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Blog No. 146: Alain de Botton on Love, Jimmy Carter Guinea Worm Eradication, Autumn Song Playlist

October 8, 2023

I’m in California, criss crossing the state through October 17th. Let me know if you want to see some of my new work. I am doing shows in San Diego/La Jolla and the Bay Area and am also available also for private appointments. You can reach me by phone 917-239-3789 or by email at pamsmilow@me.com for details.

Alain de Botton on Love

I don't know about but it seems that everywhere I turn there is another podcast, article, or talk about relationships: the secrets of successful connections, how to get along better, the ingredients of a successful marriage and how to define and find love...Something we humans all tend to seek...Maybe it is because we are so little connected these days since we are all so busy on our phones...

For a definitive discourse on the subject, I looked to an On Being interview that Krista Tippett conducted with Alain de Botton, Swiss-born British author, public speaker and founder of The School of Life, The interview is entitled The True Hard Work of Love and Relationships." To quote him, "Love is a painful poignant touching attempt by two flawed individuals to try and meet each other's needs in situations of gross uncertainty and ignorance about who they are and who the other person is but we are going to do our best…that is a much more generous starting point…"

On the ancient Greeks and their pedagogical view of love: "One of the greatest insults that you can level at a lover in the modern world apparently is to say "i want to change you." The ancient Greeks had a view of love which was essentially based around education. "Love is a benevolent process where two people try and teach each other how to become the best versions of themselves…They are committed to increasing the admiral characteristics…"

A lot of wisdom here. Well worth the listen or the read...

Jimmy Carter and Guinea Worms

Jimmy Carter with a device that eliminates guinea worm larvae from drinking water

Always nice to hear a success story, especially when it involves a wonderful former president who just turned 99 and the end of a terrible, extremely painful disease. Through the Carter Center, Jimmy Carter has dedicated his life after his presidency to doing good on so many levels, including his work on human rights, tropical disease eradication, world peace and his most notable work with Habitat for Humanity.

Since 1986, The Carter Center has led the international campaign to eradicate Guinea Worm disease, an extremely painful and debilitating disease that at that time afflicted 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia. Working closely with ministries of health and local communities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and many others, to date the worldwide count of Guinea Worm cases is now down to an astonishing 6!

Autumn Songs

Here is a nice playlist of some of my favorite songs to welcome the Autumn Season...

Simon and Garfunkel Leaves That Are Green

The Mamas and the Papas California Dreamin/

Painting of the Week

Midnight Moon, mixed media on canvas, 54” x 84” $8500

Charity of the Week:
Robin Hood Foundation

“Robin Hood is New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization. We support low-income families by building and fueling the most impactful nonprofits across all five boroughs that are elevating people from poverty.
***Over three decades, we’ve invested more than $3B in New York City to ensure low-income families are on pathways needed to realize economic mobility.”***

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.

Blog No. 145: Stolpersteine and Hannah Goldrich, Cassidy Hutchinson, Barbara Streisand Sings Avinu Malkeinu

September 30, 2023

Hannah Goldrich and Stolpersteine

Stolpersteine (Stumbling Blocks) in Germany

The German artist Gunter Demnig's work has always combined art, performance and provocation in public spaces and his most notable project to date has been the manufacturing and laying of stolpersteine (stumbling blocks--small brass memorial plaques placed in the pavement of Germany and other countries across Europe to commemorate the victims of Nazi persecution). Those honored include Jews, Romani people, LGBTQ+ people, the disabled----all those persecuted for their religious, political and social beliefs under the reign of Hitler's National Socialist Party.

An old and dear family friend Hannah Goldrich and her family recently travelled to Heilbronn, Germany (also my mother's hometown) to lay stolpersteine for her relatives who were such victims. Her hometown newspaper, The Eugene (Oregon) Weekly published an article about her life and her return to Germany to lay the brass commemorative stones. Hannah's parents, Max and Trude Victor were responsible for my family's living in Usonia, the cooperative community where I grew up (they knew my mother back in Germany), and they were a major influence on me. I look to the way they lived their life as a model of how I want to live mine...with their love of art, design and culture. To this day I fashion my life on the old school European cultured way they showed me growing up.

Gunter Demnig, artist and creator of the stolpersteine

Cassidy Hutchinson

Enough, tell all book released Monday 9/25/2023

I don't usually get into politics here but if there is a hero amongst us, it is 25-year old Cassidy Hutchinson who is wise and gutsy way beyond her years. Nor am I often in awe of a conservative card carrying republican but she is one with integrity, single-handedly standing up for what she considers right and the truth against very strong powers to be. Hard to believe she is was only 24 years old when she testified before the January 6th committee..

She has a new book out called Enough (if they had asked me, I would have named it GUTS!). I listened to it on tape nonstop since it came out on Monday--couldn't put it down. If you want a true insider guide to what really went on behind closed doors in Trump's White House, this is the book...It's chilling! and Cassidy Hutchinson is a true patriot for coming forward against very serious threats...If our democracy is saved, I attribute a lot of the rescue to her....

Barbara Streisand sings Avinu Malkeinu

You don’t have to be Jewish to bask in the beauty of this song….

Thought this was apropos of the Jewish New Year, especially after Yom Kippur when some among us take stock and atone for our sins...Israel is in the fight for their life as a democracy and what is going on there can just break anyone's heart.. .I'm taking you back to better days of hope with Barbra Streisand's beautiful singing of Avinu Malkeinu for Simon Peres (1923-2016), his favorite song, in 2014. It asks God to have compassion for us and our children and to help bring an end to war and famine and cause all hate and oppression to vanish from this earth.... Hope for peace, justice and democracy--we all need that right now.

Let's not give up on the dream!

Painting of the Week

Charity of the Week:
Robin Hood Foundation

Blog No. 144: The Soul of Money, Creative Shopping Bags, Taking to the Streets

September 23, 2023

The Soul of Money

I can't believe I hadn't heard of this book...The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist was written in 2003 and reissued again in 2017 but it is just as relevant today as it was back then...In it, through great storytelling of her myriad experiences all over the world trying to combat world hunger, Twist explores the pervasiveness of money in our culture, the ideas behind scarcity and sufficiency, our attitudes towards "poor people" and how with a shift in perspective, aligning money with soul, one can actually manifest one's most soulful interests and commitments in an arena where profound and lasting transformation could occur. . Twist believes that when we let go of trying to get more of what you don't really need, which is what we are all trying to get more of, it frees up immense energy to make a difference with what you have. It is a must read! Don't just leave it to me or my friend Eddie who recommended it after a conversation we had about money. Below are a few more notable recommendations about this transformational and inspirational book:

"To anyone who wants to transform their lives and the world, I give this book my highest recommendation.
--Deepak Chopra

I want to warn you, your life will not be the same after you pick up this book. The Soul of Money delivers a message that will move, inspire, and touch your soul so deeply that you will not be able to live your life in the same way."
--Paul Dolan, President Fetzer Vineyards

"Lynne Twist's eloquent book, The Soul of Money, is an indispensable resource for all those interested in transforming their relationship with money and its influence in their lives..."
Charles Garfield, Univ. of California Medical School, SF

Lynne Twist is a global activist and has been her whole life. She has taken it upon herself, through her work with The Hunger Project and her organization The Soul of Money Institute, to tackle many of the world's deepest problems, fighting to end the scourge of world hunger, alleviate poverty, empower the status of women and girls, and work towards environmental sustainability and social justice. She definitely is one of our unsung heroes...

Shopping Bags

As a wonderful graphic designer, my friend Jill Korostoff has a knack for finding cool and clever visuals to put a smile on our faces...Have a look at these creative and different takes on mundane shopping bags. They made me smile...

Taking to the Streets

I grew up with a German mom that escaped Nazi Germany in the nick of time. She got out late but she was one of the lucky ones who did. I grew up haunted with the question of how something like that could have happened, how the people either didn't see it coming or did and just wanted to believe nothing would come of it...

What worries me a lot these days is that we are just sitting ducks, watching our democracy taken away from us right before our eyes, and we just think it can't happen...I've been screaming for a while, asking where are the organizers, why aren't they demanding we take to the streets. Demonstrations I believe helped stop the Vietnam War. Civil disobedience does work. Boycotts do too. Why, now of all times with climate armgeddon on the horizon and democracy in America in grave peril are we just sitting there...

