Day 36: Why Women Don't Run

Did you read the article in the Los Angeles Times today about why so few women run for public office? Here's my response to the writer who wrote the article:

Greetings Kate,

Thanks for writing about an issue near and dear to me. As a former candidate for the Los Angeles City Council in 2001 & 2009 (5^th District), I am one of the brave women who did put it all on the line to run for an office I believed I could bring value to. As a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, an active community member, a parent, and a passionate champion of more women in office, I applaud you for covering what our political landscape will sadly look like come 2013.

All the women you spoke with and had comment in your article are friends, colleagues and supporters of mine. I have spent a dozen years involved with and serving as a Board member with the National Women’s Political Caucus, a group committed to recruiting, training and supporting more women to run for office. The obstacles are huge for a candidate running in Los Angeles, money probably being the most challenging. Second, is that women still carry the primary responsibility of their families and are unwilling to jeopardize their family for the grueling scrutiny that accompanies a candidate on the campaign tail. I might also point out, that women don’t always support other women and it’s terribly frustrating.

Several of the women you quoted or write about in your article are in office because the women’s community backed them wholeheartedly, and not because they were female, but because they were the best candidates in their respective races. However, many of them do not stay true to the core values that helped elect them which included a commitment to more women in office. They do not mentor women in their communities to fill the pipeline when they move on, thus leaving a void when a seat becomes available. It is a recurring theme and one that now presents us with the possibility of no women on the LA City Council, a town that prides itself on being inclusive and progressive. Where will my voice be on the council?

NWPC’s mission is 50/50 by 2020, 50% men, 50% women representation in all branches of government by the year 2020. We will not achieve this goal at the rate we are progressing. This being said, I will continue working tirelessly to support women candidates with my energy, experience, money and encouragement that while the road may be brutal, and it is, the outcome of having her voice in the political dialogue, is well worth it.

Thanks again for writing an article that speaks volumes to me.

Day 27: Our Boys Are Back In Town

Yay! The college boy's are home for the summer! My son, Brandon Simon, and gal pal Suzee's son Brandon Bank both returned this week from their respective colleges.

In honor of their completion of two years of college mama bears Suzee & Robyn took the big boys to their favorite meal of sushi!

Check out these beautiful boys. Here's Suzee with my son Brandon... Gorgeous!

If you haven't heard the story over the past twenty years... here goes... Suzee and I gave birth the same day twenty years ago, both to beautiful sons and we both named them Brandon!

Pictured here is me with Brandon Bank... what a handsome young man!

They've been pals ever since and Suzee and I have shared a bond of raising them together. I feel as if her son is like my son and I know the feeling is reciprocated on her part.

We laughed, talked about the time we took them skiing when they were barley three years old, how they have grown, how proud we are of them... it was a moment... our Brandon's out on a date with their Mama's...

Day 20: A Cure for Will

Tonight Brian and I attended the Dealing for Duchenne's fundraiser. This is the third year we have attended and supported the efforts of these diligent parents working to find a cure for a deadly disease that affects their beautiful sons.

Duchenne Muscular Distrophy only affects boys. Not sure why, but only boys. A missing gene contributes to muscles not developing and eventually the body breaking down and ending in death. There is no cure for Duchenne. No cure for a disease that is so ugly.

Amy & Chris Martin are our friends, neighbors, and community members and we love their entire family. We met years ago when their son Derek and our boys Harrison & Spencer all played baseball at Cheviot Hills Park. Those were some fabulous days watching all our boys play great baseball. Now they've all moved on to High School. The Martin's also have a beautiful younger daughter, Natalie, and son Will who has Duchenne.

The Martin's are desperate to find a cure. While it's not much, we believe that attending and giving what we can is our way of showing support for their beautiful family while also hopefully contributing to finding a cure.

If you are wondering whose in that picture with me above... it's Super Bowl Champs, Green Bay Packers football star Clay Matthews and gal pal Lisa Martin.

Clay is a huge supporter of finding a cure for Duchenne and was gracious enough to take pictures with all the fawning women who couldn't wait to get their arms around him! He's quite a hunk both in his physic and in his heart for giving his time to help eradicate Duchenne.

