Life

  • During the Past 24 Hours . . .

    I noticed that my reviews of Cubana Café and Fuleen Seafood are finally up on NY Metro.I introduced myself to Mario Batali after using Otto as my surrogate living room for 2+ years.I gawked at Jake Gyllenhaal while he hung out in my "living room."I spoke to the Executive Director of New Orleans Legal Assistance,

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  • L’Chaim*

    Although it had been planned since the beginning of the summer, if not longer, there was something somewhat bittersweet about having a shrimp boil out at the beach this weekend.  It made me very sad in some ways, as I thought about the loss of the rich culinary culture of the New Orleans but so

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  • There Are Times

    when I really wonder about my own sanity.  Like when I find myself with Abracadabra by the Steve Miller Band stuck in my head.  It’s times like these when I really wish I had some sort of mind-eraser that would zap it right out of my brain.  Come to think of it, a gizmo like

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  • A Temporarily Empty Glass

    "What the . . .?  Who the . . .?  ‘Ello, luv."  That’s David’s typical greeting for me when I run into him at Otto or ‘inoteca.  When I first met him at Otto, we got along well, chatting about this, that, and the other thing, and discovering that we both sang in a cappella

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  • A Full Belly

    Well if I don’t have the energy to write a Gothamist column tonight, the least I can do is write something over here.  I’m feeling a little sluggish after the ribs and pulled pork at Blues, BBQ and Fireworks (lunch) and macaroni and cheese (dinner), but at least I went to the gym beforehand.  Thanks

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  • Ahh . . .

    I had a perfectly calm and relaxing night last night.  Leftovers from my Wednesday night cooking class (an international street food course, taught by the fine gentleman who taught my pig-roasting class and who will be joining me on the Vendy Awards judging panel), a stack of mail to sort through, a load of laundry,

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  • Slow Down, You’re Movin’ Too Fast*

    Very often, when people read my blog, they comment that I’m so busy, or that I do so many things.  I suppose I do, but I don’t think about it all that much — that’s the way my life has been for a while now.  I have friends I need to catch up with, places

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  • “And in the End . . .

    the love you take is equal to the love you make."  One of my all-time favorite quotes, from the Beatles.  A similar sentiment from Hugh: courtesy of Gaping Void

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  • Rats

    I’m not sure what was going on, but as I walked diagonally across Washington Square Park last night on the very last leg of my trip home from the beach, I saw more rats scurry across the path in front of me than I have ever seen before, and I’ve been walking across that park

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  • Apparently I Need to Have Coffee Before I Leave the House

    Yesterday I stumbled out into the world in my pre-caf haze and headed down into the underground oven of the West 4th Street subway stop.  I was thrilled to see that the train was just pulling in as I reached the bottom of the stairway.  I entered the cool, air-conditioned haven and buried my head

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