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tinymixtapes · 7 years ago

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Interview: High aura’d

When you listen to any of John Kolodij’s releases under the High aura’d moniker, American Primitive mixes with scorched blues rippers, subtle drone freakouts, and dark ambient excursions. For fans both old and new, Kolodij’s latest LP, and first for Seattle’s Debacle, No River Long Enough Doesn’t Contain a Bend, is as accomplished a record as he’s ever released. Save for the final track, featuring Angel Olsen’s vocals, No River is an understated showcase of Kolodij’s acoustic and electric guitar instrumentals, coupled with adventurous experimental song-scapes. In the run-up to the release of No River, John and I emailed back and forth from his current home base of Ohio, discussing the history of the project, his work as a chef, and how his home state’s natural beauty inspired the new record. --- I want to focus primarily on the here and now of the High aura’d project, but tell me a little bit about yourself, and how the project came into existence? I’m 44 years old. I grew up in Trumansburg, NY, right outside of Ithaca. The Finger Lakes — what people toss off as Upstate. I’m married to a wonderful, creative woman, who is also the mother of our three girls. High aura’d began as a duo, but then quickly became a solo path. I had always been in bands, and still clung to the idea that I needed someone to bounce ideas off, and fill space with. Due to an imminent tour with Barn Owl, and some new technology, I quickly fleshed out my ideas and was able to get the density of sound I wanted by myself. Listeners have the High aura’d discography to sink their teeth into, but what is your view on the evolution of the project? Any releases that would have surprised you when you first started? It’s purely an evolution. My earliest work was more meditative in conception, and I’ve been feeling a need to reclaim that, but again, it all represents who I am, and was at that time. That day. I don’t think I’m surprised by anything I’ve recorded. I’m truly grateful some people enjoy listening to my work, and I always will be. I’ve been very lucky to work with some fine people and have their support and encouragement. Finally hearing it on vinyl was the kicker… It has this warmth that I was always hoping to hear; and the art, which is photography of mine, but treated by Kevin Gan Yuen and incorporating the work of William Cody Watson; it’s a beautiful, singular package that I hope will make people want to own it. In a 2015 interview with Decoder, your previous collaborator Mike Shiflet mentioned that you were a chef. I would love to hear more about it. Are you still a chef, and what kind of foods were/are you specializing in? I was a professional cook. Chefs are owners. This all comes from the military system of rank. Chef being “chief.” I did not attend a cooking school, but I did unpaid stages for a chef in Boston where I was living, for a year on the weekends, and she offered me a job and I ran with it. I had just wanted to learn how to cook like someone’s great-grandmother, to intuitively know what to do and how to put ingredients together, to think seasonally, and cook from a whole food prospective. I’d always gone to farmers markets as a child, and we had a decent vegetable patch at our house. I’ve always been into Japanese and Vietnamese cooking — all of the places I cooked were New American (minus one very high end Italian place, which was trying to push that envelope) — local-sustainable, worked with local farmers and purveyors to raise and butcher or source as much as possible. We also had the flexibility to incorporate new techniques and ideas. But now, I have four clients, and I try to keep that as happy as possible. I still aim to cook like an elder would, just maybe one from Hokkaido, or a Buddhist temple cook. I try and stay up to date as possible regarding what’s going on in food trends, and I’ve got my various noodle soups locked down. My pho is pretty on-point. When you say, “to intuitively know what to do and how to put ingredients together,” I can’t help but think of music, composition, and songwriting. Do you see any connections between the way you approach cooking and music? In as much as they are, or should be creative crafts, yes. I’m often drawn toward minimal ingredients presented in their finest way; Pickled mackerel, a foraged mushroom. A tomato in late summer, with fresh basil that grew next to it, dressed in great olive oil. I only eat tomatoes when in season. I hate the false flavor a hot house tomato brings. I listen to tons of dub in the summertime, drink more tequila then as well. Are these linked? Your music, especially the new album, combines established sounds of blues and Americana with drone, noise, and other modern flourishes. Blues and roots music is associated with travel, migration, and movement. With a recent move from Rhode Island to Ohio, how did you approach your songcraft with your lived experience of migration? I think unless you’re trying to push your art in an unnatural direction, it’s always a reflection of the sum of your experience up until that point. I’ve moved around a good deal; Ithaca, NY, to Providence, Rhode Island; Brooklyn, NY, and Boston for a dozen years; Narragansett, Rhode Island, for two years, and now right outside Cleveland, Ohio, going on three years. I’ve been in bands since I was 13, my first being a ridiculous thrash-metal band. My next bigger band was super shoegaze, and then next was a slowcore-/country-influenced quartet with a cellist [ed. note: The Pines of Rome]. I feel like all that is in me at anytime. A lot of this record is done with acoustic guitars at the core, but there’s still oversaturated electric guitars, pedal steel, piano, and even acoustic drums, so it’s just me. I don’t feel I honestly consider fans’ expectations, or part of a musical tradition. I just try and hone in on whatever interests me in my work and dig out and polish what I like and present the truest version I’m able to. No River contains traces of both classic tropes of Americana, but mixed with modern drone and ambient composition. How do you balance carrying on the traditions associated with acoustic and blues guitar, while finding new ways to push the boundaries of fans’ expectations? Robert Johnson was probably my first guitar crush, from probably the most embarrassing point of entry, the 1986 Ralph Macchio vehicle, Crossroads, which featured sweet shredder Steve Vai as well. America was in love with hair metal, but I got this Robert Johnson boxset for Christmas, and I was hooked. I’ve always dug Bukka White, Blind Willie Johnson, John Lee Hooker…and this eventually led me to John Fahey, which led me to Gastr Del Sol, and then to Loren Mazzacane Connors and Keiji Haino which led me… all without The Interent! But on a parallel line, Sonic Youth led me to Bill Frisell, Bad Brains led me to Scientist, Led Zeppelin led me to Annie Briggs and Fairport Convention, King Crimson led to Fripp & Eno, Coltrane led me to Alice Coltrane and beyond… I don’t feel I honestly consider fans’ expectations, or part of a musical tradition. I just try and hone in on whatever interests me in my work and dig out and polish what I like and present the truest version I’m able to. Debacle wrote that you “dove into discovering the old forest and rivers of Steelhead Alley” after your move to Ohio. Did you find that exploring the surrounding natural area spilled over into your songwriting? I’d hope it has. Cleveland has the worst reputation nationally, and it’s completely undeserved. The people (as much as they are human, which is to say, as much as any other place) are open minded and kind. The natural wonders around here are spectacular. The forests are grand, the rivers wondrous, and the sky is intense. I’ve become an avid fly fisher, catch and release, and it’s truly amazing being out in the middle of a river and only hearing & sensing the natural world. I often try, when working on a piece to envision myself, somewhere else: in a desert, at the edge of an ocean, nighttime in Sonoma, crossing a footbridge in Miami, wherever feels evocative, and then trying to score that moment. I’ve been in love with cinema forever, and I just try and score everyday life. A lot of cinemas host screenings with live or newly composed scores. Have you had your eye on a film you feel you could do justice with your sounds? I love snowy films. John Carpenter’s The Thing, Paul Schrader’s Affliction, even Tarantino’s The Hateful 8, The Revenant, Fargo, A Simple Plan, The Shining… So perhaps something like that? Most of those are rather perfect as they are. I have performed quite often to films others have made for me, often over-saturated color rich impressionistic pieces. I love doing that. When you lived in Rhode Island, were you playing live often? Was there a venue or scene you were associated with? Have you established a new musical space or community in Ohio? I did play often, perhaps more in Boston at first, but I got out at least every 2 months on average. I played at Machines With Magnets quite a bit, bringing some shows there. I played a bunch with Work/Death (Scott Reber is simply the best). If you’re asking if I was down with Fort Thunder, I was down with Fort Thunder in real time. As far as Ohio, I’ve been playing out less, much of last year, as High aura’d because I wanted to focus on freeing my guitar playing up, and trying to expel learned or histrionic playing — I wanted to get free. There’s a wonderful music scene here with multiple layers and venues. I’ve been playing with some more improv/free people, which is well represented here by New Ghosts and venues like The Bop Stop and Dan Wenninger’s monthly nights. There’s the classic experimental people like John Elliot, Prostitutes, Machine Listener, Chromesthic, Talons, & Trouble Books. And great suppostive record shops/distros like Bent Crayon, Hausfrau Records, and Experimedia. As a listener, it’s fitting to dive into No River Long Enough Doesn’t Contain a Bend as fall kicks into high gear. Do you have ideal conditions or times of day well suited to working on and recording new High aura’d material? I like to try and work on music as early in the day as possible — my mind is as uncluttered as it’s going to be at that point. I do also enjoy relaxing, later at night, and watching really slow movies with grand cinematography and just free associating on an acoustic guitar. I often try, when working on a piece to envision myself, somewhere else: in a desert, at the edge of an ocean, nighttime in Sonoma, crossing a footbridge in Miami, wherever feels evocative, and then trying to score that moment. I’ve been in love with cinema forever and I just try and score everyday life. Is most of the material on No River based off of improvisation? How long did you spend on this project? If you mean recorded improvisation that became a song, 3 songs on this would qualify. Most others were worked on, over the course of 2-3 years. The move to Ohio, slowed me a bit, not that I’m swift to begin with. Finally hearing it on vinyl was the kicker. Helge Sten, who’s work at Deathprod and is a member of Supersilent, mastered the LP, and he just added this magic sheen. It has this warmth that I was always hoping to hear; and the art, which is photography of mine, but treated by Kevin Gan Yuen and incorporating the work of William Cody Watson; it’s a beautiful, singular package that I hope will make people want to own it, and not just download. Music was meant for more than laptop speakers. I’ve seen how other writers, labels, and musicians play drone and noise music for their kids, whether as a way to help put them to bed, or just to see how they react to it. How do your children respond to your work? It’s always strange to think of what our parents do as “cool,” but I imagine hearing some blaring guitar and drones growing up can make quite the impression on a kid. When our first child would need some help falling asleep, say while we were out doing something, and they were tired, but no quite there yet, we’d put on Tim Hecker’s album Harmony in Ultraviolet, specifically “Chimeras.” It would always do the trick. Plus it’s like another favorite, Aphex Twin’s “Stone In Focus,” it just has this glorious decaying motif. They love music, and they’ve all just recently started playing instruments they chose: ukulele, viola, and guitar. We never forced anything on them, they just have always had access. I’m sure to one degree they think my work is strange, but they also are keenly aware of all the spooky music in television and films. And they mostly think it’s too loud. My kids were more responsive to the band my wife and I had together, a fuzz/pop band called WORKING. They love pop music, and we listen to a bunch of that constantly, but I listen to a lot of hip-hop and soul, and they humor me there. Also, spare bits of metal. I think everyone enjoys spacing out on Arvo Part or Ryuichi Sakamoto, no? I know they enjoy it to some degree. My eldest daughter’s favorite record for a while was John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, so I did something right. How did No River find its home on Debacle? Sam [Melancon, Debacle’s founder] has wide ranging tastes, but there are several records in the catalog (Hayden Pedigo, Elkhorn, Daniel Bachman) that, like you, take American Primitive and blues outside the box. Where do you see your place within the label and its ability to document varying scenes and movements within underground, D.I.Y. communities? I’ve long admired Debacle’s streak of representing what they like and giving at a physical manifestation. Their varied tastes are easily viewed, from records by my old friends Kevin Gan Yuen, Golden Retriever, and Daniel Bachmann, to Total Life, and Chambers, which features Gabriel Saloman of Yellow Swans. [It] reminds me in all the best ways of my former label Bathetic, who purely pushed what they dug, simply. With the record’s impending release, do you plan to tour? What’s next for you and High aura’d? I don’t plan on touring, but I do plan on getting out, radially, from here. I’d like to hit Chicago and play with some friends along the way. As far as what’s next, I have some great collaborations finished, looking for homes, one with Matt Christensen of Zelienople, and a brewing LP2 with Mike Shiflet. I may retire the High aura’d moniker, or keep it strictly for more sound/drone recordings. I hope to start work on a new collection soon. I feel like this year has had numerous wonderful records released and this is a glorious time for new music. I’d like to collaborate sincerely and seriously more in the coming year, and keep growing. And to do so freely. http://j.mp/2hWpQES

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applecut3-blog · 5 years ago

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Double Fantasy, again

Last year Oddur and I had great fun with a little post we did sometime in January, looking back at the year behind us, remembering some of the things that stuck in our memory. Not necessarily the most important things or the highlights but the things we thought might be amusing or useful for you or at the very least not too boring to read about. The curious format we used was modeled after a favorite album of my mother’s – Double Fantasy with John and Yoko, where they take turns submitting their songs rather than collaborate on the same songs. I was John, he was Yoko and while he’s protesting this year – since it’s my blog he’s still Yoko. True to form all his entries seem to focus on dogs, or pasta or Italy but I kept mine a little more local.

