$100 day

With Powerball now over a billion dollars, I remember when $100 seemed like a lot.

I was in High School, and later college, when my mom, my sisters, my Aunt Frances (or Auntie Fanny, as we called her) and I did sporadic work for a man named Gene Bauman.

It was a nice way to pick up extra cash. And back then, if I could make a hundred dollars a day, I felt rich.

Gene would contract with credit card companies. Then he would rent a booth at local events across the country and Canada. We worked at car shows in Springfield Massachusetts, boat shows in Los Angeles, and even county fairs in London Ontario.

When a person walked by our booth (where we all sat in one long row), we would shout out, in one continuous breath, 

Hi sir (or ma'am) can I see you a minute I'd like to sign you up for a (filling the blank) credit card, you can rip it up when you get it but I get credit for just signing you up what's your first name?

LA, April 1973, I'm second from left, my aunt Franny is 4th from left, and 
the lovely Rhonda K is to Franny's right
(too bad there weren't iPhones then)

And we'd get a dollar for every person we signed up, whether they were approved or not.  We would approach everyone, the only criteria being that that the were over 18 and alive.

I would often overhear,  "Sir, what's the name of your bank?"  And if the response was, "I don't have a bank account," the counter would be, "That's okay, if you were to open an account tomorrow — and you really should — where would it be?"

The work was long and tiring. But we got to sit. Meet new people (most of whom lived in rural areas and didn't own credit cards or have bank accounts). And we would know exactly what we made at the end of each day.

Now I am again doing retail work. I don't sit ,ever, but get good exercise for the 8 hours I'm working. I also get a very attractive discount at a fantastic store. And I meet new people all day, most of whom are respectful and appreciative.  

I just wish $100 /day still had the allure it did back when I was signing people up for credit cards.

Yes, January (as I was told) is a dreadful month for retail. Few sales and lots of returns.

a simple, delicious and protein-packed recipe

I have no culinary skills.

I make a good steak, and little else.  But tonight I decide to cook, and choose a recipe from  — of all places — PEOPLE Magazine.

I chose it because it's easy to make, includes no exotic ingredients that are impossible to find, and sounds like something a non-cook can handle.

I rarely post recipes but I'm making an exception. The combination of the salt with the honey and the other ingredients make this a dish worth sharing. That, and the fact that it's so easy.

Lemon and Scallion Salmon

Ingredients:

• 2 scallions (white and green parts finely chopped)
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey (I may have added more)
• 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic
• 2 salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
• Sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• sliced lemon wheels for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Whisk together the scallions, olive oil, honey, lemon juice and garlic.
3. Pour the marinade into a ziplock bag with the salmon (make sure salmon gets fully coated) and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Place fillets skin side up and sprinkle liberally with sea salt and pepper.
5. Bake about 15-20 minutes (medium rare preferred).

Alexander's summation:  "This is definitely the best fish dish you've ever made." Not that I've made many, but still, I'll take this as the ultimate compliment.

winter hair

My hair is dry, lifeless, and uninteresting.

On August 5, 2013 I meet Lyo. Such a lucky day.

I have never been that faithful when it comes to colorists. A year. Maybe two. But that's because I've never found a colorist I totally trust. Until I met Lyo.

She is a petite, beautiful Japanese woman. She has only been in the US a few years, and is still learning English. I believe she is taking courses to improve, but I think she communicates just fine. 

Lyo offers great suggestions. Has been exceptionally well-trained in Japan. And gives the most amazing shampoo and head massages.

I always walk out feeling better than when I walk in. Thank-you Lyo.

a short-lived career

During the last quarter of 2013 I take 20 real estate courses.

I then spend a month studying for, and later passing, a rigorous state exam.

I get my real estate license, pay the requisite $350 annual dues to the Real Estate Board of New York, and begin work at Bellmarc in early 2014.

I make flyers. Send out emails. Tell everyone I know. Even add my new position to LinkedIn.

Over the next two years, I rent two small apartments, one to M's son.

I have one family member sell their apartment, and another both buy and sell an apartment. Both use other brokers.

A friend of mine forgets that I'm in real estate when he buys a very large condo in lower Manhattan.

Another friend's daughter uses me, along with several other brokers, to help find her and her friends an apartment. In the end, I find them a great apartment. But for reasons I don't understand, they choose an inferior apartment with another broker, in an area that wasn't even in the criteria I was given.

Bellmarc is in the news for all the wrong reasons. A merger with Caldwell Banker goes bad. An acquisition of a rental company turns ugly. Commissions aren't paid on time.

