Goodbye, N-ana

Winter, of late, has not been a good season for my grandparents. Pepa passed away last January, and early yesterday morning, my grandmother on my father's side, Na-na (real name Vivian Manekin) died of lung failure.

A few memories of my late grandmother. She was an incredibly elegant woman. This was her reputation, and she certainly lived up to it. A beautiful woman, she would never dare be seen in public without her make-up just so and her jewelry on. Her beautifully colored red hair - with nary a single strand out of place- was admired by her many friends in the tight-knit world of senior Jewish Baltimore social life. She often times would address family as 'dear,'the sound drawn out so that it would sound like 'DEE-yuhr....' Na-na always offered her support, though she could be a tough critic, often times following up a comment with which she perhaps did not fully agree, or a proposed business idea, with a tough line of questioning, preceeded by an emphasized 'DEE-yuhr....' That's when you knew you were about to get a healthy earful of critique. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that many people have benefited from her tough love and constructive criticism over the years. I know that I certainly have.

As it relates to this blog, Na-na did enjoy wine, especially a fine Burgundy, though the high acidity meant that she could indulge infrequently, in tiny amounts. Her real tipple of choice was Scotch, a blended Scotch served on the rocks with a splash of water. While I prefer single malt served neat, I will surely be enjoying a wee dram (or a few) over the course of the upcoming weekend in Baltimore, to celebrate my grandmother's memory and her love of a good party.

Goodbye, Na-na. We will all miss you.