Friday 5ive- July 31, 2020

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly blog post about five things that caught my attention this week. It's so hard to believe that this is the last day of July. The days go by so slowly, but the weeks go by too fast. Does that make sense?

1)  Our animal photo this week is a dog on a plaque. While walking in downtown Bronxville, my friend Barb and saw this woman touching this plaque on a wall of one of the buildings. On the plaque is a rendering of Jake, known as "The Prince of Pondfield". You are supposed to pet him and make a wish.  I think I know what most people are wishing for.

2) While in Bronxville, we stopped into the local bookstore, Womrath Books, and I picked up a few books to continue my quest to support indie bookstores. I bought Sue Monk Kidd's new novel, The Book of Longings, a fictionalized tale of the wife of Jesus, and then something to make me laugh, Selina Meyer's "autobiography", A Woman First.  Fans of HBO's Veep will recognize the book. I hope it has lots of cursing in it.

Womrath Books

3) I passed by The Beach Cafe today and I think they have the cutest outdoor seating decor I've seen yet, with a teal lifeguard chair and beach balls outside. 

4) The heat was too much for me this week, so I caught up on some TV. I finally finished the last season of Schitt's Creek, and it was everything I hoped it would be. I really stretched it out because I didn't want to finish it. Dan Levy and company created such a lovely show, and the timing for it couldn't be better. The world needs to see that people can grow and be better people, like the Rose family. Bravo to all, and congratulations on their 15 Emmy nominations this week. This show will stand the test of time. 

I also started Apple TV+'s The Morning Show. The first two hours are gripping television, and Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carrell, Mark Duplass and Billy Crudup deserve their Emmy nominations this week. Anyone who likes morning TV shows will love this one, and I like how they really hit the zeitgeist of the moment. I can't wait to dive back into this one. 

5)  I only read two books this week. Susan Mallery's The Friendship List is about two female friends who try to get out of their comfort zone by making a list of new things to do- skydiving, getting a tattoo, and having sex with a hot guy. It's the last one that has long lasting consequences for both women. It's funny, sweet, and sometimes a little heartbreaking. My full review is here.

Caroline Leavitt's new novel, With Or Without You, about a woman who comes out of a coma with a different personality and artistic ability, is Leavitt's best book yet. She excels at writing about people who face a crisis, usually not of their own creation, and she engenders such empathy for her characters. It's heartbreaking and very moving. My full review publishes Tuesday, but spoiler alert, I adored it. I can't get Stella and Simon out of my mind.  

Bring on August! Stay safe and socially distant everyone, wear a mask and wash your hands. We're all in this together.

Friday 5ive- February 28, 2020

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly blog post about five things that caught my attention during the week. I can't believe we are at the end of February, the second month of the year. Where has the time gone?


1) It was a beautiful, sunny day on Sunday so my husband and I took a walk through Central Park. At the entrance to the park, we saw this man walking his dogs. He must have a very large apartment on Fifth Ave.

2) Lent began this week and this window display at Scully & Scully is all ready for Easter.

3)  Susan Elia MacNeal's newest Maggie Hope mystery published, The King's Justice, and she had a discussion of the book at The Community Bookstore in Park Slope. A friend and I made the trek to Brooklyn to hear all about this terrific novel in the series (my review here). If you like the Maisie Dobbs or Bess Crawford series, or the Netflix series The Crown, this is for you. I love to hear about the research that goes into historical novels.

Me and author Susan Elia MacNeal

4)  My new TV obsession is the comedy Schitt's Creek. Created by Dan Levy, it tells the story of an obscenely wealthy family, the Roses, who lose their fortune. When the government confiscates everything they own, the only thing they have left is a small town called Schitt's Creek. The four Roses- businessman father Johnny (played by Eugene Levy, Dan's dad), former soap opera actress Moira (Catherine O'Hara), and their adult children David (Dan Levy) and daughter Alexis (Annie Murphy)- reluctantly move to the town and take up residence in the local motel. The small town characters are wonderfully cast as well (Chris Elliot is the town mayor) and the writing and performances are brilliant. I remember Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara from Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV, and it's great to see them back together. If you aren't watching Schitt's Creek, catch up now on Netflix or Pop TV.

Schitt's Creek

5) I read one book and am in the middle of two others this week. Bruce Daisley's East Sleep Work Repeat - 30 Hacks for Bringing Joy to Your Job has some great tips for both employers and employees on getting more out of your job and being happier and less stressed at work. A full review will follow next week.

East Sleep Work Repeat

I'm in the middle of Saint X, a debut novel by Alexis Schaitkin. It tells the story of a young American college woman who is murdered while on vacation with her family in the Caribbean. Years later her younger sister runs into one of the men accused but not charged with the murder and begins to follow him everyday. It's based on the Natalee Holloway case, and so far (about 1/3 of the way through) it's really very good. I can't wait to get to the end.

Saint X

I also just started Alka Joshi's novel, The Henna Artist. Set in India just after their independence from Great Britain, we learn about Lakshmi, henna artist to many wealthy Indian women. Lakshmi wants to become a matchmaker so she can realize her dream of owning her own home and bringing her parents there to live. It's a very atmospheric book, you feel like you have been dropped into India, with all the sights and sounds. You can almost taste the delicious foods described. My review will publish in the next few weeks.

The Henna Artist