The woman I work for (and think is great) leaves the firm.

The east side office where I work closes and consolidates with another Bellmarc office.

Today I execute a Termination Agreement with Bellmarc and sever my relationship, which really isn't much of one, since I haven't been to the office in months.

I'm done with real estate. It's a tough business, and a frustrating one. It brought me more heartache than pleasure. 

Cleaning house at the start of the new year feels good. More cleaning to come, I'm sure.

sofa facelift

In 2007 I spend more than I ever have before on a piece of furniture. It costs more than my first car.  But I love it. 

It's a Ralph Lauren sectional at Bloomingdales.  The cushions are filled with down, and look gorgeous.



But overtime, the down feathers keep escaping. Sort of like collagen in a person. The cushions begin to sag. My once plush sofa is prematurely aging.

I notify Customer Service in September and after several emails and phone calls over a two-week period, Melissa, a senior supervisor, ultimately concludes, "There is nothing we can do. The sofa is out of warrantee; I'm sorry."

Not happy with this response, my investigative skills yield me the direct email of the President of Bloomingdales, Tony Spring. On September 16, at 10:45 am, I sent him an email asking for help. Within 45 minutes, I get a phone call from the senior person in charge of furniture, the truly lovely and wonderful Nancy M.  

The sofa cannot be replaced, but, Nancy offers to switch out the down filled seat cushions with Deluxe High Density Foam ones. I agree that's a great solution. 

Today the cushions are delivered (one short, but Nancy has already found the missing one and I'll get that next Tuesday).

It's not perfect but it's infinitely better. And because it isn't all down, I can now sit on my sofa and then get up without having to re-fluff all the pillows. 

When the delivery guys leave, there are so many feathers on my rug it looks like a goose has just been slaughtered. I still have down to sleep on, and will definitely not miss it for sitting.

if you live here, do this

I awake to 11 degrees and sunny skies. My favorite kind of weather. Finally, winter has arrived.

The day starts early with an 8:30 BAFTA Board Meeting.

My second appointment of the day is nearby. I am applying for a NYC ID.

The process is surprisingly quick. I arrive 40 minutes before my scheduled time. I'm expecting a crowded room and a long wait, but I'm surprised to find neither. It's a quiet morning and I am seen quickly.

I fill our the requisite form (basically name and address), show my NY driver's license, and have a photo taken. I'm in and out in ten minutes. I should receive my card within one to three weeks.

The benefits are many. Among them are free memberships to:

• American Museum of Natural History
• Museum of Jewish Heritage
• Museum of Modern Art
• Museum of the City of New York
• New Museum
• The Public Theater

And it costs zero.  Just one more reason to love New York.

shoes

I am in constant search for the perfect shoe.

It would look like a four-inch Louboutin, but feel like a running shoe.

I know it doesn't exist.  But that doesn't stop me from looking.

I wander the 8th floor of Saks regularly, looking for a boot or shoe that will fit my specs, or at least come close.

I am not exaggerating when I say that when I work two days in a row, the bottom of my feet still hurt in the morning. I could enjoy my job so much more if I had comfortable, well-supported shoes that were compliment-worthy.

The Saks style standards (yes, they exist) specifically say: 

Not An Option For Work

Sneakers, flip-flops, slippers

So everyday that I go into work I struggle with what to wear on my feet.

I have a big-enough work-wardrobe (mostly black dresses and skirts) with various tops (allowed are jacket/blazer, blouse, tailored shirt, knit, and sweater set). I don't have to dress in black, but normally do.

But it's the shoes that I angst over. My Prada-sport boots are what I wear most days. They are fairly comfortable,but are very old and look it.

Sometimes I'll wear my ancient Fiorentini + Baker shoes. But they don't go with as much, the soles aren't rubber, and they're good for five hours, tops.

A couple of years ago I bought a pair of Prada wedge shoes that a friend told me were very comfortable. As it turns out, they may have been great for her feet but not for mine.

These  Vince shoes are comfortable enough, but with a thin rubber sole, they don't provide enough support.

My rubber soled booties are okay, I guess. Uggs would be better but aren't allowed.

I have five  additional pair of booties and none are comfortable enough to last me all day. In fact, the blue Rag and Bone, bought two years ago at a sample sale, have been worn once. They were comfortable in the store and then never again. I'm sure they were switched.

I recently buy a pair of Prada-sport ankle boots for 40% off, and am hoping they are as comfortable as the knee-high boot I've been wearing for years.

I am totally open for suggestions.  My feet and back would be most grateful.