We were lucky enough to have a very interesting role model - Aunt Kitty. Mom's brother's wife. We didn't know her well even tho they lived in the same town in Maryland we did - Uncle Ed was older than Mom and they weren't close. He had played football for the Redskins and owned a car dealership afterward. They were more glamorous than we were, by far. They had two sons and one daughter - we share the same name, she's younger than me but attended the same grade school. Aunt Kitty would pick her up in, seriously, a different, brand new Buick convertible every week (or so it seemed). We walked or rode bikes. The few times we were invited to their home it seemed so fancy. We heard Kitty got up early to put on 'her face' before Ed woke up. Her makeup and hair were always just so. She'd been a hat model pre marriage and, funnily enough, often wore a hat. Uncle Ed passed away from cancer - he was a handsome man and refused the treatment because it would have ruined his face somewhat - that was years ago. In about 2005 two of my sisters and I returned to Maryland for a reunion of our grade school. We made plans to have lunch with Aunt Kitty at her country club - a very chic one in the DC area. She was still an imposing woman - ramrod posture, hair done and impeccable manners. We learned more about her, as adults. For example she loved to sew. I had never pictured this, but she took us to her home (a new one in Kensington) after lunch and said she'd made all the curtains. She had boxes and boxes of hats in the basement. Oil paintings of her and her daughter - so they were still quite different from us!! But she was gracious and fun and had several sayings that I heard that day : "Oh really" (with a smile and arched eyebrow); "well now what do you think?" ( not answering a question); "you sillyhead" (shrug and closed smile); " I have no idea" (deflecting); "wonderful,wonderful"; "yes darling"; "oh forever", " call me" or "bye bye"(quickly, crisply yet in a sing song voice); "he was a rascal" (describing our cousin's first husband). She was thrilled we were 'lovely and pencil thin'. And had enough manners to lunch at the club and keep up the conversation, I'm sure.
She's now gone but sometimes I think of her - I think she made her own reality and enjoyed her life on her own terms. Ed was a rascal, big time, but she found her own way to deal with it and stay happy. She was a good mother and eventually moved to Charlottesville to be nearer my cousin, near the end of her life. She would organize and moderate fashion shows in her retirement home.
bye bye,
La
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Wednesday: pre trip musings
Yikes, we leave Saturday for Toronto. Then on to Paris from there. Lots to do these next three days. It's exciting and a bit nerve wracking to travel so far from home, including leaving behind one of my children and aging parents. Life is crazy and you just never know.....my intention is to have a wonderful time and I know I will, but it's human to worry sometimes.
My good friend A is in Amsterdam right now and her Instagram feed is full of terrific photos - so picturesque. She's heading to Belgium next. Spoke with my niece yesterday, we'll be talking on Monday in Paris and coordinate a meet up for Tuesday. She'll be with two friends, I don't want to hijack her time, but she and my kids want to see one another so I hope we can get together. Jim (from LA) is excited to meet up/spend three days exploring Copenhagen with us - he's so much fun to be around - can't wait to see him too. The weather is, perhaps, going to be less than perfect - chilly/rain - and both my other times in Europe the weather was always dry, so my luck could be running out in that department. Positive thoughts!
I'm using packing cubes for the first time, will report back on them. As mentioned, packing very light, I even bought a smaller sized carry on than one I already own.
Trying on stuff later and starting to finalize packing. I've been eating rather unwisely and may regret that, but I'm back on semi-keto/intermittent fasting after the trip. I never gain weight on vacation anyway, always very active, lots of walking and no snacking to speak of, I'll probably lose a pound or two. I fluctuate a bit anyway, 5-7 pounds, and I'm tall so that's not any kind of issue with me, but I just feel better when my stomach is flatter and my clothes fit smoothly. :)
Sucking it up,
L
My good friend A is in Amsterdam right now and her Instagram feed is full of terrific photos - so picturesque. She's heading to Belgium next. Spoke with my niece yesterday, we'll be talking on Monday in Paris and coordinate a meet up for Tuesday. She'll be with two friends, I don't want to hijack her time, but she and my kids want to see one another so I hope we can get together. Jim (from LA) is excited to meet up/spend three days exploring Copenhagen with us - he's so much fun to be around - can't wait to see him too. The weather is, perhaps, going to be less than perfect - chilly/rain - and both my other times in Europe the weather was always dry, so my luck could be running out in that department. Positive thoughts!
I'm using packing cubes for the first time, will report back on them. As mentioned, packing very light, I even bought a smaller sized carry on than one I already own.
Trying on stuff later and starting to finalize packing. I've been eating rather unwisely and may regret that, but I'm back on semi-keto/intermittent fasting after the trip. I never gain weight on vacation anyway, always very active, lots of walking and no snacking to speak of, I'll probably lose a pound or two. I fluctuate a bit anyway, 5-7 pounds, and I'm tall so that's not any kind of issue with me, but I just feel better when my stomach is flatter and my clothes fit smoothly. :)
Sucking it up,
L
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
My life part ten
So, I think we're pretty much all all caught up with my life. Working as a real estate appraiser, singing with The PopTarts, managing our rental properties, Mom to three - one child still living at home, wife, daughter of two aging parents (Dad undergoing chemo at 88), sister of four, aunt of many......
and now prepping for a 13 day vacation to Europe. Yay!!
It looks like rain for some of our trip, I got some cheap disposable rain ponchos via Amazon to tuck into my bag; going to fine tune my packing tomorrow. Taking very little - our rentals all have washer/dryer included and I don't want to be lugging a lot of stuff around. I've been a minimalist travel packer for many years now and it's definitely the way (for me) to go! Wear the heavy stuff on the plane and layer, layer, layer if, when you arrive at your destination, it's cooler than planned. Of course with modern tech you can get fairly reliable forecasts in advance. Black, denim/blue and faded army green are my colors. A big scarf, doubles as a picnic tablecloth. We plan to hit the french pharmacy upon arrival and choose a bottle of body lotion to share throughout the trip. Taking one small tube of toothpaste for all to share. Same with some micellar water etc. So excited!! Remember, they have stores in Europe, all you really need is money (and your passport!).
I plan to blog a few more times before we depart, but I have some work appointments this week and final planning/packing to do - so no promises. I can share some photos upon return. We have daughter's boyfriend staying here to watch the cats/hold down the fort. He's here now making us homemade pizza. I highly recommend a nurse/chef combo for your daughter's boyfriend if you have a choice! My sisters and Mom will be taking good care of Dad.
bisous,
L
and now prepping for a 13 day vacation to Europe. Yay!!
It looks like rain for some of our trip, I got some cheap disposable rain ponchos via Amazon to tuck into my bag; going to fine tune my packing tomorrow. Taking very little - our rentals all have washer/dryer included and I don't want to be lugging a lot of stuff around. I've been a minimalist travel packer for many years now and it's definitely the way (for me) to go! Wear the heavy stuff on the plane and layer, layer, layer if, when you arrive at your destination, it's cooler than planned. Of course with modern tech you can get fairly reliable forecasts in advance. Black, denim/blue and faded army green are my colors. A big scarf, doubles as a picnic tablecloth. We plan to hit the french pharmacy upon arrival and choose a bottle of body lotion to share throughout the trip. Taking one small tube of toothpaste for all to share. Same with some micellar water etc. So excited!! Remember, they have stores in Europe, all you really need is money (and your passport!).
I plan to blog a few more times before we depart, but I have some work appointments this week and final planning/packing to do - so no promises. I can share some photos upon return. We have daughter's boyfriend staying here to watch the cats/hold down the fort. He's here now making us homemade pizza. I highly recommend a nurse/chef combo for your daughter's boyfriend if you have a choice! My sisters and Mom will be taking good care of Dad.
bisous,
L
Monday, May 20, 2019
My life part nine
Apologies for making this so long, never thought this 'series' would take this many blogs. Anyway, it's for me and I'm feeling good that I'm actually writing every day and (somewhat) taking stock of my myself. Not much more to go.....
So in 2008 my kids are in high school, I've finally gotten certified/licensed as a real estate appraiser and our beloved dog, Sarge, passes. As mentioned 2006-2008 were pretty gloomy for me and the financial crash didn't help - especially as real estate was now my career. No money. Well, very little. So in 2009 I went to Julie and said let's start a band. One where we can make some money. Julie and I've known one another since the 1980's - she's always been in bands/involved in the CLE music scene/produced the cable tv show 'Cleveland Rocks' (I was the gossip reporter) and I knew that we could do something financially viable. Both of our husbands are musicians but you can't make money in CLE, playing locally, with a big band of live musicians. And I needed money. College was looming large. So we decided to sing to tracks. We spent some time checking out other local acts, knew two women who were doing pretty well singing to tracks together (lead and harmony) at restaurants and Julie came up with the idea of 1960's girl group, The PopTarts. www.the-poptarts.com. She knew two other singers and voila we were successful out of the gate (after a bit of rehearsing of course). We've been playing over 130 gigs a year (that's a lot!) for nine years now. We have over 13 pair of go go boots, matching Mrs Santa outfits etc. Three records. Two songs in a Lifetime movie channel movie- Love at the Christmas Table. Fans and 'groupies'. We are very lucky but we've worked hard and do a really fun, entertaining show. There is nothing like having people tell you 'you've made my day' 'you girls make me feel so great' and having even small children dance, sing and, basically, adore you. We make people happy and we're doing something we love as well. Win Win. We had two gigs this past weekend and one tomorrow, so it can be exhausting. But I am grateful for this part of my life.
