We are all editors of culture, claims the mastermind behind kidnappedculture.com. But some of us edit with a more discerning eye than others. Visit his site often for a dose of the carefully curated, the delightfully described and the overtly offered.
April showers bring May flowers. And in honor of flowers I bring you KatFlower; the florist with an eye for color, composition and all things beautiful. She’s available for your wedding, birthday, anniversary, bat mitzvah, game night, dinner soiree, mother’s day, father’s day, arbor day…whatever! She also gives great workshops and has an inspiring blog that you should check out on rainy days and mondays so you don’t get down. Vive le fleur!
In honor of Earth Day, I give you Granola Girl. A little bit crunchy, a little bit glam, a whole lotta Spiritual Gangsta. Get it, Raquel!!!! She’s a friend of mine who wil be your new BFF go-to for how to stay fly and feel good about it. Read her and enjoy!
In honor of (or deference to) tax day, I’ll let you know about my awesome tax guy/financial guru/real estate attorney/pal, Scott Gutterson. Scott’s been doing my taxes for close to ten years, and along the way he’s offered me some sound money advice, too. Whether you’re in New York City or not, Scott can help. Be ready for him to tell it like it is, however. Real estate, write offs, retirement accounts…these aren’t matters to be taken lightly. Scott is frank, fast and funny. The three most important F’s when it comes to managing your dollar billzzz, ya’ll.
For a sample of Scott, check out this collection videos where he talks about how to shop for a mortgage, how to buy a car and the ins and outs of stocks and bonds.
You can reach Scott here. Happy filing!
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”
(via vogue.co.uk)
Every Monday I’m gonna put a friend on blast—not out of nepotism, but out of being a straight up fan. Today, meet Cara of shedontcara. A self-described lifestyler, producer, creative cook, health nut, jewelry designer, spinner, yogi and soon to be certified wellness coach.
I worked with Cara in a former life, and not only does she give good conference call, she’s fun to travel with, too. Check out her blog to learn a myriad of things like how to make PizzaFlower Bread…and how to look foxy on a yoga mat.
Yea Cara!
I guess I hit a nerve, because my last post garnered the highest number of views since askpiper hit the web in ’04. Since the world doesn’t need another freaking mommy blog (and especially since the perfect one already exists right here) I refuse to go down that path.
I do, however, have this to add to my most recent post:
6. When are you going back to work?
It’s the greatest paradox. All through our 20s and 30s, women are asked (literally and subtlety) when we’re going to get married and spawn. A friend of mine, upon getting her MBA, was told by her mother, “Congrats. But I’m not sure how that thing is going to get you a husband.” Then, as soon as we do put our uteri to work and breed, we’re asked when we’re going to leave our newborns with a stranger, or a group of strangers or a willing relative and return to the work force so we can quickly learn the impossibility of having it all.
I first got asked this question just a few weeks after delivery. I write for a living and at the time I was so sleep deprived I was having trouble forming sentences and remembering words. Typing? Wow, that seemed much too physical a task to tackle. The question confused me; especially considering most people think giving birth requires a lobotomy (see question number 4). How could I go back to work without a brain?
My doctor had advised me not to have sex until 6 weeks after delivery. I figured that held true for commuting, too—in New York City it can be just as physical and invasive. And don’t even get me started on the backwardness of the US compared to other countries when it comes to maternity/paternity leaves!
So don’t ask a new mom when she’s going back to work, unless you’re her boss and you’re calling to give her a raise, a promotion or, a la Melissa Meyer, to tell her about the nursery you’re busy building right next to her cubicle to ease her return.
(photo from examiner.com)
