Brushing up on Beauty Product Launches

The Tek purse set, with small oval paddle brush, comb and ecru cotton travel pouch. Handmade in Italy. I met the little fella through a Zoom product launch this week. It comes in red, pink (rosa), lime, orange, light blue and natural.

Let's play a game of telephone. You remember that, right? Someone starts a word or phrase and whispers it to the person beside them. The message is passed along and then the last person repeats what they heard. So funny. The words get scrambled and everyone laughs.

With social media saturation, beauty brands can share something new in a hurried whisper, putting product samples in the hands of influencers to keep the message accurate and on point. Bring on the views, the clicks, the purchases. The message is not garbled.

New beauty potions have long been delivered to magazines with opulent bouquets and gifts to catch the editor's eye. Then there are breakfasts, dinners, spa visits, treatments. (Try Botox on your lunch break, our treat.) I once went to a spa weekend in Montauk, in the Hamptons, for a product line launch. A party bus picked editors up in NYC after work. (My friend Moey watched young Figgy back home.) We had a lobster dinner, with lobster bibs, and played a game at the table that involved guessing things about the lipsticks.

Today, lavish events still happen, but cue the Zoom launch. You get an email invite (Tek's was from polished PR person Pauline). You RSVP. The samples are sent to your doorstep/mailbox, so you can try them, hold them. I don't pursue many invites, because they take time, unless I have a related assignment, or if the product catches my eye.

The Zoom is maybe 30 minutes, with colleagues and a beauty expert to talk about the brand. 

Snip, snap, done. Now here I am blogging about this purse set* from Tek, a brush company founded in Italy in 1977.

Until now, the other mini brush of my dreams was the travel gold hairbrush from Aerin. I loved it so much, I ordered it for Spice for Christmas 2023, when she was 16. Like Tek, it is also handcrafted in Italy. But beyond that, the little wonder is galvanized with 24k gold.

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*Tek's claims, abridged:

Our small purse brush made of 100% FSC®-certified ash wood, detangles without damaging the hair. The wood is stained in a water-based, non-toxic, non-allergenic colour, the handle is treated with vegetable waxes and oils...and the white cushion is in pure rubber. The small brush is practical to carry everywhere, whether traveling, at the beach or the gym. 

Our products are vegan and 100% FSC®-certified, meaning they are produced with the environment in mind. To further reduce their environmental impact, they come with unique and ecological packaging, highlighting our commitment to beauty and sustainability. 

New Yorker Film Screening in Tribeca

I drove our Toyota Camry through the Tunnel, past the Meatpacking District and over old cobblestone streets into hip Tribeca to see a movie called "Little Wing," released yesterday by the streaming service Paramount+. It is based on a New Yorker piece about a girl and her pigeons, a true story by the writer Susan Orlean (author of The Orchid Thief). I got to talk briefly to Ms. Orlean after. I plan to blog about this tomorrow. (Punch has no school for teacher conference. I aim to rise early and tackle my article, again, and then later, after other paid work, I can blog.)

I received the jolt of energy and intellectual and cultural sophistication I sought when I left New Jersey for New York City at 5 p.m. And I saw that glamorous skyline, the lights glittering in the dark like pocketfuls of white jewels suspended over a kingdom.

Good night.

Memory Lane with Marilynn

Seeing those quilts in Amish Country yesterday brought back memories of my 10 years working at Good Housekeeping Magazine, on the fifth floor of the venerable Hearst Building. 

My friend Marilynn worked one floor up, and we became fast friends, along with a couple of other peers. Marilynn was number 2 in the Needlework & Crafts Department (yes, we had one of those).

She worked for refined Cecilia and the two produced pages for GH that featured sewing projects and patterns, too. I wrote at least one of their quilt stories, and Marilynn told me about the pretty wedding ring quilt pattern. The pair even went on a GH cruise, and I guess did events a-sea involving their skills. I bet the passengers loved it. The Food Department guru, Mildred, was also on board. :)

So many firsts with Marilynn....she and Margaret V. (tall, Geena Davis lookalike, with dimples) from the Beauty Department took me under their wings to have high tea at the Plaza one day after work!!! So elegant and not as pricey as it is now. Strawberries and cream, Devonshire cream for the buttery scones. 

Marilynn donated platelets at the blood donor center, and inspired me to do that eventually, too.

She was the first person I knew who had Hermès scarves, which she wore to the office over a dress or top and skirt. I don't think she would mind me saying that they were passed down to her from her cousin, Cindy (sp), who had a successful career and, I guess, many of the iconic scarves from Paris.

In at least one personal emergency, probably after first calling Moey in New Jersey on speed dial, I punched my friend's four digits on my desk phone and she came down from the sixth floor to meet me in the stairwell for a private consult.

She liked to bake and talk about baking like I did/do. She gave me a recipe for an impossibly good, classic pecan pie, which she brought warm to our apartment. I still remember the delicious crust and rich filling. I shared a recipe she liked for a coconut sheet cake. You poke holes in the top when it's baked and pour in cream of coconut, then frost and cover with shredded coconut.

