It's Been a Minute, or has it been an hour, a day, oh actually it's been 9 months.....

Hi everyone, It seems incredible that with all this time on my hands and so much time being spent isolating and indoors, I haven't written a blog in a while. But with the holidays approaching, we have the need to purchase Chanukah and Christmas gifts, the time to shop online, and the vacation days to binge movies and programs. Not surprisingly, I have long lists of ideas of gifts to shop for, and many suggestions for shows and movies to keep you busy on cold winter covid days. I will jump right into the product list! FOOD GIFTS goldbelly.com-they offer anything from bagels, to ribs and steaks, to desserts. You can purchase food all from the MOST exceptional purveyors. You cannot go wrong with a present from goldbelly for anyone who is a foodie. Nuts.com-customize your own tray if you want. Or jut pick your favorite fruits, nuts, or candy. Everyone is happy to have these snacks! In the Mix by Joanna-now creating some very cool Chanukah and Christmas options. Joanna does beautiful cookies. Check her out. Good Vibes Cookie Company-Check out the Rock the Bells cookie box! The cookies appear to be painted with very pretty crystals. It's a lovely idea for Xmas. No SIX DEPOT(sixdepot.com)-if you prefer ground coffee (not the pods), then this company offers many amazing varieties in whole bean, drip, expresso and french press. This is the real deal. Also they offer great teas. Reasonable price and a great gift for coffee aficionados. Nueske's Bacon-Who doesn't think bacon makes everything better? This company has fabulous breakfast baskets or many individual specialty bacon gifts! Great to wake up on Christmas morning to this enticing smell! Murray's Cheese-You can choose from the cheese of the month subscription to a multitude of gift baskets that include cheese, meats, crackers, olives, etc. Another terrific present that people love, and is great for cocktails! Three Babes Bake Shop-Supposedly the pie to buy is their bourbon pecan pie. They are based in San Francisco, so make sure to order soon! PRODUCTS THAT ARE MY FAVS Little Weirds-Book by Jenny Slate. $15.99 on Amazon. Can't describe it-just buy it! Scrabble Go-the new and updated version of the world's most favorite game. Will occupy you for hours. Brookstone digital frame-$69 on Amazon. Great for grandparents! You can upload many photos of the grandkids and they have exhibit a multitude of pics in one frame. Awesome! (but only if you do the setup before presenting it!) Mini projector by Apeman-$69.99 on Amazon. Home projector so you can watch a movie on a large wall or outside. Might be a fun experience for your kids and their friends. Grab the popcorn! Anne Sisteron Sunburst Necklace-annesisteron.com. This neckalace just makes you feel happy! But, All jewelry makes me feel happy! The mini is $825 and the larger is $1535. Choose from white or rose gold. I think the the white looks cool. Monica Rich Kosann Compass Jewelry-monicarichkosann.com. All of us could use some guidance and direction during this scary time. Her compass charms, pendants, and earrings are very pretty. I especially like the blue enamal ones. Priced from $395-$8,000. Suzanne Kalan-suzannekalan.com. Her baguette jewelry is the bomb. If you want to go for the big bucks, check out her large eternity bands! Love her look. Funky and classy. Ana Luisa Dome Ring-analuisa.com. The brass dome ring is perfect for your second or middle finger. As a fan of Pommelato's Iconica ring ($2360), this brass ring bathed in 14k gives me the same feel and it comes in sizes 4-12, and it's just $59. It's a great accessory. Reading Eggs Junior App-readingeggs.com. This app is a great way to help your little ones read. It's fun and engaging with lots of activities and games. With the covid era, and kids hanging home more this is a lifesaver for parents. I reccomend it highly. Jenni Kane clothing-jennikayne.com-great easy to wear clothing. I especially love the everyday sweater which comes in tons of colors and stripes. $145. Her oversized cardigans are fabulous too. Dudley Stephens clothing-dudley-stephens.com. They make a super warm vello fleece top in many styles. Personally, I like the Greenpoint turtleneck because the length comes to the hip as opposed to their Park Slope style which is a bit shorter. Beware-most colors are sold out! I would size up if you are unsure. $158. Great for the outdoor socially distant visits with friends and family. (shout out to Dani!) MOVIES AND SERIES TO BINGE DURING THE WINTER MOVIES An American Pickle-HBO MAX. Seth Rogen stars. A cute distraction. Story is about an Orthodox Jew who is preserved in pickle brine for 100 years and wakes up in NYC in search of his great grandson, also played by Seth Rogen. Super Intelligence-HBO MAX. Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale star in this silly flick about super intelligence selecting the most average person on Earth to study. Wasn't my thing, but it just might entertain you for a few hours. Boys In The Band-Netflix. Nice remake of the original movie. Great Cast: Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, and Andrew Rannells. You remember the 1968 movie when a visitor interrupts the evening party being hosted by a group of gay men. Very well done. Happiness Season-Hulu. Kristen Stewart and Daniel Levy. First ever Lesbian rom-com. Not a great movie, but I am desperate for something to watch! Rewind-Amazon Prime. Documentary about a child who discovers through home video all the sexual abuse that occured within his family. You may remember, Howard Nevison, the prominent Cantor of Temple Emanuel in NYC. He was just one of the three brothers who abused his nephew, the filmmaker. Harrowing, mesmerizing, and important to watch. Let Him Go-a rental starring Kevin Costner(my favorite) and Diane Lane. Following the death of their son, a couple leaves their ranch to rescue their young grandson from a mob-like family living in the Dakotas. Scary, entertaining, and I liked it. But, it is more of a made for tv movie than one that was released for the cinema. SERIES Queen's Gambit-Netflix. An orphan with an addiction problem becomes the greatest chess player in the world. I am sure most of you have watched this (62 million households in the first 28 days), because it is getting so much buzz. While it is compelling and charming; and a series I recommend, I wasn't as enamored as the rest of the world. Industry-HBO. Streaming now. A series about International Finance. Having a hard time getting into it, but taping it for a later attempt. The Crown-Netflix. I binged the new season in one day. Always interesting and great. Gillian Anderson as Princess Margaret, Emma Corrin as Lady Di, and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret were my favorites. Dash and Lily-Netflix. Another undeserving 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. A romance ensues base upon a notebook being passed back and forth with clues. Very mediocre. The Undoing-HBO. For my money, the best series I've watched in months. Unpredictable plot and superb acting by Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, and Donald Sutherland. Was so sad when it ended. The Flight Attendant-HBO MAX. Rosie Perez and Kaley Cuoco (from Big Bang) who is really fantastic as a flight attendant involved in a murder. Opening episode is the Bomb and not what you are expecting. So far, I'm loving it. A Teacher-Hulu. Stars Kate Mara as the teacher who engages in an illicit sexual affair with her student. Mara is amazing in this trashy and juicy series. A great distraction during Covid isolation. Euphoria-HBO. Season 2 isn't out, but there is a special covid episode streaming now on HBO MAX. Zendaya won the emmy award for lead actress in a drama for her role as Rue. She is phenomenalthis girl can act. Keep your eyes out for season 2 coming soon. The Surgeon's Cut-Netflix Dec 9. Haven't watched this docuseries yet. Follows four prominent surgeons performing innovative surgeries. Can't wait. Eater's Guide to the World-Hulu. Maya Rudolph narrates this series. If you are a true foodie, this is the series for you. Plan your next trip based on the food you want to experience- will it be Mexico, L.A., New York, Costa Rica.....the world is your oyster. So enjoyable to watch. Yellowstone-was originally shown on Paramount. Now streaming on Peacock if you have it. I have touted this show for three seasons. As I mentionged earlier, Costner is my most favorite! He stars as the patriarch of a complicated family of ranchers. Great ensemble cast and very worthwhile series. Kelly Reilly plays Costner's daughter and she rocks! Season 4 returns in June, 2021. So binge these 3 seasons now. Let Them All Talk-HBO MAX 12/10 Release. Waiting with bated breath for this! A transatlantic cruise with Meryl Streep, Dianne Weist, and Candice Bergen. I can't imagine a better joy ride. And so my friends, I figure we have until May/June until we meet once again in person. This will undoubtedly be another long winter for all of us. They say patience is a virtue. What is the actual meaning of this expression? Well, it means it is a valuable character trait to be able to wait for something without becoming frustrated. Unfortunately, I did not inherit this trait from either of my parents! I am especially cognizent of this fact while waiting for a Dr. to enter my examining room and he(she) is running 45 minutes behind; or waiting 20-30 minutes for someone to take my drink order (in pre-covid days when we frequented restaurants). But presently, I am trying patiently to await the Covid Vaccine so that I may enter my daughters' homes and be able to once again hug and kiss my children and grandchildren; so that I may enter my mother's assisted living facility so that I may kiss her and comfort her before she dies; so that I may make a few more wonderful trips before my body doesn't want to travel anymore; so that I am able to enjoy my golden years doing joyous activities (oh, how I long for a Yankees game or a museum or a movie theater) with my husband; and finally, so that I may experience my cherished friends in person and socialize once again. I know this day will come and truthfully, I am more hopeful now that Joe Biden will be our new President. If nothing else, he has already exhibited his extreme patience during these last several weeks. He has shown the country that patience is not his only virtue. He is also kind, calm, empathetic, and intelligent. So, I hope we can all emulate his behavior and character. And soon, this time in our lives will be a memory that we never forget. But, it WILL be a memory. Please take care, stay safe, mask up! PEACE OUT-ONE B