I’m still in the Bay Area with a big selection of my art and available also for private appointments through Tuesday. If you happen to be in the Berkeley/Albany area, you can contact me for details to come to my last home show Sunday afternoon. You can reach me by phone 917-239-3789 or by email at pamsmilow@me.com for details.

Andrew Speier Firefighter

The bicycle drawing I gave him circa 1970 which he uncovered in a move and which prompted him to look me up.

Andrew and fellow firefighters working in the pit after 9/11.

I recently got reacquainted with an my old friend, Andrew Speier, who goes back to our early teenage years when we were both involved with American Youth Hostels bicycle trips (AYH)—we continued a friendship afterwards around riding our bikes to crazy places. Most memorable for me was riding down from Westchester and across the George Washington Bridge. Andrew was a bicycle fanatic then and today, some fifty odd years later, he still is!

Turns out Andrew did a lot of things in between our AYH days and now, including choosing a brave and heroic profession as a firefighter. He became a firefighter in the Pacific Northwest in 1977 while attending the Evergreen State College in Olympia. He worked for the New York Fire Department from 1985 until 1991 in midtown Manhattan on Engine 54, Ladder 4 and Battalion 9.

His company was one of those to respond to the events of September 11, 2001. He found out later that day that all of his fellow firefighters from the 9th Battalion were missing (and tragically he found out later had perished). So, true to form as the helper that he is, he got on a plane and two days later was digging in the pile, trying to uncover survivors. He stayed for a month doing that hard and heroic work. Andrew kept a compelling diary of his experiences then and an article was also written about his experiences in those early days after the tragedy—it originally appeared in Fire and Rescue Magazine and I share both with you here.

Andrew continues to do this heroic work in Washington State as Battalion Chief with the McLane-Black Lake Fire Department in Olympia, Washington.

Andrew today as Battalion Chief and Rescue Instructor in Washington State.

Andrew and his lovely wife Renee and two friends at the end of their Buffalo/NYC bike ride October 2023

Simple Tips for a Better Life

Everyone has ideas about how to live your best life. I thought I would include some of these tips from notable people here.

My favorite is the advice of Mark Twain

Deepak Chopra had some good ideas too about life.

And Henry Miller, although he talks more specfically about writing, has some good tips about living a creative lifestyle...

Chicken Spinach Potato Stew

LEMONY GREEK CHICKEN SPINACH STEW
by Sarah Di Gregorio
Courtesy NYTimes Cooking

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 red or yellow onion, finely chopped
8 large garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
1½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 pound ground chicken
1 heaping tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary (leaves of about 1 large sprig)
or 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Black pepper
1½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 medium), scrubbed and chopped into ½-inch chunks
6 cups chicken broth
Juice of 1 large lemon (about ¼ cup juice)
1 (8-ounce) bunch mature spinach, stems included, chopped, or 1½ cups frozen leaf spinach
¼ to ⅓ cup lightly packed roughly chopped dill
Crumbled feta and crushed pita chips, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over high heat. Add the onion, garlic and salt and cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic are softened and just starting to brown, 5 minutes. (Decrease the heat to medium-high if necessary to prevent scorching.)
Step 2
Decrease the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, rosemary, oregano, red-pepper flakes and several generous grinds of black pepper. Cook, breaking up the chicken into crumbles, until the meat starts to lose its translucent pinkness and is turning white, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and stir well to combine. Add the chicken broth and half the lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Bring to a rolling boil and then lower the heat to maintain a very brisk simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are nearly tender, 15 minutes. Step 3
Add the spinach and dill, to taste. Continue to simmer briskly until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes more. Taste and add some or all of the remaining lemon juice, as well as more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve in bowls topped with feta and crushed pita chips

Painting of the Week

The bicycle drawing I gave Andrew Speier circa 1970.

Charity of the Week:
Doctor's Without Borders

About The Author

New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by the Hammond Museum's Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.