Condolences are hard to write. You may not know how to say the “D” word. You may not want to upset your grieving friend. But you may be over-thinking it. When you’re paralyzed, pen in hand, the next time you have an empty sympathy card in front of you … I have a suggestion. A…
Question: When is a lawyer secretly a rock & roll drummer? Answer: When he’s Dan Case. We bid on a Dan’s band over a year ago at a charity event. He was kind enough to honor our request — it helps that we’re friends and he knew Father Eric — and coalesce his team…
Jamie invited us over to her apartment on Sunday. She made a brunch for her Daddy, his wife Marleah, their son Justin (age 7), Vin and me. She knocked herself out, with all sorts of beautiful dishes — including Roast Asparagus –one of my father’s specialties. I brought a few cupcakes (Devil’s Food and Angels’…
I have a trick. My father figured it out — that when we couldn’t get through the labyrintine telephone trees to get a hold of doctors, he’d fax them a note — to get it through to them via ‘the back channels’. I do one better. If I can’t deal with a computer phone…
I don’t cook all that often, but I do have a few tried & true recipes that I trot out on the holidays. One of them is for Passover. “Chocolate Toffee Matzo”, first seen by my sister Annie in the Orange County Register, of all places. I’ve made it over & over, even sent it…
We gave a party last night. It was for Father Eric, who’s led the Paulist Productions out here in Los Angeles for the last five years. He got a major promotion — going to head up Paulists in New York. We wanted to honor him, and had about 5o people over — along with a…
Louise Marler, my favorite “typewriter artist”, came over today to start a documentary about why typewriters are important in this day and age. When she and DP Glen Golightly wanted me to type something for B-roll, I happily complied — and whipped out a note to Louise as they watched. It was sort of surreal….
I attended UC Santa Cruz a lifetime ago. Studying Communications, where I got to play with video cameras and realize journalism — the newspaper style — was a dying art. Professor Allen Plone showed me the way. Taught me how to use the video camera, encouraged me to try even though I was afraid. Got…
As I waited for my car to be fixed, I spied an inspirational quote on the glass wall. My photography skills are not at their best in the morning, and I have to admit, they’re not all that good ANY time. But I was so affected by the quote — by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche —…
Champagne appointed by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II — a beautiful gold-engraved bottle sent to us by Brent Mulgrew, who worked with us for ten years on keeping our rugs & furniture clean. Brent said we were his first official customer. I remember when he came in the door for the estimate, clipboard in hand….
