Sunny October, I Begin Again
[San Francisco, October 2011.] Fall: utterly, truly. The light is fantastic, slanting against San Francisco’s buildings in the late afternoons and curling around the cyprus …
On Greece, and Remembering
[Spetses from the boat, August 2007.] My coworker just gave me the August issue of Saveur, which is the Greece issue, and just a quick …
And There Could I Marvel
[Sunset, King’s College, Cambridge, U.K., October 2009.] Today I am 31 and am drinking tea. Four days ago, on another birthday, Cambridge shone in sun …
Ireland, Home
When I die Dublin will be written in my heart. – James Joyce Once, I went to Ireland. My best friend had gotten a new …
When the Kitchen Calls
The other night for whatever reason I got to feeling a little lonely. I arrived home — my apartment, after a weekend’s minor cleaning frenzy, …
From the Harvest
[Pumpkin, barley and root vegetables, November 2008.] For all of my incomprehension about just how exactly we’re right smack in the middle of November and …
Words to Dream By
[In the backyard, April 2008.] Voici mon secret. Il est très simple : on ne voit bien qu’avec le coeur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les …
On Brussels Sprouts, or, a Reluctant Love Letter
[Brussel sprouts from the market, October 2008.] I never liked brussels sprouts. There — I’ve set it out plain for anyone to see. Though my …
Anatomy of a Lunch Party
1. Invite family and friends who are family. Think about the menu a few days in advance, and make up a list of ingredients (not …