How old are your kids and how long have you lived in Westport? My daughter Charlotte is 8 years old. My son Eli is 5 years old. We have lived in Westport 6 years.
How did you end up where you are now in terms of your job, or whatever passion project it is you might be doing? I love reading picture books with my children. We enjoy going to the library and picking out all sorts of books. I was inspired to write my own picture book, Beary & Tinker: Young at Heart, when I noticed my daughter liked playing with my and my husband’s childhood teddy bears. Even though they were old/worn looking and she had a lot of “new/young” toys, she liked them because they meant so much to me and my husband. Tinker has been with me everywhere – camp, vacations, college, NYC, Westport!
I thought it would be fun to tell a story from the point of view of Beary & Tinker and their desire to get off my bed and play again. Maybe they shouldn’t be retired. Even old bears want to play! When I told other moms & dads about my idea, they immediately thought of their own childhood stuffed animals with such nostalgia. Some even passed theirs on to their child (as in the book). I knew I was onto something and partnered with an illustrator to bring my words and vision to life.
You can learn more about the book here: http://dianablau.com | Instagram @diana_blau_author
What is the best show you have recently (binge) watched? AND/OR what is the last book you read? One of my favorite shows is Never Have I Ever. The last book I read was Crying in H Mart.
What are two things still on your bucket list? Two things on my bucket list are going to Italy with my husband and seeing Coldplay live. Italy because my husband and I met studying abroad in Florence. We did not start dating there but we definitely ignited a spark and I want to go back as a couple and experience it all again. I really want to see Coldplay because I LOVE live music and their shows look so fun and exhilarating.
What is your favorite podcast? I need to get more into Podcasts, but I have been listening to SmartLess with Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes. They are a funny trio.
What is one food you could not live without? Toast! I absolutely love buttered toast.
What is one product you could not live without? Mascara. I do not wear a lot of make-up but I feel like Mascara makes me look so much better when I put it on.
What is your greatest fear? The future world for my children getting less and less tolerant. Less tolerant of being Jewish, less tolerant of our differences, less tolerant of allowing ownership of our own bodies, etc…
What is your greatest indulgence? I love Entenmanns donuts.
Which talent would you most like to have? I would love to either sing beautifully or play the piano.
What’s a cause or purpose you deeply believe in? I don’t have one cause necessarily. But in terms of a purpose, I believe in kindness and acceptance. I want my children to be kind members of society and never make presumptions. We don’t always know what someone is going through and need to give people second chances and treat them kindly.
What is your favorite family tradition? I have been going to Nantucket every summer of my life. It is like home to me and harbors some of my best memories. Now I take my husband and kids every year and I love seeing how much they love Nantucket too. It is such a special place.
Which living person do you most admire? I would have to say I most admire one of closest friends Alyson. She was diagnosed with cancer as a young mom and still manages to smile and make time for her friends. She is so honest about it all and is putting up such a fight. I would like to think I would be as strong as she if I were in her position. She was a remarkable person even before this diagnosis.
What is your greatest extravagance? Buying fruit. Haha. Growing up we just had apples and bananas in the house. Now I buy my kids raspberries, blue berries, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, you name it.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I still have my childhood teddy bear! (well, now everyone knows because of my book)
If you weren’t doing what you are today, what might your career path might have been? I love the idea of choosing music for movies/shows or working on clever ways you can have opening credits for movies/shows
If you could travel to one place this next year, where would it be and why? I want to go to Italy, as mentioned. But I also LOVE Hawaii!!
Are you a morning person, or a night owl? I am more of a morning person. I can fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow at night.
What thing has surprised you most about being in the suburbs? What a supportive community we have in Westport. Everyone is so willing to help each other out and root for each other here.
What is the first thing you do when you walk in the door after a long day? Hug and kiss my kids and smush my dog.
QUICK THIS OR THAT:
At a movie: Candy or Popcorn? Popcorn
Cook or order in? Order in
Cake or Ice Cream? Ice Cream
Iced Coffee or Hot Coffee? Hot Coffee
Beach or Mountains? Beach
Glass Half Full or Half Empty? Full
Sauce on the Side or Sauce on Top? On top
Crunchy or Smooth Peanut Butter? Smooth
Guacamole or Salsa? Guac
Attend a Party or Host a Party? I like doing both!
Call a friend or text a friend? Text
Vacation or staycation? Vacation
Wine or a Cocktail (if cocktail, which one?) cocktail – paloma
Reading or writing? Both!
Before bed: Social media or book/TV? Book/TV
Watch or play sports? Play
Stay in or go out? Mix em up!
Comedy or Drama? Comedy in my life, drama for a show 😉
Thanks for including me in your Mom community!!