There are just some things I don't expect. For example, polishing and sorting flatware in the full dining room of a romantic Italian restaurant - with linens and a piano in the foyer. The rhythmic drop and clank of the knife into a bus tub did no service to the otherwise enjoyable soundtrack of acoustic - albeit eclectic -renditions of Stairway to Heaven, As Time Goes By, and Think of Me.
Read MoreDisconnected, Reconnected: The Death of an iPhone
I plugged in my iPhone in for a routine overnight charge when it began to reject its cord. "Bleep bleep," the display flashed, "bleep bleep." I removed the white lifeline, and plugged it back in. "Bleep bleep," it repeated – flash – "bleep bleep." Puzzlement.
The phone displayed twenty percent remaining battery life. I raced against time to get a charge into the fading phone – swapping cords, changing power sources, even trying the magical two-button-reboot. No luck; Siri died a slow death; fifteen percent, ten, five, zero, and the display went black.
A food blogger needs her phone. More than a medium of communication, my iPhone served dutifully as a camera, a radio, a social media check-in device (I’ve lost two mayorships since I’ve been without my phone). It’s a log of where I’ve been, what I’ve eaten, and offers insulation in awkward social settings and a diversion in boring ones. It wasn’t just a phone, it was an extension of my palm, a part of me. I dressed it in a purple Speck case, that had a slot for my drivers license, a credit card, and bit of cash. It was all I needed to move efficiently about society.
Read MoreOut of the Bento Box: Dai Kichi, Montclair
Mr. Make Haste walked into the dining room and made eye contact with the server, "Sushi sashimi lunch, with a diet Pepsi." Remembering his manners, "Please," he added, but the server was already off to the kitchen. He sat down at a table along the wall, whipped out his smart phone, and moved on to the next urgent matter.
Read MoreRevisioned: Sushi Hana, Montclair
Sushi Hana opened in Montclair in 1999. Quick math - that's almost fifteen years ago; a respectable run by Montclair standards. Still, owner, Irene felt it was time for a make-over.
Read MoreThanksgiving Recipe: Butternut Squash & Smoked Gruyere Tart
The Queen Mother of Fall Carbs: Butternut Squash Risotto
As the days become chilly, my senses demand warmth. I want bread baking in my oven, down comforters on my bed, and carbohydrates – particularly the creamy, starchy, make-me-sleep-good-at-night kind of carbs. So what could be a more satisfying epicurean union then to combine the queen mother of all starches, risotto, with autumn’s iconic gourd, the Butternut Squash?
Read More