As you can tell, youth was a time of growth, often carefree and fun. Then there is my dear friend Kim from our first jobs at Woman's Day, but that's a story for another time. It was Kim who inspired me to blog in the first place, 14 years ago, because she was blogging. Tonight, I still haven't eaten my dinner.

Good night.

Glitterati, Literati--Rubbing Elbows with the Well-Read Crowd

                                    Image from https://s38490.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/splash-social.png.

My New York City born-and-bred mother subscribed to The New Yorker, which piqued my curiosity when it arrived weekly in our black metal mailbox in Dumont, New Jersey. But I didn't read it much back then. And though I'm proud that the Hearst Magazines dynasty has been my long-time employer (on staff and freelance), I never did fulfill my dream of also working at one of the glossy crown jewels at Condé Nast Publishing.

But now, the latter has The New Yorker in its deep duster coat pocket, so I figured a couple degrees of separation would have to do, getting me closer to cream-of-the-crop Condé at the 24th annual New Yorker Festival. I had never gone due to the high ticket cost, but this fall, I went to a free event on Sunday, October 8 at 12:30 p.m. I snagged a ticket for Dan, too, but we had just driven into Brooklyn to dear Kim's and F's for a cocktail party the night before, so he took a pass. Too bad.

From Montclair, I hopped on Grove Street to Route 3 East and the Lincoln Tunnel to attend a screening of part one, "JFK: One Day in America," a documentary series that will stream in early November. The footage of that fateful day in Dallas transports you. You are there, with Mrs. Kennedy in her carefully curated fashions, her pink pillbox hat and navy and pink suit. (How did I never see the navy part before?) With her when she is late for the hotel breakfast and then met with loud applause. With Mrs. Kennedy when her husband is shot in the motorcade. When she has a fleeting breath of hope that he is still alive because they ask what his blood type is outside the emergency room entrance. You are with the two Secret Service agents (now aged, and on camera), who did their very best to protect and save in the midst of shock. With a reporter who was on the scene. You breathe deep, you turn away. You know what is coming.

But there is also beautiful footage at the start, the family out boating with the children, and more. I'm a lifelong Kennedy family buff but this film has many details that had never been revealed. The very best documentary digging, tasteful and true.

The 23rd Street theatre was packed. I looked around in the dark--a college student, artsy city dwellers who looked like filmmakers and a kind of grumpy big guy to my right who ducked out before the lights went on and the panel discussion began. 

The panel was great, all four experts charming and smart. We had Amy Starecheski, the Co-Director of the Oral History MA Program at Columbia University; young, pretty, blonde, modest, British and quietly brilliant, not puffed-up* director Ella Wright; Peggy Simpson, who covered the JFK assassination firsthand as a young journalist; and David Glover, the co-CEO of 72 Films, which produced the series. 

 

I was lucky to get free (Sunday) parking right across the street. I did rush back to get Punchy to her community service stint in the afternoon at Toni's, the soup kitchen in town, but let's not go there right now.

I can't wait to watch the rest of the series next month. I love New York.

                                                                        Image from here.

Per Wikipedia: The New Yorker Festival is an annual event organized by The New Yorker magazine.^[1] It is held in venues in and around New York City, typically in early October, bringing together "a who’s-who of the arts, politics and everything in between."^[2] The festival was first held in 1999 and has since become "one of the buzziest cultural events of the year" as well as "the biggest consumer-facing event for the magazine's parent company Condé Nast.

*Hell no, Ella was not puffed up--you cannot elicit cooperation and important historical insights like these if you are a puffed-up film director in requisite black turtleneck, right? Please forgive my stereotype.

3 Reasons I Love This Movie Star’s Fashion Edit

Gwyneth in the original G Label by goop Leah cashmere sweater. 

Now the core collection item comes in lemon drop yellow. 

(Alright, so maybe Gwyneth is a tiny size and doesn’t even need a bra 

because her breasts stand up without an underwire. As my editor used to say,“She would look good in a potato chip bag.” But she still sells the sweater for me.)

It’s a fact. Celebrities extend their brands, making extra millions with product lines. Remember Elizabeth Taylor’s perfume, the Fabletics fitness-wear line co-founded by Kate Hudson and Gloria Vanderbilt jeans?

Who doesn’t want a bottle of beauty worthy of a star or workout pants that flatten the belly and are endorsed by Goldie’s daughter?

But G Label from Goop....from Blythe’s daughter. I love Gwyneth Paltrow’s line and wish I could afford it full-on, but not in this lifetime, not at this moment. The one G Label black ribbed bodysuit I own, snagged on sale, is perfect, and I never want it to fall apart. It is cut so right, slimming, with a neckline to perfectly frame a face...and show off earrings and a necklace.

Take these 3 new "early-access” reasons-I-love pieces. The email just dropped today. 

1. Perfection in a black sweater. Lightweight cashmere to go around the seasons again and again, flattering sleeves, a stylish, feminine belt. Available in XL. $695. Figure I would wear it at least 100 times. That comes out to $6.95 per day to feel and look fashionable no matter what else is going on in my life.

