by Jeff Maisey | Jan 21, 2021 | News, News & Views, Robotham
By Tom Robotham Thirty years ago this month, I moved from New York City to Norfolk. When I told my friends and co-workers of my plans, they thought I was nuts. One senior executive at Hearst Magazines, where I was working at the time, went so far as to call me a...
by Jeff Maisey | Dec 16, 2020 | News, News & Views, Robotham
(Tom Robotham — on the left — has been perfecting his French with Duolingo so he can better converse in the future with local Parisians like this street vendor selling books and art along the River Seine) By Tom Robotham J’apprends Français. Well, a...
by Jeff Maisey | Nov 20, 2020 | News, News & Views, Robotham
BY TOM ROBOTHAM On the morning of Nov. 7, I was watching CNN, fervently hoping that they would finally call the election in Joe Biden’s favor. When they did, at 11:26 a.m., I let out a whoop that was likely heard throughout West Ghent. Van Jones—a CNN commentator whom...
by Jeff Maisey | Oct 20, 2020 | News, News & Views, Robotham
(Columnist Tom Robotham was among the first to enjoy the patio when Taphouse Grill in Ghent reopened in late summer) By Tom Robotham Ten years ago, I wrote an essay in this space called “The Soul of the Pub”—my reflections on the appeal of pubs in general, and The...
by Jeff Maisey | Sep 19, 2020 | News, News & Views, Robotham
By Tom Robotham No man is an island, / Entire of itself, / Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. ~ John Donne I didn’t watch this year’s Republican convention—I couldn’t stomach the thought—but I did see the opening montage, which...
by Jeff Maisey | Aug 18, 2020 | News, News & Views, Robotham
By Tom Robotham Let me ask you a question: Do you pray? If so, for what and to whom? I used to pray a lot. Throughout my childhood, I attended services at a lovely old Episcopal Church virtually ever Sunday, and for several years I served as an acolyte. In...