As I’m writing this I’m feeling a wave of optimism. After a cold winter we’ve been having glorious weather, the kids are on holiday and we’ve been preparing the vegetable garden for spring, pruning the olive trees in front of the house and we have even lounged on the rooftop terrace at least a month early. Everybody’s got a little color on their previously pale faces, we’ve replanted the rose bushes that the dogs ate (actually we re- re planted them as the dogs also got the ones we planted first) and we’re looking so forward to everything that’s coming our way – not least our new website that we hope to have ready this spring.

Before we get on with the double “album” I wanted to say thank you to all of you who have taken the time to respond to my call to arms. In my last post I mentioned we were looking for help and we’ve received letters in the hundreds. So many good prospects and while I won’t be able to answer you all I wanted to say that no decisions have been made but I’m on it this week and next.

Secondly I have a Manger Workshop announcement: Last summer we announced the 2017 workshops and immediately got incredible response. The most popular workshop this year (and most popular from the beginning) is the “antiques workshop” this April. I think I had to turn away close to 50 people, even after I squeezed in a few extra people to the very full workshop. I completely understand as I love antique hunting myself and there is nothing better than mixing it up with some good food and wine. So while we initially planned to host no workshops after October we’ve decided to add an extra workshop next November 29 – December 1st. These dates coincide with he Quinconces Brocantes in Bordeaux, just like the April dates.

On top of that Oddur, who finally decided to do a photography workshop in May has decided to add another one in September 13-15 but this one will be held in Italy and not here in Médoc. There will be wine tastings as well and good food but no cooking unlike the one in May. He will be revisiting the setting for the story he wrote for CN Traveler this February. As he says himself “this one will be all action – not for the faint hearted, but for those who love an adventure”. ps there will be wine and dogs.

If you are interested please write to [email protected] and we will send you more information.

That’s all for now, I give you … Yoko

Tajarin – Inspired by Torino

I am fortunate enough to love my work (if it is work at all) and while I prefer above all else to stay at home with my wife and kids and dogs … and wine cellar, I do love a short trip to Italy. Last year I traveled to Torino for CN Traveler (you can read about that here) and fell in love with the city. I’ve always traveled a lot to Italy but Torino had escaped me until last fall. While it would feel repetitive to recount all the reasons why I fell for the city, let me just tell you about this particular pasta dish:

Sometimes magazines like to ask people about souvenirs they’ve brought home from trips etc. But I’ve always thought the most important souvenirs are not objects or even photographs. They are memories, of course, but if you can say after a trip that it has changed you in some way (for the better let’s hope) or that you learnt something, then you have really taken something worthwhile back home with you. And that something will always stay with you and will forever connect you to the place to which you traveled.

I have always loved tomato pasta. I have made a version thousands of times – I guess everybody has. I’m actually quite good at it (and you won’t hear me praise my own cooking very often). But this one is a little different. It has to do with two things: Olive Oil and the type of pasta, the Tagliarini or Tajarin as they call it in Piemonte.

It’s a little warped that I associate this pasta with Torino, tomato sauces aren’t really what the region is famous for. The restaurant where I had it, while old and by now quite Piedmontese is originally Tuscan. It’s called Al Gatto Nero and I spent a morning there taking pictures. It was a fine experience and while the kitchen was not in full swing they offered to make me a pasta dish so I could get some shots. They had tomato sauce ready so they just threw it together with some Tajarin and when we were done the pasta sat there in a bowl, getting cold. I guess Andrea, the proprietor, saw me glancing a the bowl so he kindly asked if I wanted to taste. I did. The rest is … an eternal quest to recreate it. Andrea saw I liked it and gently said, “it’s the best sauce in the world”. Not only was this true but when he said it, is sounded like a humble understatement.

I never asked for the recipe, and I guess it’s more of a technique anyway. I’ve tried to recreate it many times and so far the results are encouraging.

Let’s be clear about one thing – don’t try this at home unless you have Tajarin, dried or fresh.

This is my version of “the best sauce in the world”.

(My wife offered to assist me in writing this recipe. I was proud, I declined. The loss is yours).

Slice one small carrot finely. Slice one small red onion finely. Pour a lot (hell of a lot) of good (but not great) olive oil into a large pan. Sauté the vegetables until golden or translucent or whatever words they use in recipes – about 10 minutes (sometimes I add chili flakes at this point – sometimes I also add a bit of white wine, neither is necessary and frankly the same goes for the carrots). Add one can of the best tomatoes you can find. When the tomatoes start to disintegrate (with the help of your wooden spoon) add about half a bottle of good Passata (you could of course use either just passata or canned tomatoes but this works for me and I’m superstitious). Let this simmer while you get the salty pasta water to boil and make sure the sauce doesn’t get too thick. When you have the right consistency add a good deal of fresh, coarsely chopped basil to the sauce and plunk the pasta into the boiling pot. Set the timer for 2 minutes (even if it takes 3 minutes to cook). Transfer the almost cooked pasta to the sauce (chefs would cook it in a strainer to make it easy) and add as much cooking water as you deem necessary. Once on the plate add some grated parmesan, a very generous drizzle of great olive oil to finish and serve. Hope your guests will like it.

The result should be a pasta that has a noodle like quality, with an oily (but not too oily) delicious tomato sauce, that generously (but not too generously) covers all the pasta.

If all this sounds to vague it’s because it is.

This Tajarin is an idea, a challenge, there is no right or wrong, only results … and they better be good.

The Como Cover

Wow, Yoko can really write a long text about a tomato pasta. But I give her this: it’s very tasty 🙂

While I said my “songs” would be local I can’t start this album with anything other than the most important thing that happened to me last year. The birth of my baby boy, Lucian. He is a mother’s dream, an extension of me still. Motherhood can be demanding but no sooner is he out of my sight than I want him back in my arms. If practice makes perfect then let’s just say I’m mastering motherhood, sort of. Or maybe a better way to describe it would be saying, I enjoy it even more now. I know how tough it can be, but I’ve gotten used to it. I also know it won’t last forever and I want to savor every single moment. He’s my last one. I love him so.

Speaking of moments, this particular one was as charming, improvised and organic as any I can remember. We had taken half the kids to Milan and decided to spend two days in Como. On our first night we had a lavish dinner at our hotel, the wonderful Grand Hotel Tremezzo, and I had dolled myself up for a big night. To make sure Lucian would stay out of trouble I decided to give him a little “drink” before heading down. Oddur came in and immediately went for his phone. “This is too beautiful he said”. At first I protested, I don’t usually allow picture of myself breastfeeding – I guess it’s my Asian private side. But it was a tender moment and I even decided, upon reflection, to post it – after all I think encouraging breastfeeding is a good thing.

Strangely enough, that dimly lit photograph, shot with an iPhone, ended up on Vogue Living as a cover. They had seen it on my feed and while I warned them it was a rather low-res image they still decided to go ahead with it and I’m glad they did.

There are moments of pure, unfiltered happiness. This was one of them.

Raimond

Back to Turin. I was coming back to Torino after a day spent driving and drinking in the Barolo wine region, about an hour’s drive from Torino. I had set up a dinner date with Mimi at a restaurant called Tre Galli, on my list to shoot and I was racing to catch the last light of the day. As I arrived outside the restaurant I could see it wasn’t yet open, the cooks were all seated together at a long table and at the head of it, a very imposing, well dressed, ruggedly handsome man. I approached from outside and instinctively “drew my camera”. As I entered, without asking for permission, I starting shooting the table, focusing on the man at the end. Finally I did what many photographers do, asked forgiveness rather than permission. I had caught the moment now I had to face the music. The music in this case was a sweet melody, Raimond, as the well dressed man is called, was very kind and even invited me to take more photos. It turned out that he’s just a guy from the neighborhood, friendly with the local restaurateurs and sometimes dines with them. I was keen to take more photos of him, in better light so we made plans for the following day. This time he showed up almost in costume and sat for a few more portraits. When we parted, he wrote down his name and details and even made me a little sketch of a naked woman on the backside of the paper. Raimond is an artist and a philosopher in addition to his refined sense of dressing. There is something very noble and quirky about him, they call him the king of his neighborhood. Less noble was the fact that I lost the drawing and details but I promise to make up for it when I return to Torino. I will bring a framed photo and copies of the CN Traveler issue. Raimond, if you are reading – outside my wife and children you were my favorite subject of 2016.

The Playlist

Last year so many of the people who have joined us for the workshops practically begged me to assemble a playlist with samples of the music we play during our workshops. I finally relented and while that playlist, now over a year old, goes in and out of fashion in this house, I think it’s a good tradition. So here it is, the Manger workshop playlist 2017, I hope you will enjoy it. Some of the songs we’ve been listening to for years, others have been suggested by our friends or workshop attendees. These are the songs that get us in the mood when the Champagne is flowing freely and the night is young.

Yves Montand – C’est si bon

Dusty Springfield – Take another piece of my heart

Raspberries – Go all the way

Gerry Rafferty – Right down the line

Dalida – Paroles Paroles

Charles Aznavour – Les Comédiens

Chet Baker – I fall in love too easily

Frank Sinatra – Days of wine and roses

Gilbert Bécaud – Je reviens te chercher

Peter Sarstedt – Where do you go to my lovely

Lucienne Boyer – Parlez moi d’amour

George Michael – Kissing a fool

Dusty Springfield – Windmills of my mind

John Lennon – (Just like) Starting over

Frank Sinatra – Watch what happens

Click here to get the playlist on Spotify.

Armagnac – A fling in the spring

I keep raving on about Italy but it should be noted that France is my first love but Italy a close second. If we lived in Italy we’d spend our holidays in France and vice versa.