2. Leather jacket lust. The bow at the neckline catches my eye, as does the soft leather (look how it drapes) and the two-way zipper. $1,395. What more can I say. Investment piece.

3. Lemon yellow ribbed cashmere with bracelet-length sleeves. (I don’t like this photo but can’t isolate the other views. Please click on link to truly see the sweater, not behind big coat and bag.) So maybe I don’t always look so great in turtlenecks, because my face is full, or the funnel might feel confining--or dark colors are more slimming, especially if you have a plump pouch. This Italian cashmere is so pretty, the color so lollipop lovely. I would have to work several hours to earn it, get paid on time by the client and then, also, not be able to cover some planned bills. Oops. $595.

Oh well. I think it’s this ability to fall in love with fashion, or recipes, or bedsheets and lamps, that made me so good at my job as a lifestyle writer at women’s magazines. If I’m in love, then it will be easier for me to convince you to fall in love, too, whether with a chocolate cake you have to bake (so moist, and that secret ingredient for a silky frosting, go buy the French cocoa) or a belted cardigan. 

Happy weekend. For now, I guess I’m shopping my closet.

A Dreamer and Her Big Santa-Size Sack of Books for Road Trips

Vintage magazines and recipe booklets are so enchanting--especially the holiday-themed ones. This Farm Journal is from 1966; my neighbor’s Mom saved it.

When I go on my New England overnight road trips--here to Cape Cod, or to visit our family in Maine, Meg and Greg in Vermont or Sis in Connecticut--I bring so many books. (I also brought several on the August 16 girls’ trip to Florida with Figgy, Florida Orange and Skipper, since we were driving there and back.)

It’s as if I think I can catch up on what I want to do in my life--read more--while I am away from home responsibilities for an overnight or longer. And when you drive--without any real baggage limitations or extra fees--it is easy to throw in another and another book.

Besides, I can’t predict if I will be in the mood to read about Cape Cod, page through a novel or learn more ways to tie a scarf.

It’s 10 p.m., and I changed into my red plaid flannel PJ bottoms and soft cotton top from The Salty Crown in Orleans. I would like to blog about Cape Cod now, but if I do, I won’t have read any of the pages in any of the books that I brought this time. 

We head home tomorrow. I’m choosing to read after tallying this list of books I brought. Eccentric to tote such a portable library? Maybe. Yes.

1. Cape Cod, Henry David Thoreau
2. 6 in a Ford, A Tale of a Nation-Wide Tour by a Family from Maine, Marion C. Holmes, gift from Dan found at old book shed in Maine
3. Trending into Maine, Kenneth Roberts, ditto
4. How to Tie a Scarf, 33 Styles
5. A softcover 12-Step book
6. A hardcover 12-Step book
7. A 12-Step dictionary to better understand the words
8. Own It: The Secret to Life, Diane von Furstenberg
9. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life, Ruth Franklin, gift from Sis
10. Brave Enough, Cheryl Strayed, gift from Figgy
11. What Would Jackie Do?, Shelly Branch and Sue Callaway, gift from my neighbor
12. Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration
13. The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett, Kate’s copy lent to me (book group)
14. Girl Scouts Handbook, W.J. Hoxie, gift from Sis
15. Java Head, Joseph Hergesheimer, copyright 1946, chosen at little free library cabinet at Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters in Brewster today (IDK what the book is about yet but it’s a pretty vintage edition)
16. Race and the Cosmos, Barbara A. Holmes, from the same library box--I thought it might interest Dan
17. Waterproof guide: Tidepools of the North Atlantic
18. Waterproof guide: The Ultimate Guide to Shells of the New England Coast and Beach Life
19. The Care and Keeping of Friends
20. Drew, holiday issue of the magazine from Drew Barrymore, bought at CVS in Montclair

And oh! My neighbor Beth was just going through her mom’s belongings and knows I love cookbooks, recipe brochures etc. So this time, I slipped these cute old reads into my Lilly laptop case. Their vintage typefaces and photos!!!

• Recipes for Happy Holidays and Goodies for Giving
• Recipes with the Marshmallow Fluff Touch
• Betty Crocker’s Cakes Kids Love for Birthdays, Holidays, Any Day
• Martha Holme’s Holiday Recipes, from the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, 122 S. Michigan Avenue
• Farm Journal’s Christmas Book, copyright 1966

Thank you to Beth and her mom!

Good night.

Now I See It, Now I Don't

Above: I love the Classic Fit Oxford Color-block Shirt in Multi ($110) by Polo Ralph Lauren--saw it in the Polo window here. Texted to Dan to see if he would like for late/better Father’s Day gift but he said "That shirt looks like a circus clown’s" and then he put the clown emoji, which is one of our personal favorites. 🤡 He always loved the Polo oxford shirts I got for him in all of those colors separately (except pink), so I figured I would give it a try.

Now I see the Kipling bag store and the Swarovski shop across from me, the latter with a glittering crystal curtain suspended from a bar. I see signs upstairs: BURGERS SHAKES FRIES FUN.

Now I don’t see it, head down to write, not daydream.