So I'm gigging a lot, two of my children go away to college and one to California (that's been covered already). Real estate rebounds. In 2015 J and I make a second trip to Europe together. Paris, Rome - where we meet up with our middle daughter who was spending her junior year of college at KU in Leuven, Belgium. The three of us travel together to Barcelona (highly recommended) and then to Leuven so we can see where she's been studying. Great trip. Now we're gearing up to leave this Saturday for ten days in Europe - thirty years after our first, honeymoon trip there. Our other two children will join us for this one, wish we could all go, but C's got a wedding to be in and a school year to close out.
Gotta run, XXOO
La
So in 2008 my kids are in high school, I've finally gotten certified/licensed as a real estate appraiser and our beloved dog, Sarge, passes. As mentioned 2006-2008 were pretty gloomy for me and the financial crash didn't help - especially as real estate was now my career. No money. Well, very little. So in 2009 I went to Julie and said let's start a band. One where we can make some money. Julie and I've known one another since the 1980's - she's always been in bands/involved in the CLE music scene/produced the cable tv show 'Cleveland Rocks' (I was the gossip reporter) and I knew that we could do something financially viable. Both of our husbands are musicians but you can't make money in CLE, playing locally, with a big band of live musicians. And I needed money. College was looming large. So we decided to sing to tracks. We spent some time checking out other local acts, knew two women who were doing pretty well singing to tracks together (lead and harmony) at restaurants and Julie came up with the idea of 1960's girl group, The PopTarts. www.the-poptarts.com. She knew two other singers and voila we were successful out of the gate (after a bit of rehearsing of course). We've been playing over 130 gigs a year (that's a lot!) for nine years now. We have over 13 pair of go go boots, matching Mrs Santa outfits etc. Three records. Two songs in a Lifetime movie channel movie- Love at the Christmas Table. Fans and 'groupies'. We are very lucky but we've worked hard and do a really fun, entertaining show. There is nothing like having people tell you 'you've made my day' 'you girls make me feel so great' and having even small children dance, sing and, basically, adore you. We make people happy and we're doing something we love as well. Win Win. We had two gigs this past weekend and one tomorrow, so it can be exhausting. But I am grateful for this part of my life.
So I'm gigging a lot, two of my children go away to college and one to California (that's been covered already). Real estate rebounds. In 2015 J and I make a second trip to Europe together. Paris, Rome - where we meet up with our middle daughter who was spending her junior year of college at KU in Leuven, Belgium. The three of us travel together to Barcelona (highly recommended) and then to Leuven so we can see where she's been studying. Great trip. Now we're gearing up to leave this Saturday for ten days in Europe - thirty years after our first, honeymoon trip there. Our other two children will join us for this one, wish we could all go, but C's got a wedding to be in and a school year to close out.
Gotta run, XXOO
La
Sunday, May 19, 2019
My life part eight
So for many years I was a working mom with three children, all close in age; rental properties to manage; parents and siblings living near by - it was a very busy time. I love/need plenty of sleep and was often deprived of it, sometimes I wonder if staying so long in traffic reporting was wise and if I'd have been a better mother if I'd done something else (you have to get up early to be at work at 5 am camera ready) but hindsight can be 20/20. At the time it seemed the only choice, not the least of it was that I worked 20 hours and got health coverage for the family, as mentioned J is self employed and that cost is prohibitive on our budget. My kids weren't overly scheduled but they did have activites outside of school: some sports, band/lessons, performing in plays etc. The two eldest went to college (expensive and on the east coast, good thing they were smart and got some decent financial aid) and the third wanted to go to California instead. She got some nanny interviews and during her senior year spring break she and I went out, stayed with J's sister in Mill Valley and went on her interviews. She got hired by a wealthy family in Los Gatos - she had her own little house on their property! - and worked for a year there. She decided to come home afterward and I think we made the right choice, she would have resented us/always wondered what would have happened if she'd been in CA (meeting the Kardashians? hanging out with Seal and Heidi Klum?? , thats what I think she thought it was going to be). M now lives in LA, he's a writer. C is in Baltimore, teaching and loves her job, little C is going to community college, waitressing, acting and voice over and has a great boyfriend.
Over the years we took extended family vacations, about 4 times total, to Nags Head. Rented a huge house right on the beach and all my four sisters, their families and my parents would go for a week. Great memories. We always still get together for holidays and birthdays. My parents are 88/89 years old and still living independently, but that's getting more tenuous daily. With five daughters, all living within close proximity, they get help/visitors etc. regularly. Gram lived, very healthy mind and body, to 100 years old. She was a seminal figure in my life, love her so much.
Gonna end here today.
Love you Gram!
Laurie
Over the years we took extended family vacations, about 4 times total, to Nags Head. Rented a huge house right on the beach and all my four sisters, their families and my parents would go for a week. Great memories. We always still get together for holidays and birthdays. My parents are 88/89 years old and still living independently, but that's getting more tenuous daily. With five daughters, all living within close proximity, they get help/visitors etc. regularly. Gram lived, very healthy mind and body, to 100 years old. She was a seminal figure in my life, love her so much.
Gonna end here today.
Love you Gram!
Laurie
Saturday, May 18, 2019
My Life part seven
Thinking about this blog 'series' and I've definitely left some things out, not consciously but in trying to keep things moving. So eventually I'll update/add some stuff.
So I'm married at thirty one. Living in a cool condo downtown and working at Channel 3, the NBC station (see, I mixed up traffic reporting which I didn't start doing yet with this tv gig). Anyway I'm 'vacation relief'' which means I do all kinds of stuff: still storer, teleprompter, master control, satellite control etc. And walk the picket line when we go on strike. I meet the gal who, to this day, cuts my hair - minus the years she spent working in NYC. Back then she cut it in her apartment, as we shared a joint. Later she was make up and hair for many 'stars' including Gweneth and Marlo.
J and I had a belated honeymoon - three weeks in Europe, my first visit. It was spectacular - London, Paris, Spain and Portugal. We were lucky enough to know someone married to a Frenchman and living in Paris and spent two nights in a Parisian apartment - at the time I didn't appreciate it fully. They also showed us around a bit. Very cool. We rented a car apres and drove to San Sebastian stopping at a couple of rural villages and spending the night along the way. Portugal was great - we drove the Algarve stopping wherever we wanted, spending days on the beach and nights meeting people from all over the world and eating delicious seafood. Our frantic drive to Lisbon to make our flight was ridiculous - we ran thru the airport like manics, but got on the plane in time. It was a simpler time - we called home once from a pay phone, no internet etc.
Back to CLE and then I was working as a traffic reporter. Split shift and still singing in bands. Good thing I had the energy of youth. After five years I got pregnant with M and we decided to move to the 'burbs - Tremont was still pretty sketchy and not a place to walk with a baby. Altho our Newfoundland, Butch, was a pretty impressive walking partner and anyone even thinking of messing with me usually crossed the street when they saw him. 140 pounds of pure baby love, but I wasn't going to tell them that. We found a great home, still live here, in the suburb where J was born and raised. Had three children in six years - crazy - and I was still reporting, altho only mornings now -and we didn't need any help cause J stayed home till I got here at 9:30. Back then he was dad in charge of breakfast, lunch making and taking/getting them to school. The morning of 911 I was waiting to do a traffic cut in on the CBS morning news (by now I was a traffic reporter on both radio and tv) and they showed the plane flying into the tower. No cut in that day. I went home and watched tv and talked on the phone with my sister as we found out what was going on.
So rock and roll was out, parenthood in and we raised all three kids here. Good kids. One bout with anorexia. One gay coming out. So not always without drama, but pretty great. The toughest time was about 2006-7 when I left reporting and apprenticed (it's a two year process) as an appraiser. Market died and work/money was tight. It ended up fine, I like the flexibility and money I can earn now, but it was a low point emotionally for me.
smiling now,
L
So I'm married at thirty one. Living in a cool condo downtown and working at Channel 3, the NBC station (see, I mixed up traffic reporting which I didn't start doing yet with this tv gig). Anyway I'm 'vacation relief'' which means I do all kinds of stuff: still storer, teleprompter, master control, satellite control etc. And walk the picket line when we go on strike. I meet the gal who, to this day, cuts my hair - minus the years she spent working in NYC. Back then she cut it in her apartment, as we shared a joint. Later she was make up and hair for many 'stars' including Gweneth and Marlo.
J and I had a belated honeymoon - three weeks in Europe, my first visit. It was spectacular - London, Paris, Spain and Portugal. We were lucky enough to know someone married to a Frenchman and living in Paris and spent two nights in a Parisian apartment - at the time I didn't appreciate it fully. They also showed us around a bit. Very cool. We rented a car apres and drove to San Sebastian stopping at a couple of rural villages and spending the night along the way. Portugal was great - we drove the Algarve stopping wherever we wanted, spending days on the beach and nights meeting people from all over the world and eating delicious seafood. Our frantic drive to Lisbon to make our flight was ridiculous - we ran thru the airport like manics, but got on the plane in time. It was a simpler time - we called home once from a pay phone, no internet etc.