It’s been rather well documented on this blog and in Mimi’s book, how much I like wine. Particularly Bordeaux wine. Particularly old Bordeaux reds from the finest vintages. I also love Champagne (that love is equally well documented). The liqueurs and digestifs and all that stuff is all wonderful but I’ve never really fallen in love with it and for that my liver will be eternally grateful. Having said that I did have a little fling last spring with Armagnac. We were spending easter in Gascony shooting a story on the region, in the company of a bunch of wonderful people. And those wonderful people were all drinking Armagnac. Not all the time, but in the evenings when dinner was over and we had all assembled in front of the fire in the grand red salon. I became very fond of my Armagnac those evenings in Luxeube and enjoyed nothing better than to nurture a glass or two while the more ambitious guests argued over the rules of parlour games they had created.

Armagnac is a type of brandy that comes from Armagnac and it has to come from Armagnac. If you are sentimental about such things, and not too old, you can probably find a bottle from your birth year. Some people make a great fuss about such things (often the same people who are ambitious at parlour games) but the truth is that the best Armagnac often comes from assembling vintages.

I haven’t had a lot of Armagnac since then (remember my pact with my liver) but once or twice for Christmas I broke my rule and that distinctive flavor, quite different from other brandy, is very beautiful and brings me back to that red salon in Luxeube.

Rediscovering Provence

It was a pleasant surprise to be asked to be the face and ambassador for the French cosmetic brand L’Occitane en Provence. I didn’t have to think twice, it’s a company with a good reputation and excellent products that I have always used throughout my life. L’Occitane comes from Provence in the south and the DNA and soul of the company is very linked to its birthplace. In spring I was invited to come and see their origins, the fields where they grow the various herbs and flowers, their aromatherapy insitute and their amazing spa. Everybody likes Provence but it’s so well-known, much more so than our beloved Médoc, that it’s easy to take it for granted. I hadn’t been down there for quite a few years but an added bonus to my work for L’Occitane was rediscovering this jewel of France, guided by the people who know it best. Walking through the blossoming fields of thousands of almond trees, heavily pregnant and flanked by my daughter Louise was one of the most remarkable experiences of last year. Lucian, who was in my womb at the time, actually went twice. A few weeks after his birth we were back on the road, this time just me and the boys for a whirlwind trip. We had a lovely night at the L’Occitane spa at the ‘Couvent des Minimes’, I walked in the lavender fields with Humfri and then we had a quick stopover in the magical town of Arles, so infused by artistic charm and history.

It’s a reminder to not take things for granted, to rekindle old flames.

Happy hour

(Breaking the rule, still Mimi here – It seems I have more songs than my husband)

It’s very rare, if it ever happens at all, that we don’t have some sort of apéro in this house. Come rain or shine, hell or high water, sometime before dinner we’ll be pouring something into a glass, enjoying something delicious spread out on the kitchen table, the garden table or even, on a clear day, on the roof. Often these moments include sausages and cold cuts, the debatable “grenier Médocain”, the very salty but irresistible smoked duck breast. Radishes with butter, carrot and celery sticks, crunchy duck skin with hazelnut dip, oysters, foie gras. In summer we’ll often have rosé or Champagne or rosé Champagne. In winter we’ll have Champagne or Reds. When Matt and Yolanda are here we’ll have cocktails, then Champagne. Sometimes we go alternative. Deep fried things like sage or pumpkin flowers. Or popcorn. Everybody loves popcorn.

In the morning we love to have boiled eggs and soldiers and sometimes, when we have time, we drench the soldiers in a mixture of salt and rosemary and parmesan. That mixture is equally good when drizzled over popcorn and the kids love it. Oddur loves to make virgin Mary’s with the kids and they adore it.

Something about a virgin Mary with a crunchy celery stick and even crunchier popcorn perfumed by rosemary.

French Country Cooking

Last year I wrote about the two impending births in 2016. That, in part, inspired the title “Double fantasy”. Lucian, of course, was born in June but my other “baby” – French Country Cooking only came out last October.

I have written much on this blog about my second cookbook, which is partly devoted to the pop up family-restaurant we opened here in Médoc in the summer of 2015. In many ways the book wrote itself and now that I have had time to reflect I can say that I am immensely proud of it, happy that we made it all work but mostly happy that the recipes work. I always knew it would be a nice looking book but it’s only after the book is out there that the recipes start to get tried and tested, that the reviews come in. Almost every day I get a comment, an email or even a kind word on the street.

It seems those of you have bought the book like the recipes and for that I am eternally thankful.

ps: Observant readers will notice that this is not the actual cover but a similar one that was almost in the running. When Oddur was shooting John Ray for the cover (which was partly an accident) then Helmut (now Gustave) was also crawling about and got a shot at the limelight. In the end, though, we chose John Ray but here’s to Helmut nevertheless.

Vanity Fair Magazine (France) feature, March issue 2017. Out on newsstands now.

The Insta Puppies

Oddur here (enough with this Yoko business).

Last year saw the birth of two litters of Smooth Fox Terrier puppies. We don’t really breed professionally and certainly not for financial gain (it’s a money losing operation if there ever was one). We do, however, have excellent dogs and would happily have many more if A. Space allowed B. Fox terriers were actually pack dogs and could get along with each other (the males get very territorial). The two litters we had were carefully planned and we meant to keep at least one or even two from last year’s batch. In the end it wasn’t to be. We decided against keeping a male (John Ray who is on the cover of the book and was our choice ultimately left us) as we have three others and while they liked him as a puppy things were bound to get messy. Then we planned to keep a female but fate threw us a surprise in the form of a bitch (the correct term) called Moneypenny who will be perfect down the line for Humfri, our finest dog. Adding two females was sensitive and now they are all gone. But what fun we had, they gave us good memories those puppies of summer. They also messed up the garden but that’s another matter.

The silver lining in all of this is that they are all in great homes. Each of them found a great family, many in NY funnily enough, but we now have agents in London, Geneva, Paris, NY and Bordeaux. And many of them have their own IG accounts.

Here are a few:

@ardenpalaisroyal @pitalicious @johnraynyc

Others share their accounts with their adoptive parents.

Our next litter will be in 2018 and by then I hope the balance will allow us to keep one. Preferably one that’s the spitting image of Humfri which is the big idea.

The Chicken Suprême

Last year I wrote that while this was not a traditional post I felt it needed at least one recipe. Oddur already took care of that with his Tajarin but I also have something up my sleeve. I have always loved simply fried chicken breast with sligthly crunchy skin and lately my butcher has started offering “suprême de poulet”, technically a suprême is a breast with the wing bone still attached, I just cut off at the tip. It’s even tastier and juicier than just frying the breast. Lately I have cooked this dish or a version of it for lunch, perfect and healthy for the colder months with nourishing, delicous beans and a crispy spinach salad on the side.

Recipe

6 chicken breast (with the skin), or in French suprême de poulet

8 garlic cloves, slightly crushed and unpeeled

450g/ 1 pound cannellini or other cooked white beans, rinsed and drained

160 ml/ 2/3 cup white wine

A bouquet of fresh rosemary

Olive oil

Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F

Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy sauté pan, add more olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken, skin side down. Once the skin is golden, turn the chicken and brown on the other side, about 2 minutes.

Place the beans in the baking pan, drizzle the juice from the pan all over and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken on top of the beans, scatter the rosemary and garlic all over. Drizzle a little more olive oil and the white wine. Place the baking dish to the pre-heated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the chicken or it will be too dry.

Serve the chicken with the beans and garlic, drizzle a little olive oil and season if needed.

The Count of Monte Cristo

This time we have no baby to announce (thank god) although I have had great fun with the hasthtag #babyno9 which sends all our friends and especially my parents into a frenzy. There will, however, be an addition to this family in early summer. I have wanted a Bracco Italiano for years and almost got one last summer. Having done much research and many more observations on my own dogs I am convinced that such a dog will go nicely with what we have already. The theory being that a gentle dog like the Bracco won’t mess with the Terriers and that the Terriers, while all action, will be smart enough not to mess with a much bigger dog. My own experience and the experience of others has taught me this.

Once again it will be the year of the dog in Médoc. The land of wine and roses.

Source: http://mimithorisson.com/2017/02/22/double-fantasy-again/

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iheartadverbs · 7 years ago

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Expansively.

My wonderful warm dog is curled up beside me. We are in the process of retraining him with regards to furniture, after investing in rugs and ramps and of course, SURGERY, and since I hate not sitting next to my dog on the couch, I’ve pulled one of the couch cushions off and am slouched on the floor next to him. We are also training the “quiet” command, which is working at least fifty percent of the time.

Today was a glorious, solitudinous day. PY is in Boston as of 4AM this morning. I woke up without the aid of an alarm after a solid eight-hours of sleep. I am happy that I am, at long last, recalibrated. I spent so much of this summer recovering from the agonies of spring. I had all these grand plans of reading books and writing books, and I have only read poems since the middle of June. But the days have been full and busy, and today felt like an exhale.

I have been experimenting with new low-carb baking recipes, so this morning I started the day by whipping up some flaxseed muffins. Next time, I think I’d add more berries or more sweetener, but they exist and I ate two, so success! I love baking, new recipes, and good food.

After breakfast, I finished uploading the final photos for the wedding that I photographed last weekend. What, you didn’t know I do wedding photography? That’s because I don’t. But I did. And although it was an amazingly, unexpectedly stressful weekend, I am proud of the work that I did and the beautiful moments that I captured. I don’t know if this could ever be a side gig, but it’s something I’m happy to do in a pinch (in fact, the exact circumstances under which I was solicited).

Aside from a quick jaunt back to the airport to pick up PY’s laptop (the perils of traveling with a foggy, tired brain), I spent the entire day completing the artwork for the children’s book that I was inspired to make based on a Pablo Neruda poem that I stumbled across while I was reading old journal entries. I am so incredibly pleased with this I can’t tell you. I mean, I feel like I’m constantly inspired to do beautiful, creative things, but I usually just think, “Oh, that would be awesome” and then I don’t do them. I decided to just embrace my inner dilettante and not obsess about it being perfect. So it isn’t perfect, but it exists, and it is beautiful. I can’t wait to make copies for all my friends with children who I think will appreciate a book based on a Neruda poem which only vaguely encourages children to climb ladders and use power tools (in a metaphorical sense, so it’s OK, I think).

I got so wrapped up in my project that I completely forgot to eat dinner, but because we had leftovers, I went ahead and microwaved a small portion and ate while I watched John Oliver being silly.

And obviously, I took a break making art when the new episode of GoT came on! I love this season, but I have a feeling that everyone is going to die really soon.

Today I’ve only talked to PY, Timmy (who is a dog), Alexa (who is a robot), and the nice lady at the Lost & Found who gave me PY’s laptop (and briefly, the man sitting in the front part of her office who told me that I should talk to her -- he seemed like he got interrupted a lot, being that his office is in the office in front of Lost & Found but was actually not the Lost & Found).

I also cleaned everything that I made dirty, and also took a shower, and also listened to every song Gordi has ever published on Spotify over and over again on repeat.

I don’t know why I felt possessed to say something, but I feel like it’s just been a long time coming home to myself. Today I feel expansively like myself, and shockingly, I like it.

#reflections #words

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highschoolvevo · 8 years ago

Note

Aaal L Ssks

REDCrimson - What was an event that’s shaped you to be who you are today?

dealing with mental illness

Light Pink - Do you have stuffed animals?

nope

Blush - Are you single?

yes

Amaranth - What’s your favorite emotion?

that happiness that you feel in your tummy, like youre excited for life in general

Cherry Blossom - How are you feeling right now?

alright. not as bad as it has been

Hollywood Cerise - What are your ambitions?

I wanna do neuroscience!

Razzmatazz - Favorite TV Show?

How the Universe Works

Rose - Where do you feel most comfortable?

