Category Archives: Uncategorized

WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA— It’s crunch time in the pre-opening phase of our new restaurant, but I peeled away to Virginia for two days. My brother and sister-in-law invited my wife and me to join them to see Bruce Hornsby and Alison Krauss perform at an outdoor festival up here. No one has to ask me twiceContinue reading “Williamsburg 2018”

Times change, it’s inevitable. People change, it’s inescapable. The seasons don’t change. They come and go as they always have. Winters may seem a little colder, though in reality they’re basically the same as they have always been. It’s just that I get colder these days. Grown up, mature, Robert doesn’t “do” summer like youngContinue reading “Pineapple Sherbet”

I love restaurants. Restaurants are my business. They are also my hobby. When I go on vacation I plan the trip around visiting restaurants. Sometimes the vacation is restaurants. I love everything about the business side of restaurants, too. It’s stressful, the hours are long, and the odds of success are lower than most otherContinue reading “The Biz”

Years ago—as a small child in the south—the change of seasons meant nothing to me. The four seasons of my early life were: almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas. One could go barefoot in South Mississippi beginning in March, and not put shoes back on until October, and I did. From first grade throughContinue reading “Summer Peaches and Bare Feet”

Last year I made a commitment to start an annual four-part summer column series that featured my top-10 New Orleans dinner, lunch, brunch, and breakfast restaurants on four consecutive weeks. The columns were well received and have been accessed on my website hundreds of times. When people use recommendations I’ve made— whether locally or abroad—Continue reading “The Breakfast Rut”

CHICAGO— Almost every year since 1988, I have made a late-May journey up here to attend the National Restaurant Association’s annual trade show. It is a massive gathering that brings together every component of the food-service industry under one roof. It’s a yearly kid-in-a-candy-shop moment. McCormick Place on the shore of Lake Michigan is theContinue reading “Chicago 2018”

Over twenty years ago my hometown newspaper called my office and asked if I would be interested in writing a weekly column. I begged off. They called again, and again, and again. I finally said, “yes.” It was a dubious beginning. I was almost 40-years old when I began this weekly column. At the timeContinue reading “My South 2018”

SEMIFONTE, TUSCANY— Wyatt Waters and I arrived in Tuscany around the first of April. It was still cold. The grapevines were bare, and the olive trees had yet to be pruned from the winter break. It’s May now. Today the grapevines are flush with leaves and the olive trees have been pruned and are readyContinue reading “Tuscany 2018 (Part V) The Last Day”

TAVARNELLE VAL di PESA, TUSCANY— No matter where I am in the world— if it’s morning— I can usually be found in some type of breakfast place. When I am here in Tuscany, my go-to is Bagnoli Pasticceria. It’s a great little bakery that I discovered back in 2011. I come here almost every morningContinue reading “Tuscany 2018 (part IV) Bagnoli”