Blog no. 63: Kurt Vonnegut Quotes, W.H. Auden Poem, Frank Matheis on Art

March 12, 2022

three things we love

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

Kurt Vonnegut Quotes

My father and I shared a love of Kurt Vonnegut. We read all of his books and then talked about them. I came across these words of wisdom from him recently, as he described a conversation he had had as a young boy and remembered...I thought it worth repeating here.

“When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes. And he went WOW. That’s amazing! And I said, “Oh no, but I’m not any good at ANY of them.” And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.” And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “Win” at them.” - Kurt Vonnegut

And here are a few more Vonnegut quotes to throw in for good measure...

“I believe that reading and writing are the most nourishing forms of meditation anyone has so far found. By reading the writings of the most interesting minds in history, we meditate with our own minds and theirs as well. This to me is a miracle.” – Kurt Vonnegut, Palm Sunday

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” – Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night

“Perhaps, when we remember wars, we should take off our clothes and paint ourselves blue and go on all fours all day long and grunt like pigs. That would surely be more appropriate than noble oratory and shows of flags and well-oiled guns.” – Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle

“A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.”

Musée des Beaux Arts

MUSÉE DES BEAUX ARTS
by W.H. Auden

Courtesy New YorkTimes and Elisa Gabbert

About suffering they were never wrong,/
The Old Masters: how well they understood/
Its human position; how it takes place/
While someone else is eating or opening a window/
or just walking dully along;/
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting/
For the miraculous birth, there always must be/
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating/
On a pond at the edge of the wood:/
They never forgot/
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course/
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot/
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer’s horse/
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree./

In Breughel’s Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away/
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may/
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,/
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone/
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green/
Water; and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen/
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,/
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

Frank Matheis on Art

I am not a big fan of art critics. In fact, I don't really like reading about art at all. If I buy an art magazine, it is always to just look at the pictures. But then along comes Frank Matheis, German husband of a good friend of mine, who has many accomplishments under his belt in the world of culture: music writing, radio documentaries, and as publisher and editor of thecountryblues.com. He approaches me and tells me he wants to add art writing to his repertoire and could he interview me as his first essay in a new series called In Other Words. I was flattered and of course said yes...I was flattered and of course said yes...

By now, he has written quite a few essays about visual artists and as it turns out, I finally found an art critic I respect...he is down to earth, very observant and intuitive, anything but a snob, and seems to go directly to the crux of a person and his or her art instead of pulling people down. Since his first article, he has written many others and I urge you to check them out here. Most recently, here is a very insightful article about artist Bill Traylor.

Charity of the Week:
Jose Andres World Central Kitchen

Painting of the Week

Pam Smilow Darkness mixed media on canvas 20” x 70” approx. $6500

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 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. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

Blog no. 62: Outsider Art Fair, The Sound of Silence, Joanne's Artichoke Squares

March 5, 2022

three things we love

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

Outsider Art Fair

Selene Perez, courtesy Creativity Explored, SF, CA

W. Tucker, courtesy Koelsch Gallery, Houston, Texas

James Castle, courtesy Hirschl & Adler Modern

Oscar Azmitia, courtesy Pure Vision Arts, The Shield Institute

I look forward to going to the Outsider Art Fair every year in New York City and I am happy to report that yesterday I was back there again after a two year Covid hiatus..Although I can't invite you to come along, I can share a video from a past show which will give you a taste of it and the types of art you would see there. .

Outsider art or Art Brut is a term that translates as 'raw art', originally invented by the French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art such as graffiti or naïve art which is made outside the academic tradition of fine art. It encompasses a wide range of artists from those that are self-taught, artists with disabilities, child art, art of the mentally insane, folk art, primitive art--in short, art that exists outside the mainstream academic art world and is often made out of a compulsion to create rather than a commercial motive.

I have been a long time fan and proponent of community organizations that support artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I remember the first time I was walking in downtown Oakland and came across a supermarket size space of people hard at work. The studio seemed to have everything: a ceramics area, people doing embroidery, printmaking, painting, sewing, working with wood and making the most beautiful of things. It literally brought tears to my eyes when I found out what I was looking at: a group of people with disabilities of all types, normally people the society would consider throwaways, engaging in the most productive of ways, creating beautiful art and giving meaning to their lives... Every community should have a place like this!

Places like Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, California and ArTech Collective in New York afford these "outsider" artists a venue to practice their art, while providing them with a variety of art supplies and support, enabling them to realize their full potential as practicing artists.

Sound of Silence

Simon and Garfunkel Concert in Central Park, 1981, NYC

My friend Eileen shared this story about Art Garfunkel (of Simon and Garfunkel fame) and his blind friend Sanford Greenberg, revealing the origins of the song The Sound of Silence. The touching story reveals what a deep special bond the two had and reminds us that we all have the capability of impacting the life of others in a very meaningful and everlasting way.

And while we are at it, here are three of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs: The Only Living Boy in New York, Kathy's Song and A Heart in New York and the full Simon and Garfunkel Central Park Concert from 1981.

Joanne's Famous Artichoke Squares

I think of this recipe as a Thanksgiving one since our family's festivities around that holiday always began with hot mulled cider and these delicious artichoke squares made by one of my favorite cousins--Joanne Kahn. At a time when we are finally resuming gatherings, I thought this would be a good time to share this hors d'oeuvres recipe with you. I guarantee this one will be a hit, no matter what time of year you serve it....

ARTICHOKE SQUARES:

INGREDIENTS
2 small jars of artichoke hearts in oil, drained
1 small sautéed onion
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
4 eggs
1/2 pound grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4/ teaspoon salt
pinch chopped oregano
pinch chopped parsley or flakes
small cooked onion

INSTRUCTIONS
chop up artichoke hearts
Beat the eggs
Combine all ingredients together

Spread mixture into a greased square 9 inch pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes
Cut into squares and serve.

Charity of the Week:
Jose Andres World Central Kitchen

Painting of the Week

Pam Smilow Mandala Series: No War mixed media on canvas 54” x 54” $7500

Blog no. 61: Paul Farmer, A Little Comic Relief, Wilfred Owen

February 26, 2022

three things we love

These subway shelter images really hit home to me. Thinking of my mother, who ran a day care center in London during the Blitz.

How to Help Ukraine & Talk to Children about the war

Thanks to Daneen Akers and Valarie Kaur of the book Holy Troublemakers Unconventional Saints.

And an excellent resource on how to talk to children here.

Note: Clicking on the photos in this blog will often lead to further links to explore.

Humanitarian Paul Farmer (1959-2022)

I usually don't post obituaries here because my blog is all about uplifting spirits but Paul Farmer was truly one of the greats, if not the greatest, in the field of health equity and social justice--and his life serves as an inspiration to us all. Paul Farmer died unexpectedly in his sleep this week of cardiac arrest at the young age of 62. The world has literally lost a savior.

Founder of the Boston-based global non-profit Partners in Health with a list of impressive accomplishments, impeccable credentials and projects a mile long, Paul Farmer was renowned for providing health care to millions of impoverished people throughout the world, beginning with his work in Haiti. Partners in Health currently has projects continuing in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Malawi, Mexico, Peru, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Russia, and the Navajo Nation.
If you are interested in learning more about this true humanitarian and his organization's work focusing on delivering the highest quality of health care while addressing the critical social and systemic forces causing inequities, writer Tracy Kidder's book about him entitled "Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World" is a good place to start. And his story is also told in the documentary Bending the Arc.

Above all, Farmer will be remembered as an extraordinary human who inspired others with his selfless work. Information below to donate to his non profit Partners in Health.

A Little Comic Relief

The joy of Mark Morris L’Allegro, Il Penseroso ed il Moderato

And now for a little comic relief (God knows I need it!) and a little uplift sandwiched in between two columns of sadness..