In my bed with my favorite blankets

French Rose - What is your favorite flavor?

no fucking clue. maybe coffee? or vanilla? or green tea

Cameo Pink - Favorite movie?

all of LOTR

ORANGE

Buff Orange - Would you consider yourself athletic?

variably. i do sports and stuff but i really struggle with my asthma

Burnt Sienna - Favorite smell?

miracle forever by lancome. they dont make it anymore. it smells like my childhood when things were happy

Melon - Do you like to dance?

LOVE TO DANCE. dance like a SLUT

Carrot - Do you bake?

rarely

Copper - What is your favorite kind of day?

one where i have energy to do things and dont have any set responsibilities and just have the opportunity for spontaneity

Orangeade - When do you feel alive?

When its warm and i can open my windows and the breeze smells wonderful and im laughing and everyone happy

Gamboge - Where do you want to travel?

everywhere omg

Peach - Favorite texture/s?

silk ribbon and cool, soft cotton

Vermillion - How brave are you?

it depends on what the situation is. If a friend is scared, I got this.

Bittersweet Shimmer - What is your favorite memory?

spring cleaning with my mom when i was very small, maybe three years old. it’s my earliest memory. the windows were open and it was warm but breezy and mom was watching a soap opera and her shirt was soft and it smelled like fabric softener

YELLOW

Flax - Do you like going to the beach?

i didnt used to, but i do now. i value anywhere i can go away from where i live

Wheat - Who can you trust the most?

my best friend

Laser Lemon - What kind of phone do you have?

iphone 6

Gold - Are you high maintenance?

can be lmao

Mellow Yellow - How calm are you?

i have anxiety lmao

Unmellow Yellow - How high energy are you?

i have depression lMAO i am never calm or awake. i am always jittery and tired

Papaya Whip - How honest are you?

i try my best to never lie if i can help it

Transparent Yellow - Would you consider yourself to be special?

Canary - Favorite song?

people pleaser by korn

Reed Yellow - Do you play an instrument?

i wish i did

GREEN

Pear - Where do you feel rested?

in my bedroom in the summer after an afternoon nap

Olive - What is your favorite food?

i dont know, ive never been much of a foodie honestly

Fern - Favorite plant?

all of them. ALL OF THEM

Moss - Are you quiet or loud?

depends on the crowd

Tea green - How do you relax?

i dont lmao

Celadon - Dream job?

neuroscientist!

Harlequin - Can you act?

no lmao

Malachite - Do you speak more than one language?

i wish i did. I can read latin kinda okay but im nowhere near fluent

Mantis - Favorite animal?

dogs!

Seafoam Green - Do you like water?

not to drink, but i love the rain and i love rivers and i love hot showers and i love the smell of the ocean

BLUE

Sky Blue - Would you ever want to fly?

it would be cool but i dont see the need personally. like someone with a disability that limited their mobility might love to fly but i like walking too much

Periwinkle - Would you want to breathe underwater?

YE S IM A MERMAId

Powder Blue - Or control the weather?

YESSS

Liberty - Become the president/prime minister?

no ew

Space Cadet - Become an astronaut?

yes!

Celeste - Have perfect pitch?

YES

Eton Blue - Become invisible?

sure

Indigo - Become immortal?

Iris - Grow plants at will?

YESSS

Whispering Blue - Or teleport?

ooooh yes

PURPLE

Lilac - Would you want kids?

nah. i might adopt but the thought of being pregnant is repulsive to me

Lavender - What is your favorite time of day?

about an hour before sunrise

Mulberry - Could you betray someone?

i would hate to

Eminence - Favorite sounds?

guitar distortion, waves, the rain, beautiful voices, how brushing hair sounds

Palatinate - Do you think you’ll make it to 100 years old?

i doubt it

Prune - Do you ever think about dying?

yes

Fandango - Do you spontaneously start singing sometimes?

all the time lmao

Thistle - If you could become wise, rich, or intelligent, which would you rather?

wise. with wisdom comes the capacity for intelligence, and with intelligence comes the capacity for wealth

Mauve - What would you name your kids/pets?

i have to look at em first, see what feels right

Royal Purple - What’s your favorite emotion?

answered above

OTHERS

Cream - If you had 1 day left to live, what would you do?

fuck someone, tell everyone how i felt about them, good, bad, or otherwise, write a quick will, listen to my favorite music, and relax with the ones i love

Silver - Are you a good person?

i think so

Ecru - How do you feel about the world today?

im afraid for it but im also hopeful at the potential for our growth as a nation, either under a leader who’s not as bad as we thought he was, or our unity against a possible tyrant

Auburn - Favorite color?

so many. just not muddy yellows and oranges

White - Do you own lots of makeup? not really

Black - What is the greatest success of your life so far?

ive never really thought about it. maybe overcoming the period in my life when i was suicidal

Bronze - Would you follow my blog?

i feel like i already do lmao

Pink Nectar - What’s your aesthetic?

a fuckin mess, thats what it is

Sepia - Do you like photography?

yes!

1 note · View note

stiles-wtf · 6 years ago

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8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health

The post 8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health by Dr. Marty Becker appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Chances are good your dog will suffer an injury to one of his paws in his lifetime. After all, he walks all over them. Our goal is to prevent dog paw problems when possible, detect potential problems early, and know when we can treat at home or when it’s necessary to beat feet (excuse the pun) to the vet.

I’ve traveled to more than 80 countries, most recently a six-week trip to South America. While at Machu Picchu and in the Galapagos Islands, I was amazed to see locals walking barefoot along thorny paths, on sharp rocks and through burning hot sand. I’m a tender foot and worry about stepping on a single pebble or hot sand.

But what about pets? Contrary to what some might think, a dog paw isn’t constructed of the same thing bulletproof vests are made of. Despite this, many of us seem to think nothing of our dogs walking over paths filled with stickers and burrs, across sun-baked pavement, or across jagged sheets of ice. While Mother Nature designed dog paws to “take a licking and keep on ticking,” they can still get cuts, scrapes, burns and frostbite.

1. Do a weekly dog paw check

Do a weekly dog paw check to ensure your dog’s paws stay healthy. Photography by Tierney MJ / Shutterstock.

When a dog starts to limp, most people will take a good look at the feet to see what’s wrong. But get in the habit of looking at each foot weekly.

Get down on the floor, or do it with your dog in your lap. Look at the top and the bottom of the foot, between the toes, the foot pads, between the foot pads and check the nails. Look for redness, swelling, tenderness, bleeding or signs of irritation. Press gently on the pads, around the toes, and on the nail bed. If your dog winces, whimpers, or pulls away like it’s causing discomfort, look closer. The three things I’d be most suspicious of are foreign bodies (slivers, weed seeds, gum), cuts, or signs that the dog has been licking her paws (wet and red underneath the feet or brown on top from saliva staining.

2. Watch out for burrs

If your pets are ever in the weeds, it’s easy for a dog paw to pick up burrs or awns (think cheatgrass or foxtails) between their toes. Those plant invaders can quickly burrow their way inside the foot and literally end up all over the body. I recommend daily dog paw checks if your dog is around these heinous hitchhikers. If it’s a burr, you may need to trim a little hair or apply mineral oil to get it out. For awns, I use a pair of needle nose pliers.

3. Do regular dog paw trims

It’s common for long-haired dogs to develop mats between the dog paw foot pads, which can chafe and cause irritation. In the summer, we trim the hair between all of our dogs’ feet to prevent this and make it easier to see foreign bodies like grass awns.

4. Keep dog paws dry

A dog paw may become irritated from too much moisture. After your dog comes in from a swim or a romp in the wet grass, dry his feet off with a towel. Sometimes the excess moisture comes from incessant licking if he has a bacterial or fungal infection that itches (think of how athlete’s foot drives us crazy!). I’m a big fan of weekly baths for pets, and I encourage you to put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of the sink or tub, and add some Epsom salt in the water.

5. Treat painful dog paw cracks

On the other hand, dog paw dryness is an issue, too. For years I’ve recommended Musher’s Secret, a wax that moisturizes, lubricates (to prevent snow or ice balls from forming), and forms a breathable bond with paws. It doesn’t take long to soak in; I put it on about once a month year-round. But don’t use it too often: If pads are too soft, they’ll be more prone to injury.

6. Ban the burn

Concrete sidewalk. Photography by 3445128471 / Shutterstock.

I can’t tell you how many cases of burned dog paws I’ve seen from pet owners who walked their dog on hot asphalt or concrete. My rule of thumb: If the surface is too hot for the palm of your hand, it’s too hot for a dog paw!

7. Salt on dog paws also spells out problems

In the winter, salt or other deicers can really wreak havoc on your canine’s four-wheel drive, as they irritate and dry the feet. After our dogs have been out for a walk where they might have tromped across and in these offending substances, we simply dip their feet in a large plastic drinking glass and towel dry.

8. Get rid of dog paw gunk on the regular

Imagine all the icky-sticky stuff that’s on the ground and gets walked on. Chewing gum, tree sap, motor oil, antifreeze, tar — the list goes on. To clean these off of a dog paw, use a little Dawn dishwasher detergent; others recommend olive oil. If the gunk won’t loosen, you may have to trim it out or head to the vet to handle. Trust me, you don’t want to accidentally cut the foot pad with scissors or a pair of trimmers. When cut, the same blood supply that warms pet’s feet in the winter and cools them in the summer spurts like a Texas oil well. This might seem like a lot of work, but I promise: An ounce of paw-vention is worth a pound of cure!

Thumbnail: Photography by Nataliya Dorokhina / Shutterstock.

This piece was originally published in 2016.

About the author:

Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian,” has spent his life working toward better health for pets and the people who love them. The author of 24 books, Dr. Becker was the resident veterinary contributor on Good Morning America for 17 years. He is currently a member of the board of directors of the American Humane Association as well as its chief veterinary correspondent, a founding member of Core Team Oz for The Dr. Oz Show, and a member of the Dr. Oz Advisory Board. When his schedule allows, he practices at North Idaho Animal Hospital. Connect with him on Facebook and on Twitter.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!

Read more about dog grooming on Dogster.com:

How to Trim Dog Nails — Safely

Easy Ways to Deal With Matted Dog Hair

Wondering How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears? A How-To (and How Often!) Guide

0 notes

buynewsoul · 6 years ago

Text

8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health

1. Do a weekly dog paw check

Do a weekly dog paw check to ensure your dog’s paws stay healthy. Photography by Tierney MJ / Shutterstock.

When a dog starts to limp, most people will take a good look at the feet to see what’s wrong. But get in the habit of looking at each foot weekly.

2. Watch out for burrs

3. Do regular dog paw trims

4. Keep dog paws dry

5. Treat painful dog paw cracks

6. Ban the burn

Concrete sidewalk. Photography by 3445128471 / Shutterstock.

7. Salt on dog paws also spells out problems

8. Get rid of dog paw gunk on the regular

Thumbnail: Photography by Nataliya Dorokhina / Shutterstock.

This piece was originally published in 2016.

About the author:

Read more about dog grooming on Dogster.com:

How to Trim Dog Nails — Safely

Easy Ways to Deal With Matted Dog Hair

Wondering How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears? A How-To (and How Often!) Guide

0 notes

daddyslittlejuliet · 6 years ago

Text

8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health

1. Do a weekly dog paw check

Do a weekly dog paw check to ensure your dog’s paws stay healthy. Photography by Tierney MJ / Shutterstock.

