Musical Monday: My Sisters and Brothers

Last week a dear friend’s husband died suddenly. Of a heart attack.  Yes, it is as tragic as it sounds. I am devastated. We are all devastated.  I’ll be writing more about it, specifically the grief process, but in the meantime, part of this beautiful Jerry Garcia song is being included in his obituary.  We… Continue reading Musical Monday: My Sisters and Brothers

Gift Guide for Thoughtful and FREE Gifts

My inbox seems to be FULL of Gift Guides.  I used to really enjoy them, but to be honest, now they are driving me bananas.  So many of them feel so commercial and disingenuous. I really don’t mean to sound like a grinch, but you all know by now that I’m not one to shy… Continue reading Gift Guide for Thoughtful and FREE Gifts

The Illusion of Time After Cancer

Recently, I came across a new blog that I am crazy about.  It is called HerAfter.com. The author, Rachael Yahne, had cancer and is a writer and blogger (obviously) living in New York. After years as a fashion journalist (a girl after my own heart!), she now writes women’s lifestyle articles about life, love, style, and life… Continue reading The Illusion of Time After Cancer

Gift Ideas: Brass Desk Accessories

Gift Ideas: Brass Desk Accessories Ever since I was a little girl, I have always been infatuated by anything and everything related to offices, from bookshelves to accessories. When I was a little girl, I remember going with my dad and sister to his office on Sunday mornings and being in heaven sitting at his… Continue reading Gift Ideas: Brass Desk Accessories

Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner

Dinner parties have a tendency to give me the heebie-jeebies, no matter how few people we have or how many. Now the Silver Lining of this angst is that this is  definitely a first world problem.  I mean, really.  Sometimes when I get myself all worked up, I tell myself to look in the mirror and… Continue reading Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner

What Food Banks Need

On Thursday, the three of us (the HOTY, Excitedly Eight and I) are going to serve Thanksgiving Dinner at a homeless shelter in Santa Barbara. Now that Excitedly Eight is old enough, it is a tradition that we are going to begin not only annually, but monthly. I’m a huge believer in cultivating a philanthropic heart,… Continue reading What Food Banks Need

Gift Ideas Don’t Have to be a Puzzle

When Christian Lacroix designs a jigsaw puzzle, you acquire it. It doesn’t matter if you have barefoot tots running around the house or not. You buy it. End. Of. Story. I plan to put it to good use for many years to come. This two-sized tabletop activity is adorned with gold and silver foil accents… Continue reading Gift Ideas Don’t Have to be a Puzzle