Monthly Archives: November 2009

Information is Beautiful

One of my secondary careers — book designer and typographer — began with a commission to design this book. Before the project started, the author gave me a copy of The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte, telling … Continue reading

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You’re Working, I’m Eating

We were finishing the main course of our anniversary dinner when our waiter returned. He asked “Are you still enjoying this course, or may I take your plates?” I was shocked: he was the first waiter not to ask me … Continue reading

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Whole Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Root Vegetables

I had big plans. I had placed an advance order for Ad Hoc At Home, the cookbook from Thomas Keller’s casual restaurant, with the intent of setting up a separate blog where I would cook through the entire book. When … Continue reading

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Tony’s Top Ten Tips

For our 16th wedding anniversary dinner, She Who Must Be Obeyed and I had dinner (menu here) on Craigie on Main, site of the Whole Hog Dinner. It has become a tradition with us, and besides, chef Tony Maws (or … Continue reading

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The Botany of Desire

The first time I saw the title of Michale Pollan’s novel about “a plant’s-eye view of the world,” I couldn’t help but think of the Either/Orchestra, a local jazz ensemble that had released albums titled The Half-Life of Desire and … Continue reading

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Halloween Dregs

I failed to make good on my promise to hit Target first thing on Sunday morning to score more old-style Necco Wafers. By the time I got to the store today, the Halloween clearance shelves had been picked over by … Continue reading

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