This weekend Gabriele leased a new Infiniti FX37. Two years ago we purchased a 2011 Toyota Highlander, and it was a good vehicle with loads of room and zero issues. But Gabriele wanted something sportier, and was willing to give up interior space for a more engaging ride. Just like two years ago, the aim […]
My latest Wine and Dine column published today in WashingtonExec magazine. It’s a review of Virtue Feed and Grain, the latest Cathal and Mechelle Armstrong restaurant in Old Town, Alexandria. Virtue Feed and Grain is another strong addition to the local culinary scene. Here’s a video from Cathal Armstrong that describes the thinking behind the […]
Last week John Battelle published his 2013 predictions in technology. He’s been doing it for a decade, and even when he’s off the mark the predictions are thought-provoking. Plus he’s honest in grading himself. In 2012 he claims a score of 7 right, 5 wrong with two pushes. This year is another great crop, looking […]
Over the weekend I installed my big Christmas gift from my wife, new headlights for my 1999 E36 M3. The new set is actually the same kind of headlights from the manufacturer Hella I installed back in 2004, but in black rather than chrome. For a little background, the stock headlights on the US E36 […]
Google starts 2013 with a big win in federal court. The FTC announced today it was concluding a long running investigation into Google’s search practices. The FTC found that the company broke no laws in the way it presented search results. The Commission did find that Google abused certain patents, using them against competitors. Here’s […]
Merry New Year to all! Yesterday I received what will be my last WordPress.com annual traffic report, since I moved this site to chrisparente.com in early October of this year. It’s a good looking report and a nice little extra for wp.com bloggers — here’s my story on my 2011 report. According to WordPress I […]
Happy holiday wishes to all. Before traveling to be with family this holiday season, I took care of worn sway bar end links on my 1999 M3. Recently I replaced my rear shocks, and not soon afterwards starting hearing a soft clunking sound when turn right and going over bumps. It didn’t affect driveability, and […]
WashingtonExec published my December Wine and Dine column today. I share some proven holiday wine performers from my Christmases past. If you’re scrambling to finish your holiday preparations and need some good, reasonably priced wine give this list a read. I’ve included wines to suit many palates, and if you try any please share your […]
For the past two weeks the UN had been trying to revise a multilateral treaty that has been the official governing language of the Internet since the late 1980s. Many viewed this process as a way for authoritarian governments to assert control over Internet content, and late last week negotiations broke down. The United States […]
Huge news in the wine world broke yesterday. Robert Parker, founder of the Wine Advocate and the world’s most influential wine critic, announced plans to sell a portion of the business to three unnamed investors and to step down as editor-in-chief. (Here’s an interview in MarketWatch from last month with good background, with Parker’s assurance […]
There is so much market information available today that sometimes it can obscure the bigger picture, rather than illuminate. Not so with former securities analyst and current venture capitalist Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends report, released this week. Meeker was present at the creation of the modern day Internet while at Morgan Stanley in the 1990s, […]
Car and Driver just published its 2013 1o Best Cars list, and the new BMW 3-Series made the cut. The BMW 3-Series has done so an incredible 22 straight years. The editors sound like they really loved the previous E90 3-Series, because they snuck some qualifying statements into their descriptions of the F30. They weren’t […]