Glorious Broad #17: Liz Friedman

PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER SCALZI / DISTILLED STUDIOS

Hair/Makeup: Tiagi Lambert

That necklace: Designed by Liz Friedman

The Bomb in all her glory

The beyond glorious jewelry designer/fashion icon/consummate New Yorker, 81 year-old Liz Friedman, is utterly charming with her wit and — yes — gonna say it — wisdom. But this ain't granny story time — her yarns had me doing spit takes with my 11 dollar cappuccino when we met at Ralphs Coffee. Like the one about how Bergdorf's started to carry her (beyond amazing) jewelry line...  At first they foolishly ignored her calls until she left the following message: “If I didn’t love this store so much I wouldn’t bother telling you this. I've been in your downstairs café selling my jewelry like crazy, and you are not making a nickel on these sales. Wouldn’t you like to talk?” The phone rang within minutes. Slay, Queen!

And GBs, the Liz Freidman ride is just beginning — fasten your seatbelts for a glorious ride…

GLORIOUS PROFESSION: Fundraiser Cum Jewelry Designer Cum Consummate New Yorker

GLORIOUS PERSONA: Draws a Crowd Just Walking Down the Street, Late Bloomer

GLORIOUS QUALITIES: Hilarious Storyteller, Survivor, Thriver, Living Her Best Life

GLORIOUS PHILOSOPHY:

“I want you to look at me! I DON’T want to be invisible.”

SO HOW AND WHEN DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR LOOK? I LOVE THAT IT’S NOT OVERLY OUTRAGEOUS  — JUST PURE FUCKIN’ FABULOUS.
I’m glad you call it fabulous.

I always knew that what I loved and what I could have were not the same thing. First, I grew up as a fat kid. Second, my parents were very leftist — they viewed clothes as superficial.

SO WHAT DID THE YOUNG YOU DO?
I started to sew my own clothes. Very early. And in ’56, I went off to college and lived on a Kibbutz in Israel.

HOW DID YOU BLOSSOM ON A KIBBUTZ???
Well, anything related to fashion was deliberately denigrated there … but I got ahold of Vogue magazine. It cost a whole month’s allowance and I devoured it. I couldn’t have any of that stuff but …

BUT WHAT?
Coming back from Israel, where we saw NOTHING, we went to Italy, Florence and Rome for 4 days. The impression that made on me …

TELL ME.
Those women! The cut of the suits, the leather, the shoes! I wore a size nine shoe which was unheard of in Italy in those days. But I managed. That whole elegant look — yet something more. My basic style has stayed the same since.

BUT HOW DID YOU TURN INTO … THIS?
I returned home, and in my freshman year at Queens College, I met this older woman I was trying to befriend. She said to me, ‘I think you're the best kid in the world, and I want to be friends with you but — I don’t like fat kids. So as soon as you get that off … ‘

I lost 75 pounds.

I went to Paris to finish school, and suddenly, everybody’s falling all over me. (chuckling) That never happened before…

UNLEASHED — at 65

HOW DID YOU DRESS IN YOUR WORKING LIFE?
When you’re paid a salary, you have to do what they want. I had to be conservative. Stylish, but conservative. But when I left the organization ...

YOU WERE UNLEASHED …
First, I discovered consignment clothing. I had a secretary who used to have these clothes that — how the hell can she afford this …

And she told me about this place called Encore — the granddaddy of resale shops — and I was off to the races.

AND THE VINTAGE?
This jacket I have on is from 1900 — I bought stuff like this from a garage on 25th street — the workmanship! And I wore those wonderful petticoats — made me look like I was on the Titanic.

Then I started to go to England where they had great hat makers. It was like a costume party. And it just fed on itself.  

LOVE.

And then I got into making jewelry …

WHAT AGE?
I was retired. Like …. 2003. I’m 81 now so whatever that was.

I started getting more and more attention and meeting people. I was staying at the Regina Hotel in Paris. I walked out on the street and some very tall gentleman came over and slips me a piece of paper — it was a modeling release.

He said: ‘Madame, you are the most fashionable woman in all Paris.’ Now, when I was 20 — nobody ever paid any attention to me like that.

But everybody's gathering on the street. They think I’m somebody famous …

LOVE LOVE!
Then this bus tour comes along and the guide gets off the bus and — thinking I didn’t speak French — says: Ladies and gentleman: Now this is Parisian chic. I said: ‘Yeah, from Brooklyn.’

I got a laugh …

AND YOU’RE STILL PASSIONATE ABOUT FASHION …
I am as excited about fashion today at 81 as I was when I 20 years old.

And I want you to look at me!

I DON’T want to be invisible. (laughs)

DID YOU DREAM AT 16 YOU WOULD BECOME THE WOMAN THAT YOU ARE TODAY?
I saw myself always living in Manhattan and being a very sort of sophisticated type.

AN AUNTIE MAME TYPE?
Absolutely.

