Martha's New Safety and Mobility Aids with Medline

When a friend of my mother's, who had recently undergone knee replacement surgery, informed me that she had just ordered a Martha Stewart cane, I was left a little stunned: "A what? A Martha Stewart cane?" I am usually so on top of Martha's product launches that I was more shocked at myself for not realizing she had issued a new line of safety and mobility aids with Medline back in April. Shame on me!This new line, of course, plays perfectly well into Martha's focus on healthy living; the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City is just one of the many initiatives she has taken to help a rapidly-growing population of aging individuals find the care they need and deserve. Her book, Living The Good Long Life, is an excellent compendium of information in this field. Now, of course, she is bringing her signature style to an area where style has never really been welcome: canes, walkers, shower chairs, over-bed tables and bath mats. 

Offered in pretty designs and colours, such as gingham and plaid, faux-bois and her signature turquoise and gray, seniors who require mobility aids at home, or those recovering from injury, now have style choices that reach beyond the metallic, chrome and black. Click here to see the full line of Medline products with Martha Stewart designs. Below is a small selection. 

This offset aluminum walking cane is 3/4" in diameter and provides strong, sturdy support for partial weight-bearing users with a rubber tip on the bottom for slip-resistant balance; supports 300 lbs. Shown above in Plaid. Shown below in Faux-Bois.

This premium quality rollator upright walker features a padded memory foam seat and backrest for all-day comfort with 6 smooth-rolling wheels for various terrain. Neoprene under the seat ensures easier cleaning. Foldable with a lightweight high-quality frame for ease of use and durable with a weight capacity supporting individuals up to 250 lbs.

This compressed foam lumbar cushion provides lower back support and relief with a comfortable ergonomic shape that maintains its original thickness, even after multiple uses.

This overbed table brings style and function together with a beautiful faux-woodgrain top, seamless "T" mold edge, and side basket for convenient storage. Adjustable height from 30” – 42” to rest over bed or sofa, faux-wood table tray measures 15” x 28” across. Rolling base measures 15” x 23", with 3" wheels. Able to fit most spaces. Easy to assemble, and can be used as a standing desk for laptop workers, bedside tray for safely and cleanly eating, or TV tray above couch or bed.

This slip-resistant bath mat has a textured, geometric pattern & 300-plus suction cups to keep the mat firmly attached to the tub for added stability, confidence & safety in the bathtub, shower or bathroom. The mat features Microban, a multi-layer antimicrobial protection that prevents the growth of stains and odors caused by bacteria. For anti-mold and mildew resistance to keep your bath mat cleaner between cleanings. Comfortable for daily use in the shower, tub, or bathroom with gentle, massaging texture and exfoliating foot scrubbers that provide a soothing experience on your skin.

Meeting David at Terrain

 I have known David Pantoja for approximately 20 years. We 'met' when I was writing for SaveMartha.com in 2002. He wrote to me to say he enjoyed my columns and we've kept in touch ever since. David has always been very supportive of this blog and I consider him to be the foremost expert in the collection of Martha by Mail items: he has an enormous selection of goods that were sold through Martha's famous mail-order catalog and he knows everything about everything he has collected. He even created a Martha by Mail Cookie Cutter Index, which I feel is invaluable to collectors. David has a beautiful blog called Good Things By David. Longtime readers of this blog will know it well. Please be sure to visit it!

When my husband and I decided to travel to Philadelphia this month for my nephew's high school graduation, I knew I had to set some time aside to meet David, who lives just outside the city. We decided that Terrain at Styers was the place to meet; I had always wanted to see Terrain, since it is affiliated with Anthropologie, where I work. It is the company's garden concept store, selling trees, plants, flowers and  home decor items, such as dinnerware, glassware, candles and planters. Martha also encouraged me to visit Terrain during our conversation on her podcast. It seemed like a no-brainer! 

When I met David, we felt immediately comfortable together, even though this was our first time meeting face to face! We share a similar, somewhat dark sense of humour and like so many of the same things, with similar tastes in many areas of life. We hit it off instantly. It was as if we had spent years together - and I suppose in some respect we have.

David made these beautiful "Martha Moments" cookies for me and my husband, plus two lady-bug cookies not shown for members of Tomas's family, who met up with us a little later. David is the best baker and decorator of cookies that I know of and I was honoured to be given such a special treat. 

