December 27, 2021 C IS FOR COOKIE

When I was a kid, I spent countless hours baking with my grandmother. We would spend all day Sunday  making  macaroons, brownies, rugelach, shortbread cookies, black & white cookies, chocolate toffee matzo crack, buckeyes, snowballs-- while simultaneously decorating hundreds of press cookies with sprinkles and cherries. I've continued the tradition with my own children--especially during the holidays. My only problem with baking hundreds of treats though is that they are HERE AND THEY ARE CALLING MY NAME. I have NO WILLPOWER. It's crazy. I stay away from them ALL day --But they haunt me at night. I tell myself that I'll ONLY have ONE but-- One turns into two--turns into three--turns into four-- UNITL I've had TEN.  IT'S MADNESS. I've decided to just eat as many as I can--ALL DAY--to get rid of them. THE SOONER THEY ARE GONE-- THE BETTER--RIGHT? Only then can I  STOP THE MADNESS-- Get back on the straight and narrow and hopefully fit into my jeans again. Ugh. The struggle is REAL. It was--however-- no struggle at all to read Taylor Jenkins Reid's newest book Malibu Rising. Nina Riva, the main character of this novel, is a supermodel and daughter of rock legend Mick Riva. She is also guardian of three siblings--Jay, Hud and Kit--as their mother is dead and their father abandoned the family.  The story takes place over a 24 hour period in August of 1983--the morning of the Annual Riva Summer Party. The novel flashes back and forth between the day of the party and the past--including 1956 when their parents met, married, and  Mick ultimately became famous. As the party gets started, the reader learns about each of the siblings-- their hopes, dreams and shared heartache. Will the siblings reconcile with the father? What happens to Nina' home? Will this fractured family finally find peace? Find out the answers to these questions and many more when you read this thoughtful novel for yourself. It's about 385 pages--or a 4.5 mile run--that I really enjoyed. 

December 11, 2021 SIMPLY THE BEST

It was a whirlwind. Literally. 24 HOURS in NYC. It was TRULY--to quote Amor Towles-- A ONE OF A KIND-KIND OF DAY. Hopped on the train Tuesday morning and got to the city about 3:00. Enjoyed coffee with friends and headed to Rockefeller Center. WOW.  The tree was beyond amazing AND the Sax Fifth Avenue Light Show was incredible. I've never seen anything like it. The window decor at  Bergdof Goodman, Tiffany & Co.,  Henri Bendel  and Lord & Taylor blew me away too. Talk about getting in the Holiday spirit. Jumped on the subway to 95th street to  Symphony Space for a REAL TREAT.  An author talk with Amor Towles--writer of Rules of Civility--A Gentleman in Moscow--The Lincoln Highway. It was a RED LETTER day of ole Marsh.  Capped off the night at Carmines-YUM YUM. Ran through Central Park the next morning. Went to Times Square to find the Lincoln Highway sign--had lunch at the Oyster Bar then jumped on the train to head home. It was the BEST DAY EVER. Hope you're planning your--ONE OF A KIND-KIND OF DAY--real soon.  If you have a little down time, check out Alex Michaelides new thriller, The Maidens. Marianna Andros, the main character, is a therapist who specializes in group therapy in London. She is also struggling to maintain her sanity, after the sudden death of her husband while on holiday in Greece. After learning that her niece Zoe's best friend has been murdered at St. Christopher College in Cambridge, Marianna is determined to travel to the school to help Zoe. Upon arrival, Marianna immediately becomes suspicious of a visiting professor named Edward Fosca and his group of maidens. Soon after, other murders are committed,  Marianna is convinced that Fosca is the murderer, and she aims to prove it. Find out what happens to Marianna, Edward, Zoe and the Maidens when you read this page turner with many twists and turns for yourself. It's about 350 pages or a 4 mile run with a jagged turn at the end I didn't see coming. Enjoy.