Last fall, I was riding in Steep Rock Land Preserve and I came across a lovely hiker on one of the trails. She asked me if I would mind if she took a photo of Mark and me, and I said, “Mind? We’d love it!” We’re not shy, Mark and I, and never tire of photos taken of us together. I asked her if she’d email me the photos and we exchanged information and learned that we both live in the same town, both have horses and both have kids who attended the same college. Later she emailed me the photo and I believe I posted it here, but will have to go back and look. But why bother, because today, Carol Johnson sent me a photo of an oil painting that she made from the photo.
Ann Leary, author of The Good House
Author of The Good House
An Afternoon Swim
May 28, 2011 by 30 Comments
My dad just sent me this photo of my brother, sister and me when we were kids. It’s on my bio page, but I don’t think he knows that, so I thought I’d post it here. Yes, that’s me on the left, not Jay Leno. I was always topless in childhood photos. I didn’t think it was fair that the boys in the neighborhood didn’t have to wear shirts in the summer and I refused to wear one until I had almost reached puberty.
Lovely In Her Bones
May 25, 2011 by 21 Comments
Photo by Moses Pendleton
One of my favorite poems is featured on The Writer’s Almanac today. Enjoy!
I Knew a Woman
by Theodore Roethke
I knew a woman, lovely in her bones,
When small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them;
Ah, when she moved, she moved more ways than one:
The shapes a bright container can contain!
Of her choice virtues only gods should speak,
Or English poets who grew up on Greek
(I’d have them sing in a chorus, cheek to cheek).
Meet Susan Orlean
May 23, 2011 by 14 Comments
Tomorrow, May 24th, at 5:00 PM, I will be moderating a Q&A with bestselling author Susan Orlean at the Apple Store, 103 Prince Street in Soho, Manhattan. What will we be talking about? Susan’s fabulous forthcoming book, Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend, for one.
The Apple Store in Soho has been doing a very cool series of “Meet the Author” events and tomorrow’s event with Susan Orlean is also part of Book Expo America which is taking place in Manhattan this week. It’s free, but seating is limited, so get there early.
A Recap
May 21, 2011 by 20 Comments
‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE RAPTURE, by Ann Leary
Twas the night before Rapture and all through West Bank
Not a creature was stirring – the new co-host stank.
The audience had purchased their tickets with care,
In hopes that some merriment would be had for them there.
But Cindy Kaplan with her music and all of her humor
Came to realize her guest host was worse than a tumor.
Ann had came unprepared – when she tried to be funny,
The audience cried out: “Give us back our money!”
Come Celebrate Rapture Eve
May 20, 2011 by 5 Comments
New Yorkers, why not ring in The Rapture at THE NEW JACK PAAR SHOW!
WHO? Jack Paar. He’s dead now, but he was sort of the old Johnny Carson.
WHO? Johnny Carson. He’s dead now, but he was sort of the old Conan. But never mind, none of those dead people will be there. Instead it’ll be living people like me, Cynthia Kaplan, Julie Klam and others!
DOING WHAT? Please I have no idea
WHERE? The Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe, 407, West 42nd Street, The Big Apple, baby.
Why Not Join Us?
May 18, 2011 by 20 Comments
Cynthia Kaplan
This coming week I will be onstage with not one, not two, but three gorgeous, funny, brilliant ladies gals chicks oh, you know, broads!
Julie Klam
First, this Friday, May 20th at 9:30 PM, I will be at the West Bank Cafe in Manhattan’s theater district, co-hosting The New Jack Paar Show with my friend, the hilarious author/comedian/songstress Cynthia Kaplan. We have several exciting guests lined up including my dear fellow Hash Hag, Julie Klam! You may make reservations here.
Must….Not….Touch
May 15, 2011 by 27 Comments
This morning it’s pouring rain outside and I’m all cozy in my new favorite workspace – an attic room that was once filled with clutter but which I have recently turned into a guest bedroom/office. It’s great because there’s a bed-desk, of course, and it’s very quiet up here under the eaves of our old house. Now there are leaves on the massive tree outside the window and it feels like I’m in a cozy treehouse. I would show you a photo, but it’s a little messy right now, what with all the dogs, Sunday newspapers and foodstuffs. The photo above was taken one night last winter and will give you the general idea. I know it’s very girlie. I’ve never really had a girlie room, until now, and I love it.
Crawling Out of my Cave
May 12, 2011 by 19 Comments
Last year at the West Bank Cafe(photo by Sherrie Allan)
After my long winter of seclusion in deepest, darkest Connecticut, I will be emerging this week and will attend a series of fun events and even make some public appearances.
This Saturday, May 14th, I will be attending the annual Celebration of Young Writers at Washington Town Hall, in Washington, CT. Denis Leary, Candace Bushnell, Frank Delaney and other wonderful authors and actors will read the works of young aspiring writers ages 5-18. It’s always a great event and for a great cause. For tickets and more information call 860-868-0740.
A Royal Quiz
May 11, 2011 by 3 Comments
This week on Hash Hags, we had two fabulous guests. First Molly Jong-Fast chatted with us about her new book, The Social Climber’s Handbook, which is a very funny and dark satire on the real lives of the real wives of the Upper East Side. Molly is the daughter of Erica Jong, who wrote the sexy and wildly successful best-seller, Fear of Flying in the 1970s. Molly and Julie already knew each other before we recorded the show. It turns out that they had bonded over their shared aversion to sex-talk, sexy clothing, nudity, or anything having to do with human reproduction. Why are Julie and Molly such puritans? Because their parents were very free about their bodies and sex. Julie’s parents were “nudies” and she wrote a hysterical piece about it in a forthcoming anthology which also features Molly and her mother Erica.
