COLD HARD FACTS: IN PRAISE OF ICE
Ice is cold. We know this. But we should take a moment to appreciate ice’s greatness. I like ice. Ice makes good things better and bad things less bad, which really recommends it.
Read MoreSPRING RITUALS: MEMORY SEASON
There’s a day early each Spring where you sense you’re on the far side of winter and you feel a surge of optimism. The first color appears in the trees, the sun comes out and the parks in New York are suddenly full.
Read MoreTHE ART OF THE WAGON: ALL HAIL SWEDISH ENGINEERING
Our family got our first Volvo wagon in 1990, the same year we got our first dog. The car was Swedish and black, the dog was Swiss and also black. We updated the wagons every few years and the dog less often. Now it’s hard to imagine our life without either.
Read MoreGOOD IN EVERY LIGHT: FARROW & BALL
For many years my mom would bring a Farrow & Ball color book with us on trips to Europe. She’s an interior designer and wanted to match, as closely as possible, whatever charismatic shade of rose or pale yellow she came across. She rightly didn’t trust a photo; she needed to match the card.
Read MoreTHE DIRECT APPROACH: COLD HARD GIFTS
In newsletters and books, I like to provide general principles and then let readers figure out what makes sense for themselves. But sometimes that doesn’t work: people want to know precisely how much to tip a fishing guide or exactly where to stay in Kyoto. Not in theory, but very much in practice. Enough philosophizing. Give us the facts, man!
Read MoreON INTERIORS: PERSONAL SPACE
Over the next few months I’ll be writing about our new apartment and how it came together. That means painting the walls and arranging the furniture, naturally, but also smaller projects and eccentric ideas and, yes, design theories.
Read MoreOCTOBER BASEBALL: FALL'S FINEST
My sad baseball team has been sad enough for so long that I haven’t watched many games this season. The playoffs, however, are another matter.
Read MoreLAST DAYS OF SUMMER: THE BITTERSWEET SEASON
It’s strange when summer ends. You know the signs. The lake where I swim gets cooler every day, though you pretend not to notice.
Read MoreCENTRAL DIVISION: THE FIFTIETH EPISODE
It’s been a year of Central Division. It’s hard to decide if a podcast’s birthday is something to be proud of or embarrassed about. But here we are.
Read More"WHO SHOULD I MAKE IT OUT TO?": THE ART OF BOOK SIGNINGS
I just had a book event at Mend Provisions in Minneapolis. It’s always nice to sign books in your hometown. I’ve attended book events on both sides of the table, so to speak and they can really go either way.
Read MoreDEATH OF A MUSIC LIBRARY™: AN APARTMENT SANS STEREO
When we moved a few weeks ago I realized this was the first time I’d arrived in a new apartment sans stereo. Then it occurred to me that I may never have a stereo again. This was a curious feeling.
Read MoreIS ENOUGH REALLY ENOUGH?
On the last episode of Central Division, Michael took me to task for my ancient and beloved coffee maker. Apparently, coffee sitting in a glass pot upsets him. “You must like burnt coffee,” he said dismissively.
Read MoreSOME THOUGHTS ON WRITING
I get asked a lot about writing. There’s the formal advice you get from Elements of Style and that’s certainly useful. As you move beyond that it’s also worth getting more thematic, so I thought I would start a little series.
Read MoreCentral Division: Enthusiasms
On the latest episode of Central Division, Michael and I talk about what we’re into at the moment, like the New York Times Spelling Bee, a really good orange and smart dress socks.
Read MoreGOODBYE TO ALL THAT
This year has been so many things, it’s exhausting to reconsider them all. It’s been so specific and strange and tragic that I imagine it will seem even more removed when we finally emerge from it.
Read MoreRITUALS IN THE STRANGEST YEAR
It’s an unfamiliar season in the most disjointed year. I wrote about holiday traditions for my friends over at Huckberry. You can read it here. I always look forward to listening to my beloved A Child’s Christmas in Wales, read by the author, Dylan Thomas. I also appreciate traditions that involve eccentric recipes, velvet jackets and old bottles of Armagnac.
Read MoreTHE READING ROOM
Books by friends, family and myself. Call it a self-interested gift guide.
Read MoreThe Masters: November Edition
It’s the tradition unlike any other. And with the Masters in November instead of April it really is unlike any other. I’ve ordered my Riesling (a warm streak in New York is bringing that Spring feeling).
Read MoreBOOKS DO FURNISH A ROOM
Quarantine is a good time to read. It’s not, alas, a good time for bookstores.
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