I’m reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. If you love food and you care about your health and, oh, by the way, the health of the planet, be sure to read this book. You can get it cheap on amazon.com or order it up from your local library. But read it. The way you think about those low-low prices at the big chain supermarket will never be the same. (more…)
No, not the Spanish Armada, but Amada, the best Spanish restaurant in town, where we had lunch. It’s a beautiful place, and immediately after passing through the front door, we passed through a lovely plush curtain, a more stylish and unusual way to keep out the cold air than having a second door. Immediately inside was a very Spanish scene: several serrano hams hanging tantalizingly above the bar, lots of dark wood dominating the decor, custom-built wine racks on the walls, and a gorgeous carved marble top on the bar. Some modern design touches to go along with the traditional Spanish feel, such as gauzy white curtains in parts of the room. Very sturdy yet sleekly modern chairs and tables with shiny varnished wood.
Restaurants must have one of highest failure rates of any type of business. As I understand it, it’s about 50%. Those are not odds that I like. From a selfish perspective, I’m glad people are still willing to give it a try anyway – that way, I can eat there, at least until they go out of business. (more…)
Over at my Walkable Eastwood blog you’ll find a most wonderful message from Karen, a woman who long ago moved away from New York State but who has very fond and vivid memories of growing up in Eastwood. Her most recent emails to the email group detailed aspects to living in Syracuse that we can only guess at now, those of us who missed living here during those times. Vast quantities of food being produced in the city is still in the memories of those among us, we just have to find them and get them to teach us how they did it! Take a look at what Karen tells us – doesn’t it make you want to go out and plant a few fruit trees? (more…)
