This week it would be hard not to reference the spectacle that played out on TV, computer, tablet, and phone screens as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh took turns making their cases to a rapt American public about the sexual assault that took place nearly four decades ago. Personally, I am sick to my stomach over how the ole boys’ scenario continues to play itself out in the face of a roaring #metoo movement. The Sexual-Harasser-in-Chief and his herd Read More…

Recovering drought-resistant succulent by Pascal Giacomini Sometimes you feel like you can’t bear another day—of the crazy-making combination of hopelessness and outrage over the near-constant “breaking news” stories that feel like hammer blows to every last speck of decency left on this earth; of the universal horror experienced by usually-decent citizens upon learning that a building in their neighborhood will be transformed into permanent housing for the homeless; of watching the poorest among us having to put up with extreme Read More…

Back in the 60s and 70s, the paramilitary Tonton Macoutes held sway over Haitian society, doing the bidding of dictator Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, assassinating and disappearing between 30,000 and 60,000 people. Since then, the term “macoute” has come to mean something less overtly dangerous and criminal, though sinister nonetheless. Today being called a macoute means you are someone dreaming of the good ole days of authoritarianism, whereby you get your way through intimidation, strong-arm tactics and implied bodily harm. Read More…

Donald Trump, President of the United States, because he is so germ-phobic that I could pee in a glass, tell him it’s apple juice, and that using a squeeze bottle with a pointy tip to squirt some up his butt is the height of healthy sexual pleasure. And, of course, he would accept because I am a black woman from Haiti, and, in response to his shithole comments, he is quoted as saying, “I want them to come in from Read More…

  It is officially springtime, and I just want to remind everyone that henna tattoos and spring go hand in hand! When you think of spring, you might start thinking about beautiful flowers, like this gorgeous tulip.   Or you might start remembering that you need a really cute dress for the season, like this adorable one by my Swedish designer friend Ulf Andersson.   You may also start dreaming about Coachella, which begins Friday, April 13 this year. How it would Read More…