Years ago I was stalked by a young lion in South Africa. It was a sunny, sultry afternoon deep in the bush. I heard a snarl. The lion’s eyes and mine met. I looked away. Bloody mistake. The lion charged and . . . Sorry, I only tell the rest of the story after a […]

The Midwestern microbrewery scene is hopping and if you doubt it, wander down the beer aisle of your favorite liquor store or lift a bottle or pint in your favorite pub and check out the label. Locally crafted French farmhouse and India pale ales, lagers, porters, hefeweizens, stouts, black saisons and other Midwestern pours have […]

As you belly up to the tasting bar, you opt for a single varietal from California. Full-bodied with a hint of newly mown grass and a peppery finish, it’s a liquid delight. Yet you’d never want to drink a full glass of this stuff, made from a small fruit–but not a grape.
Olive oil: Increasingly, […]

The building blocks of a great home bar are of course top-shelf liquors. But the next step is high-end accessories.
Consider Tiffany’s sterling silver Monkey Straw. Sterling silver, 7.25 inches long and $155, it definitely makes a statement. We suggest slipping it into an appropriately extravagant drink - perhaps a home-brewed version of the $950 Reserve […]

Fifty years after its publication debut, Bon Appetit launches its first cookbook this month. And the Conde Nast magazine compensates for lost time. The Bon Appetit Cookbook is 1,200 recipes deep, all taken from past issues of the monthly magazine.
Bon Appetit editor-in-chief Barabara Fairchild reports in an online interview that the 1,200 recipes were whittled […]

Got your eye on an item from fashion week? Consider borrowing it. A piece in last week’s New York Times highlights the growing trend of borrowing luxury goods. Seems everyone from the aspiring business mogul to the city socialite understands the value of temporary ownership.
It’s a taste of the good life without any of the […]

Remember when pomegranates were some exotic fruit no one knew much about?
The last few years have seen a bit of a pomegranate invasion. POM Wonderful, producer of the ubiquitous POM pomegranate juice, has made it its mission to spread the pomegranate gospel. Have you heard? The juice is sweet, tart, tasty and good for you […]

The brown bag is all grown up
It’s not exactly news that packing lunch is a healthy, cost-efficient choice. A homemade turkey sandwich and some baked chips will do a lot more for your heart and your wallet than a burger and fries. But, that brown bag can be so boring.
Enter the adult lunch box.
Seems there’s […]