The Dinners
#24 Food For Thought
July 24, 2010
STRANGER: Albert Yee
LOCATION: Garces Trading Company, Philadelphia
THEME: Brunch with a restaurant review blogger/photographer
A return to Philadelphia to interview Albert Yee. He moved to the city several years ago knowing little about it, but now he runs a popular restaurant review blog, works at a local food non-profit and even manages some photography in his spare time.
#23 Winston Unzipped
July 20, 2010
STRANGER: Winston Gieseke
LOCATION: Dear John’s, Culver City, CA
THEME: Supper with a singer/gay porn site editor
Hours before a flight back to Washington, DC, I had dinner with stranger Winston Gieseke. He’s the managing editor of a gay porn blog but has an interesting history as a writer for television shows and cable movies after moving to Los Angeles when he was 18.
#22 Gay For Pay
July 19, 2010
STRANGER: Malachi Marx
LOCATION: Los Angeles
THEME: An afternoon with a gay for pay porn actor/escort
While on holiday in Los Angeles for my 30th birthday I had the chance to interview Malachi Marx, a gay for pay porn star and escort. Malachi (not his real name) told me how various pressures in his life led him into the world of straight men who have gay sex for money.
#21 Bloody Mary
May 27, 2010
STRANGER: Mary Millan
LOCATION: Muriel’s, New Orleans
THEME: Dinner with a voodoo priestess
On a return visit to New Orleans I had the chance to interview Mary Millan, who is a genuine voodoo priestess, ghost tour guide, psychic healer and more. Find out how she got started in the religion and what daily life is like for a voodoo practitioner.
#20 A Natural Voyeur
April 25, 2010
STRANGER: Amy Messere
LOCATION: Caffe Dolce Vita, Providence, RI
THEME: Brunch with a strip club waitress/photographer
The fourth of four interviews with strangers in Providence. Rhode Island-born Amy Messere is a keen photographer and would like to make it a full-time job. But for now her main income comes from working as a strip club waitress.
#19 Living In Rhode Island
April 24, 2010
STRANGER: Bob Black
LOCATION: Andreas, Providence, RI
THEME: Dinner with a realtor/blogger
Bob Black is a realtor with no less than three blogs. He’s got a lot to say and many goals in life. Find out about his history with Rhode Island, his love for his home state, and his plans for the future.
#18 The Many Lives Of Mary Ann
April 24, 2010
STRANGER: Mary Ann Sorrentino
LOCATION: Mediterraneo, Providence, RI
THEME: Lunch with an abortion rights advocate
Another interview in Providence, this time with Mary Ann Sorrentino. This always-energetic woman was a former director of Planned Parenthood in Rhode Island, a radio talk show host, and too many other roles to summarize here.
#17 Artist By Design
April 23, 2010
STRANGER: Robin Tafel
LOCATION: Camille’s, Providence, RI
THEME: Dinner with a design student
The first of four dinner interviews from a weekend trip to Providence. Meet Robin Tafel, a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. As she gets ready for graduation, she’s trying to figure out what to do next.
#16 Teresa’s Toys
December 6, 2009
STRANGER: Teresa Suarez
LOCATION: Alice’s Tea Cup, New York City
THEME: Tea and sex toys
Brunch in Manhattan with Teresa Suarez, a busy woman with three jobs. One of them revolves around selling sex toys and other adult entertainment. Find out how she got started in the business and why she loves the work she does.
#15 They Call Him Mister Fry
December 5, 2009
STRANGER: Jack Freiberger
LOCATION: Tony’s DiNapoli, New York City
THEME: Talking with a teacher/actor
A visit to New York City led to an interview with Jack Freiberger, a part-time teacher, part-time actor who is successfully combining both professions into a one-man play about the ups and downs of being an educator.
#14 Magic Moments
November 27, 2009
STRANGER: Michael Chamberlin
LOCATION: Thaiphoon, Washington, DC
THEME: Dining with a magician/stage director
Back in Washington, DC, for an interview over Thai food with a magician who splits his time between New York and DC. Click on the picture above to read all about his magical career, and his ever-growing interest in theatre.
#13 The Heart Of Rock And Roll
August 29, 2009
STRANGER: Buzzy “Beano” Langford
LOCATION: Bayona, New Orleans
THEME: Meal with a musician
New Orleans is the home of jazz in the United States, but what about rock and roll? I had dinner with Buzzy, a guitar player in a local cover band who is living out his dream by making music, both as a career and a hobby.