Well, this past weekend we did show up in the streets en masse. It was climate Week here in NYC and the UN General Assembly is in session so many world leaders were in town...And 75,000 of us came out to demand the end to fossil fuels. It was envigorating, inspiring and gave me renewed hope...Let's make it a habit. God knows there is enough to protest about...

Painting of the Week

“We See Trees” mixed media on canvas 54” x 80”

Charity of the Week:
Jane Fonda's Climate Pac

***“I started Jane Fonda Climate PAC, which is laser-focused on one goal: Do what it takes to defeat fossil fuel supporters and elect climate champions at all levels of government.***
***I believe this is the most important thing I will do in my lifetime.”***

Blog No. 143: Biko's Manna, Roz Chast I Must Be Dreaming, Alison Mesrop Caterer

September 16, 2023

Biko's Manna

I came across Biko's Manna, these three adorable and very talented kids straight out of Johannesburg, South Africa while fishing around instagram. The three siblings come from a long line of musicians and have been playing music for most of their lives. They have gone viral--they are all over instagram, tiktok and youtube. Their enthusiasm and good humor is contagious--a pure joy to watch: Biko has a beautiful, resonating voice and she is accompanied by her brother Manna. Her younger brother Mfundo picks up the slack with background dancing and a big broad smile...

Here are a few videos where you can see and hear them in action. In fact, they are just straight off a tour in the United States. If you have any doubt about their talent and the sheer range of their abilities, listen to their virtual concert below. And if this leads you to want more, search social media--they are all over it.

Roz Chast I Must Be Dreaming

I've always considered myself kind of an outsider in the way I think--I usually go against common knowledge and the way many people feel about things... As an example, I encouraged my daughter not to take AP classes in high school--she was already on overload with school and track and I felt sleep was more important than loading up on college credentials. I didn't go to art school because art is something very hard to teach--I was highly motivated and didn't need the push and didn't want to be heavily influenced by someone else's aesthetic. As a painter, for my career I operated outside of the traditional art world. It just never felt like my people...

So this is probably why I love Roz Chast--she has an unbelievable sense of my kind of humor, is an unconventional thinker and is honest about it and not afraid to show her vulnerability. And that's why I am so excited that she has a new book out--I Must Be Dreaming--it is going straight to my birthday list! I always want to hear her take on things--and it is on one of my favorite subjects: dreams...

If, like me, you want to find out more about her, here is a great interview she gave to the Paris Review back in the summer of 2021. It is a long one but well worth sticking to. In it she explains her creative method, her approach to "art" and I love the way she avoids pretension like the plague... And here is her most recent interview from the New York Times about her new book...

Alison Mesrop Caterer

There are some caterers in New York that fall under the radar and Alison Mesrop is one of those...she is a superstar in the world of delicious food and she serves a large population of very famous people but quietly. I love her cooking and every time I have a party, I turn to her. Her menus are delicious, abundant and innovative...and she takes the stress out of any gathering one might have, whether it is a small dinner thing or a large wedding or other huge event...I share with you a couple of my favorite of her dishes, complete with recipes...

Ali can be reached via email: AliMezFood@aol.com.

ALSATIAN ONION TART

For the crust:
1/2 lb. all butter puff pastry (she uses Dufour), thawed overnight in the refrigerator
Parmesan cheese
Remove pastry from refrig just prior to rolling out.
Sprinkle work surface liberally with parmesan cheese.
Place the pastry on top of the cheese and sprinkle more cheese over the surface of the pastry. Roll the pastry to a thin 13" x 9" rectangle--(the cheese prevents sticking.)
Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees on the middle rack until golden...about 15 minutes.
The topping:

2 lbs yellow onions; thinly sliced
1 stick butter
4 tsps. kosher salt
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 pound gruyere cheese, grated

In a large saucepan melt the butter, add the onions and saute over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until caramelized. (approx. 30-40 minutes). At the very end, add the wine and cook for about 30 seconds longer.

Assembly:
Spread the onion on crust and top with the gruyere.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling slightly.
Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting into slices of various shapes and sizes with scissors or a pizza cutter.

TUNA TARTARE ROLLED IN CUCUMBER

Combine 1 hour ahead of assembly:
1 pound sushi grade tuna, cut into very small cubes
3 minced garlic cloves
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro
1 inch knob of peeled ginger; grated
1/4 c. finely minced red bell pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. hot pepper flakes (optional)

With a good vegetable peeler, cut approx. 30 strips of 2 english cucumbers

Assembly:
Place about one generous tbsp. of the tartare at the bottom of each strip
Roll up tightly. Garnish with tobiko and shisho leaves (optional).
Place in a small baking pan lined with paper towel and refrigerate until serving time.

Cucumber alternatives:
wonton triangles or tortilla chips

Painting of the Week

Think of All the Beauty Still Left in the World mixed media on canvas 59” x 72”

Charity of the Week:
David Hogg's
Leaders We Deserve

Founded by David Hogg and Kevin Lata, Leaders We Deserve is a grassroots organization dedicated to electing young progressives to Congress and State Legislatures across the country to help defeat the far-right agenda and advance a progressive vision for the future.

Blog No. 142: Carl Jung and Synchronicities, Oprah Deepak Meditation, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez

September 9, 2023

Carl Jung and Synchronicities

How many times do you think of someone and the next second the phone rings and it is that person? How often do you remember someone who is no longer alive and then their favorite song comes on the radio...or you have a dream and a symbol from the dream appears the next day at your breakfast table? Or you repeatedly see the same sequence of numbers over and over again...?

I didn't realize that it was Carl Jung that coined the term "synchronicity" to describe “a meaningful coincidence of two or more events where something other than the probability of chance is involved.” Jung believed that these occurrences are directly related to the observer’s mind, and serve to provide powerful insight, directions and guidance, according to Alec in his newsletter Arts of Thought.

I for one feel that synchronicities come at me all the time these days and although I often chalk it up to mere coincidence, I do wonder deeply and am beginning to believe that there is something much more to it... I try to pay special attention to these events when they do happen and feel somehow that, like dreams, they lead me to a shift in consciousness that connects in a bigger way to the universe...they also give me comfort...They say that seeing these signs is a good indication that one is shifting to a higher vibrational frequency and evolving into a more fulfilled version of oneself. I would like to think that is true...

Here is a twelve minute crash course on synchronicities. Stick with it if you can in order to hear the absolutely amazing story of Esther and the $1 bill...If you want to hear more personal stories, here are some more examples of people's stories about synchronicities.

"Synchronicity is the sense of the numinous--a powerful feeling of wonder and awe that lifts us outside of ourselves, taking us outside of the everyday routine of our lives and connecting us with the divine."--Carl Jung

I welcome any of your synchronicity stories--things that have occurred to you that you consider more than a coincidence--I would even go a step further and say that if you email me your stories at pamsmilow@me.com and include the names and emails of three friends who you think would want to receive my free weekly blog in the future (please warn then first), I will send you a free animal print of your choice from my website as a thank you.

Meditation

I am no expert on meditation. In fact I am a total beginner but I thought I would share with you the meditation I try and do every day. It is one led by Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey, where they pick different themes and explore it in a 21 day series. Some of these series are available free on youtube in segments and the one I am doing now is on Perfect Health. (they have had series on gratitude, getting unstuck, and the energy of attraction, to name a few). What I like about these meditations is that both Oprah and Deepak offer a short beginning introductory talk, where they speak about something useful to work on, and then they present a sanskit mantra and then complete silence for the next ten minutes or so. I personally don't like guided meditiatons where they talk all the way through--I find it distracting. I am not even sure I am doing it right but I just sit there, try and push any thoughts that come in out of my mind, say the mantra over and over and try and focus on the ever changing blankness of the colored screen behind my eyelids... The whole process takes about 20 minutes or less...and I do it once or twice a day...

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez

Official Portrait, courtesy ***Franmarie Metzler; U.S. House Office of Photography***

After seeing Mitch McConnell freeze twice in the past month or so on television, I had a new revelation that our government is truly being run by corpses--people well past their prime that should not be clinging on to the power for the sake of their egos...I have nothing against older people--i am one myself--but it is time to introduce a new guard. Thankfully there are some of these younger people stepping up right now and they need to be supported.

Alexandra Ocasio Cortez is one of these people--and already elected for the third time, she is becoming a young old timer...From waitress to congresswoman from New York's 14th congressional district which includes the eastern part of The Bronx and part of north-central Queens, AOC, as she is known, recently gave an interview in the New York Times where she talks about what she has learned since entering congress. I found the interview interesting and I hope you will too.

