Earlier this week, my dear childhood neighbor had a huge milestone anniversary - 50 golden years on Public Television. No, of course I did not really live in the same neighborhood as the beloved Mister Rogers, but he sure did make me feel like I did. There are several generations of people who know exactly what I am talking about. Was it the catchy opening theme song? Was it because he broke the "4th wall of television" by looking us straight in the eye and speaking directly to his audience? Could it be that there were only 4 or 5 television stations back then and there wasn't much else to watch? I truly think it is because Fred Rogers knew exactly what we all needed...a warm and friendly welcome, a very calming and soothing demeanor, and the comfort of knowing that our dear friend and neighbor would be there to greet us each and every day. Given what is going on in the world right now, we sure could use a warm and friendly face reaching out to soothe us during these turbulent times. Read More

Do your friends refer to you as "the life of the party"? That is not something that I was ever known as since I was typically the one planning, cooking for and serving at the parties. It's a great thing to be known for, because it ensures repeat invitations and a booked social calendar. I was recently thinking about the phrase "life of the party" because it is the title of a soon-to-be-released movie written by one of my favorite comedic actresses, Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone. The premise of the film is that McCarthy's character decides to recover from the breakup of her marriage by doing something for herself that she has always wanted to do...go back to college and get her degree. She ends up on the same college campus as her daughter and, in typical Melissa McCarthy fashion, hilarious antics ensue! Read More

Last week, a very dear friend of mine told me a touching story about her household tool box. She said that it was a gift from a friend who brought it over to her house years ago on the day that her divorce became final. Her ex-husband was very handy around the house and had a tool (and the expertise) to fix just about anything. I recall that, back in the day, he even fixed a few things in my home. What a thoughtful and meaningful gift! That toolbox was more than just an attractive container for her new screwdriver, wrench, hammer and nails. It signified something very powerful...that my friend had everything she needed to move on with her new life and not only SURVIVE, but THRIVE. Read More

If you want to give your meals an upgrade, adding some new spices to your cooking repertoire can make a huge difference in transforming bland meals into flavorful, satisfying dishes. Read More

Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday...I want you to EAT LIKE A QUARTERBACK!!  When it comes to handing out nutritional advice, most football players are probably last in line. This is understandable since they do not have to worry about their weight or their waistlines and when it comes to pre-game meals, the motto is probably "the bigger the better." With the amount of calories that the players burn in each game, we are talking about some major league hunger. If you are thinking that I am suggesting that you bulk up on pre-game carbs and ingest 5,000 calories on Game Day, then you probably don't know which quarterback I am talking about. Read More