For the past two weeks, I have been awoken by the sound of a chisel banging against the facade of the brownstone across the street. It is being refaced, and this is a noisy affair. Yesterday, I decided to find out how long the construction would last. I walked across the street and asked one [...]
According to Mexican tradition, the burrito was invented by Juan Mendez, a street vendor who sold tacos wrapped in large flour tortillas during the Mexican Revolution, 100 years ago. Mendez transported himself and his food on a donkey or burro. Hence the name burrito. In the ensuing 100 years, the burrito has, in my opinion [...]
Whenever I go to The Strand, that huge bookstore whose canvas bag is carried by every other New York City girl, I run into a snooty employee. Last year, I went there looking for a copy of Demian by Hermann Hesse. I found an attendant and asked, “Do you have any Hermann Hesse?” pronouncing Hesse [...]
Hank Paulson was on Charlie Rose this week. I disagree with so much of what he said, I don’t know where to start. So I’ll just take a few of the most objectionable statements: Well, Charlie, the risk was a huge one, because if the system had collapsed, it would have been catastrophic for the [...]
Five good reasons not to vote for Scott Brown, based on the “issues” page of his web site: 1. Scott Brown plagiarizes his son’s social studies papers: “America is a great country but we also have some challenges that we need to solve if we’re going to remain the world’s superpower.” 2. Scott Brown does not [...]
My brother Matt posted this to craigslist: Free ham sandwich available for the taking. Sitting on the lawn at corner of Freemont Ave and 41st. Good sandwich, just never really got around to finishing it. Took a bite and then got really busy with graduate school. If you come by for it, PLEASE do not [...]
I was searching for my friend Alison Branch’s wedding web site. Into Google, I typed “branch wedding,” “alison branch wedding,” “branch meade wedding,” “branch wedding site:wedding.com,” etc., etc. To no avail: Google insisted on showing me wedding planners in Branch, SC; the Facebook page of an unrelated Ms. Branch; a story about the engineers from [...]
I’m reading Secrets by Daniel Ellsberg, the economist, former State Department staffer, and self-described “cold-warrior” who leaked the Pentagon Papers. The book is a memoir of the Vietnam War era. It chronicles how the Johnson administration deceived the electorate, escalated the war despite public opposition, and cultivated in the Executive a culture of secrecy and [...]
Last weekend, my dad and I stopped at Northampton Coffee. I was waiting for my customary decaf americano, perusing the muffins, when it hit me: “Hey, I’m supposed to be boycotting this place!” You see, about a year ago, my brother Matt had gone into the same cafe and asked whether the beans were fair [...]
When I was a kid, I used to go to my friend Dan Stern’s house every Wednesday after school. We’d play Castlevania, make vinegar and baking soda rockets, attack each other with rakes, concoct oozes from the stuff in his parents’ pantry and watch them burn in the oven, and do all kinds of stupid [...]