Living the Life on the Water
I’m charged up from a few days at sea off MV. It was really sweet tonic to just be out there, out in that harbor that I dreamed about as a boy for so many afternoons. It took until I was 50 to achieve such a seemingly simple goal. Denny […]
Rocking with the Gentle Waves in Edgartown’s Outer Harbor
I’m lying in a bunk in the wheelhouse of the Isis, 42′ trawler yacht anchored off of Chappy on a balmy night. The lights atop several large sailboats look like Venus and laughter can be heard from a distant boat. Today we biked the length of Chappy and toured the […]
Cruising the Coast of Martha’s Vineyard–A Childhood Dream
I’m a little bit nervous as I wait for my friend Jack to arrive. We head down the Pike to Quonset Point Rhode Island and at 1 pm, we set sail on the Vineyard Fast Ferry bound for the honky tonk town of Oak Bluffs Mass. Nervous? Well, maybe a […]
In Queens, a Nautical Battle in the Roman Tradition
Duke Riley dreams big. Really big. Next Thursday he’ll be directing a mock naval battle, Coliseum style, at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. People will don gladiator gear, spectators will be required to wear togas, and in a vacant pool, 30-foot-long Spanish galleons, Egyptian river boats and Polynesian […]
It All Started with the Dreaded Ghetto Latte
The blogosphere is abuzz with the actions and the comments (and the reactions) from a man in Virginia who went into a hip coffee cafe and tried to order a triple espresso over ice. He was refused by the barista who claimed that this violated the shop’s policy. Then the […]
The Decline of the Arabs Starts at the Top
Tonight a column by Fouad Ajami caught my eye in the WSJ. “Autocracy and the Decline of the Arabs” told the sad tale of a society that’s been in the ditch out of action since the early 1980s. He speaks of “the Arab Rip Abu Winkle, awakening from a slumber […]
Afar Magazine Debuts, and It’s a Keeper
In my overflowing office email box, I got a press release for a new travel magazine called Afar. One that’s printed, and mailed, old school style. I dashed off a wise-acre reply, saying hey, send me a copy, and I wished them luck in this devilishly tough ad climate for […]
"The Ultimate Gift" Keeps on Giving
I’m a sucker for a heart-wrenching tale, and have been known to tear up during sad movies and at poignant moments. Tonight I watched a movie that brought out these same sappy tears but the message definitely bears repeating. I think this film is part of a new division called […]
Alessandra Stanley Goes from Times Star to Goat
Alessandra Stanley was once the ít girl of journalism. So cool and so facile, able to mix in anecdotes about Neapolitan traditions, esoteric literary references, and other word tricks. But she is on a copy desk now, no longer the top TV writer for the NY Times.It’s all because of […]
Rockin the House at Johnny and Andrea’s Party
We went to two parties last night. Boy what a contrast. At the first, most people didn’t know who we were and nobody really had any interest in us. It was like we were shopping, wandering anonymously through the aisles. Then we drove up to John and Andrea’s in Florence […]
In Germany, They’ve Spent $7B on Clunkers–So Far
I’ve got a clunker in my garage that my family would love to see me get rid of. It’s got a dead battery, needs a new catalytic converter, and now the hood latch doesn’t work so it takes pliers to open it up. You’d think I would be eligible for […]
Despite Fountains of Wayne Frontman, the ‘Truth Gets Old
I am easily impressed by famous people. I always feel like it is some big deal when I sit near somebody who a bunch of people know, or pass by someone more famous than I am. Chris Collingwood is a founding member of Fountains of Wayne, a band that gets […]
A Beautiful White House Vegetable Garden….NOT
Don’t you hate it when that happens? I, like many citizens, was so proud when I read about the Obama’s White House vegetable garden. Encouraged by uber chef Alice Waters, Michelle and her kids dutifully planted a huge victory garden at the White House. I was so encouraged by their […]
How Much is Dinner in France?
I got an email from a reader named Janet. She asked me ‘how many euros does dinner in France cost? What ‘gotchas’ should I be aware of? I answered her with some of the info below. Janet i was just in France a few weeks ago in Normandy. Looking over […]
The Two Devices That Are Changing the Game
Here are two devices that I am sure are game changers. I’ve had my iPhone for a few weeks now, and beside it here is the new Palm Pre. During my trip to New Jersey, while on the beach and on Safari, I was able to keep in touch, and […]
Amidst Our Constant Rain, California Desalinates
I remember a friend of my sisters who farmed in Arizona laughing when we showed him our rain collecting tank. “With so much rain here, why would you possibly need that?” he laughed. We felt like we were doing ‘the right thing’ but the fact is our east coast water […]
Searching is Better When You Ask Facebook Friends
I have been carrying two issues of Wired around in ‘the Abyss’ as my backpack is known, and last night finally got a chance to read the July issue. Among a bunch of fascinating stories was a provocative piece about how Facebook intends to dominate the web and keep Google […]
The Music Man of the Jersey Shore
Aggie Roberts is the Music Man of the Jersey Shore. His ice cream shop on Grand Central Avenue in Lavallette packs them in seven days a week. While serving ice cream treats, a troupe of singers dances and clowns with the crowd for an hour of fun. There’s nothing quite […]