The Ladies (and Gents) of LHJ
August 26, 2009 at 1:02 pm , by Amanda Wolfe
Amanda Wolfe, Senior Editor
What makes me a lady: I’ve embraced both my super-nerdy and super-girly sides. (I embroider and code CSS.)
Favorite guilty pleasure: I could watch Pride and Prejudice (new one or BBC) pretty much on repeat. I also have a really unfortunate fondness for potato chips.
Three things on my life list: Have a passport so full of stamps that they have to stitch new pages in, get a dog, and (re)learn French.
If I could have a superpower it would be: The ability to teleport. Instantly visiting my family and friends across the country (and skipping nasty commutes!) would be amazing.
Ladies I admire: My mom, who worked through 12 rounds of chemo.
Amelia Harnish, Editorial Assistant
What makes me a lady: I believe that you should never look down on someone unless you’re helping them up.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Sleeping in. My favorite Dr. Seuss book will always be I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!
Three things on my life list: 1. Hike the Appalachian Trail 2. Live in a house with a library and a garden 3. Volunteer more.
If I could have a superpower it would be: The ability to pause, fast-forward and rewind time.
Ladies I admire: My mom and my sisters. Oprah Winfrey. Lady Gaga. Lucille Ball.
Arpita Joshi, Associate Editor, LHJ.comWhat makes me a lady: I’m confident, I love passionately, I’m ambitious and always eager to experience different things, and I love wearing dresses every single day.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Anything that involves copious amounts of cheese or chocolate.
Three things on my life list: Open a desserts-only restaurant, write a book, go cage diving with great white sharks.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: To be able to obtain all kinds of delicious foods from anywhere in the world instantly (and be able to eat as much of them I want without compromising my health). Or something less gluttonous, like teleportation.
Ladies I admire: Hillary Clinton, Tina Fey, my mom.
Catherine LeFebvre, Senior Editor, LHJ.comWhat makes me a lady: I always try to speak with grace and composure, even if I’m dropping the F-bomb.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Teen dramas on the CW.
Three things on my life list: 1. Make the all-time greatest, undisputed, perfect chocolate chip cookies. 2. Complete an Olympic large hill ski jump (with all limbs intact). 3. Travel to Africa. I’m thinking Tanzania.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: Teleportation. Why can’t Star Trek be real?
Ladies I admire: My sisters, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Susan Orlean, Jennifer Capriati.
Cherise Bathersfield, Deputy Research EditorWhat makes me a lady: My high empathy threshold.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Watching repeats of the original, never to be truly duplicated Beverly Hills, 90210 … and Family Guy episodes.
Three things on my life list: Finish reading Don Quixote en Español; Finish the last short story I was writing (There might be a theme here!); Return to Paris with the ability to parler français.
If I could have a superpower it would be: The ability to travel through time and change past events.
Ladies I admire: Frida Kahlo, Jhumpa Lahiri, Fiona Apple. Any lady who has an artist’s spirit, explores it and expresses it despite what others may think.
Erica Metzger, Beauty DirectorWhat makes me a lady: Simple things–lying in savasana at the end of yoga practice, discovering a great new lipstick shade and Friday night pizza with my hubby–make me feel like a million bucks.
Favorite guilty pleasure: A second cup of coffee.
Three things on my life list: Write a book, visit Italy, own a shore home
If I could have a superpower, it would be: Indestructible knees.
Ladies I admire: My mom, Tina Fey, Michelle Obama, Diane Von Furstenberg and Ugly Betty.
Gabrielle Porcaro, Associate Fashion EditorWhat makes me a lady: I impress people with my shoes, my cooking and my ability to take down shots of whiskey.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Repeatedly watching the same lame movies every time they are on TV (ie. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the Sweetest Thing, and Miss Congeniality).
Three things on my life list: 1. To travel to the south of France or the Amalfi Coast 2. To own a house with big kitchen and walk in closet 3. To learn a choreographed dance with my friends that we can perform at weddings. I want to make those cheesy moments in teen movies a reality!
If I could have a superpower, it would be: Time Travel… purely for shopping sake…
Ladies I admire: My mother and my sisters.