7 year old Drew Barrymore on the Johnny Carson Show

a song from everyone's favorite P.S. 22 Chorus

and a simply exquisite excerpt from Mark Morris' L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed il Moderato (to be performed again at BAM at the end of March)

Wildred Owen Poem

To quote Jane Potter, author of Wilfred Owen: An Illustrated Life, "...Owen is the “Poet of Pity,” whose realistic portrayals of war gave voice to the soldier wounded, captured, or killed—not just in the Great War but in every war since, so great is the evocative power of his work. Although he saw only five poems published during his lifetime, Owen left behind a wealth of letters and poetry that together form a powerful legacy."

Anthem for Doomed Youth
Wilfred Owen

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Charity of the Week:
Paul Farmer's Partners In Health

Painting of the Week

Blog no. 60: Naadam Cashmere, Political Activist Connie Hogarth, Spinach Chickpea Casserole

February 19, 2022

Gert Mathiesen/Pam Smilow Animal Series: Daisy Elephant 8” x 10” mixed media giclee print $150

three things we love

Naadam Cashmere Sweaters

This is the unbelievable story of Matt and Diederik, a group of Mongolian goat herders and a sweater company called NAADAM. I own two of their $75 pure cashmere sweaters and I can't recommend them enough.. .It is almost too hard to believe how this company came about, but even if it this story is only half true, it is a great story!

Two guys, Matt Scanlan and Diederik Rijsemus, college buddies, looking for an adventure end up in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia and run into some locals, Bodio and Ishee. They become instant friends and end up traveling with them back to their families, nomadic goat herders in the middle of the Gobi Desert. The rest I will leave to this great video, which tells the tale much better than I ever could. I guarantee you, it is worth the four minutes and it will leave you wanting more (watch this second video too to see the service projects they are doing for that community). And don't be surprised if afterwards, you find yourself on your way to buying one of their $75 great cashmere sweaters.

Connie Hogarth, Activist

Connie with her good friends Pete and Toshi Seeger

If you want an example of a life worth living at the service of humanity, you don't have to go any further than peace and social justice activist Connie Hogarth (1926-2022), who died peacefully in her sleep last Friday at the ripe old age of 95. The world has lost a true warrior.

I was lucky enough to have known Connie for most of my life, since 1968 when she co-chaired the local campaign office of Gene McCarthy alongside my dad Mel Smilow. I was also a frequent visitor in Connie's home (she was the mom of one of my good high school friends), where she welcomed me with open arms, taught me a few cooking tricks along the way and inspired me with her boundless loving energy, enveloping everyone who stepped through her door figuratively and literally. She was open, caring and always on the go fighting the good fight: against the Vietnam War, trying to shut down Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, fighting for immigrant rights, against racism and the death penalty to name just a few of her causes. I don't think there was a day that went by where she sat idle, as illustrated in this beautiful montage of her life.

Amy Goodman, another one of our national heroes, wrote this tribute to Connie on Democracy Now, fitting that it was on Valentine's Day....

And here is an interview with her that goes back to 1996, as it appeared in the New York Times...

Connie was a true and pure gift to us all and if there is one message that comes from her life, it is to inspire all of us to keep on walking forward, fighting for peace and justice and never ever giving up.

Spinach Chickpea Casserole

I wasn't planning on including another recipe this week but had this Sephardic Spinach Casserole at my book club a few days ago made by my friend Joan and it was off the charts delicious--and healthy too! Since I am trying to eat less meat in general, this really is a perfect vegetarian main dish. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

SPANEKH B'JIBEN (Spinach Casserole)
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6-8 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled, trimmed and chopped
2-3 10-ounce boxes frozen spinach, defrosted, or 2 packages fresh
6 ounces Muenster cheese, grated
6 ounces cottage cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon allspice (optional)
Plain yogurt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9-inch by 13-inch glass baking pan, or, for thicker servings, one that is 8-inches by 8-inches square.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute onion in the olive oil until slightly brown, add spinach and cook until heated through and spinach juices cook down. Transfer vegetables to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Pour into baking pan, smooth out the top and place in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake until lightly brown on top and bottom.
Optional: Serve warm with plain yogurt. Source: Adapted from >Joan Yedid of Cleveland. Watch the documentary Hugs and Knishes about her and her family cooking traditions on a pbs station near you. .

Charity of the Week:
Democracy Now

Painting of the Week

Pam Smilow All You Need is Love (Oatmeal) mixed medis on canvas 54” x 54” $7500

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 59: Lasse Hallström's Chocolat, A Few Valentine Love Songs, Our Animal Prints

February 11, 2022

three things we love

Lasse Hallström's Chocolat

The film Chocolat is based on the book by Joanne Harris

Lasse Hallström, Lena Olin, Tora Hallström

I have loved every film Lasse Hallström ever made (Cider House Rules, My Life as a Dog, What is Eating Gilbert Grape to name a few) and somehow the film Chocolat, perhaps my favorite of all, popped into my mind today after not thinking about it for many, many years. I decided to watch it again and I loved it as much as before! I invite you to see this little gem if you haven't already or again if you have--it's a perfect movie to see around Valentine's Day. It is about the pursuit of joy and free spiritedness vs. austerity, religion and tradition in a small village in France, with a love story mixed in, starring an all star cast of Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, Lena Olin and Judi Dench.

To my delight, I also discovered that Hallström is currently working on a new film to be released soon about the fascinating artist Hilna af Klint, starring his wife Lena Olin and his daughter Tora. Looking forward to seeing that too!

A Few Valentine Love Songs

Here are a few love songs in honor of Valentine's Day. Sit back, click the images, and enjoy!

Our Animal Series Prints

Fish on Wheels 8” x 10” mixed media giclee print

Butterfly 8” x 10” mixed media giclee print

I thought I would spend this column talking about Gert's and my animal prints--of which we have over a hundred + different images. This collaborative series started when we found this wonderful Mexican bark paper at the original Paper Source store in the River North section of Chicago, back in the late 80s when we rented a studio there for a few months. We liked its rawness and it was small and easy to carry on our many early trips back and forth to California and Europe. We would often work on these small 8" x 10" painting collages on a hotel room floor, literally passing them back and forth and having a lot of fun in the process. Gert would usually start (he had more of an imagination for the fantastical than I did) and then I would add my touches, organize and clean it up a bit. It might go back and forth again. At that time we sold them in sets of twenty only through the Elaine Horwitch Gallery in Scottsdale, Santa Fe, Sedona and Palm Springs (they called it their magic wall). Our collection of animals grew over the years and we now sell them in giclée print form only, as singles as well as in groupings. Here are a few of our favorites. To see the whole collection, click here.

Grazing Cow 8” x 10” mixed media giclee print

Orange Dog 8” x 10”mixed media giclee print

Green-Eared Pig 8” x 10” mixed media giclee print

Grouping on the wall of Valley Variety in Hudson, New York

Amate Paper from the Amate tree, made by hand in Puebla, Mexico

This piece was started by Gert—I can still collaborate and finish it up!

Charity of the Week:
Southern Poverty Law Center

Please donate to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that has been on the forefront of fighting hate and white supremacy for many years.

Painting of the Week

Pam Smilow Maine Floating House Series mixed media on canvas 54” x 54” $7500

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 58: Thich Nhat Hanh, Cauliflower Piccata, Gert Mathiesen: Year of the Tiger

February 5, 2022

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.

How about a Hummingbird Heart print to share your love?

8” x 10” in a black or white frame $150. Will deliver by February 14th.

