Of the many articles that pay homage to dads of the world, I particularly enjoyed this recent essay on BonAppetit.comby writer, chef, and television host Anthony Bourdain, where he talks honestly about his relationship with his dad. It's a beautiful tribute to the man who taught Bourdain what he knows about food, family, and fatherhood: “He taught me early that the value of a dish is… Read More >>

The Beach Boys reunited? Talk about mixed feelings. I mean, let’s face it, their best work was a long time ago. And yet… I’ve never stopped listening to that best work. Often, and with great love. These songs aren’t appealing because of my nostalgia for my long-ago surfing days in California (I never lived in California, I’ve never surfed, and I… Read More >>

We already know about some creative uses for ashes postmortem—crush them into a diamond or blast them off into space!—but here's a new one: try converting them into a vinyl record.

"I’ve heard stories about my father trying to scatter his grandfather’s ashes from a boat... It went terribly wrong, and they ended up sweeping him off the deck," music producer Jason Leach told Businessweekin a recent interview. Messy… Read More >>

Like millions of other GMA fans, I was so saddened to hear Robin Roberts’ announcement this morning that she has myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder that used to be called “preleukemia.” But Roberts, who beat breast cancer five years ago, continues to have nothing but the most uplifting attitude about her diagnosis, which she spoke about in a strong, but…. Roberts is starting a chemotherapy… Read More >>

First, we read about the secrets behind mindful eating and weight loss. Next: mindful actions and success. "You can really improve your life just by being conscious of your decisions," author Laura Vanderkam told me in a recent interview, "asking 'Is this moving me forward toward the life I want?'"

That question is what propels What the Most Successful People Do Before…, Vanderkam's compact new e-book, which… Read More >>

Renowned urban planner (and one of my personal heroes) Jane Jacobsonce wrote, "Cities have the capability of providing something for everyone, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody." I love the egalitarian spirit of Jacobs' words and think she'd be a fan of the recent boom of public art. After all, what's more unifying than trying to… Read More >>

I'll admit it: my morning routine involves scrolling through what I missed overnight on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram—all on my iPhone, in bed, still groggy, cat unfed. That's why I felt a little guilty, but also inspired, reading Matt Powers' great piece on The Billfold, "In Defense of the Flip Phone." Despite its title, the article doesn't endorse aging technology. As a young website… Read More >>

Dads? Cool? Turns out they figured out the best in fashion, music, and even movies years ago. For example, websites like dadsaretheoriginalhipster.tumblr.comprove that, try as I might, my taste in music will never be as awesome as my father's—and that's ok. Without him, The Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, and The Band may have never made it onto my Spotify playlist. So Dad, this one's for… Read More >>

My beloved grandma Lil succumbed to ever-worsening dementia before she passed away from heart failure at age 90. Yet even when her mind was utterly spotty, she loved having around a bright yellow stuffed duck I had bought her. I thought of Ducky when I heard of Memorable Pets, a stuffed animal company started by two sisters who saw the incredibly calming… Read More >>

There’s been no shortage of media coverage of this erotica-lite trilogy, and frankly, it’s getting a little much. (You can only watch Billy Bush discuss it on Access Hollywood so many times). And yet I just had to share this hilarious take from New York Magazine’s Vulture.com: The 50 Worst Synonyms in Fifty Shades of Grey. Blogger Patti Greco takes Grey author EL James to task for using artificially elevated language and… Read More >>