My Memories of Nora Ephron

My mother called me with the news. “Nora Ephron is not doing well, and isn’t expected to live.” I was stunned, because I usually don’t keep up with celebrity news. But this was different. My mother jokingly referred to Ms. Ephron as my friend. This is because I had the pleasure of meeting her.

Last year I began attending the SmartTalk performances at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. First up was Nora Ephron. I am fortunate enough to get VIP access, so I went to the Green Room, where I met a few other ticket holders, sponsors, and staff. People were in out. A woman sat across the table, and we started chatting. I guess the signal from my eyes to my brain was slow, because a minute later I realized it was the guest speaker. I’d just been speaking with Ms. Ephron as if she were a friend of mine.

We were hitting a few topics, then food came up. Turns out she’s a foodie. We talked about our favorite foods, and my recent dinner party surfaced. She was fascinated that I made a 7-course meal by myself, and considered doing something similar in the future. Time was up. She had to prep herself before speaking. What an amazing experience it was to have a casual conversation with such a great mind. She was quite witty on stage. You can read about that event here.

Of course, I will always remember her wonderful body of work, and how much each book or movie has entertained me, but I will mostly remember Nora Ephron as a down to earth, intelligent woman who’s a great conversationalist. R.I.P. Ms. Ephron.

Photo by Kim Schmidt of Kim Schmidt Photography.