Posts Tagged ‘Kimberly Clark’

Happy Birthday to Miles!

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

Miles, in my living room, playing my piano


I just got the most touching call. I thought I would share it here in my blog. It was just a call from my God-son Miles saying thank you for his birthday gift, but it blew me away. He can have that effect on me. So can his older brother Dylan. Both are so lovely and filled with gratitude. It’s rare in this town filled with over-indulged kids.

Fifteen years ago, I saw Miles being born and I was really rooting for his name to be Jasper. That name was a consideration and I was mad for it. I had never seen a baby being born, not even my own (three C-sections) and I was honored (and a little terrified). His parents named him Miles and I quickly adjusted, but harbored a fantasy that Kimberly, his mother might still change her mind.

As the smallest newborn, Miles was taken to my oldest son, Oliver’s Bar-mitzvah. My father, no longer with us was introduced that day to my God-son Miles. It was a moment caught on video and I always loved knowing that my father did get to meet this amazing boy. When Miles was very little, I would often tell Kimberly that my dad would have LOVED him and he would have said about him “he’s a winner”. Think New York accent when you hear/say winner and it’s winna.

When Augie and I walked in to Kimberly’s house to drop off a little gift today for Miles, his grandmother and aunt were there. Miles and his mother were at the gym working out. Miles’s Grandmother, Cindy and his Aunt Brenda asked me how I remembered that it was Miles birthday. And I answered “because it’s my half birthday”. Hello? I’m four years old and still celebrate my half birthday!!! Not really. But, it certainly makes it an easy day to remember. (more…)

Ratatouille, Not Really

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Kimberly Beck Clark and Fredde Duke

I bonded with Kimberly, my BFF over a dog named Sidney (often called Bitters , still don’t know why) but the real story goes like this. My best male friend up the street was David Feder who just sort of got stuck with me because of geography, i.e., our parents’ choice of homes on South Roxbury Drive. The day he and his family moved in (7th grade) I walked up the street, knocked on their door and announced that I’m available to be friends with anyone, any age. I was just glad to have fresh neighbors on a block that was getting a little stale.

The boys were CUTE, oh my God. David was exactly my age, my grade, Michael was my brother’s age, and Kayla was the adorable little sister that I would befriend and babysit and possibly be a bad influence on. I always wanted my own real sister and now I had one. I loved the Feders and chose to hang out there rather than at my own much quieter home. Over the years, the Feder boys would go out with plenty of my closest friends and presently (if you read my blog) you know that Michael ended up with my very close friend Kimme after she lost her husband to cancer.

When David and I were around 19 years old, he told me about this beautiful girl he met that was now his girlfriend. He wouldn’t stop talking about her. Fred, he would say, she’s SO great, she’s SO beautiful, I can’t wait for you to meet her. Clearly, he was a goner, madly in love. His former girlfriend, Sherry, had given him an Australian Shepherd dog that we were all wild about. Sidney. Cutest dog I’d ever seen in my life. I used to steal him for the night to sleep with me in my beach bungalow near the pier. Sidney became everybody’s dog and should one day have his own hardcover biography.

One day, when I still had not met Kim, David’s new girlfriend, I was on a commercial audition in Hollywood. I overheard that it was to be shot in Hawaii, a place I’d never been; I wasn’t a privileged kid like the others from Beverly Hills. So that’s when full-blown, serious “I really need this job” ambition came into play. I danced and sang and performed my heart out. I was very focused. It was quite a cattle call, the whole world of actors at that time were there including my old friend from high school, Scott Colomby. So, while waiting to be called, I sat near him and was very calm, saving my energy for “the room”.

While seated there with Scott, a bouncy young thing bopped up to him and was just filled with energy and enthusiasm. She said, “Oh my God,” a bit like a valley girl, “I just cut my hair!!!” After she walked away, I remember thinking maybe she was a bit of a bimbo. In truth, I have that same friendly energy, so there might be a lot of people out there thinking the same of me. Bimbo. (more…)