International Women's Day ... Chime for Change

Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini has joined forces with Beyonce Knowles Carter and Salma Hayek Pinault to launch Chime For Change, a global campaign for women’s empowerment, specifically aimed at the areas of education, health and justice.  The three co-founders are joined by an expert  ‘Advisory Board’ which includes Meryl Streep, Jada Pinkett Smith and Julia Roberts, leading Beyonce to feel “honoured to be in the company of women who live fearlessly and who set an example for the next generation of young ladies."  The fact that today is also International Women’s Day,  I'm even more excited about their initiative. Girl Power at it’s best. A Zigga Zig Aaaaah. 

Nora Ephron RIP

How would you like to be remembered?
  "As the greatest nightclub singer ever..."

This week Nora Ephron, the Hollywood screenwriter and director of some of the most well loved Rom Com's ever made, lost her battle with leukemia at the age of 71.

I've watched ‘When Harry Met Sally’ around 1000 times (it’s my father’s favourite film!) and I can easily find myself, on a rainy afternoon, immersed in the romance and humour of her other films (which include, ‘Sleepless In Seattle,’ ‘You’ve Got Mail’ and ‘Bewitched.’)  Among those to pay tribute to the writer, Billy Crystal said, "being her Harry to Meg's Sally will always have a special place in my heart, I was very lucky to get to say her words."

Meryl Streep, who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her role as Julia Child in Ephron's 'Julie & Julia' was also one of the writer’s dearest friends.  Speaking to the New York Times, Streep remembered her friend's effervescent outlook on life, "Nora just looked at every situation and cocked her head and thought, 'Hmmmm, how can I make this more fun?'"

Below:  From 'When Harry Met Sally,' the most perfectly romantic scene of all time? 

In her 2010 book, ‘I Remember Nothing,’ Nora wrote a list of the things she would and wouldn’t miss... Simple and humourous, this now makes an extremely touching read...

What I Won't Miss


Dry skin

Bad dinners like the one we went to last night
E-mail
Technology in general
My closet
Washing my hair
Bras
Funerals
Illness everywhere
Polls that show that 32 percent of the American people believe in creationism
Polls
Fox TV
The collapse of the dollar
Bar mitzvahs
Mammograms
Dead flowers
The sound of the vacuum cleaner
Bills
E-mail. I know I already said it, but I want to emphasize it.
Small print
Panels on Women in Film
Taking off makeup every night


What I Will Miss


My kids

Nick
Spring
Fall
Waffles
The concept of waffles
Bacon
A walk in the park
The idea of a walk in the park
The park
Shakespeare in the Park
The bed
Reading in bed
Fireworks
Laughs
The view out the window
Twinkle lights
Butter
Dinner at home just the two of us
Dinner with friends
Dinner with friends in cities where none of us lives
Paris
Next year in Istanbul
Pride and Prejudice
The Christmas tree
Thanksgiving dinner
One for the table
The dogwood
Taking a bath
Coming over the bridge to Manhattan
Pie

Thank you for your stories Nora.