris Carter, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Kristin M. Friedersdorf
p.s. I am also CCing this to my mother, because this letter is for both of us! She will also be truly heartbroken if Breakfast with the Beatles goes off the air.
Although Ace of Cakes raised my spirits last night, I have been saddened by a recent announcement that the radio program "Breakfast with the Beatles" is going to air its final show on September 3rd. There is nothing better than sitting down with some baked goods on a Sunday morning and letting the sounds of the Beatles fill the room. Below is my letter to the Program Director Jack Silver at KLSX, requesting that he do anything within his power to keep the Beatles on the air. If you would like to make a similiar plea, get more information on how to do so here. My letter includes a little ode to Paris, so for those of you who are down with France like I am, I hope you especially enjoy.
Dear Mr. Silver,
I am writing to tell you that the Breakfast with the Beatles program needs to stay on the air.
As a 22 year old resident of Southern California, the daughter of a baby boomer, and a loyal Beatles fan, I have been listening to Breakfast with the Beatles for as long as I can remember. A weekend fixture in my family's home, Breakfast with the Beatles is on every Sunday as we eat our breakfast. I grew up with this program, and every Sunday it nourished me along with my first meal of the day. My pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, or toast were all made infinitely better by Deirdre O'Donahue, and then after our loss, by Chris Carter. Both of these hosts seem like they became friends to our family, as they filled our home with their insightful commentary for so many years.
Sunday morning breakfast with the Beatles is a time for family. Despite the largest and most significant world events, this program would find its place into our existence. On a fairly recent Sunday this summer, the energetic and fierce international cacophony of the World Cup was silenced by Chris Carter's friendly and familiar voice on the radio, as we opted to turn down the volume of our television while watching the competition.
There is something special about this program, something that allows generations to come together and listen to music that is real and powerful. I am unaware of anything else like it on the radio, which I rarely lend my ears to for musical fulfillment (with the obvious exception of Breakfast with the Beatles!). Of course there are programs and stations that feature the Beatles, but none with as much credibility, as much enthusiasm, or as much true knowledge of what the Beatles were all about and why their music continues to mean something to the world.
Recently I traveled to Paris and visited the Cite de la Musique museum, which was featuring an extensive exhibit on John Lennon, his life, and his music. In one section of the exhibit, they had built a replica of the Beatles old studio, which you could view from behind glass. In the same room, there was a dimly lit area with some couches, where museum visitors were gathering to reflect, relax, or simply listen to the sounds of the past. At the same time that the studio scene and even the sounds of the music were historical, those who were gathered there were very much in the present. The people in this room were not merely of one age bracket, but were young, old, French, American, and who knows what else, all bobbing their heads and tapping their feet to the same music in appreciation. Perhaps the music may have touched them in different ways depending on their age, but it is music that clearly remains lasting and influential in their lives. Others within the exhibit crouched by a small table, so low to the ground and crowded that it was almost uncomfortable, only to read a few report cards from John Lennon's days in grammar school.
To see the appreciation of these museum visitors is to know why Breakfast with the Beatles belongs on the air. I don't know how many other 22 year old baby boomer daughters there are out there, but I think I am safe to assume that I am not the only one. The audience for this program is not always obvious, but there are those of us out there (everywhere) who know the Beatles must be, and always will be, a part of our lives. If they could stay a part of my Sunday, along with Chris Carter, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Kristin M. Friedersdorf
p.s. I am also CCing this to my mother, because this letter is for both of us! She will also be truly heartbroken if Breakfast with the Beatles goes off the air.
2 comments:
Readers of this blog will note the obvious Dis-ing of the male parental unit of the family. While I don't possess the same maniacal devotion to the Beatles (or music in general) I too would hate to see B'fast with the Beatles leave the air. Mostly because whatever they replace it with, on a Sunday morning, is bound to be either an extended infomercial or ... just plain junk.
Lee Friedersdorf
Readers of this blog will note the obvious Dis-ing of the male parental unit of the family. While I don't possess the same maniacal devotion to the Beatles (or music in general) I too would hate to see B'fast with the Beatles leave the air. Mostly because whatever they replace it with, on a Sunday morning, is bound to be either an extended infomercial or ... just plain junk.
Lee Friedersdorf
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