In the Chow Line, A Miraculous Coincidence
We drove up to Chris and Susan’s farm to celebrate his 57th birthday, and arrived to a porch full of people sipping wine and mingling with dogs and cats. On the grounds of their 17-acre farm were a parade of baby donkeys, a freshly shorn llama and a bevy of […]
Who Knew that the Ice Really Does Make the Drink?
I never knew that there were so many different kinds of ice, and that the ice makes a huge difference in how a drink tastes. I learned this last night as I was falling asleep and read an article by Wayne Curtis in the Atlantic. He cites a NYC bar […]
Looking for Retro Kitsch in Somerville NJ
On my way out of S. Deerfield, I stopped by the cafe at 8 to pick up a cup to go. Seeing only one car in the parking lot, I groaned, oh no, no, not again! But yes another call-out, so I had to rescue my lone employee facing a […]
A Cellphone Store Expedition
We had a expedition the other day when I had to try and replace my lost cellphone. Amazingly, on a 1/4 mile stretch of West Springfield road there are stores for all four major cellphone companies, so it was easy for us to shop and compare. Each has its own […]
Women in Power Signals Slide for Islamists
I have been enveloped in dreams about Saudi Arabia since I began reading this compelling book about an American woman doctor who lived there. I just finished a chapter in which the dreaded Mutawaeen are tipped off to a bunch of doctors and westerners having a dinner at a local […]
Is There Time To Work Out This Morning? Is There?
Now it’s crunch time. It’s that moment when it can go either way…I’m at the precipice, deciding about how I will continue this morning routine. I’m in the bathrobe, on the laptop, and Cindy is busy getting dressed. We’ve had our coffee, I’m draining my second cup. So do I […]
Around a Firepit, My Interrogations Continue
Last night we went to a party in a Holyoke neighborhood where there were eight dogs in attendance. It was a birthday party for a Pomerian-mix named Pinot, and among the friends were a giant Great Dane named Willow and assorted Bichon Frise and little lapdogs. One tiny white dog […]
She’s Off to Alaska, Where the Goods Are Odd
Last night I went out in search of fellowship at a local bar, but ended up talking to the bartenders. One 25-year-old named Rachel was hugging her fellow employees as she was leaving for a big trip in a few weeks, and ending her job at the bar. “Where are […]
The Rain Keeps Falling and Strategies Need Plans
It’s another gray rainy day, and for many of us that is just one day too long without sun. Ugh, it feels like we’re living in Seattle. Despite how cool the people are, how great the coffee is, and how wonderful it must be to shop at Pike’s Market, forget […]
Experiencing the Hajj in Mecca
I’ve always been fascinated with the Islamic tradition of the Hajj, the mandatory pilgrimage to Mecca that all good Muslims must undertake at least once in their lives. I’m still enjoying “In the Land of Invisible Women” and Qanta Ahmed goes into great detail about this most cherished and closed […]
Authors and Places Have Their Moments in the Sun
I’ve managed to split my time in almost exactly half today—beginning at 6:30 am at the cafe, helping Sara open up and minding the register, and ending publishing my article about Beaumont Texas at 5:45 pm. Today we published an article by Elizabeth Bagley about the San Juan Islands in […]
Prisoners Will Fight for the Glory of the Tour
Reuters reports today that in France, prisoners are the new athletes who are racing on bikes. NANTES, France (Reuters) – Close to 200 prisoners will cycle around France next month, watched by scores of guards on bicycles, in the first penal version of the Tour de France, authorities said Monday. […]
A Strange Synchronized Saudi Kissing Geometry
Qanta Ahmed is a doctor who spent a few years practicing medicine in Saudi Arabia. When I heard about her book, entitled “In the Land of Invisible Women,” I knew I wanted to read it. In fact I liked the title and the story so much we just published an […]
It’s Like Having Two Saturday Nights in a Row
Memorial Day, like many of the “Big Six” holidays, feels like Ground Hog Day. That’s because when you wake up on Saturday morning, it’s like Friday, and then on lazy Sunday, well, it feels like Saturday. It’s fun for me to look back at what I was doing over the […]
Nollywood’s Chances Are Hurt by Rampant Piracy
Have you ever heard of Nollywood? Apparently, Nigeria’s film business is 2nd only to its better known cousin from India. A story by Will Connors datelined Lagos told the story of a booming business that’s threatened only by something insidiuous–piracy. In 2006 nearly 900 movies came straight outta Lagos. Not […]
Now the Writing Part, the Hardest Thing About a Press Trip
I’m thinking about Beaumont, Texas on this glorious pre-holiday Friday. The cafe was booming so I finally now have time to do what I spend many hours avoiding every day. That is writing the stories that result from my travels. Travel writers will tell you that getting back to a […]
Mary Louise Parker Wishes Her Nipples Weren’t on YouTube
The other day I found a story about the top ten high tech busts of the past decade. A few surprised me. On the list was YouTube.com, Microsoft’s Zune music player, Microsoft’s Vista operating system, Sirius/XM satellite radio, Gateway Computer, and the Segway device. Oh, and the Iridium satellite telephone […]
May Grayness Bums Out New Englanders
I sat on the treadmill at the Y yesterday and watched a silent TV. Silent because the jack that I was supposed to plug into didn’t work. On one of the TVs a man bowled and I watched him throw 12 strikes! The show was called “America’s Best Bowler” and […]