
Someday I’d love to have a great florist (and we know a brilliant one –Zeze Flowers in New York) deliver fresh flowers to the house every week. I’d come home on, say, Tuesdays to see what beautiful seasonal creation they’d left on the dining table (and, while I’m fantasizing, in our bedrooms too). In reality, [...]
We’re on vacation this week in Brasil, and I never appreciate this great piece of gear more than when I’m on the road. We’ll be away from an internet connection for a couple of days, but when we return to Rio, I’ll update you on some of our experiences in this beautiful country. Originally posted [...]

“Lil’ trees!” is what Julia said when she saw these on the kitchen counter. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but I’ve always loved the sight and scent of evergreens, and I’m eager to bring them indoors in the wintertime. I bought these lil trees in the plant and flower district [...]

I feel like I’ve just finished the Toddler Challenge on Project Runway for Dummies, but Julia’s Halloween costume is finally finished. I hope she’ll actually wear it. Julia’s love for fish this year has bordered on obsession. ”Fish!” was one of her first words, and she spent the first half of summer diligently searching for [...]

The boxes arrived yesterday. Last week my college roommate John and I spent a few days in Palm Springs –an annual tradition going back more than 10 years now. Our agenda isn’t ambitions (lounge by the pool, cocktails, dinner, sleep, repeat), but I usually also manage to rouse myself to do a little shopping. Besides [...]

Many years ago, when I was returning from a business trip to London, my luggage was loaded into the taxi, I got in, and we just sat there at the curb. After a while, I asked the driver why we weren’t leaving for the airport. He replied, embarrassed, “Oh, Sir, I’m so sorry. With all [...]

“Is this your first trip to Marfa?” our landlord for the weekend asked. It was, we answered. ”Well, I don’t think it’ll be your last.” I think she’s right. As soon as we learned that David’s brother Seth would marry his fiancee Lizzie in Marfa, Texas, David (always thinking ahead –small town, big wedding) jumped [...]

Last Saturday in Southampton we had unexpected dinner guests. (Yes, it was a pleasant surprise.) The menu wasn’t a problem –I made grilled steaks with Chimichurri, one of my go-to last-minute dinners– but I didn’t really have anything for the table. While I was out in the garden snipping herbs to make a fresh batch [...]

Last week Julia walked into our bedroom wearing a plastic kitchen funnel on her head and singing “Happy Birthday.” Two of her buddies have had their second birthdays in the last couple of weeks, hers is just around the corner, and she’s way into the concept. The party hats seem to have made a particularly [...]

Simple, almost obvious. And yet I’d never seen it before. Last weekend our friends Visnja and Franck visited us in Southampton and brought gifts for Julia and for us. They didn’t attach gift cards or tags, but, under the wrapping, they wrote a message for the recipient directly on the box. (The seam in the [...]