In the future, I plan on featuring a few more of our up and coming young leaders...

Painting of the Week

Blue Bird at Midnight with Moon mixed media on canvas 18” x 80”

Charity of the Week:
Unicef: Morocco Earthquake Victims

Blog No. 141: Salagnac Architects, Spirit Children of Fontaine Manse, The River by Mary Oliver

September 2, 2023

Salagnac Arquitectos

Salagnac Arquitectos Offices in Nosara, Costa Rica

Growing up in a Frank Lloyd Wright community, I am well aware that architecture has a tremendous effect and power to influence lives. On our recent trip to Costa Rica, we stayed in a beautiful home designed by award winning architects Evangelina Quesada and Lucca Spendlingwimmer of Salagnac Arquitectos, a Costa Rican based firm who pay special attention to simplicity and beauty and give new meaning to the concept of inside/outside. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, they "promote the maximum integration of the building and the environment, in order to diminish the impact it causes on nature." In this type of architecture, "human comfort can be accomplished by means of efficient energy consumption systems, bioclimatic design strategies and advanced technology. This innovative architecture integrates, in a creative way, the environment, technology and aesthetics."

If I ever build a house, I would definitely consider hiring them to design it. We were in Nosara, Costa Rica in the rainy season. Afternoons were spent sitting comfortably outside in covered areas with glass roofs, and with the huge glass windows, even inside one had the impression of literally living in the jungle. And as a bonus, there was also a fun interplay of reflections throughout the whole house...

Spirit Children of Fontaine Manse

This is a good story! A friend recently turned me on to Snap Judgment Radio (Storytelling, with a BEAT), a podcast described as "mixing real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic, kick-ass radio."

I usually stay away from ghost stories because they scare me--but this 12 minute one, The Invisible Children, based on Kathleen Mcconnell's book Don’t Call Them Ghosts: The Spirit Children of Fontaine Manse- A True Story" didn't frighten me at all. In fact, I found it an intriguing story about kindness and open-mindedness...a ghost story with a heart.

The River by Mary Oliver

I've had quite a few rivers in my life lately. The Damariscotta River in mid-coast Maine, the mighty Hudson, the Nosara River in Costa Rica. This Mary Oliver poem seemed apropos...

THE RIVER
by Mary Oliver

In one day the Amazon discharges into the Atlantic the equivalent of New York City’s water supply for nine years.

Just because I was born
 precisely here or there,
 in some cold city or other,
 don’t think I don’t remember
 how I came along like a grain
 carried by the flood—
on one of the weedy threads that pour
 toward a muddy lightning
 surging east, past
 monkeys and parrots, past
 trees with their branches in the clouds, until
 I was spilled forth
and slept under the blue lung
 of the Caribbean.
Nobody
 told me this. But little by little
 the smell of mud and flowers returned to me,
 and in dreams I began to grow dark,
 to sense the current.
Do dreams lie? Once I was a sad fish
 crying for my sisters in the glittering
 crossroads of the delta.
Once among the thick reeds I found
 an empty boat, as narrow
 as a man’s waist. Nearby
 the trees sizzled with the afternoon rain.
Home, I said.
 In every language there is a word for it.
 Deep in the body itself, climbing
 those white walls of thunder, past those green
 temples there is also
 a word for it.
 I said, home.

Painting of the Week

This super large collaborative painting sold yesterday in Copenhagen. So happy it gets to stay in Denmark. Available in poster format.

Charity of the Week:
Maui Food Bank

Blog No. 140: Bird Watching in Nosara, Costa Rica, Ice-Cream Truck Short Story, Schumann's Kinderszenen

August 25, 2023

Bird Watching, Cosa Rica

I kept track of all the birds I saw in Costa Rica with the help of my eyes, a pair of opera glasses (not that great for bird-watching but better than nothing) and a kayaking guide named Gabriela Brendle of NaturTours Gabriela who was excellent at spotting these often shy creatures and being able to identify every species we saw. She also pointed out four crocodiles that I would have preferred not to see...

Orange-Chinned Parakeet. My favorites and by far the noisiest

Ice-Cream Truck Short Story

I always loved when the ice cream truck came around. My favorites were Chocolate Candy Crunch with the chocolate bar inside…I liked the creamsicle, the strawberry shortcake and the chocolate eclair too.

I have had a subscription to the New Yorker Magazine for years but these days I seem to fall further and further behind on my reading of them. That's when plane rides and trips come in handy. I bring a big stack of them and try and make my way through...

This Canadian writer Souvankham Thammavongsa's short story called The Ice-Cream Truck touched my heart and I share it with you here (I hope I haven't violated every existing copyright law in the process). Ice-cream trucks definitely fall into my category of "things I love." The ice cream, of course, but also just the sound of the approaching bells that never fail to get my heart fluttering with excitement, even today!

The Ice Cream Truck by Souvankham Thammavongsa

Not a lot of good sounds could be heard on our street. Police sirens and ambulances. Next door, a man often yelled, his shouts sometimes quickly followed by a soft thump. On our television, a movie played: a building being blown up, gunfire, and flames. We weren't supposed to watch things like that, but my brother and I were home alone. I was ten years old and he was eight.

Our parents had told us to keep the television loud so that it would sound as if there were an adult with us. They'd shown us the places we could hide together, if we felt scared. In the bathtub with the shower curtain drawn. In the closet beneath a pile of clothes. When they were not home, we weren't allowed to go outside. We couldn't ride our bikes or look for pretty marbles on the ground.

It was summer. There was no school to go to, and it cost too much to hire a babysitter to cover the time my parents worked, even just a teen-ager saving up for a prom dress. We didn't live near grandparents. There were no cousins next door, no aunts or uncles in the neighborhood to go to. So it was just the two of us.

"You hear that?" my brother asked me.
"What?" I said.
"The ice-cream truck."
I listened. And there it was. That tinny little sound twinkling somewhere nearby.

When you hear an ice-cream truck on your street, it means that someone has thought of you. It means that someone thinks you deserve something good in the world, and you don't have to imagine that for yourself all by yourself.
That day, the ice-cream truck came to our street.
I slid the chain off the door and unlocked it. I grabbed my brother and we ran outside to the curb. The sound of the ice-cream truck was so loud, so close. My brother and I waved it down.

The ice-cream truck stopped for us.
We were frantic in our joy, screaming out what we wanted to eat, and for some reason the man in the truck made it for us. We got what we asked for and ate quickly, trying not to let the summer heat take it away from us. We licked our fingers, hands, wrists. And we laughed for no reason other than that we could.

We hadn't noticed the ice-cream truck leaving. We hadn't noticed its loud music pulling away, growing distant.
My brother looked over at me with sudden sorrow, and said, "I forgot to pay. Did you?"
I forgot, too.
I understood then why ice-cream trucks maybe didn't come to our street. Why, when we'd heard the ice-cream truck before, it was always a street over, where there were brick houses with front lawns and sprinklers and bright flowers.

We promised each other that we wouldn't tell out parents. We wouldn't tell them that we'd gone outside. That we'd eaten ice cream. That we hadn't paid. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching cartoons about small blue people who lived inside mushrooms.

I am forty-four years old now. I will be forty-five this summer. I hadn't heard an ice-cream truck in my neighborhood in years, but a few weeks ago there it was. Faint, twinkling. There was no one to ask, "You hear that?" I could go outside now without having to tell someone. I grabbed some cash and ran.

I didn't know exactly where the ice-ream truck was, but I moved to where its music felt loudest. I closed my eyes and followed what I felt.

When I opened my eyes, I saw someone who looked like my brother. A little boy, running. I knew he wasn't my brother. I reminded myself that my brother had grown up and that he had died just last year. Whoever this little boy was, he knew where he was going. So I ran in the same direction.

And there it was, the ice-cream truck, in a parking lot. I got in line like everyone else. When it was my turn to pay, I gave the man in the ice-cream truck everything I had, a twenty-dollar bill, and I told him to keep the change. The man gave me a standing ovation.

I took my ice cream with me and ate it in the sunshine. I deserve this joy, I said. I deserve it all."

Schumann's Kinderszenen

What can I say...I just love this piece of music: Schumann's Escenes d'infants op. 15 (Kinderszenen, Scenes from Childhood) played by Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich. And here's another version of it by Vladimir Horowitz. At one point I could play it on the piano and I hope I can get there again--it's probably been thirty years since I last sat down at the piano I had in my studio at the time and tried...

