Advanced Love by Ari Seth Cohen

Keep a-goin'!
It was on my mother's kitchen wall in her condo in Southold, New York. The little, framed picture with the motto keep a-goin'! I, my brother, David, and my sisters, Jeanne and Susan, took care of our mother, Mary, for many years as she went through the stages of Alzheimer's. At the end, we had to move her to a nursing home where she died on my birthday, January 11, 2008.  It took a lot of stamina and patience to take care of her, but we did, especially David, who lived with her and took her for a walk to the "post office" (actually the mailbox a short distance from her home) every day.

Now keep a-goin'! is my motto as I care for my husband, Richard. It's the theme of an essay I wrote for a new book,  Advanced Love, by Ari Seth Cohen. Ari's photographs and text celebrate the beauty and creativity of older couples who he has met in New York City, California and around the world.

Ari is the creator of the blog, Advanced Style. He has two previous books of photographs to his credit and a documentary film. He has enriched the lives of those he has met and made older women and men more visible in the world. Recently, three of the ladies in his documentary were featured in an H&M campaign and seen in a giant image in Times Square.

 "...the art we made, the lives that he, as a teacher, changed. Now it's different. One of us is eighty-five, uses a walker, needs lots of help, and can't remember things. What are you going to do? Make the best of it, confront the daily challenges, renew your spirt. Keep a-goin'.    

from the essay by Carol Markel in Advanced Love 

The cover of Advanced Love, published by Abrams Books.

Richard and I were honored and thrilled to be included in Advanced Love.

 Ari took this photo some years ago in front of the

Donut Plant on Grand Street next to our apartment.

Richard has that rakish look that captivated legions of

women, and especially me.

Ari took the photo on the left last Spring. 

I am wearing a hat and beads of my own design.

The photos on the right were taken at our wedding in 1970.

The book signing party at The Strand Bookstore in their rare book room was held last week. I picked up this silvery sequined jumpsuit before New Year's at H&M. After a recent trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the exhibit, Jewelry, The Body Transformed, a friend and I stopped at Roundabout, a resale shop on Madison Avenue. That is where I found the Yves St. Laurent necklace that I am wearing. I made the headpiece using a velvet rose from the artificial flower maker, Dulken and Derrick. Two people who worked for me at The Guardian, bought the flower for me back in the 90s and gave it to me in a white florist box as a corsage. The bag is a gift from my sister, Jeanne. I embellished it with the velvet patch that says "Love".

Jeanne accompanied me to the book signing. We dined at Il Cantinori before the party. It had been pouring all day, but the sun came out just in time to walk from the restaurant to The Strand. Jeanne was able to put on her adorable red suede shoes without fear of ruination by rain. She is wearing a delightful dress with silvery polka dots and a fun sleeve treatment. Her dangly white and black earrings are a thrift shop find. We had a great time at the party chatting with a lot of the folks featured in Advanced Love. I would have loved to have had Richard with me as well, but these days he is inclined to want to stay at home, especially at night.

I made these earrings for the book signing, and

I had my ears pierced as well, so I could wear them!

However, my ears would not cooperate, and I could not wear them!

So I am showing you now.

On January 26, Ari was interviewed, along with Barbara Flood and Stanley Dorfman,

on the WNYC program, All of It. I was a wonderful interview and Ari quoted my essay. 

Here is the link to the episode.

A Bientot!

Christmas Party Chez Carol

A Tree Sparks a Party
For the first time in years I bought a tree and put it up for Christmas. The Soho Christmas Tree company was selling trees on my block of Grand Street in front of Saluggi's sports bar, and I passed the trees on my way to shop at the new Trader Joe's on the corner of Grand and Clinton. This Trader Joe's, by the way, is the largest one on the East Coast. Just shopping there is like having a spa treatment. They have polished cement floors and vast, wide aisles. In fact, they are not so much aisles as spaces. As is typical of Trader Joe stores, the clerks are super happy and helpful in a cult-like way. Just don't drink the free Kool Aid.

The tree sellers had cute, little trees, and one day I succumbed to a four-foot one which set me back $60. This price is reasonable compared to purchasing an 8-foot tree in a tony neighborhood of Manhattan, like Tribeca, where it will lighten your wallet by $500.

Decorating it was fun. I purchased tiny blinking lights and multi-colored balls at Target. Did I mention that we also have a new Target store across the street, next to the Trader Joe's? I adorned the tree with my jewelry, doll clothes and labels that I have saved from hats, among other things, like a plastic, red and yellow chair from a doll's house. Instead of tinsel, I draped the tree with gold and silver rick rack. It was quite charming, and I liked it.

Since I liked the tree so much I decided to have a party to show it off. 

Drawing by Carol.

Me and my sister, Jeanne.
Photo by Jack Wedge

 Party attendees (left to right)

my niece, Sarah, nephew, Jack, and Jeanne.

 Jack Wedge and Will Freudenheim.

Jack is a senior at New York University's

Tisch School of the Arts in the film program.

He and Will are collaborating on a movie for

which Will is composing the music.

 Jack and me. I am wearing a dress and beads of

my own design and an ornament with feathers

 from my friend, Nita.

 Me and Jack with Sarah's dog, Polly.

 My beautiful niece, Sarah, with Polly.

Happy New Year and

A Bientot!