Kudos to him and to Amy & Chris for being such wonderful parents, friends, and fundraisers for a very important cause. To learn more about Duchenne or to make a contribution in honor of Will Martin, please visit www.cureduchenne.org.

Day 19: Friendships & Birthday's

Tonight Brian and I dined with dear friend's Lori & Steve Soll in honor of my big 5-0 birthday. What a lovely evening we shared.

The Soll's have been friends for more than 20 years... we have shared births, deaths, holidays, baseball and everything else life throws you, together!

There have been some beautiful memories made between our families. We have shared heartaches, challenges, illnesses, but in the end tonight was just a glorious celebration of life and health!

Thank you to the Soll's for honoring me and for being such wonderful friends.

Day 18: More Birthday Fun

I was turning 50 and our fabulous family friends' son Tanner was turning 16 so we all decided to celebrate in style together!

Here's me with 16 year old Tanner... best pal of my son's Harrison & Spencer!

Jenny & Steve Savitsky and their children, Tanner & Nicole, Jenny's mom Pam, and Brian, me, Harrison & Spencer cruised in luxury in a limo to a delicious special dinner at Saddle Peak Lodge in the Malibu hills near Calabassas. We sipped champagne while cruising along the beautiful coastline and laughed the entire way!

It's so nice to spend your milestone celebrations with friends you love and doing something really different & fun.

Pictured here are all the lovely Mom's, Pam, Jenny, Me and lovely sister Nicole!

The boy's loved the Lodge and of course were adventuresome and tried game-type meats! We had a great evening celebrating birthday's and friendships!

Day 17: Birthday Friendship

The Birthday celebrations continue... oh my gosh I'm going to be huge with all the luncheons, dinner's and cocktails being showered upon me for my 50th Birthday! Whew!

It's been so fun and I feel so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life that want to shower me with affection (and food & drink!).

Pictured here with me is gal pal Nancy Ross out on one of my Birthday celebrations!

Truly the greatest gift in life, other then your health, is the company you keep. The people you choose to spend your time with, share your lives with, and celebrate milestones together.

It's been one festive event after another and I thank you all for reaching out to me to spend time with me, honor me and celebrate how fabulous 50 can be! I'm feeling so good today!

Day 16: Honoring Cool Women

I've been working hard over the past few days reaching out to our hopeful honorees for the 2012 National Women's Political Caucus Women's Leadership Calendar!

I love this event. It's an opportunity to profile outstanding women leaders in a fun & festive way. We produce an actual calendar and it's a great way to raise money for our organization's Political Action Committee, while also hosting a fabulous signature event.

Save the date now! We have secured Thursday, October 20 for the event and it will be happening at the fabulous The Mark for Events. I hope you will all reserve the night to be with me and honor these women while also feeding our PAC. I'll be announcing who the lucky "calender girls" are as soon as I've confirmed all 12 women... stay tuned!

Day 9: Feeling Loved

Not sure how many of you spend time with elderly parents. If you know me well you know over my years I've been blessed to have a lot of parents! I know one should only have two, but in my case there have been more then that with all the marriages, divorces, and re-marriages.

Pictured here is Papa Jack with his six grandchildren.

Today I spent time with Papa Jack. He's pushing 83 now. Time has worn his face, his memory, but not his love for me. He brags to the waiter at the restaurant about how I just ran the marathon. He tells me how beautiful I am, how fantastic my husband Brian is, and how athletic my boy's are. He loves us all so very much and I feel his love to my core.

He repeats himself often. Okay maybe more then often. He shares the same stories more then once, or twice, but I don't mind. I just enjoy his company and listening to him reminisce. We talk about what a bitch it is to get old. You lose your life pretty much. He was a brilliant attorney for some 50 years. Now he watches as many Dodger & Laker games as he can. Not a bad gig, I know, but it just doesn't seem fair.

You live an enriched life, then everything slows down. Your body, your mind, pretty much everything.

