searching for myself … or for some chocolate
balls & dolls
When it comes to strong, inspiring women — women who have the courage, the gumption, the balls, if you will, to stand up for what they believe in — my list includes (in no particular order): Eleanor Roosevelt, Ellen DeGeneres, Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Rosa Parks, Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean King. And if I want […]
dear 5-year-old me
Having just celebrated a birthday with multiple 5’s in it, it seems an appropriate time for me to think about myself at five years old, my life stretched out ahead of me, cute smile, pinchable cheeks, neuroses already firmly in place (who knew?). If I could offer advice and comfort to that sweet little girl, […]
hang a left at the caramel
One of my favorite holidays is fast approaching — but not for the reasons you probably think. Let the other women get the roses (delivered to the office where everyone can see). The jewelry that’s advertised in commercials as coming straight from the heart (the heart of the ad agency, anyway). The red bustier that […]
you want a pizza this?
You can’t tell a New Yorker about pizza. Because New Yorkers know pizza better than anyone (spoken like a born and bred New Yorker, I know). If asked what the one thing I miss about living in New York is, the answer would have to be the pizza. You can throw a dart and hit […]
dear jack
Dear Jack, We’ve never met but I’m a little bit in love with you. I married your grandson, and his stories about you make me feel like, had we known each other, we would have been great friends. I never knew my grandfathers, both of them passing away before I was even born, so the […]
sample simple
In this world where even Type A personalities can feel left behind, the idea of achieving perfection – or anything in that neighborhood – is daunting at best. Ergo the epiphany that came to me while engaging in the very unglamorous act of painting our kitchen: a simple enough task, perfectly done, can bring pleasure, […]
beyond living on their hair
When it comes to music, I grew up on WABC-AM Top 40 (Harry Harrison and Cousin Brucie, anyone?). Carole King was my goddess in junior high. And as un-hip as it may sound, in high school, I loved listening to Jim Croce (my heart broke when his plane crashed), CSNY, Aztec Two-Step, James Taylor, Phoebe Snow. […]
together again, at last
The other night, with an evening to myself as B. was giving final exams, I found a treasure on TV — Encore was broadcasting the first night of a 4-part viewing of The Thorn Birds. The classic miniseries first aired in 1983, and I’ve never gotten to see it in its entirety. Actually, I’ve never seen […]
jackie, audrey, grace … and me
Sometimes in this world, there are rare moments when the fates conspire to do good. To do something so exquisite that we all sit back and emit a collective “ahh.” Jung called it the collective unconscious – phenomena we all instinctively regard as beautiful. Think sunsets, a sky full of stars, a snowflake. Now think […]
a ticklish subject
The LA Zoo is a really fun place to spend Thanksgiving morning. It’s not very crowded, it’s cool enough for all the animals to be in the outdoor portions of their habitats (vs. summertime, when they chill out inside), and the foliage is turning red and gold (yes, we do get fall here in LA, […]
rice on your head 