Back to CLE and then I was working as a traffic reporter. Split shift and still singing in bands. Good thing I had the energy of youth. After five years I got pregnant with M and we decided to move to the 'burbs - Tremont was still pretty sketchy and not a place to walk with a baby. Altho our Newfoundland, Butch, was a pretty impressive walking partner and anyone even thinking of messing with me usually crossed the street when they saw him. 140 pounds of pure baby love, but I wasn't going to tell them that. We found a great home, still live here, in the suburb where J was born and raised. Had three children in six years - crazy - and I was still reporting, altho only mornings now -and we didn't need any help cause J stayed home till I got here at 9:30. Back then he was dad in charge of breakfast, lunch making and taking/getting them to school. The morning of 911 I was waiting to do a traffic cut in on the CBS morning news (by now I was a traffic reporter on both radio and tv) and they showed the plane flying into the tower. No cut in that day. I went home and watched tv and talked on the phone with my sister as we found out what was going on.
So rock and roll was out, parenthood in and we raised all three kids here. Good kids. One bout with anorexia. One gay coming out. So not always without drama, but pretty great. The toughest time was about 2006-7 when I left reporting and apprenticed (it's a two year process) as an appraiser. Market died and work/money was tight. It ended up fine, I like the flexibility and money I can earn now, but it was a low point emotionally for me.
smiling now,
L
Thursday, May 16, 2019
My Life Part Six
I am still practicing 28 days of The Magic - gratitude training - it's going ok. I am grateful that I've had such a long life that it's taking me forever, it seems, to document it here - however sketchily I'm doing it. Getting a bit bored with it, but I want to finish.
So, I am now in my early twenties, working on air as a traffic reporter and singing in a band with my future husband. I've got a cute one bedroom on Edgewater Dr and I paint the living room walls salmon pink and have an old black upright piano in the living room. I thought it was very Parisian. Prior to The Leisure Set (our band) I'd been lead singer for The Fondells - motown! Horns and great music, I was in heaven. We were 'ahead' of our time, this was before James Brown's music was used in a laxative commercial, way before The Blues Brothers. We were extremely popular but eventually I left to pursue (rather half assidly) a career in an original music band. Leisure Set did pretty well but Jim, our main songwriter, left for some stupid reason (we didn't love the name of the band) and we found another guitar player and became Separate Checks. Again with some popularity, recording etc. At some point we became disenchanted, our jobs were better and so we couldn't/wouldn't take it on the road and our music careers stalled.
After dating for five years(!!) we got married. Had a pretty cool reception at J's Aunt's mansion in Bratenahl - outside on a gorgeous day, catered by CLE high society caterer Hough in one of Charlie Pyle's last weddings/events before closing. All the high society stuff was on my husband's families side, mine was 'new' cleveland BTW. J and I found a super cool condo in Tremont, downtown and becoming gentrified, in an old building. We own it to this day. Neglected to mention we bought a triplex in Lakewood while dating which we still own. Landlording has been our salvation, financially. He's willing to get dirty and learn how to fix stuff - I've cleaned up lots of crap myself many times after tenants vacate, give me some thick rubber gloves and..... and I've handled finding/vetting tenants. Teamwork. And it's paid off. We've been together 36 years.
stuck like glue?
L
So, I am now in my early twenties, working on air as a traffic reporter and singing in a band with my future husband. I've got a cute one bedroom on Edgewater Dr and I paint the living room walls salmon pink and have an old black upright piano in the living room. I thought it was very Parisian. Prior to The Leisure Set (our band) I'd been lead singer for The Fondells - motown! Horns and great music, I was in heaven. We were 'ahead' of our time, this was before James Brown's music was used in a laxative commercial, way before The Blues Brothers. We were extremely popular but eventually I left to pursue (rather half assidly) a career in an original music band. Leisure Set did pretty well but Jim, our main songwriter, left for some stupid reason (we didn't love the name of the band) and we found another guitar player and became Separate Checks. Again with some popularity, recording etc. At some point we became disenchanted, our jobs were better and so we couldn't/wouldn't take it on the road and our music careers stalled.
After dating for five years(!!) we got married. Had a pretty cool reception at J's Aunt's mansion in Bratenahl - outside on a gorgeous day, catered by CLE high society caterer Hough in one of Charlie Pyle's last weddings/events before closing. All the high society stuff was on my husband's families side, mine was 'new' cleveland BTW. J and I found a super cool condo in Tremont, downtown and becoming gentrified, in an old building. We own it to this day. Neglected to mention we bought a triplex in Lakewood while dating which we still own. Landlording has been our salvation, financially. He's willing to get dirty and learn how to fix stuff - I've cleaned up lots of crap myself many times after tenants vacate, give me some thick rubber gloves and..... and I've handled finding/vetting tenants. Teamwork. And it's paid off. We've been together 36 years.
stuck like glue?
L
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Ma vie part five
So college at O.U. I studied Radio-TV and did very well in my classes. I was a booth announcer for WOUB-TV. Had my first serious boyfriend In other words, one who wanted me to meet his family for instance. Senior year five of us girlfriends rented a house on Mill St.
Graduated and moved to Columbus for the summer, at least, and stayed in my sister's empty house at OSU (she and her housemates were all back home for the summer). Got a job selling air time for a radio station north of the city and spent a lot of time enjoying great lunches at a place that gave us trade for spots (food for commercials). Didn't much like selling air time and didn't apply myself to it at all. Moved into an apartment in German Village with a gal who had been a housemate of my sisters. Started to wait tables at a nice place and met Mo, another waitress, who would eventually introduce me to her gang of friends and we were a tribe for several years. These friends lived in CLE, but had also gone to OU - they were a year older than me and in the two years I was there we had never met. Soon I left Columbus moved home to CLE and studied for, and got, my third class radiotelephone license - an anachronistic license that allowed me to work in the engineering department of a tv station, which is what I proceeded to do. Dark days in 'master control' surrounded by mostly older, rather geeky, really smart men. Literally dark as the lighting was kept dim so you could read all the lighted meters etc. Became friends with two of the long time CLE air personalities of an earlier era: Barnaby and Super Host. Lin Sheldon and Marty Sullivan. Met my future husband working there. J and I dated, secretly, for a few years because I didn't want it to impact my perceived professionalism. He left there before I did and began to work his family business as he does to this day. I really took notice of him when he gave me grief about my complaining re: some vacation mixup. He was part time and got no vacation. I asked him to go with me to a band audition (all guys, sketchy area) and he did. Then he asked me to go see The Waitresses at the Agora and that was that. I was fired from that job, they started up a news operation and cut many positions thru out the station to fund it. In retrospect it was a great thing - many of my peers are still working there! 40 years. I'd die of boredom.
So I did some waitressing, got a job at a community college in the radio/tv lab and finally got wind of a perfect gig for me: traffic reporter. An engineer at Clockwerke Recording Studios (our band The Leisure Set was recording there) said 'you'd be great on air, great voice!' so I asked him what a traffic reporter was (ha! I was in bands and never got up early enough to hear a traffic report on the radio), he gave me the name of Baron Aviation - a husband and wife team of pilots who flew and reported on area stations. Seriously, about one week later I was doing reports on the big am station WWWE and was a 'natural'.
And that's the traffic,
L
Graduated and moved to Columbus for the summer, at least, and stayed in my sister's empty house at OSU (she and her housemates were all back home for the summer). Got a job selling air time for a radio station north of the city and spent a lot of time enjoying great lunches at a place that gave us trade for spots (food for commercials). Didn't much like selling air time and didn't apply myself to it at all. Moved into an apartment in German Village with a gal who had been a housemate of my sisters. Started to wait tables at a nice place and met Mo, another waitress, who would eventually introduce me to her gang of friends and we were a tribe for several years. These friends lived in CLE, but had also gone to OU - they were a year older than me and in the two years I was there we had never met. Soon I left Columbus moved home to CLE and studied for, and got, my third class radiotelephone license - an anachronistic license that allowed me to work in the engineering department of a tv station, which is what I proceeded to do. Dark days in 'master control' surrounded by mostly older, rather geeky, really smart men. Literally dark as the lighting was kept dim so you could read all the lighted meters etc. Became friends with two of the long time CLE air personalities of an earlier era: Barnaby and Super Host. Lin Sheldon and Marty Sullivan. Met my future husband working there. J and I dated, secretly, for a few years because I didn't want it to impact my perceived professionalism. He left there before I did and began to work his family business as he does to this day. I really took notice of him when he gave me grief about my complaining re: some vacation mixup. He was part time and got no vacation. I asked him to go with me to a band audition (all guys, sketchy area) and he did. Then he asked me to go see The Waitresses at the Agora and that was that. I was fired from that job, they started up a news operation and cut many positions thru out the station to fund it. In retrospect it was a great thing - many of my peers are still working there! 40 years. I'd die of boredom.
So I did some waitressing, got a job at a community college in the radio/tv lab and finally got wind of a perfect gig for me: traffic reporter. An engineer at Clockwerke Recording Studios (our band The Leisure Set was recording there) said 'you'd be great on air, great voice!' so I asked him what a traffic reporter was (ha! I was in bands and never got up early enough to hear a traffic report on the radio), he gave me the name of Baron Aviation - a husband and wife team of pilots who flew and reported on area stations. Seriously, about one week later I was doing reports on the big am station WWWE and was a 'natural'.
