Lisa Keys

‘Wedding planner to the stars’ focuses on details, details and also details

Published on December 13, 2007

Jackie and Adam Sandler. Shaunie and Shaquille O'Neal. Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale. Heidi Klum and Seal. Jami Gertz and Tony Ressler. Janice and Billy Crystal. When these high-profile pairs have a star-studded soirÃÂ(c)e to host -- anything from a wedding to a bridal shower, a bar mitzvah to a birthday or business bash -- they all leave the preparations to one party planner: Mindy Weiss, owner of the Beverly Hills-based Mindy Weiss Party Consultants. But if you think her job is just about selecting flowers and ordering cakes, you're sorely mistaken.

Bratz : They’re cool, hot and controversial

Published on November 1, 2007

Depending on whom you ask, Bratz are odd-looking multiethnic dolls with big eyes and skimpy clothes - or they're, like, the coolest things ever.

Davening on the Lido Deck

Published on December 4, 2003

On a recent Caribbean cruise aboard the MSY Wind Surf -- the largest yacht among Holland America's upscale Windstar fleet -- the talk on deck was about war, nannies and the country's best Catholic schools. Sunburned blondes lingered over a four-course dinner, featuring dishes such as bacon-crusted salmon and fresh pasta with shellfish.

Dr. Laura Loses Her Religion

Published on August 21, 2003

Of her conversion to Judaism, Laura Schlessinger said, "I felt that I was putting out a tremendous amount toward that mission, that end, and not feeling return, not feeling connected, not feeling that inspired. Trust me, I've talked to rabbis, I've read, I've prayed, I've agonized and I came to this place anyway -- which is not exactly back to the beginning, but more in that direction than not."

Support for Summer CampAddicts

Published on May 22, 2003

It's a sweaty summer day in the city, and the sun -- worthy of a heat-advisory at 9:30 a.m. -- mercilessly scorches the sidewalks as I dodge bus-exhaust fumes, doughnut carts and the tourist masses while making my way to my office cubicle.

Rocky Mountain Chai

Published on March 20, 2003

Rabbi Mike Comins had just completed his rabbinic thesis, was preparing to start his doctorate and, even though he was writing about God, "I felt like my soul had been choked off," he recalled.

New Mikvah Ain’t Your Bubbes Bath

Published on January 16, 2003

Some say Fanit Panofsky was destined to build a mikvah. In her native Morocco, her great-grandmother operated a mikvah. So, too, did her grandmother.

Romancing Religion in the City of Lights

Published on January 9, 2003

MTV’s Yadda Yadda sisterhood

Published on August 8, 2002

Omigod, it's, like, the story of the summer. It all started in April, during the spring quarter at UC Davis. The scene is a rush event for the fledgling Jewish sorority Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi. A heretofore unknown presence on campus, the 4-year-old, 35-member sorority had adopted a policy of nonexclusivity, inviting the few interested girls each quarter to join the mostly Jewish organization.

Small Screen’s Kosher Cuisine

Published on May 2, 2002

With time-honored recipes for such dishes as cholent and brisket relying on intuition and a pinch of this and a dash of that, family culinary traditions tend to get lost -- or not nearly as tasty -- as one generation yields to the next.