Author: Ann Bauer
-
Grotto Dining
One of my favorite restaurants in the world is a vegetarian place called The Red Avocado in Iowa City, Iowa, that occupies the bottom half of a duplex facing Washington Ave. It’s dim and mostly windowless inside. The food is hot and very spicy. It’s definitely an acquired taste: not only do you have to…
-
The Seventh Sign: $30 Chianti
This morning, around 7 a.m., a senior White House economist citing unexpected job growth last month pronounced the U.S. economy "still strong" and said he does not believe we are headed into a recession. If you’re like me you’re both encouraged by this news and slightly perplexed. The world as viewed by Edward Lazear, chairman…
-
Go Whole Hog
The December 3, 2007, issue of the New Yorker contains an article called Red, White, and Bleu, by the hale and cerebral food writer Bill Buford, which focuses on the joys of being a carnivore. In it, Buford "reviews" three books about meat, while weaving in his own questions, philosophies, and conclusions on the topic…
-
Cosmic Connections
There are things you don’t know, truths you have yet to understand. You may think what you’re experiencing is just a series of events, but there is no such thing as coincidence. The world has a plan for each of us and it’s all in the connections. To become englightened, simply take note. For instance,…
-
Scientology: The Local Source
Until last week, everything I knew about Scientology came from Tom Cruise on Oprah, and from an experience I had last summer. I wrote two articles for Salon.com, one in May 2007, the other in June. The first, about a catastrophic reaction my son had to psychiatric medication, resulted in a swell of support from…
-
The Vintner's Exfoliant
A few years ago, all the world was agog over green tea. It was in capsules, body lotions, eye creams, and perfume. While doing an article about the health benefits, I actually talked to a doctor who recommended bathing in it: throwing a couple teabags into a tub full of hot water and steeping, full-body,…