Sex and the City

Sex and the City
a kate west favorite





From 1998 to 2004, American women everywhere were riveted to HBO's bold new ultra feminine series, "Sex and the City". Sexy Manolo Blahnik heels and cosmopolitans abound in this sensually fulfilling indulgence (better than a box of chocolates and a night of "Desperate Housewives"). American style indulgence, of course. We all know Europeans are more sophisticated. But then again, this is New York, our most suave city, so maybe we do have a leg up after all, so to speak. And we want to believe in the magic that helps those girls walk the Big Apple in those impossible shoes.

Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) writes a column on sex and relationships. Her three friends are as single as she is and have apparently extravagant career and lifestyles enabling them to live in fabulous New York apartments. Miranda, the lawyer (Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte, the graceful housewife (Kristin Davis), and Samantha, the sexy PR lady (Kim Cattrall). They all want love, pretend they don't, and then decide they do. We've all seen the show. And it's a fun fantasy. But is it one to emulate?

On the one hand, they were four fabulously single and carefree ladies in New York, but on the other, the series ended with everyone successfully paired up with a man. Does this mean they are only complete with a man in their lives or that they each finally grew up and were finally mature enough to handle a relationship? I choose to think it's the latter. And because while all the guys come and go in their lives, the friendship foursome remains intact. At least that's what the creators wanted to leave us with. That and the burning desire to recreate some of that mojo in our own lives. We all want to be Carrie, but we're probably more a Miranda or a Charlotte. Or maybe some of us are lucky enough to be the uninhibited Samantha. In spite of all the risqué talk, these girls were fairly standard for their generation - my generation. And much of that bold talk often made them quite uncomfortable (again, with the notable exception of no-holds-barred Samantha). I get them, unlike the brash twenty-somethings these days who really do want to talk about anything and everything. Ugh.

So there's nothing wrong with being any of those four stylish ladies, all different sides of a single gal. If only reality was so fab. Guess we'll all just have to keep being our boring old selves. Thank God for reruns, Netflix and Amazon.

Created by
Darren Star

Based on the book by
Candace Bushnell

Starring
Sarah Jessica Parker
Kristin Davis
Cynthia Nixon
Kim Cattrall
Chris Noth
David Eigenberg
Mikhail Baryshnikov

Who Could Resist?
Sex and the City - The Complete Series (Collector's Giftset)

Speaking of Indulgences:
Desperate Housewives - The Complete First Season
(Felicity Huffman being the one consistently elevating this show.)

And yet another modern twist on dating - men in the kitchen, cooking for women:
Cooking to Hook Up: The Bachelor's Date-Night Cookbook (Cookbooks)