Usonia Homes
This is the house I grew up in, designed by Aaron Resnick. It was built into a hill—half on level ground, half on stilts, with the carport below.
Roland Reisley, one of the few surviving elders of Usonia. Click image for a recent Wall Street Journal article about him.
Interior of the Reisley House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Click image to see other FLW interiors.
Many of you know that I grew up in a very special cooperative community called Usonia in Westchester County, New York founded by Frank Lloyd Wright and disciples of his. Beginning in the 1940's, a group of true pioneers, our parents, got together and built Usonia: a cluster of 45 mid-century modern homes in the middle of the woods, with the aim of forming a socially connected, tight knit community and an alternative to the typical suburban communities cropping up at that time. A combination of forward thinking architecture, the beauty of nature, and social connectedness has made this place endure and thrive eighty years later. We just had a Usonian Celebration and Reunion this past weekend and all I can say to describe the event is "magical," "inspirational," and I feel swollen with love. Although my original immediate nuclear famiily (my dad Mel, my mother Edith and my sister Judy) are no longer on this earth, I know that I have my Usonian family to rely on and that has made a tremendous and everlasting difference in my life...
Usonia grew out of a certain time in history--out of the coop movement, right after World War II, many circumstances that were ripe for the birth of a community like Usonia. Add a very visionary forward thinking architect and his disciples--our parents were just so unique in being true pioneers in the biggest sense of the word at that time. As a child growing up there, I felt totally secure and considered other adults as parental figures and peers as brothers and sisters. Everyone was on a first name basis (no adult wanted to be called Mr. or Mrs.), refrigerators and houses were open and we were free to walk in and take a cookie out of a cookie jar, or get a band-aid for a skinned knee. Each of the 45 homes had an acre and a quarter on a circular plot, with lots of common land and no fences allowed.
Usonia has many lessons to teach the world about community spirit and connectedness, about how to raise confident and successful children, how to venerate nature and how important for our well-being it is to surround ourselves with love and beauty. A film crew led by filmmaker Diane Bloom of Chapel Hill, North Carolina was on-site throughout the whole weekend capturing Usonian voices old and new and photographing the beautiful homes in hopes of a future documentary.
If you are still curious and are the type that likes going through old family photos, here is a slide show of 400+ photos Usonia Past and Present created for the event.
And a book, Usonia , New York written by community elder Roland Reisley
Usonia Celebration Gathering July 2023
Peruvian Chicken Recipe
A few nights ago I had an appointment to show some art and ended up having dinner with them too--old friend Laura Filancia and her husband Josh Katz. After settling on two painitngs for their living room and office, Josh prepared the most delicious of dinners: Peruvian Chicken with a rich green sauce. It was so good that I have to share it with you here.
PERUVIAN-STYLE GRILLED CHICKEN with Green Sauce Recipe by J. Kenji López-Alt. Courtesy Serious Eats
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken 3 1/2 to 4 lbs., butterflied
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Pat butterflied chicken down with paper towel. Combine salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, garlic, vinegar, and oil in a small bowl and massage with fingertips until homogeneous. Spread mixture evenly over all surfaces of chicken.
Light a chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate.
Place chicken, skin side up, on cooler side of grill, with legs facing toward hotter side. Cover grill, with vents on lid open and aligned over chicken. Open bottom vents of grill. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 110°F (43°C). Carefully flip chicken and place, skin side down, on hotter side of grill, with breasts pointed toward cooler side. Press down firmly with a wide, stiff spatula to ensure good contact between bird and grill grates. Cover and cook until skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 145 to 150°F (63 to 66°C), about 10 minutes longer. If chicken threatens to burn before temperature is achieved, carefully slide to cooler side of grill, cover, and continue to cook until done. Do not leave the lid off for longer than it takes to check temperature, or chicken will burn.
GREEN SAUCE:
Combine jalapeños, ají amarillo (if using), cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and vinegar in the jar of a blender. Blend on high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until smooth. With blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauce will be quite loose at this point, but will thicken as it sits. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Feng Shui
Harmony and Serenity in a home in East Hampton, New York
I have definitely heard of feng shui and kind of thought I knew what it was but if you asked me to describe it, I would have had a hard time putting it into words. I certainly knew that the importance your home environment plays on your sense of wellbeing--and preach that all the time when I am selling my art--but not how exactly this old Chinese tradition fit into that picture. I recently came across this definition from the Daily Om website I subscribe to and it explained it like this:
The art of feng shui, an ancient Chinese practice focuses on Qi, a force of positivity and is about placement and letting the energy flow freely throughout your home and your life so you can thrive.
Our living spaces can be nurturing homes for our bodies and souls when we make sure that our surroundings accurately reflect who we are as individuals and who we aspire to become. No matter how positive and creative you may be in your inner world, if your home or work surroundings are contradictory or present energetic barriers, you are likely to find it difficult to manifest all that you desire. By paying attention to the flow of energy around you, you can align your inner intentions with your outer realities to make your life a conscious act of creation.
We can look to the ancient Asian art of feng shui for guidance. Since the words “feng” and “shui” mean “wind” and “water,” you may want to walk through your home and imagine the way these elements would flow through your space. You can evaluate whether or not your home is a balanced ecosystem that would allow a plant to flourish. Look for signs of debris that might obstruct flo; clutter acts like hurdles placed in your path, blocking you from creating what you want in your life. Once the obstacles are recognized, however, they can be removed to let energy flow freely throughout your home and your life so you can thrive.
Your home can be thought of as a metaphor for your life. A neglected space may correspond to a lack of growth in your career or personal relationships. By shifting your perception, you shift the way you direct your energy and attention, which can enable you to make the changes you need to actively create the life of your dreams. If you need some assistance, you can always turn to a feng shui practitioner, but the most important thing is that you understand what resonates with your core in order to feel alive and nurtured by your home."
Feng Shui is complicated and becoming an expert is no easy feat. But press here for a few tips for starters courtesy of Apartment Therapy.
Charity of the Week:
The Innocence Project
Painting of the Week
Sunshine 60” x 90” mixed media on canvas $9500
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.