Products of the Week

Our new **Tea Towels** are in with some BRAND NEW COLORS! Based on botanical images from an antique book from the 1850’s, I then collaged on top, transforming the staid prints into a more contemporary and jazzy look…a great and affordable option for a housewarming gift. $25 each. https://www.pamelasmilow.com/tabletop-kitchen

Charity of the Week:
Maui Food Bank

Blog No. 139: Empty Your Mind, Michael Moore Again, Exotic Tartar

August 18, 2023

Empty Your Mind

One can never be reminded enough...

And more thoughts on how to stop the mind's chatter below:

Michael Moore Again

I usually like to leave politics out of my blog because I want to write about things that lift our spirits and politics these days really just brings us down. But I know that we can't just throw our hands up in hopelessness--we must get up and fight. For that reason I make an exception and bring you Michael Moore, one of the biggest fighers I know and one I admire so much! This is the latest substack post that appeared in my inbox a few days ago and I always find him so right on...

And even though it is all over the news, I include here a copy of Fani Willis' indictment of Trump et al for those who may have missed it and want to read through the whole thing...

Exotic Tartar

This looked so delicious and so summery that I had to post it. It is exactly the way I like to eat and it's perfect now for our stay in Costa Rica. (courtesy @_sunchef)

INGREDIENTS

Beetroot Layer
💜1/4 Beetroot, cooked
💜1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
💜Pinch of Salt
💜Black Pepper
💜1 tbsp Olive Oil

Avocado Layer
💚1/2 Avocado
💚1/2 tsp Sumac
💚Pinch of Salt
💚Black Pepper
💚1/2 Lime

Mango Layer
💛1/2 Mango

💛1/2 Red Onion
💛Handful of Coriander
💛1/2 Lime

Painting of the Week

Bird Scroll (Mint) 48” x 72” mixed media on canvas

Charity of the Week:
Maui Food Bank

Blog No. 138: Musician Sixto Rodriguez, Artist John Casado, Quotes on Love and Friendship

August 11, 2023

Sixto Rodriguez 1942-2023

Known as Mama Africa and the Empress of African Song

*Swedish Filmmaker* Malik Bendjelloul and Sixto Rodriguez

The world lost a beautiful soul this past week--singer songwriter Sixto Rodriguez--whose amazing life story is a true modern day fairy tale. The only saving grace is that I hope he runs into my late husband Gert Mathiesen somewhere up there--Gert thought it was the most amazing story of our generation and he couldn't stop talking about it...and after reading this article/obituary, I realize this quote by Alex H. Krinsky in Relix sums up his sentiments to a tee: “This was the greatest, the most amazing, true story I’d ever heard, an almost archetypal fairy tale… It’s a perfect story. It has the human element, the music aspect, a resurrection, and a detective story.”

Here goes:

Rodriguez, born poor in Detroit, Michigan was playing guitar and making music for much of his early years and although producers recognized his enormous talent ("the next Bob Dylan," they said), and two albums were produced, record sales never took off. In fact he hardly sold an album (he had two: Cold Fact and Coming from Reality) in the United States.

He made his living doing odd jobs, carpentry, heavy labor and demolition work while living in a modest dwelling in downtown Detroit. He raised three beautiful daughters there and although he continued to play music for himself (and even make an unsuccessful attempt to run for public office), he remained poor and unknown.

Here is the fairly tale part of the story...unbeknownst to him, all the way on the other side of the earth in South Africa, his record was a huge hit, selling more copies than any other record of the time. In fact, a whole mythology developed around the life of Sixto Rodriguez and what they thought was his untimely mysterious death, and his album became a symbol and a rallying cry of resistance to apartheid. To say he was beloved in South Africa is an understatement.

The story unfurled as record store owner, Stephen Segerman got curious one day in the late 90's and started researching what ever happened to this talented musician. I will let Rodriguez himself and Swedish film director Malik Bendjelloul tell you the rest of the story in an interview they did with the Weekly Comet.

For those who haven't heard his music, you are in for a real treat and for those who don't know his story, you may be surpised to hear how something like this could actually happen in this day and age. It is all documented in an Academy Award winning film entitled Searching for Sugarman, which I highly recommend!

John Casado, Graphic Designer, Artist, Photographer

Since I have been dabbling in portraits lately, this one above caught my eye and I decided to look into who the artist was. His name is John Casado and it turns out he is a well-know graphic designer and advertising guy, who is also an artist and photographer. Here are a few of his portraits that struck my eye.

Little did I know that he designed the original packaging for the Apple Macintosh Computer and many album covers, and also had his hand in an Academy Award winning short documentary film entitled Why Man Creates.

Quotes on Love and Friendship

If you ask me why I feel so rich in life, it is because of deep relationships that I have cultivated over the years. Growing up in a cooperative community made me realize early on the importance of connection and I try hard to make the effort to stay in touch with people I care about. Here are a few quotes that mirror my thoughts on the subject:

"The longer I live, the more deeply I learn that love — whether we call it friendship or family or romance — is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light. Gentle work. Steadfast work. Life-saving work in those moments when life and shame and sorrow occlude our own light from our view, but there is still a clear-eyed loving person to beam it back. In our best moments, we are that person for another."
--James Baldwin

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust

“Don’t let the moment pass. Don’t let the people you love walk by you without letting them know how you feel about them, because life slips by, then it’s over.” – Louis Litt

“Love grows by giving. The love we give away is the only love we keep. The only way to retain love is to give it away.” – Elbert Hubbard

Paintings of the Week

A recent sale to a home in Middlebury, Vermont. Green Garden, mixed media on canvas, 51” x 51” approx.

Charity of the Week:
Maui Food Bank

Blog No. 137: Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba, Texting, Van Jones Words of Encouragement

August 5, 2023

Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba, South African singer, songwriter, actress and civil rights activist.

Whenever I am feeling I need a lift, I put on this song: Pata Pata sung by Miriam Makeba. Guaranteed to make you smile and dance, even if you are sitting down. Turn up the volume! For me it serves as an injection of joy, straight into the veins...

Here she is on the Ed Sullivan show live in 1967:

And with Harry Belafonte on their 1965 collaborative Grammy Award winning album: An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba from

Poem on Texting

TEXT
by Carol Ann Duffy

I tend the mobile now like an injured bird We text, text, text
our significant words.

I re-read your first,
your second, your third,

look for your small xx,
feeling absurd.

The codes we send
arrive with a broken chord.

I try to picture your hands,
their image is blurred.

Nothing my thumbs press
will ever be heard.

Van Jones Words of Encouragement

Van Jones, TV Host, Author, Political Commentator, Changemaker

Great words of wisdom and encouragement about living your passion from one of my idols, Van Jones, of CNN and Obama Administration fame..

IF YOUR DREAM HAS NOT YET COME TRUE: I want you to consider something. Fifteen years ago, I was about to turn 40 years old. For the prior 15 years, I had been a dedicated, hard-working, rabble rousing activist in the Bay Area. I had done a few things in Oakland & San Francisco that I was proud of. But my team and I had barely scratched the surface of making any kind of a real difference locally. And I certainly had not made any national mark, to speak of.

Jana, my wife at the time, pushed me very hard in 2007 to go away on a spring writing retreat to finish a manuscript for what would be my first book. I'm so glad she did. The book became my first bestseller. And it set me on the path to the Obama White House.

My friend Natalie Foster this year found my name written inside a closet at the same retreat center (where she was working on her own book). And she sent me the photo below.

The guy who scratched his name inside that closet in 2007 had never been on national television, had never helped pass federal legislation, had never met Prince, Oprah or Jay-Z, had never been inside the White House and had never worked for a cable news organization (CNN). None of those things even seemed POSSIBLE, at the time.

And remember, I was already almost 40.

Since that spring, so much has happened--good and bad. I feel like I have lived several different lives since then. I don't know what the next 15 years have in store.

But I do know that I could easily have given up...or settled...or compromised to live a life far beneath my potential. Luckily I had someone in my corner who pushed me to chase one more dream.

And that one chase changed everything for me and my family.

So let me be that person pushing YOU tonight. There is something inside you that wants to shine in a brighter way. If you give yourself to it, in 15 years (or maybe much less time) your life can be unrecognizable to you. I promise. And the world (or at least some important part of the world) could go for it.

So go for it.

Seriously.
(Yes, I am talking to YOU.)

