Feels like we are on the cusp of some new good things but I am still full of a lot of trepidation. Will the pandemic ever be over? Will the vaccines work against the new strains? Will we escape this attack on our democracy intact? Will America ever live up to its ideals of liberty and justice for all? So many uncertainties lie in our future. But then this video came along, sent from some friends in California, and it put a big smile on my face. Keep hope alive--look what is happening while the world has been distracted!
three things we love
New Yorker Cartoonist Roz Chast’s insider guide to New York City.
New Yorker Cartoonist Roz Chast's humor is definitely of my time and just thinking of some of her cartoons makes me smile. Roz grew up in Brooklyn, New York and moved out of the city to raise her kids in Connecticut, to put some distance between her and her parents (if you read another of her great books Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant, you will understand). Her latest book was written for her NYC college bound daugher as instructions on how-to navigate New York City. Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York is in my mind the perfect practical insider's travel guide for anyone who wants to familiarize themselves with NYC life and all the insider tricks of the trade. There will be a day when we go can go around without worrying about catching a virus so this is a book we NYC lovers can all look forward to. And in the hopefully near future, it will be a must buy as a gift for house guests visiting our great city or for anyone wanting to just "get" New York.
Watch Luis Antonio come to the realization of what is for dinner…
Animal communicator Anna Breytenbach with the black leopard Spirit
I always thought if we humans are so smart, how come we don't know what the birds are saying? I have been very interested in the subject of animal intelligence and animal communication ever since I was a kid and I read my first book on the subject called "How Smart Are Animals." From then on, I knew that common knowledge that humans were the only ones with superior intelligence, self reflection and the ability to use tools was not true. I think discoveries in the field of interspecies communication will lead us to the next big frontier--an art that the ancients and indigenous peoples across the globe knew very well intuitively but which most of us have totally lost touch with today. South African Anna Breytenbach is a leader and powerhouse in this field. This short video will blow your mind: watch Breytenbach "talk" to a rare beautiful black leopard and get answers back. If you are interested in learning more and you don't think I am totally crazy (I'm not), an hour long, fascinating interview with Anna and her American animal tracker mentor Jon Young is well worth a listen. For those of you with kids, Anna has even written a children's book about this black leopard entitled How Diablo Became Spirit (in collaboration with Andrew Newman).
painting of the week
Pam Smilow Nature mixed media on canvas 56 x 100” approx.
I picked a darker piece this week, not because I am necessarily in a darker mood but it is winter and it is getting pretty cold right now here in NYC. This large painting hangs in a huge mansion on a big hill in San Francisco's Pacific Heights. It's an old painting that was purchased many many moons ago. I don't usually miss my work but there is something about this one that holds a special place in my heart.
photo by Johanna Resnick Rosen
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.