keep intestines healthy

reedlike: resembling a reed, that is, straight, upright, and thin or slender.

mill: a place that provides something in large quantities so that you can get it easily.

pepper me with questions about: to hit (someone) repeatedly with (something).

pepper with: to put (something) in many places in (a story, speech, etc.)

She peppered the report with statistics.

daily grind: the difficult, routine, or monotonous tasks of daily work.

grueling: extremely tiring and demanding.

That’s the way kids find that they can do well and not get outperformed by other kids who’ve taken summer classes.

cluck: (of a hen) make a short, guttural sound; to make a similar sound; express concern, approval, etc., by such a sound.

hem: the edge of a piece of cloth or clothing that has been turned under and sewn.

notwithstanding: in spite of.

Common ground provides a pathway of communication, which leads to trust. At meetings or business gatherings, try talking about food, drink, going for a walk, playing golf or going for a run — all these activities allow for common experience.

solidarity: agreement between and support for the members of a group, especially a political group.

interborough: occurring between or involving two or more boroughs.

borough: one of the five divisions of New York City or, in some states, a town or part of a town.

eschew: shun; deliberately avoid using; abstain from.

unblemished: not damaged or marked in any way; perfect.

brunettes: a woman or girl with dark brown hair.

wedge into: to become lodged, jammed, or stuck into some tight space.

plunging: to move or fall suddenly forward, down, or into something.

studded with something meaning: having a lot of something.

A bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah is a coming-of-age ritual in Judaism. According to Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child’s actions.

Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from cashmere goats, pashmina goats, and some other breeds of goat.

bodice: the part of a woman’s dress covering the body between the neck or shoulders and the waist.

sash: A sash is a long piece of cloth which people wear around their waist or over one shoulder, especially with formal or official clothes.

in bulk: (especially of goods) in large quantities, usually at a reduced price.

keep up: keep pace; move or progress at the same rate as someone or something else.

in solids or stripes: not variety. solids and stripes were used to describe 8-ball (pool).

“I order most of my son’s clothes on the internet in bulk and only in solids or stripes, and I envy the mother’s ability to think for so long about one dress. I’m sure on the day of the concert, her daughter’s French braids will look perfect, while I congratulate myself on being able to pass a comb through my son’s hair when I can. I simply can’t keep up with these type of people. I just enjoy observing them.“

fickle: changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties, interests, or affection.

intensity: strength.

vet me at great lengths

vet: to examine something or someone carefully to make certain that they are acceptable or suitable.

gladiator-style contest: men who fight to the death for the enjoyment of others.

A shearling is a yearling sheep who has been shorn just once, and a shearling garment is made from a sheep or lamb shorn shortly before slaughter.

don: to put on a piece of clothing.

I am forced to don my one little black dress from Target.

state: to express information clearly and carefully.

I don’t really mind this vetting. There is hardly a question I can’t answer, hardly a course I haven’t tutored for, and I have my elevator pitch down to a science.

elevator pitch: a brief (think 30 seconds!) way of introducing yourself, getting across a key point or two, and making a connection with someone.

have something down to a science: be able to do or understand something well.

protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a play, film, novel, etc.

thin as a reed

reed: a tall, slender-leaved plant of the grass family, which grows in water or on marshy ground.

incommunicado: not able, wanting, or allowed to communicate with other people.

syllabus: the subjects in a course of study or teaching.

cracking the spine of a book: open the book completely.

grill: subject (someone) to intense questioning or interrogation.

magic bullet: a drug or treatment that cures a disease quickly and easily without producing bad effects.

frown: a facial expression indicating disapproval, displeasure, or concentration, characterized by a furrowing of one’s brows.

animated: excited.

crack the code: to solve a difficult problem or mystery.

go-to: relied on and regularly turned to for expert knowledge, skill, or performance.

go -to jokes.

josh: tease (someone) in a playful way.

get a smile out of her: amuse her.

work around: a temporary method for dealing with a computer or software problem until a more permanent solution is found.

sarcastic: marked by or given to using irony in order to mock or convey contempt.

clutter: a collection of things lying about in an untidy state.

taxing: physically or mentally demanding.

well-nigh: almost.