Paintings of the Week

A glimpse of my exhibition at the Waldo Theatre, in Waldoboro, Maine which will remain up through Labor Day. Photo credit: Eddie Holm

Charity of the Week:
National Coalition for the Homeless

Blog No. 136: UFOS aka UAPs, Quilts, Roasted Caesar Swordfish Recipe

July 29, 2023

UFOs aka UAPs

The idea that UFOs may not be so far-fetched after all is just now coming into the mainstream, after being dismissed as quackery in the past. Just ask investigative reporter Leslie Kean, who way back in 2010, came out with a very comprehensive book on the subject entitled UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record which was basically ignored by the powers that be (or so they said). Now, greater transparency is being called for and thirteen years later, a congressional oversight subcommittee just held a hearing on the subject, which was aired live on CNN, featuring three retired military veterans, retired United States Air Force officer and former intelligence official (David Grusch, former Navy fighter pilot Ryan Graves, and retired Cmdr. David Fravor) who were willing to testify, amidst past threats of stigmatization (and even death) about the existence of these unidentified foreign objects as seen over the years by military and civilian pilots alike. If you are curious and want to learn more, Leslie Kean spent an hour sitting down with Ezra Klein on his podcast about a month ago talking about the subject. P.S. It looks like Kean's book was optioned by Lasse Hallstrom, another of my favorites, so stay tuned for a movie coming out hopefully one of these days soon...

Let's just hope, that if indeed we do discover alien life, that we don't immediately assume them as enemies and start shooting in typical human fashion...

Quilts

Noah’s Ark Quilt, 1890-1910, Nova Scotia or Quebec, Canada

Whenever I am in the area of Lincoln Center, I always like to stop in at the Folk Art Museum, which aside from wonderful exhibitions, also has a great museum shop. Yesterday was no exception and I came upon a very cool quilt show. There was even a live music concert going on in the background to accompany the visit.

Often constructed of leftover scraps of material and clothing, quilts are an example of the people's form of art, all about reinvention and regeneration. I have never felt comfortable with the differentiation between art and craft. The way I see it, functionality does not lessen the creative spirit. I disagree with the idea that craft is of lesser value than the luxury status that art has. "Craftspeople traditionally made items that have a domestic function; This distinction gave the crafts a lower status, and craftspeople were considered working class, while artists often moved in high society circles." Snobbism at its best.

This small show is a great representation of the variety of these treasures, often past down through generations. Here is a small selection for those who are not here to see it in person.

Greek Mythology Quilt by Raymond Bellamy

This modern day “quilt” by Geri Farkner is made of junk mail, paper and cardboard packaging, holiday cards and old tickets.

And here are a few more of my favorite quilts not included in this show:

***Work-Clothes Quilt with Center Medallion of Strips by Annie Mae Young (born 1928). Click image for a slide show.***

Roasted Swordfish with Caesar Dressing

I avoided swordfish for a long time because of its high mercury content. But once and a while can't hurt I guess...and this recipe makes it worth it.

INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 T anchovy paste (comes in a tube)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup mayo
1 T grated lemon zest
3 T lemon juice
salt and pepper

6-8oz swordfish per person
A couple of stems of green onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
2 T capers
lemon wedges for garnish

Blend the garlic, parsley, anchovy paste and Dijon mustard first in a food processor, then add the mayo, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and pulse it again a few times to combine.

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. With roasting it needs to be cranked up! Cover a sheet pan with foil, place your swordfish steaks on the foil and Salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of the sauce over both sides of the fish and sprinkle some minced green onion over the top. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.

Once you're ready to cook just slide them in the oven and set your timer for 12 minutes. When the time is up, remove the pan from the oven, cover the fish with a piece of foil and set the timer for 10 additional minutes.

While the fish is resting, heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium high heat and toss in the capers. (This it totally optional, but a nice touch with flavor and texture.) Let them sizzle in the oil until they get crispy and a little browned (the cookbook says this takes 30 to 45 seconds but in my kitchen it was more like 4-5 minutes... I don't like oil splatter everywhere so maybe my oil wasn't as piping hot as the professionals get it...)

Serve the fish with a few of the crispy capers sprinkled over the top and a fresh cob of corn - this dish was everything I was hoping it would be, and was well loved by the entire family. Enjoy!

Photo of the Week

My musician friend Eddie Holm took this out of my window one night when I was still up in Maine. I think it is such a beautiful photograph and thought it was perfect to go with the otherworldliness of this week’s blog post…

Paintings of the Week

I love making these tree pieces…on my studio wall today. 60” x 22” each, mixed media on paper (to be mounted on canvas), $4000 each

Charity of the Week:
National Coalition for the Homeless

Blog No. 135: Loreena McKinnett, Megan Rapinoe, I Bet You Haven't Seen This Before Social Media Group

July 22, 2023

Loreena McKinnett

Photo by johan.abit via Creative Commons/Flickr

I recall the moment when I heard Loreena McKinnett's music for the first time like it was yesterday. My friend who introduced me to her music told me to go listen in my car, where I had the better sound system. When Dante's Prayer came on, it was one of those moments when the music seemed to reach into my soul and grab my heart. Music has a way of doing that but this was different--it went deeper...

Loreena McKinnett is hard to classify. Her music is totally original and falls somehwere beteween folk music, Celtic music, world music and new age. In fact, everything about her is original. She had the confidence to maintain artistic control of her own career where she has self-produced seventeen albums and owns her own record label, choosing not to take the conventional route...

Here is a wonderful interview with her from the Canadian arts and culture podcast The Gould Standard. And in her own words: "Music can be incredibly universal. In the Sufi world they talk about polishing the mirror of your soul and that there is something transparent that is so directly connected from your own heartbeat to someone else's heartbeat and I know that as a performer, as an artist I am constantly working towards that end...Am I just being a technician and singing a song, or am I going across that barrier to a place which is where you are so much closer to someone else’s soul? For me, that’s a central part of what I try to do.”

If I am any judge, she has succeeded 100 percent.

For a good selection of her music, here is a link to her Live in Paris and Toronto album and another to her Greatest Hits. She is on tour now so check out her extensive schedule in Canada and the U.S.

And if you want to get into the weeds (not my normal upbeat message but very important), McKinnett has written an appeal for us for us to wake up to the detrimental effects of Big Tech on the music industry and on all of our lives...the article appeared in the Toronto Star this past week. "Whoever owns and controls the media has their hands around the throat of our democracies." Well worth the read.

Megan Rapinoe

Women's FIFA World Cup Soccer is just beginning and superstar player and political activist Megan Rapinoe has just announced her retirement--this is the last season she will play for Team USA. Rapinoe has been such a shining light and an ambassador for human rights, standing up and leading the way for equal pay for women and an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Here is an interview she did with Glennon Doyle that I found interesting and a link to Time Magazine's article on her, where she made the cover.

I Bet You Haven't Seen This Before

So many times I stumble on things--case in point with this social media group I BET YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE. (Thank you Godfrey Desh for your inspirational stories that uplift the soul.) Here is one of those stories:

"I was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing I noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for me. He handed me a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wasu, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.' Taken aback, I read the card. It said: Wasu's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew me away. Especially when I noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wasu said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' I said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.' Wasu smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, lassi, water, and orange juice.' Almost stuttering, I said, 'I'll take a lassi since I’ve never had one before.' Handing me my drink, Wasu said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have Good Housekeeping magazine, Reader’s Digest, The Bible, and a Travel + Leisure magazine.' As they were pulling away, Wasu handed me another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.' And as if that weren't enough, Wasu told me that he had the heater on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for me. Then he advised me of the best route to my destination for that time of day. He also let me know that he'd be happy to chat and tell me about some of the sights or, if I preferred, to leave me with my own thoughts. 'Tell me, Wasu,' I was amazed and asked him, 'have you always served customers like this?' Wasu smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard about power of choice one day.' 'Power of choice is that you can be a duck or an eagle.' 'If you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. Stop complaining!' 'Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.' 'That hit me right,' said Wasu. He continued and said, 'It is about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.' 'I take it that has paid off for you,' I said. 'It sure has,' Wasu replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on it.' Wasu made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. Have an eagle life ahead.....
I hope we all decide to soar like an Eagle and not quack like a duck." And thank you too Patti Huckaba and Summer Grace Vanni for the share.

Charity of the Week:
The Robin Hood Foundation

Paintings of the Week

Three Tree of Life paintings getting ready to be sent out to a client in Virginia.

Blog No. 134: Usonia Homes, Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce, Feng Shui

July 15, 2023

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

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

Many of the images below are clickable and lead to further links…so click away!