He tells me he spends a lot of time just thinking. Pondering. He believes in an after-life. That by believing in his God you could live for eternity. He wishes I shared his religious commitment so that I could live forever too with him. I think one of the kindest words someone ever told me was when he told me how much he'd want me to truly live forever because I am such a good person.

This was a really, genuine from the heart compliment and I've been joked up ever since he told me this earlier today. I feel really loved.

Day 8: More Baseball

Well we were back at Palisades High School today for yet another game! We played mine & Brian's alma mater, University High School.

Amazing to think that it's been 30 years since Brian wore a Uni High Baseball uniform... isn't that just crazy to imagine that I used to watch my hubby play ball in High School!

The years fly by, don't they? I can see so clearly my High School years, my time as a TV reporter (best job I ever had) my children as babies ... it's been a very full & colorful life and I'm looking forward to the next 50!

Day 7: Survived 50 for One Week

Well I survived my first week as a 50 year old woman! And what a week it has been! I've spent wonderful times with friends celebrating this milestone birthday and I feel as if the celebration just keeps goin' ...

Pictured here are gal pals Stacy Bell, me, and Lissa Solomon before we went out to celebrate! Don't we look fabulous & 50!

Most of my lovely lady gal pals are turning the big 5-0 either this year or in the next one or two so we are all facing the same issues of dealing with age, what we want out of the next 50 years for ourselves, our families, and who we want to spend our precious time with. No doubt this makes for some lively & truthful conversations.

I'm in a place where really I don't want to take bullshit anymore nor be in the company of people who are toxic. So this is my new mantra... I'm tired of being nice when you have offended me so I'm not going to pretend it's okay that you have disappointed me.

As I said in one of my Robynisms, I Expect A Lot Because I Give A Lot...

It's a new decade and I'm choosing my company much more wisely!

Day 6: Friendship

So you thought the tournament all week in San Diego would be enough baseball, no way! We headed down to Palos Verdes Estates today for a game as part of the Redondo Baseball Tournament.

Didn't you know baseball never ends! Then tonight we joined terrific friends Ruthie & Chip Bailey for dinner and the theater in downtown Los Angeles.

The Bailey's treated us to the show God of Carnage playing at the Ahmanson Theater. Fabulous production and we all thoroughly enjoyed!

But more then the production, we enjoyed spending time with good friends who are at the same place in life that Brian and I are in... juggling kids in college, never ending schedules full of children's activities, marriages approaching the 25 year mark... we just all "get it" and it was wonderful to laugh and be together.

Spending time with precious friends is a true gift!

Day 5: Re-Grouping Day

Wow, what a whirlwind it has been these past 7 days! The Birthday festivities kicked-off with the 50 for 50 event, hosted by NWPC in honor of my 50th Birthday.

Pictured here is me blowing out my birthday candle at the 50 for 50 reception! Fabulous evening!

It's been a week full of festivities to celebrate turning 50, including a get-away to San Diego for the boy's baseball tournament... and now we are finally home and re-grouping!

Started the day with a great well needed workout! Yikes I've got to get back on track with my running after a hiatus this past week. As I have written, I am going to attempt to run another marathon so I can have a more successful race and hopefully in dry weather!

So today was about a lot of housekeeping ... laundry, marketing, work, blogging, and re-grouping!

Whew it's exhausting having all this fun!

Day 4: One More Day in San Diego

Well our Palisades Dolphins made it to the play-offs here in San Diego in the Lions Tournament. Very exciting. We played hard today, but just couldn't secure the win losing 10 - 8.

Pictured here is Harrison with his Dolphin Teammates.

So we headed back home today with two very exhausted teenagers. What a great 4-day get-away it was for us all. Harrison & Spencer had a blast with their teammates while Mom & Dad soaked up great baseball and enjoyed getting to know our fellow baseball families.

A great time was had by all!

Day 3: More Fun In San Diego

We are staying at the coolest hip boutique hotel called Andaz here in the Gas Lamp district in San Diego. We can see Petco Park where the Padres play ball from our hotel rooftop. It's just a very cool venue and we are having a great time!

