If there has been a silver lining to Covid-19, it is that it has forced me to take a good hard look at what my life is comprised of. And I realize I don't want to go back to exactly how it was before our lockdown and business (busy-ness) as usual. I found this video on instagram, created and performed by Charly Jaffe, illustrated by Heather Scheider and asked permission of the filmmaker to post it here. I do think reentry will pose challenges for many of us as we take stock and reevaluate what we want our days to look like.

And as it turns out, I found out that Charly Jaffe also organizes the COVID Grief Network (providing free support to young adults bereaved by COVID) and she just released a Seasons of Love COVID Grief Tribute with the Broadway cast of RENT, young adults in our network and home videos of those they've lost. For more information on this project, please contact Charly Jaffe.

three things we love

Beautiful interior design of abcV, Jean Georges’ vegan restaurant located in the flatiron section of New York City.

Large variety of delicious offerings featured at the restaurant abcV in NYC.

Now at least in New York City, restaurants are beginning to open up and I for one am starting to wonder what it feels like to go out about the town. And the first place I think of (because it is always about the food) is abcV, one of my all time favorite eateries in NYC. Housed as one of the three Jean Georges restaurants in the ABC Home building in the Flatiron section, this vegetarian restaurant (and I am not a vegetarian) is not only delicious, but an aesthetic experience that involves all your senses. The decor is so simple and pure, the dishes zen like (if ceramic plates and mugs can be considered zen) and who would ever think that one of the foods I look most forward to is carrots! Check out this somewhat amusing review from the NY Times here: here and consider going the next time you are searching for a wonderful and delectable dining experience.

Leslie Kean’s book on UFOs published in 2011.

Leslie Keane is a powerhouse of an investigative reporter. I have written about her here before, in reference to her book and subsequent TV Series Surviving Death (I thought the TV series didn't come close to doing her very scientific and thorough book justice) . I admire her in so many ways but mostly because she dares write about subjects that risk being ridiculed by the mainstream and yet she methodically and seriously goes about her business of thorough research, objective exploration and is always way ahead of her time. Her book on UFOs entitled UFOs:Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go On The Record published in 2011, is a must read for anyone interested in "paranormal" phenomenon. There she generally offers us a complete review of literature in this field, including international governmental and military papers including reports from the United States and France. And now, the staid New Yorker magazine has come recently out with an excellent article on the subject of UFOs that often cites expert Keane among other sources. Even Scientific American has gotten in on the game.
I remember as a kid hearing the story of Betty and Barney Hill, who claimed they were kidnapped and subject to experiments from alien beings--seemed totally far-fetched and crazy and yet, ever since I was a kid, I have always had a deep interest in unexplainable things like the Bermuda Triangle, Atlantis, animal intelligence, UFOs, ghosts, past lives, reincarnation, etc. I have received many rolled eyes when bringing up these subjects over the years but I am happy to report, these things may just not be as far fetched as we once thought...

Hearts are a common theme of artist Jim Dine’s work.

Here is a small selection of some of my favorite love songs to uplift you this morning--if you can, take the time to just sit back and listen: Willie Nelson and his son's rendition of Just Breathe, written by Eddie Vedder, Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely,, written at the birth of his daughter Aisha, Bob Dylan's Make You Feel My Love, Elton John and Bernie Taupin's Your Song, Schumann's wedding gift to his beloved Clara and finally, one near the top of my list, Louis Armstrong's rendition of What A Wonderful World, written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss.

painting of the week

I always loved this painting, which hangs in a beautiful home in Berkeley, California. The shades of green are all around us now, as spring has finally sprung here in Maine. I love the way a big green painting can bring the outside in and I also love the way the deep brown wood and the colors of the painting bring out the best in each other in this particular client's dining room.

This week's featured charity in honor of Jacques D'Amboise:

National Dance Institute, founded in 1974 by Jacques D’Amboise and now in its 45th year, transforming the lives of children through the love and joy of the arts. May it live on for years and years to come. Please consider a donation by visiting their website at https://nationaldance.org/support-us/.

Self Portrait going grey in the time of Covid…

About The Author

New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow created 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, check out the essay written by the Hammond Museum's Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.