Red Is Life

The Lost Symbol

Dan Brown knows how to write a page turner - pack in an insider tour of Washington DC architecture - lead us (his reader/fan-base) through the most intricate maze of symbols and clues based on the mysterious group we know as Masons - but when it comes to the "chase" - many of his characters' actions would make even the Keystone Cops blush - its unfortunate as these acts of naivety prompt one to turn pages faster - not because one wants to learn "what's next" - rather to get pass the embarrassment - 

I read The Da Vinci Code - saw the eventual movie a few years later - loved Angels & Demons (best of the three) - saw that movie too - rushed to buy The Lost Symbol - suddenly felt I was reading the screenplay - right down to which actors and actresses Mr. Brown has in mind to play which characters - Tom Hanks/ Professor Langdon excluded - 

It was a fast - fun read - two nights - a few pages during daylight - including chapters read riding the #11 bus downtown - admittedly the first time I've opened a book on public transit in years - people sitting across from me ignored New York City's unwritten "mind your own business" rule - sharing that they had both bought copies - asking for the review - 

Its entertainment - reeks of formula - could have used a few screenwriters from the Borne trilogy to tighten up the chases - while the Da Vinci and Angels books almost passed as historical fiction - The Lost Symbol is almost fantasy soon to be an educational video game with detailed animations - 

Read it - you will at the very least - enjoy - 

Food Lover's Guide To NYC

Mike Colameco - Chef - PBS TV Food Show Host - WOR Radio Food Show Host - and - absolute New Yorker - appears to have been keeping notes on all the restaurants - wine shops - bakeries - and - food markets - he has visited - and - loved - over the years - 

Hence - Mike Colameco's Food Lovers Guide to NYC - 

He's not reviewing or grading the scores of restaurants in the book - rather - he's written profiles of each establishment - stories - a little history - an interesting anecdote about his personal experiences there - insight into the folks running the place - even a few words on the restaurant's signature dishes - i.e. - it's why you should go - why he would go - 

• I learned there is a Ben Benson - that he was partners with Alan Stillman (Smith & Wollensky) - that Stillman started TGIF to pick up Airline Stewardess's - 
• Never knew that Shelly Fireman (Brooklyn Diner) was from the Bronx - or that - Chinatown Brasserie has a BBQ Chef that makes St. Louis Ribs - 
• Who knew that Jacques Torres (Jacques Torres Chocolate) was a fan of Roberto Passon - or that - Tony Luke's wasn't owned by Tony Luke which bought about its change by Evan Stein to Shorty's - 

A few do miss key points - 

• Emillo's Ballato fails to recount how John Ballato accepted the challenge - that  - location - location - location was not necessary for success - opening Ballato's in what is now Emilo's space - years ago - when getting a carry permit was considered a wise move before going down to the neighborhood - for one of the greatest Italian meals on the planet - 
• Telepan is financially backed by one of the most significant wine collectors in NY - his collection making up the core of the restaurant's excellent wine program - 

The book's too dense introduction is essential reading - before delving into the reviews - as its explains - what's going one - why one restaurant might be in - and - why another restaurant might be out - 

As a New Yorker - I found myself looking up restaurants I knew - or had been to - to compare notes - it was thoroughly enjoyable - 

But the book's title is "Guide" - 

As an out-of-towner - I would have to think twice before calling on Mike's expertise in choosing a restaurant - as the volume only allows one to look up - alphabetically (if you already know the name) - by neighborhood (if you know "where" you want to eat) - or by price - 

Not indexing restaurants by cuisine is the unforgivable omission that detracts from an otherwise excellent read - 

Woven Bacon Bottom Line

OMG -  the guys who created - Bacon Explosion: The BBQ Sausage Recipe of All Recipes - have gotten a six-figure book deal - what are we doing wrong -

The Widow Clicquot

20 years ago - backyard barbecue - drank a trans-formative Krug Rose '85 - perhaps the greatest bottle of Champagne ever produced - 

Didn't know then - but know now - as long as the memory of those sips last - I would be indebted to Barbe Nicole Cliquot - the how and why - detailed by Tilar J. Mazzeo's - The Widow Clicquot - The Story of a Champagne Empire and The Woman Who Ruled It - 

It Takes Two To Tango

Few story types are as much fun to read as the great "con" - particularly when the targets are willing players - allowing themselves to be had - again - and again - and again - 

Add an easily understood background "tutorial" on the subject of the con - bios of the players in the con - both the "con-ers" and "con-ees" - stretch the time line over 20 years - add one of the great figures to ever walk the face of the earth ......

You've got - Benjamin Wallace's - The Billionaire's Vinegar