undiscovered in downtown P-town

Travel writers use the word "undiscovered" all too frequently, but in this case, the label seems to fit. I came across the Fiber Arts District while wandering around downtown last winter, and when I mention the name to locals, they look at me with blank stares. I can't take credit for the name. A bizarre concentration of independently-owned stores that sell uber high-end crafty materials ended up opening within a few blocks of each other, and they decided to make themselves an unofficial hood.

And there's no way you can go to that part of the city and not stop into the Central Library. This summer I was accepted to use the Sterling Room for Writers and have spent many quiet, productive afternoons there.

Check out my round up of the area in this month's Sunset magazine.

a juicy review

As part of my fascination with food-related microhistories (which some
argue have become less popular with the general reader in the past few
years), I recently wrote two book reviews for the online publication Culinate.

Check out the most recent piece, Orange Crush,
which takes a look at one of John McPhee's classics.