I’ve been intrigued by the story of Edith “Big Edie” Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale since I saw the 2009 HBO original film “Grey Gardens” starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. I immediately set out to find the 1975 documentary film and other materials to learn more about the aunt and cousin of Jackie Kennedy Onassis and exactly what transpired in their lifetimes. As life would have it, years later I would become friends with the home’s owners Sally Quinn, Ben Bradlee and their son Quinn (who married my close friend Pari). Ben passed away in 2014 and since then, things were never quite the same at Grey Gardens for Sally. In the summer of 2017, Sally extended an offer for my Mother and
Every night after dinner, I headed up to Sally’s writing room, which overlooks the pool and beautiful gardens. I’d pop open my laptop and go to work, sending pages to my editor Mikail Chowdhury for review. On the final evening, I was rounding out the last chapter and before I took my evening walk around Grey Gardens, I received a note from Mikail, “job well done, mate, your book is complete”. I was elated! As I finished my celebratory libation, I felt thankful for creativity and guidance, I raised my glass to “Big and Little Edie” and to Sally Quinn for sharing the magic of Grey Gardens with me. I’ve used several images from our time at Grey Gardens throughout this book. My hope is that “Pulling It All Together” serves as a source of inspiration and motivation to you, just as Grey Gardens did for me.
LOVE, PAUL