Archive for Food/Restaurants – Page 6

The Perfect Latte…

urth-cafe

“When you aim for perfection you discover it’s a moving target.”

Geoffrey Fisher – Archbishop of Canterbury (1945-1961)

There are many strictures and cautionary tales about the pursuit of perfection and though the target may be elusive sometimes it’s all about the chase.

The Surviving Seattle blog began in the fall of 2012 as an antidote to the weather I hate in the city I love. I was looking for strategies to mitigate against the gray overcast, constant rain, and penetrating cold. I love writing this column and for the most part it’s kept the weather from defeating my optimism. I’ve written about films and food, books and bikes, art and architecture – even politics – but I’ve barely touched on the thing that gets me up and ready to open the front door and face the gloom. What is it?  What keeps me charged up, optimistic, and hopeful? Of course, it’s COFFEE and my quest for the perfect cup. read more

Be Kind. Make Art. Fight the Power…

zen-sand-garden

“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well”      

– Buddha

I’m trying…

Trying to stand up and rebalance after the political knockdown. Trying to refocus on the positive. Trying to take my cues from Colson Whitehead, this year’s National Book Award winner, who celebrated the redeeming power of art in his acceptance speech last night. His mantra for all of us – “Be kind to everybody, make art, and fight the power.” read more

Sweet Life and the Lure of Oregon’s Back Roads

sweet-life

Are we back in Paris? No. The Sweet Life Patisserie is just one of the many Oregon surprises we discovered on our back roads drive to San Francisco. This local treasure is tucked away in a quiet neighborhood (775 Monroe Street) in Eugene. It’s very American but the pastries and coffee are good as those in any patisserie we discovered in Paris. It’s always crowded, so you’ll likely change your mind more than once as you peer into the display case waiting your turn and feasting your eyes. read more

California Wine Country – without the hype

glen-ellen

This is the main intersection in the small town of Glen Ellen, California. The street sign in the photo directs visitors to 23 local wineries and tasting rooms. Just over the hill from Napa and a few miles north of Sonoma, this is California wine country without the hype. You’re not likely to see any Ferraris here, no Guccied-up juice bars, no designer boutiques, or four-figure dinners for two. It’s the kind of place you might have run into M.F.K. Fisher or Hunter Thompson (both former residents) at the local supermarket. read more

Timing is Everything…

IMG_4038

This came in the mail yesterday. It’s wildly misleading.

Well… I did pay my dues for 50 years. That must have been a factor. “Service” is another matter. Does it count if I only practiced (keyword) for 9 months?

Last week I noticed my old firm’s name roll by in the credits of Woody Allen’s latest film, Café Society. Yep, Loeb & Loeb is Woody’s legal counsel. How fitting. My experience at the firm was like something out of one of his films. On my first day, Goldie Cohen, a secretary for one of the senior partners, told me that as a goy I would never understand what was going on at L&L unless I knew a little  Yiddish. She offered to provide some informal tutoring, so whenever I passed her desk she offered up another Yiddish morsel. Meshuga, eh? read more