Blog No. 302: Temple Food, On Hope, Heather Cox Richardson Talk October 2, 2026

Temple Food

The famous French chef of Le Bernadin, Eric Ripert, first met Jeong Kwan, the Buddhist nun, in her hermitage above the Baekyangsa temple in 2014, when he was in South Korea making an episode of Avec Eric, a food-travel show that ran for three seasons. Ripert, a Buddhist himself, had come to South Korea to learn about temple food.  Kwan and Ripert cooked together, and he was immediately impressed with her and her amazing, simple plant based cooking and realized he had a lot to learn from her.  

Ripert returned again to South Korea a couple years later with a film crew, culminating in a feature on Jeong Kwan on Chef’s Table (Netflix),  my favorite cooking show of all time. Eater did a review of the episode.

Jeong Kwan

Photo courtesy Nigel Parry and The Guardian

Ripert’s fascination with temple food was not short-lived.  It has now manifested it in his latest cookbook entitled Mindful Cooking, the cuisine introduced to him by this South Korean nun.  According to her, Temple food awakens the mind.  It is connected to spiritual energy and parallels the Buddhist philosophy:  be present, respect the ingredients and the planet, put good energy into the food, make people happy and be happy in the process.  Can’t wait to have a look.  In the meantime, here is a recipe from it that looks delicious. 

SALAD PANCAKE Recipe from Eric Ripert

COURTESY Pete Wells and the New York Times

Ingredients: dipping sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Ingredients: pancakes

1 large head oak leaf lettuce

2 cups all-­purpose flour

5 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 cups water

4 tbsp perilla or sesame oil or canola or vegetable oil

MAKE THE DIPPING SAUCE:

For the dippimg sauce: Combine first five ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Step 2
Slice the lettuce in half through the stem and wash well. Using a rolling pin or small pan, gently smash the stem end of the lettuce halves to flatten them. Set aside.

Step 3
Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Slowly add the water, mixing to form a thick batter (some lumps are OK). Gently dip one of the lettuce halves in the batter and massage to fully coat the leaves.

Step 4
Set a large nonstick pan over medium-­high heat. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the perilla oil* is shimmering, remove the lettuce from the batter, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Add it to the pan and press down gently with a spatula to flatten the top, making it as thin as possible.

Step 5
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed, until golden brown. Carefully flip the pancake and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the second lettuce half and the remaining batter and perilla oil.

Step 6
Slice the pancakes into sixths or eighths, depending on how many people you’re serving, and serve warm with the dipping sauce.

*note on perilla oil and substitutes: available in Korean markets—a neutral cooking oil like canola or vegetable can be substituted. To approximate the flavor of perilla oil, add 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil to the pan along with the 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in Step 4.

Hope

When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always.
--Mahatma Gandhi

“The greatest danger to our planet is that we lose hope – especially if our youth loses hope. Because, if we have no hope, we give up and stop trying to do our bit to make a difference.”
--Jane Goodall

More Words of Wisdom from Heather Cox Richardson

I have featured Heather Cox Richardson many many times on this blog. She is such a voice of sanity right now that I want to make sure that her voice is broadcast far and wide. Here is some words of wisdom from her from Friday October 2nd. We are so lucky to have such a knowlegable inspiring person informing us on a daily basis.
Pleae consider sharing this post including her talk with your friends, especially those you know that are on the fence. And if you know anyone that might like to hear some testimonials from Maga people who have defected, direct them to this website:leavingmaga.org

Photo of the Week

Fall is arriving. Edgecomb, Maine, October 2, 2026

Charity of the Week:

Please consider donating to Troy Jackson’s campaign in order to defeat Susan Collins. We need the help—money-wise, phone banking, canvassing, etc.

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 Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.

Blog No. 301: Thich Nhat Hanh Meditation, Troy Jackson New York Magazine Article, Sweet Potato Recipe

Thich Nhat Hanh Meditation

I haven’t been sleeping well lately. It’s relatively new— I can fall asleep but wake up a lot during the night. I finally figured out that I think it is anxiety about the elections, the state of our country, our future, etc. I am not usually prone to anxiety but I guess there is a lot to worry about right now…My friend Annie suggested I listen to some of Thich Nhat Hanh’s meditations. He is one of her go to people in the world.

This first Heart meditation has the soothing quality of the ocean behind it. This second one is a rare guided metta meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh which was offered on 31st December 2009, as part of a special Dharma Talk for the New Year. It invites us to practise loving-kindness. According to the Buddhist tradition, Thay says, love should always be directed at ourselves first before we can offer it to someone else.

You can practise on your own by listening to Thay, or you can guide a friend by reading the text below:

May I be peaceful and light in my body and in my mind.

May I be safe and free from accidents.

May I be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear and worries.

May I know how to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and compassion.

May I be able to recognise and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.

May I learn how to nourish myself with joy each day.

May I be able to live fresh, solid and free.

May I not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in

the extremes of attachment or aversion.

May all beings be peaceful and light in their body and in their mind.

May all beings be safe and free from accidents.

May all beings be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear

and worries.

