Have you ever heard of currywurst? It’s the kind of food that makes you scratch your head a little and wonder why somebody would want to eat something with a name like that. But let me tell you about it and see if you don’t change your mind. One morning on our recent trip to New York City, we bundled up to the max and set out across town to Chelsea Market, braving the icy winds. We blew in the…
In the spirit of Valentine’s day, I give to you one of my favorite love stories ever. Max Shulman: Love is a Fallacy Cool was I and logical. Keen, calculating, perspicacious, acute and astute—I was all of these. My brain was as powerful as a dynamo, precise as a chemist’s scales, as penetrating as a scalpel. And—think of it!—I only eighteen. It is not often that one so young has such a giant intellect. Take, for example, Petey Bellows, my…
When I lived in Illinois, my roommates and I split our expenses via a very high tech little tattered notebook full of scribbles. It worked alright, but my brain didn’t love the extra math workout each time we tried to balance what we owed each other. When Lyn and I moved in together, we upgraded to a slightly higher form of expense splitting, and I can’t stop recommending it to people. The app is called Splitwise, and it’s free on…
I first encountered Jenny through her blog, Dinner, a Love Story, and I was drawn in by the color and humor and her lovely writing style. Imagine my delight then, when I opened a present from Lyn and found her book inside. How to Celebrate Everything is just what the title implies, a guide to all the popular holidays, as well as many other occasions that deserve celebrating just because. For instance, check out her “Yay, It’s Wednesday Cake!” and see if that…
People love to make fun of how southerners respond to snow. I mean, even I like to make fun of the way they wipe out the bread and milk selections at the first flake. But there is one thing that people forget to take into account, and that is… …Southerners know how to enjoy snow. When it snows in the north, the people bundle up and grimly go on about their lives, just waiting for the snow to go away. But…
You know how sometimes you come across a book that just warms the cockles of your heart and makes you wish you could crawl inside it and live there? Meet “The Blue Castle” by L.M. Montgomery. I was introduced to Montgomery a bit late in life, which perhaps makes my delight in her writing just that much greater, since I can appreciate its skill more now than as a kid. And of all my favorites of hers, I believe “The Blue…
There was a spot I passed every day on my way to work for many months. I saw the sign advertising that Daniel Boone’s parents were buried there, and while it always piqued my interest, I never managed to find the time to stop in. Until one day I glanced in on my way by and the gorgeous leaves just drew me in; I had to stop. So I pulled in, and this is what I found. A hush pervades…
When I was a kid, one of the men at church did a children’s lesson using Oreos as the illustration. “These two cookies are like two people,” he said, “And the frosting between is the love that holds them together.” I’m not sure exactly what point he was trying to impress on our eight-year-old minds, but I’ve never forgotten that Oreos mean love. For years I had some friends with whom I would trade packs of Oreos on special occasions,…
When I was in school, I simply hated the writing assignments I was given. I used to groan about having “Nothing to write about!” and dread the days I had to write poetry and essays. But somewhere along the road, things changed. Maybe it was after school when I could write about whatever I pleased, or maybe it was when I learned to be a speedy typist, and my fingers could keep up with my thoughts. Whatever the case, somewhere…
Any writer knows that one of the best ways to write well is to read good writing. And we are lucky, because unlike our grandparents, we don’t have to rely on books for this. We can pick up our phones and find a wealth of lovely articles at our fingertips. And if you create art in other ways than writing, there is so much inspiration abounding online. Gorgeous pictures, recipes for everything you could ever want, house decor…it’s endless. I…
A friend of mine gave me this book one year for my birthday, and I have to say, it is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. Although it is laid out like a child’s book, and would probably appeal to children as well, it is rather more suited to an older readership. It tells the story of Jesus’ life and death, in the most beautiful poetry and illustrations. But let me show you, rather than tell…
Maybe I’ve told you this before. If so, my apologies in advance, but here goes. My roommate and I have a summer tradition we love. After work on a Friday night, we’ll head to Winston Salem and spend an hour at the mega thrift store there. Once we’re shopped out, we make a stop at Trader Joe’s and grab some of our favorites. A baguette Triple cream Brie with mushrooms Green and kalamata olives in herbs Ginger beer Dark chocolate…