And that's the traffic,
L
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
My Life part four
In high school, as mentioned, I was a lifeguard after senior year. Went to Miami (Ohio) and met a life long friend Laurie, we do girl's night to this day - about once a week! Had some good times there although it really wasn't for me. I enjoyed political science class. Smoking pot and listening to the Grateful Dead (that was the influence of Karen from NY!) or smoking pot and going to art class - and if I'm at all talented in drawing I've kept that talent repressed all my life!! Awful drawings/paintings. I worked at the library - LOVED it. Took out way too many books - I saw so many as I checked them out or checked them back in and I left, always, with a stack. Became friends with Marta - she was a professors foreign (German??) wife who also worked at King Library. She chewed a cigarette holder constantly between bright red lips which contrasted nicely with her raven hair. Glamorous in a euro trash way - I adored her. Wish I remembered more about her. I 'dated' a few guys, nothing serious. Went to the Kentucky Derby sophomore year with a casual friend who knew someone who's parents were away but had a house in Louisville where we could crash. She had a car so we went. I don't believe we ever saw an actual horse - but if you've been to the Derby in the cheap (infield) seats you know that's not the place to watch the race, it is good people watching tho! I spent the summers working in Ocean City Md. I was a waitress, first at Hall's Coffee Shop then at the iconic Phillips Crab House. Joe and Marie Hall had nine tables when I worked for them and they lived with 3 kids above the shop, right in downtown OC. He cooked. Taught me to add water -not milk! - to eggs before a scramble. Now they have a huge restaurant further up the strip, or at least they did about 30 years ago when I made a trip there with family. Marie seemed to remember me - one of her 'original' girls. Someday I'll go back. I learned to drive a stick shift there so you know this was long ago - the traffic was light enough to learn in. Moved on up to Phillips where my sister K also got a job. We were Denny and Jeff - you had to make up a name if there was already a waitress with your real name. They served us family breakfast early in the resto even tho they didn't serve customers until dinner. Lines around the block were common. Big sheets of white butcher paper on the table, you wrote your 'name' on it when you approached a new table and introduced yourself. Gradually the table became a mess of crab shells and butter to be rolled up and tossed out. We had fun and made some friends there but no one we still remember.
At some point I decided to transfer from Miami to Ohio U. I was a radio tv major and the school of communications was considered excellent at OU, plus it was a party school. Win. So for junior - senior years that's what I did. Also, my buddy from high school/new jersey that I met in the girl's room attended OU, as did her brother, so I had ready made friends there.
party on dude,
La
At some point I decided to transfer from Miami to Ohio U. I was a radio tv major and the school of communications was considered excellent at OU, plus it was a party school. Win. So for junior - senior years that's what I did. Also, my buddy from high school/new jersey that I met in the girl's room attended OU, as did her brother, so I had ready made friends there.
party on dude,
La
Monday, May 13, 2019
My life part three
This is taking more time than I thought (well to be honest I didn't really think ahead of time how long this would take!), but at 20 minute increments I suppose this is what it is.
So I'm in high school. I neglected to mention Northwood High School which I attended for - and I'm not sure really - for about half of 10th grade, before we moved on up to the new house. So that's seven schools by now. I've lost contact at this point with my grade school buddies but never fear - we reconnect in the future. I skip a lot of school but my grades are fine and I stay out of trouble, miraculously. Then, at the end of 11th grade my parents tell us that we're moving to Ohio. Nobody seems to really know where Ohio is, exactly. That's the East Coast mentality about the rest of the country, true. My parents drive out with my two youngest sisters (one's an infant) and the moving van. I, at 16, am charged with driving the family station wagon and Grandmother (she didn't live with us but visited often to help with the arrival of a new baby, or when we moved etc.) and my two middle sisters. I guess this points to my maturity, I'd never have let any of my children do that. The main two things I remember from this drive: my younger sister K went thru my wallet and found my fake ID while I was behind the wheel and read it out loud so I turned and smacked her (remember Gram was in the car and I was afraid she'd rat me out!) and when we pulled into BV, our new town, K and I began to laugh and cry - it was so different from metropolitan DC. And that state of shock is pretty much how I spent my senior year of high school. My clothes were different. I was different and in the days before the Internet and cable tv etc there was a real difference between what I knew and what the kids from BV knew. I met a new transplant from New Jersey in the girl's room (I think we were sneaking a smoke?) and Patti and I became friends. Thankfully. This high school was like something out of the 1950's. I did make another great friend, D - we were lifeguards together at the city pool- and she became a big wheel in the cosmetics business in NYC after college. I encouraged her to make the move to NY and she flourished. Sadly she passed away eight years ago from a brain aneurysm. I miss her as does the world. She had a smile and a love of life that is very rare.
In my ignorance of Ohio I chose to attend Miami U in Oxford OH, which was a poor choice for a free spirit like me. Very preppy, into Greek life (I was totally ignorant of frats and sororities, had to be told what they were and what 'rush' was); additionally Miami U is small and isolated.
later,
La
So I'm in high school. I neglected to mention Northwood High School which I attended for - and I'm not sure really - for about half of 10th grade, before we moved on up to the new house. So that's seven schools by now. I've lost contact at this point with my grade school buddies but never fear - we reconnect in the future. I skip a lot of school but my grades are fine and I stay out of trouble, miraculously. Then, at the end of 11th grade my parents tell us that we're moving to Ohio. Nobody seems to really know where Ohio is, exactly. That's the East Coast mentality about the rest of the country, true. My parents drive out with my two youngest sisters (one's an infant) and the moving van. I, at 16, am charged with driving the family station wagon and Grandmother (she didn't live with us but visited often to help with the arrival of a new baby, or when we moved etc.) and my two middle sisters. I guess this points to my maturity, I'd never have let any of my children do that. The main two things I remember from this drive: my younger sister K went thru my wallet and found my fake ID while I was behind the wheel and read it out loud so I turned and smacked her (remember Gram was in the car and I was afraid she'd rat me out!) and when we pulled into BV, our new town, K and I began to laugh and cry - it was so different from metropolitan DC. And that state of shock is pretty much how I spent my senior year of high school. My clothes were different. I was different and in the days before the Internet and cable tv etc there was a real difference between what I knew and what the kids from BV knew. I met a new transplant from New Jersey in the girl's room (I think we were sneaking a smoke?) and Patti and I became friends. Thankfully. This high school was like something out of the 1950's. I did make another great friend, D - we were lifeguards together at the city pool- and she became a big wheel in the cosmetics business in NYC after college. I encouraged her to make the move to NY and she flourished. Sadly she passed away eight years ago from a brain aneurysm. I miss her as does the world. She had a smile and a love of life that is very rare.
In my ignorance of Ohio I chose to attend Miami U in Oxford OH, which was a poor choice for a free spirit like me. Very preppy, into Greek life (I was totally ignorant of frats and sororities, had to be told what they were and what 'rush' was); additionally Miami U is small and isolated.
later,
La
Saturday, May 11, 2019
My life
My life so far is pretty interesting. I wonder if most people feel that way? Today it' s a quick biography of me.
I was born in PA. Mom a nurse, Dad an insurance bondsman. I was the first of what would be five daughters. Both parents were born and raised in Pennsylvania but by the time I was five we would be living in Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. My sister K was born one and a half years after me so we were always together. I attended Montgomery Knolls elementary school where I called my (African American) first grade teacher "mom". I am Caucasian btw. On Buckingham Street I was accidentally mauled by a german shepard (he was trying to pet me back, I think) in the face and fortunately didn't lose my right eye altho I did need many stitches. The scar remains on my right temple, but it's very faint. We moved in second grade, right in the middle of the year, to another, larger home because now we were adding more daughters to the fold. My second grade teacher had me sit in the front of the room and my classmates had to come up and read me something about me/say goodbye. I don't remember what anyone said but I remember the event.
Now we were in the Forest Knolls neighborhood, attending the elementary school there, thru third grade, after which we were sent to St Andrew the Apostle. A common theme is that I attended many schools in my life. In this neighborhood we learned to skateboard (Dad made me one!), swim - we were all on the swim team, ride bikes and play with lots of imagination. Always doing plays and make believe. Pretending to be Nancy Drew or models or the cast of Hogan's Heroes. Our biggest heroine? Honey West. I was Honey and K was Sam. We had a gang of neighborhood kids. I remember singing "Going to the Chapel" (among other songs) in Ann Pierce's basement - she had older brothers and lots of records!! Funny cause that's a much requested song in the PopTarts show now. We had all sorts of 45 records too, in our finished basement, but many of them were my Dad's favorites - "That old Bill Ballowmoon" (? not sure of the last name, but I can sing it for you) and "Drink Drink Drink" from The Student Prince. We had "Henry the 8th" and designed choreography to that number. I am now friends with Rich Spina who is in/tours with the current band Herman's Hermits with the original Peter Blair Dennis Bernard Noone. Synchronicity. And a bit of foreshadowing. One of my best friends was Judith Bankier who lived just a few houses away. Her parents were from Grenoble, France and visiting that house was the start of my life long Francophilia. I made baguettes, learned to call their dog by yelling "vien ici" and saw the formidable Celine instruct Judy in French - very rigorously; sleep sans pillow for her posture, swim elementary backstroke laps with her coral lips and pixie haircut looking so chic (and different from the other moms).
Well times up and I'm still in grade school.
