Archive for March, 2014
Lorraine Feather Garners Grammy Nomination for “Attachments”
Lyricist and Jazz Singer Lorraine Feather was born in Manhattan. Her parents named her Billie Jane Lee Lorraine after godmother Billie Holiday, her mother Jane (formerly a big band singer), her mother’s ex-roommate Peggy Lee, and the song “Sweet Lorraine.” She is the daughter of the late jazz writer Leonard Feather. With lineage like […]
Concerned for Yourself, a Friend or Family Member?
Yesterday I spoke to a young woman who was willing to share her experiences with an eating disorder. I was introduced to her through representatives of National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA) Week, which was this past month. Throughout the country NEDA groups held walks to bring more awareness to this disorder. Because of the […]
Can What I Don’t Know Hurt Me?
Like the rest of you, I read, and read, and read. So why don’t I know everything? Maybe it’s technology. If it didn’t keep changing, I would know everything about everything, or not. Here’s what I don’t get, lately: Pharrell Williams. Drake. Nicki Minaj. Among numerous others whose names you don’t recognize, they are the […]
Reversing the Panic
The phone rang at 3 a.m. waking me from a sound sleep. It was my sister and the panic in her voice was alarming, “You need to come over immediately, it’s an emergency.” My sister has Multiple Sclerosis and is paralyzed from the waist down. She had caregivers during the day and at night, after […]
America’s Shame & Our Blame
Last week I spoke at Congregation Beth Israel on the title that leads this column. It was a major speech. At least that was my intent. Whether that was the audience’s reaction, I have no certainty of knowing; but at the end, during Q & A, a man said, with considerable emotion, my speech had […]
Tree Envy
Walking the neighborhood is a chance to review landscape plants that I know to have healing uses. Most are imports from other parts of the world that have become popular in our gardens due to beauty and survival in our climate. This time of year, one of the treats is to see a pau d’arco […]
Botany and Booze
In January the San Diego Horticultural Society welcomed Amy Stewart who has a new book out, “The Drunken Botanist.” Stewart is always fun to hear (and read), and this book is no exception. Stewart explained that she became inspired to write this book when she attended a convention of garden writers in Portland. As […]
Ways to Beat the Flu
by Aubree Lynn There is nothing worse than feeling your body succumbing to the attack of a virus. Over the past several months there have been many reports of people suffering for weeks and months from the flu, and there have been numerous deaths. When the doctor visits and prescribed meds aren’t doing much to […]
Between the Lines: “We’ll Always Have Paris”
That line from “Casablanca” is evoked frequently because it so beautifully expresses both past and future, wistfulness and hope. It’s often an exchange between lovers, but Jennifer Coburn has chosen the title for her just-released memoir about her travels with her daughter Katie. The book spans four trips—to Paris, Italy, Spain, and Amsterdam with […]
