Restaurant Review: Raf’s in NYC

Atmosphere It’s a combination of an Old World cafe, an Old New York bakery and a 21st-century FOMO generator. Somehow it all works out. Servers are close at hand, observant, accommodating. Noise Level Loud. Recommended Dishes All breads; escargots; steak tartare; leeks vinaigrette; mafaldine with rabbit; half chicken; pork collar; chocolate torte; caramelized white chocolate…

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The Gray Suit Takes Center Stage

In 1955 the idea of the gray flannel suit as the symbol of the soul-deadened corporate drone entered the American lexicon thanks to Sloan Wilson’s novel, making it pretty much impossible to look at that particular item of clothing in a neutral way ever again. It became the stand-in for our skewed work-life balance, the…

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Maggie Harrison’s War on Wine

I visited Harrison again last year, at the house she shares with her husband, Michael, and their two teenage children in the hills of Southwest Portland. Michael is a soft-spoken graphic designer who works mainly on labels for wine bottles (including Harrison’s). The house is inviting and lived in, with plenty of plants, a record…

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