‘Tis the season to reflect back on the past and plan ahead for the future! In that spirit I bring you The Best of Present Perfect; a curated collection of your favorite posts!

Up Your Hosting Game

Present Perfect’s most popular post features fabulous hosting tips courtesy of my friend, Lauren Bender, who could teach a Master Class in how to throw a great party. In Up Your Hosting Game you’ll take away a list of practical ways to take care of your guests and make your next party a huge success.

Lauren also taught me how to put a beautiful cheese platter together (and it’s actually super simple to do). Learn how in this brief video and give it a try this holiday season!

A Love Story: A 49-Year Marriage Comes to an End

I wrote this piece on October 6, 2017, the day after my mom passed away suddenly from a heart attack, from the middle seat on the 6 a.m. flight out of Burbank, en route to Arizona to see her and be with my dad. I can only imagine what an uncomfortable flight it must have been for the poor passengers to my left and right who were no doubt concerned or curious about my furious texting and “don’t talk to me” vibes (not to mention the faucet of tears pouring from my eyes). This piece is a difficult one for me to read, still, but A Love Story: A 49-Year Marriage Comes to an End continues to be one of my most frequently-read posts.

Sweaters and Dresses: How to Wear Summer Dresses All Year Long

I’m honored that this style piece was recently published on Making Midlife Matter; a fabulous website dedicated to providing women practical advice on style, entertaining, home decor, business, and more. (They also gave the post a better title: “6 Fabulous Ways to Pair Summer Dresses and Winter Sweaters”. I may need to steal it.) In case you missed it, this post shows a number of ways to put your summer dresses to use all winter long with just a few, simple styling tips.

Married (and Nearly 40) in Manhattan: Why I’ll Never Stop Going Out All Night with My Girlfriends

The post of all posts…to me, at least. Married (and Nearly 40) in Manhattan: Why I’ll Never Stop Going Out All Night with My Girlfriends chronicles a girls’ weekend to NYC and some reflections and observations about my aging, my “stock value” in the single marketplace as a 40 year old married woman, and more. This is also the first piece I published in the Huffington Post, which was such a thrill.

Needless to say, Married (and Nearly 40) in Manhattan: Why I’ll Never Stop Going Out All Night with My Girlfriends has elicited the strongest reactions, both positive and negative, of any other post (including one rather rough comment on Facebook about how I look much older than 40. Good times!)

Here’s a little preview from the post:

“But, in spite of my education, my politics, my fierce belief that a woman’s worth is not defined by her outward appearance, the stone age cavewoman in me is jubilantly pumping her fist, smiling ear to ear, when my ego’s needs are pacified.”

Jeans, Tees, and Sneakers: Your Fall Uniform

Another of my most-read style posts, Jeans, Tees, and Sneakers: Your Fall Uniform offers styling ideas and tips for how to wear the uniform you probably wear most: Jeans with t-shirts and sneakers or flats.

Stay-at-Home Moms vs. Working Moms: Data Points, Moving the Needle, and Does Any of it Matter?

Motherhood is hard enough without the added guilt about whether or not we should be working moms or stay-at-home moms. Having been on both sides, I can say with absolute certainty that both are fraught with challenges. Despite various hard-data from studies that claim to know what’s best for our children, Stay-at-Home Moms vs. Working Moms: Data Points, Moving the Needle, and Does Any of it Matter? concludes that assessing what’s best for your kids isn’t always cut and dry.

Where Are Your Roots (…And Things To Do in Portland, Oregon)

Where Are Your Roots (…And Things To Do in Portland, Oregon) explores questions about family, community, and planting roots while simultaneously exploring Portland, Oregon during a visit with our friends who recently transplanted there after 40+ years of living in Los Angeles.

The Top Ten (and a Half) Ways to Treat Adult Acne

After twenty five years of treating, preventing, and agonizing about acne, I’ve learned a thing or two on the subject. Turns out, I’m not the only woman fighting wrinkles and acne simultaneously! In one of my most-read posts, The Top Ten (and a Half) Ways to Treat Adult Acne, I share the acne-fighting methods that have proven to be the most tried and true ways to get clear skin.

ULI-WLI Style Guide

Last but not least, is the ULI-WLI Style Guide which I put together for a styling presentation I gave to group of women working in commercial real estate in Los Angeles. This post includes a printable single-sheet style guide offering a few basic tips for building a fabulous, timeless wardrobe and mixing staples for polished, elegant looks.

It’s worth mentioning that another post, Grief and a Eulogy, is only slightly less popular than A Love Story: A 49-Year Marriage Comes to an End, but since the general subject matter is similar (and because death is a big downer), I opted not to include it in this list. In the event you’re curious, however, Grief and a Eulogy offers a brief look into the mind of a person steeped in grief, as well as a copy of the eulogy I wrote for my mom’s memorial service.

Hope you enjoy a look back at some of your favorite posts! And if there’s any particular subject you’d like me to address on Present Perfect, I’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what subjects matter most to you.

Thanks for reading,