zgast

I firmly believe one is entitled to earn whatever their individual talents allow. That being said, I don't believe the fruits of my parents' labors are mine. Therefore, it's new money to me. Tax it. Again, I believe in pragmatism, so it makes sense to allow nominal transfers to be tax free. And I'm ok with a debate over what a nominal transfer is: $100k? $500k? $1m? $5m? The key is that treating the individual or single generation family as a unit makes it self-limiting. It's Rousseau meets Locke. Otherwise you begin to validate Paris Hilton's existence and that is a slippery slope indeed.

I tend to be pretty pragmatic. Assessing wealth is simply too hard to do - as you alluded to in your opening question. Rather, I firmly believe that the capital gains tax rate - as a concept - should not exist. If it's new money to you, you should owe taxes on it. Wealth tends to dissipate absent advantaged treatment (or so I believe), so as long as you equally tax the monetary benefits of wealth, you're creating an equal system.

Basically as soon as we thought he could get the thermos open and eat it without an assist. Probably late kindergarten or early 1st grade. We lucked out in that our pre-K provided lunches before then. Son is a 'bland-itarian' so lunches are a PITA since peanut butter is mostly banned.

The new thermos containers are amazing at keeping things warm. Just pour boiling water in, let it sit for a couple minutes, then add the hot entree. Son reports it's still warm at lunchtime. Even when it's next to his double wall water bottle, which still has ice in it at lunchtime.

Greatly enjoying this whole debate, although I did have to google Silver Oak Cabernet. A great sommelier - I would argue - is essential for a perfect/top-tier meal, where an expansive wine list is fairly mandatory. Sommeliers that are just salespeople in disguise can ruin a fine dining experience, though. I'd argue that the micro lists are best as you move down the formality spectrum (and that having those by the glass gets you even more brownie points). A good wine at a good price that I don't have to think about complements the $20-30 entree well.

Coast to coast with his left, then finishes with the right. I don't watch college basketball (or much pro), but I've tuned in when this guy is playing. He's a complete freak of nature - and incredibly fun to watch.

My Safeway (Bethesda) has the McCormick ones.

Later in the year.

Limiting it to direct flights, what about Rome, Athens or Mexico City?

Granada, Spain

I haven't had it for at least ten years, but the version I had was not deeply caramelized onions and rich broth. I also recall it had too much bread. Was part of a larger meal that just wasn't very good, so perhaps that's tinged my memories.

I've had Mon Ami Gabi's French Onion Soup, FWIW.

At the level of Mon Ami Gabi is not really the bar I'm shooting for in my meals. I'll wait till they work out the kinks.

This is actually delayed for anyone going in the first quarter. New airport flooded.

Andy Hayler's Reviews I'd second Harwood Arms - it's a bit of a haul though from Leicester Sq - probably about 40 minutes.

Tortellini in sage/butter sauce with carrots and hummus. Cross-cultural dining.

This one. Favorite movie of all time - and I'm not a movie guy - so it's odd that my favorite is an homage to the power of film. Just the power of the story, the depiction of this small town in Italy and an amazing film score that's inextricably tied to the story permanently in my head. On the kids/adults movies front, I'd throw in Pete Doctor's movies: Inside Out, Up, Monsters Inc. The palette is animation, but he's an amazing filmmaker and storyteller.

Save my kids' short-line EU access!!!

We get to Artechouse fairly regularly and always dine at the Wharf after. Have been a few times separately, but we're that wretched breed knows as MoCo Marylanders, so it's a haul down to the Wharf.

And thank you for bringing this to the top of my unread content list. I actually teared up reading some of these descriptions from those who are far better writers than myself. If I had to do a Top 3 list, I'd describe the following: 1) Stuffed cabbage - There was never any question when it was stuffed cabbage day as soon as you walked in the house. Probably not authentic by any stretch (mom was a WASP from suburban Chicago) but man were these fantastic. Sauerkraut and tomatoes with a simply meaty stuffed cabbage. Everyone loved these in our house and whenever we made them one of my best friends insisted on getting a phone call and joining us - even through high school. He still posts on Facebook about my mom's stuffed cabbage and it was the first thing his wife told me about when I met her. 2) Chopped liver - It never even occurred to me that this was something that kids avoided. My Aunt Barbara (that's Jewish for 'older distant relative') and her mom made this every year for Thanksgiving and it was like crack on plain old Saltine crackers. I can't imagine the nutritional content here, but Thanksgiving was an annual tradition with so many memories that persist to this day - starting with chopped liver. And yes, as an adult, foie gras mousse is objectively better. Not sure which I'd go for first though. 3) Italian feasts - I'd always loved food and decided to study Italian for two key reasons. One - everyone loves Italian food, right? Second - everyone in Spanish 1 in college clearly had taken Spanish for several years - except for the two frigging Puerto Ricans who I spoke to after the class. I'm sure they never studied Spanish in high school. Anyhow, studying Italian led to a year in Bologna, which is still one of the most amazing experiences I've had. Weaving through the streets to maximize the smell of the macelleria on one street and the panetteria on another. The capstone of that whole adventure though was the wonderful Herb Market - an enclosed warehouse of various fruit, vegetable, meat and other stands. I could - and did - spend hours just walking through here, making friends with the stand owners, and buying absurd amounts of food to feed myself and my flat-mates. Makes you realize that much of what makes the food in Italy (or insert another country of your choice) is that the fresh produce, meat, fish, or dairy was grown or raised to maximize flavor, not for almost any other attribute. I may need to book a trip back just thinking about it.

As an Italo-phile, I'd urge a bit of caution around being in Venice for Carnival - especially with children. Took the kids several years ago and the utter crowds and chaos are somewhat overwhelming - to the point that we paid a gondola 100 Euro just to take us away from Piazza San Marco and as close to the train station as we could get. It took nearly three hours for the walk from the station to the Piazza (it's normally about a quarter of that) and the kids were not having fun - at all - due to the sheer volume of people involved. It wasn't always like this. I went 20+ years ago and have fond memories of sitting in smaller piazzas eating bread, cheese, and salumi with a beverage or two and watching the spectacle. It's definitely not that anymore. Not Mardi Gras bad, but not what it used to be.

This is basically Tuesday night in my house.

Le Pre Catelan in Paris. Wonderful meal, although my memory of everything is quite faded despite it only being six years ago.

You've clearly got a bunch of fans on the website and in the industry. Just don't expect me to throw you a pair of my underwear.

Strategically placed elastic works well in my experience.