How Did You Meet Taffy?
Taffy knew my parents and aunts and uncles well before I met her. My late husband, Howard, was nicknamed “Hockey” by her when he was a little boy. Howard’s mother, Joan Beitman Levy and Taffy were lifelong friends going back to kindergarten at Coventry Elementary School in Cleveland Heights. I formally met Taffy when we were engaged to be married, back in 1969 and she had invited us for dinner along with many other people. Taffy was warm, embracing, funny and loving. I adored how she spoke to Howard and how warm she was towards him. She was pure fun.
In 1955, my mom signed me up for ballet lessons in the Hippodrome building. I remember her taking me to Taffy’s store for my ballet shoes and being awed by the beauty of the shoes and the accessories. I’m not sure if I met Taffy then, but I do remember loving the store.
What’s Your Favorite Memory?
My favorite story, though not my memory…it was Howard’s as related to me many years ago…was of the time she and my mother-in-law were determined to make the best lemon merengue pie possible. They spent hours in each other’s kitchen testing one recipe after the other…and the taste tester was Howard! From that time forward, he could never look at a piece of pie.
I also remember Howard and I going to a couple of her parties and finding the eclectic group of people who were there completely fascinating. Taffy was a wonderful hostess and always had a drink in her hands!