Sucked in like a rube by a carnival barker, that’s what you are. You are relaxing on the couch, minding your own damn business, not paying attention to the dribble spitting from the television, when a tiny niblet suddenly squirms through your defenses and Velcros itself to your consciousness. It may be a (more…)
I am only a short-term visitor, but trust me: Florida in July is absolutely miserable.
Oh sure, people are friendly and polite and far less stressed than those back in New Jersey. But the weather here is brutal. It is Arabian hot and the humidity hovers around 6000%. Strange creatures regularly (more…)
During a recent episode of Chopped, that sadistic show on The Food Network where accomplished chefs attempt to cook elegant meals out of disparate ingredients, one of the contestants was asked why he chose the restaurant business. He said he always (more…)
Salt Lake City – where people find themselves
Salt Lake City is not a place a person expects to find oneself, especially if that person is a male who makes a daily conscious decision not to wear starched white button down shirts with well-knotted neckties. Yet that is exactly what happened last Friday. In this bright city nestled (more…)
It was a stunning May afternoon when Caryn and I drove to the outskirts of Sedona. Our goal was to hike the Boynton Canyon Trail. Local legend claimed the trail led to the elusive Boynton Vortex, a mystical spot of spiritual renewal and comfort. I was both (more…)
We moved the summer I turned ten, leaving midtown for downtown. My parents bought an old, weather-beaten, single family house, two miles to the south. Two miles was no different than two thousand. Downtown was a foreign land, much like Portugal or Brooklyn, one I knew nothing about, with weird stores, (more…)
Before the mid-20th century decorative art was the exception, reserved for those looking to exalt wealth and status. Back then walking through a well-appointed manor was like strolling through an eclectic gallery accompanied by a guide with the social awareness of a melon and the subtlety of a gorilla.
I was just minding my own business…
“I shot this big fella during a safari on the Serengeti two summers ago,” the host bragged while pointing at (more…)
For several decades Caryn’s grandparents owned a chicken farm. They stopped raising chickens further back than Caryn’s memories take her and sold the property about 30 years ago when they retired. I have heard stories about the farm, but never had a chance to see it. So on a glorious Saturday afternoon we impulsively (more…)
It takes more than a few days of wandering around with a camera to capture the essence of any place. Many people wander for years and it escapes them. I spent a good portion of my recent five days in New Orleans trying to capture on digital film at least a tiny glimpse of what makes this city such a (more…)
I re-watched Mr. Deeds Goes to Town a few days ago, Frank Capra’s 1936 fanciful tale of Longfellow Deeds, an everyman from rural Vermont who inherits a vast fortune. It contains many hallmark Capra elements: a good person forced to confront a whirlwind of greed and/or corruption, a sentimental and idealized view of small town life, a smart, savvy female lead, and snappy, intelligent dialogue. It is by all accounts very Capraesque.
The first time viewer may think the movie horribly dated, one that shows every wrinkle and crease of its 77 years. We no longer tolerate plot advancement through (more…)
Trask Avenue 