We had lunch at the Terrain cafe, in the greenhouse, surrounded by climbing vines and beautiful sunlight. He recommended I order the harvest bowl, which I readily agreed upon. It was filling, but healthy and so delicious. 

I loved how the bread at the Terrain Cafe is baked and brought to the table: in a terracotta flower pot! Ingenious! 

The Terrain store itself is a wonderland, full of treasures to discover amid all manner of greenery. It was a spectacular space and so inspiring. I've included some of my photographs of Terrain below. If you ever have the chance to visit this location in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia, please do! There are several other locations around the United States, including one in Westport, Connecticut. 

I'm still amazed how this blog and its social media branches have created such a strong community of friendships across so many thousands of miles. Thank you, David, for a beautiful day at Terrain! Looking forward to next time!

Turkey Hill, Revisited

 On Thursday, June 1, 2023, Martha returned to Turkey Hill to host a tour of the garden and grounds that she so tirelessly sowed over the decades. The new owner of Turkey Hill, Casey Berg, is a member of the board of directors of an organization called Positive Directions, a non-profit behavioral health organization providing a continuum of prevention, counseling, and recovery supports to individuals and families struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. The group was founded over 50 years ago and today serves the towns of Fairfield, Weston, Norwalk and Westport, where it is based. Proceeds of the tickets sold for the tour supported Positive Directions, and 40 lucky people followed Martha through the grounds and gardens as she recounted memories and gave gardening advice. Below are photographs of the tour, kindly submitted by friends of mine who were lucky enough to attend.

Martha began the tour in the barn - a large structure she built in the late 1970s to use as an entertaining space. Martha gave a slide slow with photographs of the garden through the years and discussed her book, "Martha Stewart's Gardening", which documents the planting and caring of this particular garden. 

The gardens today still look spectacular, wonderfully maintained by the new owners. 

My friend Jennifer Zimmerman got to spend a little bit of time with Martha on the patio during the cocktail hour.

Jennifer also met with Kevin Sharkey, someone we have both admired for his decorating advice and style suggestions in the magazine over the years. 

The driveway gate that Martha designed several decades ago is still in operation at Turkey Hill.

My friend Steven Thorne posed for this selfie with Martha on the patio.

The barns and one of the garden sheds viewed from a distance across the lawn.

A view of the pool, which Martha installed in 1980.

Stone steps leading up from the pool to the glazed porch.

A group of ten people who paid a little extra for their tickets were treated to a sit-down dinner with Martha and Kevin at a nearby restaurant after the tour. My friends Jeff, Jason and Carey were all in attendance. 

To learn more about Positive Directions and the excellent work they do, please click here.

Thank you to Jennifer, Steven Thorne, Emily Sposetta, Jeff Schneider and Kemp Harper for the photographs. 

Martha in Sports Illustrated

 I have never in my life purchased a copy of Sports Illustrated magazine. I don't play sports or enjoy watching them. And women in swimsuits have never really piqued my interest, so to speak. Now, however, I'm plotting the best way to snag a copy of the 2023 annual swimsuit issue of the magazine, which comes out on May 18th featuring a cover portrait of Martha looking astonishing, ravishing and confident in a bathing suit at age 81. 

Martha is now the oldest woman to be featured on a cover of Sports Illustrated. The editors of the magazine contacted her to be among four models chosen for the cover of this year's annual swimsuit issue; Megan Fox, Kim Petras and Brooks Nader are the other three. All four covers will be in circulation on newsstands, but my bet is that Martha's will be most in demand. 

Martha was photographed by Ruven Afanador in the Dominican Republic last November for the cover and feature spread. The photographs depict Martha in several fashion bathing suits, looking glamorous and confident. Martha unveiled the cover live on the Today Show on May 15th and spoke with the hosts about the importance of showing women over a certain age in areas of media where they are often cast aside. Martha also spoke about fearlessness and encouraged other women to feel confident about themselves, their bodies and their ambitions. "When you're through changing, you're through," she reiterated, and implored women never to let their inhibitions get the better of them. 

I love these photographs and how they speak to the joy that's possible in our lives as we age. Way to go, Martha!

Throwback: A Seminar With Martha at Turkey Hill

In the mid-1980s, prior to the publication of her magazine or the launch of her television show, Martha would occasionally host seminars at her catering kitchen and office on Saugatuck Avenue in Westport, Connecticut, and her home on Turkey Hill Road. Those in attendance were usually readers of her bestselling cookbooks, neighbours and friends. Martha would teach cooking classes and share advice on entertaining with style. These seminars were not widely advertised but were promoted in her early newsletter, which went out to subscribers between 1988 and 1990.

