Books, Chocolate, Sundries.

I met the documentary producer Pagan Harleman at the MacDowell Colony in 2002; this fall, she took a leave from her job to volunteer on the Obama campaign, telling them, “Give me the hardest job you have.” They sent her to one of the most Republican counties in Colorado…and the rest, as they say, is [...]

A friend told me about this site, Jewzo, and I was thrilled to find out that I was born in the Year of the Bagel. Here’s the description of the Year of the Bagel types: You’re pliable and always bounce back, although you feel something’s missing in your center. If this persists, get some therapy. [...]

I heard this story told by Sam Harmon on NPR three years ago, and I never forgot it; it made me cry when I first heard it, and when I’ve listened to it every time since. It’s such a sad, honest, and eloquently-told story of our country’s painful past, and it resonates even more profoundly [...]

Our holiday travels to Rochester, NY brought a culinary discovery: the Garbage Plate. My husband grew up in Rochester, but he somehow never before mentioned that this is the signature dish of his native city. What, might you ask, is a garbage plate? It’s hash browns, macaroni salad, two hamburger patties or “two hots” (aka [...]

Tags: Asian Legend, dim sum, Garbage Plate, Lai Wah Heen, soup dumplings, St. Lawrence Market, travel