Inspiration Required

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What inspired “A Suitable Necklace?”
As a writer, I am often asked about inspiration, especially upon the publication of a book.
What inspires me? Where do I find it? How does it manifest?
I always try and give an honest answer, and one, that as Doctor Henry Kissinger said of a selling argument, has the added advantage of being true.

A Virtual Dinner: Viva Cuba!

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For this virtual dinner party, a Cuban feast!

This is NOT America…

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This is not America….so sang David Bowie in 1985. The song was recorded with Pat Metheny for a movie called “The Falcon & the Snowman,” a spy drama starring Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn about two young, privileged American men who sold CIA secrets to the Soviets, destroying their lives and ruining their families.The song got its’ title from a scene in the movie in which Sean Penn’s character is arrested and beaten by the police in Mexico City. “I am an American citizen,” Penn shouts, implying his entitled rights, to which the policeman replies, “but this is not America.”

Life’s Simple Pleasures

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Simple pleasures are experiences that are exactly as described: simple. They are everyday experiences that don’t take forever to plan or schedule, but mainly, they balance our life, allow the prism to shift from our mad, daily schedules to certain things that fill our souls and make us whole again.
Simple pleasures are highly personal: what is a simple pleasure for me may not be one for you.

A Virtual Dinner Party: Lamb Ragù

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Lamb ragù recreated from memories of a dinner a quarter of a century ago in Sardegna

A Virtual Dinner Party: Harissa Chicken

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Entertaining at home is the apex of hospitality. Inviting people for dinner you have spent time preparing is so rewarding, n’est-ce pas? These days, even if you can’t physically be with your friends, you can still have dinner.

The Great Chef, Floyd Cardoz

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“I’m so sorry,” sad a tearful voice on the other end of the telephone early this morning. “About what?” I asked, groggy, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. “Chef Floyd…” came the response. “Oh no,” I sagged back down against the pillows. “It’s not possible…” I knew he’d been ill…but it couldn’t be. Not…

A ‘Golly’ Moment

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Yes, it is a bit of a ‘golly’ moment in New York isn’t it? Uncertainty is awful. But, it is a necessary step towards reinvention, which is what I’ve been doing for the past year and a half. On average, over the past 30 years, I must have reinvented myself a good half a dozen…

To Be Or Not To Be … A Wine Sommelier

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I read somewhere recently that one should be proud of one’s choices…and not necessarily one’s talents. Hmmm…? Because choices involve working hard, and the achievements that follow are worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears you put into it. Let’s just say for a moment you are lucky enough to have a gift, if…

Wine & Warmth

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These days, when you tell someone that you’re a wine sommelier, they inevitably register a look of awe: eyebrows raised, eyes wide, mouth gaping… “You must be really smart,” is the opening line that invariably follows. Thank you “Somm,” the 2013 documentary that follows four wine captains in their quest for the Master Sommelier certification.…