Click on image to order and please specify black or white frame.

three things we love

Thich Nhat Hanh

Beautiful illustration by Carla Madrigal from the book Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints by Daneen Akers @carlamadrigalembroidery

I like to cite the podcast On Being often for its great interviews with interesting people and last week's conversation was no exception. In memory of the great Thich Nhat Hanh, who died last week in his native country of Vietnam at the age of 95, I share with you an interview Krista Tippett made with this Buddhist monk, teacher, peace activist, author and poet back in 2003, when she attended one of his mindfulness retreats along with a group of police officers and other criminal justice personel in the state of Wisconsin. Someone please pass this on to our police commissioners. Thich Nhat Hanh is known as the "father of mindfulness" and this conversation contains a lot of wisdom on "living peace"--well worth the listen!

Cauliflower Piccata

One of the silver linings for me from the pandemic is that I started cooking more. I used to be the kind of cook that had a small repetoire of things I would cook over and over--turkey burgers, pasta and sauce, salmon, meat loaf, lasagna for special occasions...But my standards weren't cutting it for me anymore--I missed restaurants and I got real sick of my own cooking. So I started looking up recipes for foods that I was craving--and actually following recipes for the first time in my life...and guess what, it worked! And then I decided to splurge on the NY Times Cooking app-- best thing I ever did in the food department. I love all the choices and the recipes are good ones! Since I am trying to eat less meat, here is one I tried the other night that was just plain delicious!

CAULIFLOWER PICCATA
By Hetty McKinnon

Ingredients

1 whole cauliflower, cut into large 2-inch florets
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 shallot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Parsley, chopped, for garnish
1 lemon, sliced, for serving.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the cauliflower florets onto a sheet pan and drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Season with kosher salt and black pepper, and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden and tender.
Remove from the oven, add the chickpeas, if using, and toss to combine.

Heat a medium skillet to medium-high.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the shallot, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about one minute.
Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly to keep from scorching.
Pour the stock into the pan and simmer until reduced by half, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, then stir in the butter, capers, lemon zest and juice.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few turns of black pepper.
Combine sauce with cauliflower and chickpeas and serve over pasta or rice.
Top with parsley and serve with lemon slices (optional).

Gert Mathiesen's Tigers

In honor of the Chinese New Year and since this is the Year of the Tiger, I thought I would share with you some of my late husband Gert Mathiesen's paintings and prints that contain tiger imagery. It was a common theme in his work. The origin is a humorous one: We used to chuckle with the art school teacher Olivia that our daughter Morgan, with two artist parents, would stick to just one image in her elementary art class year after year--the head of her beloved teddy bear Pocahontas. So Gert decided to adopt it and make it his own...turning the teddy bear into his signature tiger...
For a long time I wasn't selling Gert's work--wanting to hold onto it because all of a sudden the endless fountain of his creativity came to a screeching halt upon his death in 2013. I feel differently now. I want to spread it around and share it. Please contact me (or in Denmark, Galleri Liisberg) if you are interested in owning one of his paintings or prints and to check on availability and pricing.

Charity of the Week:
Southern Poverty Law Center

Product of the Week
New Yoga Mats

New ! Yoga Mats—$88. Contact me directly to purchase: pamsmilow@me.com

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 57: Astrophysicist Katie Mack, No-Cal Pancakes, Film: The Tiger Within

January 29, 2022

By the way, don’t miss the film Tiger Within (listed below). So worth watching and a film perfect for our times.

three things we love

Poem by Astrophysicist Katie Mack

Katie Mack’s Astrophysics Lesson. Click on image to hear her lecture FYI I probably understood about 1 percent of.

Click image to see how tiny we are in the universe…

Click here to have Katie read her poem to you or read it yourself below

Disorientation
by Katie Mack

I want to make you dizzy.

I want to make you look up into the sky and comprehend, maybe for the first time, the darkness that lies beyond the evanescent wisp of the atmosphere, the endless depths of the cosmos, a desolation by degrees.

I want the Earth to turn beneath you and knock your balance off, carry you eastward at a thousand miles an hour, into the light, and the dark, and the light again. I want you to watch the Earth rising you up to meet the rays of the morning sun.

I want the sky to stop you dead in your tracks on your walk home tonight, because you happened to glance up and among all the shining pinpricks you recognized one as of the light of an alien world.

I want you to taste the iron in your blood and see its likeness in the rust-red sands on the long dry dunes of Mars, born of the same nebular dust that coalesced random flotsam of stellar debris into rocks, oceans, your own beating heart.

I want to reach into your consciousness and cast it outward, beyond the light of other suns, to expand it like the universe, not encroaching on some envelope of emptiness, but growing larger, unfolding inside itself.

I want you to see your world from four billion miles away, a tiny glint of blue in the sharp white light of an ordinary star in the darkness. I want you to try to make out the boundaries of your nation from that vantage point, and fail.

I want you to feel it, in your bones, in your breath, when two black holes colliding a billion light years away sends a tremor through spacetime that makes every cell in your body stretch, and strain.

I want to make you nurse nostalgia for the stars long dead, the ones that fused your carbon nuclei and the ones whose last thermonuclear death throes outshined the entire galaxy to send a single photon into your eye.

I want you to live forward but see backward, farther and deeper into the past, because in a relativistic universe you don’t have any other choice. I want the stale billion-year-old starlight of a distant galaxy to be your reward.

I want to utterly disorient you and let you navigate back by the stars. I want you to lose yourself, and find it again, not just here, but everywhere, in everything.

I want you to believe that the universe is a vast, random, uncaring place, in which our species, our world, has absolutely no significance. And I want you to believe that the only response is to make our own beauty and meaning and to share it while we can.

I want to make you wonder what is out there. What dreams may come in waves of radiation across the breadth of an endless expanse. What we may know, given time, and what splendors might never, ever reach us.

I want to make it mean something to you. That you are in the cosmos. That you are of the cosmos. That you are born from stardust and to stardust you will return. That you are a way for the universe to be in awe of itself.

No-Cal Pancakes for Breakfast

I always add fruit and a little maple syrup to these pancakes.

Here's a trick I learned from a fellow Weight Watchers member that has been my go to for a no-cal pancake breakfast. It might not be exactly the real thing but pretty close (and you don't think bananas when you eat it). Here is the simple delicious recipe:

Pancakes

Ingredients
1 Banana
2 Eggs
big dash of Cinnamon
splash of Vanilla

Instructions

Beat two eggs together. Mash the banana (the more ripe the better) and mix into the egg mixture. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Spray a skillet with Pam or other 0 Point spray. (or add a bit of oil or butter if you must) Pour batter in. Let it cook on one side. Flip and cook the other side. Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, yogurt or whatever you choose.

Film: The Tiger Within

I am always on the lookout for interesting things to include on this blog--television shows, recipes, short poems and whatever catches my fancy and my eye for the week. Some of it comes from memory and some of it comes from recent discoveries...

This week I received an email about a virtual showing of a film and my eyes fell on the name Ed Asner. Readers of my blog will know he has been one of my heroes for a long time now. The film is called The Tiger Within, where Asner plays a starring role alongside a brilliant performance by an unknown 14-year old named Margot Josefsohn. And although not totally brand new, I had never heard of this movie. It is especially significant now since it was one of Asner's last roles before he recently passed away...

The word TOUCHING doesn’t begin to do justice to this beautiful gem of a film with a huge heart and even bigger lessons about love and hate, the dangers of ignorance, and possibilities of redemption. Writer Gina Wendkos (she also wrote The Princess Diaries among other films) weaves a story where two diametrically opposed and unlikely people manage to connect and as a result, find a way to heal. Wendkos has a special talent for authentic and sensitive dialogue, making the characters come alive in such poetic ways...

Drop everything and watch it. I got special permission to share this private link with you so you can see this even though it is not publicly available (it was only a five day run at Film at Lincoln Center). The link is as follows:

https://vimeo.com/444445735

Password : Embrace_the_Tiger

And then I would appreciate so much your getting back to me through the comment section or via email or phone, to let me know your thoughts.