Sitting in The Mills at Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth (six minutes from the program Skippy attends 9 a.m. to 1:15 daily) with my laptop to work...quite a place. Thanks to a romp through with Skipper on Friday afternoon--much to her delight--I now noticed some good stores here. As in Polo Ralph Lauren, Coach, Kate Spade New York.

Skippy loved H&M, Hot Topic and especially Zumiez (pronounced zoomies/hoping for new skateboard for tricks). She has a longboard but there is a new(ish) skate park in town. In the food court, the sushi place and Häagen-Dazs caught her eye for future visits. I remember being her age and the same ice cream brand catching my eye at Paramus Park Mall. It seemed like such a luxury, and the best of the best on a cone or in a cup. (Now, when I see ice cream, I generally look the other way. Interesting American artifact.)

I’m grateful for the WiFi connection at Starbucks; this little round wood table; a side stool to hold notebooks, earphones, chargers etc.; and the spinach-feta-whole-grain wrap I ordered with siracha hot sauce for lunch.

At 11 a.m. my time (5 p.m. Paris time), my cell phone will ring and it will be a sophisticated man from France who lives at a storied, gorgeous château and gardens one hour’s drive from the city. I will interview him for aspire design and home Magazine, ask questions about the estate and the trees--he actually grew up there--and he will talk and I will write as fast as I can. I generally still prefer to take notes by hand. I have my own shorthand after so many years.

Sorry, I’m just writing, I say. The sources understand. After the call, I go over my notes and flesh out the shorthand to be sure I understand it all in detail.

I better get going because I came straight here to be productive--to write one article about a beautiful Charleston home and to do that phone call.

Enjoy your day. I always feel better connected and settled and accepting/honoring my work when I post here, just like last summer, on some days I was writing on Cape Cod instead of swimming in the sea. So, I say merci. (And since I’ve been writing more frequently about French things for aspire, I added a new post label: French.)

Bedtime Reading: Melissa McCarthy

Heading upstairs to read this April 2021 issue. Magazines are thinner and flimsy these days, and you can find so much on the web, from pie recipes to essays, pink couches to tea towels. Truly, IDK how much longer beloved magazines can make it...a dying breed...but still they stand at the checkout line, like brave soldiers or determined 1950s housewives, apron on, wood spoon in hand. 

I have loved buying magazines at airport shops (settling in with a good read distracts you from cramped coach seating and stale cabin air), but with air travel down in the pandemic, it’s been a double whammy for the publishers.

But I invested in this one. I picked it up and put it down at Whole Foods (on a budget) but had a little more cash at Kings six days later. The issue was still on my mind, and I still wanted to hold it in my hands and read it, you know? Such a lovely cover, with the colors...have to find out what she is wearing.

Melissa must sell a lot of copies....I love her as funny, pretty chef Sookie St. James in “Gilmore Girls” and as Molly in “Mike & Molly” (they meet at an OA meeting). I’ve watched both shows in reruns. And she and the rest of the “Bridesmaids” movie cast are so good. Some bathroom humor, but hilarious, touching story. I already know a lot about her from other magazine stories but can’t wait to catch up on new details. And the truth is, it’s compelling to read about a full-figured, life-size, beautiful woman/actress/wife/mother and see where she’s at on her journey. Here I go.

Good night.

13 Things That Will Be Cheaper in 2021

https://www.rd.com/list/things-that-will-be-cheaper-this-year/

I wrote this article for RD.com (Reader’s Digest) and am happy to get a new client. I like shorter pieces because I can research and write them in between Punch’s school classes and appointments etc. (However, this one did take a lot of hunting for stats and sources.)

I’ve had a long career reading, writing, finding sources and building contacts, so I enjoyed the chance to ferret out this information.

Even right before Christmas, during Christmas week....thanks to remote offices, email and our constant virtual connections, many of these article sources (the experts) were forthcoming and prompt with information.

Each piece pays moderately, but I hope to get more.

Thanks for being there, reading my blog.

 

My Latest Magazine Stories: French Chic, a Farmhouse---and Upcycling Timeworn Men's Shirts

A SHIRT STORY 👕👕🧵

NEW LOOK FOR OLD FARMHOUSE KITCHEN 🥚🥚🐐🐐

ANCIENT MARINER'S HOME NOW A BORDEAUX APARTMENT 🚢 🌊

PARISIAN SHOP WITH BLUE DOORS 🦓 🦓

Under the Covers

I’ve loved magazines since girlhood and still do. About to curl up near Dan with Harper’s Bazaar--Sarah Paulson cover story.

$ MONEY 💰 SPENT OUT OF POCKET

Items of interest:

• CVS, went for 2 RXs, got 6-pack Viva paper towels; Harper’s Bazaar; Cook’s Illustrated (would like to bake the oatmeal rolls w Punch--I'm a novice at baking with yeast); Nivea slight glow lotion; pecans; walnuts; pack of Hallmark notecards; air freshener x2; 6-pack strawberry extra-protein Ensure drinks for P breakfasts; lavender bath salts; Naked juice for P; eye drops for Sug, $122 total spend.

