SaltShaker

 I am a wine drinker. I drink ouzo too but generally I do that before dinner or else in Lesvos where it is more of a tradition then wine due to a blight that wiped out the grapes several hundred years ago. But my favorite activity is eating in a taverna with my friends and [...]

 Venice combined business prowess, backed by naval power, with her unique form of republican government to create the most enduring independent state in history. The Most Serene Republic of Venice was the world’s longest enduring independent state, far eclipsing all others. The Dutch Republic has existed for 214 years. The United States has endured for [...]

 Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death.”
- Rosalind Russell, Actress
Buenos Aires - Private dinners at Casa S are becoming all the rage. It’s fun for us, and I think a great way for people who don’t have the space or inclination to have a dinner party at home, or wherever [...]

 One could argue that these [today's] ‘plagues’ are fundamentally different than the ones in the Passover story because they can be seen as humankind’s own creations and not sent by God.
- Dan Weiss, Only 10 plagues? Early Egyptians had it easy
Buenos Aires - Most Jewish kids I knew when I was growing up dreaded Passover. [...]

 The government of Swaziland, one of Africa’s poorest and most Aids-ridden countries, has defended plans to spend nearly $2,5-million on celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of independence. Opposition deputies have called for the celebrations, which will also mark King Mswati III’s 40th birthday, to be scrapped or scaled down given that most of the [...]

 Songkran, the most vigorous of Thailand’s festivals, was the official Thai New Year until 1941. Formerly tied to the movement of the sun, modern Songkran takes place from 13-15th April. Songkran began as a ceremonial bathing of Buddha images as part of a new year’s spring cleaning ritual. However, it has degenerated over the years [...]

 When it comes to traveling these are some wonders I’d like to see: A cabdriver who understands English, especially in America. A place in the world where you can’t get a Big Mac and a Coke. A headwaiter who hides his scorn when you order the house wine.”
- George Burns, Comedian
Buenos Aires - Several people [...]

 Just because someone is dead does not mean they have changed!”
- Bette Davis, when it was suggested she not speak ill of the dead
Buenos Aires - I may continue on this trend of centennial birthdays, more or less - we had so much fun with Carmen Miranda’s 99th and Anna Magnani’s 100th, that I couldn’t [...]