Our baseball friends Lu & Ron Brazilli are staying here as well and in between running to the boy's games we are having fun eating, drinking and relaxing together.

Check out my boy Spencer! He's a grinder on the field that's for sure. Money is on Spencer, the boy can deliver. While he may not always receive the glory that his two brothers do since they are pitchers, there's no debating Spencer's contributions to the team. It's so fun to watch him hit and field.

Go Pali Dolphins!

Day 2: Day 2 of Being 50

Still trying to determine if I feel any different now that I'm 50? Hmm, not really! It's been a marathon of celebrations... all fabulous!

Pictured here are me and my darling Miss Rebecca Simon at the National Women's Political Caucus 50 for 50 Event!

Today the hubby Brian and I headed to San Diego for four days to attend Harrison & Spencer's baseball tournament. We are having a blast!

Nothing better then being with my boys and my man watching baseball! So much fun to watch all these teenager's play competitive ball! And who knew it would also be a little get away for the hubby and I to reconnect after a whirlwind of Birthday festivities!

It's been fun hanging with all the baseball families and getting to know everyone better! Long legged Harry pitched an entire game today against a tough opponent and he rocked it baby!

While the opposing team had an obnoxious coach and student athletes who consistently haggled Harrison, he never wavered.

True leadership on the mound and a real treat to watch. It was a victorious game and one of those moments for Brian and I ... just magical... life is really good today!

Day 1: New Year

Wow, today I woke up and it's the first day of my 50th year! Still reeling from the past week and all the birthday celebrations!

The festivities kicked off with the NWPC 50 for 50 event! If you missed this exciting evening, then it was your loss.

Pictured here are two of my most favorite women! Eka Ninuea, me, and Rebecca Sanchez. These ladies are not only big time gal pals, and business owners of Salon Dione, but they make sure my locks are always looking great!

I am so touched by all the accolades and words of accommodation from so many elected officials and community leaders. California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, always a supporter of NWPC and of mentoring women to run for office, attended despite her challenging schedule as Secretary of State and as a candidate for US Congress.

She is a good friend to women and to ensuring that we have more women in office. If you live in her district, please support her for her bid for Congress.

My Assembly member Holly Mitchell attended and honored me with her generous words and I am proud to have supported her.

West Hollywood City Councilwoman Abbe Land, one of my favorite women leaders, attended and shared such an adorable tribute to me! It was precious, and so is she.

Former NWPC-California President Celeste Weingardt drove all the way from Ventura County to be with me tonight and to shower me with love & support.

I felt very special and blessed tonight. And I feel as if my Birthday had purpose... By using my 50th Birthday to raise money for our Political Action Committee I am ensuring that we have the resources to support our endorsed women candidates. What a cool way to usher in the next 50 years!

Day 365: Happy 50 Years to Me

50 ROBYNISMS

Pink is my signature color

When listening to Gospel Music I cry because I’m so moved

I’m obsessed with cocktail napkins & you having one under your drink

I light candles every night in my house even if it’s just me home alone

I say intentions for the day ahead every morning when I wake up

I drink gallons of water a day

I won most Vivacious in High School, Brian won most Understanding, they still hold true

