Ensconced here in sunny Mexico, veteran north-easterner that I am, it is sometimes difficult for me to remember that the holidays are upon us. That’s not to say that there are no festivities, because of course there are. But one doesn’t really witness it from every direction quite like in North America. However, a sure fact is the transformation that occurs nightly in Cabo San Lucas as the town becomes a hive of parties and … Read More
I have returned to the East Coast having been catapulted back to reality from paradise. Clearly the holidays are upon us. Trees are up, retailers are stocked with X-mas paraphernalia and the race has begun. Even though all the big stores in Cabo had a similar transformation from Halloween to Christmas, literally in the beginning of November, it’s not easy for a veteran north-easterner to feel the vibe while shopping in a bathing suit and … Read More
There is something almost poetic about the flowering pears outside my bedroom window and the way they juxtapose with the naked bark of every other tree on the street. Clearly we are finally at the fulcrum of winter’s last breath and springs rebirth. It’s the dichotomy that intrigues me. The clarity of light and the crystal blue skies belie the frost bitten nights. The earth remains brown and wet even as daffodils and forsythia etch … Read More
Marilyn Monroe was a famous movie star when I was a child. I remember seeing Some Like It Hot at the Lake George Drive In Theater during summer vacation with my parents. It is amazing how 50 years later this actress, with her sultry demeanor dimly veiling a girl next door naivety, still fascinates the American public. Michelle Williams, who stars in the highly acclaimed My Week With Marilyn, describes the star as “something … Read More
I am fascinated by the ongoing obsession of popular culture with vampires. In my parent’s generation, the classic tale of quiet evil was elegantly personified by Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Later, when my generation was tuning up, Anne Rice captivated our fantasy of perpetual youth and mysterious romance in her Vampire Chronicles. And today, no author better serves the quest for the fabulous forbidden other world than Stephenie Meyer’s handsome and captivating teen hero, … Read More
I have been watching the Olympics for the past two weeks, mesmerized by the audacious athleticism that seems to be part of the Winter Games. Although this event is, without a doubt, the premiere international gathering of the world’s sporting elite, Canada’s declaration that they will “own the podium”, has enabled the friendly rivalry between the USA and Canada. The United States leads the medal count in a sport’s arena usually dominated by European … Read More