Mass Was Meaningful Today

⛸🎄🍪

The Bon Appetit cookie cover was hard to resist at supermarket checkout today. New twist on Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie, with a lot of fresh mint to tint the dough green. Hoping I can cut down the sugar and
use high-quality bittersweet chocolate. (Official Thin Mints use peppermint oil.)

I liked the sermon/homily at Mass today. It was about having hope. Also, the Advent wreath on the altar was lit--3 purple candles, and 1 pink one, so far just the first 2 purples glowing, for the first two weeks of Advent.

Our sweet friends were there in the "crying room" [generally for families with kids]--Jessica and Ben and their children, George, 5; Leo, almost 3; and Violet, born August 12. I had seen Ben at Kings after Violet was born--we had both biked there to get groceries--but Punch and I hadn't gotten over to meet the baby and drop anything off yet.

All three kids are darling....but the baby girl.....a precious little angel, smiling and pure and pretty with soft little tights and adorable shoes......such a treat.

TCOY

1. I found beauty and community at Mass--and friendship/talk when I went to pick up Punchy from sleepover at her friend's before 10:30 Mass. Her pal's Dad, a Londoner, is very nice, as are his wife and two girls. 
2. Good homemade coffee.
3. I'm going to take a cat nap if it's the last thing I do. 
4. Dan and I planning to go to see the 7 pm movie "Knives Out" with Punchy tonite. Figgy is busy.
5. Writing this post/tracking money spent.
6. Made a broccoli quiche from Joy of Cooking.
7. Face wash.
8. Eye cream.
9. Filled my Mom’s crystal bowl w clementines.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Lit a candle at church and said a prayer, $3.
• Jessica and Ben like to take the boys [now with baby sis] to the bagel shop after Mass, so Punch and I joined and I treated, counting turkey on bagel for me and tofu spread on bagel for Fig, $23.13.
• Kings, lots of groceries, because I'm finding that Dan is not so good at blending work and dinner planning and dishes, and we are not eating very healthfully. It's a ramp, a moving walkway we are all on since I have gone back to work in NYC. Sack of Halos clementines, five Bosc pears, large container baby spinach, dried figs, fresh broccoli, vegan "Provolone" cheese slices, Bell & Evans frozen chicken patties x 2, Gardein vegan entrees [buy one/get one free], good Russian rye bread, bag of Brie bites, dinner rolls, no-hormone chicken sausage breakfast patties x 2, wet dog food x 2, dozen eggs, half-gallon whole milk, whole-wheat English muffins, 2 gallons distilled water for CPAP machine, family-size box Triscuits, very large box plain Cheerios, half-pint cream, quart half and half, Murphy's Oil orange wood cleaning spray, 2 very large yams, Cheddar slices, large wedge Jarlsberg cheese, bottle Marie's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and, something I have eyed for a while since Kings launched its Italian festival--Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. She is so well-known. I hope to make a dish or two to honor my/Dad's/Rosie's Italian heritage this Christmas season. I think the only M. Hazan recipes I've made are tiramisu and a simple, delicious tomato sauce my friend Rach told me about, with a bit of butter in it. $194.07. Oh--and this included the December issue of Bon Appetit Magazine, with a close-up of a beautiful chocolate-dipped minty green cookie on the cover. It was $7.99 cover price, crazy but true. I pledge that this will be my last holiday magazine purchased this year.
• Delvino's Restaurant on Main Street in Belfast, gift card to thank Pat and Martha for their hospitality in Maine over Thanksgiving. Our family stayed there; Pat and Martha so gracious. The gift card will be mailed to them. $50.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $270.20.

Ongoing monthly spend as of Dec. 8: $1,641.15.

Avg daily spend: $205.14.
_____________________________________________________

COMPARE TO 4 PRIOR MONTHS:

Total spend for November (30 days): $2,979.03. ⬆️

Average daily spend: $99.30. ⬆️

__________________________________________________________________

TOTAL SPEND FOR OCTOBER (31 DAYS): $2,495.36.🍎 ⬆️

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $80.49.🍎 ⬆️

_____________________________________________________________________

TOTAL SPEND FOR SEPTEMBER (30 DAYS): $2,214.43.🍎⬇️

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $73.81.🍎⬇️

___________________________________________________________________________

TOTAL SPEND FOR AUGUST (31 DAYS): $2,895.06. ⬆️

AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39.  ⬆️

Candy in the City

Candy--my nickname, her real name is Madonna, or Donna for short--was in the city for a couple days and I met her and her nice friend for dinner. Candy lives hours away now with her family, in Saratoga Springs, New York. Such a treat to see her.

All three of us earned our stripes--and heels, and handbags and insights--in the New York magazine world. Candy and Allegra worked together at two publications, including Women's Wear Daily, the fashion industry bible then in newspaper form. Candy and I were in offices across the hall from one another at Good Housekeeping and then she moved to Woman's Day, where I had started my career. All three of us worked at one time or another with Donna B., my boss for a while at GH.

The magazine world was--is?--a game of musical chairs.

Tonight we went to Chez Josephine, a charming restaurant on West 42nd Street that was opened by the son of famous French dancer Josephine Baker. It is a landmark, lovely and glamorous. Live piano music, excellent French food. My plate included petite, soft potato croquettes and slim green beans.

