I moved to Los Angeles nearly 40 years ago in pursuit of my dream to become a television comedy writer. One of my fondest memories is of a wonderful cocktail, served at a splendid French restaurant in Sherman Oaks called Le Serre. The provider of that drink and spark to my Hollywood aspirations was my
It’s been a long sad spring. We’ve all lost track of time. In our desire to distance ourselves, who can remember what they were doing on March 21st? I’ve driven 3,000 miles in the past two weeks, but when all of this is but a distant memory, the 3.5 miles around Prospect Park is how
On a Saturday night in early March my wife and I had dinner out in Evanston, Illinois. We dined with good friends – an artist and his wife, an emergency room M.D. We asked our doctor friend, should we stay in because of this coronavirus? She made a reservation at a local Japanese place. I
Okay, so I’m not going to mention the elephant in the room. I know. We’re so worn out by it all. What I will mention is how I came to find out about this lovely cocktail with its unique combination of ingredients, born in the most unlikely of places. Last year, back when people were
Heroes do not take bows. I have a friend in Brooklyn, whom we’ll call Billy, who has a penchant for good, local food. His favorite family-run deli on Grand Street in Little Italy was on the brink and he wanted to do something. So he sent an email to his friends and neighbors. These guys
I was walking through Prospect Park the other day and saw a squirrel with a thick black bushy coat and thought, “Gee, it’s gonna be a long, snowy winter.” Then I realized it was April. Oh-kay!! Here is a dish that I posted on the ‘gram this week that got a lot of requests. The
At this point everyone is pretty much fed up with their own four walls and looking for ways to get in a little social interaction. If you’re like me, those Zoom calls were great the first few weeks, but the technology is really starting to wear thin. I’m pleased to note that people are starting
I first viewed this extraordinary photo of the Golden Gate Bridge taken by an old friend of mine about a week ago on Facebook. Here in New York we are cloistered in our sad and stricken little bubble. Since we can’t leave, I was having a hard time imagining what the rest of the country
Who likes to watch paint dry? Well, me, for starters. Ask my ex-wife. I once did 7 coats of our newborn’s bedroom before I figured out the streak I was trying to remove was actually a shadow. But I digress. Gravlax is sublime. Versatile. Healthy. And delicious. Your friends on Zoom will be impressed and
There has been no dearth of literature on the situation we all find ourselves in. No one is unaffected. Wherever you are reading this, you are trying to figure out what next? Who should you believe? What’s your personal plan of action? How are you going to stay sane? Fellow scribes of mine, blessed (or
