Synopses & Reviews
Michael McCarty has played a major role in defining a uniquely modern American attitude to cooking, dining, and entertaining since 1979, when he opened his first acclaimed Michael"s restaurant in Santa Monica, California. McCarty"s approach, now enjoyed on both coasts with the opening of Michael's New York in 1989, has always been refreshingly simple: start with the best ingredients, cook them in simple ways that highlight their natural qualities, pair them with great wines, and serve them in a relaxed yet stylish setting. The result, in Michael's own words, should be a "great party," which this book makes possible for any home cook. Adding to the lively spirit of Welcome to Michael's are the voices of dozens of luminaries from the worlds of entertainment, the arts, the media, business, politics, and cooking who share their own insightful, sometimes irreverent opinions about the Michael's experience. The result is a book to be savored on many levels: as a guide to cooking for yourself, your family, and your friends and to entertaining with style; as a primer on the rewarding relationship between food and wine; and as an experience that comes as close as words and pictures possibly can to enjoying a meal at one of Michael's restaurants, surrounded by the luminous personalities who dine there.
About the Author
Liz Smith is a Texan who grew up worshiping the likes of Tom Mix and his horse Tony as well as Astaire and Rogers at the movies. She wrote her first column after listening to Walter Winchell on the radio and went on to create a gossip pillar at the University of Texas, where she studied journalism. In late 1949 she arrived in New York City with only $50 to her name and no ticket home. Early jobs with Mike Wallace at CBS Radio, Allen Funt on Candid Camera and as the ghostwriter for the famous "Cholly Knickerbocker" Hearst society column put her right in the media mix. She also was a memorable writer-editor for Sports Illustrated and Cosmopolitan. Her bylined column has appeared daily since 1976 and is syndicated to millions of readers in over 70 newspapers. A champion of literacy and the fight against AIDS, she has raised millions for these causes. She won the Matrix Award for journalism and an Emmy Award for TV reporting at WNBC. Liz has been in Vanity Fair's Hall of Fame, endured the Playboy Q&A and answered the Proust questionnaire. She was recently named a "Living Landmark" by the Landmarks Conservancy of New York.