On Demand
The Leonard Lopate Show
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Star Struck
Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, is joined by chef Eric Ripert, along with Jean-Luc Naret, the director of the Michelin Guide, for a discussion on the positive and negative effects of earning a three-star rating. Next, John Vaillant outlines the complicated relationship between humans and trees by focusing on the plight of one giant spruce tree in British Columbia. Then, Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours, shares his new novel, Specimen Days. Finally, American Museum of Natural History paleontologist Mark Norell explains how scientists came to recognize the similarities between dinosaurs and birds in Unearthing the Dragon.
Rebels Without a Star
When the pressure of running a three-star Michelin restaurant becomes too great, what is a chef to do? Give up the stars! Top chefs in France are turning in their stars and opting to open chic low-key bistros instead. Is this a trend that could take off in top NYC restaurants as well? We’ll talk to Ruth Reichl, editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, and Jean-Luc Naret, Director of the Michelin Guide, about the future of the restaurant star system.
Music: Swingtime!, The Canadian Brass: “Blue Rondo a la Turk” / “I Found Love”
The Golden Spruce
John Vaillant looks into why a beloved giant golden spruce tree was cut down by an environmentalist protesting clear-cutting in British Columbia’s forests in The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed.
Music: Soundtrack to Finding Neverland, music by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek: “The Park”
Specimen Days
Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours, discusses his latest novel, Specimen Days. Inspired by Walt Whitman, the book follows the lives of three New Yorkers living in different time periods.
» Excerpt of Specimen Days in the Reading Room
» Michael Cunningham's website
Events:
Michael Cunningham will be reading on:
Tuesday, June 7th at 7 pm
Barnes and Noble, Union Square
Music: Soundtrack to The Hours, music by Philip Glass: “Morning Passages”
Unearthing the Dragon
Mark Norell, chairman and curator of the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, traces the evolution of our knowledge of dinosaurs. The famous naturalist Sir Richard Owen came up with the word dinosaur, or “fearfully-great lizard,” in 1842. But as Mr. Norell explains in Unearthing the Dragon: The Great Feathered Dinosaur Discovery, we now know that dinosaurs have more in common with modern-day birds than reptiles.
Music: John Williams Greatest Hits 1969-1999: “Jurassic Park Theme” / “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
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National Book Award Winners
The Leonard Lopate Show
A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!
Tributes: Jeanne-Claude
The Leonard Lopate Show
Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.
Video Pick: David Chang on Momofuku
The Leonard Lopate Show
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- Comments [1]
Please Explain: Eco-Labels
The Leonard Lopate Show
Your broccoli, shampoo, and air conditioner might bear labels declaring them to be organic, cruelty-free, or energy efficient, but what do those labels mean and are they true? Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Project Director for Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices.org and Consumers Union’s Senior Scientist for Policy Initiatives, and Dara O'Rourke, founder and CEO of GoodGuide.com, took a look at what eco-labels indicate, how standards are set, and what they mean for consumers and manufacturers around the world.
- Comments [14]
Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award
The Leonard Lopate Show
On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.