“ Have your own, be your own, do your own.”

DID YOU WANT KIDS?
I used to think about it. But I sort of knew that wasn’t for me.

HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME? YOU’RE SHOT BY PHOTOGRAPHERS ON THE STREETS — EVERYWHERE.
it’s very unstructured. I leave myself open to new adventures.

WELL, YOUR ENERGY IS AMAZING.
You don't see me lying about in an old terry cloth bath robe …

ARE YOU AT ALL INTERESTED IN A LOVE LIFE AT THIS POINT?
I don’t think about it.

My young friend is funny — she’ll say oh look — this guy's looking at you …

What am I gonna do with that? No. That someone should look the other way.

WHEN DID YOU WALK AWAY FROM ALL THAT?
When I was 40, I cleaned up everything. I stopped drinking. I stop smoking. I stopped drugs and I said I would stop having sex for a bit. I was promiscuous back then …

OUCH
I would try that for a year and then — somewhere along the line — celibacy chose me.

Also — I didn’t do what you have to do to attract a guy.

LIKE?
I always felt that what I liked most about me is what made me least likeable to men: My outrageousness. My strong opinions.

I couldn’t live with a man now. Although … adjoining planets might work …

AND IF HE ROCKETS OVER TO YOUR PLANET ONCE IN A WHILE …

WELL, WHAT WERE YOU DOING FOR A LIVING AT FORTY?
Always fundraising.

AND HOW WAS THAT?
I loved it.

I wasn’t the March of Dimes. I don’t do that crowd.

I don't do direct mail. You give me a million dollars and I’ll do things with grace.

It's not fundraising, it’s friend raising.

People think — oh you're doing good. No. I’m not doing good. I’m doing well.

ABOUT THAT CLEAN UP …

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT CLEAN UP AT 40 — THAT A BIG RESTART?
Well, I kind of went off the rails for a while.

I never got fat again. But that fear was looming over me. I did all the anorexic things — the bulimic things. I was thinking about food all the time. And I loved that everybody thought I was in control. But I was totally out of control.

AND WERE YOU WORKING?
Oh yes, I was a successful working woman. But I would go on these eating binges … it seems so long ago. It’s easy to talk about now.

I would start on a Friday night and by the time I had to go back to work on Monday, I couldn’t fit into anything, my face was swollen — and I was drinking.

Everything was falling apart.

WHAT TURNED IT AROUND?
I walked into an Overeaters Anonymous Meeting. I immediately thought — these are the sickest people I've ever seen in my life.

And somebody came over to me and said: ‘Could you come to 30 meetings, one meeting every day?’

Well, I wasn’t even gonna stay through this one. (Laughs)

And I said, Well, what if I don't like it? Do I get my money back? I didn't know it was free…

Her answer? ‘At the end of the 30 days, if you don't like what happens here, we’ll give you back your over eating and your misery. How’s that?’

And I thought: this is powerful.

VERY.

So I started to go every day. And I thought what they did in there was ridiculous. Stupid.

That was 40 years ago and I’ve never eaten another grain of sugar, I’ve never had a food binge and I’ve never over eaten since.

But it was hard. Then I thought, I might as well clean up everything else: drinking, smoking, all of it. And I'd like to tell you that my life worked out wonderfully from then on.

It didn’t.

IT WASN’T ALL RAINBOWS Y’ALL

I went through a period for five years where I almost never got out of bed. I lost my job. I lost everything. I didn't have a cent to my name. I thought it was over. In AA they say: the miracle is just around the corner. And I thought all the king's horses and all the king's men can’t help me out …

My brother was paying my rent. But nobody knew what was going on — ‘cause I could still get dressed…

I have a five year blank in my resume …

And one day … I was now 46, I had to go to a wedding in Jersey.

And I got all dressed up, the way I did.

This woman comes over to me and says, ‘I remember you. You’re the best fundraiser in the business. You’re gonna come work for me.’

I thought — ho ho, yeah, sure …

She said: What are you doing these days?

I said, oh… very busy. Then she told me: ‘I just gave a foundation a million dollars but they’ll  only get it if they raise another million to match — and they’re inept with raising funds ….. ‘

OH MY GOD. WOW.

And I didn’t know anyone. ANYONE.

She says I want you to go see the foundation President tomorrow. I didn't even have bus fare. I carried my shoes in my bag as I walked there. The President and I interview. And that's when I learned the rules of the working world, which I now teach. You never go to personnel — and don’t have a resumé. It means nothing. ‘Cause when somebody who gave a million dollars says to the President: You're gonna hire her … you've got the job.

He never asked me what I've been doing all these years. Instead it's: Someone told me that you're an expert in this area. Can you help us? ‘Well, I’m busy.’ Can’t you give us any time?

‘Well, maybe three days a week.’

My scenario was at the end of the first day, they’ll fire me. But they'll have to pay me for that day and I could live on that for a long time. So he asked, how much do you get? This was like 1986. I said $500 a day — the biggest number I could think of. He says yeah, we can give you that.

