Sara, Ruth and I

The picture above is Red’s Rite Spot on Maynard Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan, about 40 years ago. My apartment windows are on either side of the 1hr CLEANING sign, so you can understand that even though I formally did not study greasy spoons when I was a student at the University of Michigan, I did absorb a full measure of hash-house soul wafting up all day, every day. Red’s is long-gone and the city’s tallest building, a condo complex, now stands on this spot, but I got to reminiscing about my A2 days thanks to a story by author Colleen Newvine in the alumni magazine about Ruth Reichl, Sara Moulton and me. We all attended the U of M, all wound up at Gourmet magazine, and all got canned when Gourmet died last October. Colleen’s story talks about our future plans. Since it was written, Jane and I have joined up with Saveur magazine, which we believe is going to be a stupendous venue for Roadfood stories. More about that to come!