According to food writer Alan Richman, they are both dark and alluring.
In his terrific article Hillybilly Truffles in the September issue of of GQ, Richman writes of the aroma of truffles, comparing the prized fungi to someone we know is wrong for us, yet intoxicating.
Tennessee's truffle master Tom Michaels is taking on the French with winning results.
Read it at: http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_10877.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Green Transit.
Robin Chase, co-founder of Zipcar, a car-sharing company, and GoLoco.org, a social networking site that promotes ride-sharing, believes that the future of commuting will be green.
And traffic jams? A remnant of the past.
In the September issue of Body + Soul, Chase predicts that Americans will swipe a card, seamlessly transferring between subway, trolley, bus, eleectric scooter and bike, whether headed to the city, the beach or the mountains. Even the most remote destinations will be reached by shared car.
Read more about Chase's visonary outlook at:
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/big-idea-carpooler-robin-chase?autonomy_kw=robin%20chase.
And traffic jams? A remnant of the past.
In the September issue of Body + Soul, Chase predicts that Americans will swipe a card, seamlessly transferring between subway, trolley, bus, eleectric scooter and bike, whether headed to the city, the beach or the mountains. Even the most remote destinations will be reached by shared car.
Read more about Chase's visonary outlook at:
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/big-idea-carpooler-robin-chase?autonomy_kw=robin%20chase.
Rocky Mountain High.
Just back from Vail and Aspen, where I stayed at two iconic properties, the Lodge at Vail and Hotel Jerome.
Both are in the center of their respective towns, frequented by as many locals as visitors. Both offer a distinctive sense of place.
Vail Village, built in the 1960s, evokes an Austria ski burg, while Aspen is a mining town that dates to the late 1880s.
And both are glorious in summer and fall, when rates--and crowds--drop.
http://rockresorts.com/
Both are in the center of their respective towns, frequented by as many locals as visitors. Both offer a distinctive sense of place.
Vail Village, built in the 1960s, evokes an Austria ski burg, while Aspen is a mining town that dates to the late 1880s.
And both are glorious in summer and fall, when rates--and crowds--drop.
http://rockresorts.com/
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Damn Right!
On August 10, TIME ran an article called "Why Swearing is Good for You."
Studies show it not only vents frustration, but can actually alleviate physical pain.
Even though my dad was a military man, cursing was limited to "darn" in our household. "Butt" was off-limits, though its utterance on TV would dissolve we girls into giggles.
Likewise, we weren't allowed to say "fart," but rather used the oddly violent euphemism "shoot a bunny."
As someone with an, ahem, colorful vocabulary, I'm gratified to learn that a well-timed curse offers a myriad of benefits.
@#$%^&*!
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1910691,00.html
Studies show it not only vents frustration, but can actually alleviate physical pain.
Even though my dad was a military man, cursing was limited to "darn" in our household. "Butt" was off-limits, though its utterance on TV would dissolve we girls into giggles.
Likewise, we weren't allowed to say "fart," but rather used the oddly violent euphemism "shoot a bunny."
As someone with an, ahem, colorful vocabulary, I'm gratified to learn that a well-timed curse offers a myriad of benefits.
@#$%^&*!
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1910691,00.html
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Geopolitics are Thrilling. Really.
"Nations have no permanent freinds and no permanent enemies but only permanent interests," writes George Friedman in The Next 100 Years.
The canny prognosticator writes with assurance and vigor--his forecasts are based on an extensive understanding of history's patterns--about population trends, technology, future wars, space exploration, the rise of Mexico and alliances (Japan and Turkey!) in the 21st century.
This fascinating page-turner reads like a thriller.
The canny prognosticator writes with assurance and vigor--his forecasts are based on an extensive understanding of history's patterns--about population trends, technology, future wars, space exploration, the rise of Mexico and alliances (Japan and Turkey!) in the 21st century.
This fascinating page-turner reads like a thriller.
Rebranding Womenswear--in a Recession.