My thoughts are that I want to help make this film known to a bigger population of people and perhaps help reach youth that might be flirting with anti-semitism, racism, white supremacy and hate. I think it is such an important film and comes at such a crucial time in our history and I believe it could serve as a tool to fight hatred.

If you want to hear more from the filmmakers themselves, there are several Q & A sessions including this one from the Miami Film Festival in April 2021 and another at the Austin Film Festival from three months ago.

Charity of the Week:
Southern Poverty Law Center

Product of the Week
New Yoga Mats

New ! Yoga Mats—$80. Contact me directly to purchase: pamsmilow@me.com

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 56: Abraham Verghese, Eyes as Big as Plates Collaboration, Hungary and the Nazis

January 22, 2022

I know most of you look to this blog to provide upbeat, inspirational news to counteract all the bad news we are surrounded with these days. And that is definitely my intention. But sometimes I feel compelled to add something that I think is important to share even though it is not a happy story. As in the documentary below which tells the story of the Hungarian Jews during World War II in the words of five survivors.

We in America are on the brink of losing our democracy and I just can't always be silent about that...With the rise of white supremacy and resurgence of anti-Semitism around the world, I think we need to be reminded how fascism can arise much more easily than we think and how it takes the silence of good people to allow it to occur...And as illustrated in the film, look how easily and quickly the Hungarian people turned against their Jewish neighbors. I never thought it could happen here and I hope I am right, but I now definitely have my doubts...

three things we love

Abraham Verghese Cutting for Stone

Physician Author Abraham Verghese (photo courtesy Lithub)

Abraham Verghese Illustration by @emmabaker.art

Sometimes a book just hits you and it stays with you. Abraham Verghese's book Cutting for Stone is one of those books. I read it many many years ago and if you haven't read it already, I highly recommend it. If you have read it, you might be interested in Verghese as a humanitarian--hear one of his Ted Talk's here.

Cutting For Stone is an epic novel that follows the lives of brothers Marion and Shiva Stone, born out of a secretive relationship between an Indian nun and a brash British surgeon in Ethiopia on the brink of revolution. The compassion filled story, based partially on the life of the author himself, is "a family saga that crosses continents and cultures" from Addis Ababa to New York City and ambitiously explores, in the words of NPR's Lynn Neary, the themes of "family, politics, history, culture and love against a backdrop of life in and near hospitals." Verghese, in the true tradition of writer/doctor, gives us a detailed insider look at the workings of the world of medicine and all the human emotions that surround that world.
I not only fell in love with this book but also what I perceive as the deep understanding of humanity and caring of the physician author Abraham Verghese. I have also read his other two books and I recommend them too: The Tennis Partner and My Own Country. Dr. Verghese is currently Professor for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at Stanford University Medical School and Senior Associate Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. He received a National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama in 2016. Verghese recently wrote the foreward to the book When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi which I also plan on reading soon.

Eyes as Big as Plates Collaboration

My friend, graphic designer and interior designer par excellence Jill Korostoff of JakDesign, has impeccable taste and sends out periodic emails with inspirational tidbits that I always enjoy seeing. I share a recent one with you here that definitely caught my eye...
Finnish artist Riitta Ikonen and Norwegian photographer Karoline Hjorth are on a journey together focusing on older people; reimagining them as powerful figures from lore and legend. They have titled their project "Eyes as Big as Plates" and in their own words, "this ongoing collaboration started out as a play on characters from Nordic folklore. It has evolved into a continual search for modern human’s belonging to nature. The series is produced in collaboration with retired farmers, fishermen, zoologists, plumbers, opera singers, housewives, artists, academics and ninety year old parachutists. Since 2011 the artist duo has portrayed seniors in Norway, Finland, France, US, UK, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Sweden, South Korea, Czech Republic, Japan, Senegal, Outer Hebrides, Tasmania and Greenland.
Each image in the series presents a solitary figure in a landscape, dressed in elements from surroundings that indicate neither time nor place. Here nature acts as both content and context: characters literally inhabit the landscape wearing sculptures they create in collaboration with the artists.
As active participants in our contemporary society, these seniors encourage the rediscovery of a demographic group too often labelled as marginalized or even as a stereotypical cliché. It is in this light that the project aims to generate new perspectives on who we are and where we belong."
The first book Eyes as Big as Plates is sold out. However, you can preorder their second book due to release in 2022 by preordering it from their website here.

Hungary and the Nazis

Hungarian Jews forced to wear Yellow Stars

The Nazis invaded Hungary in March of 1944.

The International Raul Wallenberg Foundation

I grew up with the history of the Holocaust ever present in our household. It is not that my mother, a German Jewish refugee, shoved it down my throat or talked about it all the time, but it was definitely a presence and as I got older, I asked more and more questions of her about that time in her life and the history around it. She told me stories of how her family's furniture factory was destroyed during Kristallnacht and how she had to stop attending school, how some of her so-called friends stopped talking to her, and how her 16 year old life was torn out from under her. She showed me her Jewish star that she was forced to wear on her coat and had saved a piece of schrapnel that rained down on London during the blitz, where she ended up before coming to America. My sister Judy took that piece of bomb to school for show and tell and managed to lose it somewhere on the playground (don't worry, it was okay)...But like many children of survivors of the Shoah, I have always been obsessed with the subject--in search of trying to understand how something like that could happen. Nowadays and very sadly, it seems a lot less far fetched.

I watched the documentary The Last Days on Netflix this past weekend about Hitler's 1944 invasion and occupation of Hungary and the deportation of over 437,000 Hungarian Jews, primarily to Auschwitz. The film tells the story of five Hungarian Jews during this time in their own words. They all believed themselves to be patriotic Hungarians first, much like the German Jews. These survivors all lived to tell their stories, eventually ending up in the United States after being liberated by the Americans from the death camps. One of them, Tom Lantos, even became a U.S. Congressman from the State of California. Amidst all the horror described in the film and I warn you that it contains many graphic and horrific images, there are a few glimmers. Like Swedish architect, diplomat and humanitarian hero Raoul Wallenberg, who single-handedly saved tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews by renting safe houses for them and issuing them Swedish passports so they could be disguised and flee. (I coincidentally walked by a plaque commemorating him just yesterday on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.) And the message of inspiration comes too from the survivors in the film: Bill Basch, Irene Zisblatt, Renée Firestone, Alice Lok Cahana, Tom Lantos, Dario Gabbai, and Randolph Braham--they did indeed survive against all odds and they have lived to tell their tale. Directed by James Moll and produced by June Beallor and Kenneth Lipper The Last Days came out in 1998 and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature--it has just been remastered and released again in 2021 on Netflix.

Charity of the Week:
Southern Poverty Law Center

Product of the Week
New Yoga Mats

New ! Yoga Mats—contact me for more information…

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 54: Artist Mimmo Paladino, Ways to Reduce Anxiety, Adoptees from China Documentary

January 16, 2022

I think we all need to listen to this right now…

three things we love

Mimmo Paladino

Italian painter, printmaker and sculptor Mimmo Paladino (1948- ) is an artist that I admire a lot. Here is a video about a few of his large scale mixed media prints that take my breath away.

Ways to Reduce Anxiety

Cory Muscara, a mindfulness teacher from Long Island, had this nifty little trick on instagram recently as a way to reduce anxiety and stay in the moment. It's called take five and it is a breathing exercise with your hand and it works...

Another method that works to reduce stress is called square or box breathing, a simple and powerful technique that helps to return your breathing pattern to a relaxed rhythm. It can clear and calm your mind, improving your focus right away.

Step 1: Breathe in counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.

Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.

Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.

Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.

Repeat this exercise as many times as you can. 30 seconds of deep breathing will help you feel more relaxed and in control.

