It took me a while, watching the first episode of a new series from Netflix, to realize that the illustrator being profiled was one I'd heard on NPR a few months ago. I don't know about you, but I'm drawn like a moth to flame when I hear creative people [...]
I'm definitely one of those types who learn best by doing. Oh, I did well with book and classroom learning when it really counted through my school years. Since then, though, I've learned far more by just diving into things and developing skills and absorbing knowledge along the way. My [...]
I've found myself more deeply engaged in the digital world these past six months or so, with classes for Craftsy (French Home Cooking and Homemade Salty Snacks) and my Northwest ebooks self-published via Kindle. After so many years producing print publications and teaching in-person classes, it's pretty fascinating to learn [...]
A couple of months ago my husband and I were at Etta's enjoying a Saturday dinner, sitting at the windows watching a lovely sunset unfold before us. I looked up from my crispy shrimp spring rolls to see a bald fellow fiddling with a bunch of luggage or equipment at the back [...]
Oh, to have been in New York City these past few days, where the culinary world has gathered for the annual James Beard Awards. I was there at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center last year for the glitzy festivities--complete with red carpet interviews and celebrity sightings. But couldn't swing [...]
I was traipsing around central Kentucky last week, picking up where I left off from my July trip there, for more bourbon and regional cooking research. And this week I'm in Pittsburgh, along for the ride while my husband takes a course at the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon. One [...]
One of the best monikers that's ever been given to me is that of "gin connoisseur." I wrote a review of a really engaging, informative little book called The Joy of Drinking by Barbara Holland, which appears in the current spring issue of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. My friend and [...]
That may be a stretch. It's not like I have a permanent gig or anything, but this is a change from the more regional snippets I've done for television in the past. I've got a small supporting role in episide 33 "The Inventors," part of the second season of Gourmet's Diary of a [...]
I know, I know. That doesn't sound at all earth-shattering. But around here it's rather novel. I've got one of those busy-body brains that doesn't do too well in pure quiet. There's most always something playing in the background to keep me humming along through the day. This morning began [...]
A few things are starting to surface this week that I've worked on in recent months. It's a funny thing about freelance writing. With the varied lag times between submission and publications, there can be a momentary surprise when something does show up in print. First, I have a brief piece [...]