A demain,
L
I was born in PA. Mom a nurse, Dad an insurance bondsman. I was the first of what would be five daughters. Both parents were born and raised in Pennsylvania but by the time I was five we would be living in Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. My sister K was born one and a half years after me so we were always together. I attended Montgomery Knolls elementary school where I called my (African American) first grade teacher "mom". I am Caucasian btw. On Buckingham Street I was accidentally mauled by a german shepard (he was trying to pet me back, I think) in the face and fortunately didn't lose my right eye altho I did need many stitches. The scar remains on my right temple, but it's very faint. We moved in second grade, right in the middle of the year, to another, larger home because now we were adding more daughters to the fold. My second grade teacher had me sit in the front of the room and my classmates had to come up and read me something about me/say goodbye. I don't remember what anyone said but I remember the event.
Now we were in the Forest Knolls neighborhood, attending the elementary school there, thru third grade, after which we were sent to St Andrew the Apostle. A common theme is that I attended many schools in my life. In this neighborhood we learned to skateboard (Dad made me one!), swim - we were all on the swim team, ride bikes and play with lots of imagination. Always doing plays and make believe. Pretending to be Nancy Drew or models or the cast of Hogan's Heroes. Our biggest heroine? Honey West. I was Honey and K was Sam. We had a gang of neighborhood kids. I remember singing "Going to the Chapel" (among other songs) in Ann Pierce's basement - she had older brothers and lots of records!! Funny cause that's a much requested song in the PopTarts show now. We had all sorts of 45 records too, in our finished basement, but many of them were my Dad's favorites - "That old Bill Ballowmoon" (? not sure of the last name, but I can sing it for you) and "Drink Drink Drink" from The Student Prince. We had "Henry the 8th" and designed choreography to that number. I am now friends with Rich Spina who is in/tours with the current band Herman's Hermits with the original Peter Blair Dennis Bernard Noone. Synchronicity. And a bit of foreshadowing. One of my best friends was Judith Bankier who lived just a few houses away. Her parents were from Grenoble, France and visiting that house was the start of my life long Francophilia. I made baguettes, learned to call their dog by yelling "vien ici" and saw the formidable Celine instruct Judy in French - very rigorously; sleep sans pillow for her posture, swim elementary backstroke laps with her coral lips and pixie haircut looking so chic (and different from the other moms).
Well times up and I'm still in grade school.
A demain,
L
Friday, May 10, 2019
The Magic Day Three
I'm on The Magic day three. So far so good. Everyday you start out with a list of 10 things you are grateful for and reread it saying 'thank you' three times for each item and feeling the gratitude as much as possible.
Day two you find a magic rock to hold before going to bed and envision the thing that you are most grateful for that day; you will continue to do this every night. Day three you take photos of three people you love and get grateful for them - just the way they are. Doing that after this blog.
My Topshop Moto jeans came yesterday and I'm so glad I exchanged them for a smaller size. Fit is SO important and, I think, especially in these newfangled 'mom jeans'. Very high waisted. I love Nordstrom. The customer service is tops.
Today The PopTarts have two gigs: a luncheon (45 min. set) and a bar/resto gig at night. Also gigging tomorrow night, so starts the summer busy season. Today's day gig will impact my morning routine and it's the nuface and piano that are getting the ax, cause yesteday I didn't work out. Honestly I complain sometimes but when we are in our slow season I feel like a lazy slug. I guess after nine years you get used to being busy especially on the weekends.
Visited Mom and Dad yesterday, they are in such good shape for 88 and 89 years old. Living in their condo, golfing (well Mom is, Dad's been undergoing chemo for pre leukemia and feels poorly cause of it) and still driving! That was the thing I was most grateful for with my magic rock last night. This gal has a lot to be thankful for.
Put tomato cages around the peony plants yesteday, should have done it sooner as they are pretty tall already. I find the cages keep the heavy blooms supported and upright and you can't see the cage in all the foliage. I hope to get some zinnia seeds in the ground before our Europe trip. The raspberries and grapes look great - lots of blossoms and we have a tomato garden that self seeds (volunteers!) every year. Love that tomato garden - there is not much better than just picked cherry tomatos on toast or cheese toast for lunch. Also made several batches of penne a la vodka last year using our garden bounty and boy was that delish. And simple. Perfect!
Spring is not a great season in CLE - crazy temp swings, lots of rain and that's the case right now. Something I'm not grateful for because it wreaks havoc with my head/lungs/etc. The ups and downs of barometric pressure affect the water in our bodies and I really feel this, unfortunately. Again, not great for a singer but my affirmation is that my lungs are healthy, clear and strong. And they are and I will be fine.
alleluia!
L
Day two you find a magic rock to hold before going to bed and envision the thing that you are most grateful for that day; you will continue to do this every night. Day three you take photos of three people you love and get grateful for them - just the way they are. Doing that after this blog.
My Topshop Moto jeans came yesterday and I'm so glad I exchanged them for a smaller size. Fit is SO important and, I think, especially in these newfangled 'mom jeans'. Very high waisted. I love Nordstrom. The customer service is tops.
Today The PopTarts have two gigs: a luncheon (45 min. set) and a bar/resto gig at night. Also gigging tomorrow night, so starts the summer busy season. Today's day gig will impact my morning routine and it's the nuface and piano that are getting the ax, cause yesteday I didn't work out. Honestly I complain sometimes but when we are in our slow season I feel like a lazy slug. I guess after nine years you get used to being busy especially on the weekends.
Visited Mom and Dad yesterday, they are in such good shape for 88 and 89 years old. Living in their condo, golfing (well Mom is, Dad's been undergoing chemo for pre leukemia and feels poorly cause of it) and still driving! That was the thing I was most grateful for with my magic rock last night. This gal has a lot to be thankful for.
Put tomato cages around the peony plants yesteday, should have done it sooner as they are pretty tall already. I find the cages keep the heavy blooms supported and upright and you can't see the cage in all the foliage. I hope to get some zinnia seeds in the ground before our Europe trip. The raspberries and grapes look great - lots of blossoms and we have a tomato garden that self seeds (volunteers!) every year. Love that tomato garden - there is not much better than just picked cherry tomatos on toast or cheese toast for lunch. Also made several batches of penne a la vodka last year using our garden bounty and boy was that delish. And simple. Perfect!
Spring is not a great season in CLE - crazy temp swings, lots of rain and that's the case right now. Something I'm not grateful for because it wreaks havoc with my head/lungs/etc. The ups and downs of barometric pressure affect the water in our bodies and I really feel this, unfortunately. Again, not great for a singer but my affirmation is that my lungs are healthy, clear and strong. And they are and I will be fine.
alleluia!
L
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Color quiz for you! Bronchitis and The Magic day two
Well I did my gratitude practice this morning. Took all of three minutes. I am very thankful for all that I have. Thank you! I am doing 28 days of The Magic (book), if you care.
Here's a link to a color personality quiz. It's for your living space interiors. I found it to be spot on, altho if you take it a few times and your answers vary a bit you will get slightly different results. I did find that all results - I took it three times - had the basic colors remain the same and the accents, while different, to be ones that I know I love. It was developed using analytics,not just someone's opinions, for what it's worth. Here's the link: http://www.loriweitzner.com/odetocolor/# I hope you enjoy it!
After a bad allergic reaction in October of last year I've developed some bronchitis. It's a weird illness that can be triggered by just about anything. Not fun. I spent a few hours one Sunday night in the emergency room because I had such difficulty breathing my daughter insisted we go. Breathing treatments, chest xray, blood work - $3,000 later (great health care system even for the insured she wrote, sarcastically) I was given some steroids and an inhaler. Eight months later I'm still not 100%. It's not a good thing for anyone, but especially not for a singer. At first I supplemented with bromlein and lecithin - herbs for lung health and the Castor oil pack. And peppermint tea. Now I'm trying lobelia drops and a honey turmeric mixture, which seem to be helping. And I'm grateful for that. I was a cigarette smoker years ago and quit, but honestly I continued to smoke pot (which should be legalized). Anyway I don't smoke anything now and am concentrating on healing my lungs completely. I do exercise and work really hard at gigs, I also practice some intentional breathing exercises to work my lungs out. I always, year round, run a vaporizer at night. Put some lavender oil or eucalyptus oil in there. Ahhhhh.
Big breath in thru the nose and out the mouth,
La
Here's a link to a color personality quiz. It's for your living space interiors. I found it to be spot on, altho if you take it a few times and your answers vary a bit you will get slightly different results. I did find that all results - I took it three times - had the basic colors remain the same and the accents, while different, to be ones that I know I love. It was developed using analytics,not just someone's opinions, for what it's worth. Here's the link: http://www.loriweitzner.com/odetocolor/# I hope you enjoy it!
After a bad allergic reaction in October of last year I've developed some bronchitis. It's a weird illness that can be triggered by just about anything. Not fun. I spent a few hours one Sunday night in the emergency room because I had such difficulty breathing my daughter insisted we go. Breathing treatments, chest xray, blood work - $3,000 later (great health care system even for the insured she wrote, sarcastically) I was given some steroids and an inhaler. Eight months later I'm still not 100%. It's not a good thing for anyone, but especially not for a singer. At first I supplemented with bromlein and lecithin - herbs for lung health and the Castor oil pack. And peppermint tea. Now I'm trying lobelia drops and a honey turmeric mixture, which seem to be helping. And I'm grateful for that. I was a cigarette smoker years ago and quit, but honestly I continued to smoke pot (which should be legalized). Anyway I don't smoke anything now and am concentrating on healing my lungs completely. I do exercise and work really hard at gigs, I also practice some intentional breathing exercises to work my lungs out. I always, year round, run a vaporizer at night. Put some lavender oil or eucalyptus oil in there. Ahhhhh.
