Although there had been residential hotels for bachelors and families for decades (see The Thin Man movies), until the early twentieth century there were no residential hotels for women because there was no need for such a thing. American women stayed home. But in 1903, recognizing a nascent ... [Continue Reading]
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
How do you select a good read? Recommendations from friends and book reviews are two popular sources. But sometimes nothing beats a leisurely stroll through your local bookstore. I can spend hours perusing the stacks of bright, attention- grabbing covers wondering what lies beneath. Is the novel ... [Continue Reading]
New York Theater February 2020
Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl. Grand Horizons is dramedy about an elderly couple who file for divorce and the repercussions, especially for their grown children. Jane Alexander and James Cromwell are terrific as the octogenarians. The Minutes by Tracy Letts The Minutes by Tracy Letts, author of the ... [Continue Reading]
Still Here, The Madcap, Nervy, Singular Life of Elaine Stritch by Alexandra Jacobs
The talented Broadway singer, actress, and comedian Elaine Stritch was the definition of her own worst enemy. Due to a decades long drinking problem and a sharp tongue, she lost out on many plum theatrical roles, having to settle for the understudy or a lesser role. Over the years, she auditioned ... [Continue Reading]
by Elizabeth Gilbert
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert After that ridiculous Eat, Pray, Love, I removed author Elizabeth Gilbert from my reading lists, forever. But on the recommendation of a friend, I (reluctantly) read City of Girls, which I (surprisingly) enjoyed. In 1940, nineteen-year-old college dropout ... [Continue Reading]
Save Me the Plums, My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl
I hate to cook, but I would gladly have worked at Gourmet magazine under the editorial leadership of Ruth Reichl. It sounds like such fun—the exotic travel, the best restaurants, the top-notch writers, and of course, the test kitchen that was always turning out something yummy. Even the gossipy, ... [Continue Reading]
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Amazon This new comedy series from Amy Sherman-Palladino (“Gilmore Girls,” “Bunheads”) is my new fav! (And I’m counting The Crown and Frankie & Grace, which I also love.) Miriam “Midge” Maisel (nee Weissman) is enjoying an idyllic 1950s life- two adorable children, ... [Continue Reading]
Lillian Boxfish Takes A Walk by Kathleen Rooney
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney On New Year’s Eve 1984 in New York City, octogenarian Lillian Boxfish has an early dinner at neighborhood restaurant. After dinner, she suddenly decides to walk from Murray Hill downtown to Delmonico’s restaurant for a nightcap. Clad in a mink ... [Continue Reading]
Books for the Guest Room
Books for the Guest Room Tis the season for overnight guests! In addition to a variety of pillows and good lighting, you can make your guests feel extra special by offering a selection of reading material in the guest room. Here are five books which offer something for everyone. Escape ... [Continue Reading]
Florence Foster Jenkins
Florence Foster Jenkins Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant are terrific in this lavishly dressed but slow moving movie about a wealthy woman who thinks she can sing and the friends and family who support her delusion –all the way to Carnegie Hall. "People may say that I couldn't sing. But no one ... [Continue Reading]