WATCHING
Family Business (Acorn)
This French series features an all-female legal firm practicing family law. Think marriage contracts, divorces, custody issues, and adoption. Two of the three lawyers are a mother, Astrid, and her daughter, Audrey, plus Sofia, the second partner. Both partners are single, while Audrey has two children and a somewhat hapless husband. The cases are serious, but also sometimes bizarre: a custody battle over a stubborn bulldog, for example.
Add in a large dollop of sex and you have moments that are fun and frivolous. Note the fashionable clothes and the always in vogue, stiletto heels. There are at least two seasons and I’m about a third of the way through Season 1.
READING
Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds by Huma Abedin
Many people know Huma Abedin, longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, mainly because of her husband Anthony Weiner. But there is much more to this woman than her role as a suffering spouse. With an Indian father and a Pakistani mother, she was raised Muslim and grew up alternating between Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Her father’s scholarly work and academic career meant they traveled abroad extensively. Starting her post-college life as a White House intern, Huma quickly advanced to more responsible positions until she became one of Clinton’s closest staff members. I am about one-third into the book and have yet to meet her future spouse.
I’ve enjoyed learning about her childhood experiences and reading the details of what it’s like to be an advance person or a trip coordinator for a high-level politician. Thus far, her perspective on Clinton is positive and almost affectionate. She is fair and not at all mean spirited about others in her work orbit. I imagine Abedin’s charmed life will become less so as events unfold.
DINING REPRISE
Bonefish Grill in Bradenton
Bonefish Grill is a chain restaurant, founded and headquartered in Tampa, and a consistently very good one. We frequently dine at their Cortez Road location about a 5-minute drive from home and are seldom disappointed. The prices are reasonable, there are weekly specials, and the fish is fresh.
The Chief Penguin is a big fan of their ahi tuna sashimi and the Wagyu beef dumplings, while I like the grilled shrimp and scallop combo or salmon with mango salsa. The Caesar and house salads (the latter with hearts of palm and black olives) are also good. If you’re feeling decadent, forget calories with their famous Bang Bang Shrimp. For drinks, have a glass of Chardonnay or indulge in a smoked old fashioned. The wait staff changes frequently, but the food is always reliable!
