Susan Sheu – candidate for LACDP CC AD 50
Hi all – Here is my candidate bio for the March 3, 2020, election for the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee, to represent the Democratic voters in my assembly district – which consists of the communities of Agoura Hills, Topanga, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel Air, Santa Monica, parts of West LA, Beverly […]
Keeping it real (estate)
Exactly three years ago my husband and I entered the uniquely grownup, age-accelerating experience of buying a home. I have posted this before, but early summer and all the “for sale” signs around town when the weather turns warm always remind me of it. And I’m finally at a point where I don’t start to […]
My selfie, myself
I recently finished reading the excellent, heartbreaking memoir Autobiography of a Face by the late Lucy Grealy, which made me ponder what role a face plays in one’s identity. A Twitter friend (who I actually know in real life — a wonderful poet) the other day referred to “selfies” (that is, self-portraits, particularly taken with […]
The house of the opposite of mirth
I’m just back from spring break vacation with my kids. As usual, it took nearly the entire trip (five days) to relax. But we had fun and much needed bonding time, free from the usual soundtrack to our familial relationships — do your homework; brush your teeth; brush your teeth NOW; hang up your swim […]
Exit the bubble
So I took this writing workshop early in January with David Hochman, writer extraordinaire, and fellow Vassar alum. And it was good. Inspiring. Delicious, because his wife Ruth Kennison, a real live pastry chef and chocolatier, made us incredible lunches and snacks. I left with some new writer friends and concrete ideas about how to […]
The Designated Celebrant: Confessions of a Holiday Hater
December 18, 2012: It’s a week before Christmas. Since we’re a mixed religion family and Hanukkah has passed, my kids have opened most of their holiday booty from my husband and me and the rest of the family. I tried to remain neutral about the holidays, waiting with no fixed expectations for joy, peace, wonder, […]
Expressing Motherhood show, September/October in Los Angeles
In January 2011 I had the honor of performing a personal essay I’d written in the Expressing Motherhood show in Los Angeles. I’m happy to announce that I will be performing again in the upcoming September and October Expressing Motherhood show. The Expressing Motherhood team has recently launched a blog featuring mothers and creativity, and […]
Viva La Scene
This is a photo I snapped on a recent trip to New York. I was staying a few blocks away from the venerable Chelsea Hotel. At the time it seemed too cliché to photograph the Dylan Thomas plaque, but now I wish I had. Coincidentally, I was also reading Just Kids by Patti Smith, which […]
Bark Williams – for love of Dog
I want to take a moment to say how wonderful I think Bark Williams is. Located on 30th St. and Ocean Park Boulevard, this self-dog-wash store is sedate and smells good, sells natural treats and practical leashes and collars, and is run by a mellow, helpful store manager named Charles. My dogs are not high-maintenance […]
No longer a brunch wasteland
It’s been much too long since I’ve been able to write, but I need to dance a little jig about the new bakery/brunch place that has opened on Wilshire Boulevard near 10th Street. Huckleberry! I sing your praises. Anything halfway decent in Santa Monica is completely overrun, and this place does suffer from lack of […]
