North America
28 Jun
A must see at the Museum of Art and Design (always a fascinating stop in Manhattan for a culture monger) is the recently opened exhibition of over 450 pieces of costume jewelry that belong to Barbara Berger. The scope of the collection is fantastic, both in number and in diversity. The wow pieces – all in perfect condition – come from...
19 Jun
A 10 candle-power light was first hung on a pole at the water’s edge here in 1889 to warn the increasing Hudson River traffic away from Jeffrey’s Hook at night. The little red lighthouse was built as the North Hook Beacon at Sandy Hook, New Jersey where it stood until 1917. It was reconstructed here, at Jeffrey’s Hook, in 1921...
2 Jun
In the whirlwind passing of the days, I seek moments of stillness. They come in many guises: a dawn meditation, my golden, Oliver, asleep at my side; an early morning wander through the farmer’s market; preparing a weekend soup; listening to music; reading poetry and thinking about it. These are hardly esoteric pastimes. In fact, the...
31 May
This little guy has changed our lives. The Breville Juice Fountain Crush is what is known as a Cold Press Juicer (a.k.a. Masticating Juicer). These newer juicers extract juice by first crushing and then pressing fruit and vegetables for the highest juice yield. Because they don’t produce heat, they keep more of the fresh ingredients’...
28 Apr
19 Apr
Harbingers of Spring..we all wait for them, no matter where we are. A jonquil, the cherry blossom, pansies, tulips, jettisoned coats. I look for the Bradford Pears to bloom because my street in Manhattan is one of the most beautiful in early spring. An alley of arced branches, graceful in white, make of my street an almost blessed nave. It doesn’t...
7 Apr
It is hard, when you live in the city, to think slow, to think small, to think consciously. And yet it is as compelling a need as feeding oneself; in fact, it is feeding oneself. And many of us starve. I look for people who have recognized this need and acted on it. I am compiling a list and, if I do not know them personally, I try to read their...
5 Apr
A really delicious new restaurant in an old space in Noho, Acme serves up locally grown fare beautifully presented and prepared. We shared bulgar wheat, pot-roasted cauliflower and a warm kale salad to start and then branched out with orders of lamb, arctic char, chicken with eggs. All of it startlingly good, healthy, light. Downstairs is a very...
28 Mar
Did you know that we have a Riviera too? Yup, located between the High Line and the Hudson River and it has just become one sexy stretch of urban coastline with the addition of Hotel Americano. From the repertoire of Mexican architect, Enrique Norten and his group, Ten Arquitectos, it is a gorgeous piece of architecture and a very, very cool hotel. Not...
6 Mar
I think we all secretly harbor the desire to run a B&B that looks and feels something like The Graham & Co. I know a number of people who dream about serving up delicious organic produce on trestled dining tables after hanging breezy linen curtains in simple, clean bedrooms with wainscoting and wide floorboards. 2.5 hours from New York City,...
20 Nov
When the stories are done being told, if you are quiet and still, you can feel the press of bodies, smell the prickle of sweet sweat, hear the laughing and the singing, the moaning and the weeping. In the dank cells of Goree, on the fields of Gettysburg and the beaches of Dunkirk, in the Low Country’s graceful, light-filled plantations and humble...
3 Nov
The images tell an ongoing story of devastation and despair. What is creeping in is the full impact of the destruction that comes, little bit by little bit, when you begin to realize how everything is connected. Electricity is one of the central players. Without, the gas and water – of which there is plenty – cannot be pumped, and...
23 Oct
The photo doesn’t do it justice. In fact the distance between published photos of the Quarter and the reality of its beauty which is composed of the diverse architectural styles, the profusion of flowers and ferns, magnolias and palms, the sun illuminating soft orange brick, green shutters, a gray plastered facade, the silence of a Monday morning...
5 Oct
She is my insider friend; she had the number, which is huge. Because Bohemian restaurant, a Japanese boite located in a building that has housed not only Warhol but also Basquiat (the provenance adds to the whole mythology, of course) keeps its head way, way under the radar. The phone number is not listed and, effectively, the limited access to...
2 Oct
JBG started growing vegetables in their Holly Street backyard in 2004. Their goal is to provide the Austin community with the best quality locally grown, organic vegetables possible. Residents can enjoy JBG’s produce by joining their CSA or by visiting any of the farmers markets around Austin, local organic grocers as well as most top restaurants. For...
27 Aug
It is impossible to describe the beauty of the land without mentioning the sky Photo: Brad Franklin Sedona, USA
11 Jul
Willing Foot, Lisa Lindblad’s travel website offering smart, well-designed travel for active and curious travelers, has designed a collection of itineraries it calls American Stories. This grouping of (to date) four weekend-long itineraries celebrate iconic American cities and settings. They include a privately guided walking tour of Harlem,...
9 Jul
Oh my…it’s sooo good! On a stultifyingly hot evening last week we snagged a table at RedFarm and ordered widely across the menu to share dishes and graze at leisure – and with pleasure. The standout was the crispy beef, above. Dim sum come next, lovely, puffy cushions of deliciousness. I could eat here every night. Located at...
13 Jun
On 28th Street and Broadway, in what is known locally as Manhattan’s Koreatown, a wonderful Beaux Arts building has been repurposed. Formerly the National Cash Register building, this limestone gem, with graceful prow and topped by a gorgeous cupola, has become the NoMad Hotel. With interiors by French designer, Jacques Garcia, the hotel...
4 Jun
On the second floor of New York’s 45 rpm, the Japanese shop known for its relaxed, fun (and expensive) natural fiber, indigo clothing, is the in-house tailor’s workstation. A roughhewn table carries a matte black sewing machine that is flanked by jars of color coded, sized buttons. 45 rpm sweaters and shirts, always marked by an “R”...
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