Blog No. 133: Yusef Salaam, Georgia O'Keefe's Hands, Gjelina Restaurant and Cookbook

July 7, 2023

Yusef Salaam

Jusef Salaam may not be a household name yet but he sure should be and hopefully will in the future. Salaam was one of the Central Park Five, five teenagers accused of raping a jogger in 1989 and pressured into giving false confessions. He spent seven years in prison before being exonerated in 2002 when DNA evidence linked another person to the crime. (If you remember back then, Trump took out a full page ad in the newspaper calling for the death penalty for them--Why am I not surprised!).

Fast forward to 2023, the Democratic Primary in New York City that just took place on June 27th. Yusef Salaam decided to try and affect change from within, choosing to run for City Council in his district of Harlem and he beat the odds and won, overwhelmingly! He chose to turn all what could have been extreme bitterness and anger into hope and action. He truly is an inspiration to us all. Hear him here talking to Joy Reid on MSNBC about his journey. And for a more in depth exploration of his very interesting and wise inspirational take on exoneration, education and change, listen to him recently address the public at Fordham University in New York City. If Yusef Salaam can be positive, then we all better follow his lead and get off the couch and fight (non-violently) for our rights...

Click here to watch the Ken Burns documentary about the case.

And Netflix also made an original movie about the case—neither of these films is for the faint of heart…so hard to watch—just imagine living it!

Georgia O'Keefe's Hands

Full disclosure, Georgia O'Keefe is not one of my favorite artists--but I do have to say I love her hands as documented by the great photographer Alfred Stieglitz. I discovered these hands in a sepia toned book I found as a teenager on the books of the Strand Bookstore, while venturing into the big city from the suburbs. I remember the book like it was yesterday and I was so taken by the sepia tones of the photographs that I ended up buying it as a gift for my dad, a very expensive book for me at the time. Wonder where it ended up today...

Steiglitz and O'Keefe had a very interesting modern, complicated relationship/marriage from 1915 through 1933, as documented in the book My Faraway One: Selected Letters of Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz.

P.S. Just a thought--maybe I should give Georgia O'Keefe another try and go see her art in the current show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. I am interested in seeing the work that goes beyond her most famous pastel flower paintings. I really don't know her full catalogue..

Gjelina Restaurant and Cookbook

Gjelina Cookbook by Travis Lett, Photographs by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott

I look forward to visiting the restaurant Gjelina every time I go to LA, as I just did with my good friend Mara and her terrific kids. I originally heard about it through my friend Gina and it never disappoints. Their food is delicious--fresh producee as only you can get in California and I love their veneration of vegetables, much like ABCv in NYC does and the old Gabrielle Hamilton restaurant Prune (I still miss it) used to do...You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu but I especially love their pizzas, their crudos, and any of the vegetable dishes and salads.

PAN ROASTED BABY CARROTS, ORANGE, CILANTRO, SESAME AND SPICED YOGURT(serves 4-6 as side dish)

INGREDIENTS
2 lb. small carrots cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup spiced yogurt*
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

In a medium bowl, combine carrots with 3 tbsp. oilive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and 2 tbsp. orange juice. Let stand.
In a small dry frying pan over medium heat, toast sesame seeds approx. 3 minutes, until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a roasting pan or cast iron skillet, add 3 tbsp. olive oil, and arrange carrots on a single layer on high heat brown 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer pan to oven and cook until carrots carmelize around the edges but are still firm, 5 to 7 minutes.
Return pan to stovetop over medium heat, add the wine, remaining 6 tbsp. orange juice and add the stock. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape off brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the liquid thickens and begin to coat the carrots for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with the spiced yogurt (see recipe below) and with sesame seeds and garnish with cilantro. Serve warm.

Recipe for Spiced Yogurt (makes 2 cups)
Ingredients
1/4 tsp. coriander seeds
1/4 cumin seeds
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro
1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
3 tbsp water, or as needed.

In a small, dry frying pan, toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before grinding to a powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
In a food processor, combine the yogurt with the ground coriander and cumin, cilantro and mint. Process until the herbs are broken down and the yogurt is tinted green, about 5 seconds. Add the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice and pulse just until incorporated. Taste and season with salt. Stir in the water, a little bit at a time, stopping when the yogurt is still thick but thin enough to drizzle from a spoon.
Make just a small amount because the lemon juice makes the yogurt lose its creaminess.

Charity of the Week:
The Innocence Project

Painting of the Week

Childhood’s End Series: Yellow Bird, mixed media on paper, 19 3/4 x 29 1/2”

Many of the images below are clickable and lead to further links…

Blog No. 132: Peck's of Maine Jams, Duke Riley Modern Scrimshaw, Caroline Wozniacki (Copy)

July 5, 2023

Peck's of Maine Jams

Took a field trip to Brooklyn last weekend to visit my niece and with so many synchronicities in my life, the road ended up leading back to Maine! I stopped at the Farmer's Market in Park Slope on the way and one of the vendors right in front of me was Peck's of Maine--a local micro-business focused on manufacturing premium fruit spreads that use all the fruit, very little sugar, and zero artificial ingredients! Not only do they spend time in Maine and source their blueberries there but their family are longtime residents of the very same town I frequent every spring for three months so we talked about all our favorite places in Damariscotta and Newcastle. And to add coincidence upon coincidence, a relative of theirs just opened a catering business and storefront in the same town called Salt and Pepper Social and I just had the most delicious and elaborate charcuterie plate from that place at an opening at the Peace Gallery about a month ago...Turns out the guy I talked to, Brian Jeran (whose wife's family is the Maine connection), also had an incredible story to tell himself. He joined the business after leaving his Port Authority job just after 9/11. He recounted to me that he was actually in his office at the World Trade Center building when the planes hit--on the 61st Floor no less--and survived, walking step by step down the sixty one flights of stairs and all the while, helping a woman down as well to safety. He ended up receiving an award for saving her life...and with the help of EMDR as trauma therapy, saved himself too...To purchase these jams, visit their website here.

Duke Riley: Modern Day Scrimshaw

There are some pretty cool shows at the Brooklyn Museum right now including a show I recommend on African fashion but I was most struck with a show of a little known artist named Duke Riley. Recommended as not to be missed by my friend Debora Ferdman, the fourth floor show entitled Death to the Living, Long Live Trash, is made entirely from garbage picked up and transformed by artist Duke Riley on the beaches of the Northeast of the U.S. Riley's art tells a story of local pollution and marine devastation using a technique previously used to etch into whale and walrus bone called scrimshaw. Whereas in the old method, which often celebrated famous mariners, Riley takes a new twist, calling out major polluters with portraits of corporate moguls, politicians and others he considers enemies of the environment including Mike Durant, president of the Food Industry Alliance of New York State; James Quincey, head of the Coca-Cola Company; Edward Breen, executive chairman of the chemicals company DuPont; former Commissioner Sharon Dickerson, and Ronald Sugar, a former CEO of the oil company Chevron, and currently on the boards of Apple and Uber.

When asked what his overarching message is, Riley responded: "We spend all this time talking about recycling, which probably isn’t going to be the thing that helps. Responsibility is put on the masses, whereas a handful of people globally are responsible for all this stuff. We ought to spend more time thinking about them rather than spending resources on recycling things that will end up in a landfill anyway."

Riley is an activist artist known for his audacious public works and spectacle. It is rumored he introduced bedbugs into a famous hotel (you can guess whose hotel I am talking about). "The fact that he filled a well respected museum with garbage — that visitors will now pay to see — is not lost on him. It may even be the most gratifying part, he said. “I knew, when I was a kid, that I either wanted to be a garbage man, an artist, or a thief,” he said. “And I think I became all three.”

found plastic detritus transformed into fishing lures by Duke Riley

The Newtown creek in Brooklyn was first developed into an oil transfer station by Standard Oil in 1800s and eventually used by Amoco (later part of BP), and Paragon (now ChevronTexaco). The spill is believed to have occurred sometime in the 1930s while under control of the ExxonMobil. It was discovered in 1978 and subsequently covered up. Ownership continued to change hands as they continue to fail to take responsibility and further procrastinate any cleanup efforts.

