A Nose for the Cold

In wintertime my nose acts as a thermometer. As a cold front approaches I find myself using more Kleenex than usual. When freezing temperatures arrive, my sinuses function as though someone has clipped a clothespin to my schnoz. Read more

Ask The Vet: Cold Feet

New Yorkers love shoes and I am no exception. In fact, I would probably define it as an unhealthy addiction. It is no wonder my dog has a closet full of footwear to rival Carrie Bradshaw’s.

Alvin is a 14-pound Boston terrier who does not share my affection for shoes. Needless to say, it took a while to find a pair that he would be seen in public with. But step foot out on a snow or salt covered sidewalk? He won’t have any part of that either.

Never in a million years did this native New Hampshire-ite think she would write a column advocating the use of canine booties. But I am a true convert. Read more

Turbo-Charged Wine

Winter is my favorite season. The food and wine that go with it are a big part of my love affair with these chilly months. This is when one can pull out those squirreled-away bottles of expensive, full-bodied reds. Napa Valley Cabs, Barolos and boutique-y Shirazes are perfect for this season. But when I think winter, I think port.

Arguably one of the oldest continuously made alcoholic beverages, port is one of my faves for a number of reasons. Aside from being delicious, it is affordable. Because a bottle of port isn’t meant to be drunk in one sitting, even among a group of friends, it is a drink that lasts for a while. Read more

Evergreen Guys

Joel* doesn’t like coffee, but thanks so much for asking.

It’s the dead of winter, and the dead of night. He’s thousands of miles from his Swedish home, selling Christmas trees on the Upper East Side. He works every night of the week, from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.

“Yeah, it gets lonely,” he said. Read more