Baseball

“I wrote 63 songs this year. They’re all about Jeter.” Just kidding. The game we love, the players we hate, and more.

Culture and Criticism

From Norman Mailer to Wendy Pepper — everything on film, TV, books, music, and snacks (shut up, raisins), plus the Girls’ Bike Club.

Donors Choose and Contests

Helping public schools, winning prizes, sending a crazy lady in a tomato costume out in public.

Stories, True and Otherwise

Monologues, travelogues, fiction, and fart humor. And hens. Don’t forget the hens.

The Vine

The Tomato Nation advice column addresses your questions on etiquette, grammar, romance, and pet misbehavior. Ask The Readers about books or fashion today!

The Vine: November 2, 2011
November 2, 2011 · 24 Comments
The Vine: November 2, 2011

I dated a guy last year for three months, and while our relationship was very intense, I broke it off and moved on. He however, did not. I tried to cut him off cold turkey, …

Margin Call
November 1, 2011 · No Comment
<em>Margin Call</em>

I got a promotional email about Margin Call from Lincoln Center, and incorrectly assumed I could only see it there, therefore braving a Saturday audience at the Elinor Bunin Monroe Theater — a lovely facility …

The Vine: October 28, 2011
October 28, 2011 · 13 Comments
The Vine: October 28, 2011

Sometime in the early ’90s, there was a wave of New Country — Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, that gang. And there was a song that I LOVED. But I can’t remember very much about it, …

El Hombre: 2011 World Series Open Thread
October 27, 2011 · 42 Comments
El Hombre: 2011 World Series Open Thread

I realized yesterday that I’d completely forgotten to set up a WS entry — and regretted that even more while watching Pujols collect a record 14 total bases. I mean, not that I enjoyed watching …

The Vine: October 26, 2011
October 26, 2011 · 10 Comments
The Vine: October 26, 2011

I am hoping you can give me perspective. The background is I am happily married for two years to one of the best men I know. He recently started a job out of town, so …

TV Question Qorner: TV Midseason Report Card C-H
October 25, 2011 · 17 Comments
TV Question Qorner: TV Midseason Report Card C-H

Fringe. Weird season so far. I went into last season thinking they’d have trouble making the two-universe storyline work, but they totally did. This season, I had no doubt that they’d make it work, and …

The Tomato Nation Fall Classic II: Cruz-ing
October 25, 2011 · 6 Comments
The Tomato Nation Fall Classic II: Cruz-ing

The TN Fall Classic II still needs your help! As of this writing, we’ve done a good bit — $1,001 — but we’ve still got 4K to go. Japan really got put through it this …

TV Question Qorner: Midseason Report Card A-B
October 24, 2011 · 9 Comments
TV Question Qorner: Midseason Report Card A-B

ANTM: All-Stars. I had tagged out of the show a few cycles ago because I couldn’t take Tyra’s unleavened self-aggrandizement. It’s still egregious, but because the girls have gone through the process before, she can’t …

The Vine: October 21, 2011
October 21, 2011 · 10 Comments
The Vine: October 21, 2011

I am desperately searching for a collection of scary stories I read in middle school (circa 1993-1995). I remember two stories from the collection very vividly.
1.  One story was called “Lockers.” It was about a …

The Vine: October 19, 2011
October 19, 2011 · 42 Comments
The Vine: October 19, 2011

A few background items first (they do not sound related to each other at first glance, but they all contribute to the situation):
I am in my late 20s and live a couple hours away …