Jonathan swung the door open and threw his hands up. “No work this weekend!”
For real? I rarely hear those words from my husband. I checked the family calendars. No girl scout meetings. No birthday parties. No project deadlines for me either. We were free to hit the open road!
Lucky me, Chrysler had a brand new 2018 Pacifica for me to review. Continue Reading…
We had a lot to celebrate in Maui. Our birthdays, our anniversary… the fact that it was our first Hawaiian vacation together as a family of four. So we went to the Drums of the Pacific luau at the Hyatt Maui and pretended it was just a big party for US.
We were treated like VIP’s, so we didn’t really have to pretend.
Going to a luau is an emotional experience for me, because if you remember, I used to be a hula dancer with Makalina’s Hawaiian Express and The Tiny Bubble Band (straight outta Brooklyn!) Those were the days. I danced quite a few corporate events and bar mitzvahs. They would never hire me now, as I would need lots of water breaks and possibly, some kind of specialized medical attention. Continue Reading…
“Look, Mommy! Dots on my arm… from the rain!” Things desert-dwelling California kids say when they go hiking in a Hawaiian rain forest.
In the ancient tribal grounds of the Iao Valley the land was lush and the rivers beautiful. We hiked to a view of the highest point (the needle) and swam in the river. But the best part was getting caught in a rain shower. Our Maui trip was full of adventure.
The next day we headed in the opposite direction up to the top of Haleakala volcano. I had to stop the car to get a closer look at this beautiful silversword. It was the most beautiful plant I’d ever seen. I am always awestruck by the perseverance of life in unlikely scenarios. Continue Reading…
My eldest overcame her fear of the water this summer. My youngest overcame her fear of dogs.
But my husband and I made the most progress this summer as we overcame our fear of flying with small children.
We’ve taken short trips by car, but it had been a while since we’d spent time on an airplane with both kids. Smalls was much smaller— just 10 months. We went back east for the holidays and we haven’t been back since.
But we had a feeling that travel would be easier with the kids now 3 and 6. (It was!) And we figured if we chose a tropical locale we wouldn’t have to pack much more than bathing suits and flip flops. (We didn’t!) This is how we ended up in Maui. Continue Reading…
When my cousin May (often referred to as ‘sister’) gave me a card during a recent visit to LA I had no idea what it could be for. I pulled it out of its envelope. SH*T JUST GOT REAL it read.
And on the interior: Will you be my bridesmaid?
I squeeeeealed! I’d never been asked to be anyone’s bridesmaid before. She likes me, she really likes me! My entire life I’ve waited for this validation from my younger and always cooler cousin. She had been the glue that pulled my DIY wedding together back in 2006— literally— tacky-gluing programs and place cards hours before I walked down the aisle. Finally I can reciprocate.
Lucky for me, she’s not a hardcore DIY-er. Continue Reading…
I was dancing on a bar with my sister and her friends when I leaned down to speak to a St. Maarten local. “How do you say ‘bachelorette party’ in French?” I yelled. The DJ was blasting dance beats and the bartenders were doing body shots with customers. Waves crashed in the darkness behind us. The tall, Caribbean man turned to me, the whites of his eyes ominous in the moonlight.“L’enterrement de vie de jeune fille,” he said. I shuddered.
Funeral of the Life of the Young Maiden.
I immediately sobered up. We’d been drinking Bahama Mamas from penis straws, dancing on tables and somewhere in this bar, one of us was wearing a giant inflatable johnson and inviting fellow bar mates to play a ring toss game. Continue Reading…
I overheard a few women talking about Crafting Community at a mommy event one night. Not only did they mention the words “crafting” and “community” together in the same phrase, they also mentioned “family” and “Palm Springs.” I pushed my way into their circle. “What is it? When is it? Can I come?”
Los Angeles artist Karen Kimmel and her partners, Stacy Bernstein and Tait Chatmon, are behind this magical event at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. Their goal was to “create immersive experiences where families can play, grow and be together.” Unplugged, but connected to people, to art and to the beauty of the desert.
My busy little family needed this. Continue Reading…
