20Nov

Getting Back on the Make-Up Train with Benefit

Benefit Beauty Event

On Saturday my daughter and I headed into NYC for an event at the Benefit Boutique in Soho.  It was coined a "Bonding Over Beauty" event for mothers and daughters.  We hopped on the train with her girlfriend and sped into town, all eager for a day of pampering. Who doesn't deserve that? Even my daughter, at age 9, knows that she deserves one every now and then.  She learned that from me. Back in the day, pre-marriage, I actually wore make-up and guess what brand it was....Benefit!  I remember taking a trip to the brand's flag ship store in San Francisco Read More

12Oct

A Week of Kvelling and Changes

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This week was a week full of ups and downs. It started with a true high when the play I've been working on, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING based on the book by Rona Jaffe, got a 4 star rating and was the "critic's pick" in the New York Times and my name was mentioned.  I'm not kidding, scroll down to the bottom of the piece and there is my name in lights!  This play is so deserving and I can't tell you how honored I am to have my name attached. The writing, the casting, the direction, the set, the costumes and the fact that the story is utterly timeless make Read More

10Sep

Rosh Hashanah Twitter Party: Ring in the New Year Twitter Style

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During the Jewish holidays, our families look to us to lead them through. Some of us are looking for ideas. How do we make Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur meaningful? How do we keep things interesting without breaking tradition? Are a round Challah and some apples and honey really enough? Join me and MamaDrama on Twitter this Thursday night at 9pm EST…the ultimate diaspora…for a special High Holiday hour. We’ll talk about our traditions, food/recipes and all things Rosh Hashanah (and if you want to throw in talk about Yom Kippur, why not?  We just Read More

25Aug

Reduce Infant Mortality with Save the Children

PicMonkey Collagestc

Did you know that every year, more than 7 million newborns and children die before their 5th birthday—mostly from preventable and treatable causes, such as pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria?  Wondering what you can do so that more children survive? How can we make basic life-saving health care available to children around the world and improve children’s health in the world’s poorest and most remote communities? To discuss this and more, come to the next MamaDrama (my alter ego) Twitter Party. We’ll have several members on hand who are passionate Read More

17Jul

Where You Can Find Me

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Every week I try my best to write here on The Culture Mom as much as I can.  It depends what I have to talk about.  You've probably seen my content change recently.  I've been going a little bit more personal and I tend to only cover events, books, movies, plays that I see.  I rarely mention anything that I don't have direct contact with. But there's also my free-lance writing.  I have deadlines every week, at least one or two.  I'm not sure if you know, I hope you do, that I do a lot of travel writing for several sites as a regular contributor and I Read More

21May

Review: Rapture, Blister, Burn – A Feminist, Moving Theatrical Experience

rapture, blister, burn

When I ventured into the city for a Sunday night performance of RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN at Playwright Horizons after a long, exhausting weekend full of work & personal obligations, domesticity and exhaustion, I had no idea that I was headed exactly where I needed to be.  As soon as the curtain went up, there was a certain vibe that generated on the stage both from the actors, the set and music, and when they started to speak the words off the brilliant script by Gina Gionfriddo, I was mesmorized for the next two hours.  The script deals with issues of Read More

15May

Join MamaDrama (That’s Me) Tonight for a Rosacea Facts Twitter Party

cynthia nixon rosacea

Please Join MamaDrama (that's me) for a Very Special Twitter Party      TONIGHT 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET Hashtag: #RosaceaFacts  Let’s talk rosacea awareness and check out the new RosaceaFacts public service announcement (PSA) featuring actress and rosacea sufferer Cynthia Nixon! Tonight join MamaDrama NY for a RosaceaFacts Twitter Party to educate others about the common skin condition, rosacea.  Please visit www.RosaceaFacts.com and view the PSA starring Cynthia Nixon, who reveals her personal experiences with rosacea. We’ll tweet with women who have Read More

17Mar

Need a Place to Go? Try NO PLACE TO GO at the Public Theater

No Place to Go

How I love New York.  Last night I left my house after a day of work, kid's stuff and the usual grind and headed into the city to catch a show at the Public called NO PLACE TO GO.  I was particularly excited because it meant a real night out at one of my favorite venues in the city, Joe's Pub.  Towards the end of the show, Ethan Lipton, the show's star, writer and composer also declared his love for NYC which completely resonated with me. About New York, he loves: "The food carts. The neighborhoods.  The skyline.  The food.  The bridges. The parks.  The Read More

13Mar

Getting a Dose of the Arts without the Stress of Childcare

The Big Meal

"Somewhere in America, in a typical suburban restaurant on a typical night, Sam and Nicole meet. And sparks fly, setting in motion an expansive tale that traverses five generations of a modern family, from first kiss to final goodbye. A stunning, big-hearted play that spans nearly eighty years in a single sitting, The Big Meal tells the extraordinary story of an ordinary family. "#1 Play of 2011." --Time Out Chicago.  This is the description I read before encountering THE BIG MEAL, a new show at Playwrights Horizons by Dan LeFranc and directed by one of Read More

08Mar

Win Tickets to see The Big Meal at Playwrights Horizons

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Come to the Next MamaDrama Twitter Party on Monday, March 12th! Join @MamaDramaNY, @phnyc, @playtime_nyc and friends 9pm ET, to chat about THE BIG MEAL, the newest play at Playwrights Horizons by Dan LeFranc at hashtag #TheBigMeal. In THE BIG MEAL, we glimpse five generations of a modern family through the various meals that make up a lifetime — from milestone first dates and celebratory dinners to everyday outings with the kids. At the twitter party, we’ll talk about this stunning new play and how the meals we eat with our families fit into our Read More