I've been extremely lucky to have a very venerable cooking mentor over the years: Ina Garten. My dad met Ina back in junior high school in Stamford, Connecticut, and they have been friends, save for a ten year gap somewhere in mid-life, ever since.

I'm not sure when exactly they...

The other day, I went out to lunch with my friend Aaron at Cafe Colonial on Houston Street. He works around there, but I'd really chosen the venue because of the veggie burger they have on the menu. See, veggie burgers with sweet potato fries might be my ideal lunch....

For most of my life, I've felt more or less involved in my community. Back in high school and college, I often volunteered by way of class or curriculum at a variety of different organizations in New York City and Providence. It's occurred to me over the course of this...

A few Saturdays ago, on a morning in mid-October, I did a remarkable thing: I was among the first 20 people to arrive at the farmers' market at Grand Army Plaza. Now, this is not an easy feat in Park Slope, land of the chipper young parent and early-bird dog...

'Tis the season for relocation in New York, or so it seems. Perhaps it's the wide availability of once overpriced junior one bedrooms for a fraction of the price, or the large newly renovated Williamsburg lofts standing empty, but for some reason all of my friends seem to be moving...

I've been known to add the odds and ends of my pantry and fridge to my blondie, cookie, and brownie batters. Nothing gross of course, but a handful of raisins, a bit of lemon zest from a lemon I'd bought for some savory purpose, maybe some sweetened shredded coconut lingering...

There come moments of hunger when even we devoted food bloggers must put down the wooden spoon and turn to take-out. Ordering in, whether curry, noodles, or omelets, is such a New York delicacy that it feels unduly austere not to take advantage of it at all. I find I'm...

On Sunday, twelve foodie hopefuls kicked off the first installment of The Food Obstructions' monthly cook-off by gathering at The Gutter, a Williamsburg bowling alley I've been to before on weekends and never thought would have passed the Department of Health's regulations for a cooking competition. But given the contest's...

In my New York, the egg and cheese sandwich stands as the King of Sandwiches, dethroning traditional city staples like pastrami on rye and lox on a bagel. Delis, from humble to gourmet, slap these two simple ingredients on anything from kaiser rolls and toast to croissants and wraps. And...

It's after Labor Day, October to be exact, and though the 70-degree New York sunshine might have temporarily fooled us, it's more or less official now that summer is over. I've put away my white linen shorts and begun stockpiling tinted body lotion to remedy my imminent paleness. But so...

The hassles of living in New York can make even the most upbeat among us whine. There's little redeeming about the crowded 4 train, the way everything costs a fortune, or the challenge of finding cabs downtown on weekend nights. I am first to admit, though, that what sometimes gets...