Moving Mountains: Gold Star Stay the Catskills Way

The first Elyssa Friedland book I ever read was The Floating Feldmans, which was a funny family drama set on a cruise ship.  Last Summer at the Golden Hotel is a lot like it, except the cruise ship is a hotel, and the main characters own it.  The Goldmans and the Weingolds have been the proud proprietors of the Golden Hotel for decades.  Nestled in the once-trendy Catskills, or as the locals call them, the Jewish Alps, the Golden Hotel has feted everyone from Joan Rivers to Jerry Seinfeld in its famed theater.  Families have come for generations to bond over brisket and shuffleboard, their happiest moments frozen in time in the hotel's Memory Lane photo gallery.  But time has not been kind to the Golden, and now it's falling apart.  These days, people want organic meals and Wi-Fi, and they're going elsewhere to get it.  Which forces three generations of Goldmans and Weingolds to ask themselves the dreaded question: should they stick it out or sell?  While trying to find the answer, they learn new things about each other -- and themselves.  

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel is fun and nostalgic, harkening back to the days of Dirty Dancing and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, both of which it references.  While reading it, I used the sunflower bookmark I bought at Beyond Van Gogh.  It matched the cover so perfectly that I couldn't stop looking at it. 

As they say, it's the little things.           

A Very Elloh Christmas and Other Etsy Buys

Now that all the Christmas gifts have been opened, it's time to unveil those that I bought on Etsy. As always, funky finds from the beloved Elloh played a starring role. I bought two of her wonderfully quirky screen printed dishtowels and an always crowd-pleasing heirloom of the future ornament for my sister. In turn, my sister bought two of her dishtowels for me. She also bought a print for her boyfriend, which turned out to be of the Presidential Facial Hair Hall of Fame, the very same motif that graced one of the dishtowels I gave her. Oh, how we laughed Christmas morning.

Abe Surfing Dishtowel given to me by my sister.

Ode to Julia Child and her Favorite Ingredient Butter Dishtowel, also from my sister.

And now we're up to the gifts I gave her.  Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner Limited Edition Ornament.

You're Gonna Make it After All Dishtowel

Presidential Facial Hair Hall of Fame Dishtowel. (Check out Van Buren, Honorable Mention, skulking at the bottom. :)

Lace Bow Necklace, Mama's Little Babies. My sister put it on that day. :)

Summer Berries and Cream Charm Bracelet, Kim Smith Jewelry Designs.  This one was for my mom.  She stared, turning it over in her hands as she said, "Somebody made this?" That's a compliment for handmade jewelry if ever I heard one!

Buffalo Wings and Celery soap by fellow EtsyNJian Robyn's Nest Boutique.  The bf thought these would be a riot for his sister (we haven't confirmed this yet, as we haven't gotten together for our gift exchange. But I don't think she reads this, so we're good :) In case you're wondering, they don't smell like wings. I actually had an extensive and sophisticated list of scents from which to choose. (In case you're wondering, I went with a nice vanilla blend.)

This lovely headband trio was for Mom and comes to us from EtsyNJ's own PurpleLicious.  Here we have the Black and White Houndstooth model.

Beige, Red, and Black Plaid Headband, PurpleLicious

Black and White Wildflower Headband, PurpleLicious

How charming is this Needle Felted Mama Bird and Nest? It's for the bf's mom, and it too hails from an EtsyNJ creator, Chimera.