New York City – April Coker, Author

Talk Show Hosting from Home: Decor Ideas

Talk show hosts such as Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel have been hosting their shows from their homes. I have found these glimpses into their homes and the homes of their guests very interesting.

Have you noticed the rustic bohemian look of Jimmy Fallon’s home? The kitchen contains what looks like open cabinets made of old wood, while the office/playroom has antique cubbies filled with small antiques, antique toys, and even has an enclosed slide like the ones at McDonald’s Playland that goes from one floor down to the next.

His interviews with other celebrities have given us a glimpse into their homes as well.

Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared in a room with a scaled down tank in front of a large TV. And look at the beams on the ceiling! That gallery wall is impressive as well.

Kate Hudson appeared in a dark room with wood paneled walls, open shelving, and traditional chairs, probably an office.

Ben Stiller spoke from a bright neutrally decorated room with neutral furniture and open shelving with black-framed pieces. It looks like a music room, actually.

Ryan Reynolds appeared in a room with rustic wood planked walls, a gallery-look art display, and two different style lamps, very masculine, probably his man cave.

LL Cool J appeared in front of a cool gallery wall of various portraits and emblems. Behind him is a shelf with a cool TIki-looking jar, a New York graphic sign, and letters spelling COSMIC.

This report may have totally put you to sleep but I thought it was interesting to see where these celebrities came from. Admittedly, some may have filmed their segments in other places besides their homes, but if you go to the NBC Tonight Show page you can see a lot more celebrities behind the scenes in their own personal spaces. Seeing their personal spaces tells me a lot more about them than anything they could say or do. Don’t you agree?

Unbeknownst to me until today, there is a couple who rates the rooms people are in when they Skype or Zoom. Their comments are original and a bit snarky. You can check them out here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/2020/05/18/room-rater-twitter-feed-giving-us-snarky-life-during-quarantine/5218545002/

Here in Texas we are beginning to venture out, keeping social distancing and sanitizing guidelines, of course. Masks are also strongly advised. It’s been nice to get out again. I hope you are safe and well.

Who is your favorite celebrity? Maybe we will see them from their own homes on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon!

XOXO

FOLK Magazine’s Journal Challenge: My Favorite Trip of All Time

This week’s journal prompt from Folk Magazine mentions that this is the time of year when people begin planning summer vacations. They then ask us to tell about our favorite vacation of all time, and then explain what makes it so special.

Another tough one, but out of all the family vacations I have taken in my life, first as a child with my family, then as a parent with my own children, I would have to choose the vacation that my son took me on just after he graduated from high school.

I will never forget when he asked me.

“Let’s go to New York, Mom,” he said.

I had to laugh. “Yeah, right,” I said.

“No, really. I’ll pay for it with my graduation money. If you will buy the food, I will cover the hotel and flight.”

Suddenly a real live trip to a real live place that I never thought I would ever in a million years be able to visit became a possibility. (That is SOME sentence, even for an English teacher. . .)

Soon, we found ourselves in the middle of a big ol’ city with not a clue as to how to get around. My son is a pretty smart young man and he figured it out for us. And this was pre-GPS and internet on your cell phone. I will never forget the landmarks and sights we beheld, or the rush hour subway traffic and street vendors, or the way New Yorkers use their feet like Texans use their cars. My feet were so sore one night I had to sit down in the shower!

Matt and me at Maxie’s in Times Square. It was June, 2002.

But the thing that will stick in my mind forever is the fact that Matt invited me, his mom, to go with him when he could have invited any of his friends or other family members. What a privilege for a mom to be included in a once-in-a-lifetime experience with her teenage son!

On Liberty Island with Manhattan behind us. Gotta love those plaid pants! And I was a redhead back in those days. . .

We had such a great time that I was invited AGAIN two years later to go with him and his best friend before Jordan entered the Army!

Yep, it was a great trip with a great kid. I’d have to rank it up there as my all-time favorite.

What would be your favorite trip of all time?

XOXO