“In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines…”

So begins the 1939 children’s book Madeline. Set in picturesque Paris, Ludwig Bemelman’s classic tells the story of a brave little orphan who takes a trip to the hospital to have her appendix removed. The book’s whimsical art, cheerful humor and rhythmic text have made it a favorite among schoolchildren—and Francophiles—for generations.

While tomorrow is the official 75th birthday of the book’s publication, the New York Historical Society in Manhattan will be celebrating Madeline’s dodranscentennial with an exhibit that runs through Oct. 13. The show features nearly 100 related works, including drawings from all six Madeline books, Bemelmans’ sketches of the old Ritz Hotel in New York and murals from a rediscovered Paris bistro.  

With her flaming red hair, little blue dress and yellow hat, our storybook heroine is perhaps most loved for her feisty spirit, so it’s no surprise that chutzpah-admiring New Yorkers have decided to honor her in this grand way. Can’t make it to New York but want to get in on the celebration? Dust off your old copy of Madeline and read it to your kids (or yourself) while indulging in some hot cocoa and croissants—a snack that Madeline would have gladly sunk her teeth into.

It all started in the fifth grade when a few girls, who I thought were my friends, pulled away from me and began forming their own clique. Something as simple as a pair of jeans I wore or a phrase I uttered was suddenly considered “uncool” and caused them to whisper and laugh.

Welcome to the often-complex, sometimes cruel world of female friendships. … //READ MORE

My daughter and I recently saw The Giver, a film set in a utopian society that has eliminated its history and the human emotions associated with it. A boy named Jonas is trained by someone called the Giver, an old guy who has stored inside him all the community’s memories—feelings included—and must transfer them to his protégé.

After watching the movie, it occurred to me that people roughly 35 and older should serve as “givers” to the next generation, and the memories we should pass down are that of a former technological age. Think about it: Today’s kids are the very last generation to have parents who were raised before the digital revolution. This is a big responsibility for all of us who were born in 1980 or earlier. Our children need to “receive” this precious knowledge from us, before words like “Xerox” and “collect call” are forgotten and the emotions associated with these experiences have gone the way of the typewriter. … //READ MORE

Welcome home, gorgeous.

Mama taught us it’s not OK to be someone’s doormat. We couldn’t agree more—except when the doormat in question attracts an unprecedented amount of positive attention. With autumn almost under foot, now’s the time to spruce up the entranceway to your home with one of these adorable, stylish welcome mats. Look for ones constructed of resilient materials with nonslip rubber backings and, of course, a pattern or image that reflects your personality.

Doormats, above photo, clockwise from top left: Bicycle doormat from Hayneedle.com, $40. Geo Crafts “Oh No! Not You Again” coir doormat at Casa.com, $20. Purple brocade WaterGuard mat at Worldmarket.com, $40. Cupcake coir mat from Tag2u.com, $32. Computer keyboard doormat at UncommonGoods.com, $32. Butterfly doormat Pier 1 Imports, currently unavailable. Anchor handwoven coconut fiber doormat at Wayfair.com, $34. Piano handwoven coir doormat from Hayneedle.com, $39. Rubber owl at Kirklands.com, $11. (Below: Bell Exotic Wood doormat at Hayneedle.com, $60)

For more adorable doormats, visit Red Typewriter’s Pinterest page.

She was a poet, short story writer and satirist. She was the original party girl and relationship cynic, and one of Hollywood’s blacklisted. And her round table at the Algonquin made Sir Arthur’s look like it belonged in a romper room. In honor of her birthday, 10 famous quotes from the irreplaceable Dorothy Parker.

1. “If you wear a short enough skirt, the party will come to you.”

2. “Living well is the best revenge.”

3. “I’m not a writer with a drinking problem, I’m a drinker with a writing problem.”

4. “It’s not the tragedies that kill us; it’s the messes.” … //READ MORE

I am in Hawaii. Paradise on earth. I’m with my husband and my 3-year-old twin daughters. It’s our first real vacation in a long time. But where am I really? I’m trapped in a set of three-way mirrors shedding clothes, outfit after outfit,  immobilized by a black cloud in my head. In this room of mirrors I can see parts of my body that are easy to ignore in the only full length mirror in our dimly lit hallway at home. In summery clothes skimpier than I normally wear, lumps and bumps I don’t recognize seem to have appeared out of nowhere.

My husband comes in. “What the hell is going on?”

“I just can’t get comfortable.” I mumble miserably. He grasps the situation immediately, which may say something about his level of intimacy with my vanity. … //READ MORE