Well-Mannered Parties

Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend A new decade birthday deserves special attention. My friend Mary happens to love diamonds, so this was an easy theme.  When Audrey Hepburn had breakfast at Tiffany, she wore a diamond tiara and the photos of her are framed in the San Francisco Union Square store.  For the invitation…

Route 66 How could I not plan a celebration for my husband’s 66th birthday? If you’ve traveled on U.S. Route 66 then you know it’s legendary history. The route was also established in the month of November very close to John’s birthday, so this was a no brainer. Travel is my husband‘s favorite pastime as…

The Goddess of 5th Avenue Buddha was born in 623 B.C. My friend Carole Simone was born in October, and she wrote a book about Quan Yin called The Goddess of 5th Avenue. We have been friends for over 20 years, so to celebrate her decade birthday I was happy to organize a Quan Yin…

My dear friend Merla Zellerbach died six years ago.  Merla was a mentor to me, and gave me my first writing assignment at the Nob Hill Gazette where she was Editor-in-chief.  She was a force in her own right:  Attended Stanford, wrote 13 novels plus 5 self-help books, and was a longtime panelist on the…

Sol Sisters Spa Week One of my favorite places on planet earth is Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. I have been a spa guest for 20 years but never with my best friends, and I so wanted to share this special place with them. The Gift Of Time The trip was a terrific belated…

Charlotte’s Lucky Charms:  Hearts In Healdsburg My twin niece and nephew, Charlotte and Matthew, turned sixteen last August. The eldest of the two by two minutes, Charlotte was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) just days before her fifteenth birthday.  To cheer her up for her sixteenth birthday gift, I offered to take her on vacation…

Trish’s Mouseketeers ‘Oh Mickey, you’re so fine You’re so fine, you blow my mind Hey Mickey, hey Mickey Oh Mickey, you’re so fine…’ Toni Basil’s 1981 hit “Mickey” is one catchy tune. But the lyrics took on a new meaning when I found out that my friend Trish had fallen in love with Mickey Mouse…