May all beings know how to look at themselves with the eyes of understanding and compassion.

May all beings be able to recognise and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in themselves.

May all beings learn how to nourish themselves with joy each day.

May all beings be able to live fresh, solid and free.

May all beings not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in the extremes of attachment or aversion.

INGREDIENTS

Yield:

4 servings

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

FOR THE PANCAKES

• 1 large head oak leaf lettuce

• 2 cups all-­purpose flour

• 5 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 2 cups water

• 4 tablespoons perilla oil, divided (see Tip for substitute)

Ripert’s fascination with temple food was not short-lived.  It has now manifested in his latest cookbook entitled Mindful Cooking, the cuisine introduced to him by this South Korean nun.  According to her, Temple food awakens the mind.  It is connected to spiritual energy and parallels the Buddhist philosophy:  be present, respect the ingredients and the planet, put good energy into the food, make people happy and be happy in the process.  

.  

New York Magazine Article on
Troy Jackson
for U.S. Senate

Right now we are in the midst of election season so it is getting a little harder for me to avoid politics. I promise to go back after the midterms to more uplifting stories but in these times, I think being informed is so important…

Here is an article from New York Magazine about the senate candidate Troy Jackson, running for the U.S. Senate in the state of Maine against Susan Collins. It is a crucial race if we are to take back the Senate and we need all the help we can get. Troy Jackson started late after the Graham Platner fiasco. He is being handled by traditional democrats who are trying to run a “traditional democratic campaign in Maine.” It is simply not working as Mainers do not go for the raise money at all costs. They want to see the real candidate being out there and being real. Rebecca Traister captured this in her New York Magazine article reprinted here. For anyone interested in the importance of taking over the senate, this is an important read. And again, we could use your support in any way you can—contributions, phone banking, in person canvassing, letter writing… Thank you!

Sweet Potato Recipe

Always looking for some new (healthy) recipes and this one by Matthew Francis looks particularly interesting to me. I heard that Sweet potatoes are super healthy but had no idea why. It turns out they are loaded with beta-carotene, an antioxidant that turns into vitamin A in your body, protecting vision and healthy eye tissue. Here is a video courtesy Marc Francis walking you through the recipe.

Photo of the Week

Climate Week Kick-off Breakfast in my studio in New York on Sept. 22nd, sponsored by Nia Impact Capital, a women led impact investing firm, investing with purpose at the intersection of environmental sustainability and social justice. Founded by Kristin Hull.

Charities of the Week:

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 Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.

Blog No. 300: Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life (out in paperback), 3 U.S. Senate Candidates, Songs to Energize Get Out the Vote

Guided Out In Paperback

Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life is coming out very soon in Paperback! I highly recommend it! I had the good fortune of being included in the book along with a lot of other fascinating stories and people. I can’t say enough about the author Laura Lynne Jackson, She is an amazing person and defintely the real thing!

“In Chapter 17 Laura Lynne Jackson describes the life and work of artist Pam Smilow, whose creativity and spiritual awareness are deeply connected. Pam believes that art can be a way of receiving inspiration from beyond ourselves and that creative work can connect us to something larger than our everyday lives. Her artistic partnership with fellow artist and husband Gert Mathiesen became an important example of this connection. Although they had very different backgrounds and styles, they developed a wonderful marriage and an unusual collaborative process in which they created art together, sometimes without planning or even speaking. Their work flowed naturally, with each artist responding to what the other had created.

The chapter also explores Pam's experiences with loss and her belief that loved ones who have died can continue to influence and inspire us. After Gert's death, Pam felt his presence strongly and eventually began creating art again, often feeling as though their creative collaboration was continuing in a different form. Through her experiences, Pam came to understand that creativity does not always require complete control or conscious planning. Instead, she encourages people to remain open, trust their intuition, and allow ideas and inspiration to emerge naturally.

A central message of the chapter is that love and connection do not necessarily end with death. Jackson suggests that we can remain connected to those we love through memories, signs, creativity, intuition, and the energy of love itself. Pam's paintings and her experiences with Gert illustrate how relationships can continue to evolve even after someone has physically passed away. The chapter encourages us to be observant and open to the meaningful connections, coincidences, and inspirations that may appear in our lives.

Ultimately, the chapter “Manifesting Those We Love” is about the enduring power of love, creativity, and connection. It reminds us that the people we love can continue to shape us, inspire us, and remain part of our lives in unexpected ways. By staying open to possibility and trusting our intuition, we may discover that love can transcend physical separation and continue to guide us throughout our lives.”

Ossoff, Talarico, Nixon
for U.S. Senate

I am a big fan of Jon Ossoff--so much so that I made a campaign lawn sign for him when he ran for the Senate the last time around. Here he is energizing the crowd with a great speech in Athens, Georgia.

Another candidate I am excited about is James Talarico. He is running for U.S. Senate against Ken Paxton in Texas. Listen to his dynamic speech in front of students at Baylor University in Waco, Texas and his recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel.

Coming from behind, in a monumental upset victory, comes Angie Nixon of Florida, also running for U.S. Senate. Hear her amazing victory speech from a few weeks ago.