When a dog starts to limp, most people will take a good look at the feet to see what’s wrong. But get in the habit of looking at each foot weekly.

2. Watch out for burrs

3. Do regular dog paw trims

4. Keep dog paws dry

5. Treat painful dog paw cracks

6. Ban the burn

Concrete sidewalk. Photography by 3445128471 / Shutterstock.

7. Salt on dog paws also spells out problems

8. Get rid of dog paw gunk on the regular

Thumbnail: Photography by Nataliya Dorokhina / Shutterstock.

This piece was originally published in 2016.

About the author:

Read more about dog grooming on Dogster.com:

How to Trim Dog Nails — Safely

Easy Ways to Deal With Matted Dog Hair

Wondering How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears? A How-To (and How Often!) Guide

0 notes

jeffreyrwelch · 6 years ago

Text

8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health

1. Do a weekly dog paw check

Do a weekly dog paw check to ensure your dog’s paws stay healthy. Photography by Tierney MJ / Shutterstock.

When a dog starts to limp, most people will take a good look at the feet to see what’s wrong. But get in the habit of looking at each foot weekly.

2. Watch out for burrs

3. Do regular dog paw trims

4. Keep dog paws dry

5. Treat painful dog paw cracks

6. Ban the burn

Concrete sidewalk. Photography by 3445128471 / Shutterstock.

7. Salt on dog paws also spells out problems

8. Get rid of dog paw gunk on the regular

Thumbnail: Photography by Nataliya Dorokhina / Shutterstock.

This piece was originally published in 2016.

About the author:

Read more about dog grooming on Dogster.com:

How to Trim Dog Nails — Safely

Easy Ways to Deal With Matted Dog Hair

Wondering How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears? A How-To (and How Often!) Guide

0 notes

grublypetcare · 6 years ago

Text

8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health

The post 8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health by Dr. Marty Becker appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

1. Do a weekly dog paw check

Do a weekly dog paw check to ensure your dog’s paws stay healthy. Photography by Tierney MJ / Shutterstock.

When a dog starts to limp, most people will take a good look at the feet to see what’s wrong. But get in the habit of looking at each foot weekly.

2. Watch out for burrs

3. Do regular dog paw trims

4. Keep dog paws dry

5. Treat painful dog paw cracks

6. Ban the burn

Concrete sidewalk. Photography by 3445128471 / Shutterstock.

7. Salt on dog paws also spells out problems

8. Get rid of dog paw gunk on the regular

Thumbnail: Photography by Nataliya Dorokhina / Shutterstock.

This piece was originally published in 2016.

About the author:

Read more about dog grooming on Dogster.com:

How to Trim Dog Nails — Safely

Easy Ways to Deal With Matted Dog Hair

Wondering How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears? A How-To (and How Often!) Guide

The post 8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health by Dr. Marty Becker appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

0 notes

msarki · 6 years ago

Text

Best Books I Read in 2018

Again enormous changes were in store for my partner and I in 2018. We sold our home in Florida, and our cabin in northern Michigan, purchased a custom-made Oliver travel trailer, built a new hurricane-proof structure in the panhandle of Florida, moved all our earthly possessions there, and spent most of the year on the road. We are officially homeless now and live full-time in less than a hundred square feet of fiberglass RV. We also unexpectedly went through our third hurricane in a row and Michael proved to be the worst. But in light of these traumatic changes, 2018 proved to be another good year for serious reading.

In 2018 I did manage to read my fair share of good books, but again I woefully lacked the number of five-star reads I historically have grown accustomed to procuring. I restrict my annual year-end report to only those books that garner a five-star ranking from me. This does not mean the lesser seventy or so books I read were not worthy of my time or trouble. I often remember segments from minor works more vividly than those worthy of five-stars. Notable titles and authors whose books I did read that fell just short enough to warrant that coveted ranking included The Story of Shit by Midas Dekkers; The Untethered Soul: The Journey by Michael A. Singer; Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis; Permanent Exhibit by Matthew Vollmer; Hiking with Nietzsche: On Becoming Who You Are by John Kaag; Christopher Hitchens:The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Christopher Hitchens; Why I Came West: A Memoir by Rick Bass; Colter: The True Story of the Best Dog I Ever Had by Rick Bass; and American Witness: The Art and Life of Robert Frank by R.J. Smith.

The first of my five star classifications for the year went to I Wrote This Book Because I Love You: Essays by Tim Kreider. Any serious self-examiner who may consider him or herself a discerning reader, will completely miss out on an uplifting and enjoyable reading experience if caught up in ignoring this book because of its title. I ended up reading almost all of Kreider’s books including the collected cartoons. An additional five-star ranking went to his book Why Do They Kill Me? Tim Kreider is an amazingly honest writer and I especially love his essays.

Hunter S. Thompson: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations by Hunter S. Thompson was a purely wonderful and insightful read. I previously thought him insignificant in his last years but this book proves he was anything but. Thompson could see it all coming, and what our country is reeling from now would be no surprise to this great journalist. He spoke the truth and didn’t give a damn what anybody said or thought about it. Hat’s off to Hunter Thompson, a true American hero. Later in the year I also read Freak Kingdom: Hunter S. Thompson's Manic Ten-Year Crusade Against American Fascism by Timothy Denevi. Due to the character flaws of leaders like Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon, Hunter Thompson sought to reveal them for who they were. Many of Thompson’s “truths” and observations in print turned out to be revelatory. The future Thompson predicted was also something that led to his own personal demons destroying what was best in him. Timothy Denevi has performed a great service for the good citizens of these United States. Using Hunter S. Thompson as subject, Denevi has adroitly shown the parallels between Nixon and Trump without ever mentioning the latter’s name. For those of us who want the truth and are willing to hear it, this book has it in spades. This book is a great and important work.

Even though much of Galen Strawson’s work in Things That Bother Me: Death, Freedom, the Self, Etc. is beyond my complete understanding I enjoyed it immensely. There was much to ponder. What a surprise for me the last chapter was, as Strawson turned autobiographical and shared his own memory of surviving the sixties and early seventies. Because of our similar age it was easy to feel a kinship with this English philosopher who has good taste in music, and this book inspires me to pursue other Galen Strawson titles.

On the heels of the first two installments titled Autumn and and then Winter, Karl Ove Knausgård’s Spring departed from the initial format and Knausgård ruled again with his bitingly honest and beautiful prose. I lamented this book to end. On every level I felt connected to Karl Ove. The last book in the series titled Summer returned to the initial format and was less than remarkable. But Spring is certainly a five-star read and should not be ignored.

Deborah Levy’s The Cost of Living: A Working Autobiography is dealing with it, the cost of living, and most honorably and with feeling. Similar to a novel, her memoir is ripe with characters and recurring events. It matters little whether Levy is undoing her past life or restarting it. She is living, and suffering, and accomplishing so much on the page. A very adroit and distinguished work.

In late summer I began a vigorous study of the poet, performer, monk, and songwriter Leonard Cohen who died in late 2016. What hooked me was Eric Lerner’s memoir Matters of Vital Interest: A Forty-Year Friendship with Leonard Cohen. One of the most, if not the most, uplifting and heartbreaking memoirs ever written. Any attempt at description or explanation would fail to capture the essence and love captured between the pages of this wondrous book. A forty-year friendship and search for answers that resulted in a life bursting with meaning. Sad to know that Leonard Cohen is gone, but Eric Lerner, in his own perfect way, brings him back by adding more beautiful words to spiritual Cohen’s musical gift to all of us. In December I finished Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters by Jeff Burger which gave me an entire lifetime of revelations concerning Cohen’s history of beliefs and insights regarding the world he had created for himself. A fascinating and intimate look into the mind of Leonard Cohen.

To all my friends, please enjoy a happy and safe holiday. If you are so inclined to have a look we have begun a new topical platform for literary criticism, poetry, fiction, memoir, photography, nude art, self-realization, ageism, and travel titled after our long-running literary concerns called the Rogue Literary Society. Please click on https://rogueliterarysociety.com

#book review #literature #leonard cohen #deborah levy #galen strawson #karl ove knausgård #Karl Ove Knausgaard #hunter s thompson #tim kreider #rv #relationship

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mayaagonemissing-blog · 6 years ago

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Italy,the 5th most visited country in the world is where I went missing this summers with my partner #oldmonk and I come back with a bag full of happy memories.To add anything to already existing travel articles and data about Italy on the Internet can be difficult as there is no dearth to it, so I will just write about what we enjoyed the most and what you can add in your bucket list if it matched your wavelength:)

Ah!This Turquoise 🙂

Now the order that I list are almost equal in terms of my experience, the thing is that when you are there in flesh and blood experiencing it, it’s all together a different high so the list is in the sequence we visited.

1.Cinque Terre:Hiking,Wandering,Sunset and Night Photography

“Cinque Terre”,the cluster of five villages on the rugged Ligurian coast are very picturesque and you can hike all of them.As my Old Monk is not a big hiker and he reluctantly agreed to do only one, we chose the blue hiking trail from Monterosso to Vernazza and boy, it is just spectacular!!

The hike gives you an opportunity to take in gorgeous views of the sea and as you keep hiking and look back at the village you have left behind, it just keeps getting cuter and tinier.

The highlight for me was when I got the first glimpse of Vernazza from a distance and second was when I saw Monterosso again from Vernazza’s harbour:) So I suggest a hike is a must if you can.

Views while Hiking.This is Monterosso!!

View of Vernazza while Hiking

Also,be a early riser as the sun can get strong and this comes from someone who stays in Delhi where we experience excruciating heat:). Also the crowds can get to you.Again from someone who lives in the second most populated country in the world:) So starting early can be a really good idea.

Hiking Trail!

Secondly,when we reached Riomaggiore (our 5th village) by train of course, we climbed up the stairs on left of the harbour and it had gorgeous views of the village, sea and sunset, this was an absolute highlight.See the sunset time online and make sure you don’t miss it.

Finally we planned and got back to Vernazza again after the sunset to take night shots of the village.The best part,at night the village was almost empty ,with all tourists gone and it thus became the best time to spend eating focaccia and admiring the village harbour while experiencing the softest sea breeze.

Vernazza

2.Detour- Porto Venere

So when we were doing “Cinque Terre” our Airbnb host suggested we must take a detour and visit Porto Venere, and we are glad we listened because we just loved it.My highlight was the view from the Window and then Balcony of San Pietro Church.I also liked walking the steps of Byron’s Grotto,Sipping a coffee in a corner tucked away cafe, walking the oldest lanes of Porto Venere ,chatting with a Nun who lives there from Kerala and buying the best Pesto I ever had.Ah!

Views from the Cathedral

Byron’s Grotta

Try Pesto here, the best!

3.Staying in a Vineyard in Chianti-Tuscany

We chose Chianti Classico region for the first part of our stay in Tuscany.Our stay was in the midst of endless vineyards of Casa Sola, in absolute wilderness.

My Chianti Abode (only a section of it of course!)

View from my Tuscan Window

From here we drove around the Chianti Classico region…The landscape was serene with endless vineyards, olive trees and the beautiful red poppy flowers.

We did the Castellina in Chianti (beautiful village where we had a hearty breakfast), Radda in Chianti (I bought traditional coffee makers from this village), Gaiole in Chianti (famous for L’Eroica cycling event each year) and Greve in Chianti.

We also did day trips to two beautiful town/city San Gimignano and Siena.

4.Staying in an Ancient Castle in a tiny Tuscan Village, Castle Muzio.

