Dorothea Bozicolona-Volpe
Through them I learned to serve others and connect people. Sometimes those connections would take the shape of a recommendation to a restaurant, salon, spa, volunteering opportunity, beauty product, recipes, or a great bottle of wine. At other times, a business, service, non-profit and even a new career opportunity.
Well before Facebook, I was active in chat rooms and on electronic bulletin boards. I believe that when our forefathers arrived on Ellis Island they desperately wanted to connect with the culture of their home country and did so by seeking out others of their heritage in the marketplace. Thusly, New York City became the mecca of culture via pocket-sized communities (eg Chinatown, Little Italy, Little Odessa, Harlem). People sat on their front stoops in the industrial age and shared the stories of their children, family, work, etc.
Fast forward to 200 years later, the technological age ushered in modalities that allowed for these interactions to take place electronically. Sharing life with the community you create, cherish and respect.
It is because of those two women that I learned to accept and be open to the things that life had thrown my way. I have lived on 3 continents, 7 countries and moved to Atlanta for love and job promotion.
The love was a gentleman I met at a French bistro and we had an amazing life for 7 years until cancer cut his life short at too young of an age and caused me to be a widow at the age of 28.
When I was asked to contribute to the ALL THE SINGLE GIRLFRIENDS NETWORK, I was both honoured and terrified. Exposing your thoughts to a group of dear girlfriends is one thing, absolute strangers another.
My interests are so varied, I am a social media strategist with a love of The Rolling Stones and Opera, am an active volunteer in the fight against hunger, a cosmetics junkie, an avid skateboarder and learning how to date. What on earth do I have to say that would not bore anyone witless? Stay tuned …
I hope you will enjoy reading my posts.
In Case Of Emergency Break Glass
While being alone in the world has tremendous advantages, there is one major disadvantage – accidents. And accidents to tend to occur when you least expect them. Case in point, last year when I was in an automobile accident – exactly one week from my birthday a driver, on her mobile phone no less, hit […]
February 29th, 2012 Leap Day
Leap Day occurs every 4 years, that extra day added to the Gregorian calendar in leap year. It is also considered the one day of the year that women are culturally allowed to ask a man to marry them. You can thank St. Bridget for that as in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait […]
Valentine’s Day Observations
Want to know how folks in relationships spend Valentine’s Day? From DINKS to polyamory, check out the guide from CNN on how people spend Valentine’s Day. While interesting I admittedly, I skipped to what I thought might be the juicier bits regarding the relationships with multiple romantic partners. I learned nothing new other than the author’s advice ‘If […]
Diversity
Recently I had the wonderful fortune of attending a diversity event at Atlanta’s Pace Academy. The event was the brain child of the Director of Diversity at Pace Academy, Philip McAdoo. Mr. McAdoo had the bright idea to create an event around an evening with Jesse Tyler Ferguson – the famous and out, actor known […]
Why Milliennials Won’t Get A Cold War
Recently over a long holiday weekend, I had the opportunity to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy the movie, an adaptation of the now famous John Le Carré (nom de plume of David John Moore Cornwell) novel – part of a series that focuses on character George Smiley. Gary Oldham is in an Oscar-worthy role as George […]
Separate but not Sequel
Have you ever had high hopes or expectations when you entered into something? A new job, a second date, or that perfect black dress that arrived mail-order. You know what I am referring to. Recently my dear friend Mary and her husband Craig, invited me to see the re-make of The Girl with the Dragon […]
Grief is the Price We Pay for Love
This post is dedicated to Nancy and her son. “You are all done,” she said. “You may be a bit pink in the morning, but for this type of facial it is completely normal. Your husband will think he is with a Twenty-something by Thanksgiving. You have great skin!” she exclaimed. And then I shared […]
9/11 – From The Eyes of a New Yorker in Paris
The wedding announcement ‘save the date’ card arrived in February 2001. Written in French with the beautiful touch of calligraphy that I knew came from my cousin Joseph’s fiancée Ingrid. A September wedding in Paris, at the synagogue I’d be tossed out of years ago. How could I resist? Ingrid was a tall blonde German […]
In Atlanta: The Old Hickory House
At Old Hickory House the barbecue is so hickory infused it gets into your fabric, literally. I know that it might sound strange that a Eurogirl from France and Italy would have a passion for barbecue but in Italy smoked and cured meats are a staple in most Italian ‘special’ dinners. It is served in […]
In Atlanta: Grindhouse Killer Burger
You can have it almost your way! I wonder if it might perhaps be symptomatic of our current economy that all of these gourmet burger joints are cropping up all over the country. People want to go out and treat themselves to a fun dinner with or without the kids but the less than romantic […]
Kate In The Royal Spot Light
There has been more than the fair share of chatter about the impending nuptials of the young prince William and his fair Kate. Not just simply because of the fact that it is a ‘royal’ wedding, but because he is marrying a commoner, Kate Middleton. Remember the tales of a young Diana, born into an […]
In West Hollywood, CA: Palihouse Courtyard Brasserie
Tucked uniquely away in a little nape of West Hollywood, and surprisingly very close to Melrose and Sunset, The Palihouse is a boutique hotel with a French grace and LA feel. It is a Tablet hotel and they are well versed in chic! For instance, when I checked in on FourSquare there was a tip […]
For Couples Only
Disease is not an easy subject for people to chat about. Actually they avoid it at all costs. I always thought that after everything I had been through, I could always count on my girlfriends to lift me up when I was down. Not so, I learned that disease is kind of like divorce it […]
In Santa Monica: The Lobster Restaurant
So recently, I had the opportunity to head out to LA to work for a celebrity client. I explained to the staff that I wanted to dine at a somewhat touristy place near the West Coast so I could dip my toes in the ocean. Be mindful that it is early March and even in […]
Two Widows .. Now Equals
I sat by the stack of RSVP’s for the wedding in June that would not take place. I stared at them a good long while before I picked them up and brought them over to the couch and began to alphabetize them. Normally I am not this anal retentive but, I thought it’d be easier […]
Ni Hao, Hello My Friends
A few hours later, it had to be just a tad after 8am, the phone rang, being awakened by a phone during an early morning on the weekends when most of the world is in a state of slumber is well, un-nerving. At this moment, it was completely inappropriate and I was NOT going to […]
Waking Up On The Black Couch
Returning home, the day’s events washed over me like a proper London rain. I was completely soaked in the wet energy of others, their grief and that of my own and could barely walk up the steps to our front door. Throughout the last hours I kept thinking to myself, ‘I have to get through […]
My Spirit Was Broken But My Heart Was Singing
George’s mother was a complete wreck as the funeral continued her wails and sobs at the loss of her youngest of 7 children, her ‘happy accident’ as she called him because he was born in her early forties when women of her time were simply not able to have kids, was being laid to rest. […]
Kiss Me Like A Stranger
George – Chapter 1: That this will be read by complete strangers, people who I have not yet met or never, makes this missive seem almost therapeutic. I had come to Atlanta in 1992 to work as interpreter for an international law firm with a large Japanese client. The assignment soon went from 3 weeks […]