Sitting around waiting for an interesting blog post to just spring fully formed out of my skull is obviously not yielding anything. When all else fails, here is a list:
- Good news! I am starting to write reviews for nymag.com (that’s New York Magazine to you people far away), in their under-$30 section, which means I get to eat out! a lot! Which I love. First review isn’t up yet but I’ll build it into the sidebar so you New Yorkers can follow me like so many rats to a fiddle. Muah-ha-ha.
- I met Kristin, formerly of Debaucherous and Disheveled, last weekend, and people, she is exactly as awesome, and as tall, as you think she is. We drank lots of wine and ate saganaki and risotto and bonded about life and family and love and she is just one of my new favorite people on the planet. She should be yours, too. And! There’s a spot on her dock in Vancouver whenever Stuart and I scrape enough pennies to make it there.
- I had the following conversations with one of my 1st graders this week, whom I’ve dubbed The Ladies’ Man because for a first grader, he sure is:
TLM: “I’m going to ask out _______ (a girl in the fifth grade).”
Me: “How are you going to do that?”
TLM: “I’m going to buy a car, and drive to her house, and ask her to marry me.”
Me: “Where are you going to get a car?”
TLM: “I got a job. I work at Dozy’s making fruit salad. I get five bucks an hour.”
Me: “How old are you, anyway, TLM.”
TLM: “I’m 24.”
Me: “And you’re still in the first grade?”
TLM: “I’m slow.”
Seriously, it doesn’t get any better than that.
- The weather! It’s nice! I’ve been going out for regular run/walk type things (what, I hate running so I let myself powerwalk most of it although I won’t call it that because that implies polyester jumpsuits) and every minute of the breezy 60-something degree weather makes me think, why don’t I live in Northern California? And then I remember – hippies.
- I’ve been writing using this program called Scrivener and one of the great things is that you work in chapters, all under the banner of one draft, which means I don’t see the whole thing together at the same time until I did, yesterday, and I’m about to break 20,000 words! Damn, dudes! That’s a lot of words on one subject. I am le thrilled.
- Lastly, I’ve done this before and it seriously is SO much fun, so I’m dedicating today and tomorrow to Question Time! Ask me anything. I’ll probably answer it. Or get my minions involved.




I think that my favorite part of the conversation was that he makes fruit salad. That kid is awesome.
Here is a question I’m hoping you can use your New York restaurant expertise to answer:
If you had a parental birthday present coming to you and were planning to request gift certificates to exciting New York restaurants so that you could take your boy out to really cool places you might not go to otherwise, which restaurants would you choose?
Hypothetically, of course.
I’m curious about this apartment-hunting that you’ve alluded to. Is that still happening? If so, what prompted the move and what are you looking for?
dude! i love scrivener. it is teh awesome. seriously.
Scrivener looks awesome! And congrats on reaching 20,000 words. I suppose a question I have for you is: should I break down and spend the $35? Is it so much better than Word (it seems to be)? And how did you land the nymag gig? It sounds fab.
Spending next week in New York. Can you please recommend a) your favorite restaurant, genre and price not important and b) your favorite place for pizza? Thanks!
Your new review gig sounds terrific and I’m jealous.
ok, my question, by way of explanation… I am an admitted country mouse when it comes to NY. I have travelled around the world, but New York City scares me for some reason. Maybe I don’t like to look out of place. Maybe I have deeply rooted Yankee prejudices, I am originally from the South after all. Maybe I feel like I could never really take it all in on a short visit. So, how about you? Are you ever scared to live/walk/be in New York?
I know, I’m always So deep…
but Friday night is pottery painting night, and I’ve already done a NYC skyline cappuccino mug, a paper-scissors gang cappuccino mug.. what to paint on the next mug… inching closer to a set?
What kind of skin products do you use? And hair. Because, girl, you are gorgeous.
First off–AWESOME about the NYMag reviews!
Aren’t they sometimes the funniest people ever?
2. Thanks for the Scrivener link.
3. You teach first grade?? So do I
4. Congrats on 20,000 words.
QUESTION: What are you writing about?
I have a novel-sized email to you saved in my drafts folder about several things including but not limited to your awesome storytelling capabilities, my thank yous for the special New York condom and the Risotto I Will Never Forget and also the fact that your charming husband bowled me over even more than I thought he would. God you are The Awesome. It’s cool that I knew that before I met you. Also my apologies for my idiocy (I have to mail something to you)
My question: What is the single most defining moment in your life thus far?
(This is the longest comment I have ever written. Somebody get me a blog.)
What motivates you when you feel down? If you could spontaneously become fluent in any language, which one would you choose?
(hi Kristin! Miss D&D)