“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.

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

This is a photo of Bronx, New York,-born Sylvia Bergman Kopstein, taken around 1931, when she was 21 years old. Both Sylvia and her twin sister, Blanche, embraced the fashions of the times. They loved to dress up in fitted skirts, cute hats and sweaters—including this sweater coat with a fur collar, which Sylvia most likely made herself.

She and Blanche hung out together at the Fishkin Sisters Knitting store in The Bronx. They both had many dates and sometimes, when one of the twins had double booked or just didn’t feel like going out, tried to fool the guys by passing themselves off as the other. The sisters also double-dated and attended lots of dances. They did the Charleston and the Black Bottom, which were popular at the time. They donned pastel chiffon and satin dresses, and put henna in their hair to get it reddish. Sylvia stayed red her whole life. Blanche dyed her hair blonde in her younger years, but later in life switched to Sylvia’s color, Honey Red … //READ MORE

Last week, I was enjoying a rare afternoon off at home when the phone rang. It was a cold call.

“Hello, am I speaking to Mrs. T-? This is David from Dodgy Computer Services Inc. How are you today?”

Like most people, I’m not a fan of sales calls. Especially when they’re from individuals who might be trying to hack into my PC. But what annoyed me most wasn’t the call itself. It was the way the salesman had addressed me.

I picked up the phone and said, “That’s not me!,” as I often do when callers have the audacity to assume I share my husband’s last name. “Are you telling me my husband is married—to SOMEONE ELSE? Called Mrs. T-? Who lives HERE? Where is she? … //READ MORE

No need to fish for compliments when you step out in one of these sea-breezy summer fashions—the oohs and aahs will flow nicely on their own, thank you. Nautical and beach prints typically make an appearance this time of year, but right now they seem to be everywhere—even where there’s no sand and water in sight.

It’s impossible not to think about summer when you’re walking around town wearing starfish, sea turtles, jellyfish, crabs, seahorses and other sea creatures. Or flaunting shells, sunsets and other beach-themed prints. Cynthia Rowley and Lilly Pulitzer have dedicated entire collections to adorable ocean dwellers, and other brands have dabbled in accessories that let you bring a little bit of your last vacation home with you. … //READ MORE

This is a portrait taken of my mother, Cynthia Mays Nicosia, in the late 1950s when she was in her early 20s and studying dance at the Metropolitan School of Ballet in Manhattan. She was working part time at the New York City Public Library on 42nd Street and living at the Brandon Residence For Women up on 85th Street near Riverside Drive, which was run by Volunteers of America. She paid $17 a week for room and board, which included breakfast and supper. However, because she was usually training late into the evening at ballet school, she would often miss the dinner.

In 1961, just a couple years after this photo was taken, my mom dashed off to Rome to see about a dancing job. She ended up not getting the gig, but she decided to make the most of her time in Italy. She took a tour of the city called “Rome By Night.” My dad, Giorgio Nicosia, was the guide. Cynthia and Giorgio first exchanged words at the fountain of Trevi. At the end of the tour, he dropped off all the other passengers first and then took my mom back to her hotel, where he asked her out. They had about three dates before she had to … //READ MORE