With a population of just 35 residents, Castle Muzio was the perfect, fairy tale village we chose for staying during our later part of Tuscany. Here we divided our time checking out the Tuscan villages and landscape .The castle stay was cozy and here my window overlooked the village’s chapel and it’s bell tower that rang every hour:)

Castel Muzio

View from my Room in Castel Muzio

So our highlights here were Val’Orcia,San Quirico and Crete Senesi regions…endless rolling hills and Poppies made us so happy.Our cameras kept clicking but to just be and soak in everything that Mother Nature has to offer was just soul satisfying.

My most cherished spot if I have to pick will be “Capella Della Madonna Di Vitaleta”,the chapel with cypress trees.So simple yet so profound.

In terms of Villages I definitely recommend “Montepulciano” and also “Pienza” actually.

Montepulciano

Street in Pienza

Pienza

5.Salerno a Lovely Surprise

After doing the famous Amalfi Coast we relaxed in Salerno.We had done absolute zero research on Salerno and hence it became a sweet surprise.Firstly we stayed in a Port facing room in the apartment of an Old Couple who were the sweetest.The view of Yatchs, Ships and the Sea was so cool and the sound of Seagulls made it all so unforgettable..

View from My Window!

The old town of Salerno has also so much to offer.Because it is less touristy we saw Italians in their weekend bests enjoying the promenade and in the shopping streets of the old town .I got two pairs of Italian Shoes here, probably that’s why it is also a highlight:)

The Cathedral was hosting a music performance by different schools and it was open for all to visit, which we did.Supernice!

Also we had a very authentic Atypical but Gourmet dining experience in Cicirinella,Salerno.A definite recommendation, but book your table in advance here.

6.Lecce-For Art,Music and Culture

For a few nights we made the historic centre of Lecce our Basecamp to explore the Southern Puglia region. The Old town of Lecce is beautiful and we liked it because of it’s eclectic mix of Working Artists, University Students, Monks,Nuns and Musicians.

We were happy to catch up with the Lecce music scene too with the band “Almoraima”.

It just had a good feel to it and people peacefully were having a great time.

7.Puglia Coastal Routes

This Mediterranean coastline is endless with it’s Azure water.We drove down from Lecce to Leuca and had the best time.We hopped from town to town dipping in the Azure waters, swimming,relaxing on the rocks and savouring seafood.

The halts on the route we took and recommend is Porto Badisco- Castro Marina – Tricase Marina – Marina Di Novaglie – Il Ciolo (the bridge that’s famous for jumps, though I just swam underneath!) and Pescoluse (Maldive del salento).Just Fab!

Castro Marina

Porto Badisco

Ciolo

Pescoluse

8.Staying in a Trulli

Ah!The truly magnificent experience ever.We stayed in a 200 yrs old Trulli in the fairy tale “Itria Valley” of Italy right outside Alberobello. This Trulli was our home for four days.I felt like a wealthy farmer of medieval times.I had an underground room to myself which the owners have converted in to a Museo, an underground cellar which was so cold I could imagine it acting like a big natural refrigerator of those times and a room in the air practically, basically a wooden loft with a wooden ladder.I love restoring things so this was such a delight.

The host left us unlimited table wines to savour and other goodies.Here we went to the local market, cooked food and basically relaxed as if we were locals.

9.Walking the lanes of Old Towns of Puglia

You pick any town in Puglia region you will like it for it’s stone washed buildings, the sea view,harbor and marinas.We visited so many towns and it ‘s hard to choose the best but I am going to # some so you can google and pick yours.Just wander and get lost in these towns, you will love it.

Otranto

Polignano a Mare

Trullo-Alberobello!

Ostuni

Street in Martina Franca

#Otranto #Polignanoamare #Ostuni #Alberobello #Locorotondo #gallipoli #Martinafranca

10.Binging Out in Italy

Now Italian Cuisine is every kids favourite and we were absolute childlike in eating our Pizzas and Gelatos for sure.We ate absolute amazing pizzas but our favourite Pizza was at La Pia in La Spezia and it was right next to our bnb.

You will see locals and tourists queuing up.We saw locals ordering a slice of Pizza with Farinata (a local chickpea pancake) and we did the same.But the Slice was so good that we then ordered a full size Pizza (that just melts in your mouth) and we also went there the next day and the day after:)

I am also going to pick L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele for our Pizza journey in Naples for the sheer theatre of it.First you get a slip with your queue number, ours was 84 so imagine we had 83 tables before us, practically a wait of 1hr:30mins, but the best part is you have people from around the world waiting outside for that one bite of the legendary “Margherita Pizza” or “Marinara Pizza “(my pick is the Margherita )and it is more like a celebration.Due to the crazy waiting line, we saw people having beers,gelatos and even pizza from another shop before they entered to have the legendary one.haha!!

Btw,you won’t believe where I had the third best Pizza.It’s the authentic Neapolitan Pizza I made myself..haha..! We did a cooking class with Tonino Academy in Naples and the Pizza we made was so soft and yum and I just couldn’t believe that I could make such a yum tum Pizza:)

My coffee cravings was satisfied in many cafes where I would have a shot of cafe macchiato and I like to have it with fresh orange juice which may sound weird but it’s my fav pair.

In the land of Gelato it’s difficult to pick one right ? but I think we know our favourite and it’s at Perche No! in Florence.In midst of the historic centre this melt in your mouth Gelato was the sweetest experience ever.We highly recommend it because you cannot go to Florence and not have Perche No! gelato.You just have to.

On that sweet note, Go Missing!

Ciao!!

#italy #puglia #tuscany #gelato #pizza #rollinghiils #cinqueterre #trulli #salerno #lecce #castlemuzio #italytravel #traveleurope #europe #siena #florence #travelaroundtheworld #italianholiday #italyroadtrip #italymustdo #italythingstodo #travelitaly #holidayinitaly #italybucketlist #europebucketlist #thingsdotoinitaly #pugliaregion #chianti #tuscanyroadtrip #trulli #trullo #tuscanvillages #cinqueterrehiking #cretesenesi #valdorcia #sanquirico

Ps:-All pictures are clicked by us!!Except the Riomaggiore Sunset(taken from Google) as our Camera acted up a little that time.

Ciao!! x

My Top 10 Italian Holiday Experiences Italy,the 5th most visited country in the world is where I went missing this summers with my partner #oldmonk and I come back with a bag full of happy memories.To add anything to already existing travel articles and data about Italy on the Internet can be difficult as there is no dearth to it, so I will just write about what we enjoyed the most and what you can add in your bucket list if it matched your wavelength:)

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justforustravel-blog · 7 years ago

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Aegean Village must undergo Eminent 15 - #AParadiseWoven, #AdatepeVillage, #Aegean, #AegeanSVillage, #AegeanVillage, #Antalya, #Apocalypse, #Aydin, #Bodrum, #BreezeOttomanWithTheVillageOfBirgi, #Cakmaktepe, #Denizli, #EcologicalVillage, #FishingAndDiving, #ForKozakPine, #Gallipoli, #Greece, #Holiday, #Holidaymakers, #Izmir, #Karaburun, #Marmaris, #MiniatureVillages, #NesinMathematicsVillage, #NomadVillage, #Pamukkale, #Pamukkale Holiday, #SummerCamp, #SungulluVillage, #TheMonumentOfSlowness, #TheWaterfallHasanboguld, #ThermalSprings, #Travertine, #Turkey, #VillageSirince, #WoodenTurkishHouses, #Yesilyurt

New Post has been published on http://justforustravel.com/2017/10/06/aegean-village-must-undergo-eminent-15/

Aegean Village must undergo Eminent 15

The route Antalya or Bodrum or summer everyone’s shame Aegean on behalf of those who wait’s not very famous for you you have short listed 15 sheep.

Bodrum, Marmaris, Cesme, Ayvalik and Canakkale as we threw ourselves aside and resort areas phenomenon’Aegean yi’we started by counting from the trailer on a tour with the strange holiday. Quality of life and organic food on this vacation we fed especially copper and secluded routes we chose. If you wish to land, if you wish, Aegean’s most begin this tour by flying to the tip. Aegean here’s most quiet village 15 course…

1 – Camlibel Village for a photo shoot

Mediterranean’s our list of the line of many villages in the majority of the route ayvalık-balıkesir facility. Seriously, each one of the possible villages, a National Park, especially the clean air and I hope for calmness to enter your route.

The first route: Çamlıbel Village. Balikesir edremit’s Village will not be able to say about this place, but there is a lot that can be seen. The most important point of this village is particularly renowned boutique hotels and chalets host Albatross. The KAZ mountains’s pink skirt on Don’t want to date no one from the hotel. The hotel is almost a natural wonder…

every year in the month of August a festival is taking place in the village for 3 days and was driving, though I can’t see quite a bit is said to be festive.

everything in this village looks authentic, an amazing venue for a photo shoot.

2 – the waterfall hasanboguld

The film is a love story and a sad drowned finite Orhan aksoy Hasan’s name either with the waterfall that gives this place a natural wonder. Love the details of the story and why he was given the name hasanboguld hazinli you wish to leave tell me I don’t, but KAZ mountains’s the most important stops to stop in here.

here is an awesome landscape, nature, Safari tours and Museum you will be greeted with wooden bird. Altinoluk to come to the waterfall’tan Cunda’s enough in the resort to ask here on e olive way.

3 – For Kozak pine

Ayvalik-Bergama on the way between the kingdom of pergamum’produces pine since it has a strange placement. The recipe twice before you go to the difficult places. Kozak’ta was full of pine everywhere you look almost. Yukaribey, Asagibey, Tiger, Demircidere, Kozak gobel the Union of the sum of your villages, the Aegean’s blessings was the main residence of pine. You want water in the village, even when not served with plain water in a glass peanut.

Villagers tree 5 million, he says. Currently more than 800 tons per year has been achieved, to hear that peanut farming in our country might be in the thread I think. Anyway, the topic you deploy the producers, it pays the cost of getting quite heavy for this fragile product. Once a tree takes 10 years to give the cones after planting. “download Glass” the call processing. “????” cones with a pole called collect. Carefully and lovingly. Also the amount of pine obtained from a tree only seven pounds. Even when you get the time you watch this I suggest you join this ceremonial gathering in the village.

then the process takes. 70-80 kg of cones comes from a ton of peanuts. Peanut mollycoddled or dinner, until the unique flavor on the palate that doesn’t leave hissettirene it wasn’t until…

to distinguish pine from the villagers for some info enough to get around and watch. Yesil longer and darker, the trees full of peanuts, simple as that.

Kozak, Bergama-Ayvalık between. 67 km from all the way already. I guess every inch is beautiful. It’s fun to stop by each village. Cliffs, adorned with forests and the road itself looks impressive otherwise.

the prophets should be seen in the village of the waterfall. There’s a small spa. Also don’t miss the cave.

Ayvatlar’s an ancient city that excavation work has begun yet. The first settlement in the region, horseman’s taken. Keep in mind while visiting. Gobel’there are campgrounds and hiking trails. Is conducive to bird watching.

Demircidere’s take some time to observe Turkmen traditions.

Asagibey’s historic Roman baths, a must-see. What got a corner particularly with a view…

a favorite with bikers and bikers, of course. “off-road”defenders among the favorite venues for March.

eat What?

local cheeses, pine nuts and grapes! Demircidere’s beautiful keşkek they used to do, I haven’t eaten. A “receiving the bride” “sur”. Boneless lamb ribs, Kozak nuts, currants and herbs collected from the mountains firinlaniy together.