Isn't she lovely? Image of Josephine Baker from HERE.

Such a treat to eat at Chez Josephine.

TCOY, Day 5 off Sugar Road

1. Important personal writing, short but to the point.
2. Getting my ducks in a row for three writing projects.
3. Overnight oats with banana.
4. Did my makeup.
5. Fresh berries for dessert at Chez J. Did not even blink at what must surely be superior--and chic--French desserts.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Lost a bet with Punch that she had homework--$1. But it turned out there was a technical problem and the teacher sent the homework email later. He hadn't sent his daily list, so I thought the girl was right.
• DeCamp, round trip bus fare to NYC from my corner, $15.30.
• Duane Reade in Port Authority. I forgot my slim golden Lilly Pulitzer makeup bag. In a pinch, bought Revlon eye-brightening concealer and a pot of pretty rose gold creme eye shadow. Fortunately, I had my Cherries in the Snow lipstick and Trish McEvoy mascara in my handbag. Still, $25.02. That's a lot, but I'm happy with the shadow pot.
• Dinner, including excellent main course and mixed berries with whipped cream in a glass goblet for dessert, plus tax and tip, $60. [We didn't have drinks or coffee, just ice water.]
• Tip for piano man, $2. He played "Moon River" and "Send in the Clowns."

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $103.32.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF SEPTEMBER 19 [I ADDED YESTEDAY NOW]: $1,478.27.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR: $77.80.

Compare to last month:

TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH OF AUGUST: $2,895.06. ⬆️

AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39.  ⬆️

Big-ticket 🎟🎟 September spends:

🎟 Citarella at Hudson Yards, NYC, dinner; plus fresh fruit, etc. to bring home, $35.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including present for Fig and big yellow mum plant, $84.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including salmon for dinner and an iced coffee from the barista, $63.

🎟 ShopRite, groceries, laundry detergent etc., $50.

🎟 Sky Zone [worth it, Punchy went with her nice friends], $25.

🎟 Joyist, $29.

🎟 Kings, groceries, $46.

🎟 Piazza della Sole, comfy, high-end shoes, half-price, $90.
🎟 Gasoline, twice, $52.
🎟 Chinese lunch with Sis, $33.
🎟 Grocery shopping in Connecticut w Sis, $48.
🎟 CPAP dr. co-pay, specialist, $50.
🎟 Whole Foods again, including 3-pack soy candles, pound smoked salmon and Hydro Flask for Punch, $166.
🎟  Jackie's Grillette treat, casual dinner and soft drinks for three, plus tip, about $45.
🎟 Salon 212 blowout plus tips for job hunting Friday, $45.
🎟 Kings, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella for women's group platter, $58.
🎟 CVS, melatonin gummies, milk, Listerine, $30.
🎟 Kings, 1/2 gallon organic milk, 1/2 gallon oat milk, yellow baby potatoes, teriyaki sauce, Cabot shredded cheese, fresh black figs, 1.38 lb flank steak, etc, $48.
🎟 Kings again, groceries, $39.
🎟 Chez Josephine dinner with Candy and Allegra, $60.
🎟 Duane Reade, emergency makeup in Port Authority, $25.

Tuesday Catch-up--Mixer in NYC

Yesterday was busy. I got up at 6:20 to go to 7 a.m. support group, grocery shopped [with reins on money] at Whole Foods, made a whole-wheat piecrust and baked a quiche--and handed in a health/finances article to Brain & Life Magazine, weaving in quotes and facts from a researcher, a doctor and two drug companies. Always with an eye on accuracy.

I also applied for another job.

In between [because I finished the article at the dining room table at 1 a.m.], I took the 6:40 p.m. bus to NYC and then the Q train downtown to attend a mixer for former/sometimes current magazine and web editors. It was run by Chandra, who started a closed Facebook group for people with magazine experience. [My friend Celia is a member, too, and encouraged me to go to the mixer--though her calendar plans changed and she had to miss. But thanks, Celia. Do wish you were there!]

I was among the oldest people there, no surprise, but after getting over the initial shyness, I jumped in and found Chandra--by her dazzling smile, the same she had when I met her at Good Housekeeping. She was an editorial assistant in the articles department and I was lifestyle writer. She went on to work on many big mastheads.

I met two nice men last night, Ben and Chris. I was at the bar, nursing my seltzer with lime, and they came up to order cocktails and said hi. I was grateful. We talked for a while and I enjoyed it. We covered everything from job hunting to salary range negotiating. Ben came to NY from Minnesota--I always marvel at people who come so far, since I grew up right on the other side of the Hudson River [well, almost--NJ suburbs, Bergen County]. I will be in touch with them.

I also met a writer/editor who arrived at GH after me, as well as an editor at realtor.com--and saw two women who may have been near my age but I was too shy to say hello. They were talking to each other. The magazine world is small. Chances are high that if we didn't work at the same magazine company at the same time, we had mutual friends or colleagues.

