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Woodward's essay on Deep Throat

Posted by Jason Raia on June 02, 2005

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Here's the link to Bob Woodward's essay. Discuss away.

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Sharon Kay Penman's A King's Ransom

Richard the Lionheart, King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of Poitou and Anjou was the very definition of foolhardy. At the approach of his death (no this is not a spoiler as he died in 1199), I found myself angry with the great king for the reckless behavior that ended his life after only a decade of rule. The promise of what could have been died that April day with the Lionheart. If there are moments where the future of the world changes, author Sharon Kay Penman makes you believe that this was one of them. Jerusalem might have been returned to Christian rule had Richard returned to the Holy Land, and if he ruled long into old age, as his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine did, the Magna Carta forced on King John in 1215 at Runnymede would have been unnecessary, and thus even American democracy might have been affected by the Lionheart.
My anger was fleeting in response to A King's Ransom, for there is a deep and abiding sadness that permeates this biography of King…

Hello, Bette!*

Some Broadway shows tell a poignant story, others are fall down funny, and still others showcase a selection of songs. Then, there is the star vehicle. Hello, Dolly! is just that, and there is no more perfect a star for the role of Dolly Levi today than Bette Midler. Every time she was on stage it was just her and the audience, and this 71-year-old left nothing in reserve. From the moment she arrived on stage to the final bow, it was hard to look at anything other than Bette out of fear that I might miss something. Yet there was so much worth looking at, including some of my favorite costumes ever. Bette's every look, every step, every turn is in service to comedy, and the the audience of course. Her smile would light up the theatre every time, and I'm sure every one of the 1430 in the audience thought it was for them. When she finally made her appearance for the the 11 o'clock number and title song, all in red sequins and feathers at the top of the staircase, there was n…

#12 - Cheu Noodle Bar

Philadelphia Magazine came out with their latest Top 50 Restaurants list, and I have set myself a goal for 2015. I want to eat my way through every restaurant on the list. Now many of them I have already enjoyed immensely - like Marc Vetri's four restaurants on the list (Vetri, Amis, Osteria, and Alla Spina) or Jose Garces' Amada or such new classics as Vedge and Talula's Garden - so I am happy to risk the other, and I will focus on those I haven't sampled yet, at least to start.
The guys at Cheu Noodle Bar may not be into some elusive and stagnated authentic ramen experience (whatever that is), but they are into flavor, and wow just wow. Ranked #12 in Philadelphia Magazine's list, Cheu produces deeply satisfying bowls of noodles that are the product of layers of flavor deftly assembled by cooks who genuinely love food.

I started with the dumpling of the day, which was a magnificent mouthful of short rib, pork, and date encased in a perfectly formed gelatinous rice…

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