Love, love, love the new Chico's print ads, which are chic, playful, impactful and current. The merchandise looks younger and fresher and the ads reflect that boldness.
What hasn't changed: the great customer service.
Makes me wanna shop!
What hasn't changed: the great customer service.
Makes me wanna shop!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Working Through Fear.
Best-known as the quirky red-headed daughter from Six Feet Under, the actress Lauren Ambrose spoke in the September issue of O magazine about fear.
"Every single time I begin a job I think, I'm a fraud. I'm going to get fired. What am I doing here? They're going to find me out. What helps is really living with what it feels like to be that afraid, and beginning from there. The fear is the way through."
All of us live with fear every day. But economic fears have amped up the anxiety.
Ambrose's wise words might serve as an antecdote.
"Every single time I begin a job I think, I'm a fraud. I'm going to get fired. What am I doing here? They're going to find me out. What helps is really living with what it feels like to be that afraid, and beginning from there. The fear is the way through."
All of us live with fear every day. But economic fears have amped up the anxiety.
Ambrose's wise words might serve as an antecdote.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tat Chef?
A half hour into the premiere of Top Chef and what strikes me most? The lurid tattoos on both sexes. That and the prodigous use of hair gel.
Do these fashion flourishes offer a culinary advantage?
Do these fashion flourishes offer a culinary advantage?
Fierce Prose.
Here's an arresting image: "She kissed like a hungry angel."
It's from an essay in Kate Clinton's collection I Told You So.
It's from an essay in Kate Clinton's collection I Told You So.
Coolest Concert Video. Ever.
What is it about Iceland?
The music is haunting. The performers are singular. The landscape is otherworldy.
The ambient rock group Sigur Ros has created a most original and atmospheric documentary--part travelogue, really--that will have you Googling for flights.
They've captured an endless summer in this rare and beguiling film.
Netflix has the dreamy DVD. Get a preview at: http://www.heima.co.uk/.
The music is haunting. The performers are singular. The landscape is otherworldy.
The ambient rock group Sigur Ros has created a most original and atmospheric documentary--part travelogue, really--that will have you Googling for flights.
They've captured an endless summer in this rare and beguiling film.
Netflix has the dreamy DVD. Get a preview at: http://www.heima.co.uk/.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The E-Myth.
No question about it: the recession has spawned a spate of would-be entrepeneurs.
But Connie Glaser, writing in the Atlanta Business Journal says, that potential business owners need to confront the "e-myth" about success: chiefly that the very skill you possess--i.e, baking or landscaping--is not enough to sustain you as an entrepeneur.
Read her article at: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/08/17/smallb3.html
But Connie Glaser, writing in the Atlanta Business Journal says, that potential business owners need to confront the "e-myth" about success: chiefly that the very skill you possess--i.e, baking or landscaping--is not enough to sustain you as an entrepeneur.
Read her article at: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/08/17/smallb3.html
Monday, August 17, 2009
An Ode to Victoria's Undies.
Instead of pitching all those glossy lingerie catalogs, Billy Collins, a former U.S. Poet Laureate, cleverly peeled back the superficiality and exposed the stories of real women in underwear.
His observant prose in Victoria's Secret is witty, poignant and hopeful.
Read it at: http://www.class.uidaho.edu/cae_core/Links/CollinsVictoria.htm.
And if you like that, try Advice to Writers:
Even if it keeps you up all night,
wash down the walls and scrub the floor
of your study before composing a syllable.
Clean the place as if the Pope were on his way.
Spotlessness is the niece of inspiration.
The more you clean, the more brilliant
your writing will be, so do not hesitate to take
to the open fields to scour the undersides
of rocks or swab in the dark forest
upper branches, nests full of eggs.
When you fiind your way back home
and stow the sponges and brushes under the sink,
you will behold in the light of dawn
the immaculate altar of your desk,
a clean surface in the middle of a clean world.
