After the Storm

I am still in a state of shock over the spectacle of Sandy's wrath. My heart goes to out to all the people whose lives have been lost, homes torn apart, and the loss of the normal which gives us the stability we need to proceed. Our village took some hits, but we were ultimately treated kindly compared to many others in the region.  The media coverage has been a true witness to the havoc. These are very sad times.

Halloween seems endless in the Hollow

As every village seeks a way to make itself a destination (shout out to all our local businesses) October in these parts builds to a crescendo of spooky nuttiness. My husband, in his unofficial capacity as mayor of our neighborhood, spent a good part of last week focussed on our neighborhood Halloween party. Last year, due to an unexpected blizzard, this event was cancelled. This year, trying to put ourselves back on the map, he went in to overdrive. He even arranged for the Headless Horseman to make an appearance.  The horseman's arrival was an event of shock and awe and my husband got a lot of street credit from the adults in attendance for arranging this special guest. I'm probably a little worn out from the years of relentless Halloween activities that consume our community- and making an early exit from the party I was moved, not by the sight of kids in inventive costumes, but by the light falling through the trees and the dance of leaves as they tumbled earthwise from above.

Fire light

This has been a rainy month full of grey days, but yesterday the sun came out, our spirits lifted and gathering at the beach club for a bonfire seemed like a good outing to enjoy the evening and the company of our neighbors. It's pouring rain again, lights flickering with the possibility of losing power, so I'll dash out this post in hopes of sharing an image of a bonfire, a night sky, and the specter of friends gathered to relax and chat on an autumn night by the river.

James Surowiecki Talks the Economy at Avenues School

I had a quick ride to the city yesterday to attend a New Yorker gathering at Avenues School featuring a talk by James Surowiecki, the New Yorker's brilliant financial columnist. The magazine held a lovely reception and we got to glimpse this amazing new school that opened its doors six weeks ago.

James Surowiecki's talk was incredibly thought provoking. Without notes or visuals, he gave an engaging lecture which kept many in the audience on the front of their chairs in order to catch every word. The evening ended on a lively note while our brains were brimming from the insights we just heard.

Monet's Waterlilies in the Bronx

We made a quick visit to the New York Botanical Gardens a while back. James had a few days off and midweek we headed there late knowing the property closes at 6. The goal was to see the Monet exhibit, which we rushed through admiring all the while. Emerging outside, we wandered around the pools planted with beautiful varieties of water lilies. Along with the other visitors documenting the wonderfully sunlit ponds, I took some photos. Hope you enjoy.

Reveries of Small Things

La Dame

Le Monsieur

During Max's visit, we started making collages and I found myself pulling out bits and pieces tucked away in boxes, jars and drawers, gathered over the years. Since Max's departure, I've been working on them more. My own kind of artistic upcycling of dreams.

Granola Goodness

It's been cold and gloomy lately and October has rekindled my desire to bake some home goodness. I decided to make granola and my daughter Sarah said she would help (she sort of did-thank you Sarah for turning it while it was in the oven and not letting it burn) but I thought a few photos during the process couldn't hurt.  The granola came out very well and was a big hit. Hope you like my kitchen snaps.

Pumpkins for a Good Cause

There is an outstanding pumpkin sale going on right now at St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 669 Albany Post Road- (Rt. 9) in Scarborough (on the right side going north of Phelps Hospital). This is the fourth year that they have taken delivery of over a 1000 pumpkins trucked east from a Navajo Reservation. The proceeds go first to the tribe who grew them, and the remaining funds are used to assist children and families in need. There are many ways to procure your jack o' lanterns and autumn decorations this time of year- but when the revenues go directly to support the growers and a worthy cause- that's a very good thing. Something local to check out if you're on a pumpkin quest.

Election State

The upcoming election looms large. The anxiety of the possibility that President Obama might lose compels me to contribute to his campaign. The division of party ideals regarding the distribution of wealth, abortion rights, gay marriage and health policy policy in this country is something that upsets me profoundly. Ultimately I feel Barak Obama is someone who better represents my values. And Mitt Romney, who has a lot of good convictions, seems completely out of touch with most Americans.

Notice anything different?

I don't know about you. But I could have sworn that only last week ebay's name looked  like the image below. It feels like a pretty big leap visually but I guess it was time for a change.

forgive the logo quality- they are screen captures

New Favorite Thing

I have a new favorite thing and as it is web-based does not require me to find a place to put it except in my mental landscape. The New Yorker Daily Newsletter is a great source of insight, humor and instruction. It's become my new go-to click when I see it in my in-box. Andy Borowitz', The Borowitz Report has delivered many many outstanding moments of satire and clarity that are true nuggets of comic relief in the middle of our crazy world. So check it out, it's a delight.

Vintage Coach anyone?

I'm feeling some kind of urgency to clear piles. I'm tired of the distraction caused by our clutter. Listing on Ebay and Craigslist makes me feel less stressed. It's its own kind of satisfaction to see rooms and surfaces clear as the days hum along.

Printed Matter hosts a printed fair

Max and I visited Printed Matter's NY Art Book Fair last weekend at PS 1 where we had a busy time browsing among the many exhibitioners in attendance. The world of alternative print matter is alive and well. (The advent of the laser printer has been a great advancement  for book artists in the digital age.) Among the interesting presenters we met was Michalis Pichler, whose 26 Gasoline Stations is a witty re-interpretation of  Ed Rushca's classic work by the same name.  His books were beautifully executed. Lots of good, understated and wry design. We came back exhausted by so much stimulus. Still, I saw no letterpress. I probably didn't look hard enough.

Top Drawer Culture on a Shoestring Budget

Max and I covered some cultural ground on Friday in NYC. Through a friend of Max's, 

Jeffrey Madoff, we were invited to attend a seminar class he teaches at Parson's on branding. Rebecca Moses was his guest and she gave a lively talk about her passion for style, while sharing the highs and lows of her career. Leaving, I wandered in to an empty design studio and documented the batallion of dress forms among the long work tables while imagining the creativity that has been unleashed within these rooms.

A quick ride on the subway brought us to the Museum at F.I.T. whose free admission makes it a frugalista's treasure. Took in two great exhibits, and managed to sneak one photo. The guard quickly and politely told me to desist, but he didn't make me erase my photo. So thank you kind museum guard.

Another culture op beckoned so we headed downtown to NYU's Grey Art Gallery on beautiful Washington Square to see their current exhibit. (recommended admission $3.00). Toxic Beauty  the Art of Frank Moore is an amazing show. I fell under the spell of this artist and can't say too many wondrous things abut his vision, execution, craft and humanity. (no photos allowed)

Finally, we jumped on the subway and headed to the Whitney, where we met Max's friend Kim standing outside on line. At 6 p.m the museum's admission goes to pay as you wish, and a crowd of art lovers assembled to tour the amazing world of Yayoi Kusama, Louis Vuitton's current muse and with whom, I share the love of the dot. For the past twenty years, she has been a resident in an assisted living facility with her painting studio across the street. I'm thinking that our lifestyle choices don't have much in common, but I enjoyed her work. For sure.

A bite to eat, a cross town bus. Back to our parking garage with parking coupon to gather up the car and an uneventful trip back home up the Saw Mill Parkway. A fun and affordable day of learning, seeing, and appreciating for this harried mom from Sleepy Hollow.