So I went in Monday. I came back Wednesday, and in one month, I raised a million dollars.

YOU’RE KILLING ME …

They thought I walked on the water. They made me a director of the organization at some astronomical salary. So that was the end of that.

I’M DUMBFOUNDED. 

If my brother wasn’t paying my rent, I’d be on street. I had nothing. I used to think, how did I use to buy a dress? How did I buy a tube of lipstick? And then the next two days after I got hired, I’m on a yacht — and we’re cruising up the Hudson.

WOW, WOW, THAT ….

I believe that there is a miracle in everybody's life, you just got to get out there and find it and I keep telling people: Do not stay in your apartment.

NO.

You know what that is? You open a vial and you put poison into your head and then you close it up. You need to be talking, meet people — stay outside.

Every addiction whether drinking, drugs, eating. You know what they’re called? Diseases of isolation.

THAT IS SOME STORY …

The great biographer, Ted Morgan, said ‘I'm never interested in anybody who’s life trajectory is just upwards. It bores me.’

And me neither. I want to know — how low did you go and what did you do to get up?

Too much success puts me to sleep.

IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN I WAS FIRST WRITING THESE INTERVIEWS, I WAS JUST DOING HAPPY NEWS. AND SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, I REALIZED I HAD TO ASK THESE WOMEN ABOUT WHAT CHANGED THEM — THE CHALLENGES — THE MUCK THEY CLIMBED OUT OF …
Yeah. If you ask a very successful guy, how did you get here, he’ll say, well, I kicked ass and I did this, I did that. Most women will tell you — guess I just got lucky… 

CAN WE CHANGE THAT IN OUR LIFETIME? I THINK THE YOUNGER GENERATION WILL — AND IS …

“One of the sad things that happens to older people: They don’t fantasize any more. I was going to start a thearapy group — a fantasy factory”

DO YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO BE 20 AGAIN?
None.

98% OF THE WOMEN I INTERVIEW TELL ME THIS.
My life took off like a bat out of hell from 46 to now. Those early years were kind of horrific.

WOULD YOU SAY YOU’RE A SPIRITUAL PERSON?
You are familiar with the 12 steps?

OH YES. I LIVE NEXT TO THE INFAMOUS PERRY STREET AA HOUSE.
Well, I'm not a believer. I always tell everybody you can get sober and clear without believing in “God.”

OH YEAH, I’VE HEARD: GOD IS A GANG OF DRUNKS …
But for a while I did …. you know, you get very desperate and when you have no money — you grab on to anything — you'll grab on to Marianne Williamson (laughs) … or what’s your sign in astrology …

But there is a magic to AA. You can take people that have been to every kind of therapy. Nothing works. And you stick them in a room with a bunch of drunks and they get it all out.

And I haven't stuck with anything else for 40 years....

WERE YOU MARRIED?
Yeah. For 2 years. Age 30.

SO WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON MARRIAGE?
Women are better off developing themselves and their way of life alone.  Be with a man because you like his company, but have your own life, enjoy your own company, and own your own money.

The minute you go with a man because you need something … it’s over.

DO YOU THINK PARTNERSHIPS CAN BE EQUAL?
I’ve seen so many women who never really develop. ‘My husband wouldn't want me to do this … if I go in that direction, it would end the marriage.’

Even in my two years of marriage this happened. ‘He wouldn’t like this, I have a secret about that, I can’t do this…’

Eventually, you’re gonna rebel.

But I may be a little cynical … (laughs)

PREACH!

SO, DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?
The amount of time I spent worrying and thinking about men — which is what we’re doing now.

OOOPS.

GOT SOME ADVICE FOR YOUNG WOMEN?
Have your own, be your own, do your own.

DID SUCCESS CHANGE FOR YOU AS TIME WENT ON — OR IS SUCCESS JUST SUCCESS?
After all those years in AA, where they tell you you’re a successful person if you don’t drink today — well — it’s a little hard to buy that one. But after my struggles, I don't like to measure success in terms of dollars and cents any more.

ARE YOU THE SAME PERSON THAT YOU WERE AT 30, 40, 50?
No. I don't think anybody is. I don’t want to be. Do we become wiser? I don’t know. There are plenty of stupid older people. I think the important thing is — keep being open.

SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE BIGGEST RISK YOU’VE TAKEN IN YOUR LIFE?
I stayed alone.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR?
For the humor. Being interesting. Being fun. Being generous. I’ll be happy with that.

I THINK YOU’RE A GLORIOUS BROAD. WHAT DOES GLORIOUS MEAN TO YOU?
Glorious Broad is like … Elaine Stritch, Rosalind Russell, Diana Vreeland.

A generosity of spirit.

EXPLAIN THAT TO ME?
When you talk with someone like this, you feel like the most important person. They find you endlessly fascinating. There have been about a half a dozen men like that in my life.

