SaltShaker

 Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life.”
- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor
Buenos Aires - One of the most common questions I get at Casa SaltShaker dinners, as well as via e-mail, is about the whole “restaurant de puertas cerradas” […]

 Observe what happens when sunbeams are admitted into a building and shed light on its shadowy places. You will see a multitude of tiny particles mingling in a multitude of ways… their dancing is an actual indication of underlying movements of matter that are hidden from our sight.”
- Lucretius, On the Nature of Things, 60 […]

 A couple of years ago, Los Angeles Times writer Corie Brown apparently wrote an article about how California winemakers went about intentionally making “cult Cabernets”. I vaguely remember the article being passed on to me a while back - interestingly, it’s no longer on the Times’ website - in fact it seems the entire series […]

 I never read a book before reviewing it - it prejudices a man so.”
Sydney Smith, Essayist, Clergyman
Buenos Aires - In the last couple of weeks a trio, or is it a quartet, or quintet, of books has come across my desk. They didn’t get there by themselves, I went to book launching parties and was […]

 Of course we need to eliminate social injustice in Colombia … but what is first? Peace. Without peace, there is no investment. Without investment, there are no fiscal resources for the government to invest in the welfare of the people.”
- Álvaro Uribe Vélez, President of Colombia
Buenos Aires - One of the things I’ve come to […]

 A little dirt on our carrots doesn’t mean they’re organic.”
- Kelly Barron, “10 Things Your Farmer’s Market Won’t Tell You”, Smart Money
Buenos Aires - I’ve been thinking about going out to and writing up the Mercado Central for a long time. It’s an interesting trip to make for those who are into farmers’ markets, but […]

 A process which led from the amoebae to man appeared to the philosophers to be obviously a progress - though whether the amoebae would agree with this opinion is not known.”
- Bertrand Russell, Logician and Philosopher
Buenos Aires - I’d heard that Jangada has moved to new digs, at Bonpland 1670, around the corner and a […]

 Getting the truth in the New York Post has been as difficult as finding a good hamburger in Albania.”
- Paul Newman, Actor
Buenos Aires - I don’t know if it is, or was, difficult to find a hamburger in Albania. I’ve never been there. I don’t know if Mr. Newman had ever been there when making […]