#12 That Voodoo That You Do So Well
August 28, 2009
STRANGER: Jerry Gandolfo
LOCATION: The Court of Two Sisters, New Orleans
THEME: Curious about a curator
Voodoo is one of the main attractions for many visitors to New Orleans. On a recent trip to the city I sat down to dinner with a man who runs a museum dedicated to the subject to find out more about the world of voodoo.
#11 In The Picture
August 15, 2009
STRANGER: Lars Stephan
LOCATION: Diner, Brooklyn, New York City
THEME: Prying into a photographer’s life
An evening meal in Brooklyn to find out about the life of a young photographer who moved from Germany to New York, and is starting to make a name for himself by using the Internet to post his work.
#10 Enter Cecil, Stage Right
August 15, 2009
STRANGER: Cecil Baldwin
LOCATION: Belcourt, New York City
THEME: Acting up in Manhattan
Brunch in New York City with a waiter working to be a full-time actor. Forget any preconceptions that previous sentence may conjure up, because his life history so far testifies to the dedication he has to acting.
#9 A Slice Of Pizza
May 25, 2009
STRANGERS: Michael Wilkinson & Alicia Wilkinson-Mehr
LOCATION: Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, Washington, DC
THEME: Making a pizza with strangers
Back to Washington for lunch with brother and sister twins who are bringing New Haven style pizza to the nation’s capital. Not sure what’s meant by New Haven style? Click away on the picture above to have your question answered.
#8 She Loves New York
May 10, 2009
STRANGER: Gretchen Auer
LOCATION: Ta Cocina, New York City
THEME: Big fan of the Big Apple
Another dinner in New York, this time with a stranger who was born in Ohio but long desired to move to Manhattan. Now she’s achieved her dream and is enjoying life in the city so good they named it twice. But if it’s that great, why not name it three times?
#7 No Regrets
May 9, 2009
STRANGER: Lynda Nyberg
LOCATION: AOC Bistro, Brooklyn, New York City
THEME: Breaking bread in Brooklyn
Back to the Big Apple to meet another stranger. This time it’s a woman who has had more than her fair share of bad things happen, but she turns everything into a positive experience.
#6 Clowning Around
March 26, 2009
STRANGER: Diego Barquinero
LOCATION: The Counter, Santa Monica, CA
THEME: Chatting with a clown
On a recent holiday in California I got the chance to have dinner with a genuine circus clown. Click above to learn all about this stranger’s life under the big top.
#5 The Prince Of Petworth
March 24, 2009
STRANGER: Dan Silverman
LOCATION: CommonWealth, Washington, DC
THEME: Dining in the District
The inaugural dinner in Washington, DC, with a stranger took me less than a block from my house to meet up with a locally well-known blogger who’s all about promoting the positive aspects of the city. Hard to argue with that.
#4 The Curious Case Of Benjamin Franklin
February 28, 2009
STRANGER: Ralph Archbold
LOCATION: City Tavern, Philadelphia
THEME: Hungry for history
For more than 30 years, Ralph Archbold’s job has been taking on the role of Benjamin Franklin for school events, public speaking, promotions, and even White House celebrations. Find out more about how he got into such a career, some of his favorite moments performing as Ben, and even hear a fine story about oysters.
#3 The Eager Beaver Diva With The Unconstricted Boa
December 6, 2008
STRANGER: Margarita Pracatan
LOCATION: Fusha, New York City
THEME: Chatting with a Cuban singer
Learn all about Margarita Pracatan, a Cuban singer living in New York. She’s a true individual whose endless enthusiasm and love of singing make her a genuine pleasure to be around. The article also includes videos of Margarita and I performing a couple of hits. You may want ear-plugs.
#2 Funny Man, Funny Man-Date
November 28, 2008
STRANGER: Jim Piddock
LOCATION: Mistral, Sherman Oaks, CA
THEME: Interview with an actor/writer/Brit
The second dinner with a stranger, this time with a celebrity. Click on the bright shiny picture above to read about my meeting with Jim Piddock, learn about his climb up the Broadway and Hollywood ladders, and some of the projects he’s working on these days.
#1 My Dinner With Joseph
November 15, 2008
STRANGER: Joe Matar
LOCATION: The Spotted Pig, New York City
THEME: Genesis of the site
It begins. The inaugural dinner with a stranger, which is actually brunch with someone I know quite well. Try to look past the deception to find out more about the idea for this site, dining at an over-hyped New York pub, and even a bit about my friend Joe.