Corkage
Once upon a time, my husband and I published a wine newsletter called Swirl Wine News. (We plan to resurrect it as a blog someday… more on that another time.) This afternoon on Twitter, a lively discussion broke out among several of us about corkage policies at restaurants. It brought to mind a piece we…
The Guppy, by Ogden Nash
Whales have calves, Cats have kittens, Bears have cubs, Bats have bittens, Swans have cygnets, Seals have puppies, But guppies just have little guppies. Amazon.com: The Best of Ogden Nash.
swissmiss | Tea Sub
How freaking cute is this??? swissmiss | Tea Sub.
Earthquake-Ready Your Car, Too
The recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile have spurred many to update (or establish!) their home quake preparedness kits. That’s good thinking. While you’re at it, make sure you have a plan for the members of your household to communicate with one another in case you’re not all home at the time. For many Southern…
Attention Conference Organizers
I’ve attended a number of professional social media conferences in the past six months. Each delivered value in its own way, but each could also have done better. If you’re organizing a conference, or thinking about doing so, please consider this my feedback in advance: 1. Power Up People who attend your social media confab…
The Technology Of Cirque’s Spectacular KÀ
One of the most breathtaking theatrical productions on the planet – I feel perfectly safe making that claim – turns five years old this month: Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ. If you haven’t yet seen KÀ, Cirque’s resident production at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, put it at the top of your list for your…
Sober (and in the light of day), she realized that…
Sober (and in the light of day), she realized that…. With thanks to Miss Whistle for leading me to the site.
Mary
My brilliant, brave and beautiful friend Mary Herczog lost a rare battle today, and to an especially unworthy opponent: breast cancer. She fought it heroically, and with great humor and style, for a dozen years. It finally got the better of her this morning. I met Mary through an AOL message board, not long after…
Managing Your Tweet Stream: Three Tips
A few friends on Twitter found some recent suggestions of mine about managing their Tweet streams helpful, so I thought Id present them in blog form. You didnt catch my tips on Twitter? Not surprising. One paradox of Twitter is that the more people you follow, the less likely you are to see any given…
3-D glasses dress by Nicole Lindner
A clever idea (even if, as one commenter points out, the red and blue panes should be reversed for accuracy). 3-D glasses dress by Nicole Lindner – Swell 3D (with thanks to Ben for finding it).
Six Months On
For those following along at home: I had my six-month post-op visit with Dr. Friedman (my oncologist) yesterday. “You look perfectly normal,” be pronounced upon examining me for any signs of recurrence. Pause. “Well, actually, I can only speak for your vagina. Whether YOU are normal or not I’m unable to vouch for.” Gotta love…
Just released: Curt Smith’s new single “All Is Love (featuring Zoë Keating)”
In case you don’t follow me on Twitter (and why on earth not???), here’s a tip: The new single from Tears for Fears co-founder Curt Smith, “All Is Love (featuring Zoë Keating),” is available for the next few days as a free MP3 download from AmazonMP3 (U.S. only – it’s an Amazon U.S. thing). It’s…
Shagadelic, baby
My favorite new iPhone app is PhotoTropedelic by Larry Weinberg ($1.99). I’ll say upfront that v1.0 auto-adds a credit to your photos – BOO for a paid app – but the developer heard the cries of his public and has submitted a 1.1 revision which he promises will eiminate this annoyance. Here are a few…
How the International Medical Alliance is Assisting the Haiti Relief Effort
… and how you can, too. I received this email late on Saturday from Lee Kagan, our personal physician and longtime friend: Dear Friends: The photo below was taken today (Saturday, Jan. 16) at the hospital in Jimani, Dominican Republic, where a medical team from the International Medical Alliance (www.imaonline.org) is now working. The town sits…
Heartbreak
A dear friend, who’s three years my junior, learned yesterday that the breast cancer she’s fought fearlessly for a dozen years will soon have the last laugh. She sent a typically wry email around to announce this news to her “Best Beloveds.” In it, she muses about how best to use her remaining time. “Does…
The Known Universe, Scientifically Rendered For All to See | American Museum of Natural History News
A welcome, perhaps even necessary, bit of perspective as we ring in the New Year, this short film vividly depicts the Universe as scientists best know it. Produced by Michael Hofman and directed by Carter Emmart, it’s well worth six minutes of your time. Click left or below to view. The Known Universe Scientifically Rendered…
Photo Blog: Shelf Road Trail, Ojai
On the Sunday after Christmas, we (Tom, Steve, Sims and I, accompanied by Jefferson, S&S’s chocolate lab) hiked the lovely Shelf Road Trail in Ojai. Below, some iPhone photos from our walk:
My Bunk Bed Is My Screening Room (Guest Blog)
By Ben Wszalek I love watching movies, and once I moved into my college dorm room, I wanted better sound and picture than my laptop provides. This is what I’ve devised so far: my dorm room bed – aka “The Screening Room.” This sheet acts as a curtain that helps to keep light out. It’s…
Topa Topa
Sundown, Christmas Day
Temporary Well Being
The pond is plenteous The land is lush, And having turned off the news I am for the moment mellow. With my book in one hand And my drink in the other What more could I want But fame, Better health, And ten million dollars? – Kenneth Burke
Tits
You can purchase this, and similarly imaginative Seb Lester prints, here. You can also follow him on Twitter, where he’s @seblester.
Interesting Entrees?
For the past two months, I’ve been following a near-Vegan, near-gluten-free diet for two reasons: 1) to improve my general health and minimize chances of further disease and 2) to lose weight. Only time will tell if I achieve goal number 1, although my already-low cholesterol had dropped another three points by my physical last…
Chestnut Soup
This recipe was sent to me almost a decade ago by my Aunt. It was from the February 2001 issue of Food & Wine Magazine, and credited to Alex Urena, executive chef of Manhattan’s Blue Hill Restaurant. Servings: 2 to 4 Ingredients: 3 tablespoons canola oil One 14-ounce vacuum-packed jar of cooked and peeled chestnuts…
