First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Have you ever dated vicariously? Yesterday, I spoke to a woman who has fallen in like and I wanted to know everything. In particular, what’s different this time? For starters, she decided to forget Match.com, and instead, go out to new social settings, without the comfort of close friends. Within the first week, she’d met a great guy. It’s good to be reminded of what works for people, and now, I’m game. On Sunday morning, rather than Whole Foods, I’m heading to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market to buy produce and talk to a stranger. In case you’re so inclined, here’s a list of the top Farmer’s Markets in the country.

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Image: Spring vegetables at the outdoor market, Campo dei Fiori, in Rome.

What’s Your Go-to Shoe?

Birkenstock was nowhere in my lexicon, and certainly not in my closet until three years ago. I can’t pinpoint the moment when my aversion turned to adoration, but I know that I’m happier because of them. Perhaps as with a mate, it’s a question of finding the right match. In my case it was the Gizeh sandal, which defied the hippie image I’d associated with Birkenstocks, and when paired with cropped jeans and a pedicure, it’s a surprisingly cute look. The walkability is addictive, and since I’m in them almost everyday, the CPU (cost per use) is next to nothing. This love’s for real.

Image: Untitled Detail (Vans) 2007, by Amanda Ross-Ho

Sister Envy

I grew up with a much taller brother, and since it was before the advent of the boyfriend jean, we couldn’t swap clothes. On the bright side, no hand me downs, either. But I used to wonder, if I’d had a sister, would we borrow each other’s shoes? This 1984 sculpture, by the Swiss artistic team of Peter Fischli and David Weiss, and currently at MOMA, is called The Three Sisters. I’ve been looking at it for hours, trying to figure out the name. Here’s a little six degrees of unmarried separation…. Chekhov wrote a play, Three Sisters, related to the Brontës, two of whom never married. Could there be a connection? What are your thoughts?

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