Behind the Bedroom Door

What do the words "pleasure" and "diet" have in common?

Absolutely  nothing...until now. Follow my efforts to drop pounds the pleasurable way, without deprivation, self recrimination or any jot of unpleasantness. I intend to drink wine, eat chocolate, indulge in my favorite summer treat (lobster roll sandwiches) and otherwise live life to the fullest--and still meet my goal of losing 17 pounds. Follow along with my new blog on Self.com and see if you can do it too!

A love affair...with junk food!

My talented writer friend has started a scintillating blog about one of my great lusts and passions...food! Read what she has to say about her secret obsession and tune in for more scintillating posts, particularly if you're a parent who cares what her kids eat.

Why I love men who cook

It's not that I'm lazy or selfish. Really. If your kitchen was a small as mine is, you'd also go out of your way to avoid turning on the stove. But courtesy of SELF, I actually did spend some time learning to cook. Turns out it's not as easy as everyone says it is! (Bet you didn't think THAT would be my conclusion.

How many different things can a massage therapist do to you in an hour?

And no, I'm not talking about a happy ending!

Speaking of which, how many of you have ever had a professional massage turn sexual? (You can answer anonymously).

Is it better to be formerly hot?

Or to have never been hot in the first place? Then, as you get older, you don't miss that former hotness!

Check out this much commented on piece by Behind the Bedroom contributor Stephanie Dolgoff and tell me what you think.

A cleansing experience

I'm not into fads, especially those that originate in Southern California, but I couldn't resist trying this one.

Mea culpa!

This makes me blush!

Yes, I have some very incisive opinons on makeup, these days.

Feel happier every morning (and no, I'm not talking about an A.M. quickie)

If, like me, you sometimes have trouble getting out of bed in the morning (especially if someone you love is snuggled close by), here's a trick for making mornings easier, Mondays or otherwise.

How far would you go to look younger?

In my capacity as articles director at SELF, where I work with our fab beauty team, I sometimes get to meet with beauty experts to talk about what's going on in the field. This week, I talked to an Upper East Side cosmetic surgeon who is doing some innovative things with fillers. Frankly, the meeting freaked me out, as you can see from my meanderings about the perils of growing older.  Check back for more beauty musings, from the other side of 45.

Would you rather be fat and happy?

Or thin and sad? Read Lauren Slater's shocking story of how she gained 85 pounds on antidepressants (she started at a petite 105!) and decide for yourself. Watch her on this morning's Today Show. And read her amazing story about being in a loving--but sexless--marriage in Behind the Bedroom Door.

Why don't women talk about sex honestly? Listen to my interview on the radio!

Sit back and take a listen to this terrific interview with me and authors Jane Juska, Cheryl Strayed and Val Frankel on the NPR affiliate Mind, Body Health and Politics, with Dr. Richard Miller. It's a wild ride.

What's better than a G spot?

The L-spot. (Well, not really, but I like this guy's point.)

Catch me Kissing & Telling!

Well, of course I kiss and tell. I edited a sex book--whadja think? I'm going to be appearing at the hottest (in every sense of the world) spicy venue for readings and other fun on April 20th. The new series is called Abiola's Kiss and Tell Live and it's at Madame X at 7 PM. If that's not enticement enough, there will be $5 Champagne cocktails--quite reasonable for NYC. Abiola, by the way, contributed a wonderful essay in Behind the Bedroom Door, called Confessions of a Former Sex Geek and is the author of Dare. Come and have fun! Isn't that why you put up with living in NYC--to go to cool events like this one?

If I'm dancing...it must be love

Finding the right person can inspire you in all sorts of surprising ways.

Carpe diem!

My newest piece of art, by my very talented artist friend, Connie Rohman! Can you make out the letters? It's my life philosophy.

Love is...

rediscovering your own music collection through the appreciative eyes and ears of your beloved...

Two new old faves: Patty Larkin, Nancy Griffith

...to be continued.

Do you have your beach book handy?

Make it Behind the Bedroom Door, which is reviewed in today's Washington Post! Yippee!

The perils and pleasures...

of writing about your sex life will be revealed, tonight, at Bookcourt. I'm on a panel with memoirists Julie Metz, Sue Shapiro and a host of literary luminaries to talk about what it's like to bare your soul, and then some. (What I've found is that once you start revealing the deets about your sex life, people come right back at ya with theirs.)

Hope to see you all there.

Dying to write about your love life...

but afraid to wind up embarrassing someone, yourself most of all? Come to Book Court on June 17th at 7 PM for a panel on Writing about Sex & Love moderated by New School professor  Susan Shapiro with PERFECTION memoirist Julie Metz, Paula Derrow,and Cosmopolitan editor Ky Henderson. Reception afterward.

You can NEVER have too much of a good thing

Then again, I'm a hedonist. Take vibrators, for instance....