The last time I was in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, I was six years old parading around as voodoo queen, Marie Laveau. Like most kids growing up in the Big Easy, I anticipated Mardi Gras with as much excitement as I did on Christmas. Last month, I learned the roots of Mardi Gras celebrations […]
There’s a fine and excruciating line between dreams and nightmares. When I was 12 years old, I went to New York City for the first time. My Uncle Joe and his bride-to-be were deeply in love, and the whole family was coming from New Orleans to celebrate a joyful affair. For weeks, I awaited the […]
If asked about God, the 10-year-old inside me would pull a picture of my dad. Even today, I relate my highest and happiest moments with Him. Granted, my father’s mythical majesty was often fueled by a potent combination of coke, booze, pot, pills, horse…and any hottie he could get his hot blooded hands on. My […]
Recently, I traveled to New Orleans and stayed at my Grandmother’s home, a stately symbol of stability, much like its elegant owner, Adele Uddo (The Original). At 88, Grandmother is one of the last remaining Southern Belles, delightfully polite, wonderfully charming and always well put together. Until this past visit, I’d never seen Grandmother in […]
As I type away, chestnuts roast in the kitchen (not on an open fire, but still). This holiday season I’m filled with an unusual sense of cheer, along with some extra gratitude. The past year was a turning point for me, confirming change occurs quickly when fueled by a strong intention. Twelve months ago I […]
I often feel like something is wrong, as if I’m missing out, or simply missing the point. Like an ever-present prompt, reminding me that the other shoe looms close by, hanging from a slim string. I’m advised constantly by my meddling mind that things are not quite right…and yet, the answer to solving my persistent […]
Today I worked on a commercial, but instead of retiring in boredom to my usual cubbyhole next to wardrobe, I was entertained by the wonderfully weird, Tyler Nilson, “the most prolific hand model in this entire universe,” according to himself. Fortunately, the celestial success of this handy man hasn’t yet made him into a genuine […]
You may recall my grandfather Honey, was born with a hemangioma birthmark, and thought by his own mother to have been marked by the Devil. Fortunately, when I turned up with the same blemish, no one believed it to be Satan’s stamp. Yet according to my mother, Clarita Riccobono, the birthmark left a lasting […]
The concept of family for me was defined most by my Aunt Nettie (my mom’s eldest sister) and my Uncle Frank (my dad’s cousin). Two Uddo boys married a couple of Riccobono sisters, and the relationships that evolved were as diverse as all four individuals. One of Nettie’s and Frank’s signature songs (they had […]
By now, you might be wondering why I would to do a such crazy thing like write publicly about myself and my family? To begin, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. Not long after I could spell my own name, I was jotting down thoughts, insights, rants…even some song lyrics I had […]
