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All That Glitters

Here’s an embarrassing confession: I thought the phrase was “All that glitters is not gold.” Meaning, just because it’s shiny doesn’t mean it has value. It turns out that it’s the title of a poem by J.R.R. Tolkien: All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter. The nuance is slightly different. The most valuable things in …

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At the Table

When I was ten years old, I got it into my head that I wanted the kitchen table set. All the time, just like in a restaurant, ready for the next meal. We couldn’t afford to eat in restaurants, so I wanted to create the restaurant atmosphere at home. I carefully aligned the plate and …

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What’s in a Name?

First name Emily. Last name Ávila. First half American. Second half Portuguese. Just like my life. Totally one, and totally the other. Here, no one mispronounces my last name. They don’t say “uh-VEEY-uh,” forcing a fake Spanish accent. Or start off with the flat, whiney ‘A’ like “apple.” They know to emphasize the Ahhhh. But …

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ball in pool

Summertime

I am trying to resurrect my seasonal newsletter. This month’s issue is about summer’s slow ripening, and features a recipe for cherry clafoutis, and thoughts on imposter syndrome.