scan scam

Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly get more neurotic about flying in a post-Sept. 11 world, airport security is now trying to get into our collective pants. Have you heard about the… Continue reading

The Moth Ball: why storytelling matters

Went to the Moth Ball last night in NYC at Capitale on the Bowery. The Moth, a nonprofit organization devoted to the “art and craft of storytelling,” is a showcase for true stories,… Continue reading

Boston Bhangra

The Orpheum Theatre hosted Boston Bhangra‘s sold-out 7th annual competition on Saturday night, with teams representing MIT, Rutgers, UVA, Cornell, and BU. Independent teams from NYC, Vancouver, California, and others also participated. Bhangra,… Continue reading

Tea party darlings: talking trash in AZ

Palin, Rubio, O’Donnell. The latest? Noem. If I hear the term “tea party darling” one more time, I will scream. Where are the Democratic and Republican darlings? Or the Independent darlings? Where’s the… Continue reading

the anti-McMansion

McMansion, meet your nemesis. I have a thing for tiny houses. I suppose the proper name is “cottage.” When I was growing up, there was a little house not too far from where I… Continue reading

Bikes for Boston

I’ve been dreaming of a day in the not-too-distant future when my son and I can ride our bikes anywhere we want, side by side. I ride my bike to work almost every… Continue reading

butt it out

I’ve spent a regrettably huge portion of my life swathed—albeit most of it furtively—in a cloud of smoke. I’m what you call a master closet smoker, dabbling in the dueling black arts of… Continue reading

crumbling Italy

In Pompeii the sky is falling–the house of the gladiators fell down on Saturday.  Located near the base of Mt. Vesuvio, the area surrounding the ancient city is called Campania–the home of Sofia… Continue reading