Category: rumination

April 25, 2023

Rumination 41: Short Flight Away…

The Princesses Mary and Sophia Stuart had been entombed next to each for nearly 400 years before I stumbled across them. It was in one of those tourist booklets found in gift shops, this one bought by my parents at Westminster Abbey and given to me ahead of my first trip to London when I […]

April 25, 2023

Rumination 41: Short Flight Away…

The Princesses Mary and Sophia Stuart had been entombed next to each for nearly 400 years before I stumbled across them. It was in one of those tourist booklets found in gift shops, this one bought by my parents at Westminster Abbey and given to me ahead of my first trip to London when I […]

April 7, 2023

rumination 40: good enough…

Of the many crimes that industry awards are accused of committing, one of the gravest is the failure to be sufficiently inclusive. The problem with this complaint – well, one of the many, many problems with it – is that I haven’t seen any of the accusers define “sufficiently inclusive.” What does “sufficiently inclusive” mean, […]

April 7, 2023

rumination 40: good enough…

Of the many crimes that industry awards are accused of committing, one of the gravest is the failure to be sufficiently inclusive. The problem with this complaint – well, one of the many, many problems with it – is that I haven’t seen any of the accusers define “sufficiently inclusive.” What does “sufficiently inclusive” mean, […]

January 13, 2023

rumination 39: outrageousness über alles…

If fact is stranger than fiction, what does that say about “The Menu,” the recently released dark, comedy horror film on HBO Max that satirizes destination dining? (There are no plot spoilers here.) For those who are steeped in the culture, the references to specific chefs and restaurants are satisfyingly clear. The clap that […]

January 13, 2023

rumination 39: outrageousness über alles…

If fact is stranger than fiction, what does that say about “The Menu,” the recently released dark, comedy horror film on HBO Max that satirizes destination dining? (There are no plot spoilers here.) For those who are steeped in the culture, the references to specific chefs and restaurants are satisfyingly clear. The clap that […]

October 6, 2020

rumination 38: bonfire of the vanities…

– All first-year law school students in the United States are introduced to American jurisprudence through six, core courses: Constitutional Law, Tort Law, Property Law, Contract Law, Civil Procedure, and some form of legal research and writing. Almost all law schools also require a course on the federal rules of evidence (commonly known simply as […]

October 6, 2020

rumination 38: bonfire of the vanities…

– All first-year law school students in the United States are introduced to American jurisprudence through six, core courses: Constitutional Law, Tort Law, Property Law, Contract Law, Civil Procedure, and some form of legal research and writing. Almost all law schools also require a course on the federal rules of evidence (commonly known simply as […]

August 29, 2018

rumination 37: killing meritocracy…

A few months ago, I posted a picture of a plate of food to my Instagram story. I purposely framed the photo tightly – providing as little visual information as possible beyond the linen-lined table top. But by context, it was clear that I was at a rather nice restaurant, with frilly rimmed china and […]

August 29, 2018

rumination 37: killing meritocracy…

A few months ago, I posted a picture of a plate of food to my Instagram story. I purposely framed the photo tightly – providing as little visual information as possible beyond the linen-lined table top. But by context, it was clear that I was at a rather nice restaurant, with frilly rimmed china and […]

April 14, 2015

rumination 31: a martyr and a millionaire…

One of my biggest criticisms about food media today is that they tell us what is “good,” instead of telling us what we need to know in order to determine what is good, for ourselves. They tell us where to eat and who to know, without a deeper conversation as to why. My recent blog post […]

April 14, 2015

rumination 31: a martyr and a millionaire…

One of my biggest criticisms about food media today is that they tell us what is “good,” instead of telling us what we need to know in order to determine what is good, for ourselves. They tell us where to eat and who to know, without a deeper conversation as to why. My recent blog post […]

April 30, 2014

travel: scatter my ashes at isetan…

~ My friend Tomo knows I have a hard time finding clothes that fit. So, she took me to Isetan. Isetan is a high-end department store in Tokyo’s hyper-commercialized Shinjuku ward (the department store is located next to Shinjuku Station, the busiest train station in the world). The leather and laces lining the walls of its shoe section, alone, […]

April 30, 2014

travel: scatter my ashes at isetan…

~ My friend Tomo knows I have a hard time finding clothes that fit. So, she took me to Isetan. Isetan is a high-end department store in Tokyo’s hyper-commercialized Shinjuku ward (the department store is located next to Shinjuku Station, the busiest train station in the world). The leather and laces lining the walls of its shoe section, alone, […]

January 14, 2014

rumination 29: we need more experts…

A group of us were huddling together in the frigid night when our taxi – one of those odd European hybrids with a cramped third row of seats in the back – pulled up. Daniel Boulud was the first to jump in, crawling into the far, back corner. Someone else jumped in after him, but […]

January 14, 2014

rumination 29: we need more experts…

A group of us were huddling together in the frigid night when our taxi – one of those odd European hybrids with a cramped third row of seats in the back – pulled up. Daniel Boulud was the first to jump in, crawling into the far, back corner. Someone else jumped in after him, but […]

January 4, 2013

rumination 27: tyranny of the masses…

In the February, 2013 issue of Vanity Fair, Corby Kummer issued a long-winded, cynical, and, in my opinion, rather narrow-minded, criticism of tasting menus (“Tyranny – It’s What’s for Dinner“). Here is my response to Mr. Kummer’s article.

January 4, 2013

rumination 27: tyranny of the masses…

In the February, 2013 issue of Vanity Fair, Corby Kummer issued a long-winded, cynical, and, in my opinion, rather narrow-minded, criticism of tasting menus (“Tyranny – It’s What’s for Dinner“). Here is my response to Mr. Kummer’s article.