For some moments in life, there are simply no words...
Such was the case working on the Martha Wash cover story. I have adored Martha since her days as 1/2 of The Weather Girls. From the moment it hit the airwaves in the 80's until now, "It's Raining Men" has become an anthem for women everywhere (and, well, quite a few men, too).
I'm thrilled to report that my favorite diva did not disappoint. Martha was Fierce, Fabulous and Fun. We shot at her home in New York and along with her fantastic stylist Micah and her wonderful manager James, we had a blast. At one point, I think James and I grooved to Flo Rida's "Low."
But I digress.
Martha is working on a new children's book which promises to be fabulous. Martha's story continues to be inspirational in so many ways, and we cannot wait to see what this amazing woman will do next.
After many years of interviewing and photographing celebrities, it's always refreshing when an actor comes along who is happiness and humility personified. Such is actor Said Faraj, who costars with Matt Damon in Green Zone. Said was like a breath of fresh air; equal parts confidence and wide-eyed innocence.
Now, the cover shoot for Said was similar to the war-torn backdrop for Green Zone. We shot on the day of the premiere of the film, and New York City was experiencing another horrible snow storm. Despite the inclement weather, we had a wonderful time at Barolo Restaurant in Soho, chatting, laughing and creating beautiful images.
Until I tripped on my Nikon's sync cord and my camera crashed to the floor...
Said and his fabu publicist Tosha shrieked when the camera fell. Literally. Optimistically, I hoped that it would be okay, but alas it wasn't. The shutter spazzed and then my beloved Nikon died. Said sighed and said, "Oh, no. Now you will remember me and this day badly for what has happened." I reassured him that I wouldn't. At the end of the day, it was just a camera. And after hearing Said's gut-wrenching story of how his young son Abraham had battled (and beaten!) cancer, it put everything in perspective. Through his family and his career, Said is a testament to this one fact: No matter what happens in life, you have to keep pushing forward, keep smiling, and it will all just be okay.
(That, and I went straight to B&H the next day and got an even more fabulous Nikon!)
This was truly a fun cover shoot. Often tagged as "kids' musicians", Hot Peas 'N Butter is a great musical group, creating music that transcends age. It is great for all ages, fun and educational, to boot. Danny Lapidus and Frank Cotto, the creators of the group, are charming, funny, and finish each other's sentences like an old married couple (they've been best friends since high school). Their latest album, Best of the Bowl, features songs in English and Spanish, and is selling like hot....peas. :)
Another "hot" person in this week's issue is Alison Fadoul. She recently penned the book, The Hot Mommy Next Door. She urges moms everywhere to abandon their mommy sweats and ponytails and reconnect with their inner sexy. Her book outlines, step by step, what every mom can do to lose the pesky pounds and truly feel happy with their bodies.
Now, after all that exercising and proper food choices, you'll need a little cheat. That's where Jennifer Bush's Ice Box Bakery cookie dough logs come in. Packaged similar to the cookie dough you had as a kid, the cookie dough is actually quite healthy for you, prepared with only the best ingredients (no weird hydrogenated oils and such here!).
Good music. A good book. Good food. A great new life. It sounds like a wonderful way to welcome in Spring.
Our most recent cover features children's singer Brady Rymer. A former From Good Homes bandmate, Brady is quite easy-going, and laughs very easily. And our cover shoot was truly a family affair: My children, Gabriel and Elizabeth, played with Brady's kids, Gus and Daisy while we shot. And my hubby Michell admired the beeyootiful view from their log cabin-esque living room. Brady's wife, Bridget, made the most delish edamame dip that both kids and adults loved (we'll run the recipe next week!).
Speaking of yummy food, Christine Albury has cornered the market on delicious food. Her site, www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com, is one of the top sites for creating healthy dishes for your little one. One visit to her site and you'll never want to feed your child gelatinous jarred baby foods again.
After nourishing your child with all things healthy, it's time to nourish (and protect) your child's individuality. Marybeth Hicks, author of Bringing Up Geeks, has done just that with her four children. Firmly believing that kids should be kids and not mini consumers (her kids didn't get cell phones until (gasp!) high school), Marybeth is raising her kids to believe in themselves. While some may use the stereotypical label of geeky, the new Geeks (Genuine, Enthusiastic, Empowered Kids) understand that their cool quotient is not factored by how many screen names they have, or how many texts they receive daily. It is just being true to themselves.
Our most recent cover of Celebrity Parents features New York Jet's offensive lineman Damien Woody. At six foot three inches tall, Damien is quite an impressive figure...both on the field and off. This gentle giant seems to have found his balance between being a true hands-on dad, a loving husband and an all-around nice, laid-back guy. His passion and dedication for his family and his love of football creates a unique melange that just...works.
And now for another kind of "work"...it's no secret that everyone today is getting a little work done (if you know what we mean). Camie Dunbar, creator of Lift Me Up Cards, has gone where Hallmark hasn't dared tread: into the world of cards celebrating --and poking fun at -- plastic surgery. The cards are fun, adorably drawn, and a little pick me up for those who, ahem, have had some things picked up.
For an inspirational pick-me-up, you mustmustmust take Janet Penley's quiz on mother styles. Now, as a former writer for Seventeen magazine, I wrote many, many quizzes. (Although mine were along the lines of "Which boy type is right for you?") Janet's eye-opening quiz will not only show you what kind of mother you are, but where your strengths and weaknesses lie. After having taken this quiz, you will not only feel validated, but truly in charge of who you are as a mom. And that feels kinda great.