A HALF A DOZEN? MEN THAT YOU LIKE? THAT YOU LOVE?
Love in a different kind of way.

Adlai Stevenson was one them. I could say that name to you because you’ll know who he was. He was that. And I remember a story I read that spoke to me — there was a party one night and Jack Kennedy was standing with journalist, Clayton Fritchey — and there was Adlai, surrounded by a troop of enraptured, beautiful women. Kennedy turns to his friend and says: ‘What the hell does that guy have? He’s fat. He's bald.’ Clayton says: ‘You want to know Jack? You love women. Adlai likes them. They know the difference.’

And he’s right. It’s a certain thing, not just manners …

The way they treat you… not condescending, with interest. With savoir faire.

It’s relaxed. It is sexual. But it's not sexual.

Life enhancing. No matter what you do, you are perfect.

And when I have an encounter with somebody, afterwards I ask myself, do I feel like the same person? Do I feel diminished?

YES.

Or do I feel elevated?

YES.

MORE UPS AND DOWNS

Today is my birthday, and my friend made reservations at Jean-Georges — the meal’s gonna cost $100 each at least. When we got there, the hostess said ‘Oh I couldn’t get you the table you wanted — that’s for VIPs.’

So: Diminished right away. What a stupid thing to say. She should just say: I’m sorry.

Now, if you had been to a Danny Meyer’s restaurant —

UNION SQUARE CAFÉ?
My brother took me there for lunch and I loved it. So I came back. I didn’t know that you needed reservations.

I get down there and there’s this big line, including Christopher Reeve, before the accident, and Bob Abrams, who was running for Senate. This young kid comes over to me and shows me this perfect table that was reserved. He says, ‘Go to the bar, and if they don't show — it's yours.’ I ask: ‘But Christopher Reeves and Bob Abrams are here.’ The young kid said ‘And Liz Friedman. And you are Liz Friedman.’

I LOVE THAT.
After 10 minutes, he says — it’s your table. And we were served like queens.

At the end of this perfect meal, I came up to this kid and — I never do this — but I slipped him five dollars. He puts it back in my hand and said ‘You don’t have to do that — ‘cause I am the owner and my name is Danny Meyers. The best gift you can give me is just keep coming back.’

NOW I LOVE HIM.

He elevated me.

Rules to live by!

THIS WAS SO AMAZING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I feel like I did too much talking.

NO WAY. AFTER THIS ENCOUNTER, BELIEVE ME, I AM ELEVATED.

Liz has an instagram account she ignores at lizfriedman2. You’ll find her in Humans of New York Stories and popping up in fashion pages as, yep, the consummate New Yorker.

Glorious Broad #8: Debra Rapoport

PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER SCALZI / DISTILLED STUDIO

GLORIOUS PROFESSION: Healer, Teacher and always — Artist

GLORIOUS PERSONA: Extravagantly Stylish, Re-inventor, Eco-Aware, FREEEE

GLORIOUS QUALITIES: Passionate, Engaged, Generous, Connector, Celebratory

GLORIOUS PHILOSOPHY:

“You gotta play. You gotta make a mess.”

Strolling down the street with Debra recently, we were approached (ahem, SHE was approached) by fan after bedazzled fan: “I love your style,” “where can I find that vest,” “your look makes me sooo happy,” and my favorite — “thank you inspiring us for what our future CAN be.”

It’s just part of Debra’s everyday to be both a magnet and energy source. I thought I knew my Debra 101 — muse for Ari Cohen's Advanced Style, collector of recycled materials for her art, Instagram celeb …  But I knew bupkis (Debra word I have adopted) about the multitude of reinventions and hard won savvitude this resilient broad has in her. Fasten your seat belts for an amazing Glorious Broad, Debra Rapoport …

HOW AND WHEN DID THIS FABULOUS “STYLE” THING COME TO YOU?
Since I was 3 years old. When we moved to NJ my sister and I were wearing black tights and ballet slippers. My mother used to take us to Greenwich village on Friday nights to “hang out…”

SO YOUR MOTHER WAS COOL …
Very cool … we were strict vegetarians before — well, anybody. We’d never went to doctors — we’d visit “quack” doctors in the middle of the night. She was a real maverick.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
Manhattan. Then Florida. After 6 months, my mother declared “I cannot live here.” Then off to the suburbs in our Italian boho shoes, black tights, surrounded by bobby socks and saddle shoes. We became the “curiosity.” So I know the feeling of being an oddity from way back. (Laughs)

WOULD YOU SAY YOUR MOTHER WAS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE?
Yes. My mother. My grandmother. A grandma can do no wrong.

We’d go to Grandma’s for a sleep over and immediately gravitate to the sewing machine — take the button drawer out, dump it on the floor, and start playing. My grandfather would say “Oy — they are making a mess” and she would say “Be quiet — they’re being creative” and that runs through me. You gotta play. You gotta make a mess.”

