20 Under $20: Wines That Feed the Soul

Between the physical, emotional and economic miseries delivered by the pandemic, the continuing national debate over racial justice and the myriad daily shockers that have battered the national equanimity, I’ve learned it’s possible to feel hopeful and despondent at the same time. Add to that, it’s summer, and though we’re no longer stuck indoors exactly,…

Love Letter: A Glimpse Into a Son’s Mind

Paige Martin Reynolds’s son loved bags: purses, diaper bags, suitcases, reusable grocery bags, backpacks. He also loved packing bags, filling them with anything that interested him: paperwork, produce, jewelry, juice boxes, coasters, coins. This penchant for packing — and unpacking — bags caused household objects to appear in unpredictable places (a spatula in the bathroom,…

A Veggie Burger Unlike the Others

A friend asked me what I was planning for my July column. “Black bean burgers,” said I. “Really, why?” was the clearly unenthusiastic response. Well, for one thing, I like beans. I love beans, in fact. And lately I have had vegetarian burgers on the brain. Perhaps it has something to do with sitting outdoors…

A Bold Toast That Came True

Before they had a first date or even a first kiss, and just a handful of months after their introduction, in 2016, Maya Ariel (left) toasted Cecilia Grugan and vowed to “put a ring on her finger” in front of a group of friends. The two had first met earlier that year at the wedding…