4 – The monument of Slowness: Sığacık

Turkey’s slow city Seferihisar, Citta Slow, or slow-titled aka the Mediterranean’s most robust from a place of peace. Coastal for the first time’s type a arrivals in the ears they may not feel like he had to fear. Another sound that you will hear grunts from the wind in our trailer with our slow but we were pretty surprised when we got to the charming village.

sigacik every Sunday in the centre of Izmir, which is 45 km away, the castle was founded in the coastal market’s DNA is all about organic life. Homemade pies, baklava, jams, handcrafts, organic vegetables and fruits sold by local people and still-life in the castle continues. Is helping neighbor, which is the density at the counter, the division of labor, a labor of love each Sunday and all visitors on days manages to be one of the places worth visiting is joined to said. This week we came and where we left off the day, we haven’t much experience of it, but we’ve asked around. Meanwhile, I will recommend you to fill your stomach especially on the beach eating fish. The truth is, though some circumstances ahead of the main character of the series’s house is also located here.

when we left a £ 5 everyone who pays the fee the truth’s house you could visit. Able to enter even her bedroom. A £ 5 fee just to see it’s not around the house. This fee payers can get their picture taken inside.

The owners of the house has prepared menus for arrivals. Coastal’s pancakes they come home this ta walkers, leaf roll, and eat baklava. The best part of home cooking small budgets, actually.

The entrance of the garden of the house “pancakes ahead” the post welcomes you. The home directory that attracts the attention of domestic and foreign tourists, thanks to Seferihisar’s support, it contributes to tourism and the economy.

5 – See Taskoy’um

The Old Foca, on the way to the village of Ilıpınar’s what the ending was an interesting village. METU engineering marvel that makes this village one of the foundation’Lu is created by 3 friends. The olives are grown and bored with this village on their own machine, processed packaged. After the Exchange is established close to vineyards in the rear. If you put the soil in this village is out of production. Olive oil, soap, wood products…

when traveling with friends we completely stop with the trailer on the way here it was reason to the architecture, but once you’re in, had a separate dizziness. I think you should definitely stop by this village, even the look in the garden.

6 – breeze Ottoman with the village of Birgi

Izmir’s know people who have paid, but still Paid little is known’s capital Town. Ottoman history is a town of living with nature. The centre of the village which is 10 km from Birgi paid, aydınoğulları Principality’s built by Mehmet Bey, the Great Mosque’s side is famous for. I think it’s the ambience for those who want to hit the bottom of the Ottoman Bursa city’s compete with.

in the village square across from the mosque, the people of the village of Arts and crafts, fruit, vegetables and potatoes can be taken the paid famous. Dating from 1971, and one of the finest examples of wooden Turkish houses cakiraga mansion, Imam-I Birgivi Madrasa places that must be visited. A unique place for nature lovers and those interested in Photography. Izmir’e be able to learn in passing of course.

7 – a paradise woven: yesilyurt

Mediterranean’s holiday Muğla Pearl’s also an interesting village named Laurence. In fact, the Mediterranean’s different from typical villages non-this village there are interesting statistics. The literacy rate of this village is 100%’s close to e, but the real gem weaving.

over time the local people in antiquity that handles stone tobacco eker, Turkey is attractive, but then with the emergence of tobacco as a source of income’s first female Governor-Lale Aytaman’s governorship of Muğla and in the period of Mehmet Dogan former mayor’s leadership has been revived, and Kitty Turkey’names like beymen and textile sell abroad and to urban and export then it becomes possible to perform walks. Decreasing weaving village where you can see interesting examples of nowadays…

8 – Apocalypse would ever think to look village: Şirince

December 21, 2012’Mayan calendar’s what, according to many local and foreign tourists who believe the Apocalypse is imminent Izmir’s Sirince village Selcuk township’s what had rushed.

The time in Guatemala’s December 21, 2012 Mayan calendar found in the older excavations, and that it is ahead of both, although in certain circles, the future of the planet Marduk by multiplying the Apocalypse on Earth on December 21st the world only to France and Sirince’s will affect all of the village of bugarach in the south, there was a group who think that. Fortunately, the Apocalypse has not come…

The remaining tourists here still there are interesting ancient samples of the region is famous for the red meat. Maybe you are looking for the spirit, though not, I suggest you to have a taste of meat.

9 – two of a kind: Yeşilyurt and Adatepe Villages

Greece’s A before you go to Turkey’s miniature villages you can see it. Stone houses, chichewa-filled courtyards and village of adatepe village is very famous with coffee now. At the foot of the KAZ mountains to enjoy the view and sit to drink coffee coming too. Yeşilyurt, adatepe village, both both’s in the now billion-dollar homes sold.

Calm, these two wanted to jump off at the stop Anne’ta.

10 – Nesin mathematics village

if I send people their children to a summer camp, which, they say, if I had a child I said I’d send a post drop and the winter town. Now there are even stages of establishing the philosophy of the village.

the village Sirince (Izmir – Selcuk) 1 km away in the mountains and a lush, green environment is an absolute in unemployment, 7’s 70’s e everyone (every peasant!) at each level, doing math, learned, taught, and the foundation of what you are thinking’for a total of 30 acres of olive groves belonging to the 55-acre village. Without pomp and pageantry, simple and sincere. The houses of stone, mud and straw.

In August, except for the bugs, away from any elements distracting from concentration and thinking. No TV, music broadcast, don’t. But electricity, hot water, and there is evidence of a civilization such as the internet. Bugs there are bugs.

Primary-level education from the most advanced research in all kinds of mathematical activity where it is located in the village at the same time, Sevan nisanyan’s library, I think it’s to build Turkey’s one of the best architectural structures. Math problems, life problems in the environment rather than just a venue of people really is taking it to a different level.

11 – ecological Village: baglaroz

Datça’s writing on the border in the village of baglaroz Turkey’s the place where most organic things you can see. 2014’s agriculture industry in the village which was said to be over te Ecological information from natural elements such as you can find out. Actually some ones money and have the life of the village is a place for you to think about living here, but I put this list I would add interesting experiences.

12 – a secluded paradise for fishing and diving: the Karaburun

This is due to the presence of very few villages in the county and the facility is not preferred by anyone. That’s a good point! Cherry…

outside of karaburun, calmness, cool and wavy, but also have a place to the underwater riches. You can think of it as an alternative route for diving and fishing. I didn’t care because I had my eye on them I really, seriously that part was true is an underwater Paradise.

as I later learned when I came here alone count, 303 there is one sharp bend. The roads is so dangerous, since the number of tourists has been quite low. Karaburun’s The Ice Cream man 7 brothers’s Sinai don’t go without. For 150 years the family made with milk obtained from goats of the region who are doing this ice cream, gummy ice cream especially welcome. Before I forget to add every year, the end of the month of August, “Borkluce the days of Poetry” the beginning of the month of September “science Congress” is regulated.

The position is one of great cakmaktepe different places. Interesting archaeological structures in the region common to the works of the Hittites, it is possible to achieve. Izmir’s cleanest sea in the meantime Karaburun’s note.

13 – Hazelnut Dark’s coal Harbour what is hidden

the Dardanelles’s Gallipoli, the remaining copper or copper on the side a quiet village on the edge of a village. Scuba lovers of Istanbul’s the nearest route from coal harbour, which is shown as Dark Hazelnut’is taking place in. The coldness of the sea up to the region for a period of less holidaymakers remain in the village because Saros’s you’re not being subjected to extreme waves. Ideal for campers village. I’ll give a little note on Coal’e; sea stone on the floor or a very sturdy slipper shoes etc and also is required.

14 – Waterfall, and caves Pamukkale heaven: Sungullu Village

a paradise of Geology, Denizli; travertine, thermal springs and a small pond filled with. Denizli’s only Pamukkale holiday is not from the village, but the local people, understand local culture and put to the Bayonet’. Many close to the area. The smell of rotten eggs the smell is a bit strange I have to admit. Kaklık cave Gumussu Falls, and Pamukkale is never far off. Bending similar to pancakes in this village’s I would recommend to eat.

15 – Nomad village: kuyucu

Umurlu Aydin’s connected either kuyucu Nomad village typical village. Crafting and weaving an interesting Anatolia, the basis of culture with the animals’they’re also creating. Kuyucu one of the interesting stops is the village in the Aegean region. Interesting traditions, especially milk and buttermilk and I would advise you to bazlama dough on their dishes.

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promomagazine · 7 years ago

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Marianna Rosati: Her Life in Leather

By: Maggie Kelly

Marianna Rosati has continued her father’s leather legacy with their joint label, DROMe: a luxed-out reinterpretation of one of the world’s most traditional materials. But, as you will find out, there’s nothing traditional about the kooky and candid Marianna Rosati.

Q: Marianna, you started the DROMe label with your father, Ferrero Rosati, who spent over three decades in leather development for major design houses such as Prada, Gucci and Fendi. What did he teach you about working with leather?

A: Working with my father mostly taught me to always believe in your dreams and always work hard for what is the aim I have. He is such an inspirational figure for the way he faces life and the way he applies his values to the work. Then, of course, I learn all the technics of garment making, not only in leather but also in fabric and knitwear thanks to the great people that have been working in our company for a long time and who dedicate an enormous amount of passion to their daily work.

Q: Leather in apparel traditionally has connotations of being tough, biker-style, broody, even punk. How have you worked to challenge this is the DROMe collections? Your clothes are so soft and buttery some are hard to believe that they’re leather.

A: Well, I really deeply love the punk and biker connotation of leather because I’m a big lover of the punk era! Having said that, I think leather can be many more things, it is such a versatile material, beautiful in its texture and great to experiment with. I always start from thinking about creating a fabric out of leather in order to create a completely different approach to the material. Working on its softness and weight, on the colour shades, interpreting it in unconventional shapes has been my challenge all along.

Q: You have a side project called Twisty Parallel Universe, a collection that overlays fashion with photography, art, and pop culture. How did this come about? Tell us a little more about it.

A: I don’t have TWISTY anymore sadly! I had to be more focused on DROMe, so I quit it. Although I have to say I hope to create a new project in the future of a similar nature! I am anyway combining art and photography in DROMe a lot!

Q: In both DROMe and Twisty Parallel Universe we see a heavy 1960’s mod influence: lots of pastel shades clashed with olive greens, tan, big checks, and chunky shapes. It’s almost a bit Wes Anderson in its vintage-kooky-femme vibe. What inspired this style?

A: I love Wes Anderson of course!! I think that I am very attracted by the mod style, mostly for the music and the era it represents. I really love the colours of that period and I love mixing these atmospheres with more punkie and rocky inputs. But, if I look at the recent ages of fashion, I find myself falling in love with aspects of all of them. Now I’m obsessed with the eighties and the nineties, obviously not all of them but some details, maybe some movies or artists that made history in those times.

Q: Before starting DROMe with your father, you were head designer at Italian label Santacroce, earning that title at just 26. You were so young! Did you feel at the time it was a large role to fill, or was it a natural progression?

A: Working for Santacroce when I was so young has been a great learning ground for me. I have to say I didn’t find it scary, we were a great team and I wasn’t alone, the teamwork is so important in our job! It was very interesting but at the same time I wanted to create a brand from scratch in order to apply all my ideas, all my filters to something new.

Q: Like a potter works with clay, or a dancer works with their body, leather is your chosen medium. What do you love about it?