Jennifer Castoro, Associate EditorWhat makes me a lady: I love contact sports, strong beer and war movies but still treasure girls’ nights, ballroom dancing and a good glass of vino.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Anything that involves lounging on the beach. If only I could make a living mushing sand between my toes.
Three things on my life list: See the sun rise and set at least once over every ocean; sing on a stage that’s grander than my shower and act for an audience other than my bathroom mirror; have great-grandchildren.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: Flying. I could travel the world without having to go through airport security, get to my office sans an hour of traffic and commune with the birdies!
Ladies I admire: My mom, for her complete devotion to her family (and wicked good meatloaf), my grandma, for her ability to charm everyone in the room, and Joan Rivers.
Jessica Brown, Features EditorWhat makes me a lady: My belief that… * Your dress size has nothing to do with your happiness or self-worth (it took me way too long to learn this). * Life is too short to care about keeping a spotless house. * Weights are one of a lady’s best friends. Seriously. Nothing makes you feel more confident than having some muscle.
Favorite guilty pleasure: It’s a tie between LOL cats and drooling over Robert Pattinson.
Three things on my life list: * Get a French bulldog and train him to be a therapy dog. That way, we could spread some cuteness and cheer at the hospital that’s a few blocks away from my apartment. * Run a marathon, preferably in a really gorgeous spot like Napa Valley. * Be less stressed! I’m terrified to imagine how much cortisol floods my body daily, thanks to my crazy, Type A personality. I need to learn to let go of some things and actually enjoy my life. How I’ll do this…well, that’s a whole other list. I’ll start with a vacation abroad.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: Does not needing sleep count as a superpower? Think of all you could do with that free time!
Ladies I admire: Every lady who’s refused to let other people’s outdated notions of what women can’t or shouldn’t do hold her back.
Joy Armstrong, Research EditorWhat makes me a lady: I always manage to laugh hard, even on the worst days.
Favorite guilty pleasure: I’m addicted to celebrity gossip.
Three things on my life list: To write and produce a play. To own my very own house. To wake up in Kenya.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: To transport myself from one destination to another (Beam me up, Scotty!).
Ladies I admire: Toni Morrison, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Susan B. Anthony.
Julie Bain, Health DirectorWhat makes me a lady: I can stand in an OR for eight hours and watch bloody open-heart surgery without throwing up or passing out.
Favorite guilty pleasures: “Grey’s Anatomy,” Pinot Noir, artichokes with butter.
Three things on my life list: Get calm and strong through yoga, write a funny novel, do more good.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: Discover a cure for cancer.
Ladies I admire: Astronaut Peggy Whitson, who’s spent more time in space than any American; Lori Mosca, M.D., who runs marathons and also runs the preventive cardiology program at New York-Presbyterian-Columbia University Medical Center; Sandra Bullock, for her talent, strength and humor.
Kate Lawler, Executive EditorWhat makes me a lady: I write thank you notes.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Cheetos.
Three things on my life list: Learn to barbecue. Do a triathlon. Own a dog.
If I could have a superpower it would be: The ability to grow taller when I need to reach the top shelf at the grocery store.
Ladies I admire: My mom, who has beaten cancer four times.
Khalil A. Hymore, Assistant Food EditorWhat makes me a gentleman: I’m a firm believer in saying “please” and “thank you”, holding doors open for people, and being a good host.
Favorite guilty pleasure: McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwiches (but don’t tell any of my culinary school friends), chocolate chip walnut cookies from Levain Bakery in NYC (THE best!), any of the The Real Housewives shows on Bravo (except Orange County), and falling asleep watching Golden Girls re-runs.
Three things on my life list: To write (and hopefully publish) a cookbook, to become fluent in another language, and to travel to Lebanon to discover some of my family roots.
If I could have a superpower it would be: To freeze time, there never seems to be enough of it. I’d also like the ability to teleport…I mean, how often are you heading back from work or a long day out and think, “Ughh, I wish I were home right NOW!”
Ladies I admire: Alice Waters, Martha Stewart, Lucille Ball, Rachel Maddow, Meryl Streep, Ruth Reichl, Hillary Clinton, Julia Child, and my Nana.