Any chance you could help me?

fret: be constantly or visibly anxious.

that’s out: no way, that’s impossible.

beforehand: earlier (than a particular time); in advance.

wind up: to find yourself in an unexpected and usually unpleasant situation, especially as a result of what you do.

wedge into: To become lodged, jammed, or stuck into some tight space.

stagnation: the state or condition of stagnating, or having stopped, as by ceasing to run or flow.

But I canceled a violin lesson for you,” she wails, as if her son’s one-hour stagnation will result in ruin.

bum out: make someone feel upset or disappointed.

loath: reluctant; unwilling.

flab: soft loose flesh on a person’s body; fat.

preach: earnestly advocate (a belief or course of action).

antiquated: old-fashioned or outdated.

consolidate: make (something) physically stronger or more solid.

The research has been robust on this point, but no matter how many times I preach the benefits of relaxing, parents look at me like I’m an antiquated freak. Kids need to turn off their minds, much like switching off the screens on their computers, if they hope to be productive during other points of the day. They need downtime to consolidate their thoughts and to let their mind come up with other solutions. The mind works during these turned-off times; it’s the reason that the best thoughts come to you in the shower or when you’re doing the dishes. Your brain is relaxed, at rest, and your free-flowing association network is more active. If children’s lives are constantly structured, they don’t know how to cope with boredom or being alone. Their minds are primed for constant feedback from others or from electronics, and the moments in which they can come to know themselves, their dreams, their flash points, and their epiphanies have been stolen from them, never to return. It is especially during childhood, when one is fleshing out one’s values, that these moments are so magical, but the kids I work with don’t seem to be able to fit them into their day.

primed for: on the point of or strongly disposed.

flesh out: to provide more information about (something); to make (something) more complete by adding details.

grueling: extremely tiring and demanding.

arcane: understood by few; mysterious or secret.

prestigious: inspiring respect and admiration; having high status.

avidly: with great interest or enthusiasm.

deft: demonstrating skill and cleverness.

wistfully: in a way that is sad and shows someone is thinking about something that is impossible or in the past.

handy with: able to use something skilfully.

handy with a needle.

a dose of: a quantity of a medicine or drug taken or recommended to be taken at a particular time.

levity: amusement; humour or lack of seriousness, especially during a serious occasion.

a dose of levity

detour: a different or less direct route to a place that is used to avoid a problem or to visit somewhere or do something on the way.

take a detour: if you make a detour on a journey, you go by a route which is not the shortest way, because you want to avoid something such as a traffic jam, or because there is something you want to do on the way.

waffling: to talk or write a lot without giving any useful information or any clear answers.

feigned: simulated or pretended; insincere.

invigorating: making you feel healthier, less tired, and more energetic.

vulnerable: exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.

in awe of: if you are in awe of someone or if you stand in awe of them, you have a lot of respect for them and are slightly afraid of them.

insouciant: unworried; showing a casual lack of concern.

effortlessly: done well or successfully and without any effort.

chic style: something or someone that is chic is fashionable and sophisticated.

baguette: a long, narrow French loaf.

accoutrement: an additional item of dress or equipment.

enticing: arousing strong attraction or strong interest; attractive or tempting; alluring.

insouciant: showing a casual lack of concern. (noun. insouciance.)

My excitement over their opportunities to write, to think, to look insouciant tides me over on my long, fluorescent-lit subway trip home to Brooklyn.

tide (me) over:  to support or enable to survive temporarily.

requisite: made necessary by particular circumstances or regulations.

armpits: a hollow under the arm at the shoulder.

blemish: bump.

buoyant: cheerful and optimistic.

bounces off: to talk about (something, such as an idea) with (someone) in an informal way in order to get an opinion.

devil-may-care: cheerful and reckless.