Big breath in thru the nose and out the mouth,
La
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
My Mornings and The Magic day one// Life with Dee blog
Bathroom, big glass of filtered water with a splash of apple cider vinegar, floss/brush teeth, splash eyes with water.
Black coffee from my french press which I bring to my office/computer to drink from my la Madeleine mug as I write: first my 10 item gratitude list (7 minutes)and then this blog - for which I set a 20 minute timer. Then I cleanse my face and do a facial massage or use my nuface device, work out (another 15-20 minute block), practice piano (same, 15-20 min). If I keep moving it's about one and a half to two hours.
So I start the day feeling healthy, pampered and accomplished. I do not eat until about noon - I'm not usually hungry and even if I am, I wait. Intermittent fasting is a good thing. More on that another time.
Today I've added the 10 item gratitude list as part of doing the 28 days of The Magic. This is Rhonda Byrne of The Secret fame's practical book. Excited to be doing this. I, as most of us, have so much to be thankful for and so much to offer if I can just unleash myself. I hope to extend this to my children, especially my son, who tends toward the negative and is job seeking currently.
I wrote a comment to Dee at Life with Dee, check out her blog! I wrote her because she's referred some readers to my blog and is also the moderator of the facebook group French Chic. Since I quit facebook I can't participate but I do miss the like minded community. Might be the only reason I rejoin facebook, but I can't stomach the rest of it...... my issue I know.
If anyone wants to comment or request or ask me anything, please feel free to do so. I plan to keep this up, maybe even blog (or vlog!?) a little from Europe later this month. I love to write but am thinking that vlogging might work well for me also. Many folks do both and I enjoy many of their channels/blogs. Whose? Well, maybe I'll share in a later post cause my 20 minutes are up and I gotta go do my neck/facial routine. The neck stuff is paying off! Another post? Maybe....
mysteriously,
L
Black coffee from my french press which I bring to my office/computer to drink from my la Madeleine mug as I write: first my 10 item gratitude list (7 minutes)and then this blog - for which I set a 20 minute timer. Then I cleanse my face and do a facial massage or use my nuface device, work out (another 15-20 minute block), practice piano (same, 15-20 min). If I keep moving it's about one and a half to two hours.
So I start the day feeling healthy, pampered and accomplished. I do not eat until about noon - I'm not usually hungry and even if I am, I wait. Intermittent fasting is a good thing. More on that another time.
Today I've added the 10 item gratitude list as part of doing the 28 days of The Magic. This is Rhonda Byrne of The Secret fame's practical book. Excited to be doing this. I, as most of us, have so much to be thankful for and so much to offer if I can just unleash myself. I hope to extend this to my children, especially my son, who tends toward the negative and is job seeking currently.
I wrote a comment to Dee at Life with Dee, check out her blog! I wrote her because she's referred some readers to my blog and is also the moderator of the facebook group French Chic. Since I quit facebook I can't participate but I do miss the like minded community. Might be the only reason I rejoin facebook, but I can't stomach the rest of it...... my issue I know.
If anyone wants to comment or request or ask me anything, please feel free to do so. I plan to keep this up, maybe even blog (or vlog!?) a little from Europe later this month. I love to write but am thinking that vlogging might work well for me also. Many folks do both and I enjoy many of their channels/blogs. Whose? Well, maybe I'll share in a later post cause my 20 minutes are up and I gotta go do my neck/facial routine. The neck stuff is paying off! Another post? Maybe....
mysteriously,
L
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Cats and stuff
I really don't feel like writing today, and since I've begun writing here daily that's a first. Even tho I generally don't know what I'm going to write about I've been happy to sit here, first thing in the morning, and let it out. Whatever comes.
I've never been a cat person - probably because I'm extremely allergic to them. Not all of them, but it's hard to determine why some make me sneezy and stuffy and others don't. As a baby my parents discovered this allergy when visiting friends with kittens and I puffed right up. So I've never been really close to the cats. Till my daughter brought home a stray, who happened to have 3 kittens (it's a long story) and we ended up with Lila (mom) and Earl Grey (son). We kept them in the shed and then the basement and I don't seem to be allergic to Lila, but when Earl was about 6 months I had a bad allergic reaction - to him? or what? It was not like other times with cats - when an allergy pill helped and when I got away from the cat I was fine, but a crazy swollen eyes and bronchial reaction - for days. I've been struggling with some breathing issues since. It's been almost 8 months.
Needless to say I've become attached to the cats but I can't wait for them to leave. I am trying lobelia -an herbal remedy - so we'll see. I am a proponent of herbal medicines, arnica is amazing and so under the radar, for example.
What else? Well I've done better on the youtube watching. My mornings continue to be productive: writing, facial, exercise, piano. Then on to appraisal work or other stuff for the afternoon.
I've lost 5 pounds being mindful of carbs and the linen pants I got from Marshalls fit nicely now. I am waiting for a pair of jeans from Nordstrom to arrive, the first ones were too big, but I liked the cropped yet longer length of these Topshop Moto jeans, so I exchanged them. Here's hoping!
xo,
La
I've never been a cat person - probably because I'm extremely allergic to them. Not all of them, but it's hard to determine why some make me sneezy and stuffy and others don't. As a baby my parents discovered this allergy when visiting friends with kittens and I puffed right up. So I've never been really close to the cats. Till my daughter brought home a stray, who happened to have 3 kittens (it's a long story) and we ended up with Lila (mom) and Earl Grey (son). We kept them in the shed and then the basement and I don't seem to be allergic to Lila, but when Earl was about 6 months I had a bad allergic reaction - to him? or what? It was not like other times with cats - when an allergy pill helped and when I got away from the cat I was fine, but a crazy swollen eyes and bronchial reaction - for days. I've been struggling with some breathing issues since. It's been almost 8 months.
Needless to say I've become attached to the cats but I can't wait for them to leave. I am trying lobelia -an herbal remedy - so we'll see. I am a proponent of herbal medicines, arnica is amazing and so under the radar, for example.
What else? Well I've done better on the youtube watching. My mornings continue to be productive: writing, facial, exercise, piano. Then on to appraisal work or other stuff for the afternoon.
I've lost 5 pounds being mindful of carbs and the linen pants I got from Marshalls fit nicely now. I am waiting for a pair of jeans from Nordstrom to arrive, the first ones were too big, but I liked the cropped yet longer length of these Topshop Moto jeans, so I exchanged them. Here's hoping!
xo,
La
Monday, May 6, 2019
Stay chic
So this blog is to help me write more. Check. Bring more je ne sais quoi/french chic inspired style to my life. Semi check. What have I been doing? Well, writing about the CLE has been cool and I believe that blogging every morning has helped me be more conscious during the day of being slower, more deliberate, less work and more 'life' driven. I take the mornings (because I am self employed and I can!) and write, do 15-20 minutes of movement (yoga or Jessica Smith TV or walking), a facial massage or Nuface and today I'm adding 15 minutes of keyboards practice. If I keep moving that's about 1 1/2 hours of "me" time - right off the bat. So my day begins with me and I feel accomplished early on. I started a modified version of this about 14 months ago with the workout portion and have added the other things. It seems to work for me. Some days I don't do it all - I may have an early appointment for example - but it's a solid routine for me and I'd recommend it. Some people get up really early (5 am!!) to do this before they have to hit the office etc. Thankfully I don't have to do that cause I wouldn't.
We had family dinner yesterday (pizza and beer, not so chic) and watched Game Night with Jason Batemen. Funny enough with a couple of 'turns'. It kept moving, that's for sure. I've enjoyed him in Ozarks.
I am sending it out into the universe: no more endless youtube. Since quitting facebook (don't miss it) I've gotten wrapped up in the nomadic lifestyle of people who live in an RV, van or even their car - because they like it. Fascinating to me for some reason. Also watching lots of Paris/Amsterdam/Copenhagen planning videos, which I'll allow. But the snowbirds and retirees moving to Mexico, or attending the next RV meetup - they gotta learn their place with me! Those folks have a lot of time to videotape themselves and whatever grabs their fancy and I've been sucked in. Come on, I'll never 'bake' grands biscuits on a wooden dowel over a campfire even tho I now know how to do it. Will I?
Tomorrow I get my 6 -8 week haircut with B. She's a master and charges like one, but I always get a great cut, it grows out nicely and it's worth it to me as I rarely have to do more than dry it and go. I'm growing it a bit longer so tomorrow will be a shape up session. It's all grown out, natural grey, and I get lots of complements on both cut and color.
Chop Chop,
La
We had family dinner yesterday (pizza and beer, not so chic) and watched Game Night with Jason Batemen. Funny enough with a couple of 'turns'. It kept moving, that's for sure. I've enjoyed him in Ozarks.
