Washington DC
How to win friends and influence people
Tuesday, May 14th, 2013Our nieces came to visit a couple of weeks ago — they are eight and four — and my husband and I planned a weekend of activities: zoo, pool, playroom. We scouted out the best kid-appealing food, including Shake Shack, Sweetgreen (they loved it), and pizza delivered right to our apartment door. And to seal [...]
Ricardo
Wednesday, May 1st, 2013Before I tell you about my favorite chocolate tart, I want to talk about Ricardo. Who is that? I wish I knew. Here are some Ricardo facts: He has a skin condition. He has foot pain. He is on prescription medication. He has a telephone number very similar to mine. Somewhere, somehow, Ricardo switched a [...]
The gentleman farmer
Friday, April 26th, 2013I’ve been fascinated by Thomas Jefferson ever since I wrote an article following his 1787 visit through the vineyards and cellars of Burgundy. Four years as envoy to France had made Jefferson quite an oenophile — or, perhaps I should say, oeno-fanatic. When he returned to the United States in 1789, he received regular shipments [...]
Blossoms
Tuesday, April 16th, 2013There are some days when we are the best version of ourselves, and so it was for Washington last Wednesday. The weather — a raging 85 degrees F — said summer but the cherry trees insisted it was spring, bursting forth in clouds of pale pink, adorning the Tidal Basin in frills. The first time [...]
Cranberry-chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
Tuesday, March 26th, 2013I felt sure spring was coming because when I went to the Farmer’s Market this weekend I noticed the carrots had disappeared. True, there were Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, and other winter vegetables that don’t hail from Europe. True, I saw nary a flutter of asparagus, or strawberries, or — that American peculiarity — ramps. [...]
Between
Thursday, October 4th, 2012It is supposed to 86 degrees Fahrenheit today. It is October. Yes, the weather and the time of year are disconnected — and I think it has started to affect my emotional state. Because ever since I got to Washington, I’ve felt like I’ve been floating. Between seasons. Between cities. Between projects. My life in [...]
Carte postale: L’automne arrive
Tuesday, September 18th, 2012Good news: We have moved to a new apartment! Bad news: Our kitchen is still in boxes, the boxes are piled waist-high, and last week I managed to set my laptop in a puddle of water where it rested for over 24 hours. As if I don’t have enough going on, I’m also on deadline [...]
Carte postale: Farm fresh
Tuesday, September 11th, 2012Greetings from Washington, DC! We’re still in furnished housing while we find a place to live. For now, I’m reveling in the things you can’t find in France, like sweet corn from the Farmer’s Market, so fresh its juices ran down my chin.