Travel & Food

  • In Praise of the Thanksgiving Sandwich

    In Praise of the Thanksgiving Sandwich

    My father, the wisest and kindest man on the planet, believes that any food worth eating can be turned into a sandwich. I take this parental proverb to heart every Thanksgiving. For as long as I can remember, I’ve eaten my Thanksgiving dinner in sandwich form. A Thanksgiving dinner sandwich…

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  • Sunrise Over Miami Beach

    Sunrise Over Miami Beach

    I’m used to seeing the sunrise from the west coast of Florida.1 This morning, I got to see it from the other side of the state. The Complimentary Spouse and I were in Miami Beach for the weekend, so we woke up early to see the sun come up. I…

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  • Out and About on South Beach and Lincoln Road

    Out and About on South Beach and Lincoln Road

    The Complimentary Spouse and I were out on the town in Miami Beach Saturday night. Here are some of the things we saw.

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  • Bird Lines

    Our neighborhood has looked a bit Hitchcockian since the weather got cool. Large flocks of birds have taken up residence on power lines all over South Tampa. It looks a bit menacing, doesn’t it? I assure you there’s nothing to worry about unless you believe in omens or don’t like…

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  • Whimsy in Havana

    Whimsy in Havana

    I wrote a post yesterday about a display of whimsy I discovered in Sarasota. I just realized that I didn’t mention one of the most whimsical places the Complimentary Spouse and I have ever visited: Havana, Cuba. When Americans think about Havana, they usually picture dilapidated buildings, food shortages, and…

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  • How A-Door-Able!

    How A-Door-Able!

    I often hear the word “whimsy” used to describe things that are weird, but I think the definition goes far beyond that. Whimsical things are quaint, imaginative, and surprising. They catch you off guard and make you smile. Here’s a good example of whimsy: This morning, while exploring Sarasota’s Bayfront…

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  • Around the World in 15 Elephant Photos

    Around the World in 15 Elephant Photos

    In 2003, on a layover in Dallas on our way from Denver to Tampa, the Complimentary Spouse and I were downcast after an upsetting incident with his family. To cheer Britt up, I bought him a little stuffed elephant at a kiosk.1 We named the elephant Daal because he came…

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  • I Thought This Song Had Been Outlawed by the United Nations

    The Complimentary Spouse arrived at our fancy-schmancy dinner last night and heard the tail end of this song being played in the bar. Listen for a few seconds and you’ll recognize it. Is this really the right tune for an expensive steakhouse?

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  • Yo MoMA’s so Big …

    Yo MoMA’s so Big …

    I was going to start this post by saying that MoMA in New York is my second-favorite art museum in the world. But, as I started to write, it no longer seemed right to rank art museums because, like doggos, they’re all the absolute best. Any place that makes art…

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  • Georgia (the Other One) on my Mind

    Another culinary adventure is in the books! The Complimentary Spouse and I had dinner last night at Old Tbilisi, a Georgian restaurant in New York, and I’m delighted to report that it was delicious. Many great things stood out on the menu, but Britt and I decided to share two…

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