I recently received a wonderful email from someone who attended one of those seminars! Kevin Miller was just 18 years old at the time and had been working in catering. He was deeply inspired by Martha's books and had written to her several times. Much to his surprise and delight, Martha wrote back and suggested he attend of her three-day weekend seminars! Kevin, of course, wasted no time in saying yes. He traveled to Connecticut and stayed with his great aunt and uncle who lived a short distance from Westport. Below are Kevin's photos from the weekend and his description of what he calls "a dream come true" and one of his most cherished memories.

The first day of Martha's seminar was held at her Saugatuck catering kitchen for a cooking demonstration. We sat in her beautiful green chairs, observed and asked questions as Martha decorated a wedding cake and taught us how to make spun sugar with a clothes line. The class consisted of my 18 year old self , and 17 Connecticut housewives.

Martha's catering kitchen and office was housed in this building at number 10 Saugatuck Avenue in Westport, Connecticut. This is where Martha prepared all of her catered meals for clients, tested recipes for her early cookbooks and conducted her business. 

Notice Martha's burgeoning collection of Fiestaware in the foreground.

Martha had just published her first Weddings book (1989), which you can see on display in the cabinet. Her interest in collecting Fireking Jadeite was already evident.

The second day we all got to tour Turkey Hill, walk around the grounds, visit Le Palais des Poulets, walk through her apple orchard and gardens. We then went inside and had a seated lunch in her dining room. I sat at the table with six other women and dined on red pepper bisque, rack of lamb with mint pesto and chocolate mousse for dessert. One of the guests was the CEO of Kmart. 

I had a fairly lengthy conversation with Martha about catering; my catering career had just begun. She told me some catering stories about some of her top clients, including Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The next day it was back to the catering kitchen for another demo: bread baking. She made a delicious Rosemary Boule, grilled swordfish kebobs and a lovely salad from vegetables grown in her gardens.

Thank you, Kevin, for sharing your photos and your memories of this day! I'm happy to have this posted on the blog. Below is an image of Kevin visiting the same studio in Westport 30 years after he attended the seminar.

A Fun Chat With Martha!

Hello, everyone. I am presently in a state of afterglow since the airing of Martha's latest podcast, Super Fans! It was such a wonderful experience to chat with Martha via video-chat to discuss this blog and how her work has influenced her fans. I was joined by fellow fans (and friends) Bernie Wong and Dennis Landon, who met through the Martha Moments Facebook Group and are now a couple living in Madison, Wisconsin. I met Bernie and Dennis at the tag sale Martha hosted last spring, although I had known them for years through online correspondence. 

What struck me most about the conversation with Martha was how effusive she was. She was genuinely touched by our support and impressed by our knowledge of her brand and her life. As she noted in the introduction to the podcast, it may be the first time a "star" has interviewed her "fans", quickly adding that she considers Bernie, Dennis and myself to be friends of hers. It was almost surreal to see Martha's face on my computer screen via video chat, talking directly to me about our shared interests. I was so genuinely touched by her kind words and her interest in our lives. It was an experience I won't soon forget. Martha even blogged about it, too! You can read that blog by clicking here. 

You can listen to the podcast by clicking here, and I hope you do!

You can follow Bernie and Dennis on Instagram @berniewonggreen and see their glorious culinary and decorative creations. You can follow the Instagram component of this blog @martha_moments.

To read about my experience at the Great American Tag Sale, and all the fun I had with Bernie and Dennis, click here. And to see some of my purchases, click here.

During the podcast, I mentioned my two favourite covers of Martha Stewart Living, and here they are: March, 1999 and February, 1999. The March issue features a flower arrangement by Kevin Sharkey photographed by Christopher Baker. The February issue shows Martha surrounded by her Himalayan cats, Teeny, Weeny and Mozart in a photograph by William Abranowicz. 

Here is my Martha by Mail caramel glass squirrel and acorn dish at home on the buffet in my dining room. I think he needs to be part of a pair, though, so I'm searching for its mate!

This was the set up the day of Martha's podcast at the home of Bernie and Dennis, and I just love it. Almost everything you see is Martha Stewart brand; even the green chairs were purchased at Martha's tag sale.