If you've come here before, you well know I enjoy a drink or two. Whereas it used to be a way to carouse in revelry, drinking morphed into another way to explore taste and culture. Pairing profiles, exploring a country a la its flavor palate -appreciating a good drink is on par with appreciating Van … Continue reading Non-Alcoholic Drinking
Author: The Chemistress
Morning Rituals & Magazines
The Weekend Ritual For at least a decade, I've held a certain weekend ritual. Not every weekend, but most of the routine ones. And during that blissful period I worked a schedule of 10-6 in college. Mon dieu! I miss my mornings. The ritual goes like this. I wake up, I make coffee, I read … Continue reading Morning Rituals & Magazines
Best Book Ever: Lincoln in the Bardo vs. Hannibal
What goes on in the mind of a brilliant man? I knew this round would be hard -how could a mass media paperback classic compare to a cerebral history lesson -but as you'll notice, these two novels share same Goodreads score down to the hundredth. Will a rumination on death win against serial killers study? … Continue reading Best Book Ever: Lincoln in the Bardo vs. Hannibal
Best Book Ever: Love in the Time of Cholera vs. The Screwtape Letters
Love versus lust as told by two authors. One story by a renowned Colombian author goes up against a good English Christian in this face off. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Can love last a lifetime? Whether in marriage or in devotion, Love in the Time of Cholera would argue … Continue reading Best Book Ever: Love in the Time of Cholera vs. The Screwtape Letters
Best Book Ever: Candide vs. Steppenwolf
What a pair of allegories to contend with but I wouldn't have it any other way. Candide and Steppenwolf are well matched in their presentation of the argument "What the hell are we supposed to do with our lives?" but only one can win in this philosophical face-off. Candide by Voltaire To be quite honest, … Continue reading Best Book Ever: Candide vs. Steppenwolf
Limoncello Recipe
Limoncello reminds me of sunshine. Of being on the beach in Italy or wandering the port of Marseilles. I love citrus, and in the dark cold January of this year, I wanted to mimic some summer sun. Plus, I heard Meyer Lemons were on sale at Costco, so it seemed like a good time. Even … Continue reading Limoncello Recipe
Best Book Ever: Midnight’s Children vs. Faust
The story of Indian independence told through the eyes of a sniveling superhero against the story of an esteemed German philosopher wandering down the wrong path -what a tizzy. While at first glance these novels may not have much in common, the discussion on freedom can provide a common thread. With one modern marvel against … Continue reading Best Book Ever: Midnight’s Children vs. Faust
Best Book Ever: East of Eden vs. Catch-22
You knew there were going to be a few heartbreaks with a random draw. Both of these are solid contenders to win it all, but unfortunately we'll have to say goodbye to one now. East of Eden by John Steinbeck For years, all I knew of Steinbeck was that The Grapes of Wrath seemed like … Continue reading Best Book Ever: East of Eden vs. Catch-22
Best Book Ever: Purity vs. The Fountainhead
How fun that a book all about ascetics like The Fountainhead is paired against a book called Purity. While both authors portray characters desperately seeking ideals, one does it just a little better than the other. Purity by Jonathan Franzen Purity is Franzen's 5th novel. With 4 of the 5 down, Purity seemed like the … Continue reading Best Book Ever: Purity vs. The Fountainhead
Best Book Ever: The Memory Artist and A Short History Of Nearly Everything
A quirky contender from Canada and a powerhouse of hilarity form the US (by way of UK). An odd match up of the persistence of memory against the history of the world. Heaven help me to find a winner here. The Memory Artists by Jeffrey Moore In college, I had a friend who worked at … Continue reading Best Book Ever: The Memory Artist and A Short History Of Nearly Everything
