Boyfriend and I are sitting at an outdoor bar enjoying margaritas with two older couples, both friends of his father. Instead of the stuffy, oppressive correctness masking disapproval bestowed by many “older professionals” on people our age, the four of them laugh with us and exude a vibrance mixed with calm, as if they’re fully […]

At last the warm weather has arrived, bringing with it lush trees, garden seating, open-toed shoes and hordes of Manhattan dogs. They roam the streets by the hundreds in every shape and size, sniffing, barking and straining against all manner of leashes ranging from old twine to cashmere/silk blends with rhinestone borders. Considering […]

Friend G, determined to make a social butterfly out of me (a somewhat lost cause) has invited me to join her table at the opening of a new restaurant. As I arrive, she ushers me to a corner booth, already inhabited by three women. Two are immersed in converation, so G turns to the third.
“Mel, […]

A massive heartfelt thanks to everyone who made AIDS Walk contributions following yesterday’s post. I am touched and inspired by your generosity. In fact, I’ve already set the alarm to make sure I don’t go and sleep through the damn thing. If you haven’t contributed and still want to do so, the Walk accepts donations […]

It seems I’ve grown a social cyber-conscience. For the past few years I’ve participated in the New York AIDS Walk. It’s a fantastic event that funds a cause holding great personal significance, plus it’s one of the only things that will get me off my couch-cemented ass to exercise for an entire Sunday morning. I’m […]

“I want you to write about me,” T shouts over the cloying ’80s club pop churning through the bar’s speakers.
“What?” I nearly choke on vodka tonic in surprise.
“On your blog. I want you to write about me.”
“That’s not something people usually request, I have to admit.”
He throws me his trademark wolfish smile. As […]

It’s an overcast Tuesday, and I’ve spent the past two hours absorbed in my morning routine: sitting cross-legged on the couch in my pajamas plugging away on a laptop that teeters precariously across my ankles. Standing up to stretch, I head to the next step in the day: chug coffee, shower and dress before returning […]

We’re at a large birthday dinner full of people we barely know, the kind of mildly awkward social situation where you grasp at any shred of conversation and wonder what your mutual friend has in common with these people. Around a third of the group are lawyers, and I’m shrinking into the wood of my […]

I don’t entirely trust people without pets. Sure, they may have allergies, busy schedules, an aversion to fur balls on the white carpet or suspicious paw prints across the kitchen counter. But caring for an animal gives a person something unique, a centered balance that affects each aspect of life. In the four years that […]

I’ve always had a fear of being watched. Hidden cameras, two-way mirrors, microphones buried in the secret depths of my bedroom. While my friends sprinted through dark parking lots with mace clutched in their palms or slept in the back seat with the car lights on during camping trips, I used to wave to the […]