The text from a friend in New York came in at 11:25 a.m. on July 16. “Did you hear about the shooting in Chattanooga? It’s at a naval facility. It’s still happening. Thought you’d want to check in with your mom.” I was at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street in New Orleans attending Tales of the Cocktail. The crowd was lively as you would expect at a massive cocktail conference. I read the text and felt strangely disoriented. I stepped into a small courtyard to make a phone call to my mother and check breaking news in Chattanooga.
Read more →Pride has been a word on everyone’s lips this week and for several reasons. In a landmark decision the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees a national right to same-sex marriage. The rainbow colors of pride, equality and acceptance have flooded Facebook and national monuments. The flag has been waved proudly in marches throughout the country on Gay Pride Day. I’m happy for my friends whose lives are positively impacted. I am also respectful of those whose personal or religious beliefs cannot accept it. We live in a nation of freedom of speech and – more now than ever- freedom of choice. This
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