My specialties include general lifestyle, arts and culture, profiles, beauty, shelter/design, business and wellness. Note that some articles were written under my pseudonym, Pauline Estrem.
How Netflix’s Midnight Club Star Ruth Codd Went From TikTok to Playing Anya in First Acting Role
Ruth Codd, who plays Anya in Netflix’s The Midnight Club, says there’s power in being who you are. And who she is, especially as she steps into this new phase of her career, is so much more than her disability. Her character in the new horror YA series is fierce, whip-smart, and nuanced; Ruth herself is quick to joke, doesn’t take herself too seriously, and is both chill about the path her life has taken and excited for what’s to come.
In the series, Anya is an amputee with a terminal illness...
‘Outlander’ Star Sam Heughan Pens an Ode to Scotland in ‘Waypoints’
When actor Sam Heughan decided to write a memoir, Waypoints: My Scottish Journey, it wasn’t enough just to reminisce. He needed to revisit. So, the Scottish star of Outlander embarked on an ambitious solo journey, backpacking 100 miles into the country’s Highlands to reflect on the man he’s become — and how he got there.
Why Celebrities Are Turning to EMDR Therapy for Their Mental Health
This season of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills began with cast member Dorit Kemsley's shocking home invasion robbery, where she was held at gunpoint. Her subsequent journey with PTSD has been a key part of her storyline and, as she shared in one recent episode, one way she's coping with the trauma is with a form of therapy called EMDR, which stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.
Saying No Is Hard but Oh So Satisfying, Says Author Natalie Lue
For her entire life, Natalie Lue was used to pleasing other people and putting their interests before hers. No was a dirty word that she wouldn’t use — even while she spent three years silently suffering from sarcoidosis, an immune disease that caused blindness in her eye and severe joint pain. It can also lead to pulmonary heart failure.
I've lived in Florida for 25 years and Key West is my happy place. Here's my ultimate guide for a dreamy stay on the tropical island.
I've been a Floridian for 25 years, and Key West is my favorite destination in the Sunshine state. Here is my ultimate guide containing everything to do, see, and experience while visiting Key West.
Jewelry Mogul Kendra Scott Finds Beauty in the Imperfect
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Just three months after giving birth to her first child, Kendra Scott celebrated another major milestone. Her eponymous jewelry line, a labor of love that she started in a spare bedroom with $500 in 2002, was valued at more than $1 billion in 2016.
She has given more than $50 million to charity through her Kendra Cares program, was a guest on Shark Tank, and founded the Ke...
My Brilliant Friend Is the Best TV Show That No One Is Watching
My Brilliant Friend, HBO's Italian-language drama that just wrapped its third season, begins with a mystery. Elena Greco, the elderly narrator of the show — and of the four books the series is based on, Elena Ferrante's best-selling Neopolitan Novels — receives a call from her best friend's son. Lila has disappeared. This compels Elena, aka Lenu, to recount their nearly 60-year friendship: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
In ‘Happy-Go-Lucky,’ David Sedaris Ponders Life, Death, and Dental Surgery
David Sedaris’ previous book, Calypso, came out in 2018 — before the world turned upside down. Before we entered a lockdown and he was forced to stop touring and reading to live audiences, one of his favorite things in the world. Before his last living parent, his father, died, leaving him grappling with the ruins of their dysfunctional relationship. So, it’s understandable that his new collection of essays, Happy-Go-Lucky, has a darker edge that’s the polar opposite of its title.
What Happens When Being Home So Much Makes Your Agoraphobia Worse?
In our series What It’s Like, we talk with people from a wide range of backgrounds to learn how their lives have changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For our latest installment, we spoke with Megan Lane, a freelance writer in Wading River, New York. In addition to depression, generalized anxiety disorder, anorexia nervosa, and ADHD, the 30-year-old has been diagnosed with agoraphobia.
Agoraphobia is often simply defined as a fear of leaving home. In reality, it’s an anxiety disorder that...
Learn More About the Intricacies of Jewish History With These Nine Books
There are many celebrations to embrace in May, from the onset of warmer weather to Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and the unofficial arrival of summer with Memorial Day. And not to mention, all the graduations in between. But in 2006, at the behest of Jewish groups in Florida, another celebration was added to the mix — President George W. Bush designated May as Jewish American Heritage Month.
"13 Reasons Why" Actor Bex Taylor-Klaus on the Show's Third Season, Auditioning as a Non-Binary Actor, and More
Trigger Warning: This post contains language about sexual assault and suicidal ideation that some readers may find disturbing.
During season 1 of the Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why, the scene showing Hannah Baker's death by suicide sparked controversy among viewers, critics, and mental health professionals for its graphic portrayal. Among those detractors was actor Bex Taylor-Klaus, who stars in season 3 of the series.
“When I heard they were going to be changing what was depicted in season 1, ...
Return to ‘The Office’ With Co-Stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s New Book
On NBC’s hit workplace comedy The Office, series regulars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey played polar-opposite characters. The former starred as sweet receptionist Pam Beesly, while the latter portrayed the uptight head of accounting, Angela Martin. Describing them as frenemies was a stretch, mainly due to the “friendship” part of that portmanteau.
Alyssa Milano Is Wound Up and She's Not Done Fighting
Alyssa Milano opens up about her gun safety activism and more in this exclusive interview.
13 Movies That Capture the Unique Experience of Fatherhood
If you ask the average dad what he wants for Father’s Day, he usually won’t give you a helpful hint for a gift to buy. That’s because, more than likely, he simply wants to spend quality time with you. Getting together and watching a movie — especially one that’s about dads — is a great option for celebrating Father’s Day, coming up on Sunday, June 19.
The Facebook Page That Led to 30 Drug-Rehab Arrests
While Facebook may no longer be the most relevant social media platform, with young users quitting it in droves, it has become more and more important in the work of law enforcement. For one detective in Delray Beach, Florida—part of the “rehab capital of America” and a major hub of the opioid epidemic—Facebook has been essential in the fight against corrupt operators in the area’s drug rehabilitation industry.