Posts Tagged ‘best friends’

Rent A (Wedding) Wreck

Tuesday, February 13th, 2018

 

 

I think of my friend Dave as the patron saint of divorce. Why, you may ask? Well, Dave came to my rescue when my long-predicted-to-end-marriage, ended.

Let me start at the beginning. I was in my late twenties. All, I mean some, of my friends were swept up in the wedding/baby thing and I thought, me too. And no, if they all jumped off of a bridge, I would not jump. But in hindsight, getting married was a lot like jumping off a bridge. And my body is tiny and breaks easily.

I showed up one day at Jane Fonda’s workout dressed in full early-80’s workout gear. I didn’t even exercise, you should know, I just liked costumes, especially the look of those scrunched-up leggings on my ankles. I was there to corner my best friend Stacey, to whom I would reveal and process the secret news. I had to wait until her hardcore class was over. Then I followed my out-of-breath, sweaty girlfriend to the bathroom.

“I think I just got married.”

Stacey stared back at my reflection in the mirror while splashing cold water on her face. “You think.” (more…)

Adventures of White and Brown Bear

Tuesday, August 21st, 2012

I had one hell of a shower for my first born.  Numerous gifts were given.  I had been to my fair share of showers, both for weddings and babies, and now I wanted a big, fancy one of my own.  Kimme had the best house, so she threw it for me with my other BFF, Kimberly.  Robin made the unforgettable-to-this-day desserts.

Two of the gifts were what seemed at the time like simple, not-too-much-thought-put-into-it gestures.  A white stuffed bear.  And a brown stuffed bear.

By the time Oliver was only a few months old, he clung to those two bears — they had become his best friends, his security bears.   Before the age of one, he would never leave the house without white and brown bear.

I was hired for a small part in a small movie, on location in Texas.  I would be gone a week.  Oliver, white bear, brown bear and I boarded a plane.  I hired some random local girl to watch my baby while I worked on set.  Things went well and I hired her for the following day too.  But when I came back to the hotel, brown bear was missing.  We went into panic mode, though the teenaged girl seemed way relaxed.  I grilled her.  “Where were you when you last saw brown bear?”  She did seem to recall something about the pool area.  It was now evening, dark already and we all went down to comb the pool area.  No brown bear.  As we were about to give up, I looked into the trash and there he was looking very forlorn, ready to take a trip to the local dump.  He would never have been seen again had I not peeked into the trash can.  What a relief.  Separation anxiety averted. (more…)

Sisterhood of the Katsu-Ya

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

It was an evening rich in layers.  NO, not the food, us.  The women with history, betrayal, loyalty, honesty, beauty, humor, love–you get the idea.  Some of us met in grammar school, a few not until high school.  We connect the dots at the Fries family.  At least Debi, Madeline and Janet do.  Cristi and I, well, more through the Cahill family.

We ate most of the “signature” dishes like the tuna tartare on crispy rice.  But I was too busy reading subtext to remember scarfing down the tasty morsels.  We revealed things, yes, but the bubbles above our heads were saying so much more.  We need a month in a rented house in the south of France to unfold all  the stories of our lives for the past, can I say it? Thirty-something years.  When I started to write a shorthand version, it was reading like Peyton Place or perhaps Greek mythology.

Sorry it took me so long to post this piece.  Thank you Madeline for including me in your birthday celebration, it was an honor.

Katsu-Ya has a few locations.  We went to the Brentwood restaurant.  Order all the signature dishes.  My favorite is the baked hand crab roll.

Feng Shui and Kimme’s Chili

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Kimme, Tara

Sometimes I inherit friends.  Kimme is one .  She is Kimberly, my best friend’s other best friend.  Over the years she has become one of my best and dearest friends.  The three of us celebrate our birthdays together and we stick by each other in a crisis. We had that crisis a few years ago when Kimme’s husband fought a two-year battle with cancer.  It’s now been two years since he died ( not sure why but I like the word die better then passed ).  There is no describing Kimme because she’s a “gotta see her for yourself” kind of a girl, but let me try.  Kimme is an original, authentic, deep, funny and spiritual person.  She’s adorable beyond belief, stylish (beyond belief).  Kimme is the most loyal friend and partner and did I mention yet that she’s a truly gifted chef?  If only I were a man, I have thought over these past few years, I would surely love to be married to my best friend Kimme.  Alas, I am a woman and I’m married. (more…)