Essays and cultural criticism shaped by the writers, artists, places, and ideas that have influenced my thinking. These pieces combine personal encounter with close reading to examine how taste and judgment develop over time.
In The New York Times Valentine’s Day feature, “The Objects We Keep for Love,” I wrote about a hand-embroidered table runner that once belonged to Lily, a friend of my grandmother’s. I never met Lily, but I heard her name often growing up. She wasn’t part of our family—yet she was family.
I’m lucky to have not only things that belonged to Lily but something like this, that she made.
The piece appeared in the February 15, 2026 print edition. Read it here.
