We all know how important family is and the role that the family unit plays in our lives. We have therefore dedicated this issue to families. As much as we like to think that family affairs are private, some families don’t have that option and have to live out most of their lives in the public eye. This is very true of celebrities and other people, such as royalty (see our feature on the British royal family on page 70).

Lizzie Grubman, the well known Manhattan publicist, is a new parent and loving every minute of her new role. Our cover feature, The Real Hollywood Royalty: Old and New Legends of PR (page 56), takes a look at three different generations of publicists and what they have done to change the face of public relations. In today’s world not only celebrities, but businesses of all types, need public relations to stay on top of their game.

As families and a nation, we stick to our traditions and find it difficult to adapt ourselves to the cultures of others when we travel to their countries (Adapting to World Cultures on page 63). Actually, we don’t have to go overseas to come face to face with other cultures. Recently, I was on my way to a brunch and discovered that the handle of my favorite sunglasses had become loose. It was 10:30AM so I decided that I had enough time to have them tightened by my optomologist, who is of Korean descent. Imagine my shock when he told me with the utmost respect that he could not fix the glasses, since in his culture it would be bad luck for his business if his first job for the day was a repair job. I was in total disbelief! Nothing that I said would convince him to change his mind. He was adamant. Talk about cultural gap!

Sometimes we consider friends more “family” than our own family members; we connect better with them and our relationships with them are sometimes so solid that they last till death. The touching and amazing case of best friends Sheila Warnock and Cappy Caposella, and how the terminal illness of Cappy Caposella spearheaded an organization called Share the Care, is on page 43.

Celebrate your family members—there is no better time than now to tell them how much you care for them. If you can’t say it by word, let your actions speak—a gift, a gesture, a look, a smile. Time is precious. Why wait?

Beth Torre

Editor-in-Chief

Dear Pauline,

My stepdaughter is eight years old and can do no wrong in my husband’s eyes. He has had sole custody of her since she was three years old and I must say that she is spoiled rotten. She was five when I got married to her father. I have no children of my own, and I am trying my best to be a good mother, but it is proving very difficult. I disagree with the way my husband is bringing her up—I think that he indulges her too much. I try not to say anything, but sometimes I just can’t take it. It is extremely difficult to deal with a spoiled and defiant little girl. Her latest craze is to get a puppy and my husband is fine with it. I think that once the novelty of it wears off she will lose interest in the puppy and it will become our responsibility. This time I am putting my foot down. My husband sees nothing wrong with it. I want no pets in my home. I have told both my husband and stepdaughter that it is either the puppy or me.....