It’s his devil-may-care attitude that later convinces him that the police will never catch him committing crimes, but I don’t know the dark side of his insouciance when I meet him.

be intrigued by: arouse the curiosity or interest of; fascinate.

oppressively: in a cruel and unfair way that does not give people the same freedom, rights, etc.

dour: unfriendly; relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance.

ebullient: cheerful and full of energy.

anecdote: a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

retrieve: get or bring (something) back from somewhere.

unbridled: uncontrolled; unconstrained.

a miracle of some proportions

vicariously: in a way that is experienced in the imagination through the actions of another person.

überrich and the wannabe-rich

cut some slack: to treat (someone) in a less harsh or critical way.

touches of gray: a reference to getting older, as for most people, their hair starts getting grey as they age.

parse: to examine or think about something carefully in order to understand it.

It won’t matter how well I can parse Romantic poetry if a melted Junior Mint seeps into their priceless fabrics.

Junior Mints are a candy brand consisting of small rounds of mint filling inside a semi-sweet chocolate coating, with a dimple on one side.

A convertible or cabriolet is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. 

time slots: a time when something can happen or is planned to happen, especially when it is one of several possible times.

aversion: a strong dislike or disinclination.

crumpled: crushed to form creases and wrinkles.

nuance: a very slight difference in meaning, sound, color, or someone’s feelings that is not usually very obvious.

proportion: adjust or regulate (something) so that it has a particular or suitable relationship to something else. If someone has a sense of proportion, they know what is really important and what is not.

on the horizon: imminent or just becoming apparent.

getting something out of: to get some kind of benefit from something.

sultry: (of the air or weather) hot and humid.

promises a torrential downpour

chapel: a subordinate or private place of worship.

titter: give a short, half-suppressed laugh; giggle.

encounter: meet (someone) unexpectedly.

infusion: A method of putting fluids, including drugs, into the bloodstream.

suede: leather made from skin torn from the underside of animals such as lambs, goats, pigs, calves, and deer.

The younger children are perched in (wearing on the bike) French sailors’ shirts.

endorse: declare one’s public approval or support of.

begrudge: envy (someone) the possession or enjoyment of (something).

ire: anger.

Gothamites: a native or inhabitant of New York City.

yawning gap/chasm/gulf between something: a very large difference between two groups, things, or people.

in finance: engaging in the business of keeping money for savings and checking accounts or for exchange or for issuing loans and credit etc.

private equity: In the field of finance, the term private equity refers to investment funds, usually limited partnerships, which buy and restructure financially weak companies that produce goods and provide services.

a glut of: a supply of something that is much greater than can be sold or is needed or wanted.

stratospheric: extremely high.

cobble together: they have made or produced it roughly or quickly.

out of reach: at a distance at which someone or something cannot be touched or grasped.

financial loads

A monogram is a design consisting of two or more combined or interlaced initials – usually a first, middle, and last name.

A glut of people are in the stratospheric level of personal wealth.

tentacles: the arms of an animal like an octopus.

gentrifying: Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses.

Cognac is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France.

flaw: having or characterized by a fundamental weakness or imperfection.

trustafarian: priviliged white kids who subsribe to the hippie lifestyle (because they can) since they have no worries about money, a job etc.

pull up: stop.

drop off: to take someone or something to a particular place, usually by car, as you travel to a different place.

Hence the Lincoln Navigators pulling up to private schools to drop off multiple children.

dedicate: devote (time or effort) to a particular task or purpose.

slacker: a person who avoids work or effort.

grad school: a higher education institution which awards postgraduate degrees – most commonly master’s and doctorate (PhD) programs.

I do not rate: the person or thing is of poor quality or not worth consideration.

