How to Make Friends with the New Kid: Advice for Kiara from the New Kids
My presentation to ELL students at Manchester, CT's high school and middle school explored insights gained from being a newcomer from a different culture.
Home Is Where the Art Is: A Profile of Illustrator Elizabeth Zunon
A profile of local African-American artist and picture book illustrator Elizabeth Zunon, whose signature style includes cut-paper collages and African motifs.
Why Save the Fulbright Program?
How I benefited from being part of the Fulbright program in Portugal and why the program deserves continued funding with no strings attached.
Jane Kurtz Was Here…and There…and Everywhere
Author and teacher Jane Kurtz talks about her work in Ethiopia, her new novel Anna Was Here, and the relationship between writing and teaching.
Diversity in Publishing with Quill Shift
Profile of a new literary agency, Quill Shift, that seeks to bring writers of color into traditional publishing and prove their market viability.
Standing Up for Freedom of Expression: PEN and Pussy Riot
Thoughts on the importance of freedom of expression, prompted by a PEN American Center celebration and the arrival of two members of Pussy Riot to the U.S.
Not Child’s Play: The Political Satire of LEGO Photographer @pulup
A Turkish pro-democracy activist describes how he uses LEGO to lampoon an increasingly repressive government and to let others know about the situation.
A Celebrity Event, with Soda
I cover the announcement of SodaStream's new Global Brand Ambassador, Scarlett Johansson, and get to know other cultural/lifestyle bloggers.
My Husband’s Adventures in Dining: Amsterdam and Paris Edition
My husband, Richard Lachmann, reviews restaurants in Amsterdam and Paris that we visited on a recent trip.
The stained glass windows of the Cuxa Cloister bear the emblems of the Spanish crown, which incorporates coats of arms from Aragón and Catalunya.
Tourists at Home
A visit to The Cloisters in New York City is cause to reflect on the different fates of the Portuguese and Catalan languages.