I’ve been a long-time fan of Martha Stewart. Truth be told, I don’t always agree with some of the, ahem, decisions she’s made along the way, but no one can take away the successful empire she’s built for herself. It’s amazing what hard work, determination, and a whole lotta creativity can do … to think she started that all from a little kitchen table in small-town, Nutley, New Jersey is amazing.
To celebrate all things Martha, I started a new group web site recently, Mad About Martha, that you may be interested in popping in on; it will be updated daily. And if you want to join in the fun and write for Mad About Martha, drop me a line. 
We’d love to have you.
Cate, this looks like fun!
The things that I miss about not living back “home” are the Hawaii morning news program and Martha (ok, and Food Network). I’ve always admired Martha for what she has accomplished. Thanks for mentioning your new group web site!
Cool! I agree, no matter what some of her life choices may have been, she’s still a genius at making life more beautiful!
Awesome, will go look. How can you not already be OVERWHELMED?! :-) Always room for another blog.
I just watched the chefography on Saundra Lee and let me tell you, I am no fan (her food gives me the willies), but her life story just rips your guts out! I admire her now! (no say it isnt so!)
Lydia – I agree, I think it will be a fun departure.
Rowena – I don’t know, I think I’d be ok with giving up Food TV Network to live in Hawaii. ;)
Homesick – it’s remarkable what she’s done with her life, isn’t it?
Nika – there’s always room for another blog. ;) OK, I confess, not being a Sandra Lee fan, I don’t know her life story – do tell!
I will paraphrase what little I know about the Lee Life Saga.
Her parents split when she was tiny (Like 4 I think), she had 1 younger sister. Then her mom got remarried and she got three step brothers I think. Then they divorced and then the mom got sick (mental?) and stayed in bed, all the time. So SL had to take care of 4 kids at the age of 10. She did everything, including the shopping, on her bike.
I think this went on for 6 years until someone must have realized what was happening (they were not specific) and she was shipped off alone to her birth father (near her grandma I think) in Michigan. The loser dad left her alone after 2 days. Her grandma came and got her an apartment and LEFT HER THERE ALONE. SO a 16 year old is living alone in an apartment (grandma pays the rent) while she works and goes to high school. blows my mind. I would not do that to a child if only because anyone would be lonely in such a circumstance. People, and kids esp, need more support than just paying the rent.
Anyways, SL did ok with that and then got into college. Her college friends describe an obsessive clean nick who decorated her dormroom like something out of house beautiful.
She finished that (I think) and then went to SoCal (she definitely looked like a SoCal blonde beauty if a bit thin, I think she is just one of those super skinny people, just like I am SO NOT).
She then made this valance wire frame thingy that she marketed the hell out of and she ended up making millions off of that. The rest is somewhat predictable (went to cordon bleu etc).
SO essentially, the semi-homemade cookin concept, in my mind (and please do not take offense anyone) is an infantile survivalisim kind of cooking that a 10 year old neglected kid used to feed her brothers and sisters on an extremely low and resource impoverished budget (7-11?)
Even more willies.
But she is amazing. Think of how many different ways she could have failed!
Nika – finally got a chance to watch Sandra Lee’s Cheftography episode over the weekend, and I definitely think a little differently about her now, given her background. Can’t say her recipes will be in heavy rotation, but I do have a newfound respect for her.