Interviewing strangers over a meal since 2008 (as featured in the Washington Post)
Former U.S. Senator Larry Pressler (R-SD) is concerned about the state of politics, fearing it’s become so bitter and broken that it’s impossible to advance good laws. Now out of Congress and officially an independent, he told me about his one-man bid to save democracy — and also about his…
After an almost five year hiatus, Dining With Strangers is back! For the two or three people still reading this site (thanks mum and dad), I’m glad to restart the dinner interviews. The site launched in 2008, and I met many strangers for meals, writing 130 profiles. When the pandemic…
In June 2016, I met youth advocate and artist JR Russ in Arlington, Virginia, for the 91st meal with a stranger. JR told me how he loves the world of theater and dance, and has since he was a child. But these days he finds his passion for the arts…
Missed this when it happened but it’s still fairly recent, so here we are: British entertainer Bernie Clifton finally released his autobiography, “Crackerjack to Vegas,” and has been on tour in the U.K. to promote it. Bernie featured on this site as the 115th stranger, back in December 2018. I…
Eleanor Clift never imagined being a famous political reporter in Washington, DC. For the 90th dinner interview, in June 2016, she told me how her early goal of being a secretary who would be able to type up interesting notes led to a career that has seen her cover every…
More news about strangers I missed last year! Actor and writer Stephen Tobolowsky, perhaps best known as Ned Ryerson in “Groundhog Day,” continues to be one of the most prolific character actors working today. We met in October 2014 at an LA diner for the 66th interview, spending more than…
Democratic Maryland state Senator Cheryl Kagan didn’t always plan on a career in politics. But these days she relishes her role representing a large district in the Old Line State. We met for the 89th interview in April 2016, when she told me that the work means she has no…
I’ll be doing the 131st and 132nd dinner interviews — the first in almost five years — next week in London. If you’d like to be featured on this site, simply click here to book a dinner and we’ll take it from there. In the meantime, I’ve been checking up…
Bill and Laura Johnson spend at least half of every year traveling the United States in their motor home. In April 2016, they were passing through Nashville, Tennessee, while I was visiting the city, so we met for the 88th dinner interview. During our lunch meeting the couple told me…
Even when this site was on hold for the last few years, I’ve kept up on news from the strangers I met. And today’s update is about the last interview before pausing Dining With Strangers due to the pandemic and other things. Deborah VanTrece, the 130th stranger I dined with,…