Adoptees from China

I watched a very touching movie on Netflix this week called Found which I recommend to you. It is the story of three teenage girls, born in China, who were given up by their birth parents as newborns and eventually adopted into families in the United States. Through DNA testing with the biotech company 23 and Me, they discover they are cousins and meet for the first time on zoom.

Filmmaker Amanda Lipitz has made a very thought-provoking film about the journey of these three young women, raised in very different surroundings, who bond over a common experience and set out on a journey to find where they come from. This is a personal story for Lipitz--her niece Chloe is one of the three. "When you know where you come from, you can find the peace in your heart."

Charity of the Week:
National Coalition for the Homeless

Painting of the Week

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 54: Artist Mimmo Paladino, Ways to Reduce Anxiety, Adoptees from China Documentary

January 8, 2022

I think we all need to listen to this right now…

three things we love

Mimmo Paladino

Italian painter, printmaker and sculptor Mimmo Paladino (1948- ) is an artist that I admire a lot. Here is a video about a few of his large scale mixed media prints that take my breath away.

Ways to Reduce Anxiety

Adoptees from China

Charity of the Week:
National Coalition for the Homeless

Painting of the Week

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 53: Patti Smith, Philip Glass, Billy Collins, Heather Cox Richardson

January 1, 2022

three things we love

Philip Glass, Glass Pieces

I love dance and I love the music of Philip Glass. My cousin Joanne, a choreographer herself, reminded me recently of Philip Glass's Glass Pieces, an amazing dance piece choreographed by Jerome Robbins and performed for the first time by the New York City Ballet in 1983. I saw it many years ago but it remained vivid in my mind. I am amazed at how wonderful it was to see again, this time only on my computer screen, but totally enjoyable nonetheless...Enjoy!. And for a description of how it is to be a dancer dancing this difficult piece that is reminiscent of Grand Central at rush hour, listen to Russell Jansen's description and that of Justin Peck

Poem by Billy Collins

Introduction to Poetry
BY BILLY COLLINS

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem’s room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author’s name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

I feel the same way when someone asks me about my paintings

Heather Cox Richardson, Again

Those who are familiar with my blog know that I have featured historian and Boston College professor Heather Cox Richardson a number of times because I think so highly of her. She is a national treasure--educating us and giving us insight and context to all the ins and outs of our complicated political landscape. This end of the year political chat that she does on facebook regularly is a must listen to anyone who wants a clear, concise description of where we are in the United States today and what we should expect in the next year politically before the midterm elections. By the way, this is not totally depressing...

Charity of the Week: City Harvest

Painting of the Week

Pam Smilow We See Trees: Homage to Maira Kalman mixed media on canvas 50” x 80”

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 52: The Premonition by Michael Lewis, Rafael Mantesso, Cold Missouri Waters

December 24, 2021

One year of *Things We Love*…please consider sharing this blog with three people you love and encourage them to subscribe. If they do and then email me (pamsmilow@me.com) with your name, I will send you a nice gift as a thank you!

three things we love

The Premonition by Michael Lewis

Just finished Michael Lewis's book The Premonition: A Pandemic Story which is a must read if we are to understand the lessons and mistakes of how we have (and are handling) Covid-19. Lewis is a master storyteller and the book reads like a true nonfiction thriller, complete with many characters you and I have never heard of. For example, thirteen year old Laura and her father Bob Glass, whose middle school project created a model that helped predict the spread of the virus. And public health superstar Charity Dean, former Assistant Director of the California Department of Public Health and co-founder of The Public Health Company, whose genius and importance you will learn about; and Carter Mecher, and a small group of visionary doctors who called themselves the Wolverines...heroes who tried their damnedest to get us through what they saw as coming but whose voices were drowned out by an uncaring president, petty functionaries and stupid political appointees who did not have a clue. Through sharp investigative reporting, Lewis connects unlikely protagonists and weaves a tragic story that he believes could have been avoided...

Quoting the author: "Charity would tell you — and I think it's true — that the pandemic has created a kind of selective pressure on our public health officers. And it's removed the brave ones. The brave ones have all got their heads chopped off. So it's sort of institutionalized a cowardice that we're going to need to face up to so that this business of punishing people who are doing their damnedest to try to save us from ourselves has got to stop."

Rafael Mantesso and his Dog Jimmy Choo

Through the fog of covid, sedition, depression and pessimism, I am reminded that humans do wonderful things too. "Since 2014, Brazilian illustrator Rafael Mantesso has been on a journey of endless adventures with his best friend, the dog Jimmy Choo. What started as a playful moment of creative doodling around Jimmy the pitbull turned into a joyous partnership of a human and dog working and living together in harmony." Thanks to Rafael Mantesso and my friend Jill of @jakdesign for sharing this spurt of creative inspiration and lightening our mood!

Cold Missouri Waters and the Mann Gulch Fire

I heard about the tragic Mann Gulch fire through a song on the 1998 album Cry Cry Cry, featuring the collaborative efforts of singer songwriters Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky and Dar Williams. Written by Canadian James Keelaghan, the beautiful and touching song Cold Missouri Waters commemorates the tragic loss of 13 firefighters when the blaze took another direction and trapped the men. In addition, the song describes a technique, born that day, of setting a smaller fire to avoid burning in a bigger one, a tactic still in use today. Sadly it didn't save the life of most that day.

Charity of the Week: City Harvest

Painting of the Week

Pamela Smilow Midnight Blue mixed media on canvas 52” x 80” $8500

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 51: Savant Daniel Tammet, High Tea Crosby Hotel, Two Short Poems

December 17, 2021

three things we love

Savant Daniel Tammet

Inside the remarkable mind of Daniel Tammet

Tammet shares with us his inspiring story of living a fully independent life as an autistic savant.

The subject of child prodigies and savants has particularly fascinated me. These are people with exceptional mental abilities and one of the most interesting cases I have come across is a man named Daniel Tammet who has a seemingly magical relationship with numbers and words. One of Daniel's claims to fame is that he holds the European record in his ability to recite the number pi to 22,512 decimal places. He says he sees numbers as a landscape. In addition, he has synesthesia, which he describes as a cross talk of the senses--when you hear music but you see shapes, or you hear a word and see a color. Hence the title of his memoir, which I enjoyed immensely, called Born on a Blue Day. Daniel is also a linguist who speaks at least 11 languages, and has the amazing ability to learn new ones extremely quickly. He has even been featured on an Icelandic television program by learning the difficult Icelandic language in five days and then going on a talk show to prove it.

There are numerous books written by Daniel Tammet that include Moonwalking with Einstein, Thinking in Numbers, Born on a Blue Day; and Embracing the Wide Sky; How to Be Normal; and Every Word is a Bird We Teach to Sing; as well as Lili Marlene's book on Daniel Tammet: The Boy with the Incredible Story. If you want to learn more, there is a good documentary on him as well entitled Brain Man
What makes Daniel so intriguing is that Savants can't usually tell us how they do what they do. It just comes to them. Daniel is different--he can describe what he sees in his head. That's why he's exciting. As Richard Johnson of the Guardian puts it: "He could be the Rosetta Stone."

High Tea at the Crosby Hotel

I don't do it often, but once a year I take my daughter and niece out for high tea. It has become a tradition around the holidays and I look forward to it every December. This year, with the omicron variant of Covid beginning to spread like wild fire in New York City, I write this as a virtual visit to my favorite place for high tea: The Crosby Hotel on Crosby Street in Soho (NYC). The setting could not be more beautiful, and although I am usually a minimalist when it comes to interior design, the wonderful designer Kit Kemp goes to town with her eclectic mix of over the top patterns and colors in the hotel and bar. High tea includes standard fare: delicious tea sandwiches and pastries beautifully presented with a wide choice of impeccably british teas....

