It's Just Bawlmer, Hon

I wanted desperatley to show Baltimore to our Vet-Med student that's living with us for the summer. The 'real' Baltimore, a world away from Harbor Place - in the truest of all neighborhoods...Hampden.


Being born & raised in Baltimore city – there is no other festivity that highlights this great town more than HONFEST! I've traveled to many cities in over a dozen countries and have been to my fair share of festivals - this truly is a one-of-a-kind affair.

There really is no need for words here...

Hopkins Spring Fair!

At the last minute on the very last day of the Johns Hopkins Spring Fair, I decided to make the trek down to the world reknowned Homewood Campus. Hopkins has always held a place in my heart - my mom worked in the Biochemistry Department of the JHU School of Medicine for 35+ years - so it always feels like going home for me.

Of course it had to be the one weekend in April where the temperature soared into the upper 90's! If that wasn't bad enough, the beer garden's entire keg supply was NOT in trucks (or even iced!) and was nothing but warm foam...this really put a damper on my day.

As I always do, I gravitate toward the student-artisits' booths...an incredible mix of creativity and genius on every level. From an Asian student that hand carves wooden frogs that make a real frog sound when the tiny stick provided is rubbed on it's back to a Jewish painter whose visits to Jerusalem's Wailing Wall inspired his latest emotional works to a self-proclaimed hippie-chick's laptop protectors/purses made from recycled coffee bags... ( http://www.labudde.etsy.com/ ) ...pure genius!
















The artwork, crafts, clothing, jewelry and food reflects this very diverse, multicultural utopia in the middle of Baltimore City...it truly is a treasure.

To Cut, Or Not To Cut...That Is The Question (at least for most of my friends)

To all my 40+ girlies out there (you know who you are!) contemplating needles & knives to delay the inevitable aging process... DON'T DO IT!!!


I think any man, or woman, would agree that good health (gotta keep strong, energetic, limber) and confidence are far more sexy than having a smooth, non-expressive forehead! (And if he is that shallow__ move on sister!)


Having had 2 of the 3 forms of skin cancer in 1/2 dozen spots (3 of which were on my face!) and one that required major surgery - I am a daily wearer of sunscreen, 365 days a year. Spending my teens, growing up on the water...every sunny day was spent in a bathing suit in the sun. I am paying the price now. You would be surprised how many women I know in their 40's & 50's who still TAN! Some even go to tanning booths with their teenage daughters!


I think having daughters makes this subject of 'fixing' oneself more difficult...and the best thing you can teach them, besides taking good care of their mind & their heath, is self-love and acceptance. If they see us being self-critical, worrying about a few pounds/wrinkles/cellulite/stretch marks/etc...they will grow up with that need to be 'perfect' like mommy. I just believe the power lies with us, our generation of self confident women, to make it OK to have pale skin, tiny lips, a big nose, some smile lines, and a dimpled ass - whatever it is that makes us all unique. (BTW: Take a good look at some women, and a few men, in a certain age bracket from a particullar west coast city,...THEY are all beginning to look the same??? Scary!)

I am usually not one to judge - I just think you all are perfect the way you are. At our age we need to focus on what really matters from the inside out. I won't even mention the health/safety risks, or costs! Spend that $$ on a 2nd honeymoon or hot vacation with your significant other - definitely more sexy!

Don't worry about a few lines, some sagging skin, a little cellulite, and stretch marks... they all tell a tale - of nursing babies and pregnancies, incredible vacations in the tropics, staying up with sick children, worrying about a loved one, and waaay too many late night parties! We worked hard for them.

We should embrace it all and learn to grow old GRACEFULLY.


Well, maybe not gracefully...









(I have earned these lines and I don't plan on erasing them.)