I get anxiety going to Costco

I would have my hair styled everyday if I could afford to

I have worn the same fragrance for 25 years, Tiffany

My favorite designer is Coco Chanel

I’m obsessed with your beverage being served in the correct stemware

The more bling & glitz, the better

My favorite sport is of course Baseball

I hold a Master’s Degree in Broadcast Management from Pepperdine University

I expect a lot, because I give a lot

Fine is never acceptable, you should aim for outstanding

I drink vodka martinis up, cold and with olives

I believe in equal rights for all

I would die for my children

I hosted my own public affairs television show at the age of 27

I wish we could all be foster parents

I’m passionate about more women in public office

. I cry watching the news

I believe being graceful is always in style

I believe intelligence is sexy

I was born a blonde & believe we do have more fun

Peonies are my favorite flowers

I adore my big & blended family & feel blessed to have them in my life

I love my children to the moon & the stars & back again

I believe motherhood is a job, and the best one to hold

I love drinking champagne anytime of the day or night

I miss my mom Suzanne everyday

I believe we can all do better

I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without my partner Brian

I love to travel, but always miss home

I believe in Sisterhood

My daily beverages include coffee, water, vodka & wine

I am passionate about food

I love to dress up

I love to soak in a swimming pool with a cocktail

I’m too old to drink cheap wine & it must be chilled

I’m blessed to have a circle of friends who enrich my life

I’m grateful for my beautiful home built my builder hubby

I have no regrets about running for office, except maybe that I didn’t win

I feel like a winner in life because I at least tried

It has been a colorful 50 years

I have a long to do list for the next 50

I hope you will all be with me on the journey

I’m at peace, but not finished

Day 364: On the Eve of One Year

Wow, I can't believe tonight is the eve of ONE year since I launched my Birthday Blog! One year of sharing my life from the most mundane activities or thoughts, to the extravagant & outrageous. It's been a fabulous journey to chronicle my daily life.

The beauty of this Blog is that I now I have a living diary full of animation and color and it makes me so happy. I set this goal and stuck to it and now I can review everything I did, felt, and experienced from my 49th Birthday celebration in New York until tonight.

Many of you have asked if I was going to continue posting about my life and the answer is YES! I want to keep this living, open book alive. Writing daily gives me an outlet to reflect, share, grow, explore and give shout outs to special people in my life.

I set many goals on my 49th Birthday ... to launch a daily blog, to run a marathon, to get healthy & fit, to be strong, to help women run for office, to attend as many of my boy's baseball games as possible, and I have accomplished all of this.

WOW! it feels amazing!

Day 362: 50 for 50 ... What A Night

What a very special evening it was. I was honored at the 50 for 50 event! The Los Angeles Westside chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus hosted an energetic event to help me usher in my 5oth Birthday while also raising money for an important cause.

I was so very touched and moved by the terrific accolades and thoughtful remarks bestowed upon me. What a fabulous surprise to have so many respected and admired elected leaders attend to honor me! Joining us was Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell, West Hollywood Councilwoman Abbe Land, and former NWPC-California President Celeste Weingardt.

I am honored by their words, leadership and friendship. I was equally honored by my friends, colleagues, and family who joined me tonight!

I felt supported, loved and very special to be recognized by my peers for my commitment to seeing more women elected into office. I live with great passion to this cause and it is my absolute joy to work with talented women to ensure they are victorious.

I want to give a special shout out of gratitude to all my NWPC sisters especially Jane Hasler Henick, Lindsay Bubar, Betsy Johnson, and Rebecca Simon for working hard to make tonight's event a success.

Day 361: Beautiful Beach Day

Had a fabulous beach run today with gal pal Melody Roset! We ran our favorite course along Pacific Coast Highway and even pushed ourselves to run up Temescal Canyon!

Well it really wasn't a push for Melody, but it was for me! Ouch! Have you ever run up that incline? Let me tell you... you want a good looking booty for your bikini this summer, then get your hide over to the Palisades and up that route. It felt GREAT! A wonderful challenge!

And then I was rewarded and treated by Melody to a delicious lunch at Back on the Beach! One of my FAVORITE spots along the coast! We sipped wine (don't tell anyone) and shared a delicious salad & sandwich. It was a perfect way to kick start my birthday week! Thank you dear Melody for working my ass so hard then treating me to a priceless lunch on the beach!

Day 360: Birthday Festivities

Wow, I cannot believe I am days away from the Big 5-0! Can't believe I've been writing my Birthday BLOG for 360 days either! Double snaps for me, that's for sure! This is a big week for me with all types of birthday festivities on the calendar!

On Thursday, we have our 50 for 50 celebration! My board sisters of the National Women's Political Caucus are hosting a 50 for 50 party... a $50 contribution in honor of my 50 years! Pretty cool if you ask me!

I'm honored to be honored! It's taken a lot of effort to produce the event, but the end result will be a healthy PAC account for us to share with our endorsed women candidates! And all while we kick start the 50 Birthday festivities.

I hope you'll be there on Thursday to support NWPC & me!