SO WHAT STARTED FORMING THE DEBRA I SEE BEFORE ME?
I was shy, insecure as a kid and through art school. But little by little my confidence increased — enough to apply to grad school. And that’s where I realized what education was. Not intimidation. But bringing in the light. Positive criticism. So Berkeley. Berkeley changed my life.

HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE?
11 years. Got my M.A. from University of California, Berkeley and taught for 8 at U.C. Davis. Textile and costume history as an art form.

WHY’D YOU LEAVE?
After 8 years, I just couldn’t stand academia. I threw in the towel. And I was tenured at 35. Everybody thought I’d lost my mind. One of the youngest ever in a creative field, or some bullshit like that …

SO THE IVORY TOWER DROVE YOU CRAZY?
The headaches I would get. I’d throw-up on the side of the road on my commute. And then I realized: there is something wrong with this picture! Teaching I loved. But academia… I’m still friends with all the faculty though …

OF COURSE YOU ARE STILL FRIENDS. I’VE BEEN TO YOUR PARTIES …
Yep.

SO WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO WALK AWAY FROM TEACHING?
It was 1979. I left my husband. I left him the car. He gave me a camera and we had a $35 divorce. I said goodbye.

OUCH!
Well, yeah. We met in an alternative community. It was called Synanon, a drug rehab place. And in '69, they opened to squares like me. I had been visiting a friend who was living there, finishing up grad school, wondering where am I gonna make these kinds of friends again? I don’t do parties. I don’t do drugs. I don’t drink. I don’t screw. And this community was totally chemical and violence free. And I thought, yeah, this is healthy. So, I got involved. And I met my husband.

“I’m famous enough. Who cares. That and $2 will get you on the subway.”

COMMUNITY AGAIN — THEN WHAT?
Well, the writing was on the wall. We lived there for two years, but it was getting too fascistic. Humiliating me over bullshit. So, we moved back to Berkley. Stayed married for five more years. And then it was time for me to move back to New York … solo …

SO COMING BACK TO NEW YORK WAS A COMPLETE RESTART FOR YOU IN EVERY WAY, RIGHT?
Oh yeah … I wasn’t sure what to do next. That was a tough time for me.

But then, my sister and I started a catering business — healthy catering. I had a lot of connections at the crafts museum and a gallery I’d shown with — ‘cause I was always making my art and jewelry through all of this. The gallery would have parties and hire us —and we’d dress up and you know — the textiles! The healthy food! It was perfect. Our claim to fame was this incredible seaweed knot I would make and deep fry  — shiny, gorgeous green. And people would say what is this? I said, just keep eating them. I'll tell you later — if I tell you, you won’t like it …

We did that for a bunch of years until my brother-in-law couldn't stand the smell of fried grease in the house! So. My sister dropped out.

CAN YOU SAY HUSTLE?
And then, I went into the flower business with a friend. We had big accounts, major parties in the D&D building. After 16 years, I said to my partner: You know what. I can’t deal with this design shit anymore. I’m going into healing. I just want to work with my hands, go anywhere in the world. And heal. I don’t want to deal with dying flowers any more …

OMG. I NEED A TIMELINE FOR YOU AND YOUR TRANSFORMATIONS. WHAT YEAR IS THIS?
1999. I studied reflexology, polarity, and several other oddball things. It includes cranial sacral, neuro linguistics, and all kinds of fascinating stuff, liquid light, spiritual center.

SO HOW LONG DID YOU DO THAT?
I’m still doing it!

AND YOU STILL TEACH?
Yeah! I continue with workshops and teaching. And somewhere in there I became a community chef, with CSAs, Community Supported Agriculture. I’d cook at the housing project at the old St. George Hotel on 28th Street. Food would be delivered from the farm. I wouldn’t know until that morning what was comin’ in. And whatever would show up — I’d put together. Guys from the building would come over and say, hmmmm, what are you cooking? Smells good. And I’d say, it’s spinach, blah blah blah — but no meat. Try it anyway. We’d get a lot of WOWs. It was a great way to wake people up.

But through it all, I was always teaching in bits and pieces and always making art. Always making embellishments for the body. Large over-scale things like hats, headgear, wearable art.

I’M SEEING THE THEMES, CONNECTING THE DOTS … ART, COMMUNITY, FUTURISTS, ENVIRONMENT … GIVING BACK …
Yep

SO AFTER ALL OF THESE LIVES, WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU AT THIS POINT?
Contentment, happiness, friendship, health. I got enough money. Making a money in speaking engagements and my hats. I’m famous enough. Who cares. That and $2 will get you on the subway.

AND I LOVED YOUR TED TALK WITH ARI ON AGEISM …
We did that a few years ago, had a ball. Ari does a version of me, giving that talk — with my New York accent — about when I was a teen, makin’ out with the dog while my beautiful sister was out on dates.