The mixer was set for 6 to 9 at Peppi's Cellar,  a basement bar you enter through a black speakeasy door in the restaurant Gran Tivoli on Broome Street. [I would like to dine at that restaurant with Dan or Sis.] I arrived around 8, umbrella still wet and sneaekers tucked in Lilly bag since I stopped on street to change into silver Tory Burch sandals.

We all had blue paper wristbands that entitled us to 50 percent off drinks.

Grateful to the pizza parlor employee who pointed me toward Broome Street, and then, when I walked too far and passed Canal Street on my way back, pointed me back to the subway! I love the kindness of strangers in NYC. I didn't love the three sizable rats I saw scurrying around near the garbage at the curb when I was heading to the uptown train.

Another busy day. Tomorrow we drive down to get Punch!

TCOY

1. I liked making that quiche, the whole-wheat crust, the caramelized onion and mushroom filling.
2. Going to the mixer. It was an effort because it was rainy, and it was tempting to stay home instead of take bus and subway to get there. But I went for my career health and growth.
3. A lot of subway stairs and walking. Yikes. As my friend Kim says, the subway is its own little workout. I marveled at the young parents who scooted up the stairs so fast, balancing their little girl in stroller between them. And those young women scurrying--that was me once. It was so steamy.
4. Stared down sweet treats at Port Authority.
5. This will sound funny, but Sis gave me her Chez Panisse Cafe cookbook and I looked at many recipes--I love reading cookbooks, it feels like TCOY. In terms of sugar, the Chocolate Espresso Custards contain just 5 T of the white stuff and 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate. I lovingly chose ingredients--fair trade chocolate, etc., but don't know if making these is unwise because will it send me on a dessert bender? I honestly don't think so, but.....

   

   This is the cookbook Sis gave me off her shelf!
   Nan, did you eat at the cafe?

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Whole Foods Montclair, mushrooms, eggs, large bag shredded mozzarella, onion, butter, freshly made vegan ravioli, white peaches, white nectarines, organic strawberries, bittersweet chocolate, extreme dark chocolate, pink dahlias, half gallon organic milk, quart half and half, pint cream, freshly ground almond butter, black peppercorns, veggie burgers, and to deter deer in the garden, cotton balls and apple cider vinegar to douse balls with, $80.63.
• Kings, good rye bread, votive candle and pink African violet for pretty angel planter Dan bought Fig in high school, $14.23.
• Round trip DeCamp bus, $15.30. Not adding subway fare because already had fare card.
• Pizza place in Port Authority, mediocre pepperoni slice WAY overpriced, but I wanted dinner at 7:15–$6.19.
• Peppi's, magazine gathering, seltzer with lime, no charge, so left bar tip, $2.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $118.35

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF JULY 23 [AND STARTING JULY 5]: $1,166.35.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR: $61.38.

This monthly spend is pretty low so far, thanks to Punchy being Mimi-based for 2 full weeks--and me being at Sis's for four nights.

Big-ticket firecracker items in July: *Marcel bkfast w Punch and loaf of bread, $29; *Tory Burch sandals, $111; Starbucks Camp day, $94 [I subtracted the Bear Mountain pickles and peaches]; Punch bday gifts for friend + tiramisu w Elaine, $37; Joyist to write, + Punch drop-in, $30; one day of Joyist Reset Meal Plan, $35; Elixir of Love body creme, $30; Kings, groceries to make Bobbi Brown website chocolate-chip cookie dough, plus candle holder and votive, $32; and Nest Fragrances candles/lip balm website order, $82; took Sis to Thai restaurant for lunch, $36; The Paper Store, cross-body bag, notebook, etc., $66; and Whole Foods, quiche and chocolate espresso custard ingreds plus groceries, $80.63.

The Little Lake House That Could

Take a look at this tidy Connecticut cottage I wrote about for ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME Magazine. I love the cozy style edit. And check the story for the designer's favorite Home Goods store location!

THE LITTLE LAKE HOUSE THAT COULD

xox

Bringing Home the Groceries

I went to Whole Foods in West Orange today and got a lot of quality things at good prices. But I was disappointed in the jumbo scallops from the seafood bar--$29.99 per pound. I got just over 1/2 lb., 6 big ones to pan-sear and divide among me, Dan and Punch. [Fig had dinner out with a friend.]

Next time, if I'm spending that many clams on scallops, I'm def going back to Gus & Co. Seafood on Valley Road in Montclair, which offers day-boat catches from the Jersey Shore. Prices are high but not higher than this and I swear, I can taste the sea in them.

High-ticket items in my cart, about $5 or more--but that doesn't mean they weren't a good buy per ounce or serving. Not listing things that didn’t cost $5 or more, such as heads of cauliflower, organic blackberries, garlic, feta, Cheddar, crackers, etc.