Two Short Poems

To Blossom
BY ANAIS NIN
And then the day came, when the risk
to remain tight
in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took
to blossom.

Dust of Snow
BY ROBERT FROST
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

Charity of the Week

Painting of the Week

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 50: Jane Goodall Interview, Elizabeth Gilbert Reminder, Salmon Recipe

December 11, 2021

three things we love

Jane Goodall Interview

Portrait of Jane Goodall by Christina Chung

Krista Tippett's November 2021 interview with legendary primatologist Jane Goodall, one of my biggest heroes in the whole world, speaks for itself and since I am a little short on time this week, I will say no more and let you listen to this episode of On Being.

Elizabeth Gilbert Reminder

I hope that Elizabeth Gilbert doesn't mind me posting her reminder, which I thought was a good message to give out today...thanks to my friend who posted it on facebook.

“Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated with one another, with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here.
But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom."Folks," he said, "I know you have had a rough day and you are frustrated. I can’t do anything about the weather or traffic, but here is what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don’t take your problems home to your families tonight, just leave them with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I will open the window and throw your troubles in the water." It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who had been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other’s existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious? Oh, he was serious.
At the next stop, just as promised, the driver reached out his hand, palm up, and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared up but everyone did it. The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop, too. And the next. All the way to the river.
We live in a hard world, my friends. Sometimes it is extra difficult to be a human being. Sometimes you have a bad day. Sometimes you have a bad day that lasts for several years. You struggle and fail. You lose jobs, money, friends, faith, and love. You witness horrible events unfolding in the news, and you become fearful and withdrawn. There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don’t know where to find it.
But what if you are the light? What if you are the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for?. That’s what this bus driver taught me, that anyone can be the light, at any moment. This guy wasn’t some big power player. He wasn’t a spiritual leader. He wasn’t some media-savvy influencer. He was a bus driver, one of society’s most invisible workers. But he possessed real power, and he used it beautifully for our benefit.
When life feels especially grim, or when I feel particularly powerless in the face of the world’s troubles, I think of this man and ask myself, What can I do, right now, to be the light? Of course, I can’t personally end all wars, or solve global warming, or transform vexing people into entirely different creatures. I definitely can’t control traffic. But I do have some influence on everyone I brush up against, even if we never speak or learn each other’s name.
"No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminated, one bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river." Elizabeth Gilbert

"No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminated, one bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river."~~ ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

Best Salmon Recipe

This is hands down the best salmon recipe I have ever tasted...A man I know told me the other day he had another woman in his life (he is happily married) and her name was Melissa Clark. After tasting this salmon, I know why and rushed out to the bookstore to buy her cookbook Dinner.

Vietnamese Caramel Salmon
Ingredients
Sauce:
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
3 tablespoons Fish Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Ginger
1 Lime Zest
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
4 skinless Salmon Fillets
Sliced Scallions, thinly sliced Jalapeños and Cilantro for Garnish Set an oven rack 6 inches from broiler
Brush the salmon fillets all over with oil and season them lightly with salt
In a 12 inch oven safe skillet set to medium high heat, combine brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest and lime juice, black pepper and 1 tablespoon water and bring to a simmer
Place the fish, skin side up, in the skillet.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, without moving it, until the fish is cooked through halfway, approx. 4-6 minutes.
Spoon the pan juices over the fish and transfer the skillet to the oven.
Broil until the fish is just cooked through and the skin is caramelized in spots, approx. 2-5 minutes for medium rare, depending on the thickness of the fish.
Transfer the fish to a serving plate and garnish with scallions, jalapeños, and cilantro.
Drizzle with the pan sauce and serve.

Charity of the Week

Top 6 Charities That Help Children at Christmas Time

45 Great Jones Street, New York, NY 10012 hours: 1-6pm

@SARPottery and Quilts by Susan Rosenfeld

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 49: Author Noah Gordon, David Byrne Choir, Billy Crystal on Jimmy Kimmel

December 3, 2021

This blog might be a little short this week—I lost one of my favorite cousins a few days ago of pancreatic cancer. He was one of my most loyal and avid blog readers, a true cheerleader to me and everyone he encountered. He was an exceptional human being who gave to others no matter where he was—he will be sorely missed by us all, including the Community Center where he delivered food every week to the hungry and to the Democratic Party in Sarasota County, where as a lawyer, he made sure that no one was cheated out of their vote. See you on the other side, dear Anthony Kahn…

three things we love

Author Noah Gordon

I hardly ever read the obituaries. Don’t know really what drew me to that section one day this week but I happened upon one of my all time favorite writers: Noah Gordon. He was an American born in Worcester, Massachusetts, but for some reason, much more popular in Europe than here. He wrote many books including a fictionalized trilogy about the history of medicine, beginning in Europe in the 11th Century through modern times. These books (The Physician, Shaman, Matters of Choice) are fascinating, gripping (you literally can't put them down) and so informative about the roots of medicine and how medical education, practices and ethics developed around the world. The historical fiction makes the story easily palatable as you follow the young Robert Cole and the subsequent generations of the Cole Family across Europe and the Middle East on their quest to be the best physicians they could be. I highly recommend Noah Gordon!

David Byrne

Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman (AKA “DaBu”) founded Choir Choir Choir in 2011 in Toronto, Canada as a drop in singing event. It spread around the world. Hope you enjoy this moment of GroupSing at the Public Theatre, (singing David Bowie's Heroes in New York City), led by David Byrne, as much as I did... Even more special since I found it by chance on an old facebook entry of my late sister, Judy Smilow.

Billy Crystal on Jimmy Kimmel

Billy Crystal was on Jimmy Kimmel the other night. I only caught it on youtube but this guy has to be one of the all time best comedians ever--and we all can use as much laughter as possible these days. Here goes a great interview and definitely some good chuckles.

Charity of the Week

Top 6 Charities That Help Children at Christmas Time

Gifts for the Holidays

Cheese/Cutting Boards
My big seller this holiday season…

Cotton Duvet/Comforter

Elephant Pouch (Copy)

Pillow Shams

Small Animal Giclee Prints

Gert Mathiesen Rust Tree of Life Giclee on Canvas

Childhood's End Series: 3 Birds

Travel Mugs

Phone Cases

Rust Tree of Life Pillow

Blue Botanical Cutting/Cheese Boards

Clocks

Botanical Giclee Prints

Tea Towels

laptop cases

Pam Smilow Paintings

Scarves

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 48: Thanksgiving Myth, Braniff Airlines, Andrew Garfield on Grief

November 26, 2021

Courtesy of Martin Creed at the Parrish Museum, Water Mill, New York

three things we love

Thanksgiving Myth

“It is the one day out of the year when every American bows their head and gives thanks for everything that was taken from us....”

I have written about Heather Cox Richardson a few times before in my blog and I really do believe that this historian and Boston College professor is a true national treasure. She has outdone herself with her latest November 24th entry on Thanksgiving and democracy--a must read and not to be missed. She proves, once again, that history repeats itself and that "those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. "

And for another in-depth analysis of the myth of Thanksgiving, the New Yorker published an article in their November 25, 2019 issue The Invention of Thanksgiving

When Airlines Were Cool

Emilio Pucci flight attendant uniforms as part of the SFO Museum display entitled Fashion in Flight

Mary Wells Lawrence was behind the award winning ad campaign for Braniff Airlines

Definitely a cooler and bolder airplane interior…

While killing some time at the San Francisco Airport a few weeks ago, I browsed through the SFO Museum's current exhibition on flight attendant fashion over the years. What stood out to me was Braniff Airline's collaboration with Emilio Pucci that lasted from 1965 to 1973. Braniff was one of the coolest airlines around at the time and I remembered, too, that this was the same airline that gave Alexander Calder an opportunity to paint the outside of their planes (one of my lifetime dreams!).

