July ....

It looks like July will have come & gone without a word from me unless I post something right now. I can’t spoil a perfect blogging record by missing a month, so I’ll say this: on July 7^th. I celebrated my birthday. Don't ask which one.

I had two parties, first on Sunday the 6^th. at 10 AM at the Empress Pavillion on Hill Street where a lot of dee-licious dim sum was consumed by a horde of hungry friends. We gobbled up endless platters of pork buns, sticky rice, roast duck, shrimp dumplings, chicken feet...

Then on Monday night, birthday night, another group, who couldn’t make the Sunday morning dim sum for one reason or another, met at the PaliHouse Bar in West Hollywood for snacks & drinks: gin & tonic, grilled baby lamb chops, spinach pastries... The beautiful PaliHouse is one of my favorite locales in the hood.

I was as happy as can be with the festivities, and they’re not over yet. Friends who couldn’t make either event have invited me out to favorite restaurants for belated celebrations over the coming weeks: Mozza, Tender Greens, Thai...

It feels good. I am loved and appreciated by precious friends—whether I deserve it or not.

July has been busy: I've put my manuscript, THE PRINCESS FROM FLATBUSH, and Whatever Happened to Bernie Cornfeld, back up on the easel and am working hard on a tweak & polish job. Looking for a good editor to whip it into shape for publication.

Anyone out there?

I've also started taking T'ai Chi and Qi-Gong classes as West Hollywood's Plummer park, which I'm crazy about. The teachers are great and I'm motivated to continue. Let's see.

Now I’m on the east coast continuing celebrations with my mother and sisters in south Florida: lox & bagels with cream cheese, steamed clams, key lime pie, & my younger son, Steven, & his family in New Jersey: gourmet chocolate, salads & pizza. Going into Manhattan tomorrow to see if it feels like home after 20 years in Los Angeles.

What does it mean that I haven't set my wristwatch back 3 hours to EDT?

One thing is sure: I’m a lucky girl, blessed with a good life, loving friends & family.

Amen