Arlene Alda grad­u­at­ed Phi Beta Kap­pa from Hunter Col­lege, received a Ful­bright Schol­ar­ship, and real­ized her dream of becom­ing a pro­fes­sion­al clar­inetist, play­ing in the Hud­son Grand Sym­pho­ny under the baton of Leopold Stokows­ki. She switched careers when her chil­dren were young and became an award-win­ning pho­tog­ra­ph­er and author of nine­teen books. She and her hus­band live in New York City and Long Island.