A: I love the fact that is a difficult material to work with, that has a natural elegance; it can be strong and sexy, or romantic and smooth. And we are really talking about just one material. I like that there are more limits that need to be broken and I like the fact that this is a challenge!

Q: Marianna, you come from a family of wild creatives: as well as designing, you participate in physical theatre workshops; while your brother Gabriele Rosati studied painting and sculpture before settling into photography. What was it about your upbringing that sparked such creative genius?

A: I don’t know! I think the open minds of our parents have helped a lot! Gabriele is 16 years younger than me so I have been taking him with me since he was very, very young to experience theatre, music and the art of beauty. Our dad is a very passionate figure that always gave us the possibility of travelling and of believing in big things. Our mother is a very strong woman, bit more rational but very determined in everything she does in her life. And, even if we come from a small village in Tuscany, around us there has always been a great creative energy, we have met people that literally opened our minds such as theatre Director Firenza Guidi who introduced me to the contemporary theatre and circus and with whom I’ve worked for the last 15 years. I think people with a certain kind of sensitivity are destined to meet each other and to share projects and ideas.

Q: The DROMe S/S ‘17 collection returns to soft, feminine shapes and a floral print that is all undeniably very girly and sweet. However, much of it is created with leather – traditionally a ‘hard’ medium. Do you feel there is strength and power in this juxtaposition?

A: The Spring/Summer season for DROMe is always the hardest! I tend to work mostly with soft materials to express lightness and softness. The Resort collection was inspired by Martin Parr photos, the world of flowery interior design, an eighties vibe that was going through the entire collection. That is where the romantic but still not too feminine part was coming from. The show in Paris was taking something from Resort but mostly was a wild interpretation of colours and deconstruction. I wanted to play with simple elements like ruffles and asymmetric cuts to restyle them into a smoothly sexy silhouette where the clothes could stay on the body with just one knot. The colourful pop abstract print, the golden, the paintbrushes and the amazing iridescent leather where the spaceship of the collection: a triumph of light and colours to express the joy of summer.

Q: Let’s play a game, ok? You are a DROMe leather dress: tell us about a day in the life of your owner.

A: Oh, if I have to choose to be one of my dresses I would definitely be the iridescent outfit with ruffled top and sexy pencil skirt! Well I’d sleep in my pink closet with my friends the feathers and in the morning. I would go out in the sparkling sunny day of Palm Springs! I would have a nice breakfast in my favourite cafe, have a walk in the main street of Palm Springs, having lunch at the Parker Hotel and then I would head to some vintage furniture shopping! I’d definitely buy some pink flamingos for my garden. I would end my day with a lovely cocktail by the pool to get ready for some kind of party!

#fashion week #fashiontech #fashion industry #New York #news #Promo Magazine

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mialipsky-blog · 7 years ago

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A Color Happy Affair in the Arizona Desert

With friends and family traveling from Texas, Lindsay and Whit knew a “mini-destination” wedding in Arizona would be just the escape their guests needed. They set to work planning a lush, colorful, vibrant celebration while playing on Paradise Valley’s natural scenery of desert and mountain beauty. Rachel Solomon and Something New Media came on board to document the day and you can watch it all unfold from beginning to end.

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From the bride… Whit and I met at a SuperBowl party in February of 2012. Our conversation was fun and effortless and we learned that we had several mutual friends, but the spark was just not initially there for me. We lost touch for several months after that and went our separate ways – he moved to Nebraska while I stayed in Texas – but thankfully, we reconnected in September of 2012 when I learned that he was a groomsman in a wedding that I would be attending the following February. Since we lived in different states, we began texting all day long, talking on the phone every single night, and spent as many weekends as we could to visit each other. We survived a two-year long distance relationship and after we both finished graduate school, we decided to settle down in Texas in the summer of 2014.

Whit and I got engaged at the Camelback Inn in Paradise Valley, AZ on December 27th, 2015. I was hoping Whit would propose when we were visiting my family for Christmas that year. Many of my friends were beginning to get engaged and married, and I was just dreaming about when it would finally be our turn. Little did I know, Whit had taken a day off work and flew to Scottsdale a few weeks prior to the proposal. During his quick 12-hour visit to my hometown, he picked up my engagement ring at Oliver Smith Jeweler and started hunting for wedding venues with my parents and grandmother! Whit also scouted out the perfect spot to propose to me, in front of Camelback Mountain.

Whit and I stayed in Scottsdale through New Year’s Eve and began planning our springtime wedding in Arizona, the most beautiful time of year. Although we had a 15-month long engagement, we had most of our wedding vendors and details planned out by March of 2016. We felt lucky that we had tackled all of the “big stuff” pretty early on because that March also happened to be the same time we learned that we were expecting a baby flower girl in November of that year. We welcomed our beautiful daughter into the world a week before Thanksgiving, and she quickly stole our hearts and the hearts of all of our guests as my mom carried her down the aisle on March 18th, 2017, our wedding day!

When the wedding planning began in late December of 2015, Whit and I decided that we were going to have a “mini-destination wedding” in Arizona (considering most of our guests would be traveling from Texas). We chose to have our ceremony at Brophy Chapel since I graduated from Xavier College Preparatory in 2008, and we just knew our reception had to be at El Chorro! The desert landscape and breathtaking mountain views were the perfect scenery for our wedding.

My vision for our wedding theme was a romantic garden with some Arizona desert flair. My mom, Karen Hoffman, worked an endless amount of hours tying all of the details of our theme together, with the help of our planner, Christine Southerland. Randi Eshelman of Carte Blanche Design made my floral dreams come true, from the greenery that dressed the ceiling pipes in Casa Paloma to adding blue thistle and succulents into my hot pink bridal bouquet! The bright floral arrangements accompanied by the blue table linens from La Tavola Fine Linen added so much life and color to Casa Paloma at El Chorro.

Other details that made our wedding unique were our custom floral invitations and monogram designed by Jacki Miller of Foil & Ink; a special song (“Isn’t She Lovely”) dedicated to our daughter during the reception from Shining Star Band; Whit’s Death Star groom’s cake and the cactus cookie favors for our guests (with gold embossed monogram tags done by my mom) from Ruze Cake House; our wooden welcome sign, which was created by Autumn Matney; the groomsmen’s baby blue dotted bow ties from The Tie Bar; and my “something old”! Oliver Smith Jeweler designed all of the jewelry that I wore on our wedding day, except for my ruby cross, which was my something old passed all the way down from my great-great-grandmother.

I recently learned that my great-great-grandfather found this beautiful family heirloom on the ground in a park in Poland in the early 1900’s. The cross was given to my Babcia (my grandma), who wore it on her wedding day. She passed it down to my mother, who wore it on her wedding day, and now I got the privilege of wearing the cross on my wedding day. I am so looking forward to the day when I can place this cross around my own daughter’s neck just like my mom did for me!

Everything about our wedding day was absolutely perfect, and I am so thankful we chose the amazingly talented Rachel Solomon to photograph our wedding, as well as Something New Media who filmed our special day. Both Rachel and Something New Media have allowed us to relive our special day over and over again through the truly beautiful images they captured. We feel like we hit the jackpot with our wedding vendors and we wish we could play our wedding day on repeat, but for now, Whit and I will just enjoy watching our wedding film with our baby girl!

A Color Happy Affair in the Arizona Desert published first on their blog to my feed

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stiles-wtf · 7 years ago

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8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health

24Chances are good your dog will suffer an injury to one of his paws in his lifetime. After all, he walks all over them. Our goal is to prevent dog paw problems when possible, detect potential problems early, and know when we can treat at home or when it’s necessary to beat feet (excuse the pun) to the vet.

But what about pets? Contrary to what some might think, dogs’ footpads aren’t constructed of the same thing bulletproof vests are made of. Despite this, many of us seem to think nothing of our dogs walking over paths filled with stickers and burrs, across sun-baked pavement, or across jagged sheets of ice. While Mother Nature designed dog paws to “take a licking and keep on ticking,” they can still get cuts, scrapes, burns, and frostbite.

1. Do a weekly dog paw check

Do a weekly dog paw check to ensure your dog’s paws stay healthy. Photography by Tierney MJ / Shutterstock.

When a dog starts to limp, most people will take a good look at the feet to see what’s wrong. But get in the habit of looking at each foot weekly.

2. Watch out for burrs

If your pets are ever in the weeds, it’s easy for them to pick up burrs or awns (think cheatgrass or foxtails) between their toes. Those plant invaders can quickly burrow their way inside the foot and literally end up all over the body. I recommend daily checks if your dog is around these heinous hitchhikers. If it’s a burr, you may need to trim a little hair or apply mineral oil to get it out. For awns, I use a pair of needle nose pliers.

3. Do regular dog paw trims

It’s common for long-haired dogs to develop mats between the foot pads, which can chafe and cause irritation. In the summer, we trim the hair between all of our dogs’ feet to prevent this and make it easier to see foreign bodies like grass awns.

4. Keep dog paws dry

Your dog’s paws can become irritated from too much moisture. After he comes in from a swim or a romp in the wet grass, dry off his feet with a towel. Sometimes the excess moisture comes from incessant licking if he has a bacterial or fungal infection that itches (think of how athlete’s foot drives us crazy!). I’m a big fan of weekly baths for pets, and I encourage you to put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of the sink or tub, and add some Epsom salt in the water.

5. Treat painful dog paw cracks

Dog paws also get too dry. For years I’ve recommended Musher’s Secret, a wax that moisturizes, lubricates (to prevent snow or ice balls from forming), and forms a breathable bond with paws. It doesn’t take long to soak in; I put it on about once a month year-round. But don’t use it too often: If pads are too soft, they’ll be more prone to injury.

6. Ban the burn

Concrete sidewalk. Photography by 3445128471 / Shutterstock.

7. Salt on dog paws also spells out problems

8. Get rid of dog paw gunk on the regular

Imagine all the icky-sticky stuff that’s on the ground and gets walked on. Chewing gum, tree sap, motor oil, antifreeze, tar — the list goes on. To clean these off of your dog’s tootsies, use a little Dawn dishwasher detergent; others recommend olive oil. If the gunk won’t loosen, you may have to trim it out or head to the vet to handle. Trust me, you don’t want to accidentally cut the foot pad with scissors or a pair of trimmers. When cut, the same blood supply that warms pet’s feet in the winter and cools them in the summer spurts like a Texas oil well. This might seem like a lot of work, but I promise: An ounce of paw-vention is worth a pound of cure!

Thumbnail: Photography by Nataliya Dorokhina / Shutterstock.

About the author: Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian,” has spent his life working toward better health for pets and the people who love them. The author of 24 books, Dr. Becker was the resident veterinary contributor on Good Morning America for 17 years. He is currently a member of the board of directors of the American Humane Association as well as its chief veterinary correspondent, a founding member of Core Team Oz for The Dr. Oz Show, and a member of the Dr. Oz Advisory Board. When his schedule allows, he practices at North Idaho Animal Hospital. Connect with him on Facebook and on Twitter.

April is Spring Cleaning month here at Dogster!

Stay tuned for a few articles every week on all things spring cleaning and dog — whether that’s dog-safe ways to clean your home, spring-cleaning your dog’s grooming routine with advice on brushing and bathing — and much more.

Read more about dog grooming on Dogster.com:

How to Trim Dog Nails — Safely

Easy Ways to Deal With Matted Dog Hair

Wondering How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears? A How-To (and How Often!) Guide

The post 8 Tips for Year-Round Dog Paw Health appeared first on Dogster.

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