I am sending it out into the universe: no more endless youtube. Since quitting facebook (don't miss it) I've gotten wrapped up in the nomadic lifestyle of people who live in an RV, van or even their car - because they like it. Fascinating to me for some reason. Also watching lots of Paris/Amsterdam/Copenhagen planning videos, which I'll allow. But the snowbirds and retirees moving to Mexico, or attending the next RV meetup - they gotta learn their place with me! Those folks have a lot of time to videotape themselves and whatever grabs their fancy and I've been sucked in. Come on, I'll never 'bake' grands biscuits on a wooden dowel over a campfire even tho I now know how to do it. Will I?
Tomorrow I get my 6 -8 week haircut with B. She's a master and charges like one, but I always get a great cut, it grows out nicely and it's worth it to me as I rarely have to do more than dry it and go. I'm growing it a bit longer so tomorrow will be a shape up session. It's all grown out, natural grey, and I get lots of complements on both cut and color.
Chop Chop,
La
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Do you have some Mossimo in your closet? NYT and Copenhagen
Ah Sunday. Coffee and the Sunday NY Times. We have it delivered and it stays on the breakfast table all week. J does the word games, I read/skim most all of the paper and get some great book ideas from that section, I like how the children (when home) also peruse the paper and, maybe, get some fresh perspective/ideas/etc. With this subscription we get free access to the NYT all week on line.Our local paper only publishes three times a week now and is pretty useless so this has been an alternative. We watch/listen to PBS during the week as well.
I pulled on a pair of bike/exercise boy shorts that I've had for a while. Label: Mossimo. When the college entrance scandal broke I didn't know anything about Lori Laughlin and her husband. I never watched her tv show(s) and never realized there was a real man behind the ubiquitous Mossimo brand. I never thought about it, but I bet almost every woman in America has a piece of his clothing in her closet, or if she's a real declutter freak, used to have. I mean Target and Mossimo - what a couple they were. In style, affordable and easy to get at your local Target, Mossimo was a giant for years. I guess, obviously, you shouldn't be able to buy your way into college, but am I surprised by it? No. And when you've gotten/made money from every woman (and child?!) in America you can afford to bribe almost anyone. Ah current events. It's a lovely era we're in. Or is the spotlight just finding all our peccadillo's more easily because of the advent of iphones and security cameras?
We've got our Copenhagen air b&b confirmed. All of the hosts have been lovely and prompt in responding to my queries. In Copenhagen she said to take the metro, about 20 min. to her stop, and walk 400 meters and voila, there! She said I think you'll be here at about 10 am so I'll be at the house to meet you. Wonderful! Also we are a 10-15 min walk from the (Los Angeles based) friend we are meeting in CPH, so we did pretty good on that front. We will have a wonderful time with Jim, always do. He was a writer/script runner on The Golden Girls and has stories and a great wit. Can't wait. (which is how we've been ending our emails lately).
Heading to brunch soon for Mom's 89th birthday. She really is amazing. About 16 of us will be there.
Mimosa anyone?
La
I pulled on a pair of bike/exercise boy shorts that I've had for a while. Label: Mossimo. When the college entrance scandal broke I didn't know anything about Lori Laughlin and her husband. I never watched her tv show(s) and never realized there was a real man behind the ubiquitous Mossimo brand. I never thought about it, but I bet almost every woman in America has a piece of his clothing in her closet, or if she's a real declutter freak, used to have. I mean Target and Mossimo - what a couple they were. In style, affordable and easy to get at your local Target, Mossimo was a giant for years. I guess, obviously, you shouldn't be able to buy your way into college, but am I surprised by it? No. And when you've gotten/made money from every woman (and child?!) in America you can afford to bribe almost anyone. Ah current events. It's a lovely era we're in. Or is the spotlight just finding all our peccadillo's more easily because of the advent of iphones and security cameras?
We've got our Copenhagen air b&b confirmed. All of the hosts have been lovely and prompt in responding to my queries. In Copenhagen she said to take the metro, about 20 min. to her stop, and walk 400 meters and voila, there! She said I think you'll be here at about 10 am so I'll be at the house to meet you. Wonderful! Also we are a 10-15 min walk from the (Los Angeles based) friend we are meeting in CPH, so we did pretty good on that front. We will have a wonderful time with Jim, always do. He was a writer/script runner on The Golden Girls and has stories and a great wit. Can't wait. (which is how we've been ending our emails lately).
Heading to brunch soon for Mom's 89th birthday. She really is amazing. About 16 of us will be there.
Mimosa anyone?
La
Saturday, May 4, 2019
In and out of the CLE/art scene/L'Albatros
In exactly three weeks we will be leaving CLE and driving to Toronto, spending one night at our friend Andrea's house and leaving the next evening, Sunday, for Paris. Wow. I feel pretty well organized but of course still have a lot to do. I'm watching videos on airplane security lines and packing your liquids, keeping your tickets on your phone and other helpful travel tips. The travel bit is always the most infuriating part of a vacation and I'm planning on sailing thru it this time. Intentions!
Last evening we met some friends at the Paper Factory downtown - it was an opening exhibit of works made with paper. I've never been there but it was fairly standard with some beer/wine for sale and cheese and crackers offered along with the works on display. We ran into an old friend, Carlo, and it was great to see him. He's been ill - the second friend of ours to get the septic virus when hospitalized, but he's on the mend. Has to go to the hospital every day for a month to be fed antibiotics intraveneously. Sally, on the other hand, wore a pump with an IV for several months. Be grateful for your health, always! When Carlo moved to the CLE from New York the first writing assignment he had was to cover our band Separate Checks. He wrote a great article, with big photo, for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. We've been friends since then - 1985. Currently he's writing a book about Terry Gilbert, attorney, who is a well known guy AND was the sax player in my early '80s band, The Fondells, We were a Motown outfit - trumpet (Tommy), sax (Terry), bass (O'B), guitar (Jeff, an emergency room doctor!), drums (John) and me on vocals. What a blast we had - we played all over town in clubs, at Party in the Park, at weddings (one for Matt the Cat, famous WMMS DJ) among other gigs. My life in music has been wonderful and it was interesting to see Carlo and reminisce a bit. Terry is an interesting guy and Carlo says this is probably the best story he's ever told!
Additionally, I should do a post about the Cleveland art scene - it's very healthy.
Afterward we made our way to University Circle to L'Albatros. No cream of mushroom soup, boo, but we all had a cocktail and enjoyed some chicken liver pate and good conversation. We didn't end up ordering more food, no one seemed hungry, so we parted for the West side and they went up the hill to get another drink on their way home to Shaker. Nice evening.
Tomorrow is brunch for Mom's 89th birthday. She's amazing for her age - does yoga. volunteers at the hospital (retired nurse!), takes care of Dad who's undergoing chemo right now, keeps her own condo clean etc.....We'll have a pretty good sized group - maybe 16 of us - for that. Of course she was born one week before Mother's Day so we'll figure that out as usual, later.
Sweet!
La
Last evening we met some friends at the Paper Factory downtown - it was an opening exhibit of works made with paper. I've never been there but it was fairly standard with some beer/wine for sale and cheese and crackers offered along with the works on display. We ran into an old friend, Carlo, and it was great to see him. He's been ill - the second friend of ours to get the septic virus when hospitalized, but he's on the mend. Has to go to the hospital every day for a month to be fed antibiotics intraveneously. Sally, on the other hand, wore a pump with an IV for several months. Be grateful for your health, always! When Carlo moved to the CLE from New York the first writing assignment he had was to cover our band Separate Checks. He wrote a great article, with big photo, for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. We've been friends since then - 1985. Currently he's writing a book about Terry Gilbert, attorney, who is a well known guy AND was the sax player in my early '80s band, The Fondells, We were a Motown outfit - trumpet (Tommy), sax (Terry), bass (O'B), guitar (Jeff, an emergency room doctor!), drums (John) and me on vocals. What a blast we had - we played all over town in clubs, at Party in the Park, at weddings (one for Matt the Cat, famous WMMS DJ) among other gigs. My life in music has been wonderful and it was interesting to see Carlo and reminisce a bit. Terry is an interesting guy and Carlo says this is probably the best story he's ever told!
Additionally, I should do a post about the Cleveland art scene - it's very healthy.
Afterward we made our way to University Circle to L'Albatros. No cream of mushroom soup, boo, but we all had a cocktail and enjoyed some chicken liver pate and good conversation. We didn't end up ordering more food, no one seemed hungry, so we parted for the West side and they went up the hill to get another drink on their way home to Shaker. Nice evening.
Tomorrow is brunch for Mom's 89th birthday. She's amazing for her age - does yoga. volunteers at the hospital (retired nurse!), takes care of Dad who's undergoing chemo right now, keeps her own condo clean etc.....We'll have a pretty good sized group - maybe 16 of us - for that. Of course she was born one week before Mother's Day so we'll figure that out as usual, later.
Sweet!
La
Friday, May 3, 2019
Paris in Cleveland - part two
I realize I forgot L'Albatros in yesterday's post. Located in University Circle, L'Albatros is a wonderful French resto in the CLE proper. I had the best cream of mushroom soup of my life there - I still think about it from time to time. We may have to go this month as it's mushroom season. I'll call and see if they have it on the menu. We've been dining in as a prep for Europe, saving a bit for that splurge. Oh, they have a most excellent cheese board - it's huge and must hold about five thousand dollars worth of cheese at at time.
http://albatrosbrasserie.com/ Yum.