Caroline Wozniacki

I always liked playing tennis as a kid and young person--and my dad was an avid player. I also have very fond memories of going to Forest Hills/the U.S. Open with him. I remember idolizing certain players like Billie Jean King and Chris Evert--Bjorn Borg of Sweden was one of my favorites. Then came the phenom of Serena and Venus but not until Caroline Wozniacki came along did I really start to pay attention again...And then she just dropped off--didn't hear anything about her until now. Two babies later, with rheumatoid arthritis hopefully fully in remission, she is coming back and I can't wait to see her play again. Here is a Vogue Magazine interview with her, hot off the press...Thought you might enjoy her determination and insight into the sport and the role of women on the circuit...Doesn't hurt in my book that she is Danish to boot.

Charity of the Week:
Rock The Vote

Painting of the Week

This type of rich dark brown piece adds elegance to a room with dark wooden furniture and makes the cross between a traditional room and more modern art in a seamless way.

Blog No. 131: National Dance Institute, Poem by Whitney Hanson, Christian Verginer Sculpture

June 24, 2023

National Dance Institute

My heart is full. Full of this beautiful children's art program called National Dance Insitute, founded 47 years ago by the late and great visionary Jacques d'Amboise...I just cannot say enough about this organization as many of you have witnessed in my frequent mention of them on this blog...

Every year during Father's Day Weekend they put on a performance based on a theme that makes up their core curriculum in the NYC public schools (they serve over 6000 NYC public school kids annually). It is the culmination of a year's work of the children, teaching artists and live musicians that form their SWAT and Celebrations Teams. This year's theme was a celebration of Maya Angelou. To say that the performances were magical, heartfelt and spectacular is an understatement. You really need to see it in person but here is a little bit of a taste.

I am hoping it will interest you enough to consider coming next year to experience the joy of watching these dancers on stage, dancing their hearts out to an orchestra of incredibly talented musicians. The show is full of poetry, color, beautiful costumes and wonderful choreography.

Icing on the cake this year is that NDI's new Executive Director, Jermaine Jones was an NDI kid himself! as was the amazing teaching artist, choreographer and this year's Director of the Event of the Year, Bianca Johnson--both NYC public school kids from way back when. This organization really lives up to the claim that it changes childrens' lives...Cream of the crop in New York City...

Poem by Whitney Hanson

i am in love with you
yes you
the people with fragile hearts
i think you are the bravest
most beautiful of miracles
if you cry when you read books
or if another's pain bring you heartache
if your heart cracks
for the sake of bent butterfly wings
please stay that way
do not let the weight of the world
make you hard

Christian Verginer Sculpture

I stumbled upon Christian Verginer's work somehwere recently--have no recollection where--but I thought this Italian sculptor's work was definitely worth to sharing with you here. He works in carved wood, sometimes adding color with acrylic paint. I find his work very unique and compelling...here is a selection of some of my favorites:

Charity of the Week:
National Dance Institute

Painting of the Week

Gert Mathiesen, mixed media monoprint linocut, 37” x 90” approx.

Blog No. 130: Abraham Verghese, The Storm by Mary Oliver, Diego Cusano Illustrator

June 17, 2023

Author Abraham Verghese

Just found out that Abraham Verghese has a new book out entitled The Covenant of Water and I cannot wait to read it! I have been anxiously awaiting another of his books after reading Cutting for Stone, one of my all time favorite books that has stuck with me all these years later.

Verghese is a professor of the theory and practice of medicine at Stanford Medical School, has a clinical practice, and attended the Iowa Writer's Workshop well into mid career to become a writer as well. To quote the New York Times, "It is tempting to look at Abraham Verghese as a man with multiple careers running in tandem, but all his work is anchored in a consistent, profound moral architecture of the spirit. He suffered considerably when he was younger — experiences he has chronicled in his earlier fiction and nonfiction — and emerged a romantic, determined to be kind and extravagantly compassionate, a genuine humanist. In an era when seriousness is often presumed to entail skepticism, he is serious about benevolence. By projecting his own best self, he hopes to coax out the best selves of others." This is precisely why I find him so compelling as a writer and as a human being as well.

Good Reads calls it "one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years and goes on to call it "a shimmering evocation of a lost India and of the passage of time itself...a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the hardships undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today."

The Storm by Mary Oliver

Now through the white orchard my little dog
romps, breaking the new snow
with wild feet.
Running here, running there, excited
hardly able to stop, he leaps, he spins
until the white snow is written upon
in large exuberant letters
a long sentence, expressing
the pleasures of the body in this world.

Oh, I could not have said it better
myself.

Diego Cusano Food Art

You know how your mom said "don't' play with your food." Well, Diego Cusano didn't listen--he plays with it in the most creative of ways! I love his mix of graphics, reality and fantasy. In his own words, "I’m more of a ‘fantasy researcher’: every day I get up and look for an object and think of how to represent it in my own way, outside of reality and its constraints." He does a great job of having us look at something in a new way and it makes me smile to look at his mixed media drawings...

Charity of the Week:
National Dance Institute

These performances at the Skirball Center of NYC take place on Father’s Day Weekend and Monday June 19th and are full of joy and spirit. Some people walk out of them and say it was the best thing they saw all year! Not to be missed if you are in New York Father’s Day Weekend…and if you want to attend the Friday night dress rehearsal benefit, National Dance Institute is a great organization to support…founded by Jacques D’Amboise www.nationaldance.org

Painting of the Week

Red Tree, mixed media on canvas, 50” x 80” private collection

Blog No. 129: Gert Mathiesen (1951-2013), Pete Muller Singer/Songwriter, Jewelry by Foreste&Hils

June 10, 2023

I am out here in California through June 15th, 2023 with a big selection of paintings and works on paper. Please email me at pamsmilow@me.com if you are interested in setting up an appointment to meet with me and see art in the quiet of your home or if you would consider hosting a small "art gathering."

Gert Mathiesen 1951-2013

Could it be possible that my husband and soulmate Gert Mathiesen has been gone for ten years already?
June 7th was the anniversary of his death and I felt I could not let it pass without sharing with you some of his beautiful art. He left hundreds of incredible paintings, prints and ceramics. Here is a small selection of works on paper that you may or may not have seen before...

Brochure of a Radio Documentary by Frank Matheis

Pete Muller Singer/Songwriter

I’m the type of person who doesn’t always feel that things happen for a reason but I do pay attention and always find meaning in things that do occur in my life. So when I walked into a restaurant to go to the bathroom the other day after I’d been sitting outside eating dinner at their firepit, I came upon Pete Muller, a piano player who was playing inside. It happened to be one of my favorites: Hallelujah, the famous Leonard Cohen song. Many of you know how much of a fan I am of Leonard Cohen so I thought it was so cool that I walked in at that moment and hadn't even heard the live music from outside. I stood and listened to the rest of the song standing close to the piano--there were very few people in there. It was the end of his set and the close of the evening so as he started to pack up, I went over to him and told him what a beautiful rendition and how much I enjoyed his playing. He thanked me--he said it had been a slow night and it was so nice that I came over and said that to him. We struck up a conversation and he asked me what I was doing in Santa Barbara. I told him I was here selling art, that I was from New York, etc. etc. and one thing led to another and I mentioned I had been married to another artist and today happened to be the 10th anniversary of his death. He then stopped packing up his stuff and said to me "Can I play you one more song?" and I said "sure." He told the bartender to turn off the piped in background music that he had just started playing and he asked me to sit next to him on the piano bench. I sat down on the edge, and he played the most beautiful song that he had written for his mom who he said had also passed away just about 10 years ago. It was one of those magical moments and the song, "You’re Alive In Me," touched me to the core and brought tears to my eyes. It was the most perfect, beautiful and moving ending to my day.

I am blessed to be open to the many connections I have with people all the time--I feel rich and grateful and lucky.

Turns out Pete Muller is a superstar not just in his mom's book or mine for his music but in many more ways as well...just read his amazing wikipedia to see all his varied talents including hedge funds and crossword puzzles for the New York Times! I think you will enjoy listening to some more of his amazing original and cover music, solo and with his group The Kindred Souls below:

Ready to Go
Superman
Handle Me With Care
San Diego (When You Coming Home)
Gone
Make You Feel My Love

Pete Muller will be playing with Lisa Loeb at City Winery in NYC on July 23rd, 2023 if you, like me, want to see him live...

