9:15 AM January 19, 2023 Bar Alfalfa, Sevilla, Spain: I walk into a staccato of Spanish. Loud. Animated. Relentless. It sounds like a fight is about to break out, yet it ends with a slap on the back, a hug…. Read More ›
Expat life
Morning in Paris
A small crowd is gathering. It’s 10 minutes past the posted opening time, yet no one seems fussed. In Paris, things happen when they happen, which is to say a beat or two late. C’est la vie. Once inside we… Read More ›
Thanksgiving and the Rest of the Story
The Callahans are convening in Charlottesville this year. A local French chef is preparing our Thanksgiving dinner. A baker in town is making the pies. My sweating and swearing days in the kitchen are—thankfully—over. As a family, we will gather… Read More ›
A story about wine—and life
This story begins in late August of this year at the restaurant Parc on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. My son Ryan, Pat and I had all ordered the steak frites. My job was to choose the wine; I wanted a… Read More ›
Summer vacation
Summer vacation. August 2022: We are heading north on I-81 in Virginia, the Subaru stuffed full with every potential vacation accoutrement: folding chairs, bottles of wine, citronella candles. Pat is driving. Every 25 miles, he asks me how excited I… Read More ›
The World In Between 