HOW DID THIS ARI/ADVANCED STYLE CHAPTER COME ABOUT?
I went to the New Museum, October 22, 2009. I just had on a sweater, a necklace, and a pair of — oh I don’t know — knickers and pink hair. This guy comes running over to me “Hi. My name’s Ari. I photograph women over 60 – can I take your picture?” and I said “How do YOU know I’m over 60?” He takes a few pictures — we start talking — I give him my business card. Five days pass, never hear from him. So I called him. He came over. We spent the whole day together, photograph the whole apartment, dressing, undressing, artwork — and the rest is history.

YOU AND ARI “CLICKED”
We had a lot in common. I’m Jewish. He’s Jewish. I’m a vegetarian. He’s a vegetarian. He did these drawings of dolls, I made art. You know, a lot of the other women don’t make things. They love to shop and dress…

AND YOU DON’T SHOP …
No.

I LOVED THE ADVANCED STYLE FILM … AND THOSE EARLY VIDEOS …
Ari met Lina, who is Lithuania and I’m half Lithuanian. I said: Ok, I’m going to adopt you — you’re my Lithuanian daughter. And we started doing these videos. And that led to the film. Most of the women are Jewish. It almost looks like a New York Jewish film, right? (Laughs)

Debra in an early video — love the way the dress turned backwards looks COOL — and the black leather dress FUCKING HOT …

HOW DID YOU START BEING AN ENVIRONMENTALIST? YOU WERE AHEAD OF YOUR TIME …
Yes. Like my mother. In ’67-’68 – I was doing my master’s dissertation in Berkeley, and I worked only with recycled materials. I didn’t care about ephemera. I’d make things out of toasted bread. And if it crumbled, I didn’t care.

IT’S VERY BUDDHIST …
Yeah! Wabi-sabi. Incompletion. Imperfection. Impermanence.

SO TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CURRENT LOVE LIFE. WERE YOU EXPECTING THIS?
Absolutely not. I was happy, single, busy. A friend tried to introduce us. She told me he was the only one she knew (other than me) who was reading labels on food boxes since the ‘60s. I said,  no way. What would I want with an old man. When I met him the second time, time stood still. He tried to hold my hand through a concert and I thought “hey, I’m 62, I’m not gonna get pregnant. So, what the fuck?” He walked me home and slowly but surely, we realized we had thrifting in common, we like healthy food, cooking, music, we are both on a spiritual path but we didn’t want to follow a guru. So, here we are …

This is the third time. It is the charm. And it’s probably going to be the last. But … you never know …

WAS THERE A TIME WHEN YOU WERE MOST “CONTENT?”
No. I don’t think that way. It’s all in the friends, my partnership. Being able to live in New York. Being able to play. Everything is an act of play right now. I mean, I do lose my temper when I’m the only one cleanin' up the bathroom. But, you know, I’m only fuckin’ human…

WHEN DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN MENTORING?
From being a teacher. And not having kids. I never wanted kids. I knew what it took to be a good parent. I like young people. Starting with Ari. Starting with Lina. And it’s easy. You hang out. And send them home. You learn from them and they learn from us.

I LOVE COMING TO YOUR PARTIES AND SEEING THE MIX OF AGES …
It’s not so rare in Europe, but here, in New York, it’s rare.

YOU DRAW THAT ENERGY TO YOU …
I have a willingness to make a family! Isolation is our enemy.

THERE’S A LOT OF ISOLATION THESE DAYS.
Yes. And there doesn't hafta be. I always say, New Yorkers are the friendliest people. When you're at the library or a coffee shop —  look up. Say hi. Ask how's your coffee? How's your writing? You start a conversation … people talk!

ANY DESIRE TO BE 20 AGAIN?
Shit no. 25 maybe ‘cause that was a turning point in my life. But no. it was horrible. Horrible.

DO YOU TELL YOUR AGE?
I don’t care about my age. I’ll be 74 soon. I have no gauge. No pacing. No 50-year-old kid. No 5-year-old grandkid. So I just am who I am. 

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST RISK YOU TOOK?
I feel I have played it so safe. Close to the chest. Everbody’s off to India. Not me. I don’t even want to go around the corner. I guess I’m into emotional risks. Like moving into my boyfriend’s apartment two years ago!

WHAT DID YOU DO WITH ALL THAT STUFF?
Got rid of 98% of my possessions. I’m FREEEE! But I'm still out there collecting, recycling for my hats, headgear and wearable art! That’s why I call myself “Debra Debris…”

You can find this amazing Glorious Broad on insta @debrarapoport — and she’s all over Youtube.

Glorious Broad #7: Yamuna

Photos by Leah Runyon

GLORIOUS PROFESSION: Visionary. Teacher. Healer.

