"This comes with two sides," he said. I looked at him sheepishly. I was ordering the beef brisket. From the pit, barbecued for hours until the meat gets so tender that it falls apart. Smoky protein, as soft and delicate as a ripe peach,…

It took longer than I had expected; Manhattan needed nearly three weeks to fully recognize my cachet. Doormen have a sixth sense for incognito celebs like me. They were the first to notice, even when I squinted in the morning sun because the gold stripes on the sleeves of…

Driving in Florida is as dull as dishwater. To make the ride more interesting, I floor the accelerator of the huge brick-like rental at every traffic light until I reach 35 mph, then abruptly lift off. The car jerks and rocks. I can do this twice before my wife starts to grumble and my dog turns towards me…

I may have missed a few, but the first white marker I noticed before reaching Bartow must have been about 15 inches by 25 inches. It was attached to a black steel rod that was hammered into the ground on the side of the road, not higher than a foot off the mown grass. The sign…

When Mr. and Mrs. Perry bought their plot in Lakeland, Florida, they had no neighbors. The town's southern suburbs were largely unoccupied. The Southgate Shopping Center, with the atomic-era parabolic arch showcasing its name,…

It's all about the light. The decision was inevitable: of course, we had to buy the house.

Raconteurs like me revel in the darkest corners of dimly lit, wood-paneled rooms, lounging in chocolate-colored Chesterfield fauteuils under a …

Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to settle a score with Georges. Despite the man's relentless ramblings, his annoying display of flamboyant über-French savoir-vivre, and the torrent of condescending remarks he would throw around…

She was already swimming when he woke up.

Their dog had claimed her spot in bed. Sprawled over the crumpled sheets and comfortably asleep, its paw touched his calf ever so lightly.