Homeboy Industries
Many of the images in this blog are linked to further stories so feel free to click on them…
“Wow, this is it…I am in the right place.!”
Jesuit Priest Gregory Doyle
The catholic church gets a bad rap these days and a lot of it is well deserved but here is a church story that one can be proud of. When Jesuit Priest Gregory Boyle became pastor of the Los Angeles Dolores Mission church back in 1986, his parish had the highest concentration of gang activity and was home to the largest public housing facility west of the Mississippi. He was determined to service the community (there are currently approximately 120,000 gang members and 1100 gangs in LA County) and what began in 1988 as a way of improving the lives of former gang members in East Los Angeles has evolved into the largest gang intervention, rehab and re-entry program in the world: Homeboy Industries.
People Join Gangs Because of a Lethal Absence of Hope.”
"Nothing stops bullets like a job."
According to their website: "Father Greg popularized the radical notion that even the most demonized individuals can thrive when given a second chance. In the beginning he partnered with local Los Angeles businesses in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, encouraging them to hire homeboys and homegirls. Eventually, Homeboy Industries was established as a nonprofit and began creating and operating its own job training businesses. Now, Homeboy Industries has grown from a single bakery to almost a dozen social enterprises, which provide both a vital training ground for clients as well as revenue streams to support the mission. Expansion of our businesses proves that people can transcend their pasts and become valuable, empowered employees and business leaders." Gregory Boyle is, in my humble opinion, as close to a saint as there is on earth, with much wisdom to spread, as evident in this PBS interview with Kelly Corrigan and in his writings: Doyle has authored six books: his latest, Forgive Everyone Everything, The Homeboy Way, The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness, Creating a Culture of Tenderness, Barking to the Choir, and Tattoos on the Heart.
Emily in Paris TV Series
Actress Lily Collins
Ashley Park plays Mindy
My favorite character, Sylvie Grateau (actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu)
Maybe I should be embarrassed to admit my unabashed love for the series Emily in Paris that many people would find trite and superficial but for the sake of honesty, here goes! I binge watched the whole third series last week and loved every minute of it. It is one stereotype after the next, full of predictable clichés about the Americans and the French. It is a romantic Hollywood style love story, complete with messy complications, superficial characters, and I probably should know better at my age...The New York Times wrote about it recently with the headline; "Emily Is Still in Paris. Why Are We Still Watching?." But what I love about it most is the fashion! The outfits are completely over the top, outrageous in all their glory, adorable, unexpected and oh so cool. Just check out the plaids paired with stripes!
Rice Bowls
Courtesy NYTimes Cooking. Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food styling: Vivian Lui.
Courtesy The Inspired Home
Courtesy A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Salmon Rice Bowl Recipe Kay Chun
Rice bowls are all the rage these days and I actually love that way of eating. The plate appeals to my sense of order--all neatly organized delicious ingredients, arranged into little stacks. You start with a base of rice (or quinoa or couscous or anything you want). What goes on top of the first layer is in small portions and you can choose exactly what you want to put in there based on what appeals to you. A rice bowl is a bit more substantial than a salad due to the carb and it is great for emptying out the leftovers you might find it your fridge. Here is a Sarah Copeland recipe from the New York Times Cooking app but feel free to substitute any of her choices for some of yours.
* 1½ cup short-grain or sushi rice
¼ head purple cabbage, very thinly sliced (8 ounces)
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons peanut, canola or grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 to 2 cups kimchi, to taste
2 cups raw or cooked vegetables (such as shredded carrot, sliced radish, avocado, edamame, grilled zucchini or steamed spinach)
* Step 1 Rinse the rice and cook in 2 cups water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, covered, until tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered 10 minutes more.
* Step 2 Meanwhile, toss the cabbage with the salt and set aside in a colander to drain. (It should be sliced as thinly as possible, so it wilts in the salt.)
* Step 3 Toss the shrimp with the chile-garlic sauce and brown sugar to coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until just cooked through and slightly smoky, 4 to 5 minutes, adding the sesame seeds in the last minute of cooking. Season the shrimp with a pinch of salt.
* Step 4 Divide the rice between 4 bowls. Top with the shrimp, cabbage, green onion, kimchi and any other vegetables.
And here is another recipe from Kay Chun with salmon instead of shrimp but again, feel free to substitue any protein of your choosing:
Yield: 4 servings
* ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1½ cups sushi rice (short-grain white rice), rinsed until water runs clear
1½ pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (from one 2-inch piece)
3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
8 ounces green coleslaw mix (about 3 packed cups)
1 avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
Torn toasted nori sheets, for garnish (optional)
*
In a large saucepan, combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt; stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the rice and 1¾ cups water, and mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
*
In a small bowl, toss salmon with ¼ teaspoon sesame oil and season with salt. Once rice is tender (after about 20 minutes), arrange salmon in an even layer on top of rice. Cover and steam over low heat until fish is cooked to medium, about 12 minutes longer.
*
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, white vinegar, safflower oil, scallions, ginger and the remaining ¼ teaspoon sesame oil. Mix well, and season with salt.
*
Scoop salmon and rice into bowls. Top each with some cucumbers, coleslaw mix and avocado. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with nori, if using.
Painting of the Week
In process. Two of my Tree of Life Series mixed media on paper 60” x 22” each
Charity of the Week:
New York, NY 2022
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.