Slurping wetly and noisily at the nourishment that is New Orleans
When Shalom and I get together, a brief lunch stop can unravel into a day-long binge and that’s exactly what happened when we stopped into The Chieftain. We had planned to stop by her office in San Francisco and then head to the grocery store, so I could make dinner […]
After we left Mexicali Rose, my friends wanted to introduce me to one of the coolest jazz clubs in Oakland, Cafe Van Kleef. Known for a killer Greyhound, Cafe Van Kleef is located in the “Oaksterdam” district of downtown Oakland at 1621 Telegraph Avenue. The nickname developed quite recently due […]
Since I have been visiting my family in California, my eating regimen has been a total bust. Although I have been getting out and about more than usual, I have been balancing the new exercise with a healthy dose of local cuisine. For example, the other day my mother offered […]
It seems that more than allergies, large hips and early onset gray hair runs in my family, there’s also the love of pho! Just the other day, my sister suggested lunch at a small Vietnamese restaurant in Foster City called Pho Saigon and much to my surprise, my mother and […]
Since I have been back in the Bay Area, my mother has been making all kinds of delicious Persian food, something I never get when I am at home in New Orleans. I can always make it, but most recipes feed a small army! Anyhow, I will enjoy it while […]
Ever since I moved to New Orleans, I have needed for nothing in the realm of incredible cuisine. From gumbo to pho, the Crescent City has a lot to choose from, but there is one item it lacks: an delectable, yet affordable burrito. Whenever I come back to visit my […]
In the past month, I discovered that my father’s health was rapidly deteriorating. Through the years, he’s endured asthma, emphysema and two triple-bypass heart surgeries. After several frantic telephone calls and too many unanswered questions, I returned to my birth city of San Mateo to be with my family during […]
As soon as I stepped into St. Joe’s on the corner of Magazine and Joseph Streets, I was immediately upset that it took me so long to finally get there. Ever since that crazy first year in New Orleans with Shalom, I developed an affinity for the “dive bar” and […]
In the premiere episode of HBO’s Treme, there is a scene where John Goodman’s character is ranting about the levee failures to a British television crew. At one point, the journalist questions the reality behind the rumors that local city officials blew up part of the levees in an attempt […]
Could you imagine knowing the luxury of dining in a restaurant where you are served seven courses of culinary art, each dish an original masterpiece? Have you ever dared to dream of epicurean nirvana, where a chef’s heavenly creations enable sensory bliss? Do you have the financial wherewithal to make […]
Known globally from famous photographs taken in her own flamboyantly vivid Mardi Gras costumes, Michelle Levine is more than just one of New Orleans’ most recognized characters. She’s an incredible artist who is not only enthusiastic about her work, she is excited about anyone who is excited about art. Michelle’s […]
Whether it be due to divergent cultural influences, the sticky swamp air or too much cayenne pepper, you can expect the unexpected when you live in New Orleans. I’ve had some of the most intense, most vividly colorful experiences of my entire life in this city, from getting hit on […]
I’ve been getting outside more often than ever, walking my dog, running errands and exploring my neighborhood and as much as I am enjoying all this time outside…it’s friggin’ hot out there! Last week, I went to the Crescent City Farmers Market with my friend Dani and we shopped (I […]