Mangia!

Bright & Rags
What’s this I hear? Gregg (Rags) Rago and Susan Bright — proprietors of Nick’s English Hut — are opening a pasta joint right around the corner?
Homemade pasta — extruded right on the premises — and a variety of delicious sauces’ll be the menu mainstays, is what I hear. The name? Osteria (that’s Italian for a tavern that serves a simple dinner). Projected opening? December. The build-out’s going on right now in the old, original Bloomingfoods location just north of Kirkwood Ave., in the alley.
Can’t wait.
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Poetry & Folk

Swierk & Gay
Here’s another thing I can’t wait for: Bloomington’s unofficial poet laureate Ross Gay will read from his previous bestsellers as well as from his forthcoming book Saturday, December 2nd, at the Book Corner. Ross will be joined by folksinger/songwriter Kacie Swierk, who’ll croon tunes from her debut album, This Is Water.
Gay’s Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude has been a Book Corner hot mover for the last two years and shows no signs of cooling off.
Swing by and join the fun. Festivities will run from 3-5pm. The Book Corner is at 100 N. Walnut St., 812.339.1522.
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The Big (Talk) Heat

Habeeb
And you don’t have to wait for this: my interview with urban designer/environmentalist Dana Habeeb ran Thursday afternoon. Habeeb spoke with me about the perils of city living over the next few decades due to global warming, especially for at-risk people like those with diabetes.
All is not glum, though, acc’d’g to Habeeb. If cities start planning now, they can slash the urban heat island effect and maybe save a few lives. Go here for the Big Talk feature that ran in WFHB, 91.3 FM and here for the original, mostly-unedited interview (as soon as I get around to putting it up).
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