These innovative ideas were actually the brainchild and part of the genius of Alexander Girard, as part of Braniff's rebranding and "End of the Plain Plane" campaign. Architect, interior/furniture/industrial/textile designer Girard was a fascinating figure in the design world, working on textiles for such luminaries such as Charles and Ray Eames and George Nelson and designing interiors and furniture for companies such as Herman Miller, George Jensen and John Deere among others. According to John Nance in his book Splash of Colors, "The Braniff project gave Girard the opportunity to work with textiles, color, and graphics on a grand scale, redesigning everything from the sugar packets to the ticket counters to the color of the planes themselves. He used colors like light and dark blue, beige, ochre, orange, turquoise, and lemon yellow to make the planes recognizable from the ground. Italian couturier fashion designer Emilio Pucci designed attendant uniforms."

Andrew Garfield on Grief

Jonathan Larson who wrote the rock opera Rent

The highly acclaimed actor Andrew Garfield stars in the recently released film on netflix Tick Tick Boom about the life and premature death of American composer and playwright Jonathan Larson but he recently made news speaking about grief and the loss of his mother Lynn on the Stephen Colbert Show this past week. From someone who has experienced grief in their life, I was very moved to hear his description--perhaps the best and closest description of what it has been like for me... Vanity Fair wrote about it recently too. And while we are at it, here are Anderson Cooper's thoughts on grief through a conversation he had with Stephen Colbert on their great losses as young boys and how he feels it is important that we bring it out into the open and make the subject less taboo.

charity of the week

Kevin Strickland spent 42 years in jail for a crime he did not commit.

I don't usually ask so directly for money on this blog but the case of wrongful conviction of Kevin Strickland is heartbreaking and the inhumanity of the state of Missouri shocking and that they are providing absolutely zero compensation for his 43 years in prison. Please consider donating by clicking the image above to get him back on his feet.

painting of the week

Recently installed painting in a New York City client’s home. Looks beautiful there if I might say so myself…

Gifts for the Holidays

Cotton Duvet/Comforter

Elephant Pouch

Pillow Shams

Small Animal Giclee Prints

Gert Mathiesen Rust Tree of Life Giclee on Canvas

Childhood's End Series: Birds

Travel Mugs

Blue Botanical Pillow

Phone Cases

cutting boards

Clocks

Botanical Giclee Prints

Tea Towels

laptop cases

Pam Smilow Paintings

Scarves

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 47: George Harrison, Angelic Rendition of Hallelujah, Elka Schumann of Bread and Puppet Theatre

November 20, 2021

three things we love

George Harrison's Last Performance

Youtube really is a place where you can find all sorts of interesting things, including this interview with George Harrison,who appeared on host and presenter John Fugelsang's VH1 program. What was George doing there as he always shied away from the limelight? He actually was on the show to help his friend Ravi Shankar promote his (at the time) new album Chants of India. There are a lot of pearls here including Harrison's thoughts on life and death, on Bob Dylan, on the story behind The Traveling Wilburys among other interesting topics… As it turns out, it was the last time Harrison performed before his death—an impromptu concert before the staff of thirty of VH1! And if you stick around to the very end of the video, you will hear an acoustic and very raw version of George singing one of my favorites: All Things Must Pass…

Angelic Rendition of Hallelujah

P.S. 22 student Elisha has such a beautiful voice!

It is getting colder outside and the days are getting shorter as we move into the winter season. I am again including this angelic rendition of Hallelujah here as a pick-me-up I imagine we all could use right now. Even though Hallelujah is not my favorite Leonard Cohen song, this December 2, 2015 rendition by Elisha of P.S. 22 is one of the most moving performances I have ever heard. Call me schmaltzy but I can't imagine this not pulling at your heartstrings...

Bread and Puppet Theatre

Bread and Puppet’s very affordable art is available for sale on their website

Elka Schumann and her husband, Peter Schumann, founded Bread and Puppet Theatre in the 1960s.

I recently read about the death of Elka Schumann, Matriarch of the Bread and Puppet Theater. Co-founded in the 1960s by husband and wife team Elka and Peter Schumann, Bread and Puppet is one of the oldest, nonprofit, political theatre companies in the country.

I had seen this theatre group perform at protests against the Vietnam War way back when with their signature giant paper maché and cardboard puppets and signs, but I had no idea that there existed a "museum" in Glover, Vermont, where all these art props were housed. Gert and I happened to stumble upon the place by sheer accident, while driving across the state on the way to Maine after attending a wedding in Lake Champlain. What a stumble it was--a truly amazing place--chock full of raw art and a true treasure in the middle of rural America. Well worth a visit!

Elka Schumann's story is a fascinating one--a life truly well lived, and although her husband Peter had the title of Artistic Director, Elka's role in Bread and Puppet cannot be overstated—she was the glue that held the whole enterprise together behind the scenes of Peter’s manic creative energy.

A third stroke took Elka away on August 1, 2021. She died with her five children and husband at her side. Read Democracy Now's obituary of her here. In true form, she had performed the workers’ anthem The Internationale on recorder during a Bread and Puppet circus performance the day before.

Bread and Puppet is still active today. For more information, check out their upcoming December schedule.

charity of the week

Please consider participating in the Toys for Tots program.

smilow + mathiesen bedding

This cotton duvet cover is so wonderful—thick, soft cotton, available in different patterns, and comes as a comforter as well…Cotton pillow shams are also available for purchase. Check out these and all our other products in the artSHOP section of our website: www.pamelasmilow.com/shop-all.

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 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.. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...

blog no. 46: Natalie Merchant's San Andreas Fault, Turkish Lentil Soup, Harvey Milk

November 13, 2021

Due to circumstances beyond my control with squarespace, some of the links in the blog text may not be working (although the photo links seem to work fine). My apologies. Natalie Merchant’s song San Andreas Fault can be found on youtube. The photo links seem to be working but if you are interested in more information on Harvey Milk, you might have to google it yourself…Sorry for the inconvenience…

three things we love

Natalie Merchant's San Andreas Fault

Natalie Merchant’s SAN ANDREAS FAULT

Go west, paradise is there, you’ll have all that you can eat of milk & honey over there. You’ll be the brightest star the world has ever seen, sun-baked slender heroine of film & magazine. Go west, paradise is there, you’ll have all that you can eat of milk & honey over there. You’ll be the brightest light the world has ever seen, the dizzy height of a jet-set life you could never dream. Your pale blue eyes strawberry hair lips so sweet skin so fair, your future bright beyond compare, it’s rags to riches over there. San Andreas Fault moved its fingers through the ground, earth divided, plates collided, such an awful sound. San Andreas Fault moved its fingers through the ground, terra cotta shattered and the walls came tumbling down. Oh, promised land, what a wicked ground. Build a dream, tear it down. Oh, promised land, what a wicked ground, build a dream and watch it all fall down. Natalie Merchant Indian Love Bride ©1995

Turkish Lentil Soup

I used to get a craving for this soup at Bereket on Houston Street and I would run down there in the middle of the day just to get it for lunch. Sadly one day the hole in the wall restaurant disappeared and I had no choice but to learn how to make it myself. Luckily, I succeeded. Just might be my all time favorite soup—be sure to add a lot of lemon just before serving.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (Mercimek Corbasi) I used to get a craving for this soup at Bereket on Houston Street and I would run down there in the middle of the day to get it for lunch but sadly the hole in the wall restaurant closed and I had to learn how to make it myself. Luckily, I succeeded. Just might be my all time favorite soup—be sure to add a lot of lemon just before serving…Turkish lentil soup is ready in 30 minutes and is so easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 mins
Turkish Servings: 4 servings
Author: Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 carrot chopped
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 cups wate
Saute onion until golden. Add tomato paste and cook for a minute. 
Add in carrots and potatoes and cook for a few more minutes. 
To the onion and carrot, add the red lentils, salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper and black pepper. Stir well and cook for a minute. 
Pour in the water and bring the soup to simmer. Cook covered on medium heat for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes until the lentils are completely cooked. 
Blend the soup in the blender or using an immersion blender until it's creamy and smooth. 
Serve warm with a big squeeze of lemon.  
Store the leftovers in a glass airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the soup in a sauce pan with ⅓ cup water and reheat over medium heat.