From a small vase, sparkling blue, lift
a yellow pencil, the sharpest of the bouquet,
and cover pages with tiny sentences
like long rows of devoted ants
that followed you in from the woods.
His observant prose in Victoria's Secret is witty, poignant and hopeful.
Read it at: http://www.class.uidaho.edu/cae_core/Links/CollinsVictoria.htm.
And if you like that, try Advice to Writers:
Even if it keeps you up all night,
wash down the walls and scrub the floor
of your study before composing a syllable.
Clean the place as if the Pope were on his way.
Spotlessness is the niece of inspiration.
The more you clean, the more brilliant
your writing will be, so do not hesitate to take
to the open fields to scour the undersides
of rocks or swab in the dark forest
upper branches, nests full of eggs.
When you fiind your way back home
and stow the sponges and brushes under the sink,
you will behold in the light of dawn
the immaculate altar of your desk,
a clean surface in the middle of a clean world.
From a small vase, sparkling blue, lift
a yellow pencil, the sharpest of the bouquet,
and cover pages with tiny sentences
like long rows of devoted ants
that followed you in from the woods.
Happiness Now.
"Happiness is a way of traveling , and not a final destination." Robert Holden in Happiness Now!
I floated in a long-time friend's pool today. I surrendered to the water as he cradled my back, arched toward the sky.
The sky was not supposed to be blue. But it was.
Threatened rain didn't come. Skyscrapers shimmered in the late afternoon light. There was a cool breeze.
Too often, I travel to find happiness. Today I only journeyed 10 blocks for bliss.
I floated in a long-time friend's pool today. I surrendered to the water as he cradled my back, arched toward the sky.
The sky was not supposed to be blue. But it was.
Threatened rain didn't come. Skyscrapers shimmered in the late afternoon light. There was a cool breeze.
Too often, I travel to find happiness. Today I only journeyed 10 blocks for bliss.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Where Are Real Men?
Caught a recent TV showing of From Here to Eternity with Burt Lancaster.
Ahhh, I thought, as I surrendered to his undeniable cellouid power--there was a time when actors were men.
Grown-up men protraying other grown-up men on screen. Men of accomplishment, men of substance, men of danger, men of intelligence, men of sophisication, men of charm.
Men of heft.
Too many of today's male movie stars--Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper and Eric Bana come immediately to mind--are bland in comparison.
They seem to be made of balsa wood. They seem like boys compared to Burt.
Ahhh, I thought, as I surrendered to his undeniable cellouid power--there was a time when actors were men.
Grown-up men protraying other grown-up men on screen. Men of accomplishment, men of substance, men of danger, men of intelligence, men of sophisication, men of charm.
Men of heft.
Too many of today's male movie stars--Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper and Eric Bana come immediately to mind--are bland in comparison.
They seem to be made of balsa wood. They seem like boys compared to Burt.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Books as Security.
When asked about the power of first memories, writer Alain De Botton was quoted in the August issue of Psychologies magazine as saying, "Books were my safety nets."
As a lifelong reader and eventual writer, I can relate. At an early age, books were a refuge for me, too.
My beloved 5th grade teacher, Mr. Michelob, used to let me sit out dreaded recess in the back of the classroom, which he had fashioned into a U-shaped cubicle stacked with books.
There, as other kids played tag, I discoverd an abiding adoration for words.
As a lifelong reader and eventual writer, I can relate. At an early age, books were a refuge for me, too.
My beloved 5th grade teacher, Mr. Michelob, used to let me sit out dreaded recess in the back of the classroom, which he had fashioned into a U-shaped cubicle stacked with books.
There, as other kids played tag, I discoverd an abiding adoration for words.
Summer's Last Read?
In between sending the kids to school and scheduling your final beach escape, find time for the immensely pleasurable book A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian.
Although it hit the shelves in 2005, it has the right pathos-to-punchline ratio, perfect for the dog days of summer.
