On Friday night, two friends took me to O-Ya for a lovely Japanese birthday dinner in Boston. None of the three of us were eating meat, since my two friends are vegetarians (who eat eggs and drink milk) and I am still on my pescatarian dairy-free kick (or what I like to call “torture”), SO [...]

I am not a strict cook. I want things to taste very, very good but if what I make wanders beyond the pale of antique rules and regulations, dictums from notable chefs, and even the advice of my butcher, I really couldn’t care less. I suggested a simple dinner to my friend, an exceptionally good [...]

The hardest thing about reviewing cookbooks is following the recipes. Even when you know they’re leading you off a cliff. If you don’t do exactly as you’re told, you can’t fairly evaluate the book; the tiniest liberty taken can skew the whole result. So I try not to whine when I make enormous changes at [...]

FADE IN: Pregnant and possibly tired-looking WOMAN sitting on subway train, reading book, minding own beeswax. ENTER (cue from Conductor: “Pleastancleardaclosindoors”): Nice-looking YOUNG CHAP, carrying two obviously-heavy, delectable-smelling canvas bags. YOUNG CHAP hauls bags to seat near WOMAN and places bags on seat, then remains standing over the bags, as if on watch over them. [...]

There are many reasons to tune in to the Oscars, especially this year when there are two stellar hosts, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. There’s the fun of the red carpet, seeing all the celebs dressed to the nines, and considering how long the telecast lasts, the suspense you feel waiting to find out who [...]