Those following this blog for some time know that my husband and I try to follow a predominantly animal-free diet. We do this for health reasons. We occasionally and selectively enjoy cheese, ice cream, and very occasionally some seafood, poultry or meat. But our preference is for fruit, veggies, legumes and grains. Our college-student son,…
I snapped up this Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale before heading back East to bring my son home from college for summer break. Since bags over 50 pounds can incur hefty ($50 and up) surcharges, I wanted to make sure our luggage stayed within the weight limits. The $20 I spent on it more than paid…
I unapologetically love my iPhone. Having said that, it’s not perfect. Here’s what would make it better for me. (I believe a number of these fixes may be on the way in the next OS/hardware update… but that won’t help me as I’ve got a 3G and don’t expect to upgrade it for another year…
For those following along at home: this morning was my 9-month post-surgery checkup with Dr. Friedman, my amazing oncologist. He pronounced that things are coming along “perfectly” and sent me away until my one-year checkup in August. I’ll drink to that.
Women possessing anything north of the most modest bosom know well the discomfort that any high-impact exercise can cause. Not only is the bouncing uncomfortable (and, some would argue, unsightly), but it can be damaging to breast tissue. The protective stance one assumes in trying to mitigate the bouncing can result in less-than-optimal posture for…
I’m a founding board member of a non-profit called Vintage Hollywood Foundation, which raises money for charitable organizations that work to improve the health and well-being of Southern California’s diverse community. Our flagship annual event, Vintage Hollywood, will be held on Saturday, June 12 (just 6 weeks away!) from 6:30-9:00pm. It features two dozen prestigious…
My friend Alex almost always signs off Twitter of an evening with a goodnight message. They tickle me, these tweets, because in them she regularly invents new words to refer to her collective followers. No pedestrian “tweeps” for Alex. Among my favorites: Goodnight, Tweepsicle …Tweetson (sometimes Tweeterson). … Twitches … Tweepsies … Tweetiepop … Tweetifer…
Thanks to the marvelous Miss Whistle, I read the Guardian’s article previewing 15 recipies from Ottolenghi’s upcoming cookbook. Tonight I made his “Chickpea, tomato and bread soup,” which is quite similar to a Tuscan ribollita. Let me just say that even though there are just two of us, there were no leftovers.
Ever few months we’re lucky to spend a weekend at Lavender Hill Farm, the home of our friends Sims and Steve in the picturesque Upper Ojai Valley. Here are some pictures we took on April 16 and 17. We picked vegetables from Steve’s extensive gardens and prepared them for lunch and dinner. Artichokes are in…
… when you and your spouse are trying to remember the name of an obscure place in New York, but can’t, so you give up. And hours later, one of you remembers the name, calls out just one word across the house, and the other answers, “right!”
Here’s another brilliant, unique gift. Looks like a wooden chalice, or perhaps some sort of stair newel or decorative table leg, right? Look again. Look to the left of the shadow. (I’ll wait.) Is that the coolest silhouette portrait you’ve ever seen? The folks at Turn Your Head have figured out how to, from a…
While living in the UK in the 90s, my husband and I became fans of Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta. Behold this stairwell in the home he designed for Emile Tassel, regarded by many as the first Art Nouveau building: Happily Horta’s own Brussels home, now the Horta Museum, is in superb condition and…
Everyone has his or her own policy about following people on Twitter. Here’s mine: I follow accounts that speak to my personal and/or professional interests. They can be news feeds; fellow entertainment and media types; punsters; those who share my hobbies and passions; public figures I admire; friends of friends. But there’s always a specific…
One of my favorite cartoons, ever:
For the past five months, my husband and I have been eating a largely vegan diet. I know that saying “largely vegan” is akin to saying “somewhat pregnant,” so let’s just say that we severely limit the amount of animal product we eat, and save it for very special occasions. Let it be known: I…
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…
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.
How freaking cute is this??? swissmiss | Tea Sub.
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…
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…
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…. With thanks to Miss Whistle for leading me to the site.