TRENTON MAKES

I've lived in the greater Trenton area for over 14 years now, and despite its shockingly inept, nakedly corrupt current mayor and his cadre of cronies, the town has grown on me. I'm crazy for the city's tomato pie (don't say pizza). Waterfront Park is a jewel of a ballpark, hugging the Delaware River. Cadwallader Heights and Mill Hill are two gorgeous neighborhoods that proudly survive despite the crumbling elsewhere in the city. The Art All Night festival in June is an unexpectedly, wacky, intensely creative 24 hours of fun. And the city has a great, hard-nosed newspaper, The Trentonian, to which I've become addicted. Terrific sportswriting and provocative columnists--Jeff Edelstein is flat out hilarious, even when he's making a serious point--and some of the best headline writers in the country.

Well, a few days ago, I---actually The Omnivore---was invited to be part of the paper's Blog Center, and yesterday a link to this blog appeared on the paper's website. You can find us in the Blog Center's LIFE section, alongside some really cool fellow bloggers. Now I have some more jewels of Trenton to explore: the minds and hearts and opinions of other bloggers like me.

So WELCOME to all of you new visitors to this space! I'll try to make the posts here as interesting, timely and compelling as possible. Lotsa food and beer and wine and life stuff. Just read below a little bit and you'll get the idea of where I'm coming from. And let me know what you think. We're all going to be part of a very exciting newspaper adventure. Hang on for a while.

KETCHUP

It's been over 5 weeks since I last posted something on this blog, the longest gap between posts I've ever allowed to happen.

I'm sorry, but I have been ridiculously busy.

Beginning with a nearly 14-hour birthday party for the twins (where I grilled almost 200 various kinds of sliders--- a gamble that really paid off--they went over big!), lit and cut TWO birthday cakes, and had lots of 90-degree weather fun watching the twins and their friends bounce and waterslide (thanks Aunt Renee, it was a BIG hit!) themselves crazy, and continuing with a government-related project that I am prohibited to discuss, my days and nights have been full.

In between all that there were a few stops during Philly Beer Week (only McGillin's Olde Ale House's 150th Anniversary was well attended; the others were....much quieter), Ben and Sophie's touching "graduation" from pre-school, a slew of other birthdays (including my mom's 75th!), some BBQ at Sweet Lucy's for MY birthday last week, and some favorite beers shared in our weekly beer chat, the "No Bull Inn," on starchat.net.

My dear friend Lew Bryson lost his dad last week to pancreatic cancer, after a long and courageous fight. His tribute to his dad is another example of how great a writer and son he has been. Don't pass up reading it.

Bob Sheppard, the voice of Yankee Stadium for half a century, passed away Sunday. And today the Yankees' owner, "The Boss", George Steinbrenner, died after suffering a massive heart attack.

So we have a lot to catch up on. And I need to get back into the rhythm of writing again. I missed the interaction, reaction and feedback. I promise I won't wait this long again.

YEAR TWO.

Today begins the second year of The Omnivore. Although I haven't been able to write and post at the pace and frequency I would have liked, it has been a tremendous experience so far, a great release from the challenges and stress in my life, and the kind of catharsis that keeps life in general as balanced and fresh as it has been.

I'm glad that I started this thing last year, at the persistent urging of one of my favorite writers and dear friends, Lew Bryson, whose blog, Seen Through a Glass, remains a true benchmark for me and my writing. I'm glad I also started it around Thanksgiving, because it reminds me to be most thankful for the folks that follow The Omnivore--not a lot of you---and keep me on my toes. And to be thankful for my kids, Ben and Sophie, who provide constant inspiration. And it also reminds me to be thankful for the family and friends whose warm embraces and positive energy keep me steady and humble and focused on the future.