“His hair pokes into his eyes” refers to a situation where a person’s hair is long or unkempt enough that it falls into their eyes and obstructs their vision. It can be a nuisance or an obstacle to seeing clearly.

trim: cut; make (something) neat or of the required size or form by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts.

“A motivated lot on the whole” means that the group as a whole is very enthusiastic and eager to do something. They have a strong drive to achieve their goals and are willing to put in the effort to make it happen.

confront: face up to and deal with (a problem or difficulty).

disparity: a difference in level or treatment, especially one that is seen as unfair.

But the disparity between teacher and family incomes at private schools, particularly in New York City, is a worthwhile variable to consider in the education of children. It colors the interactions between the families and the teachers, and it colors the outlook of many, though certainly not all, of the students.

borough: a town or district that is an administrative unit.

transverse: situated or extending across something.

impunity: exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.

moderately: to a certain extent; quite; fairly.

poke with: to make holes in or marks on (something).

eyesore: a thing that is very ugly, especially a building.

pocked face: having small hollows on the skin, esp. on the face.

crumbling: breaking or falling apart into small fragments, especially as part of a process of deterioration.

crumbling wood: rotten wood.

tile: a flat, thin, usually square piece of baked clay, plastic, or other material used for covering floors, walls, or roofs.

porch: a covered shelter projecting in front of the entrance of a building.

bespectacled: wearing glasses.

A visiting couple from Belgium, along with their grown-up, bespectacled son, were out for most of the day, but then some French musicians had a house party that went until 3:00 a.m., and they left the door open in a neighborhood known for gunfire.

“in a neighborhood known” refers to a specific area or location that is recognized or familiar for a certain characteristic or feature. In the sentence you provided, the neighborhood is known for gunfire, meaning that this area is recognized for having a high rate of gun-related incidents or crime.

amid: surrounded by; in the middle of.

run-down:  a gradual reduction in the size of a business, activity, etc.

run-down hospital buildings.

periphery: the outer limits or edge of an area or object.

bump into: to meet someone you know when you have not planned to meet them.

alumni: a graduate or former student of a particular school, college, or university.

flattering: full of praise and compliments.

A diorama is a replica of a scene, typically a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum.

Conspicuous consumption is a means to show one’s social status, especially when publicly displayed goods and services are too expensive for other members of a person’s class. 

gilded age: In United States history, the Gilded Age was an era extending roughly from 1877 to 1900, which was sandwiched between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, especially in the Northern and Western United States.

I register the look of discomfort on a student’s face but do not process it.

register: to notice or perceive something.

take for granted: to assume (something) as true, real, unquestionable, or to be expected.

out of place: not comfortable in or not suitable for a situation.

die-hard: strongly or fanatically determined or devoted.

contradict: deny the truth of (a statement) by asserting the opposite.

oppression: a situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and prevented from having opportunities and freedom.

tenacious: holding tightly onto something, or keeping an opinion in a determined way.

overarching: most important, because of including or affecting all other areas.

lost on someone: someone does not understand it.

tutelage: help, advice, or teaching about how to do something.

cranky: easily annoyed or upset.

tune out: to stop paying attention to something or someone.

bring into: to force someone or something to be similar or of the same standard as someone or something else.

harbor ideas: hold back your ideas and don’t express them openly.

overwhelmingly: to a very great degree or with a great majority.

triumph over: to achieve a victory over.

espouse: adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life).

reconcile: restore friendly relations between. headlong: in a rush.pitch in: to contribute (give) to something or someone or to join in.

arriviste: a person who is trying to move into a higher class in society.

Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people and with few permanent ties.

bequeath: pass on: leave (property) to a person or other beneficiary by a will.

The question lingers in the air: unanswered.

scrap: fragment; piece; a small piece or amount of something, especially one that is left over after the greater part has been used.

idiosyncratic: relating to idiosyncrasy; peculiar or individual.

suffragettes: a woman seeking the right to vote through organized protest.

heirloom: a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations.