First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

Dog Days of Summer

Weekends in San Francisco, when the foggy summer weather was such a let down, citizens grabbed their partners to escape the city in search of heat. Sonoma and Napa were popular destinations, or across the Golden Gate Bridge into a balmier Marin. Upstairs in my apartment during July and August, I felt lonely, when I couldn’t wrangle anyone to escape with.

Photograph: Untitled (3 Girls in a Kiosk), by Leon Levinstein

Manicure/Pedicure?

This surprised me. You can spot a tourist in Rome by looking down at her feet. With no nail salons in sight, my orange-colored toes (as in A Good Mandarin is Hard to Find) were as obvious as a map and a fanny pack. Back in L.A., in perennial sandal season, I feel right at home.

Photograph: Le Bain de Pied, 1998, by Sarah Moon

When Not to Buy Generic

My dog, Rose just waltzed in to find her usual napping spot under the desk. Rose is generic, some kind of poodle-bichon mutt, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But sometimes, brand makes a difference. Like this one time, a few reckless years ago, with a guy I met online.

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Almost A Dream Man

Please see The Kids Are All Right, and tell me if I’m nit-picking, when I whine about Paul, played by actor Mark Ruffalo, whom I generally drool over, and would rather sleep with, than say, Brad Pitt, given the luxury of the choice. But this Paul, could he possibly exist in real life? Adorable, earthy, super laid back, not overtly ambitious, and yet driven and talented enough to own a busy, upscale restaurant in L.A., and a cool house in Silverlake. There’s also the co-op garden, from which he personally harvests luscious fruits and vegetables to use at work, and with all that, he’s still finds time to cook at home where he grills the perfect steak (blood rare) and bakes pies. His vinyl collection is hip, yet sensitive, and he’s turned on by slightly older, gay women. If he does exist, do you think he’s on Match.com?

Why Exercising Saves Money at the Therapist

I used to jog around Golden Gate Park, and even though I was bored for the first couple of miles, I liked watching, as if from a distance, fretful thoughts come spilling out of my brain onto the path around Stow Lake. It was great to push my physical limits, and afterwards feel all sweaty and calm. When my knee started hurting, I tried ballet class, instead, which years later, is still never boring to me, despite how much of it is routine. There’s always a chance, with a slight hip adjustment or tightening of my abs, that I’ll land a perfect double pirouette. In either workout scenario, I’d often start off filled with anxiety from the day, and end up limp and relaxed, as if I’d just sipped a martini, or made a visit to the therapist. Here’s more about exercise and the brain.

Carbs for a Saturday Night

At about 10 PM on Thursday, my thirteen year-old friend Hillary sent me the following text:

Hi. R U busy Saturday night? Can I hang out with you?

I was flattered that she considered me a cool enough companion, until I realized Hillary probably figured I was one of the few people who would be available on date night, with less than 48 hours notice. Since I’d just seen Toy Story (EPIC!), I suggested we stay home and make pizza.

Yay. I am sooooooooooo excited.

Ambitious project for a night off. But worth it. Recipe follows.   Continue reading »

Are You A Citizen of the World (Cup)?

While the U.S. soccer team was still in contention, a total of 99.2 million viewers in the U.S. had watched at least six minutes of the World Cup. Because of my visiting friend–and passionate fan–Miguel, I was one of them. This stencil art is from a wall in Rome (via Mol and Miguel).

What are the Best Happiness Predictors?

Six years ago, Yale Professor Daniel Kahneman made headlines when he published a study of 909 working women in Texas to determine what makes people happy. Dr. Kahneman and his team of psychologists asked the participants to keep a journal of their daily activities, and the following day, re-imagine the activity, and rank it within a 7-point scale of feelings such as annoyed, criticized, worried, warm, friendly or happy. The wow factor came when he reported that caring for children ranked pretty low on the list, below cooking and right above housework. (Socializing, relaxing and watching TV were among the highest.) Making lots of money wasn’t necessarily a plus, and what had the biggest impact on keeping an upbeat mood was not marriage or kids, but getting a good night’s sleep.

Image: My Fiancée with Black Gloves, 1909, by Mark Chagall, born on this day in 1887.

When You Have to Wear a Hat

Yes, there’s sweltering July heat on the East Coast, but here, we’ve been living in a never-ending cycle of what Los Angelinos call June Gloom. Still, it’s summer, so when I go outside for any length of time, I grab a hat. It’s not just the premature aging that concerns me, but the expensive auburn highlights I want to keep intact. In my closet, I have two limp choices – a black Nylon baseball cap, and a wide-brimmed SunPrecautions bonnet, both of which make me look ridiculous. At least I’m protected. For a better solution, check this out –

Image by Kimiko Yoshida, Self-Portrait, 2010

The Elements of Style

Style is a simple way of saying complicated things

Drawing and quote by Jean Cocteau, poet, writer, artist, filmmaker, July 5, 1889 – Oct. 11, 1963