Chris Nordquist
Julia’s been on tour — last weekend in New Orleans with David to see his family and this week in Tacoma to see mine. We’re all having a ball. Here’s a repost of a Holiday favorite, a traditional Norwegian Christmas cake that I make for family and friends during the Holidays. It looks like something […]
I’ve spent nearly a week exploring this sprawling, crowded, orderly, clean and eminently civilized city, and I feel like I’ve barely begun to find what Tokyo has to offer. Every time I emerge from the city’s extensive (and amazingly clean and efficient) subway system it seems like there’s another delightful cultural, commercial or culinary surprise […]
Many years ago, when I was returning from a business trip to London, my luggage was loaded into the taxi, I got in, and we just sat there at the curb. After a while, I asked the driver why we weren’t leaving for the airport. He replied, embarrassed, “Oh, Sir, I’m so sorry. With all […]
Last week Julia walked into our bedroom wearing a plastic kitchen funnel on her head and singing “Happy Birthday.” Two of her buddies have had their second birthdays in the last couple of weeks, hers is just around the corner, and she’s way into the concept. The party hats seem to have made a particularly […]
Actually, it’s more like a year of daily spa treatments for $4.95. Yes, I exaggerate, but this little nylon cloth is better than any scrubbing lotion, exfoliating cream or loofah that I’ve ever tried. Wet and primed with a little soap or shower gel, it gently scrubs away dirt and grime and leaves my skin […]
Who doesn’t love candlelight?. It’s warm, festive, romantic, and flattering (the reason it’s romantic?). It can also be a little expensive. Until recently, I never paid much attention to the cost of candles. Except for pricey artisanal beeswax models, the price of candles always seemed reasonable –$2 or $3 for a taper, $8 – $20 […]
Sometimes, as they say, it’s the little things. Every time I open a kitchen drawer to find a neat stack of clean white flour sack towels, I smile (at least inside). They’re just humble squares of white cotton gauze, but they’re perfectly adapted to life in the kitchen. Folded into a small square, they’re great […]
With our busy and shifting schedules, often one of us ends up flying with Julia alone. It can be a fun father-daughter adventure, but it’s also a fair amount of work, and the logistics of check-in, security and boarding with luggage, a stroller, carry-ons and a wiggly toddler in tow can be a trial. After […]
When we were planning our kitchen and family room in Southampton, we just avoided the issue of where to put the TV. We knew we wanted one — for after dinner movies and for watching the news or Ina Garten (or now the Wiggles DVDs) while making breakfast or dinner, but we never really focused […]
For the sake of our planet, and, in particular, its marine life to which they pose a particular threat, I hope that thin plastic shopping bags become rare. For now, though, they’re still everywhere. Even though I try to avoid them, I still end up bringing some home with groceries and impromptu stops at the […]
