My "Roomie"

My grandma was very special to me, and everyone whose life she touched felt the same way . . . We all loved her.

Ten years ago I had the chance of a lifetime to be “roomies” (as she called it) with my Grandma. It was a pivotal time in both our lives, because she had recently lost my Grandpa, and I had just move back from New York to try to "make it" in LA. She was always fussing over me and my friends, and spoiling me rotten the way grandmothers can only do . . .

Two "roomies" against the world! We had a blast! We learned a lot from each other in those two years. She introduced me to Ponds cold cream, the secret ingredient for the perfect tuna sandwich and Huell Howser. I introduced her to Sex and the City, Iced venti old school americanos and Juicy Couture!

I recently asked Grandma, “How does one live to be 91 years old?
She said: “You breathe in – and – breathe out”

My Grandma also shared with me her words of wisdom for living a full and wonderful life:

1. Grow up living at the beach and going in the water . . . a lot
2. Ride a bike
3. Roller skate (she once had a job as a roller skating secretary at Hughes aircraft)
4. Ice skate
5. Walk a lot – jog
6. Grow up eating fresh vegetables and fruit - preferably grown in your own garden
7. Drink lots of water
8. Go places and do things - read books, go to the movies, laugh a lot, be happy, get mad and get over it, be thankful, be helpful, be courteous, appreciate nature, eat out, play croquet
9. Eat wild salmon
10. Always take your Vitamins! - C, E, all the B's, Folic Acid and Fish oil
11. Always have a little “walking around money” in your pocket (she was notorious for slipping us walking around money!)
12. It helps if you have a great family and friends
13. Really, it's all in the genes!