Both the prose and premise are crackling. And memorable long after tank tops have been retired and sand has been emptied from your sneakers.
http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Tractors-Ukrainian-Novel/dp/1594200440
Although it hit the shelves in 2005, it has the right pathos-to-punchline ratio, perfect for the dog days of summer.
Both the prose and premise are crackling. And memorable long after tank tops have been retired and sand has been emptied from your sneakers.
http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Tractors-Ukrainian-Novel/dp/1594200440
The "Creamy Smear" of Celebrity.
James Wolcott writing in the September issue of Vanity Fair about Larry King's exploitation of dead celebrities, scribed a doozy of a spot-on sentence that stopped me cold:
"The orgy of attention lavished upon the creamy smear of Anna Nicole Smith's woozy demise and its awful aftermath was proof that a severe talent deficit is no hinderance to matyrdom in a postmodern Passion play."
"The orgy of attention lavished upon the creamy smear of Anna Nicole Smith's woozy demise and its awful aftermath was proof that a severe talent deficit is no hinderance to matyrdom in a postmodern Passion play."
Friday, August 14, 2009
RA Sushi.
Midtown Atlanta is the latest outpost--scratch, make that in-spot--for the Arizona-based RA Sushi chain.
The place was packed last night. The decibels were way too loud inside, so my vegetarian pal and I opted for the patio, which, remarkably had a breeze. Adorablly unruffled Ray took good care of us.
Among our favorites rolls: Yellow Monkey Rolls with roasted red peppers and marinated artichokes topped with cashews, and the Viva Las Vegas Rolls, cream cheese/tuna/crab showstoppers that looked like showgirls lined up on a white plate, topped with fried lotus root rounds. We kept our cool with Pure Stars, a sparkling sweet sake served cold.
Does the RA reference the Sun God? Or does it stand for Rockin' Ass?
Doesn't seem to matter based on the diverse crowd lapping up sushi and throwing back sake.
The place was packed last night. The decibels were way too loud inside, so my vegetarian pal and I opted for the patio, which, remarkably had a breeze. Adorablly unruffled Ray took good care of us.
Among our favorites rolls: Yellow Monkey Rolls with roasted red peppers and marinated artichokes topped with cashews, and the Viva Las Vegas Rolls, cream cheese/tuna/crab showstoppers that looked like showgirls lined up on a white plate, topped with fried lotus root rounds. We kept our cool with Pure Stars, a sparkling sweet sake served cold.
Does the RA reference the Sun God? Or does it stand for Rockin' Ass?
Doesn't seem to matter based on the diverse crowd lapping up sushi and throwing back sake.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
"You are a Great Conversationalist."
A piece of wisdom: If you listen--truly listen--people will feel heard.
You needn't say a word. Perhaps nod your head, cluck your tongue, smile, cup a hand. The connection will be made.
And you'll be called a great conversationalist.
You needn't say a word. Perhaps nod your head, cluck your tongue, smile, cup a hand. The connection will be made.
And you'll be called a great conversationalist.
Seoul Survivor.
Seoul has been in the news and on my mind.
Last winter, I was diverted from Thailand due to protests that shut the country's airports down. I was fortuitously re-routed through Seoul.
Talk about a soft landing.
Though I have traveled for years in Asia, I had never spent time Seoul. South Korea's capitol city is Asia-lite in the best sense: easy to navigate, full of English speakers, yet still thrillingly vibrant with an East-meets-West flair.
Perched on Mount Namsan--the city's highest point--The Grand Hyatt Seoul is an oasis for cosmopolitan residents, intrepid travelers, ex-pats and power brokers. There's a serene spa, a fantastic gourmet grocery store and, best of all, a gracious and accomodating staff.
Seoul is surprising in the best way: it exceeds expectations.
http://seoul.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
Last winter, I was diverted from Thailand due to protests that shut the country's airports down. I was fortuitously re-routed through Seoul.
Talk about a soft landing.
Though I have traveled for years in Asia, I had never spent time Seoul. South Korea's capitol city is Asia-lite in the best sense: easy to navigate, full of English speakers, yet still thrillingly vibrant with an East-meets-West flair.
