A Tree Grows in Jackson Heights

Perhaps no one else but myself cares about this, but Bette, the tree planted in December, 2007 outside my window as an early holiday present (okay, it was actually part of the million tree plan initiated in NYC by Mayor Bloomberg and Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project) deserves an update. Here, the before, middle…

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Many miles away….

Hair Band Right. So, a little delayed, but: The story that goes with the VIP pass is this — we did not meet the band. There was basically no chance we were meeting the band, and the pass didn't even get us close to within sniffing distance of the band. We got back there as…

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Train Pie!

Train Pie! So last night, Rose had a birthday. And she had a gathering of friends – slash – party – slash – jaunt out to deepest Queens to the most amazing spa place in the world. But before that, there was pie. A whole group of us got together at Grand Central Terminal for…

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Shave and a haircut, too hot

Arrr, she is a fine tradition we have here in Jackson Heights: The cutting of the hair of the dog. Just in time for the temps to hit 100, Ciara got herself all shaved off on Friday after almost a year without a groom. (I know, I know, but it's more than I pay for…

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Lowering my prohibitions

Growing up in Maryland, we had crabs. We had Ocean City, we had bragging rights to Washington D.C., and we had crabs. What I was too young to realize was that we also had John Waters. Until I saw "Hairspray" (the movie) in the theaters, with mom. She hadn't grown up in Baltimore, but she…

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Without supervision

For the record: I have no kids. But I love "Supernanny." When I watch it, I'm simultaneously reminded why I'm glad I don't have kids, and saddened that these clearly overwhelmed people are the ones raising the next generation. But then Supernanny comes in and puts a few babies in the corner and writes up…

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The sweetest thing

Phew! That was a whirlwind. I think I can literally and figuratively say this was the sweetest birthday I've ever had — and the nicest part was it lasted just about a full week. Since I'm about to run out the door to Thanksgiving in the state I like to mess with, this'll all be…

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