GLORIOUS PERSONA: A Revolutionary Glorious Broad

GLORIOUS QUALITIES: Ferocious, Funny, Sexy, Irreverent, Rebel

GLORIOUS PHILOSOPHY:

“The bottom line is — if you’re stupid in your body — you can be smart as you want in your mind — but if you are stupid in your body and just can’t be bothered with it — you’re pretty stupid. ”

GB: Though Yamuna and I had not actually met, our paths crossed plenty in that New York City way. I’d pass her studio on Perry Street after getting my body fairly plummeted at my local gym. Yeah, I was a gym rat — but I’d think — I gotta visit this place and get worked out and stretched by that goddess.

Well, I blew that opportunity. Yamuna moved on and is spreading her gospel globally: body sustainability. I now know I was the prototype for one of her dumb baby boomers — killing myself daily the way I did at age 30 — not listening to my aching bones …

I date these women. I see what they are like and if, in fact, they meet with my criteria of “Glorious.” Yamuna blew me away. Yes, she’s a unique beauty — but it was the carriage, the way she held herself that differentiated her from the rest of the schleps on the street — including me. We were “instant” girlfriends as she explained her body revolution in her funny, irreverent, kick ass way at her spectacular west village apartment…a Revolutionary Glorious Broad…

THE GLORIOUS BODY AND THE REVOLUTIONARY: 10 questions

DID YOU DREAM AT 20 THAT YOU WOULD BE THE WOMAN YOU ARE TODAY?
I dreamed it at 11. I used to say to my father: “I don’t know what it is yet — but I’m gonna do something radical for the world. And I’ll be doing this at 80. I’ll be going “oh yeah, so when you are 80, these are the things that happen in the body — these are the things you need to watch out for.”

CAN AN AGING BODY BE A WISER BODY — EVEN A GLORIOUS BODY?
Hell YEAH. It has to be. Otherwise it’s no fun. The bottom line is — if you’re stupid in your body — you can be smart as you want in your mind — but if you are stupid in your body and just can’t be bothered with it — you’re pretty stupid. The body needs more care every decade you get over 50. And you have to ignore the self-medicated society we live in…

PREACH...
We have drugs for menopause. Drugs for thyroids, cholesterol, blood pressure … you name it. We’re a medicated culture. Take control of your own body

“Women keep secrets ... like ... we don’t talk enough about perimenopause or menopause. It’s a bitch! Women should be preparing for menopause when they turn 40.”

SO TELL ME YOUR PHILOSOPHY IN A NUTSHELL
Your body speaks to you. Your hip, your knee, your hands, your shoulder, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I call myself “the intelligent, alternative, knowledgeable” source to body sustainability. I can tell you that I can be wrong about almost anything in life — but not when it comes to the structure of the body — that’s where my expertise is. Body logic — hands on work.

BODY LOGIC? MORE PLEASE …
When my daughter was born, I was injured and had destabilized my left hip. It was impossible to find adequate treatment so I experimented with yoga to heal myself. I thought of my body as a laboratory — using practical knowledge once you understand the anatomy. I perfected that first body of work and began to teach it. That built my reputation. And then I moved to Spain and there was nobody giving me a body logic session. I bought a cheap little ball and started giving myself sessions so the ball and my body weight against the wall became my hands. I went wild. I did this for months and then realized — this is the birth of a new work. We’re gonna teach people how to be able to literally work on every part of their body and be able to problem solve, self-heal and maintain. This will be revolutionary. So…that’s how it started…

WHO ARE YOUR MENTORS…YOUR HEROINES WHO INSPIRED THIS PASSION?
If I look at the women in my life, Edith Harper was a huge influence. Older, wiser, a life therapist  I had the good fortune to meet and be nurtured by. Her motto was: “Get wise sooner.” And Therese Bertherat who wrote “The Body Has Its Reasons” in France. She was the first one who revolutionized “soft gym” – you don’t have to kill yourself.

BUT HOW DO YOU GET YOUR MESSAGE “TO THE PEOPLE”? YOU HAVE SEMINARS IN FABULOUS EXOTIC PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD BUT … ARE YOU AN ELITIST?

No! I do a daily blog! I have 5,000 followers and give practical stuff they can really do. Try this, how about this — but I always do it first. And this is on my Facebook page each day. Free!

DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOUNGER WOMEN — HOW TO KEEP THEIR BODIES HEALTHY THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES?
Oh yeah! Do not listen to what the fitness world has ever told you — because it’s wrong. You can't work out at 50 like you did when you were 30, having a 22-year old hulk beating up your body. It's a moronic thought. There are more joint replacements than ever before and aging without your own body parts fully intact is not the best choice for aging gracefully. And start thinking out of the box. You don’t have to kill yourself.

YOU'RE GIVIN’ OUT SEXINESS — DID THAT JUST GET BETTER WITH THE YEARS?
I walk into a room now and feel sexier, fitter and totally in touch with what I own — so different from my younger self. The last thing I want is my body at 30 because, you know what, my body is smarter today. I never thought about how I walked down the street and use my feet, my knees and my hips when I was 30. I do it today. Because I am connected to it. I feel like we need to be examples. We can’t tell people: Wake up, be smarter, younger if WE don’t. You can’t talk it and not live it.

