LOST IN LOS ANGELES

We have polished the silver menorahs until they gleam. My bubbe’s menorah is tall and majestic with wide branches spreading out of a silver trunk, the holder filled with pools of golden oil. The children’s are homemade of clay, and tile with colorful candles. We hang the crayon sketches of draidels and latkes, and gold coins.  We display all of this proudly in the front window where those who know can look and see. My children beam with pride and anticipation. But the whole scene isn’t very big. You have to look for it to know that it is there. And who will look for it? The season outside is so very big, so exaggerated and all encompassing. Their holiday has music and peppermints and men standing outside of stores ringing bells. They have emails and catalogues and matching striped pajamas. And we have these small silver lights. I think of this as I stop myself from humming in the car along with songs that are not my own. I think of how it must seem to our childre...

Nostalgia is a funny thing. Everyone has memories, special recollections from the past. But it takes a special memory to make something nostalgic. I think the difference is that nostalgia is the intangible way that you miss something - the way that sometimes, often unexpectedly, a memory pulls at your heart strings and in my case usually triggers uncontrollable misty eyes. On a vacation about three years ago, I experienced a surprising longing for the past and found myself reliving flashes of vivid memories that rolled through my mind like a movie reel. On this trip, I visited San Francisco with my Sorority Sister. Both of us are products of the mid-eighties and fondly remember the sitcom, "Full House."   We wanted to see the memorable “painted ladies,” a row of Victorian homes that are featured in the picnic scene in the opening credits of each episode. This was easier said than done. I guess we both assumed that there would be signs posted all over the ...

Love. There are a million blog posts which can be written about love. It's a four letter word which can either make you cringe, go all mushy, cry (post break-up) or think of the "Big Day". It's perhaps the only word which can bring every emotion known to mankind alive. And its a pain. The problem is simple. Ladies, we all seem to fall very easy. The issue, the guys generally don't. Now it would be fabulous to pin point the exact reason for this. Simply so we could have something to go by. Or a guidebook - that would have its uses too. Sadly, these resources are not currently on the market so we have to figure out the male brain for ourselves. The majority of men have the beautiful ability to be emotionally unavailable, and the good ones we rarely find and are usually taken. It's enough to drive any self respecting girl to that tub of Ben and Jerrys. (Or 5) Whilst growing up, my experience of boys went a little like this: W...

I will be interviewed on Friday, September 23rd, for a talk radio station here in Los Angeles. The woman interviewing me is getting me all the information to promote when I see her on Tuesday. I am so used to being the interviewer, being the interviewee will be completely different!!!

I met Mikey a few weeks ago at the Andy Grammer/Lonestar concert at The Grove in Los Angeles a few weeks ago ... He is a video blogger & just a fun guy! Here's his video of the concert we met at & belo this is when we were at a flash mob earlier this week! :)

Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive ... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ~~Howard Thurman      

From all the clothing I wore as an eight-year-old, I remember the silver-and-jean dress clearest. It’s not surprising, considering the fact I wore it solidly, every non-school day, for about seven months. I loved the glittery “adult” belt, though possibly my real attachment to it was due to the love and attention behind the purchase. It was on my special birthday shopping trip with my grandmother that I had gotten it. With the taste of my bakery birthday treat still on my lips, it was the sweetest, best thing to happen to me. My real attachment was due to the love and attention behind the purchase. Similar birthday highlights throughout my childhood years come to mind: alone time with a parent/grandparent, splurging on fun accessories or toys, and always a “pick anything that you want” bakery treat. A little older, and the silver-and-jean dresses got replaced with real jewelry, up-to-date gadgets, and gift certificates at expensive stores. And that’s what made my birth...

