Archive for the ‘Current Events’ Category

Waiting for the Big One

Posted on August 29, 2011

Hi Everyone,

Well, it has certainly been an interesting week, full of unexpected adventures.

On my way back to Paris, I stopped in New York to see one of my daughters, and had heard of the hurricane warnings for New York. I have to admit, I wasn’t unduly surprised or concerned about it, because in late August/early September, there are frequently hurricane warnings in the East. And usually, the hurricanes blow themselves out at sea, or turn in some other direction, and I have never encountered one in New York. But this time, as we all know, Hurricane Irene stayed right on course heading for New York City. I took a red eye/overnight flight to New York, and arrived on the Friday morning, right before it was due to hit New York (on Saturday), and found my daughter in considerable distress. The hurricane was due to hit the city on Saturday night, and her apartment was deemed to be in the most dangerous zone for flooding, Zone A. An order to evacuate her area had been issued by the mayor and police, and she had to be out of her apartment by Saturday at 5pm. They were expecting up to 6 feet of flooding all around her, and police boats had already been brought into the area. No one was to be allowed to stay in their homes, or the entire area, in her neighborhood. She was in the dangerous Zone A. » read more »

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Oops….Shot My Mouth Off

Posted on May 23, 2011

Yup….I did…..shot my mouth off….I made one of those comments without thinking (to the press) that follow you for a lonnnnngggggggg time, and even though there’s some truth to it, I was being flip. Presidents do it, heads of State, diplomats, politicians, and just regular old people, you say something that seems clever at the time, that rolls off your tongue like a gumball falling out of a gumball machine, and pretty soon you’re sitting there with your foot in your mouth, sorry that you spoke so quickly. Oops!!! » read more »

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Wow Chanel!!

Posted on April 11, 2011

Hi fashion fans,

Okay, so I lied—-a little. I said that my last blog, on the Givenchy (pronounced Jee-von-shee) fashion show would be my last fashion statement on fashion week in Paris. Just one more? My report to you wouldn’t be complete without telling you about the Chanel show. It’s just too good to miss sharing with you. And since it was the last fashion show I saw during Ready to Wear fashion week in Paris, you’re safe (for men who hate these reports), I really won’t be writing about another one, but HAVE to tell you about this one. It is always the best organized, most breathtaking and most impressive show. And it is massive. » read more »

More Paris Fashion: Givenchy Fashion Show

Posted on April 4, 2011

To all you guys who are nice enough to read my blog, I apologize for assaulting you with fashion reports from Paris, but just one more, okay?? Besides, as I just explained to a friend in the states, in France, fashion shows are not considered only of interest to women. The men here (in France, and Europe generally) consider these fashion shows interesting hunting grounds for ‘real’ men—-they go to ogle the models, and check out the women who go to the shows. That’s actually a pretty clever idea; there are lots of good looking women (and men) at the shows. So with all due respect to both sexes, I just thought I’d tell you about the Givenchy ready to wear show I recently saw.  It was a Wow!!! » read more »

March in Paris….Not Yet April in Paris, But A Lot of Fun!!

Posted on March 28, 2011

It is becoming an annual tradition for me now to come to Paris for the Ready to Wear Fashion Week, which happens in March. It is where French Ready to Wear designers show their wares for next season at runway fashion shows with gorgeous models and gorgeous clothes. And the shows are so much fun. They don’t have the pomp and circumstance or decorum and grandiose quality of the Haute Couture shows which happen twice a year as well. » read more »

Earthquake in Japan

Posted on March 21, 2011

Like the rest of the world, everyone in Paris is riveted by the horrifying reports of the recent earthquake in Japan, and it is heart breaking to watch the destruction, both by the earthquake and the tsunami, and to learn of the inevitable loss of life as a result of those two events. Natural disasters are so terrifying, and remind us all of the force of nature when unbridled. And the threat posed by the damaged nuclear power plant adds yet another frightening dimension. » read more »

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Chanel Haute Couture Show in Paris

Posted on February 1, 2011

Hi Everybody,

Well, for you fashion fans, like me, it’s that time of year again. The high fashion, ‘haute couture’ shows in Paris, which are becoming fewer and fewer and rarer and rarer. Ten or more years ago, haute couture week (twice a year) in Paris was a 7 to l0 day event, with 3 to 5 shows a day, and it was a BIG deal for people who love fashion. » read more »

Legacy

Posted on October 11, 2010

Hi Everybody,

You probably know I have a new book out in hardcover, called “Legacy”.  It’s both historical and modern, and I really love that book.  There are two main characters in the book, a modern woman, and a woman set in history.  The main character is a Dakota Sioux woman, actually a young girl, who traveled from the Sioux village where she lived (and was kidnapped by a warring tribe, when she was in her later teens.  She is the chief’s daughter), she travels to New Orleans, and from there to France. » read more »

Back to School

Posted on September 27, 2010

Although kids seem to go back to school earlier and earlier now (and in all fairness, get out earlier in the spring too), mine have not yet gone back to school, as I write this. My college kids go back to school in mid August, and those on sports teams have to go back even sooner for practice. But some of my kids » read more »

Many Thanks and Art Show

Posted on September 7, 2010

Dear Everyone,

Thank you for all the lovely responses to my blogs. I really appreciate it, and the chance to share my thoughts with you, and hear yours about them. I was particularly touched by the many people in their 20’s who responded to what I had to say about those years. I really respect the challenges you face, and I know that it’s not an easy time. Everyone thinks it’s ‘so cool’ and ‘easy breezy’ to be young, but I know just how challenging, hard, and even scary it can be!!! Thank you for writing to me!!!

I wanted to tell you about » read more »

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