Harvey Milk

Photograph as part of the SFO Museum Exhibit on Harvey Milk

At a time like this in our nation’s history, it does us good to remember heroes of the past that have fought the good fight and persevered in difficult circumstances…Harvey Milk (1930-1978) is one of the important figures in American history—and we owe it to him to remember him and the legacy he left behind.
”
Milk was a visionary civil rights leader who launched an activist agenda for LBGTQ rights out of his modest camera store in the Castro District of San Francisco and went on to become one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S. when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. His election gave never before experienced hope to the LGBTQ community and the impact of his work continues today.
The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has just completed construction on the new Harvey Milk Terminal, including seven new departure gates, a new post-security connector to the International Terminal, a new museum gallery, and a new display of exhibit content honoring the life and legacy of Harvey Milk. If you are flying in and out of SFO on JetBlue, have a look at this wonderful exhibit. P.S. If you want to learn more, Sean Penn played Harvey Milk in a 2008 film well worth watching.

products of the week

Get a head start on holiday shopping. Visit our artSHOP including silk blend scarves, table runners, cutting boards, memory card games, pouches, pillows, bedding, & more…www.pamelasmilow.com/shop-all

Donate to the Harvey Milk Foundation

“Hope Will Never Be Silent” —Harvey Milk

Another Self Portrait going grey in the time of Covid…

blog no. 45: Fantastic Fungi, Love and Lemons Every Day Cookbook, Anthony Bourdain

November 6, 2021

I am in California

through November 12th, 2021

Please contact me if you would like to attend an event in Santa Rosa today (Sunday November 7th), or you would like to book a private appointment to see the art in your home while I am still in California.

To get the most out of this blog, please click on many of the images, underlined words, etc. for links to more information, interviews, music, etc.

three things we love

Fantastic Fungi

Had a very busy week so all I am going to say about this film Fantastic Fungi is drop everything and watch it on Netflix. Truly amazing, eye opening, and game changing when it comes to our view of life, the universe and nature's interconnectedness. 5 Stars+!

Love and Lemons Every Daty Cookbook

I am not a vegetarian but I am a vegetable lover and can easily get by without meat in a meal. But I am often short on inspiration of what to cook using just vegetables. Well, my problem is solved, at least temporarily, because I found a beautiful cookbook recently that is inspiring and giving me all sorts of new ideas of what to cook for dinner. The cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews is called Love & Lemons, Every Day: More than 100 Bright, Plant Forward Recipes for Every Meal. It is a beautiful book, each recipe elegantly illustrated and clearly explained, including in addition to ingredients and instructions, thoughts on when best to serve each particular dish. Jeanine Donofrio is the author of other Love & Lemon Cookbooks, a blog and has been featured in many magazines including Bon Appetit, Oprah's Magazine O, and Self.

Anthony Bourdain Words of Wisdom

Came across these words of advice below by the late Anthony Bourdain--renowned chef, author, and travel documentarian. His award-winning CNN series "Parts Unknown" (available on HBOMax)was a celebration of food and diversity around the world and a favorite of many people, including me. His way of being and demeanor reminded me of my late husband, Gert, in some ways. His best-selling book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, originally published in 2000, gave a real behind the scenes look at restaurant life. Sadly, Bourdain ended his life tragically in 2018. His friend and fellow chef Eric Ripert remembered him this way on twitter: "Anthony was my best friend. An exceptional human being, so inspiring & generous. One of the great storytellers who connected w so many. I pray he is at peace from the bottom of my heart. My love & prayers are also w his family, friends and loved ones."

Here's his advice:
"Eat at a local restaurant tonight. Get the cream sauce. Have a cold pint at 4 o’clock in a mostly empty bar. Go somewhere you’ve never been. Listen to someone you think may have nothing in common with you. Order the steak rare. Eat an oyster. Have a negroni. Have two. Be open to a world where you may not understand or agree with the person next to you, but have a drink with them anyways. Eat slowly. Tip your server. Check in on your friends. Check in on yourself. Enjoy the ride."

products of the week

Donate to The Coalition for the Homeless

blog no. 44: Beautiful Duets, Republicans Plead with Republicans, Val Jackson Textile Art

October 30, 2021

I am in California

through November 12th, 2021

Please contact me if you would like to book a private appointment to see the art in the quiet of your own home, are interested in hosting a small art gathering or would like to join a viewing in your area.

To get the most out of this blog, please click on many of the images, underlined words, etc. for links to more information, interviews, music, etc.

three things we love

Beautiful Duets

James Taylor and Carly Simon

Joan Baez and Paul Simon

John Prine and Bonnie Raitt sing John Prine’s Angel from Montgomery

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper sing Shallow from the movie A Star is Born

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing Islands in the Stream

And it wouldn’t be complete without including a real blast from the past: Sonny and Cher

So many more I could include here...Enjoy!

Republicans Plead with Fellow Republicans

Save Our Democracy!
If any of you have friends who are Republicans, perhaps you will consider sharing this op-ed that ran in the New York Times and the Washington Post about a week ago. It is written by Christine Todd Whitman (former Governor of New Jersey) and Miles Taylor, (who served in the Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019), two former Republicans urging their fellow Republicans who still value democracy to vote Democratic until the authoritarian faction that has taken over their party is bled out of it. From the New York Times October 11th, 2021:

"After Donald Trump’s defeat, there was a measure of hope among Republicans who opposed him that control of the party would be up for grabs, and that conservative pragmatists could take it back. But it’s become obvious that political extremists maintain a viselike grip on the national and state parties and the process for fielding and championing House and Senate candidates in next year’s elections. Rational Republicans are losing the party civil war. And the only near-term way to battle pro-Trump extremists is for all of us to team up on key races and overarching political goals with our longtime political opponents: the Democrats. This year we joined more than 150 conservatives — including former governors, senators, congressmen, cabinet secretaries, and party leaders — in calling for the Republican Party to divorce itself from Trumpism or else lose our support, perhaps with us forming a new political party. Rather than return to founding ideals, Republican leaders in the House and in many states have now turned belief in conspiracy theories and lies about stolen elections into a litmus test for membership and running for office. Starting a new center-right party may prove to be the last resort if Trump-backed candidates continue to win Republican primaries. We and our allies have debated the option of starting a new party for months and will continue to explore its viability in the long run. Unfortunately, history is littered with examples of failed attempts at breaking the two-party system, and in most states today the laws do not lend themselves easily to the creation and success of third parties."

Val Jackson Textile Art

So much of the fun of writing this blog for me is discovering new things to love and coming across inspiration in all different places. Since I am chiefly a visual person, my favorite social media for browsing is pinterest and I discovered Val Jackson's incredible embroidery art there.

Jackson is an artist based in Liverpool who recycles clothing into items of storytelling, history and drama, like epic tapestries. This is how she describes herself in her own words:

"My work represents an exploration of the relationship between memory and clothing and their corresponding decay. Currently I am investigating memories of childhood and youth in the 1950's and 60's through garments, accessories and larger memorabilia, such as houses and cars."

painting of the week

Pam Smilow, Flower Power Series I-IV, mixed media on paper, $1500 each/$5000 for the series

Donate to The Coalition for the Homeless