Eat it and beat it” was our mantra at Casa del Sol, especially on New Year’s Eve. Sequined or flannel-clad patrons came early and bolted by 9:30 to catch the fireworks — except one night in 1993. It was a charged atmosphere. Two hour wait by 5:30. The only thing moving faster than ...

“Santa’s Watching” was a dead-stop phrase thrown down year-round with the power to stop nefarious marshmallow-hoarding of Lucky Charms. The Naughty List was real, and I wanted toys. Compliance was a struggle for me; I was hardwired to push back and ask why. By December, though, it was ...

In January 1992, I ran through a flock of pigeons along Grande Rue in Grenoble, France. “Allez-Allez!” called an elderly man feeding them. Go faster! — he clapped. “Training for the Olympics?” he asked. “Non, monsieur!” I laughed, shaking my head. The next day, Henri ...

On a recent trip to North Carolina, I locked us out of our van — in Pennsylvania, while it was running — outside a coffee shop, at 6:30 a.m. - Snackflation - Up bright and early, we wanted to grab snacks and coffee and hit the dusty trail. Kris found me in a silent standoff with ...

Yesterday, my Instagram reel showed Mars the baby hippo refusing to leave his pond, and a new platform for AI Fortune telling. So I asked AI: “Will baby Mars leave his pond?” Then I was prompted to enter my credit card for the reply. Um, I can wait to find out about Mars the hippo. AI ...

My family was at a rooftop restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida. The scene was idyllic, moonrise over the Atlantic and terns swooping for baitfish. We were salt-soaked and satisfied from a day of play; our meals arrived and we tucked in — except my husband. “What’s wrong?” I ...