Enough already. Time for Congress to pass a clean debt ceiling increase in order to avoid default -- the same way it did repeatedly during the Reagan and Bush years.  It's time for Congress to act simply and responsibly to avoid the prospect that millions of American families won't get their Social Security checks, or their veterans' benefits, or their military pay. It's time to end the prospect that interests rates on credit cards and car loans and mortgages will rise and take hundreds of millions of additional dollars out of consumer's pockets. It's time for Congress to end the three-ring circus that the Republicans created by electing to hold the debt-ceiling hostage in order to promote their right wing ideological agenda. And if the Republicans in Congress are too reckless and irresponsible to do it, the president should seriously consider using his powers under the 14th Amendment to avoid default and borrow the money we need ...

I've decided to sit down for an hour a day & just write. I want to write a book (or two), so I feel that this is what  I need to do to get myself together ... As it's coming along, maybe I'll post teasers to get some insight? Tiara Dreams, Brigitte

Noted playwright Arthur Miller was once sitting alone in a restaurant , and approached by a well-tailored, slightly inebriated fellow who addressed him: "Aren't you Arthur Miller?" Miller replied, "Why, yes, I am, and before he even had a chance to ask the fellow who he was, the man blurted out, "Don't you remember me?" "'Well . . ." pondered Miller, "your face seems familiar." "Why, Artie!" exclaimed the fellow, "I'm your old buddy Sam! We went to high school together! We used to hang out together by the soda jerk!" Miller thought a while hesitantly, "'I think I -" but Sam cut him short. "I guess you can see I've done l right for myself. Sales. Department stores." Sam continued "... and what do you do, Artie?' "Well, I . . . write." "Write? Whaddya write?" "Plays, mostly." "Ever get any produced?" Miller shrugged, "S...

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?"   The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die." "Son," the man said, "don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!" After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said… "I made a difference for that one."

people who talk with food in their mouths people who chew food with their mouths open people who feel the need to talk to you when you are doing other things (ie. working/talking on the phone) gas prices going up instead of down people who think they are always right, and never admit they're wrong bullies when all the movies playing suck people who only think of themselves people who judge others people who can't drive people who feel that you're not complete without having a man in your life parents who don't parent rich people who get away with things simple because they're rich

OK, I admit it I hate competing. Don't get me wrong I TOTALLY enjoy the process and preparation. I love the wardrobe and sparkle. I adore that it gives me an opportunity to take care of me for a bit. I LOVE the various categories of competition; Interview and the opportunity to discuss my platform, changes I'd like to see happen and be part of making and getting an opportunity to think on my feet. Gown & Fitness: I love walking the stage and get a rush just before I hit that first mark. I hate the scores. I hate having someone tell me I was only worthy of a '2' in fitness wear, that I lack grace in evening gown or that my interview outfit was the wrong color for my skin tone. I hate that on that one day at that one moment five to seven, or however many people get to, if I let them, put a number on my self worth.   But I endure it for two reasons. First, it keeps me working out. I hate exercise and I REALLY hate being forced to do it. I'm quite co...

Doing some commercials & noticed all of us in the studio had on chucks ... in honor of my friends Megan & Stephanie, I had to take this photo ...

  Bowling for Children's Miracle Network & celebrating my highest score that night of 79!!!

The co-founder of the Free Gaza Movement Greta Berlin will be on "The LiAmi Lawrence Show" before she embarks on another Flotilla to Gaza next month. Talia Shulman Gold from CAMERA will be on as well defending Israel. Listen & call-in and be a part of this historic show Wed April 13t h 9-11pm (PST) on  Radio Kol America !

I have been a fan of "Dancing With The Satrs" for years now, secretly wanting to cha-cha my way onto the show with Louis Van Amstel (whom I have interviewd & is such a sweetheart)! So I was really excited to find out the new cast but am only diggin' about half of the cast.     The new line-up includes: Kirstie Alley - ehh ... Mike Catherwood - unless you're a Loveline  fan, you won't know who he is Chelsea Kane - beautiful girl; may bring in the younger votes as she was on that Jonas Brothers show Ralph Macchio - "wax on, wax off" ... Chris Jericho - wasn't he bigger when he wrestled?  Sugar Ray Leonard - not sure what I think ...  Petra Nemcova - beautiful soul; let's see if it translates in dance  Romeo - I am expecting him to surprise me with good rhythm.   Hines Ward - can he be the Emmit Smith of this season?   Kendra Wilkinson - love her, will always vote for her and can't wait to see what she says next. Wendy...

