The Pearl River Delta, in the early 2000’s, was a place of heavy industry, pollution, run off, waste and ruin. It was rubble and rebar.  Home to factories like Yue Yuen (a company that produces the majority of the shoes for Nike, Crocs, Adidas, Reebok, Asics, New Balance, Puma, Timberland and Rockport)  and Samsung, the […]

As a kid growing up in the South, you hear a lot about the Civil War. I was told stories of Generals, of Robert E Lee, a well rehearsed account of what happened, from one particular point of view, the white south.  I was seldom taught the history outside of this perspective, it was either […]

Imagine Captain Cook’s surprise when, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, he stumbled upon the Hawaiian archipelago and found a thriving civilization. These Polynesian pioneers who would have sailed more than 4,000km from Tahiti, weren’t descendents of some 10th-century version of Castaway or Giligan’s Island. The Professor was clever enough but no one on […]

I like Pete Wells; I like to read his reviews of restaurants in the New York Times. He can be tough and snarky, but at least he is also witty and right. A Pete Wells classic from his review of Per Se: “I don’t know what could have saved limp, dispiriting yam dumplings, but it […]

I used to watch this man construct a handmade parasol in Myanmar.  He was on a long drive from the airport in Heho to Inle Lake in the hill country of the Shan state. He would make the most intricate workings, all out of bamboo and a home smelted blade and lathe, he would perform […]

The Post Office Essays There is a particular magic we humans get to do. We can have an idea then translate it into a series of symbols which others, years later, can read, so that the idea enters into their mind. We can write and create books and essays and letters, and mark down our […]

There is a morning each year when the winter starts to shift gears out of the cold and the barometric pressure starts to change: birds begin singing, and if you look closely, buds start to form on the end of the branches. It is the rebirth, the beginning, and after a two-year winter it is […]

I like maps. I like how they help me understand large swathes of land that I am unable to see with my eyes and feel with my senses.  I can picture a planet whole. It’s reduced to a handful of parts, for sure, but a picture is formed that helps in understanding. I will never […]

July 21, 1969. My parents were traveling to Spain on their honeymoon, racing their tiny, overpacked Fiat 500 convertible beyond the laws of physics. They pulled over at a cafe in Tossa de Mar, a Medieval town in Catalonia, hastily parking the car on the sidewalk. It was very early in the morning (or very […]

I once paddled a canoe 1000 miles in 7 days, 15 hours, and 50 minutes. Let me explain. A few years ago a good friend called me up and asked me if I would like to paddle the Yukon River with him. My friend Jon works in human rights advocacy and wanted to raise some […]

There is a noise I associate with heat and fever, and I am not sure if it’s real or from distortions of memory.  It could be from something as simple as the cicada, that strange beast that emerges from the ground, periodically, in the hot humid months, and rages against the known world with its […]

Calling all mid-century movers, Lautner lovers, architecture aficionados and décor designers, we got the place for you. Located about 20 minutes from downtown Palm Springs in Desert Hot Springs is where you will find The Lautner Compound, a collection of 3 boutique properties masterfully restored and designed: The Lautner, The Park and the Ranch House. […]

When I asked a friend from Colorado to name the most beautiful state in the US, she immediately (and treacherously) replied ‘Utah’. It’s  true that if there’s one state that’s going to wear out the shutter on your SLR, it’s the Beehive state. Quite apart from the shutter, you’ll be in constant battle to swap the wide-angle lens for […]

If you haven’t heard, San Diego is busting onto the scene as a top foodie destination. With excellent restaurants, microbreweries, and a truly local farmers market, it’s no wonder why the food here is so good. But on a recent trip to San Diego there is one experience that stood out among the rest – […]

I bet you’ve heard of Santa Barbara, but odds are you haven’t heard of Solvang, an adorable town located a 45 minute drive away, through the stunning Santa Ynez Mountains. Located in Southern California’s Santa Ynez valley, the village of Solvang was settled some 150 odd years ago by the Danish, and the result is […]

So it is Saturday night, I am cooking Gumbo, listening to Graceland and Rubber Soul on Vinyl cafe, drinking beer… and I thought of ya’ll.  Here’s a recipe to whisk you to the southlands: “Uncle Lex’s Chicken and Sausage Gumbo” [Serves 10-20] Ingredients 2 cups White Flour; 2 cups Canola Oil; 2 bunch celery; 3 […]