First My Husband Left, Then My Stuff

Three years after my divorce, I gave my youngest daughter my wedding shoes. They fit perfectly, their pale blue leather straps showcasing the arch of her foot and their three-inch heels elevating her elfin grace. Once upon a time, I slipped these shoes from my feet and dug my toes into the sheepskin rug of…

When a Psychic Meets a Naval Officer

Janine Michele James and Nasaria Elaine Valadez began planning their wedding in the fall of 2022, about six months before either of them had proposed. “People would be like, ‘Tell me about the proposal,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, it hasn’t happened yet,’” Ms. James said. Instead, in September 2022, they had a conversation during…

Tangy, Fresh and Crunchy

Maybe you’ve pulled yourself away to scroll through Instagram or check your email or revel in an ephemeral moment of peace and quiet amid the holiday chaos. Or perhaps it’s Friday when you’re reading this, and you haven’t known silence since at least Tuesday afternoon. Wherever you are, whenever it is, I hope you have,…

Where to Eat Near Rockefeller Center

As a local, I ought to hate anything in New York that draws a crowd. In theory, this includes the tree at Rockefeller Center. Once the tree’s lights are switched on — this year, that first happens Wednesday night, just before 10 p.m. — the plaza becomes an unholy gridlocked mob of sightseers, shoppers and…