YOU'VE COMPLETELY REVOLUTIONIZED HOW WE FEEL ABOUT LONGEVITY – BUT HOW ABOUT YOU?  YOU WANT TO HIT 100 YEARS OLD? DO YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT THE INEVITABLE END?
Oh yeah – I can’t wait! I am so bored by people who want to live to 100. That’s a gross out. I’ve lived a super full life already. I could die now. There’s enough of what I have created to keep going for generations. So I don’t want to live to 100. BORING. 

This Glorious Broad is a powerhouse. Check her out her daily tutorial on www.facebook.com/YamunaBody.

Glorious Broad #4: Sarah Jane Adams

Photo by Leah Runyon

GLORIOUS PROFESSION: Antique Jeweler, Instagram Icon

GLORIOUS PERSONA: A Cheeky Glorious Broad

GLORIOUS QUALITIES: Generous, Joyful, Adventurous – and not takin' it all too seriously

GLORIOUS PHILOSOPHY:

“I never considered myself a fashionista or any of those bullshit labels – I’m just me doing my thing, traveling, living out of a suitcase”

Sarah Jane Adams @ saramaijewels has got 160,000 followers on Instagram. Ok, not 218,000 like Kim Gordon, not 10.5 million like Madonna, but still.  What she’s got is 160,000 obsessive fans — and I’m one of them. Sara lives part time in Australia, part time in London and part time just about everywhere else she feels like floppin’. She is the wandering gypsy I think we all want to be, or I wanna be. My ex went on a solo six month bike trip with his backpack and little else a year ago and all men gravitated to him with lust and envy and a “why can’t I” misty gaze. I think Sarah brings that up for women — not the envy but feeding the free-and easy-let’s-go-for-it part of you. Hey, I’m a pro-active kinda lady and live the life I want to but she’s an exaggerated version of what I could be on a very courageous day. Me and the 160,000 others who can’t get enough of her.

INSTAGRAM "STARDOM"
I’m drawn to rocker chicks, only this one answered my Instagram message. I asked if she would let me interview her. She agreed within minutes. Now Kim Gordon wouldn’t do that... 

She was on one of her first trips to NYC and I remember her big teddy bear of a man commenting to me while we photographed her: “Amazing — one year ago we had no idea what Instagram was and now it has changed our lives.”

ABOUT THAT FERRET
Half of Sarah’s appeal on IG is her attitude ‘cause she simply just doesn’t give a f***. She started out as a ferret. Yes, a stuffed ferret. Now that’s a lady who definitely doesn’t take it all too seriously. One day she had on a really old Adidas jacket, mixed it up with “whatever was around” and let her daughter’s boyfriend take a smart-ass picture of her. Her daughter posted it, hash tagged AdvancedStyle and AriSethCohen from the uber popular over 50 style blog — and all hell broke loose. Ari, creator of Advanced Style, happened to be in Sidney, came over the next morning, took a couple of photos, and that’s pretty much how it started. Sarah and Ari have become good friends since, and she has the utmost loyalty and respect for the man, “a gentle gorgeous soul.” “I never considered myself a fashionista or any of those bullshit labels – I’m just me doing my thing, traveling, living out of a suitcase...”

And that’s what comes through...her genuineness, her humor, her not giving a shit...

AND SHE'S NOT A NARCISSIST
If you’re on Instagram, you know there are a LOT of narcissists on it. Sarah is quite the opposite. She’s real. She speaks the truth. Her mantra: “Be yourself. Speak up.” She attracts all kinds of ages, all kinds of cultures. “I’ve got different genres of followers. Obviously, I’ve got a bunch of Adidas people (she loves her Adidas), the Brazilians love me ‘cause I am colorful and bright, I am festive, the older and middle aged women like me because I’m gray and able to live my life and have a happy time, the Japanese kids love me cause I am quirky and wear things in an unconventional way. And then there are the Philly people! I found them and they inspired me — so it’s very much a reciprocal thing.”

That’s the difference with Sarah. It’s reciprocal! She asks things. She responds. She does give a shit about the people who follow her. In fact, she considers them “her therapists.” “To have 160,000 therapists out there — some of whom are vocal and some of whom aren’t — that’s huge. I mean, what a blessing is that.”

Enough of me waxing on. Let me introduce you to the girl herself on a couple of rants. She’s the real deal — a “Gloriously “wicked, cheeky, wind up merchant” to quote Sarah …

Wrote, directed, designed, edited this first of a series of video interviews with feisty, strong, charismatic women who are part of the tribe called Glorious Broads. Sarah, who sees herself as a gloriously "wicked, cheeky, wind up merchant" is all that - but so much more. She's got style, wisdom and attitude galore.

This piece or a close facsimile was originally posted for Huff Post 50. Since the article, I've had so many women write me about Sarah's magnetism. Well, she's in Montenegro today — tomorrow — who knows?