Louise Sloan, Senior Articles EditorWhat makes me a lady: I once changed a car tire for a clueless male friend. I think I was wearing a sundress at the time.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Reading the tawdry romance novels my sisters leave behind at my mom’s house.
Three things on my life list: Live by the water. Write another book. Learn to play the piano, for real.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: The ability to be in two places at one time, so I could be a stay-at-home mom and make a living.
Ladies I admire: Aviator Beryl Markham. The purse-wielding little old lady from the Madagascar movies. Toni Morrison. Pippi Longstocking. Jessica Rabbit.
Mandy Hendrix, Assistant Beauty EditorWhat makes me a lady: While I may not always enjoy it, I feel empowered by being able to do things on my own like travel, dine out or hang shelves.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Any reality show on Bravo. Hours could pass and I’m still glued to the TV!
Three things on my life list: Speak Spanish fluently, live in a foreign country, see Paul McCartney in concert.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: Teleportation. I hate flying and love traveling.
Ladies I admire: My mother because she’s been working as a special education teacher and administrator for 35 years. I’ve seen her in action and she’s pretty amazing—she has so much compassion and ability to get things done. It’s quite impressive and something I aspire to.
Sue Erneta, Fashion EditorWhat makes me a lady: I juggle work, marriage and mommyhood and I do it all in heels.
Favorite guilty pleasure: The ridiculous amount of time I spend online searching the J Crew sale site.
Three things on my life list: Go on a hot air balloon ride, Own property in the Caribbean, Have dinner with all 5 members of Duran Duran.
If I could have a superpower it would be: To feel completely full and satisfied after eating small sensible meals and have no desire for sweets.
Ladies I admire: My mom.
Sonia Harmon, Editorial AssistantWhat makes me a lady: I can always find a bargain (even in New York city), I love making people laugh and I’m not afraid to kick my boyfriend’s butt on the Nintendo Wii.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes.
Three things on my life list: Live abroad, become a professional baker and become fluent in Spanish.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: The ability to time travel wherever I want, whenever I want!
Ladies I admire: Olga Harmon, Oprah Winfrey.
Tara Bench, Food and Entertaining EditorWhat makes me a lady: I can dish it out, but take it too.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Looking at food magazines with no plans to cook anything.
Three things on my life list: Travel through South America—they have great food! Eat more vegetables. Live someplace where I can have a garden and a lemon tree.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: To stop time; so I could enjoy the best things a little longer.
Ladies I admire: My mother and both grandmothers.
Thomas Claire, Associate Managing EditorWhat makes me a gentleman: The hope that if we all continue to speak civilly and often enough we will be able to find a path forward that rewards us all whether through fulfillment at each step of the trip or later, when the journey is nearly complete.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Knowing myself knowing something. Plus any painting by Jan Vermeer.
Three things on my life list: I would love to be able to speak French like a native francophone. I promised my mother many years ago that I would dedicate a book to her someday, so dedicating one to her memory would suit me just fine. I would love to follow my father’s route where he fought in World War II.
If I could have a superpower, it would be: I would really love to be able to tell deceit from honesty no matter what, or in lieu of that be able to understand what makes people tick.
Ladies I admire: There are so many, from history (think Eleanor of Aquitaine, for instance) to politics (Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama) to university and work—I doubt there is space enough to list them all. Suffice it to say that I have met women so kind and smart and intelligent and giving and caring and funny that if woman did not exist God would have had to invent her . . .
Travis Ward, Associate Art DirectorWhat makes me a gentleman: Having respect for everyone’s opinions, while maintaining my own.
Favorite guilty pleasure: Video games, of course! And also foods containing chocolate or cheese.
Three things on my life list: Travel to all 50 states; ski on all 7 continents; and learn to design and build my own wood furniture.
If I could have a superpower it would be: Controlling time. I’d be able to rewind and take the foot out of my mouth on several occasions!
Ladies I admire: The women of my family. Most of my family is women, and all of them are strong, smart, and independent individuals who have taught me many different things throughout my life.
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