Category Archives: Travel

Mazur’s Program B on Abelian Surfaces

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Persiflage

In the book “More mathematical people,” there is an interview with Robin Wilson with the following quote: At the meal I found myself sitting next to Alistair Cooke who was very charming, and absolutely fascinating to listen to. The very … Continue reading →

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Bristol 2005

Posted on August 5, 2018 by Persiflage

(This is really just a supplement to this post.) The AIM model of conferences encourages real time collaboration, which is unusual as far as mathematical conferences go. But the ne plus ultra of such a conference (among those I have … Continue reading →

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Australiana

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Persiflage

Some short observations from my recent trip: Only in the same sense as Captain Renault could you possibly be shocked (shocked!) by what Bancroft drops into his pants. The 90th percentile quality coffee in Melbourne (random mall coffee) is at … Continue reading →

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Alinea

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Persiflage

Fresh off my dining experiences in Jerusalem, I returned home for some more local dining. From smoked juniper bushes to edible stones, I arrived at Alinea fearing that I would be underwhelmed but left leaving very happy. Rather than try … Continue reading →

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This year in Jerusalem

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Persiflage

I just returned from spending almost a week in Jerusalem (my first ever visit to Israel). The main reason for my visit was to talk with Alex Lubotzky (and Shai Evra) about mathematics, but there was plenty of time for … Continue reading →

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Hiring Season

Posted on January 7, 2018 by Persiflage

Lizard 1: Wait, explain again why we bury our young in the sand and thereby place them into mortal peril? Lizard 2: So they develop character! If it was good enough for me, it’s good enough for them. (Feel free … Continue reading →

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Report From Berkeley

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Persiflage

My recent trip to Berkeley did not result in a chance to test whether the Cheeseboard pizza maintained its ranking, but did give me the opportunity to attend the latest Bay Area Number Theory and Algebraic Geometry day, on a … Continue reading →

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Ventotene, part I

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Persiflage

I recently returned from Ventotene, an Island some 40 miles west of Naples, where I attended a very pleasant conference on Manifolds and Groups. I have several mathematical thoughts on the conference, but for today I will content myself to … Continue reading →

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Music in London

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Persiflage

London is a wonderful city, an I can certainly imagine moving there if I suddenly happen to become a Russian oligarch. One thing that is absolutely fantastic is the classical music scene, which is surely the best in the world. … Continue reading →

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A postview of Bellairs/Barbados

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Persiflage

I am just recovering from my trip to Barbados for the McGill sponsored conference at the Bellairs institute (which I previously discussed here). I thought it was a wonderfully enjoyable conference, for many reasons. The first is that I got … Continue reading →

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