1. Dozen large eggs from Snoep Winkel Farm in NJ, $5.39. I'm getting more into slow food and eating local when possible, step by step.
2. Gallon 365 brand organic whole milk, $5.99.
3. Late July brand Cheddar sandwich crackers, 8 little snack bags, $5.99.
4. Vegan mock smoked "Provolone," $4.99.
5. Large jar 356 brand crunchy PB, $4.99.
6. Changing Seas smoked salmon, one full pound, $19.99.
7. Trio very large organic white yams, 4.36 lbs at $1.99/lb., $8.68.
8. Bag vegan Dandies brand mini marshmallows [no fish gelatin in them], $4.69.
9. Valrhona dark chocolate fèves , $8.64.
10. Friendship whipped cottage cheese, $4.99.
11. Quart organic strawberries, $4.99.
12. Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Magazine, a new food mag I haven't read yet...noticed recipe for Naples' Two-Cheese Pasta with Cauliflower and got all ingredients; mag was $6.95. [Recipe calls for 2 lb. cauliflower and 1/2 lb. pasta.]
13. Wedge aged Provolone to grate for #12 recipe, $6.90.
14. Wedge Romano Pecorino to grate for #12 recipe, $5.69.
15. Box fresh vegan ravioli, $6.99.
16. Box fresh cheese ravioli, $9.99.
17. Prosciutto and cheese tray for Punchy's lunch box tomorrow, $4.99.
18. Hot bar, jerk chicken and Mac and cheese, .69 lb., $6.20.
19. Jar Sriracha Vegenaise, $4.99.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND, ALL WHOLE FOODS: $201.34.

MONTHLY SPEND AS OF APRIL 28: $3,526.72.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR THIS MONTH: $125.95.

Big-ticket April spends so far [numbers rounded off], 28 days into the month:

Lamp, $79; luxe hand cream, $55; Giotto dinner to go + jar of imported Italian artichokes, $46; dog groomer/beauty salon, $75; vet for hamster, $157; necklace extension/repair/new clasp, $128; blowout, $55; Over the Moon, bday gifts for Punch friend + book for me, $60; Kings groceries, $132; liquor store, $32; bra/underwear/tights, $126; Joyist, $39 one day while working on assignments there; second blowout w service tips, $52; Punchy, Lululemon, $28; Justice, bday gifts and gift bag/pink tissue for Punch friend + shorts for Punch + $2 donation at register, $58; Kings groceries, $63; Joyist, $25 one day while working on deadlines; bike delivery, $35; Whole Foods, $69; CVS & Kings, Easter gifts/basket treats [counting lemon curd for tarts], $97; zoo day and lunch, spring break, $42; A.C. apps + drinks, treat Mimi & Poppy, $85; A.C. pretty lilac drape-neck top, $49; A.C. breakfast, treat Mimi + Poppy, $55; A.C. Skechers flip-flops, $35; A.C. sushi dinner, split bill, $52; Sis bday cards + gift, $35; Joyist, counting body oil, $71; Williams-Sonoma, gifts plus, $55; and Kings, Sis bday lunch of caviar/blini/lox/small layer cake etc., $113; and Whole Foods, a lot of groceries, including scallops and lox, $201. Steep subtotal of $2,204.

MONEY THOUGHTS: I haven't had enough healthy groceries in the house lately. I got some good ones at Whole Foods. We had baby kale with dinner. My friend Rachael posted an article with a reminder about "eating the rainbow," so I got orange cauliflower, plump blackberries, crimson strawberries. I piled the berries in my mother's crystal bowl and the family loved them. I ate zero. I think I will eat 1 black and 1 red berry before bed now. I have a hard time eating fruit. It's a learning curve.

keeping my eye on

SO FAR: TOTAL APRIL SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,526.72.

MY TOTAL MARCH SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $4,128.41.

TOTAL FEBRUARY SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,159.25.

Lettuce

I peeled a lot of greens out of my purse today. But this did include a family gift and household staples.

Special issue, fabulous retro cover.

$ MONEY OUT OF POCKET

• CVS, Nutri-Grain bars for Punch, 2 small valentine treats on sale for her and her talent show partner, $5.43.
• Parking meter, 50 cents.
• Joyist, healthy breakfast bowl with mashed root veg, roasted tomatoes, one egg, crispy kale, etc., $10.
• Print of winter in Maine painting by my talented brother-in-law, David Hurley, and I'm sure he undercharged us, $40.
• CVS again, went for 2 Rxs and got staples, including 3 bags lavender bath salts, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day honeysuckle liquid hand soap, dried figs, Raisin Bran and nuts, because I had a coupon for $10 off purchase of $60 or more. [Did include indulgence: Full-color keepsake issue of LIFE Magazine devoted to Mary Poppins "the Magic, the Adventure, the Love," cover price sky-high $13.99.] $73.08.
• Drink and dinner out with Elaine at Applebee's; she insisted on using her $25 gift card. So we each spent $23.
• ShopRite, organic milk and $25 gift card [very late Christmas gift] for goddaughter visiting from Florida. $29.50.

TOTAL: $181.51.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY: $1764.22, SO $117.61 DAILY FOR THE 15 DAYS OF FEBRUARY, SO FAR. [THAT $500 SATURDAY....SIGH.] I DO STILL HAVE TIME TO BRING DAILY AVERAGE DOWN FOR THE MONTH. BUT DAN AND I GOING INTO NYC OVERNIGHT TOMORROW FOR 28th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

COMPARE TO JANUARY: AVERAGE OF $71.88 DAILY.