Here I am with Sonia Manzano, who has played the role of Maria on Sesame Street for over 30 years. Please note big Kool-Aid smile on me. :)
The reason why I'm smiling so much is because a) it's MARIA! and b) We had a lovely, lovely interview and photo shoot. As journalists know, we're trained to be objective, impartial and not to go into interviews with preconceived notions and ideas. So it's always wonderful when you bond with your subject over a topic that is near and dear to your own heart. For Sonia and I, this topic was motherhood, and society's relentless pursuit to make our children smarter, better, stronger, faster. We both agreed that children should be nurtured to excel at their own pace, and treasured for the deliciously fun and imperfect little beings that they are.
And speaking of deliciously fun, our shoot and interview with the How Ya Doin' Boys was just that. My paesans Carmine and Joe are two guys from Queens, NY who created a little ditty called "The Twelve Days of Guido Christmas"...and the rest is I-talian history. I have never laughed so hard during a shoot in my life...and the boys serenaded me, too!
If you can't afford to have your beloved serenaded, there are plenty of other options in our Holiday Gift Guide. You're sure to find something for every person on your list (and we won't tell if you pick up a little something for yourself, too.)
From me and the entire staff of Celebrity Parents Magazine, we hope that your holidays were full of laughter and deliciously fun.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing and photographing the great Daryl Roth. Daryl's story is completely inspirational: after her kids were well in school, Daryl decided to pursue her love of theater and created an amazing career for herself as a Broadway producer. This led to her becoming the owner of the Daryl Roth Theater, one of the most beautiful buildings in NYC.
Daryl's resume is extremely impressive, but what struck me the most about her was her delicate, gentle manner. She is gracious, kind and truly cares about her staff and the actors who are on the eve of debuting in Dear Edwina. It is rare to find a woman possessing such great power to be so effortlessly lovely, and yet, she is.
Another woman who found her path a little later in life is the incomparable Peggy Miley. Best known (and loved!) for her part in a Christmas-oriented Cheerios commercial, Peggy has created an amazing career...just by being herself. Her success is admirable, and as we shared ice cream sundaes in the great Eddie's Sweet Shoppe in Queens, NY, I couldn't help but fall in love with this adorable 4 foot 10 inch powerhouse.
Daryl, Peggy and all the other women in this issue (and many others, too) continually inspire me. They prove, time and time again, that it is never too late to turn it all around. It seems being true to yourself is truly what matters most.
When I was a little girl, I grew up watching Sesame Street. My Mom and I would sing "Sunny Days" together. My Dad would pretend to be the Count, and he would put on the worst Transylvanian accent ever and say, "I love to count! Von! Two! Tree!" From Bert & Ernie, to Maria and Mr. Hooper, Sesame Street was my all-time favorite program and holds such beautiful memories for me.
That's why I was thrilled when the opportunity arose to interview and photograph the brilliant Roscoe Orman. Roscoe has played Gordon on Sesame Street for the past 35 years. In person, Roscoe is everything you could ever hope for and more: brilliant, funny, laid-back and just a super nice guy.
(And yes, for those of you who know how easily I tear up, my eyes did get very watery when I saw Gordon, er, Roscoe.)
We had a wonderful, wonderful interview, touching on all different subjects from President Barack Obama to Roscoe's roots in theater. Of course, I had to show him my Little People Gordon toy (I'm holding it in the shot!) Be sure to read our interview with Roscoe; it will make you want to sing "Sunny Days" again, too. :)
One of the best parts of my job as Editor-in-Chief of Celebrity Parents is that I get to meet really cool moms who are pursuing their passions. Our cover gal, children's singer Rebecca Frezza, is no exception. When Rebecca turned 40, she launched her career as lead singer of Big Truck, and the results have been amazing. I totally dig her music, and I, ahem, often listen to it even after I've dropped the kids off at school. :)
Another inspiring woman in this week's issue is Kimberly Arezzi. Like some previously featured friends, Kimberly and I went to school together (who knew that Forest Hills High School could produce so many amazing women?!). Kimberly has created what I am sure will be the Next Big Thing: My Cow Moo ®. Moo is an adorable blue cow who encourages readers to become silly storytellers themselves. What started as a simple "cowpanion" for Kimberly during her many business-related travels has now developed into a complete brand which recently debuted in Toys 'R Us Times Square. Kimberly, I'm super proud of you!
We hope that you, our readers, are inspired with each issue of Celebrity Parents. Dust off your dreams, and go for it. We did. :)
Celebrity Parents recently visited the set of The Steve Wilkos Show for this issue's cover story. Steve Wilkos is a super nice guy. A very tall, nice guy, as can be witnessed by how I barely reached his shoulder. ;)
Steve and his wife Rachelle (who E.P.'s the show) are down-to-earth, friendly, and totally dig each other. In their exclusive interview, they spoke about working together (and loving it!), their family and the tough issues they tackle on the show. On the day that we were there, they were taping a show that dealt with teen issues. From the screams of the teen girls upon seeing Steve, we predict that Steve will continue to have much success in the years to come on his show.
Someone else who is quite successful in a different way is Mary Jo Buttafuoco. Mary Jo recently penned her first book, Getting It Through My Thick Skull, which talks about her life with Joey Buttafuoco, and what happened to her after that fateful day when she was shot in the head by Amy Fisher. Mary Jo's book is not salacious; rather, it is honest, funny and speaks directly to the heart. Now living in California with her fiance, Mary Jo has turned tragedy into triumph. We applaud her.
