Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly blog post about five things that caught my attention this week. It's been a pretty quiet week here, we had three rainy days which we needed.
1) Every year ArchCare, the organization of which my husband is president and CEO, hosts a gala that raises funds for their foundation to help the frail and elderly people they serve. The event is usually held at Gotham Hall, which is so spectacular, but this year because of COVID, the event is a virtual gala. But the good news is that now anyone can watch it online! This year's theme is a Salute to Our Healthcare Heroes, and will feature stories about the brave and dedicated people who work in ArchCare's nursing homes, home care agencies, and assisted living facilities, and who did heroic work this year. Good Day New York's Rosanna Scotto hosts, and we've lined up some terrific entertainment- Jim and Jeannie Gaffigan will share some laughs, jazz singer Nicole Henry performs, as do the New York Tenors. Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan will share some inspirational words, and for the baseball fans, we have New York Mets Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and former New York Yankee Tino Martinez. You can join in our sing along with Broadway performers from Sing For Your Seniors, as they close the show with a special performance. Join us Thursday, October 22nd at 7pm right here- at ArchCareGala2020.
2) You never know what you'll see while walking doing errands. On my way to the grocery store I saw this Sukkah, which according to the helpful information sheet is described as "a temporary shelter covered in natural materials, used especially for meals during the Jewish festival of Sukkot." You can find more information about Sukkot here.
3) Hispanic Heritage Month ended yesterday, and so it is appropriate that I began watching the updated version of One Day At A Time, which ran for three seasons on Netflix, was cancelled, and then picked up by Pop TV (the first American home of Schitt's Creek), and now CBS is running the first season episodes on Monday nights at 9pm. The original show starred Bonnie Franklin as the divorced mom of two teenage daughters (Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli) and was a ratings hit. I fondly remember watching it. This version stars Justina Machado as Penelope, a divorced mom of a smart teenage daughter and fashionista tween son. Her lively mother, played by the legendary Rita Moreno, lives with them. Penelope served in the military in Afghanistan, and now works as a nurse in a doctor's office. It's wonderful television, celebrating family life through the eyes of this Cuban-American family, and yes, handyman Schneider is here as well. I highly recommend it.
4) You've all seen TV commercials, received emails or texts, all encouraging everyone to vote. The cast of the TV show The West Wing teamed up the organization When We All Vote with a special on HBOMax. The cast- Martin Sheen, Dule Hill, Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, Janel Maloney, Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford- recreated a classic episode of the series- season 3's Hartsfield's Landing- as a staged play at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. It was so good to see this iconic cast back together again. John Spencer, who played Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, passed away during the last year of the series, and was sorely missed. Sterling K. Brown from This Is Us had the unenviable task of stepping in to play Leo, and he was reverent as he put his own stamp on the role. Martin Sheen and Richard Schiff pretty much look the same nearly 20 years later, and Bradley Whitford looks better than he did back then- his silver hair makes him look distinguished. I always loved The West Wing, and this is one of their best episodes. If you have HBOMax, this is must-watch TV. I wish they had made it available on broadcast TV so everyone could see it. (HBOMax is having a free trial, so you could sign up for that and watch.)
5) It was a busy week, so I only got around to reading two books, for which I am on blog tours. Sarah McCraw Crow's The Wrong Kind of Woman is set in 1970's New Hampshire, at a men's college. Virginia's professor husband tragically dies in front of their 13 year-old daughter. Virginia discovers how difficult it will be to make a living, and becomes friends with the few female professors at the college, whom the men openly disdain. It's a time of upheaval in the country, and anyone who enjoyed FX's Mrs. America may want to put this on their reading list. 
Elysia Whisler's upcoming novel Rescue You is about Constance, a young physical therapist who helps her sister run a dog rescue organization. She becomes involved with Rhett, a former Marine who runs a local gym. Rhett is wary of getting involved with anyone, but he is drawn to Constance. If you like dogs (especially pit bulls) and are into weight training, this book has your name all over it. (I know a few people like that. )
Stay safe, socially distant, wash your hands, wear a mask and VOTE. It's the best way to build the world you want to see for your children and grandchildren.
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