June 2, 2010

Fresh Start

Projects & Tips

There’s nothing like a change of scene to clear out the mental cobwebs and alter one’s perspective. My husband, Anil, and I ventured off to the Chesapeake Bay over Memorial Day weekend, and the beautiful historic buildings in Easton, Oxford, St. Michaels and Annapolis—as well as the lovely rural landscape surrounding these villages—gently diverted my attention from my home improvement projects to quieter ways of living as well as the rich history of our nation (I’ll write about my visit to the landmark home of William Paca, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, in a later post). … Read Post

May 26, 2010

Home Improvement Wish List

Projects & Tips

After three years of excess work, the time has come to focus more of my attention on my family—and my home. Benign neglect can be a good thing, but there’s a limit. The washing machine incident (see previous post) was my cue that a little household management is in order—as well as some freshening and repairs. As I know from all the work I’ve accomplished professionally recently, the best way for me to ensure that things get done is to define them in writing on a To Do list. Since chronicling my own home improvements is a defining feature of … Read Post

May 16, 2010

Easy-Care Gardening

Outdoors

A few weeks ago, the Australian horticulturalist Jamie Durie stopped by my office to talk about story ideas we might collaborate on. Jamie is the charming and good-looking Australian host of HGTV’s Outdoor Room. He’s also writing his eighth book, which will be published by Harper Collins later this year. Among the things we talked about were not only how a well-designed garden can boost the value of your home, but how plants can boost your mood. I asked him if he’d share a few money-wise ways to grow and use plants to enrich your surroundings and brighten your spirits. … Read Post

May 16, 2010

Indirect Words of Wisdom from the Dalai Lama

Projects & Tips

I’ve never been to Dharamsala and I’ve never met the Dalai Lama, but my sister-in-law Asha has. While speaking to her on the phone last weekend, I asked her about her recent audience with one of the world’s most well-known spiritual leaders (who, by the way, will be speaking at Radio City Music Hall here in New York later this month). I was hoping to find out whether he had offered some words of wisdom that might pertain to the cultivation of a happy home. As it turned out, his talk that day was focused on sports. Asha had been … Read Post