Perched on Mount Namsan--the city's highest point--The Grand Hyatt Seoul is an oasis for cosmopolitan residents, intrepid travelers, ex-pats and power brokers. There's a serene spa, a fantastic gourmet grocery store and, best of all, a gracious and accomodating staff.
Seoul is surprising in the best way: it exceeds expectations.
http://seoul.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
Monday, August 10, 2009
500 Days of Summer.
Boy Meets Girl. It's a formulaic staple of song, books and movies.
But 500 Days of Summer is given a completely fresh reworking by the male writers and director, and especially the hugely appealing actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zoeey Deschanel.
This is pure celluloid joy. You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll want to hug a member of the opposite sex.
And face it: that's a winning formula.
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/500daysofsummer/
But 500 Days of Summer is given a completely fresh reworking by the male writers and director, and especially the hugely appealing actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zoeey Deschanel.
This is pure celluloid joy. You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll want to hug a member of the opposite sex.
And face it: that's a winning formula.
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/500daysofsummer/
Green Porno?
Who knew the lengths that dishy Italian actress Isabella Rossellini would go to in promoting animal mating habits?
Following a successsful first season in 2008, she continues to don silly homemade costumes to prove that "nature is scandalous" when it comes to sexual behavior.
The program is whimsical, informative and scientifcally accurate.
http://www.sundancechannel.com/greenporno/
Following a successsful first season in 2008, she continues to don silly homemade costumes to prove that "nature is scandalous" when it comes to sexual behavior.
The program is whimsical, informative and scientifcally accurate.
http://www.sundancechannel.com/greenporno/
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Delicious Cinema.
Nora Ephron, the writer-director of the new film Julie & Julia says her main goal was to make people walk out of the movie "starving to death."
Yes, the beouf bourguignon looks yummy. But I was hungry for more Meryl Streep, who stars as the indominable Julia Child.
Turns out Child was herself a real dish--spirited, sexy and unstoppable.
What a summer treat.
Yes, the beouf bourguignon looks yummy. But I was hungry for more Meryl Streep, who stars as the indominable Julia Child.
Turns out Child was herself a real dish--spirited, sexy and unstoppable.
What a summer treat.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Are you an Urban Pansy?
Does your favorite guy fall a bit short in the home improvement category?
This article from the August issue of GQ is one of the funniest I have read in ages.
http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_10057
This article from the August issue of GQ is one of the funniest I have read in ages.
http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_10057
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
When in Istanbul..
For the past 2 weeks, I have been in Turkey taking care of complex (family) business.
It's been made easier by the staff at Istanbul's chic Radisson Blu, situated right on the Bosphorus. It's a true 'see and be seen' spot--posh but not pretentious.
Against the lapping waves at StarBoard restaurant, a diverse crowd can be spotted.
Tycoons arrive via boat wıth coiffed models, businesspeople close deals over cocktails and wealthy Saudi women in black abayas converse in family groups. The city's top clubs are mere steps away. The scene reminds me of South Beach Miami.
Until the moon rises and the call to prayer echoes from the mosque.
Then I am reminded that nowhere on earth is Istanbul. A city both enduring and contemporary, a bewitching blend of East and West.
http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-istanbul
It's been made easier by the staff at Istanbul's chic Radisson Blu, situated right on the Bosphorus. It's a true 'see and be seen' spot--posh but not pretentious.
Against the lapping waves at StarBoard restaurant, a diverse crowd can be spotted.
Tycoons arrive via boat wıth coiffed models, businesspeople close deals over cocktails and wealthy Saudi women in black abayas converse in family groups. The city's top clubs are mere steps away. The scene reminds me of South Beach Miami.
Until the moon rises and the call to prayer echoes from the mosque.
Then I am reminded that nowhere on earth is Istanbul. A city both enduring and contemporary, a bewitching blend of East and West.
http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-istanbul
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