Confessions Of A Wedding Hater
The New York Times
If you’re reading this, and I attended your wedding, I’d like to apologize for my behavior.
You probably didn’t notice, what with the bouquet tossing, the garter belt removing and the photo session in a flower-festooned gazebo. Don’t worry, it’s not like I made out with the best man (even if I wanted to)…
Rusted Vestiges and Overgrown Eyesores: 6 Novels Set in Abandoned Places
Literary Hub
I blame my mother. While walking home on her last day of high school in 1966, she fastened the padlock from her locker to a random guardrail. For years, it dangled there, most likely unnoticed, until I came along…
Getting Into the Spirit
The New York Times
Everyone has a ghost story, or at least that’s how it has always seemed to me. My mother’s best friend used to tell a doozy about a soldier she met when she was a bookkeeper in the Air Force. He claimed to be a ghost, then proved it by walking into the middle of a moonlit airfield and disappearing before her eyes….
At Sydney Restaurant, Stars Are on the Plate
The New York Times
Plenty of restaurants draw a crowd, not because of their cuisine but because of their star-studded clientele. At trendy Bang in the Surry Hills neighborhood of Sydney, a message atop the menu announces that the place is a “favourite of celebrities.” But that does not mean diners are in for great people-watching at the risk of a lackluster meal.
Restaurant Report: Aux Ateliers in Maussane-les-Alpilles, France
The New York Times
A restaurant with a foosball table doesn’t exactly conjure visions of inventive Provençal cuisine served in a picture-book setting. But Aux Ateliers Chez Franck et Flo, nestled in a former ceramics shop on the outskirts of historic Maussane-les-Alpilles, has been drawing locals and tourists for myriad reasons, from foosball to formidable food.
Halloween: The Other Family Holiday
The Strand Magazine
“What are you going to be for Halloween?”My eight-year-old niece called to ask me that question this morning, and it made me remember the way I used to interrogate people on the same topic every October when I was a kid.
The House May Be Haunted. But in This Novel, Commitment Is Scarier.
The New York Times
Nick, the novel’s 20-something narrator, is a musician turned industry drone who lives with his girlfriend, Hannah, in Queens. It’s only three years into their relationship, yet they’re stuck in a rut…
VIEW; His Book Complete, Author Turns Model
The New York Times
CLYDE, my stylist, told me to spread my legs and look straight into the camera. I tried, but the photographer still seemed frustrated. ''Wider!'' Clyde instructed, then placed his hands on my knees and forced them east and west. ''Remember, it's all about your mind-set. You have to stare into the lens and give a look that lets them know what you've got…''
Sydney, Australia, day trips: Sights you can't miss
Newsday
Mention Sydney, Australia, and the mind conjures images of the city's opera house, glistening harbors and stunning bridges. On a first trip there recently, I managed to take in those worthwhile sites in a matter of days. With time to spare, I began exploring more in-depth excursions in and around the area…