At last, I pick a winner

Last night I watched the election returns in a Hells Kitchen apartment. I was with three women I grew up with in Palo Alto, one whom I have known since the third grade. The year was 1988 and we held a mock Presidential election. Palo Alto being a liberal hotbed, it was a landslide for [...]

Tales from the underground

Prior to my move to Manhattan, the subway ranked high among the “amenities” I looked forward to enjoying as an NYC resident. I had lived in three cities with sub-par public transit systems and was eagerly anticipating leaving my wheels in California along with car payments, insurance, registration, permits, tickets, parking, and the constant fear [...]

Pride of the Upper West Side

I do not exactly fit the demographic of an Upper West Side New Yorker. I am neither married, nor do I have children. I am not an Orthodox Jew. I do not collect Social Security. And yet I feel completely at home living just west of Central Park in this community.
It’s difficult for other New [...]

Sidewalk rush hour

I am a West Coast girl, no doubt about that. And I am capable of demonstrating tremendous patience. But I’ve always had a little Manhattan in me, in that I do things fast. I talk in a stream of consciousness when I’ve got something on my mind. I also walk at swift clip no matter [...]

Beware the toaster

Millie and I were just minding our own business. It was Thursday night, 11pm, a little over a week ago.
In the mood for some toast, Millie inquired about a half-loaf of bread that appeared to be a permanent resident in the fridge. I assured her that if there were no mold spores it would probably [...]

Joanna Coles talks to the women of Step Up (and the rest of the world)

I recently attended an event hosted by Step Up Women’s Network, a national nonprofit membership organization dedicated to strengthening community resources for women and girls. The event was held at the Hearst offices in Manhattan and featured Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire Magazine.
 
I had wanted to meet Coles for over a year, ever [...]