The Super Bowl has come and gone. I enjoyed the struggle of the teams, tho I was not emotionally involved with either of them. There were a few good commercials but not as many as usual. Am I too jaded? Usually I love this event. This year I had a quiet Super Bowl as I decided to not throw a big party. I love people but didn't know when I would get my place back, plus my roommate is a stick in the mud. I think I made the right decision tho I missed the friendly get together. My kids, even my girls love football parties. The girls aren't as much into the football as they are into the food, LOL. Super Bowl, any bowl game, shoot - any sport - are days that I fix junk food. I try to keep most food healthy as a routine but sport parties are a splurge. Today was scaled way down. I had little cheese dip, fudge brownies, chocolate rice krispies, chips, crackers, the usual stuff. I did not make my yummy chili because someone, not me for once, forgot to get chili powder...

written for newsletter at work: The command to build the tabernacle (the precursor to the Holy temple in Jerusalem) is given in a slightly strange way: “Make for me a Sanctuary and I will dwell within you.” It would seem to make more sense to say, “Make for me a Sanctuary and I will dwell within it.” This small distinction draws our attention to an important issue. The Sages explain: the temple is not a glorified granny flat. It is not a home away from home for G-d. Obviously so. G-d does not need us to build Him a place to reside in this world; He already resides everywhere. On a deeper level, though, the Torah is saying that the Temple is not somewhere we can put G-d out of the way. It would be all too easy to build a temple, in order that g-d can reside within it. It would be very convenient to compartmentalize G-d. Let me put Him in the Temple and there I will worship Him, speak to Him, and have a relationship with Him. But in the rest of my life, I will not. I am always amazed ...

We woke up my last day in Alaska to find that Gary the fish had disappeared!

I think I'm having a "I Hate Valentine's Day" Party for those of us who are single & happy being so! I'm so sick and tired of everyone telling me that I can't be happy unless I'm in a relationship! Anyone interested in joining me may do so!

A language is a system of symbols strung together to communicate thought. Equipped with language, we can share understandings, pass experience and knowledge from one generation to the next, and make plans for the future. In short, language allows culture to develop. Consequently, sociologists commonly think of language as a cultural invention that distinguishes humans from other animals. Yet MIT cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, a leading figure in the biological onslaught on the social sciences, says culture has little to do with our acquisition of language. In his view, “people know how to talk in more or less the sense that spiders know how to spin webs.” Language, says Pinker, is an “instinct.” Pinker bases his radical claim on the observation that most people can easily create and understand sentences that have never been uttered before. We even invent countless new words (including the word “countless,” which was invented by William Shakespeare). We normally deve...

Tallulah Nouvelle Starr was born this morning at 8.09 am! Tally is my goddaughter & I'm so excited to see her (along with my godson, Dallas) when I head home to Alaska for a visit in just 15 days! And yes, pictures will be posted! &hearts

Dear 2011: I just wanted to welcome you to my life. I'm looking forward to the next 364 days or so with you. Hopefully you are more agreeable and fun than your predecessor, 2010. My goals with you include increasing and refocusing my business for sustainable success, figure out what I want in a relationship & then work toward actually having one, achieve personal success in my upcoming pageant in March, be more active both physically and socially, and so much more. I refuse to make those silly "resolutions" like everyone else as they tend to be forgotten easily & broken before the ink is dry. As I think of more things we can do together, 2011, I will let you know. We will have a fruitful year together if you just work with me and help me keep the options open. Yours, Batya Brigitte