This is the way to do it!

Hoping to see Troy Jackson, Maine's senate candidate against Susan Collins, out doing the same thing. So far, we haven't seen much of him and rumors are that he is being mismanaged by national Democratic outsiders who have not a clue about the unique character of Maine voters...

James Talerico for U.S. Senate in the State of Texas

Angie Nixon for the U.S. Senate in the state of Florida

Songs to Energize Us Politically

Music plays an enormous role in uniting and uplifting us, energizing people to be up for the fight.

Here are some of those songs

Get Up, Stand Up

Change is Gonna Come

"We Shall Not Be Moved

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Which Side Are You On

Woke Up This Morning

Eve of Destruction

And you might want to check out Jesse Welles, who is a prolific political songwriter on his youtube account.

Photo of the Week

Charities of the Week:

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 Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.

Blog No. 299: MD Motivator Revisited, Mon Rovîa on NPR's Tiny Desk, Poet John Roede

MD Motivator Revisited

MD Motivator

I can't get enough of this guy, the MD Motivator who has devoted his llife to celebrating and rewarding kindness. Hard to believe he is for real but he is! I want to be him!

His real name is Zachery Dereniowski, he is Canadian (of course) and he gets his money from online crowdfunding, a registered nonprofit, and corporate sponsorships. He started off small--on tiktok posting daily videos where he got people to donate small sums of money which he immediately gave away to people in need. He slowly built up, now teaming up with such corporations as Expedia, Air Canada and Hyundai and musicians including Billie Eilish and Chris Brown to mention a few.

If ever anyone deserved to go viral, he is it. With 9.7 million followers on instagram and 28 million on tiktok, he has made human decency and kindness cool again. Let's hope his mission of spreading love and wealth is contagious...

Mon Rovîa on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts

I've written about Mon Rovîa before. Such a seemingly gentle, sweet soul, singing about his life's journey across continents--how as a young boy born in Monrovia, Liberia he ended up adopted by an American family while his sister and brother were left behind in Africa. I came across his gentle voice first on instagram and immediately felt drawn to the honesty and innocence of his voice, which has been described as a balm--soft, clear, and soothing.br>
Obviously I wasn't the only one who noticed his talent. This past week he was invited on the Tiny Desk Concert series on NPR and is in the middle of an extensive tour across the United States and Europe. To see the schedule and purchase tickets, click here.

John Roedel Poet and Comedian

John Roedel in his words: Poet. Writer. Comic. Storyteller. Terrible Dancer.

So much of my substack blog is random stumbling on something while looking for something else. This is the case of John Roedel. His poem below spoke to me and on digging deeper, I found a sensitive person in search of himself, unafraid to be honest and his authentic self. a transformation that took over time while raised as a devout Catholic living in the middle of cowboy country in Wyoming. The interview here reveals a person through a spiritual awakening--his questions and concerns are universal and relatable. If you care to delve deeper, his story is an interesting one and you can hear all about it in this interview.

My brain and
heart divorced

a decade ago

over who was
to blame about
how big of a mess
I have become

eventually
they couldn't be
in the same room
with each other

now my head and heart
share custody of me

I stay with my brain
during the week

and my heart gets me on weekends

they never speak to one another

--instead, they give me
the same note to pass
to each other every week

and their notes they
they sent to one another always
says the same thing:

"This is all your fault"

on Sundays
my heart complains about how my
head has let me down
in the past

and on Wednesday
my head lists all
of the times my
heart has screwed
things up for me
in the future

they blame each
other for the
state of my life

there's been a lot
of yelling--and crying

so,
lately, I've been
spending a lot of
tie with my gut

who serves as my
unofficial therapist

most nights, I sneak out of the
windown in my ribcage

and slide down my spine
and collapse on my
gut's plush leather chairthat's always open for me

--and I just sit sit sit sit
until the sun comes up

last evening,
my gut asked me
if I was having a hard
time being caught
between my heart
and my head

I nodded

I said I didn't know
if I could live with
either of them anymore

"my heart is always sad about
something that happened yesterday
while my head is always worried
about something that may happen tomorrow"
I lamented

my gut squeezed my hand

"I just can't live with
my mistakes of the past
or my anxiety about the future,"I signed

my gut smiled and said:

"in that case,
you should
go stay with your
lungs for a while,"

I was confused
--the look on my face gave it away

"if you are exhausted about
your heart's obsession with
the fixed past and your mind's focus
on the uncertain future

your lungs are the perfect place for you

there is no yesterday in your lungs
there is no tomorrow there either

there is only now
there is only inhale
there is only exhale
there is only this moment

there is only breath

and in that breath
you can rest while your
heart and head work
their relationship out."

this morning
whle my brain
was busy reading
tea leaves

and while my heart was staring at old photographs

I packed a little
bag and walked
to the door of
my lungs

before I could even knock

she opened the door
with a smile and as
a gust of air embraced me
she said

"what took you so long?"

Photo of the Week

Flower Power Series I - VI, mixed media on paper, 30” x 22” $8500

Charities of the Week:

Book of the Week

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 Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.