Another place that seems 'french' to me is Mediterra Bakehouse. http://mediterrabakehouse.com/
Absolutely delicious bread. Many of my favorite restaurants in CLE use their product and you can buy it at the West Side Market, which is itself a very European feature of the city.
The third place I forgot about yesterday is Cleveland Bagel. A fairly new start up, this place is wonderful. I know that water is the main ingredient (most important anyway) in a bagel and we have great water here. That's the theory anyway - NYC has great water and great bagels - for example.
These are the best bagels I've ever had and I grew up on the East coast and consider myself to be a good judge of these things! Crispy outer layer, chewy interior. A complex crust that, as noted is crispy and then layered finely. Heaven. They've done so well a second location has opened near the Cleveland Clinic main campus.
So if you are keto, or sometimes keto like I am, these second two are tempting little devils. But I believe in moderation in all things and I'd never, ever give up good bread forever.
Amen,
La
http://albatrosbrasserie.com/ Yum.
Another place that seems 'french' to me is Mediterra Bakehouse. http://mediterrabakehouse.com/
Absolutely delicious bread. Many of my favorite restaurants in CLE use their product and you can buy it at the West Side Market, which is itself a very European feature of the city.
The third place I forgot about yesterday is Cleveland Bagel. A fairly new start up, this place is wonderful. I know that water is the main ingredient (most important anyway) in a bagel and we have great water here. That's the theory anyway - NYC has great water and great bagels - for example.
These are the best bagels I've ever had and I grew up on the East coast and consider myself to be a good judge of these things! Crispy outer layer, chewy interior. A complex crust that, as noted is crispy and then layered finely. Heaven. They've done so well a second location has opened near the Cleveland Clinic main campus.
So if you are keto, or sometimes keto like I am, these second two are tempting little devils. But I believe in moderation in all things and I'd never, ever give up good bread forever.
Amen,
La
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Paris in Cleveland
Bonjour,
Today I'll write a bit about places/things in CLE that could be remotely considered to be somewhat French/Parisian. I'm writing at my desk with my french press coffee and small white cup and saucer with 'la Madeleine' and some red and blue stripes around the rim. This refers to the famous Proustian cookie but I am generally sans cookie. Last evening I met with Laurie at a farm to table resto in Gordon Square. I feel Spice is rather Euro in it's concept and approach. The resto has it's own farm and locally sources most of the food they prepare. We sipped - I had sparkling white wine and picked at chicken liver pate followed by fish and chips. Both delish. Another place in the CLE is Le Petit Triangle - a creperie. Coincidentally Jake and I thought about buying this place 20 yrs ago but realized that we couldn't do it with three small children. More recently our daughter's boyfriend was the chef there (as he attended nursing school). The Triangle serves crepes of course and other traditional french foods in a charming small triangular space!
If we go east of the city to Chagrin Falls we have The Paris Room. I can't recommend this place as they actually make the food in one location and then reheat it at the resto. I love the ambiance - old building, exposed brick walls, gravel patio, but can't get over the reheating thing. I also didn't think the food was that tasty, but I 've only been once.
Third times a charm and this place is the best! Chez Francois in Vermilion. About 40 minutes west of the city is this three level/three dining rooms resto built on the Vermilion river with water views from the wrap around Cafe deck, interior dining in the more formal Paris Room and at street level the bar Touche. The service is wonderful, the food divine, the atmosphere terrific - we finally made it out there about a year ago and have been going fairly regularly since. Our first visit was the two of us and we sat at a small table waterside. Lobster bisque, french onion soup, cheeses, lobster and filet - we went nuts. Then we took the kids when M was in from California - they loved it. We took C when she was home from Baltimore and sat in the bar. Pretty much the same delicious menu (some exceptions) and great service.
A note on our gig yesterday: we played 70 minutes at a fine arts center on the East side, very nice venue with theater seating, big stage and pro lighting. The audience was so appreciative. One woman told me "you made my day" and I said "you just made mine". Another woman ran over to my car as I was exiting the parking lot "why didn't I know about you girls? that was wonderful!" etc. Just makes me feel good to make other people smile, laugh and maybe even dance.
Cheers.
Today I'll write a bit about places/things in CLE that could be remotely considered to be somewhat French/Parisian. I'm writing at my desk with my french press coffee and small white cup and saucer with 'la Madeleine' and some red and blue stripes around the rim. This refers to the famous Proustian cookie but I am generally sans cookie. Last evening I met with Laurie at a farm to table resto in Gordon Square. I feel Spice is rather Euro in it's concept and approach. The resto has it's own farm and locally sources most of the food they prepare. We sipped - I had sparkling white wine and picked at chicken liver pate followed by fish and chips. Both delish. Another place in the CLE is Le Petit Triangle - a creperie. Coincidentally Jake and I thought about buying this place 20 yrs ago but realized that we couldn't do it with three small children. More recently our daughter's boyfriend was the chef there (as he attended nursing school). The Triangle serves crepes of course and other traditional french foods in a charming small triangular space!
If we go east of the city to Chagrin Falls we have The Paris Room. I can't recommend this place as they actually make the food in one location and then reheat it at the resto. I love the ambiance - old building, exposed brick walls, gravel patio, but can't get over the reheating thing. I also didn't think the food was that tasty, but I 've only been once.
Third times a charm and this place is the best! Chez Francois in Vermilion. About 40 minutes west of the city is this three level/three dining rooms resto built on the Vermilion river with water views from the wrap around Cafe deck, interior dining in the more formal Paris Room and at street level the bar Touche. The service is wonderful, the food divine, the atmosphere terrific - we finally made it out there about a year ago and have been going fairly regularly since. Our first visit was the two of us and we sat at a small table waterside. Lobster bisque, french onion soup, cheeses, lobster and filet - we went nuts. Then we took the kids when M was in from California - they loved it. We took C when she was home from Baltimore and sat in the bar. Pretty much the same delicious menu (some exceptions) and great service.
A note on our gig yesterday: we played 70 minutes at a fine arts center on the East side, very nice venue with theater seating, big stage and pro lighting. The audience was so appreciative. One woman told me "you made my day" and I said "you just made mine". Another woman ran over to my car as I was exiting the parking lot "why didn't I know about you girls? that was wonderful!" etc. Just makes me feel good to make other people smile, laugh and maybe even dance.
Cheers.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
A Bronx Tale and How to make your Estrogen Patch Stick!!
Went to see A Bronx Tale last night - highly recommended. They bill it as a 'cross between Jersey Boys and West Side Story' which is a good analogy. My sisters and I have been going to the Broadway Series at the Playhouse for about 6 seasons now and it's one of the best shows we've seen. Singing and dancing - which is always so great at these shows - plus a good story, which is true! - some sage wisdom and a tight script so the show didn't run overly long. One of our biggest critiques is that most of the plays go on about 20 minutes too long - they need to be edited better. We think.
Today I have a PopTart gig at 1pm and girl's night with Laurie later. We're finally having a warmer day, up into the 70's but it may rain so no patio dining probably.
So how am I making my little corner of the world more 'french chic, euro, like Paris etc' lately?
uhhh. Not doing so great on that front. We've been eating somewhat haphazardly which is normal for us as J's been umpiring and I've been gigging more. I have been pondering some wardrobe additions and planning for our upcoming trip, both of which inspire me to be pickier and to contemplate what I'd really like to see and do when there. I have been intermittent fasting and watching the carbs - guess what? It works. Looks like I'll be keeping the soft army green cropped pants.....nice.
Would you like to know who I watch on youtube? Bloggers I enjoy? Movies or programs that inspire me? What a PopTart is? lol. I get some views, according to the stats section here, but very rarely any comments so I just ramble on.
Incidentally I have a great way to make sure your estrogen patch sticks, really well, for the week you wear it. Wipe body area with alcohol, take a piece of tape and place it over the area, pat down and then pull it off, this exfoliates even more (I use a roll of packing tape - I swear by the dispenser that you use to tape up packages with - so handy) - then apply the patch. Cover with one sheet of toilet tissue for 30 seconds to blot any adhesive from the edges. Voila. Mine have stayed on thru a week of sunning and swimming in Mexico after learning this method.
Today I have a PopTart gig at 1pm and girl's night with Laurie later. We're finally having a warmer day, up into the 70's but it may rain so no patio dining probably.
So how am I making my little corner of the world more 'french chic, euro, like Paris etc' lately?
uhhh. Not doing so great on that front. We've been eating somewhat haphazardly which is normal for us as J's been umpiring and I've been gigging more. I have been pondering some wardrobe additions and planning for our upcoming trip, both of which inspire me to be pickier and to contemplate what I'd really like to see and do when there. I have been intermittent fasting and watching the carbs - guess what? It works. Looks like I'll be keeping the soft army green cropped pants.....nice.
Would you like to know who I watch on youtube? Bloggers I enjoy? Movies or programs that inspire me? What a PopTart is? lol. I get some views, according to the stats section here, but very rarely any comments so I just ramble on.
Incidentally I have a great way to make sure your estrogen patch sticks, really well, for the week you wear it. Wipe body area with alcohol, take a piece of tape and place it over the area, pat down and then pull it off, this exfoliates even more (I use a roll of packing tape - I swear by the dispenser that you use to tape up packages with - so handy) - then apply the patch. Cover with one sheet of toilet tissue for 30 seconds to blot any adhesive from the edges. Voila. Mine have stayed on thru a week of sunning and swimming in Mexico after learning this method.
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