Jewelry by Foreste and Hils

One of my oldest friends, Barbara Edelston Peterson, is an extremely productive person and does a lot of things in life including being an elite athlete and ten time champion of the Xterra Triathalon, running her own Whole Champion Foundation on social responsibility, and she is also an author of a few books including one on Bed Rest. She is also a really good jewelry designer. Her work, which she sells through her website Foreste and Hils Designworks is beaded and I love the simplicity of her designs, the combination of colors and her mix of materials... Here is a selection including some photos of her studio:

Charity of the Week:
National Dance Institute

National Dance Institute Benefit Dress Rehearsal June 16, 2023

These performances at the Skirball Center of NYC take place on Father’s Day Weekend and are full of joy and spirit. Some people walk out of them and say it was the best thing they saw all year! Not to be missed if you are in New York Father’s Day Weekend…and if you want to attend the Friday night dress rehearsal benefit, National Dance Institute is a great organization to support…founded by Jacques D’Amboise www.nationaldance.org

Painting of the Week

Pam Smilow, mixed media on canvas, 50” x 80”

Products of the Week

Please visit our artShop to see our line of colorful everyday products including scarves, giclee prints, cutting boards, yoga mats and other gift items--designed to bring joy and color into every day life...

Charcuterie/Cutting Boards: great for summer entertaining. Cut one side, serve on the other…https://www.pamelasmilow.com/tabletop-kitchen

Blog No. 128: Maria Shriver on Ted Lasso, Paul Simon's 7 Psalms, White Gazpacho Soup

June 3, 2023

I am out here in California from June 2nd through June 15th, 2023 with a big selection of paintings and works on paper. Please email me at pamsmilow@me.com if you are interested in setting up an appointment to meet with me and see art in the quiet of your home or if you would consider hosting a small "art gathering" during that time in exchange for a piece of art.

Maria Shriver on Ted Lasso

Maria Shriver is very active on social media and I admire her compassion. I found this recent post of hers and it corresponded with my sentiments exactly as she commented on one of my all time favorite TV shows:

"As Ted Lasso comes to an end, I want to thank this beautiful show and everyone involved. Not just for the joy I got from each episode, but for the lessons it taught me (and hopefully you too!). I hope you carry the spirit of Ted Lasso with you, and as Jason Sudeikis says, "Be like Teflon toward people's negativity or sarcasm." We don't need to walk in this world believing it is all bad. We don't need to succumb to the negativity. We can rise above all the noise. We can look for the positives, we can look for the light, and we can carry that light and we can carry that light forward. I'd rather view the world as Ted Lasso. Wouldn't you?"

"Ted is our modern day Mr. Rogers!"

Paul Simon 7 Psalms

There is an interesting review in this week's New Yorker Magazine (June 5, 2023) by critic Amanda Petrusich about Paul Simon's latest album Seven Psalms. Inspired by notes he took in the middle of the night after a series of dreams he had in 2019, Simon wrestles with religion, mysticism and life's big questions as he crosses into the eighth decade of his life.

I can relate. Although I am fifteen years younger, I find this time of life to be one of becoming aware of mortality and according to the author of the article, “Once you become awake to the puzzle of existence, via loss or its opposite, it can be extremely difficult to think about anything else.”

In the words of one of the "hymns" on the recording entitled “Love is Like a Braid," Simon sings

I lived a life of pleasant sorrows
Until the real deal came
Broke me like a twig in a winter gale
Called me by my name

For me, this is not necessarily something sad--quite the opposite, like an awakening. Opening up to the depth of human existence and all the mysteries that entails... He goes on to describe his process of making music, which I also find similar to the process of any creative endeavor: "I am reaching for something that might not be reachable and might not even exist...I am looking for the edge of what you can hear. I can just about hear it but I can't quite--that's the thing I want." He goes on to question, "How do you get there?"

Seven Psalms is all of 33 minutes. Have a listen and let me know what you think...

White Gazpacho Soup

INGREDIENTS
Yield: 6 servings

Recipe from Jean Anderson
Adapted by Suzanne Hamlin

1 cup blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
3 slices French or Italian bread, crusts removed
¼ cup water
4 cups cold chicken or vegetable stock, or water
¼ cup fruity olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
½ cup lightly toasted croutons

Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a cookie sheet, and bake until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Cool.
Step 2
In a food processor or blender, blend almonds and garlic into a uniformly fine, gritty paste.
Step 3
In a small bowl, moisten the bread in ¼ cup water and squeeze dry. Add to the almond-garlic mix, and blend. Add 4 cups stock or water, olive oil, vinegar and salt. Blend until smooth. If a fine texture is desired, strain through a medium-fine sieve. Cover and chill 4 hours or overnight.
Step 4
To serve, taste for salt and stir in grapes. Ladle into bowls and scatter croutons on top.

Charity of the Week:
National Dance Institute

Painting of the Week

Here’s a really old one from 1985! Including a GI Joe outfit glued on….

Products of the Week

Blog No. 127: Random Acts of Kindness, Iam Tongi, Strawberry Shortcake

May 26, 2023

UPCOMING: I will be in California from June 2nd through June 15th, 2023 with a big selection of paintings and works on paper. Please email me at pamsmilow@me.com if you are interested in setting up an appointment to meet with me and see art in the quiet of your home or if you would consider hosting a small "art gathering" during that time in exchange for a piece of art.

Kindness

Stick with this video—it starts off a little slow but is totally inspiring…

You are not going to want to miss reading this column or going on this guy's instagram for some pure inspiration and a dose of love. Meet Zachery Dereniowski, winner of my Nobel Prize of Kindness, aka the MD Motviator on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms.

It all began during the pandemic when Zachery Dereniowski was feeling very isolated, struggling with mental health issues and even considering suicide. In desperation, he decided to make a video on TikTok, reaching out to others to share his pain with the world. “Speaking up is the direction to get out,” he says, “It takes a lot of vulnerable confidence to speak up. But once you do, and you find that support, there’s hope and you can get through whatever you’re going through.” Before he knew it, he had people reaching back out to him left and right, offering encouragement and support.

That set off a light bulb in him to literally "pay it forward." Watch this kindness expert in action on instagram, "enacting his "...formula...that vulnerability equals relatability equals empowerment. When we’re vulnerable together we can relate and when we can relate, we can empower others to feel comfortable in their own skin.”

Zachery spends his time going up to complete strangers and asking for a small sum of money or something from them. If they offer him kindness, he in turn rewards their generosity by returning what they had given him and much much more: he gives them a much larger sum of money (usually $500 or $1000) in return. When you see people's reactions, I guarantee you it will make even the most diehard stoics cry and yearning for Dereniowski's self-appointed job.

He has now added another dimension to his work--instead of just giving out money, “I’m in the process of starting a nonprofit,” he says, “The next step is to take these emotional viral videos of people telling their stories and combine it with a transparent charity so people can donate and see where the money is going...” See his videos @mdmotivator on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

And by the way, why am I not surprised that he is Canadian.

Singer Iam Tongi

For those of you who don't always follow American Idol, I introduce to you a singer named Iam Tongi. He was just crowned the winner of American Idol's 2023 21st Season.

I came across his beautiful rendition of The Sounds of Silence and fell in love with the sweet sound of his voice. (I have always been a big Simon and Garfunkel fan since my dad's lawyer friend's secretary was Garfunkel's mother! and my sister and I got a signed copy of their first album.)

Here are a few more of his beautiful recordings: Monsters by James Blunt

One of my all time favorites: What a Wonderful World
(When Katy Perry heard him sing this song, she remarked: "It is a wonderful world because you are in it.")

Stuck on You by Lionel Richie

Father and Son by Cat Stevens

I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt

Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake is my favorite dessert. My father used to make a running joke with my mom saying after every dinner, "Edith, bring out the strawberry shortcake!"--I can just hear him saying it--even though we almost never had dessert... I guess food tastes are hereditary...

Here is an easy recipe for making this dessert classic (courtesy Jane Grigson's Fruit Book, adapted by Nancy Harmon Jenkins) and Memorial Day always reminds me that we are approaching the delicious strawberry season.

INGREDIENTS
Yield: 4 generous servings

2 pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries
½ cup sugar, or more to taste
4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
1¼ cups butter
3 cups whipping cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Step 1
Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the ½ cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.

Step 2
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Step 3
Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add ¾ cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1¼ cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about ½-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds - 2 rounds per serving.

Step 4
Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Step 5
Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.

Step 6
Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.

Step 7
Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Tip
Extra shortcakes may be frozen, but they should be warmed before using. They are also good toasted for breakfast or tea.

Charity of the Week:
National Dance Institute

Not to be missed if you are in New York Father’s Day Weekend…

Paintings of the Week

Hard to say goodbye to my winter studio for now but I will be back!

Products of the Week